Wozzy Bear's Den

TAKING THE "BIG" STEP - GETTING ENGAGED

2007-02-02T09:26:00.000-05:00

In recent months, I have not been posting and updating as much as I'd like to. I could provide a slew of excuses that include work, the holiday's, etc., but that still wouldn't change the fact that I'd prefer to write more frequently. Perhaps I should try to write shorter, more concise posts. Or is it quality over quantity?

Regardless, from a personal standpoint, my life has changed drastically over the past couple of months. After a great deal of thought, at some point in early November, it finally occurred to me that I had the greatest girlfriend a guy could ask for. Once I let this thought truly take hold in my brain, I knew exactly what I had to do. I was suddenly filled with an overwhelming sense of clarity on an issue I had been grappling with in the back of my mind for quite a while.

On a warm Saturday morning, I took my first steps towards the biggest decision in a man's life. I asked for permission from the special lady's father. That very same day, after I had been granted permission, my sister and future brother-in-law helped me pick out the perfect ring, and my master plan was set into motion.

In the two weeks leading up to the big day, I found myself filled with excitement and anxiety in anticipation of the decisive moment. How would I be able to get the words out without stumbling like a buffoon or passing out? What if the weather was foul? I almost couldn't believe I had reached this point in my life.

Finally, November 24th, 2006 arrived. It was the day after Thanksgiving, and Jess and I had planned to walk the dogs in the park, one our favorite activities. Luckily, the weather was unseasonably sunny and warm, and Jess had absolutely no idea what my intentions were. I was about to blindside her.

As we began our walk, my heart began to pound deep in my chest, as I could feel the moment of truth rapidly approaching. I picked out what I thought was the perfect spot at a bench by the lake. In my mind, I told myself that this is where I would do it. Then, just as we approached, Dylan (the puppy) decided it was time to poop. Scratch the bench and lake idea. It would have to wait until the end of the walk.

The little bastard pooped right before my big moment.

After what seemed like an endless half-hour walk, we finally reached the other side of the park. Together we sat on a bench to let the dogs have a drink of water. I knew the moment had arrived, but my legs had become heavy like cinder blocks. Suddenly, I was down on one knee, professing my love to Jess. She literally looked like the proverbial deer in headlights, as it finally occurred to her that I was proposing.

After I had slipped the ring on her tiny finger, and she had accepted my proposal, we finished our walk and opened a bottle of champagne that I had stashed in the car. My manly duties were complete, and I felt like a conquering hero returning in triumph. It truly ended up working to perfection, and the vivid memory of that day is a moment I will never forget.

In the car after the big proposal.

So to make a long story short, I'm now engaged, and we've since set our date at July 13, 2008. People have asked me if I know what I'm getting into, and how I could commit to one person for the rest of my life. My answer is always the same. She's my best friend in the world. Who wouldn't want to spend the rest of their life with their best friend?

The future Mr. & Mrs. Wozzy Bear.

AFC Championship Thoughts

2007-01-23T09:22:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine emailed me the following observations on Monday morning, in reference to the incredible AFC Championship game on Sunday evening:

I cannot believe that the following happened yesterday:

1. The Colts fumbled the ball on the goal line and actually recovered for a score.

2. Reche Caldwell got mugged in the back of the endzone and no penalty was called.

3. Reggie Wayne threw the ball in the air and caught it.

4. Reche Caldwell dropping two wide open passes....One for a TD.

5. Brady threw a pick on the last drive.

Personally, I had to agree on all accounts, and responded as follows:

1. Not only did the Colts fumble on the goal line and recover for a TD, but so did the Gaytriots. How does that happen twice in one game? Then, as if that's not bizarre enough, Dan Klecko caught a TD pass for the Colts as well. That has to be some sort of record for fat guys scoring TD's in one game.

2. The Colts defensive back (I believe Marlin Jackson) actually raped Reche Caldwell in the back of the endzone on a 3rd down play in the 4th quarter. Caldwell literally could have filed a police report and taken him to court for assault. The fact that no flag was thrown is poetic justice considering the Gaytriots have had every break of the game roll their way over the past five seasons.

3. When Reggie Wayne tossed the ball in the air with three Gaytriots surrounding him on the final Colts drive, I almost pooped in my pants. How he got the ball back, and why it ever popped out in the first place, I will never know. It was a pure heart attack moment.

4. There's no way Reche Caldwell dropped those two passes because he wasn't looking at the ball. The guy has the biggest eyeballs I've ever seen. It's really frightening.

5. Tom Brady throwing an interception to lose a game was incredibly satisfying to watch. Maybe he's human after all. What I loved even more was his face as he was walking off the field. He literally looked like he was going to cry. It was sort of a combination between almost crying and having to take a really big dump. Regardless, his facial expression was priceless, and I'm actually having a poster made of that exact face. It ranks right up there with Adam Morrison crying when Gonzaga lost in the NCAA tournament last year.

6. Bill Belichick is the biggest sore loser in the history of sports. Simply watch the moments following the final Colts kneel down to close the game for proof. You'll see Peyton Manning walk up to Belichick and extend his hand, only to have Belichick walk right by Manning without even acknowleding him. Then, to make matters worse, in the postgame press conference, he sounded like a five year old boy pouting after his mother took away his toy truck. The man has won three Super Bowls in five seasons, and has compiled a career playoff record of 12-2, yet you'd never know it by judging his demeanor. It's simply pathetic.

7. That was one of the most exciting playoff games I've ever watched, and the fact that the Gaytriots lost makes it even sweeter.

Here We Come Houston!

2006-12-26T23:28:00.000-05:00

For the next four days, the RU Superfans will shift from NJ to Texas to watch the Scarlet Knights take on Kansas State in the innagural Texas Bowl. Houston, you have a problem. Go Knights! Go Knights! Go Knights!

"PANDEMONIUM IN PISCATAWAY!!!"

2006-11-13T15:36:00.000-05:00

"Pandemonium in Piscataway," were the words of Rutgers Radio play-by-play man Chris Carlin just as the Scarlet Knight's defense sacked Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm for the fifth time, capping the most monumental win in Rutgers football history. Personally, I couldn't have said it any better myself, because pandemonium is exactly what ensued at Rutgers Stadium on Thursday night.

Rutgers Stadium literally had a pulse the entire evening.

Trailing 25-7 late in the second quarter, it seemed as if the pumpkin were about to grimly appear before the RU faithful. The typical Rutgers disaster, another blow-out at the hands of a top tier football program, seemed inevitable.

Suddenly, with just over four mintes remaining until halftime, Ray Rice took a misdirection pitch off the left side and darted eighteen yards to paydirt. In lightning-quick fashion, Rutgers Stadium was alive and kicking along with the Scarlet Knight's. Heading into halftime, the issue was still in doubt.

In my memory, the second half will always remain a hazy blur of excitement, nervousness and pure emotion, with drama and sport clashing to create a primal energy never experienced on the banks.

No one fed off this energy more than the Scarlet Knight's defense. Every time the explosive Lousiville offense touched the ball in the second half, the defense rose to the challenge with the help of a deafening Rutgers Stadium crowd.

In the meantime, the Rutgers offense chopped away. After a sixty-seven yard catch and run by freshmen wideout Kenny Britt set the Rutgers offense up at the Lousiville four yard line, Ray Rice finished the drive off with a TD charge that sent the Rutgers Stadium crowd into a frenzy. Was this actually happening? Were the Scarlet Knight's really pushing the mighty Louisville Cardinals around?

After Jeremy Ito's 46-yard field goal tied the game at twenty-five with just ten minutes to play, this game truly became a classic. The Rutgers defense would hold Lousiville after they moved the ball across midfield, the only drive in which they would gain a first down in the second half, setting up the historic conclusion.

Rutgers would take possession at their own nine yeard line, and for the first time in my life, I stood in Rutgers Stadium KNOWING that the Scarlet Knight's would march forward for the game winning drive. After a a first down and a couple of short Ray Rice runs, the Knight's faced a crucial third and six. The drive hung in the balance, and there was no question Schiano would put the ball in the hands of his selfless senior leader, Brian Leonard.

Twenty-six yards later, the entire stadium knew the tables had officially turned, as a game-winning field goal was within Ito's reach. After a few more crucial runs from Rice, Ito trotted out onto the field to drill the field goal that would send shock waves through the college football landscape.

Of course, in just a slight twist of RU irony, Ito pushed his first attempt wide left. But this is a different year for the Scarlet Knight's, and luckily, Louisville's Randall Gay jumped offsides. Ito would hammer the second attempt down the middle, and the dream was just thirteen seconds from fruition.

As Brohm tumbled down on the final play, I almost jumped over the row in front of me, as I landed on Sal's back. This improbable season would happily continue.

Before I rushed onto the field, as I stood there for just a few moments, soaking in the surge of humanity, my eyes began to well with tears as I recalled eight years worth of games.

Suddenly, the past no longer mattered. I was standing at the birthplace of college football, watching my alma mater beat the third ranked team in the nation. It was real. It had happened. And I'll never forget it for the rest of my life.

Jess and I soak in the moment before heading onto the field to join the celebration.

Showdown at the Birthplace

2006-11-08T15:17:00.000-05:00

The time for speculation has passed, as game-time has all but arrived. In just over twenty-eight hours, the incredible magic carpet will make its ninth stop of the season.

For most of the past eight year's, I've been the butt end of a family joke. While most of my family made Rutgers University their college choice, none of them believed Rutgers would ever make the quantum leap from a college football laughingstock to a legitimate player in the top twenty-five.

Year after year I was laughed at when I would make comments like "We're almost there," or "Seriously, the talent level is rising," even though the scorebaords rarely reflected it.

Now, the joke is on everyone else, my family included. Rutgers is one of five unbeaten teams left in the country, and tomorrow night, the #15 Scarlet Knights will square off with unbeaten and #3 ranked Louisville.

No longer an afterthought, RU has arrived. Tomorrow, they attempt to redraw the lines in the landscape of college football to include the birthplace of college football. Upstream Scarlet Knights - Upstream!

NEXT UP - HOWARD

2006-09-20T12:25:00.000-04:00

QUICK OHIO RECAP - RU 24, OHIO 7

The Scarlet Knight's charge out of the tunnel for homecoming.

For the second week in a row the Scarlet Knights took care of an inferior opponent at home. Unlike in years oast, RU has taken care of the opponents they're supposed too, even when they haven't played their best football. Ohio was no exception over the weekend, and the record homecoming crowd left happy.

While the defense turned in another dominating performance, holding Ohio to just 119 yards of total offense (67 Rushing, -6 Net), the RU offense never clicked in the passing game. Mike Teel turned in a dreaful performance, throwing three picks and zero touchdowns (6-16 for 83 yds).

On the positive side, sophomore running sensation Ray Rice continued to dominate, running for a workman-like 196 yards and two touchdowns. In all, the formidable RU ground game rushed for 217 yards on 38 carries (5.7/carry).

Rice's 499 yards rushing this season rank fourth in the nation.

NEXT UP - HOWARD

On Saturday, the Knights will finish their three game homestand against division 1AA Howard. Howard enters the game at (0-2) and should pose no threat to the Knight's punishing ground game and suddenly overwhelming defense.

THE PREDICTION

Expect Mike Teel to improve vastly in his passing, while the Rice/Leonard combo should continue to run up and down the field. The Knights will continue to win the games they're supposed to, including this one easily.

Rutgers 42, Howard 7

RU fans and alumni packed Rutgers Stadium for homecoming. It was the 5th largest crowd in the stadiums brief history.

The Bopper (RU Superfan) enjoys some of CrazyLenard's BBQ Ribs @ Homecoming.

LET'S GO METS! PARTY LIKE IT'S 1988!

2006-09-15T19:37:00.000-04:00

With a win tonight, the New York Mets can clinch their first National League East division title in eighteen years (1988). Having been a Mets fan my entire life, it's difficult to remember the last time this happened. 1988 is such a distant memory, as I was merely an eight year old boy in love with the game of baseball and my #1 Mookie Wilson jersey.

Here I am now, a grown man at twenty-five years old, having traded my Wilson jersey for some #5 David Wright threads, and I'm just as giddy as I was back in the late 1980's. Sure the Mets had a couple of solid seasons in 1999 and 2000 as the NL Wild Card winners (and eventual losers in the 2000 world Series to the hated cross-town rival Yankees), but winning the division just feels different. It feels as if this is the way a team should enter the playoffs.

Clinching the NL East at this point is a mere formality. If it doesn't happen tonight, it will likely become a mathematical certainty tomorrow. Yet, I hope to see the Mets celebrate a division title on the field, and party into the night as a team, like it's 1988. I know I will.

Destination Raritan

2006-09-15T14:58:00.000-04:00

RU Superfan Kevdond demonstrates the type of attitude and game face necessary to achieve glory.

Tomorrow afternoon, Scarlet Knights alumni from all across the country will flock to the birthplace of college football in search of the school's first (3-0) start in almost thirty years. Surely this would be no large feat for the normal college football powerhouse, but at Rutgers, this would merely be another step in the metamorphosis from college football graveyard to a eutopia of gridirion promise.

The Scarlet Knights battle Illinois last wekeend (RU dominated 33-0).

All that stands between RU and a sprinter's start to this promising 2006 campaign is Ohio University.

No longer are the Scarlet Knights the butt end of a cheap college football joke. These low blows have been replaced by the dual punch-line of Ray Rice and Brian Leonard.

PREDICTION

Last week the Ohio defense yielded 196 rushing yards to Northern Illinois. With decades of Scarlet Knight alumni jammed into Rutgers Stadium for a jubilant homecoming, expect sophomore tailback Ray Rice and senior fullback Brian Leonard to run rampant through the Ohio secondary and straight into the Raritan.

These are not your father's Scarlet Knight's...Not in our house on homecoming.

Rutgers 41, Ohio 10

Check out more RU Superfan photo's from lat week's game at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozzybear/

Payback - She's a Female Dog

2006-09-08T17:05:00.000-04:00

Last season Rutgers opened at Illinois with guns blazing, sprinting to a 27-7 lead midway through the third quarter, only to watch the all to familiar "RU Screw" grab hold of the Scarlet Knights late in the game. Rutgers would eventually lose 33-30 in overtime, a loss that would sting for months.

Although the Knights would bounce back to finish the season at 7-5, earning their first bowl bid in over twenty-five years, the current RU players have not soon forgotten the terrible feeling of blowing the game in such a dubious fashion.

"You never know in college football in close games, but with the confidence we have now in this team, we expect to win," says RU fullback Brian Leonard. "In the past, we were just hoping to win."

However, Leonard and the Knights are downplaying the revenge angle. Leonard explains, "You can't think of it like that or you're just gonna get that in your head or you're not going to do as well as you should. This team is not thinking of it as a revenge team at all."

While the players focus solely on the game and the task at hand, you can expect the RU faithful to enter Rutgers Stadium tomorrow with last season fresh in their memory, and this year, don't expect the Knights to snap under the pressure.

THE PREDICTION:

After last week's 201 yard/3 touchdown performance by sophomore Ray Rice, expect Illinois to crowd the box. Luckily for Knight's fans, RU has an exposive receiving core in Shawn Tucker, Willie Foster, red-shirt freshmen Dennis Campbell and tight end Clark Harris, who could possibly win the Mackey Award this season. Look for quarterback Mike Teel to spread the field early with the pass.

Rutgers 34, Illinois 20

The RU Superfans are pumped for another season of Scarlet Knight's Football

WOZZY'S WEEK 1 FORECAST - THE PICKS

2006-09-07T00:08:00.000-04:00

EDITOR'S NOTE: Over on my other blog "2jetsfans," http://2jetsfans.blogspot.com I will be posting my NFL picks each week. Those posts will also appear on Wozzy's Den.

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Throughout each week of the season I will briefly break the Jets matchup down, as well as provide my picks for each game. If Ectropy chooses to post his picks, we'll keep a running tally of correct forecast's for the entire season. So without further hesitation, here is Wozzy's week one forecast.

GANG GREEN

Jets (+3) @ Titans

Neither team is projected to have a particularly noteworthy season, as public opinion has both clubs dwelling in the cellar.

With new head coach Eric Mangini moving over from New England, look for the Jets to play a ball control game similar to Belichik's style, in an effort to win the time of possession battle. The Jets will feature a three pronged ground attack and run Cedric Houston, Kevin Barlow and Derrick Blaylock at the Titans, while mixing in the accurate passing of Chad Pennington. Pennington's arm strength is certainly an enormous question mark, but his accuracy has always been superb. The Jets should play to Blaylock's strength and utilize his pass catching skills.

Meanwhile, the Titans bring a fresh look to the quarterback position with the departure of Steve McNair to Baltimore. The Vince Young era has begun in Tennessee, but don't expect to see Young behind center until later in the season. For now, Billy Volek will take the snaps, while Chris Brown seems to have won the starting tailback job over LenDale White and Travis Henry.

Both teams have relatively young and inexperienced defenses, while the Titans seem to have a bit of an edge on offense, especially on the ground. However, the Jets offense will do just enough to keep them in the game, and Jonothan Vilma will make a second half game-changing play to propel Gang Green to an opening day road win.

THE PICK: Take the Jets and the three points.
PREDICTED SCORE: Jets 20, Titans 17

THE REST OF THE LEAGUE

Pittsburgh vs. Miami (EVEN) - Pittsburgh - Even w/out Big Ben, the Steelers will be amped to raise their Super Bowl Banner.
Tampa Bay vs. Baltimore (-3) - Baltimore - Goodbye Kyle Boller, hello Steve McNair.
Cleveland (-3) vs. New Orleans - Cleveland - Drew Brees does not look to be completely healthy just yet.
Carolina (-5) vs. Atlanta - Carolina - The Panthers could be Super Bowl bound this season.
Seattle (-5) @ Detroit - Seattle - The Seahawks will be the toast of the NFC along with Carolina.
Philadelphia (-4.5) @ Houston - Philadelphia - Houston still has no offensive line or running back, and McNabb is healthy.
Tennessee vs. New York Jets (+3) - New York Jets - See above.
Kansas City vs. Cincinnati (+2.5) - Cincinnati - Chad Johnson will unveil the first of many genius endzone celebrations.
Denver @ St. Louis (+3.5) - St. Louis - Tough to pick against the Rams at the Dome, especially when they're getting 3.5.
New England (-9) vs. Buffalo - New England - Who's playing QB for Buffalo? Exactly.
Jacksonville (-2.5) vs. Dallas - Jacksonville - The Jags boast a stout defense.
Chicago (-3.5) @ Green Bay - Chicago - The Packers are young and inexperienced, while the Bears have the league's best D.
Arizona (-7.5) vs. San Francisco - Arizona - The Cards' high powered offense will fly in their new stadium.
Indianapolis (-3.5) @ New York Giants - Indianapolis - Peyton has a little more experience than brother Eli.
Washington vs. Minnesota (+4.5) - Minnesota - Don't sleep on the Vikings in the NFC North. Hear that Chicago?
San Diego (-3) @ Oakland - San Diego - Tomlinson and gates are quite a tandem.

Social Security - For The Social Class

2006-09-04T22:13:00.000-04:00

This was passed along to me via e-mail recently, and I figured it might be better served as a post.....

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2008 Election Issue!!

GET A BILL STARTED TO PLACE ALL POLITICIANS ON SOCIAL SECURITY.

SOCIAL SECURITY:

(This is worth reading. It is short and to the point.)

Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years.

Our Senators and Congress men and women do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it.

You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan.

In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.
For all practical purposes their plan works like this:

When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die.
Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments....

For example, Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives.

This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two Dignitaries.

Younger Dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more during the rest of their lives.
Their cost for this excellent plan is$0.00. NADA!..ZILCH!

This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Funds.

"OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK"

From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into, every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer). We can expect to get an average of $1,000 per month after retirement.

Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator! Bill Bradley's benefits!

Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.

That change would be to:

Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen, put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us, then sit back.....
and see how fast they would fix it.

If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve.

How many people CAN you send this to?
Better yet......

How many people WILL you send this to?

HIBERNATION - FLORIDA

2006-08-21T13:27:00.000-04:00

I have been looking forward to a much needed respite in Florida for over a month now, and the time has finally arrived. This afternoon, Jess and I are flying down to West Palm Beach, Florida for a week on the beach. We have an ocean-front time-share, and the plan is to lay on the beach for most of the week. I'll post some pictures upon my return. Ciao!

Where Do I Stand?

2006-08-10T12:33:00.000-04:00

Lately, I find myself wondering where I stand politically. Am I a democrat or a republican? Do I support the Bush Amdinistration? Not really, but I don't always disagree with the decisions of the federal government, just as I don't always agree.

As I've reached my mid-twenties, I feel as if my uber-liberal stance on life has hardened a bit. I've been working full time after college for almost three years now, and I've begun to realize that the world isn't so black and white. The issues that plague our globe are not simply bipartisan, and it's not as easy to simply take a "side" in a discussion. Political issues are much more complex, and can often be viewed from multiple angles, stances and views. What an American might find normal and proper, a European might find absurd and downright sickening.

Perhaps I should have learned this while studying journalism and political science in college, but there truly is only so much you can learn in a classroom. Only after moving into the real world, with bills to pay, a career to embark upon and taxes levied, have I even begun to grasp how the world functions.

I do not presume to ever fully understand the complexities of this earth, and the countless nations, cultures and political philosophies that govern it. However, one defining thought has seemed to dominate my thoughts of late. With all the political turmoil across the globe in recent weeks (Cuba, Israel/Lebanon, Iraq, Colombia/Venezuela), it has become apparent that a partisan view of politics is simply absurd. The entire idea of walking a party line limits one's ability to even facilitate a rational belief.

Only when we all establish our views on an issue-to-issue basis, will we truly find viable solutions to the world's issues. It's time we all think for ourselves, rather than allow an identifying icon like an elephant or a donkey choose for us.

I guess this officially makes me an independent in search of a symbol.

ITALY - 2006 WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS

2006-07-10T15:53:00.000-04:00

FORZA ITALIA!

Italian Captain Fabio Cannavaro hoists the WorldCup Trophy in triumph.

Defender Fabio Grosso is elated just moments after drilling decisive penalty kick home.

Tournament Recap to follow........

2006-06-28T22:44:00.000-04:00

A Eulogy for Grandma Ghuzzi
As Written by Christopher Ghuzzi

Love and pride - These are the attributes that come to mind when I think of grandma. There was certainly never a shortage of love for her entire family, both immediate and extended. Yet, as I’ve grown older, it has become increasingly clear that as her grandchildren, we brought grandma such a sense of overwhelming pride. We were the center of her universe, and the source of her unwavering pride.

This fact became starkly clear just a few days ago when Aunt Jane discovered a green three ring binder amongst her belongings. Inside this scrap book lay sheet upon sheet of paper, outlining our accomplishments from childhood through college. There was an article entitled “When I Grow Up” from the “Newport Costa Mesa News” written by Shaunna, and numerous programs from Christmas concerts spanning two decades. From little league write ups, to Honor Society inductions, to awards and civic accomplishments, she had saved it all, and had been there for each of us.

A substantial portion of my fondest memories bring me back to childhood and that cozy house on South Park Terrace. There was absolutely nothing like Sunday dinner at Grandma Jenny’s house. After dinner, the adults would sit at the dining room table, while us kids would ultimately be relegated to one of three places – the basement, the front porch or upstairs. It was in these moments that we would entertain ourselves with the now infamous two-stringed-guitar, the bongo drum and the “Lite-Brite.” Inevitably, our games of hide and seek would escalate, and grandma would march up the stairs and yell, “You kids need to calm down…the chandelier is shaking!”

Sometimes, when grandma would use the electric mixer in the kitchen, the television would fill with static, and the lights would dim just a bit. It was a modest home, but it was filled with a grandmother’s love. When we were really young, grandma would have sleep/overs. We’d watch the “Golden Girls,” she’d teach us how to play cards for pennies, and spoil us with cookies and caffeine-free soda. I distinctly remember the ceramic cookie jar in her kitchen, truly a grandmother’s touch. We’d piece jigsaw puzzles together on the living room table, and try to help her with her crossword puzzles.

Living as a widow my entire life, we all chipped in to help with the upkeep of grandma’s house. When we were old enough, Brian and I would ride our bikes over to her house to mow the lawn, wash the windows and rake the leaves. One time, she handed Brian a steak knife from the kitchen drawer, and asked him to go out into the yard and cut the weeds. Like a loyal grandson, Brian marched into the backyard, got down on his hands and knees, and began weeding with an ordinary kitchen steak knife. Grandma’s house wasn’t exactly equipped with home Depot’s finest, but we made due.

Holidays’ elicit some of the warmest memories for me. Every Christmas Eve, we’d pick grandma up and bring her to our house to help prepare for Christmas dinner on Carteret Ave. She would sit at the table and wrap all my presents, and would always tell me that Santa’s little elves were watching to make sure I was behaving. She would stuff the turkey and attend Christmas Eve mass right here at Holy Spirit with us. As young children, if we became restless during mass, she’d always have wintergreen lifesavers in her purse to keep us occupied. Then, on Christmas morning, as we opened our presents, she’d invariably say “You people have no idea how lucky you are to have parent’s who give you so many gifts. When I was a little girl, we each got just one gift.” Over the last few years, Christmas Eve just never seemed the same without grandma there to share it with us.

Looking back, I think we may very well be the only grandchildren who can honestly tell people that our grandmother laundered money – literally. Every Easter, she would give each of us a solid chocolate bunny with a crisp $5 bill attached. You see, grandma would actually wash the money and then iron it so she could give us crisp and clean bills. So, it was a running family joke that grandma laundered her money.

Grandma always seemed to refer to her grandchildren as a group. It was always “You people this” or “You people that.” She’d never single any of us out, and she treated each one of us the same, even though we have all grown to be unique. She would constantly remind us that “You people are so lucky.” Well, we certainly were lucky to have a grandmother who was so proud of each of us, and who took the time to become such an integral part of our lives. She loved “you people” with every ounce of her heart, and we all loved her, just the way she was.

PEARL JAM - THE MUSIC OF OUR GENERATION - PART 2

2006-06-06T11:55:00.000-04:00

Pearl Jam - June 3, 2006 - East Rutherford, NJ; Continental Airlines Arena

After taking a day off, I returned to the Continental Airlines Arena on Saturday night to see Pearl Jam play yet again. This show marked the final stop in the first leg of their tour, and it showed, as the band played with a fervor exemplary of a finale. Once again, they dipped deep into their extesive catalog, and ignited the crowd with classics like "Rats," "Garden," and "Porch." As always, they showed their inate ability to interact with the crowd and provide superior entertainment value, all while playing for almost three full hours. If there is one thing I've learned, it's that Pearl Jam always provides its fans with more than their money's worth.

The Set List

PRE-OPENER
No Surrender

SET 1
Severed Hand, Corduroy, World Wide Suicide, Hail Hail, Animal, Love Boat Captain, In Hiding, Even Flow, I Am Mine, Whipping, Gone, Comatose, State Of Love And Trust, Rats, Garden, Inside Job, Porch

ENCORE 1
Army Reserve, Hard To Imagine, Last Kiss, Black, Crazy Mary, Last Exit

ENCORE 2
Wasted Reprise, Life Wasted, Lukin, Leash, Don't Gimme No Lip, Why Go, Leaving Here, Alive, Yellow Ledbetter.

FINAL THOUGHT

During the first encore of Thursday's show, the band played an acoustic version of "Come Back," a song off their new self titled album. Before playing, Eddie explained that the song was about the feeling one has when you're about to lose someone, or that feeling of despair just a few months after their gone. Immediately, I thought of my friend Doug, and the feelings of melancholy his loss has rendered over the last year-and-a-half. The song perfectly encapsulated my feelings, and almost brought me to tears.

Come Back

If I keep holding out... will the light shine through?

Under this broken roof... it's only rain that I feel

I've been waiting out the days... Come Back.

I have been planning out... All that I'd say to you

Since you slipped away... Know that I still remain true

I've been wishing out the days...

Please say, that if you hadn't of gone now, I wouldn't have lost you another way

From wherever you are.... Come Back.

And these days, they linger on

And I'm the night, as I'm waiting on

The real possibility I may meet you in my dream

I go to sleep

If I don't fall apart.... will the memories stay clear?

So you had to go......... and I had to remain here

But the strangest thing to date

So far away

And yet you feel so close

And I'm not gonna question it any other way

There must be an open door

For you to

Come Back

And the days, they linger on

And every night, what I'm waiting for

Is the real possibility I may meet you in my dream

And sometimes you're there

And you're talking back to me

Come the morning I could swear you're next to me

And it's okay. It's okay. It's okay.

I'll be here

Come Back Come Back

I'll be here

Come Back Come Back

I'll be here

Come Back Come Back

PEARL JAM - THE MUSIC OF OUR GENERATION

2006-06-02T14:14:00.000-04:00

Pearl Jam - June 1, 2006 - East Rutherford, NJ; Continental Airlines Arena

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Pearl Jam live in concert for the sixth time in my life, at the Continental Airlines Arena. In the past, I have seen shows in New York, New Jersey and have even flown all the way out to Seattle to see them play. I first heard the groundbreaking tunes off their debut album "Ten" fifteen years ago, and I've been firmly hooked to this incredible rock band ever since. I can still recall driving to school in seventh grade and hearing "Jeremy" on the radio. It was unlike any music that I had ever heard, and immediately, Pearl Jam's sound resonated with me.

It's amazing to me that my favorite band from my teenage year's has now been rocking for fifteen years. After all, Eddie Vedder is now forty-one years old, and an entire generation of teenagers now heads through adolescence with the "grunge" scene of the 1990's a thing of the past. As I sat there listening to Pearl Jam drop by far the best overall set list I have ever witnessed, I found myself thinking about this band and their place in the musical relevance of our generation.

Growing up, my father always spoke of how much bands and musicians like The Who, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppellin and Eric Clapton influenced his life. They were the musical artists who shaped his generation, and whom he revered. They were his icons; the voice of a pro-active generation.

Last night, as I watched Pearl Jam mesmerize me with their signature blend of hard, funky, yet classicly melodic tunes, I couldn't help but come to the realization that I was watching my favorite band take their rightful place as the voice of my generation. While the grunge scene has certainly come and gone, Pearl Jam has not only remained and survived, but thrived as a band evolving musically over time. Like all the landmark bands before them, Pearl Jam has grown into adulthood along with their fan base, becoming the mainstay of our signature grunge generation.

LAST NIGHT

Last night's show was an excellent sampling of Pearl Jam's eight studio albums, with a strong emphasis on the band's older, yet lesser played tunes. It was truly the type of show perfect for the hard-core fans. The highlight of the evening came at the beginning of the first encore, as the band slowed the tempo of the show down and played a number of acoustic tunes. The completion of this treat saw the band play a tremendous rendition of "Footsteps," a song that has never appeared on any of the studio albums. It also represents one of the first three songs the band ever played together. This was promptly followed by lively versions of "Once" and "Alive," the other two songs in the bands original trilogy. (In reality, all three were written by guitarist Stone Gossard)

This transitions into an interesting bit of history involving the band, those three songs, and the significance of their renditions last night. Interestingly enough, the information in the following section was taken from Wikipedia.

In 1984, Vedder returned to San Diego with his girlfriend, Beth Liebling. He kept busy recording demo tapes at his home and working at various jobs, including a position as night attendant at a local gas station. Soon the rather shy singer became the vocalist for San Diego band Bad Radio. After he left that band, Vedder's friend and former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons gave him a demo tape from a band in Seattle that was looking for a singer. Vedder recorded vocals for three of the songs, which later became Pearl Jam's "Alive", "Once", and "Footsteps". Vedder wrote the song lyrics as a "mini-opera" about a young man scarred by both the death of his father and a sexually abusive mother ("Alive"). The man grows up to become a serial killer ("Once") and is eventually imprisoned and sentenced to death ("Footsteps"). When they heard the tape, guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament invited Vedder to come to Seattle to audition for the band that soon became Pearl Jam.

It is amazing that the bands first three songs not only tell a progressive narrative, but are also generally regarded as three of their better efforts over time. Last night truly was a virtuoso performance from a band that was destined to make great music together.

THE PLAYLIST

Opening: My Morning Jacket

Pre-set Ed solo: You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (by The Beatles)
Pre-set Ed w/My Morning Jacket: It Makes No Difference (by The Band)

Set List: Severed Hand, Corduroy, World Wide Suicide, Do The Evolution, Marker In The Sand, Given To Fly, Dissident, Even Flow, Army Reserve, Immortality, Green Disease, Not For You/(Modern Girl by Sleater Kinney), Alone, Jeremy, Why Go, Life Wasted, Rearviewmirror

1st encore: Wasted Reprise, Man Of The Hour, Come Back, Footsteps, Once, Alive

2nd encore: Last Exit, Comatose, Leatherman, Glorified G, Leash, Baba O'Riley, Indifference

Armageddon Alert

2006-05-25T17:20:00.000-04:00

Today's Perspective:

Last night, sixty-three million Americans voted for the next "American Idol." In a sad contrast, that is more than either presidential candidate mustered in the last election. This starkly illustrates what has become important to the people in this country. Our president is doing a piss-poor job of managing the nation, gas prices are sky-rocketing out of control and we have American troops risking their lives in Iraq. But fret not America, we have "American Idol" to distract us from partaking in those menial everyday tasks like voting for our nation's leader.

Cock's Split In Back-To-Back Games

2006-05-24T12:49:00.000-04:00

GAME 6

Multi Chevrolet 14, Fighting Cocks 11

Just as they did in their last outing, the Fighting Cock's came out slow at the plate, and sloppy in the field. Multi Chevrolet would strike for seven first inning runs, aided by a few errors, to take an early lead. To make matters worse, the Cock's bats were weak for the entire first half of the game, allowing Multi Chevrolet to take a commanding 14-0 lead into the fourth inning.

However, just as suddenly as the Cock's fell behind, their bats awoke, scoring four runs in the 4th, and then seven more in the seventh. Unfortunately, the early game deficit was to large to overcome, as the Cocks dropped a 14-11 decision to a young and inexperienced Multi Chevrolet bunch.

Fighting Cocks (3-3)

Next Up: Joe's Place - Tuesday, May 22nd @ 9 P.M.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

GAME 7

Fighting Cocks 15, Joe's Place 14

For the third straight game, the Fighting Cocks were dreadful early on, a habit that must be broken if the Cocks intend to make another run at the league championship this season. Joe's Place jumped out to an early 5-2 lead after one inning, assisted by an error in left field by Christopher Ghuzzi that allowed two runs to score. Joe's Place would extend the lead to 10-5 by the time the sixth inning ended, and it looked as if the Cock's would drop back-to-back games in terrible fashion.

However, in what has become their calling card as of late, the Cock's bats would awake only when their backs were planted firmly against the wall. Eleven men would walk to the plate in the inning en-route to nine runs and a 14-10 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. Cleanup hitter Lenny Worthington was vastly important in the rally, as he singled to drive in a run during the offensive outburst, capping his 4-5 evening at the plate. The key at bat in the inning came as the Cock's had already taken the lead 11-10. With runners on 2nd and 3rd and two men out, Christopher Ghuzzi came to the plate with a chance to extend the lead and atone for his error early in the game. Ghuzzi blasted the first pitch deep into the center field gap, and when the ball bounced over the left-center fielder's head, the drive became a three run homer that gave the Cock's an important 14-10 lead.

Joe's Place would not go down easily, as their first three batters wripped singles to quickly cut the lead to 14-12. After Jack Zucker made a tremendous circus catch on a bloop over second base to record the first out, Joe's would pull within one run on a sacrifice fly to left. That's as close as they would get. The final batter wripped a line drive back to the mound that pitcher Sal Milone snagged to end the game.

Fighting Cocks (4-3)

Next Up: Los Wakefern - Wednesday, May 31 @ 9 P.M.

I Choose Reality

2006-05-24T10:50:00.000-04:00

PERCEPTION vs. REALITY

PERSPECTIVE:

Jack Bauer isn't real. He's an actor and his real name is Kiefer Sutherland. He doesn't REALLY work for a government agency known as CTU, and he has never apprehended any terrorists. As a matter of fact, he's not even an American, let alone an American hero. He was born in England and was raised in Canada.

Chuck Norris is real. He is an actor AND his real name is Carlos Ray Norris, or Chuck for short. He is a real American hero, who served in the United States Air Force. In 1968 he REALLY became the Professional World Middleweight Karate Champion, a title he would hold undefeated until his retirement in 1974.

We Have a Size Differential!

2006-05-19T14:30:00.000-04:00

CHUCK NORRIS

Height: 5 Ft. 10 Inch.
Weight: 180 lbs.

KIEFER SUTHERLAND (AKA - JACK BAUER)

Height: 5 Ft. 8 Inch.
Weight: 165 Lbs.

ENOUGH SAID!

THE COMEBACK

2006-05-18T11:02:00.000-04:00

GAME FIVE

Fighting Cocks 19, The Blazer's 18

I apologize for the delay in this update: Playing a man down with only nine players, and trailing 18-8 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Fighting Cock's battled back on Thursday night for an implausible come-from-behind victory. After recording three runs in the bottom of the sixth, and holding the Blazer's at bay in the top of the seventh, the Cock's needed at least seven runs to tie in their final at bat of the evening. They would send eleven men to the plate, and get eight.

Shawn Swingle's hard ground ball up the middle, with the bases loaded and two out, won the game, as the Blazer's shortstop threw the ball away to cap a prodigious comeback. Playing with only nine players for the first five innings, Swingle arrived just in time to plug up the Cock's defense and provide some timely hits. Christopher Ghuzzi went 4-5 on the night with three singles, a triple, 6 RBI's and 5 runs. Danny Grossberg went deep in the first inning, and Jack Zucker and Billy Trojanowski provided a number of key hits from the bottom end of the order to keep the Cock's within striking distance.

Fighting Cock's (3-2)

Next Up: Multi Chevrolet - Monday, May 22nd @ 9 P.M.

Fighting Cock's Explode!

2006-05-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

GAME FOUR

Fighting Cocks 19, Glory Days 7

The Cock's are comprised of some tough SOB's (Matt Hales, Jason Mauriello and Shawn Swingle).

The Fighting Cock's jumped back on track with authority last night, as they pounded Glory Days into submission by a tally of 19-7. The Cock's explosion was paced by leadoff men Dan Grossberg and Jay Mauriello reaching base to set the table, while the middle of the lineup followed by driving them in. The three/four/five combination of Kevin McCarthy, Lenny Worthington and Christopher Ghuzzi went a combined 11-12 on the evening with 9 RBI's. The only out recorded by the threesome came on a 4th inning line drive by McCarthy that was caught.

Heading to bat in the bottom of the fifth, and leading just 8-7, the offense erupted for eleven runs as thirteen men came to the plate. Glory Days recorded just one out in the inning, and when Ghuzzi wripped a two RBI single in his second at bat of the frame, the umpire brought a halt to the game by virtue of the twelve-run rule. With the win, the Cock's evened their record at 2-2, and look to improve upon that mark later in the week.

Fighting Cocks (2-2)

Next Up: The Blazer's - Thursday, May 11th @ 7:45 P.M.

Let's Play Ball!

2006-05-08T10:56:00.000-04:00

Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to another season of Fighting Cocks softball! Following last years magnificent run to the championship series, the Cocks look to bring a fresh mindset, and field a lineup with some new faces.

Anthony DeRosa has retired from the game of softball after a long and illustrious career, while Kevin McCarthy has departed for free agency. Meanwhile, fortunes were not kind to both Ryan Swingle and Jason Navarro, as both suffered possible career-ending injuries. Navaro missed the 2nd half of last season with a damaged knee, and was not able to make enough strides in the rehab process to return to the lineup this season. Swingle's head and spine injury was of a freak nature, as it occurred in the offseason. Doctor's have advised Ryan to retire, as participating could cause permanent damage. The Fighting Cock's will miss R. Swingle's services dearly, and are greatful for the five season's he brought to the table. His speed and ferociousness on the base paths will be sorely missed, as will his goofy nature both on and off the field. Navarro meanwhile has not ruled out a possible return to the game in 2007.

Filling those roster spots will be Dan and Matt, two key acquisitions at the hands of S. Swingle. Dan will slide into Kevin's place at shortstop, while Matt replaces outfielders DeRosa, Navarro and Swingle. Overall, the daily available roster has dropped from thirteen to eleven, but the spirit of the Fighting Cocks has not dwindled.

2006 Fighting Cocks
RCF - Dan Grossberg
LCF - Jason Mauriello
SS - Dan (I Don't Know His Last Name)
2B - Lenny Worthington
LF - Christopher Ghuzzi
3B - Shawn Swingle
P - Sal Milone
RF/2B - Matt Hales
C - Billy Trojanowski
1B - Jack Zucker
RF - Matt (I Don't Know His Last Name Either)

GAME ONE

Regional Bar 14, Fighting Cocks 13

The season started off slowly for the Cock's last Monday night, as they were dropped in agonizing fashion 14-13. Leading the entire way, the Cock's relinquished the lead in the bottom of the sixth, when Regional Bar plated five runs to take the 14-13 lead. After going down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, the Cock's had officially blown a game in which they had lead for six of the six-and-a-half innings played. The bright spot for the Cock's came in the 1st inning when third baseman Shawn Swingle belted a three run blast that gave his team a quick 4-0 lead. However, the bats went cold after the third, as Regional Bar slowly chipped away at the lead, before ultimately winning.

Fighting Cocks (0-1)

Next Up: Team Unity

GAME TWO

Fighting Cocks 12, Team Unity 9

In a rematch of last season's championship series, the Cock's squared off with theire rivals, Team Unity, and exacted a small measure of redemption with a 12-9 victory. The Cocks prevailed by capitalizing on a well played defensive game, coupled with steady and timely hitting. The key offensive play came in the fourth inning when newly acquired shortstop Dan hit his first home run as a memeber of the Fighting Cocks, a three run blast to center. Meanwhile, pitcher Sal Milone settled in after suffering some minor control issues in game one, to hurl a solid game, as the Cocks evened their record at 1-1.

Fighting Cocks (1-1)

Next Up: The Generals

GAME THREE

The Generals 23, Fighting Cocks 11

This one was over before it even started. Last season's A-league champions welcomed the Fighting Cocks to their new division with an eleven run first inning explosion that saw the first nine batters reach base with clean hits. The Cocks responded in the bottom of the first with six runs of their own, but that was as close as it would get. The Generals finally ended the game after six innings when they increased their lead to twelve. To put into perspective how far out of reach this one was, the Cock's took the field in the top half of the sixth with Grossberg moving to catcher, Billy T. in right-center and Matt Hales in left-center.

The Fighting Cocks will need to hit much more consistently and sure up their defense a bit if they plan on making a run towards the title in this much more competitive division.

Fighting Cocks (1-2)

Next Up: Glory Days - Monday, May 8th @ 9 P.M.

Twenty-Five And A Life Ahead

2006-04-23T22:06:00.000-04:00

(Douglas Michael Krueger: April 23, 1981 - December 29, 2004)

Today would have been your twenty-fifth birthday, and we should have been celebrating a lifetime of promise ahead. Instead, I attended church this morning for the first time in almost a year, only because the mass was offered in your name.

Sometimes it feels like an eternity since we were last together. In actuality, it's been four-hundred and eighty-three days since you were abruptly taken from this life. Yet, I can still hear the sound of your voice and feel the warmth of your ever-vibrant smile like it was yesterday.

Happy birthday Doug. I miss you always.

THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP

2006-04-07T11:07:00.000-04:00

MATT VS. JACK

VS.

This week's featured showdown pits the unconventional Matt against the quirky Jack. While Jack has a bit of a size advantage in both height and girth, Matt brings a number of intangible's into the fight, most notably his insatiable vivacity. Meanwhile, Jack's rapist witt will certainly play a roll in the outcome.

JACK is a twenty-five year old graduate of Penn State University, and a lab rat currently employed by a small pharmaceutical company here in NJ. He loves long walks on the beach, good tequila and is engaged to a nice Italian woman by the name of Adrianna.

MATT is a twenty-four year old graduate of Sacred Heart University, and is currently a Junior High history teacher. He enjoys tight fitting super-hero outfits, the Yankees, destroying the lining of his stomach and is currently dating a down-to-earth woman by the name of Jenna.

HERE IS THE TALE OF THE TAPE:

JACK
HEIGHT: 6 Ft.
WEIGHT (Approx): 190 lbs.
STREET SMARTS (1-10): 8
SPEED: 2 (White Lightning)
AGILITY: Average
DRINKING PROWESS: Above Average
INTANGIBLES: Sarcasm

MATT
HEIGHT: 5 ft. 7 inches
WEIGHT (Approx.): 140 lbs.
STREET SMARTS (1-10): 2 (Due to incessant intoxication among other activities)
SPEED: 6
AGILITY: Average
DRINKING PROWESS: Excellent (Stomach could become a factor)
INTANGIBLES: Unpredictability

CHUCK NORRIS VS. JACK BAUER

2006-03-28T14:56:00.000-05:00

VS.

The recent popularity of both Jack Bauer and Chuck Norris left me wondering which character is tougher, and who would ultimately prevail in a fight. Personally, I think it would be hard to argue against Chuck Norris and his fearsome roundhouse kicks. However, I'm fairly certain that there are plenty of Jack Bauer enthusiast's out there who would argue in favor of Fox's hit character.

Below, I will offer several reasons as to why I feel Chuck Norris is far superior to Jack Bauer. Feel free to offer arguments to the contrary in the comments section. Of course, if you do, Chuck Norris might locate you and unleash his fury upon you.

In most cases, Jack Bauer needs a gun or a weapon to inflict pain upon his enemy. Meanwhile, Chuck Norris needs only his left and right legs to incapacitate his enemy with lethal roundhouse kicks. In short, Chuck Norris doesn't cheat by using a gun.
At the end of season one, Jack Bauer cried after his wife was killed. On the other hand, Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad Chuck never cries.
Jack Bauer is/was the premier agent in the government anti-terrorist agency simply known as "CTU." Let's not forget that long before "CTU", Chuck Norris was the leader of a more powerful government agency known as "Delta Force." They even made a movie out of it.
Jack bauer fights to preserve democracy in the United States, when in reality, we are all living in a "Chucktatorship."
Long before Jack Bauer had "24 The Videogame" on Playstation, Chuck Norris gave us "Superkicks" on Atari.
Jack Bauer thrives on network television as the star of Fox's "24." Meanwhile, Chuck Norris is suing the NBC network, rightfully claiming that "Law & Order" are the trademarked names for his left and right legs.

Wozzy's March Madness Wisdom

2006-03-14T11:35:00.000-05:00

Ok, maybe I don't have a tangible quantity of "wisdom" to offer regarding March Madness, because if I did, I would win tons of money each year, and I wouldn't be sharing my infinite wisdom on the internet. However, with that said, I enjoy discussing the NCAA basketball tournament and the endless array of topics it presents. So without further delay, here are some thoughts on this year's tourney.

THE SNUBS

How are the Cincinnati Bearcats not in this tournament? If any Big East team should be sitting home right now, it's Seton Hall. After all, if you lose to Rutgers twice in three attempts, including a key loss in the Big East Tournament, then you have absolutely no business cracking the field of sixty-five. The tournament selection committee claims to place a great deal of emphasis on the RPI (Ratings Power Index). If this is indeed the case, then how does an 18-12 (8-8) Cincy team with an RPI of 47 get passed up in favor of an 18-11 (9-7) with a putrid RPI of 67? Can someone explain this to me, because NCAA Committe Chairman Craig Littlepage has been dodging these questions all week.
Another point of contention is with the selection of George Mason, and the subsequent snub of Hofstra. Dump the records and the RPI out the window for a moment, and ponder this piece of information. In the final eleven days of the season, Hofstra defeated George Mason in head-to-head competition TWICE! What better determining factor is there to use in making this decision than head-to-head play? Apparently, that would have been to easy for the committee. As far as records go, the teams are essentially identical with George Mason at 23-7 (15-3) with an RPI of 18 and Hofstra at 24-6 (14-4) with an RPI of 21. Also consider that Hofstra BEAT George Mason 58-49 in the semis of the Colonial Athletic Association Conference Tournament just nine days ago. How the committe could logically justify taking George Mason over Hofstra is absolutely absurd. I'm literally baffled by this. I'm also certain this had nothing to do with the fact that George Mason's athletic director was on the selection committee.
Meanwhile, the Air Force Academy received an at-large bid to the tournament with an overall record of 22-6 (12-4), an atrocious RPI of 57, a quarterfinal loss in the Moutain West Conference tourney to mighty Wyoming (13-17) and exactly ZERO wins against top 50 RPI teams. Once again, I'm baffled by the selection committee's thinking here. Big Falcon's fans perhaps?

FIRST ROUND UPSET PICKS

ATLANTA - (14) Northwestern State over (3) Iowa: The Demons (22-7) with an RPI of 54, secured their bid with a win in the Southland Conference Championship game. However, this extrememly athletic club should not be taken lightly. They can put points up on the board in a hurry and could give Big Ten Conference Champion Iowa some first round trouble.
OAKLAND - (11) San Diego State over (6) Indiana: San Diego State, coached by Steve Fischer, heads into their first tournament game out of the Mountain West Conference having won 16 of 19. Look for the Aztecs (24-8) with an RPI of 61 to push past an Indiana team that is in transition following the resignation of coach Mike Davis.
WASHINGTON D.C. - (12) Utah State over (5) Washington: This Huskies team is a shell of the club that received a number one seed last year, while Utah State (23-8) with an RPI of 39, boasts a balanced scoring attack with forward Nate Harris (17.2 ppg) and guard Jaycee Carroll (16.1 ppg).
MINNEAPOLIS - (13) Pacific over (4) Boston College: Although this rough and tough B.C. squad is coming off a strong performance in the ACC tournament, the quick travel turn-around out to Salt Lake City, coupled with Pacific's recent tourney experience and success, could spell a first round upset for the Eagles. Pacific also counters with four starters who average in double figures.
MINNEAPOLIS - UW-Milwaukee (11) over (6) Oklahoma: Last year's tournament cinderella Wisconsin Milwaukee (21-8) returns, and although they are not as tough as last season, they draw Oklahoma in a down year for the Big 12. Look for Joah Tucker to catch fire again and key this first round upset.

THE FINAL FOUR

I must admit that I am having a more difficult time selecting this year's final four than I ever have in the past. There doesn't seem to be one single team that jumps out off the bracket screaming dominant favorite. However, my gut tells me that this will be the year that Gonzaga makes their big push. I've been burned with the Zags in the past (See last year Texas Tech and 2004 Nevada), but with national superstar and dirty crustache wearing Adam Morrison, the Zags should advance out of a favorable Oakland region. Naturally, UCONN should have little trouble in Washington D.C, while Villanova should advance out of Minneapolis now that Alan Ray has been cleared for practice. The toughest bracket seems to be Atlanta, with a tired Duke team, a rough Texas squad, Big Ten tourney champ Iowa, LSU and it's massive front line, a red hot Syracuse and a West Virginia team that can shoot the lights out. This bracket will be the crazy Wozzy pick, as the West Virginia Moutaineers will finish what they started last year. And besides, Kevin Pittsnoggle is the coolest hick in the country. So, in the year of the BIG EAST, I'm going with - (UCONN - VILLANOVA - GONZAGA - WEST VIRGINIA).

THE CHAMPION

Adam Morrison and Gonzaga will end West Virginia's stellar tourney run, while UConn will outlast Villanova in the much anticipated rubber match between these two squads. In the championship game, Uconn's depth and size will be way too much for Gonzaga's suspect defense. UCONN wins the school's third national title in seven years.

KNIGHT'S OUT FOR HALL!

2006-03-09T09:58:00.000-05:00

BIG EAST TOURNAMENT
Rutgers 61, Seton Hall 48

Rutgers forward Ollie Bailey roars after asissting on a Bryon Joynes dunk.

Every sport has its highly anticipated rivalry matchups that make the game that much more exhilerating to watch. In baseball we have the Sawx and the Yanks, while in football we might say it's the Cowboys and the Niner's. In college basketball, there is no doubt that Duke vs. UNC comes to mind immediately. Well, here in the tri-state area, we have the bitter rivalry between Seton Hall and Rutgers, pitting the small private institution vs. the large state university of New Jersey.

Last night, the two schools renewed their hatred for each other on the Madison Square Garden hardwood in the first round of the Big East Tournament. The teams came into the game having split the season series, with each school winning on their home floorn during the regular season. This contest would be for bragging rights heading all the way into next season. Further adding to the hype was Seton Hall's motivation for a victory. A win would certainly solidify the Pirate's case for an at-large NCAA berth.

Today's NY Post nailed the game-summarizing headline with "Hall Knight Long." As an alumni of Rutgers University, there is nothing more satisfying than besting Seton Hall in a basketball game. Magnifying my satisfaction this Thursday is the manner in which the Scarlet Knight's stuck it to our foe's, who's campus resides just twenty-three miles north of the banks. Not only did RU hold Seton Hall to a Big East Tournament worst 25.4 percent shooting, but senior Pirate forward Kelly Whitney, who had dominated the Scarlet Knights for the better part of four years, and came into the game as SHU's leading scorer, was held to just 3 points and only one basket from the field.

As for the Scarlet Knight's, this victory was certainly a total team effort. While the Big East's leading scorer Quincy Douby had just 18 for RU, 7 below his season average, he showed that his game is much more than just points. Douby dished out a season high seven assists, and did not turn the ball over the entire game. Freshmen Anthony Farmer came up big and tallied 14 key points of his own, while Marquis Webb added 10, Byron Joynes 8 and Jimmie Inglis 7.

Looking back, there is little more a Rutgers fan can ask for after a shaky 18-12 campaign, than a victory in the Big East Tourney over Seton Hall. If RU's season were to end tonight against #2 Villanova, the Scarlet Knight faithful can take solace knowing that they might have knocked Seton Hall out out of the NCAA tournament before it was all over. Personally, that is an NCAA consolation prize I will gladly accept any season.

Junior guard Quincy Douby led the Big East in scoring this season with 25.1 ppg.

Iran's Talking Smack

2006-03-08T12:55:00.000-05:00

According to news reports hitting the wire today, Iran has threatened the United States with "Harm and Pain" due to its participation and role in dragging Tehran before the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program. I find this interesting solely because of Iran's recent insistence that it is capable of managing a nuclear program in a safe and responsible manner. However, don't harmful threats like those today make it abundantly clear that Iran is NOT capable of maintaining a legitimate nuclear program, and cannot be trusted?

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohammed ElBaradei
briefs media in Vienna earlier today.

To be more specific, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, a senior Iranian delegate to IAEA said "But the United States is also susceptible to harm and pain. So if that is the path that the U.S. wishes to choose, let the ball roll." Unfortunately, comments like these cannot be dismissed in this day and age.

John Bolton, America's ambassador to the United Nations summed up my exact feeling this morning when he said "Their threats show why leaving a country like that with a nuclear program is so dangerous." For the most part, I have not agreed with much of what anyone from the Bush administration has muttered over the past five years, but in this case, and in their management of Iran in general, I have been pleased. Iran is clearly a nation bent on obtaining power and influence in the world through violence, and this type of behavior cannot be tolerated in the international commmunity.

Finally, The Verdict!

2006-03-07T15:39:00.000-05:00

After years of speculation by the media, fans, fellow players and just about anyone with the normal brain capacity needed to draw a reasonable conclusion, it appears as if Barry Bonds was indeed on steroids. I know. I know. This is absolutely shocking! (****Sarcasm Alert****)

At any rate, Sports Illustrated will drop on newstands tomorrow with Barry on the cover, and a feature story outlining Bonds' extensive steroid, HGH and performance enhancing drug use from 1998 through 2003. The bulk of the information is provided from excerpts pulled from Game of Shadows, a book authored by San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams. The book's current publication date is set for March 27th.

The most shocking aspect of this news is the validity of the accusations and the content contained in the book. According to Fainaru-Wada and Williams, folders obtained in the federal raid on Balco in September of 2003 reveal doping calendars that document the quantity and intervals of Bonds' "extensive" steroid use.

Without getting into great detail surrounding the wide array of substances that Bonds reportedly used, there is a greater question that this never-ending scandal raises. If this information is indeed accurate, and Bonds has been using steroids since 1998, should his home run records count? Should any of his baseball records count? My guess is that we'll be discussing these questions for decades to come.

DECIDE FOR YOURSELF

Bonds 1990............................................Bonds 2004

The Blizzard of 2006 and More....

2006-02-13T13:43:00.000-05:00

SCOTT STEVENS' #4 GETS LIFTED TO THE CAA RAFTERS

As I had promised last week, here are the pictures from the Scott Stevens retirement ceremony. All in all it was an enjoyable and emotional evening for the Devils organization and their fans, as Stevens became the first player in franchise history to have his number retired. I must admit that when they showed the video highlights of his career on the big screen, it started to get a little dusty in the Continental Airlines Arena.

Stevens and his family looked on as his jersey was raised amid deafening chants of "Scotty Stevens" from the Continental Airlines Arena crowd.

In true New Jersey Devils fashion, the current team honored Stevens with a stifiling defensive performance against the league-leading Carolina Hurricanes. While Marty Brodeur played brilliantly between the pipes, the Devils defense looked like the Stanley Cup champion caliber teams of year's past, as the Devs shutout the Canes 3-0.

The Devils congratulate Martin Brodeur after the netminder posted a 3-0 shutout, his 5th in the last 16 games. He also sent Matt, Sal, Francis and I home happy....

WE HAVE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS

The special boy and I enjoyed some play time in the snow.

The weekend saw mother nature drop 24 inches of snow on the northeast, as this guy thoroughly enjoyed the virtual stand-still created by the weather. As a result of this massive dumping of the white stuff, Jess and I spent most of the weekend indoors watching the Olympics and drinking wine. After we had scooped up an entire driveway's worth of snow, we found some time to let the little guy Dylan enjoy the snow.

Jess and Dylan posed for a quick photo in the winter weather.

THE WINTER OLYMPICS HAVE BEGUN

Let me just say that I am an enormous fan of the Olympics, especially the Winter Olympiad in this case. There's something about the sportmanship on display and the ferverous athletic competition between nations that gets me all fired up. I spent a solid portion of the weekend in front of NBC watching the various events, and plan to imitate this process for the next twelve days. From the crazy downhill skiers and lugers traveling at suicidal speeds of 80 MPH, to the calculating curlers sliding rocks on ice, I simply love the winter games. Here's to another impressive performance from team U.S.A.

Number FOUR Gets Lifted To The Rafters

2006-02-03T10:58:00.000-05:00

Scott Stevens lifts the Stanley Cup in triumph for the third time in his career in 2003.

Tonight, the New Jersey Devils will lift the number four jersey of former captain Scott Stevens to the rafters, and I will be there to soak in the moment. This will be the first number in franchise history to be retired, and it is fitting that number four will rest alongside the three Stanley Cup banners Stevens was so integral in bringing home to NJ.

For thirteen seasons, Scotty Stevens was the rock of a franchise that was predicated upon toughness, defense and a team-first concept. No player epitomized those facets of the game more than Stevens, and tonight the franchise will honor their quiet warrior. Here's a look at the Steven's resume, and pictures from tonight's ceremoy will follow in the days to come.

Stevens retired as the NHL's leader in games played by a defenseman with 1,635.
That game total ranks him 5th all-time among all NHL players.

Stevens lifts the franchises first Stanley Cup in 1995.

Stevens appeared in more playoff games (233) than any defenseman in NHL history.
In 2000, he led the Devils to their 2nd Stanley Cup, winning the Conn Smythe trophy as the MVP of the playoffs in the process.

Stevens accepts the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP in 2000.

Stevens appeared in the playoffs a remarkable 21 of his 22 NHL seasons.
He was an astounding +323 for his career.
Most importantly, Stevens wore the Captain's "C" for 11 of his 13 seasons with the Devils, leading the team to 3 Stanley Cup championships in the span of ten years.

Stevens lifts the Stanley Cup in 2000.

2005 - The Year In Pictures

2006-01-30T22:37:00.000-05:00

I know it's a bit tardy, but someone once said,"better late than..." You know what I mean. So without further delay, in no particular order, I give you "2005, the Year in Pictures."

2004 closed with the tragic departure of a great friend. We'll miss you always Doug.

We leaned on each other, and together we embraced a future without Doug.

The imprints Doug left on our heart's will live on forever.

2005 was a banner year for RU football and the RU-SuperFans, as the Scarlet Knights went bowling for the first time in twenty-seven years.

Professional "Shotgun Engineer's" Kevdon and Hodes throw em down Superfan style.

Although the Jets stumbled through an atrocious season, the tailboozing with family and friends is always worthwhile.

Sharon and Lenny were the "power" couple of 2005.

It was just like old times in 2005, with Danny and Dana back at each other's side.

Ryan was on the new "Bud and Parliament" diet in 2005. Take that South Beach Diet!

Shawn sucked it up and finally let us all know how big it really is.

It was a year in which Ant let his thugness hang out.

Suzanne and Dre wreaked havoc together throughout the summer.

Jim made my sister beam with joy, as the two tied the knot in May.

Jack and Adrianna kept the wedding bells ringing, and got engaged in December.

I took Jess on her first ski trip, and managed to bring her back in one piece.

My Irish cousins hopped the pond and invaded the United States for most of the summer. Brendan learned the art of flip cup.

Sean proved that Irishman do not like to shave.

Claire and Jess made friends with cousin Elizabeth's puppy Tinkerbell.

Ben threw a backyard BBQ for the Machi boys.

Jess and I hopped the pond in the opposite direction and relaxed in Italy for two weeks.

I loved Venezia.....

.....And it's gorgeous sunsets.

Jess loved Rome and the pizza margharita.

We both loved Positano and the relaxing beaches of the Medditteranean.

Phyllis and Mark even joined us for a few days in Positano.

Did I mention that I loved Venezia?

RU football makes everyone smile.

Matt was.... Well.... Matt....

Andre won the greatest U.S. Open match ever played in a thriller with James Blake. Matt and Sal were there to witness it!

Jess and I brought Dylan to his first Mets game for "Bark at the Park Night."

We even got to take the little rascal onto the field before the game.

That's my special boy!

There was plenty of partying as usual.

The Fighting Cock's made their first playoff appearance, and after an improbable title run, fell just short in the three game championship series.

Even big Matt Brady, our neighborhood's proud Marine, swung into town with his wife Theresa for a few days between tour's in Iraq.

He even brought along his adorable son Ethan. They have since welcomed young Riley to the family as well.

The adventures of 2006 will surely follow.....

The Immortal Chuck Norris

2006-01-23T14:26:00.000-05:00

One of the latest internet craze's seems to be an endless string of "Chuck Norris" jokes. While these ridiculous funny-makers may seem childish and senseless to many, I simply cannot get enough of them. I've become so enthralled with these side-splitting jokes, that I must rank them as second on the "All-Time Always Funny Scale," right below the immortal "Mom Jokes."

Here are some of my personal favorites at the moment:

One time while sparring with Wolverine, Chuck Norris accidentally lost his left testicle. You might be familiar with it to this very day by its technical term: Jupiter.
When you open a can of whoop-ass, Chuck Norris jumps out.
Chuck Norris is not hung like a horse... horses are hung like Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris once bet NASA he could survive re-entry without a spacesuit. On July 19th, 1999, a naked Chuck Norris re-entered the earth's atmosphere, streaking over 14 states and reaching a temperature of 3000 degrees. An embarrassed NASA publicly claimed it was a meteor, and still owes him a beer.
MacGyver can build an airplane out of gum and paper clips, but Chuck Norris can kill him and take it.
Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
Rather than being birthed like a normal child, Chuck Norris instead decided to punch his way out of his mother's womb. Shortly thereafter he grew a beard.
Since 1940, the year Chuck Norris was born, roundhouse kick related deaths have increased 13,000 percent.
Filming on location for "Walker: Texas Ranger," Chuck Norris brought a still-born baby lamb back to life by giving it a prolonged beard rub. Shortly after the farm animal sprang back to life and a crowd had gathered, Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked the animal, breaking its neck, to remind the crew oncemore that Chuck giveth, and the good Chuck, he taketh away.
Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
To prove it isn't that big of a deal to beat cancer, Chuck Norris smoked 15 cartons of cigarettes a day for 2 years and aquired 7 different kinds of cancer, only to rid them from his body by flexing for 30 minutes. Beat that, LanceArmstrong. (That one is so messed up, but I couldn't help but laugh)
The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.
Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.
Chuck Norris recently had the idea to sell his urine as a canned beverage. We know this beverage as Red Bull.
If paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper, what beats all 3 at the same time? Answer: Chuck Norris.
God offered Chuck Norris the gift to fly, which he swiftly declined for super strength roundhouse ability.
Chuck Norris has never blinked in his entire life. Never.
Chuck Norris lost his virginity before his dad did.

Next Day National Championship Questions

2006-01-05T09:50:00.000-05:00

TEXAS 41, USC 38

In last night's National Championship game, should Pete Carroll have elected to go for it on 4th down and 2 with 2:09 to play?

With just two yards separating Pete Carroll and USC from an unprecedented third straight national championship, Carroll elected to let it ride in an attempt to squelch Texas on the spot. To that point, USC had racked up 210 rushing yards, as LenDale White continually found huge gaps up the middle of the Texas defense. Meanwhile, the Texas offense had shredded the USC defense to the tune of 556 total yards, moving the ball seemingly at will all night. Carroll knew his defense would struggle to stop Vince Young and the Texas offense if he elected to punt, so he chose to throw all his chips into the middle of the table and play for the national championship at that moment. After all, it's not every day that a coach is presented with an opportunity to seal a national title in one play. Carroll showed incredible intestinal fortitude in the face of enormous pressure. Unfortunately for the Trojans, LenDale White came up a few inches short, and Texas went on to capitalize on its opportunity. There is no question that Carroll will replay this decision in his mind for the rest of his days. In the end however, it was a number of USC mental errors that inbevitably cost them college football immortality. Carroll is off the hook in my book.

So, if Carroll is off the hook, then why did USC lose this football game?

Leading 38-26 with just over six minutes to play, it looked as if USC had staved off a game Texas squad, and would complete the remarkable three-peat. To the surprise of many, just six minutes later, Texas had improbably captured the national title. So how did it happen? There were three key moments in the game that will inevitably stick in the hearts of USC faithful.
1. Leading 7-3 late in the 1st quarter, Reggie Bush took a Matt Leinart screen pass forty yards, deep into Texas territory. Just as Bush was about to go down, in what will be remembered as one of the most bone-headed plays in recent history, Bush attempted to lateral the ball to a teammate, only to watch as Texas recovered the errant toss. The play cost USC valuable points, and an early opportunity to blow the game open.
2. On their very next possession early in the 2nd quarter, USC once again missed out on a golden opportunity to break the game open and throw Texas to the ropes. After recovering a Texas fumble at the 45 yard line, Carroll went for the throat, calling for a Dwayne Jarrett halfback option pass. The play ran to perfection, as the Longhorns defense was fooled by the USC trickery. Unfortunately for the Trojan's, Jarrett's pass sailed over receiver Steve Smith's head and fell helplessly to the turf. USC would eventually be stuffed on fourth and one, missing a golden opportunity, and leaving more points on the board in the process.
3. While Pete Carroll's gamble late in the fourth quarter was only one of many missed opportunities, not being able to pick up two yards to seal the national title will certainly haunt Carroll for years to come.

Will Texas quarterback Vince Young return for his senior year?

This is the question that the Longhorn faithful will be asking themselves repeatedly over the next few weeks. Young has said all along that he will sit down with his family and coaches, and figure out what the best possible decision will be for his future. After the single greatest bowl game performance in college football history, it will be impossible for Young to raise his NFL draft stock any higher than its current value. Last night, he single-handedly led Texas to their first national title in thirty years. His 467 yards of total offense, and three rushing touchdowns, is a national championship game record that will be difficult for any future player to top. The only conceivable missing piece to Young's resume is a Heisman trophy. However, would a shot at the hardware be worth the risk of injury next season at the college level? Young does not need to look far, as opposing quarterback Matt Leinart returned for his senior season in search of another national title and a second Heisman. He walked off the field last night with neither, and essentially missed his shot to be the NFL's top pick last year. Young should cash in on his stock while it's red hot, and begin preparing for Sunday football.

One Year Later....

2005-12-29T07:51:00.000-05:00

"During this difficult time of loss and pain, let us all remember Doug for the best qualities of his character; his warmth, his compassion, his loyalty, and most of all, his love for others."

One year later, these qualities of Doug's character, and the memory of a true friend, live on each and every day through his friends and family. They will forever....

I miss you always brother. Godspeed.

THE END OF AN ERA

2005-11-04T11:39:00.000-05:00

One-hundred thirty-six years ago, on November 6, 1869, Rutgers University and Princeton clashed in this nation's very first intercollegiate football game in New Brunswick, NJ. Rutgers beat the visiting Tiger's, and as a result, has since staked the claim as the "Birthplace of College Football." Unfortunately for the Scarlet Knight's, this birth on the gridiron quickly became the death of college football as we know it in NJ.

Although college football has long since thrived since that first gridiron clash, the Scarlet Knight's immediately headed in the opposite direction, and have qualified for exactly ONE Bowl Game (1978 Garden State Bowl) since. Their last winning season came in 1992 (7-4), and they have repeatedly found new and ingenius manners in which to lose football games. Essentailly, they became the laughingstock of college football, as well as an embarrassment to many (not all) in the State of NJ. This is not to say that there have not been loyal fans and alumni along the way, after all, I've attended all but three games since I first became a student at RU in 1999, and have subsequently continued attending every game as an Alumni.

Last weekend, the Rutgers University Scarlet Knight's ended their century-long string of darkness and stepped into the light, officially ending the "Graveyard of College Football" era for NJ's proud state university. After a decade of unfulfilled promises from the athletic department and the University to "turn the program around," fifth year coach Greg Schiano has done just that. With their 31-21 homecoming victory over Navy last Saturday, the Scarlet Knights upped their record to 6-2, clinching their first winning season in fourteen year's, and officially cementing themselves as "Bowl Eligible."

Freshman tailback Ray Rice plunges into the endzone late in the 4th quarter for his second TD of the afternoon, sealing the Knight's victory.

At noon tomorrow, the Scarlet Knight's will host South Florida at Rutgers Stadium, seeking their seventh win of the season, and looking to make a statement. A statement that will most certainly let the rest of the country know that RU is no longer a joke, no longer a push-over in the Big East Conference, and no longer a virtual lock for mediocrity. It shall be a statement that marks "the end of an era." There has been a re-birth in the Scarlet Knight Nation.

A MESSAGE TO THE RU SUPERFANS (You Know Who You Are)

Over the past seven seasons, four spent as a student at RU, and three more as a "young alumni," it has been an absolute pleasure to spend my Saturday afternoon's with the RU Superfans. Although some have come and gone over these seven unforgettable seasons, the core group has remained. There were certainly times when each one of us questioned our brain capacity for continuing to voluntarily endure the heartache that only RU football could provide, and there were certainly times when we were just downright insane.

I remember standing in the freezing rain three year's ago against Temple, only to watch the Knight's collapse and blow a 17-0 halftime lead, falling 20-17 on a late Owl's field goal. There was nothing as painful as losing that game to a program just as inept as RU at the time. I remember the thrill of leading #1 ranked Miami after three quarter's, only to be devestated in the final stanza. There was the 80-7 thrashing from West Virginia, and the "almost-victory" against Notre Dame. I remember shouting fights with Virginia Tech Turkey's, benches being turned over, charging the field after the Michigan State game, cruhing defeats to division 1AA program's, general drunkeness, shotguns , and warriors like Mike Mcmahon and L.J. Smith.

Most of all, I remember how much fun we've had throghh it all, despite the constant heartbreak. Participating as a loyal and life-long Rutger's fan has become a badge of honor to the Superfans. We've stuck together through it all, and our first taste of success is sweeter than I could have ever imagined. The endless heartbreak, and the often unbareable wait for paydirt, has without a doubt made this seven year journey worthwhile. Here's to you RU Superfans! I'm glad we all stuck it out.

A sea of red - RU Superfans at their best!

The Rundown

2005-10-17T11:01:00.000-04:00

Normally, my Monday posts, which unfortunately have become my only posts lately, would inevitably revolve around the weekends football action. This week will be no different, although I'll try to sprinkle in a few other comments in a feeble attempt to make it seem as if I have some other topics to discuss. Unfortunately, there has been little else of substance going on lately outside of my work, my college and pro football attendance, and my attempts to see my equally as busy girlfriend more than a couple times a week. So, away we go.

RUTGERS 31, SYRACUSE 9

Photo Source - ScarletKnights.com

Although the Scarlet Knights have defeated the Orange two of the last three meetings at Rutgers Stadium, heading into Saturday's game, they had not defeated Syracuse on the road in the Carrier Dome since 1986. In what can only be described as an enormous gamble, head coach Greg Schiano benched Senior QB Ryan Hart in favor of NJ native and Don Bosco Alumni Mike Teel.

In his four years on the Banks, Hart has broken every RU statistical passing record in the book, en-route to thirty-two straight starts at his position. Unfortunately for Hart, the Knights did not win enough games in that stretch, and the move to the stronger-armed Teel provided the Knights with a better vertical option under center, as well as the spark that could ultimately send the Knights to their first bowl game in over twenty years.

The red-shirt freshmen did not disappoint. While he threw two interceptions, and nearly three others, he also fired two perfectly thrown touchdown passes to Senior wideout Tres Moses and backup tight end Sam Johnson. For Moses, the touchdown catch moved him into first all-time in Rutgers history with 172 receptions, passing All-American Marco Battaglia in the process. Meanwhile, the 3rd Quarter TD pass to Sam Johnson marked the first time a former Don Bosco high school star completed a pass to a former Bergen Catholic rival.

Across the ball, the Rutgers defense finally stepped up and made a number of big plays. The Scarlet Knight's forced the Orange into five turnovers (7 fumbles all-together), while senior defensive back Corey Barnes, a converted wide receiver, had the game of his life. In the 2nd quarter, with RU holding a slim 3-0 lead, Barnes scooped up a blocked punt and sprinted 16 yards into the endzone to extend the Knight's lead to 10-0. Later in the third quarter, with RU leading 24-0, Barnes scooped up a Syracuse fumble and ran 26 yards untouched for his second score of the game.

The win pushed the Scarlet Knight's into sole possession of 2nd place in the Big East, and sets up a huge showdown with rival UCONN next Saturday in East Hartford. A win this Saturday could push the Scarlet Knights to a 5-2 record, and move them to within one win of their first winning season since 1991. It doesn't sound like much to many, but for Rutger's fans it's a big deal. After five years of unfulfilled promise, Greg Schiano has Rutgers on the cusp of turning the corner and bullying their way towards the land of respectability.

USC 34, NOTRE DAME 31

Often times, when the media hype's a college football game through the roof, the resulting performance on the field is underwhelming. However, this was not the case on Saturday in South Bend, Indiana. Two-time defending national champion USC and iconic Notre Dame squared off in one of the most heavily anticipated college football games in five years. Both the game and the heart-stopping drama the action provided, heavily outweighed the pre-game hoopla. It would take me days to recap this game and paint a picture that could come within shouting distance of living up to the action that took place on the field Saturday afternoon. Let's just say, for those of you that watched this battle in its entirety, you know exactly how exciting a game this really was. For those of you that didn't catch it, you might have missed out on the game of the past ten years.

MICHIGAN 27, PENN STATE 25

Photo Source - ESPN.com

Unfortunately this game ran opposite the USC/Notre Dame game, and the biggest challenge I faced was flipping between these two absolute classics. Let me be the first to admit, that while I share a hatred for Michigan football with many PSU fans, I cannot imagine the level of disappointment that must be creeping through the Nittany Lion faithful after this crushing defeat. After PSU QB Michael Robinson completed what appeared to be an absolute stellar game winning drive, Michigan answered two-fold. Robinson's three yard touchdown scramble with 0:53 remaining in the game should have capped off another terrific come-from-behind win for the surging Nittany Lions.

However, aided by a long pass completion that appeared to have been made out of bounds, Chad Henne and the Michigan Wolverines marched to the PSU ten yard line. To this point, I'm still wondering how the play was not reviewed at the very least. Unfortunately for PSU fans, the play enabled Michigan to run one last play for the win. With no time on the clock, Henne found Michigan wideout Mario Manningham wide open in the back of the end zone for the thrilling game-winning score. Wolverine players and fans celebrated wildly, as PSU players stood in stunned disbelief on the sideline. The Nittany Lions and their faithful will not soon forget the name Manningham, as this game between bitter rivals is the very definition of college football.

BILLS 27, JETS 17

After a college football Saturday filled with both drama and excitement, in typical "Gang Green" fashion, the Jets found a way to upset me on Sunday. I'm not even going to waste my time with a long recap, because I can sum this game up for those of you who didn't see it in three simple sentences.

The offensive line could not have blocked a fly, let alone a Buffalo defensive lineman. The offense was less than stellar, and sputtered in key moments as usual. And finally, the Jets defense didn't even come close to playing at the level they're "supposed to."

Conclusion? Willis McGahee made the defense look foolish, while the offense looked inept. Curtis Martin was the only bright spot in a game completely dominated by the Bills. A loss next week in Atlanta could spell the end for this quickly disintegrating season of promise.

FRIDAY NIGHT - RYAN'S BIRTHDAY

The Drunkard's - Shawn, Anthony, Ryan, myself and company.
The Culprit - Mr. Jack Daniel's.
The Site - "Studio Four" in Fort Lee, NJ.
The Occasion - Ryan's twenty-third birthday.
Funniest Moment - The stage was set when Ryan secured the party three VIP tables in the balcony. After a stellar pre-game consumption, Anthony felt compelled to throw a twenty-dollar bill over the balcony and into the crowd. Luckily, for Ant's sake, I then came to the conclusion that Ant was unfit to handle his own bank roll, and I proceeded to take it away from him with little protest. Obviously, the next morning, Ant was extremely pleased with this clutch decision. Nevertheless, the disbelief on Shawn's face as Ant threw that $20 bill into oblivion was priceless.
The Verdict - Tremendous evening all around, and a happy birthday for Ryan.

FINALLY - THE RIDE TO WORK

My ride to work this morning was no different than any other, with one slight exception. Just as I was approaching the final light before the circle that my office sits within, I noticed the bumper stickers on the Jeep Grand Cherokee in front of me. The one on the left read "BUSH WON - HA HA HA!," while the one on the right read "BUSH -COUNTRY" inside a map of the United States.

Needless to say, while these bumper sticker's made me chuckle, they also angered me a bit. I was suddenly filled with the urge to follow this man, so I could covertly use a sharpie to edit these ridiculous bumper stickers. I found myself wanting to write "BUSH WON, BUT WE ALL LOST - HA HA HA," on the one sticker. Unfortunately, these spiteful fantasies rarely come to fruition, and I continued on my merry way to work.

Vinny T Returns!

2005-10-10T11:09:00.000-04:00

Thankfully, the Jets squeaked out a much-needed 14-12 victory over the Tampa Bay Bucaneers on Sunday. While Gang Green's defensive unit deserved the game ball and was easily the main catalyst for the victory, Vinny Testeverde's triumphant return to the green and white lineup provided the emotional lift that both the fans and the team needed. The game's highlight came in the first quarter when Vinny took the field for the first offensive series, and the Jets faithful rose to their feet and gave Testerverde a raucous standing ovation. The mere sight of the team's former field general trotting onto the field and acknowleding the crowd with a classic fist pump sent goosebumps up this fans spine.

Amazingly, Vinny and the Jets opened the game with a play action pass, as Testeverde found Laveranues Coles streaking over the middle of the field for a 37 yard pass completion that sent the Meadowland's into a frenzy. He may be old and slow, but it was obvious from the get-go that Vinny can still sling the pigskin, and the Jet's faithful will always adore his effort!

JETS 14, BUCS 12

Game Props: Although Testeverde's emotional return grabbed the crowd's attention in both pregame and postgame discussion, it was the Jets defensive unit that was the game's real story. The explosive unit sacked Tampa Bay quarterback Brian Griese three times, while Ty Law's second quarter INT and subsequent return set up the important first TD run of the season for Curtis Martin. If not for a few untimely penalties, and a couple of missed field goals by Mike Nugent, Griese would have been picked off several more times, and the defense would have single-handedly put the game out of reach much sooner.

The Simple Facts: Now sitting at (2-3) with a three game road trip, the Jets still have a huge climb in front of them. However, with Testeverde's stabling presence at quarterback, and a defensive unit that is quickly becoming one of the most dominant in the NFL, there is still some hope for Gang Green THIS SEASON! Only time will tell how much responsibility the defensive unit is willing to put on their back.

Next Up: Jets (2-3) at Buffalo (2-3) - Next Sunday. While it doesn't even need to be said, next weeks division matchup with Buffalo will be key in the race for the AFC East Division title.

The Wayne's World Ending

2005-09-28T12:45:00.000-04:00

Most football fans can understand that this past Sunday was an extremely dark and dismal day for fans of the New York Football Jets. In an unprecedented stroke of misfortune that will undoubtedly live in the annals of football misfortune, gang green and its legions of championship-starved fans watched helplessly as two of their field generals crumbled to the turf in a span of seven plays. Compounding the absolute absurdity of this random flash of misfortune, is the fact that BOTH starting quarterback Chad Pennington and veteran backup QB Jay Fiedler fell victim to shoulder injuries to their throwing arms. Needless to say, the events that unfolded before my eyes at the Meadowlands this weekend, left most Jets fans drowning in a salty concoction of disbelief, anger, despair and mental anguish. A season that began with the highest of promise, now seems destined for complete destruction.

In honor of the cinematic masterpiece that is "Wayne's World," I provide my fellow Jets enthusiasts with a few possible endings to this doomed season:

THE FAIRY-TALE/HAPPILY EVER AFTER ENDING

The forty-one year old native of Long Island, who currently sits at sixth all-time on the NFL career passing list, has returned to his hometown team for one final hoorah; one last gasp at glory; one final opportunity to drive the green bus directly down Championship Lane, where dreams come true and football legends park for retirement (Editor's Note: Dan Marino made a wrong turn and drove his team's bus directly down Ringless Avenue, where he will be quietly parked for all eternity). In this version, Vinny Testeverde returns triumphantly to the team he grew up adoring and to the city that loves him, as he defies the odds and leads the jets to championship glory. With a skyscraping mountain of negatives, most notably his age, his immobility and his lack of championship pedigree stacked against him, Vinny-T accomplishes the unthinkable. He emerges from the dark brink of retirement and orchestrates the most remarkable championship run in sports history. Vinny and the Jets!

THE SAD AND DEPRESSING ENDING

While this ending is indeed both sad and depressing, dreadfully, it is also the most likely ending to this season of disarray. Predictably, Chad Pennington's torn rotator cuff sidelines him for at least the remainder of the year, while Vinny Testeverde and the young and inexperienced Brooks Bollinger struggle to hold the physically and mentally battered squad together. In a lightning-fast seven plays, the entire season vanishes like an orange sun at dusk.

THE "STEAMIN" WILLIE BEAMEN ENDING

The following is by far the most entertaining of the possible endings that have been developed. Much like the character Jaime Foxx portrays in Oliver Stone's football masterpiece "Any Given Sunday," the inexperienced Brooks Bollinger transcends his third-string quarterback status and sparks the downtrodden Jets into the light. Rising from absolute obscurity and defying all the odds, Bollinger becomes a quarterback sensation overnight, and leads the charge into the postseason (Editor's Note: In some places, this is known as the "Tom Brady" ending, but on principle alone, and as a Jets fan, Tom Brady's mere existence cannot be recognized). Just as "Steamin" Willie Beamen keeps the ladies creamin, Brooks Bollinger becomes the next cinderella story.

THE WEEKEND UPDATE

2005-09-13T14:06:00.000-04:00

RUTGERS 38, VILLANOVA 6

Saturday, Sept. 10 - Piscataway, NJ - Freshmen tailback Raymell Rice ran for 64 yards and a TD on thirteen carries, as Rutgers (1-1) bounced back with ease in their home-opener at Rutgers Stadium.

KANSAS CITY 27, JETS 7

Sunday, Sept. 11 - Kansas City, Missouri - The Jets faltered terribly in their season-opener, as Gang Green turned the ball over an astounding seven times in a crushing 27-7 loss. Luckily, on this particular play, quarterback Chad Pennington held onto the ball.

FEDERER def. AGASSI 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-1

Sunday, Sept. 11 - Queens, NY - Tennis legend Andre Agassi's remarkable and improbable run for his 9th Grand Slam title fell just short, as world ranked #1 Roger Federer defeated Agassi in Sunday's Open final.

NEXT UP:

Rutgers @ Buffalo - Saturday, Sept. 17 - 8:00 P.M.
NY Jets vs. Miami - Sunday, Sept. 18 - 4:00 P.M.
Tennis - Grand Slam Season Complete

THE GREATEST MATCH EVER!

2005-09-08T10:17:00.000-04:00

Last night, I watched, in its glorious entirety, the greatest tennis match these eyes have ever seen. In an absolutely riveting match, Andre Agassi arose from the brink of elimination on a number of levels, and outlasted upstart James Blake 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in a five set thriller in Queens.

Twenty-three thousand strong poured into the U.S. Open Tennis Center, eagerly anticipating this blockbuster all-American matchup between twenty-five year old James Blake and thirty-five year old veteran Andre Agassi. Blake entered the tournament as a special wild-card entry, while the legendary Agassi needed little introduction. The stage was set, and the crowd ready, for a battle of epic proportions.

In a New York Minute, it appeared as if this hyped up super match would become an absolute bust. James Blake came out sizzling, and in a matter of fifty-seven minutes, smoked Andre Agassi 6-3, 6-3 to take a lightning quick two set lead. Over twenty straight U.S. Open appearances, Agassi had fallen behind two sets to love thirteen times, and had gone on to lose the match all thirteen times. The opportunity for a classic match looked bleak, and the indecisive Open crowd sensed it, as more and more spectators that were on the fence began to openly support Agassi. Blake was simply destroying Agassi in all aspects of the game, making Agassi look every bit his thirty-five years. The younger Blake continually ripped lethal winners that clipped the lines, and drove ace after ace past Agassi on his serves. His speed and power were simply incredible. This was easily the best Blake had ever shown, and on the biggest stage nonetheless.

And then it happened. Down a break 3-2 in the third set, and just a few minutes from being sent packing, Agassi's classic backhand winner returned, and in an instant, Agassi rattled off four straight games to take the third set 6-3. The sleeping giant had awoken, and the 23,000 at Ashe Stadium were suddenly in a frenzy. In the 4th set, a frazzled Blake continued to return to earth, while the legend seemed to get stronger and faster, all while the crowd only got louder. When Agassi stormed through the 4th set 6-3, sending the match to a deciding fifth set, it sounded as if Arthur Ashe Stadium would crumble to the ground from the deafening noise. The Open had the match it had so eagerly hoped for.

Blake would not go down like a lamb, as he broke Agassi midway through the decisive fifth set to take a 4-3 lead, and then after the two exchanged games, attempted to serve out the match at 5-4. It looked over once again for Agassi, as Blake had seemingly regained his composure and control over the match.

Agassi refused to disappoint. Mustering up the energy and intestinal fortitude from some unforeseen coffer, the former champion ripped three straight backhand winners to break Blake and extend the match. Now the stadium was in absolute pandemonium. The players exchanged games, and fittingly, would decide the match with a 5th set tie break.

In the breaker, Blake took an early 3-0 lead in the race to seven points, but Agassi once again rose from the mat, answering with three straight points to even the breaker at three all. After the two exchanged points, Blake broke an Agassi serve, and leading 6-5, had a chance to take the match. On Blake's second serve, with the match and a trip to the semi-final on the line, Agassi showed incredible guts and chose to go for the winner. The veteran smoked a signature two-handed backhand winner that clipped the line, and held off the match point. After a ridiculous point that lasted what seemed to be an eternity, Agassi ran down a deep shot in the corner and slammed a backhand winner past Blake to take a 7-6 lead. At match point, Agassi slammed another winner that literally scraped the line, and the crowd erupted, having just witnessed the greatest tennis match of all time.

At 1:08 A.M. EST, the two showmen embraced and hugged at center court, bringing the tension filled evening to a close. Both players were seemingly aware that they had just crafted a match that would most certainly live on in tennis history for eons. Both players showed incredible heart and mental toughness, but it was the improbable awakening of Agassi that will serve as the legacy of this classic match. Playing sloppy tennis for two-and-a-half sets, only to recover and prevail in extraordinary fashion, Agassi proved to tennis faithful everywhere why he is the greatest of all time - a true warrior.

Bark At The Park Night

2005-08-24T09:38:00.000-04:00

SATURDAY - AUGUST 20, 2005 - SHEA STADIUM - METS vs. NATIONALS

That's my special boy!

This past Saturday, Jess and I drove into New York to catch an evening Mets game at Shea Stadium. As a huge Mets fan my entire life, this would normally be an activity that I routinely take part in several times each baseball season. However, this particular trip was interesting for two reasons. First off, it was Jess' first trip to Shea Stadium, and a long overdue one at that. More importantly, Saturday night marked the first "Bark at the Park" night in Mets history.

Basically, the premise of the evening was that dog owners were permitted to bring their furry friends along with them to the game. Naturally, when I told Jess of this promotion over a month ago, she became extremely excited over the prospect of taking the puppy to the game, as she's an admitted dog-lover. So we grabbed baby Dylon, hopped in the car, and headed to the game.

Jess and Dylon in center field.

Now, Jess and I were fairly pumped, because she had gone out the day before the game, and bought Dylon a mini dog size Pedro Martinez jersey from Petco. We were certain that we'd be one of the only owners to dress our puppy up in a Mets jersey. We were in for quite a surprise! Most of the dogs at the game (500+ according to the North Shore Animal League), were wearing doggie Mets jerseys. In all honesty, it was tremendous to see so many Mets fans dress their dogs up, and get so involved in the promotion.

We arrived out in left-center field about a half an hour before first pitch, and entered the picnic area. There were dogs everywhere! After looking around for a while, we were informed of the biggest surprise of the evening. All the dogs were being lined up to march around the field in a "doggie parade." Before we could even realize what exactly this entailed, Jess and I, along with five-hundred other dogs and their owners, were walking around the Shea Stadium field, as the Mets and Nationals were warming up!

Pedro warming up before the game. If it weren't for the enormous bodyguard just to the left of the photo, I might have reached over and gave him a pat on the back.

Not only were the dogs excited, but many of the owners struggled to contain themselves as well. We walked right by major leaguers Preston Wilson, Livan Hernandez, and Hall of Fame manager Frank Robinson. We were ushered within a few feet of Mets superstars David Wright, Jose Reyes, and future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez as he warmed up to pitch. I was simply awe-struck as I snapped picture after picture. Before I knew it, we had walked all the way around the field, and were sitting back in our seats out in the left field picnic area.

Looking back, I must tip my cap to the New York Mets, Snausages Dog Treats Inc., and the North Shore Animal League. They flawlessly organized and managed this event, and made the entire evening enjoyable for all the dogs and their owners. They provided goodie bags for each dog, filled with treats, as well as water and food for every dog. It truly was one of the more peculiar and memorable evenings I've ever experienced at a ballpark.

Look at the size of Mr. Mets' head!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Mets won the game 9-8 in 10 innings, thanks to Chris Woodward's game winning single. Pedro Martinez pitched six scoreless innings, but was removed with the Mets leading 8-0. In true Metropolitans fashion, the bullpen blew the lead, and the Nationals came all the way back to tie the game, setting up the stage for Woodward's 10th inning game-winner.

Dylon and I standing by home plate.

My Skinterview

2005-08-18T10:11:00.000-04:00

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

1) Where is one place you'd like to visit on earth and why?

Up until this past summer, I would have said Italy hands down, but I was lucky enough to spend two weeks in Venice/Rome/Positano just last month. So, my next most desired destination would most certainly be Australia. The warm weather, varied terrain, and fact that eighty percent of the population lives within five miles of the ocean, makes the land down under my most desired journey.

2) Describe one identifying trait about yourself, a part of your personality. Looking back, what events do you think led up to this characteristic developing?

Feisty - adj. feistier, feistiest - 1. Touchy; quarrelsome. 2. Full of spirit or pluck; frisky or spunky. 3. Showing courage.

Personally, I think I fall mostly in line with the second definition, although I can certainly be touchy and quarrelsome at times. Looking back, I would have to say that my childhood certainly molded my feisty personality. I am the third of the four Ghuzzi children, as I have an older brother and an older sister, as well as a younger sister. Growing up, although it may be hard to believe now, I was an extremely tiny kid. I didn't reach a height of five feet until my freshman year of high school, and I didn't surpass the one-hundred fifty pound mark until my junior year. Interestingly enough, I now stand five feet-eleven inches tall, and weigh approximately two hundred pounds give or take a few. Suffice to say, I was a late bloomer.

Getting back to the point, being so tiny, and having two older siblings, especially a big brother, I was always scrapping for attention, competing for a voice at the dinner table, and trying to keep up with my big brother. I'm also a very competitive person by nature, as I often become extremely passionate about my interests (Sports/Writing/Reading). So naturally, these factors played a major role in the development of my feisty personality. So, if not feistiness, I would say passionate.

3) Marry, fuck, kill. Pam Anderson, Roseanne Barr, Martha Stewart.

Man I HATE this game, because there is always two people that you want no part of, but you can't kill them both. Sigh.... I'd have to kill Roseanne Barr, because not only is she physically repulsive, but her voice is in the top five all time in terms of annoying and intolerable. I'd fuck Pam Anderson, but I'd make sure to do so with an industrial strength condom, soaked in disinfectants, so as not to contract a disease. She just isn't marriage material because she's been had by waaaaaaay to many dudes, including Tommy Lee a number of times. Actually, scratch that, get me one of those full body condoms for my encounter with PamAnn. Finally, as much as it pains me to say this, I'd have to marry Martha Stewart. In all honesty, I absolutely despise her, but she is worth gazillions of dollars, and she can cook like a champ. Just because we're married doesn't mean I have to sleep with her. We can have one of those "We're married and live together, but we don't associate marriages." I can just live off her wealth, and pay someone to off her, making it look like an accident.

So, marry Martha Stewart, fuck Pam Anderson, and kill Roseanne Barr. Thanks for nothing pal!

4) What are you worst fears?

Simple - failure and insignificance. Sometimes I fear that I will travel through life unnoticed and unaccomplished. When I die, I want people to remember me and what I contributed to the world. My biggest fear is a life of irrelevance.

5) You find a severed finger in your Wendy's chili. Do you finish it and then tell someone, or not tell anyone at all?

Neither man! I clearly pick up the chili, throw it on the ground, and proceed to make a HUGE public scene!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want to play? The Official Interview Game Rules: 1. If you want to participate, leave a comment below asking to be interviewed. 2.I will respond by asking you five questions - each person's will be different. 3. You will update your journal/blog with the answers to the questions. 4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post. 5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

BEER-B-Q

2005-08-18T09:48:00.000-04:00

*****UPDATE*****

We have a Green Light on the BBQ for this Friday, so feel free to stop by anytime after 6:30, and let the games begin.

And remember, NO DRINKING AND DRIVING!

BEER-B-Q ANYONE?

2005-08-16T15:31:00.000-04:00

Cut that Meat! Cut that Meat! Cut that Meat!

So I have the house to myself for the remainder of the week, thus I was considering the possibility of having people over on Friday. Perhaps a keg with some burgers and dogs? Just trying to gauge interest, so let me know if anyone is interested. If there's interest, I'll set the wheels in motion for a beer-b-q.

COCKS FALL JUST SHORT IN CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

2005-08-11T10:15:00.000-04:00

GAME 1: Team Unity 7, Fighting Cocks 0

GAME 2: Fighting Cocks 10, Team Unity 9

GAME 3: Team Unity 12, Fighting Cocks 8

After a long, emotional, and hard fought year both on and off the field, the Fighting Cock's season fell just short of championship glory on Monday evening. Both teams battled through a light rain and the fatigue of playing three games back-to-back-to-back in just one night. When the marathon of softball finally ended, Team Unity had captured the league championship by defeating the Cocks two games to one in the best of three championship series. After coming out flat and displaying no offense of any kind in game one, the Cocks suddenly erupted late in game two, just as it seemed as if the season would come to a disappointing end. However, after a sea-saw game three, Team Unity prevailed with a late surge, and the miracle season for the Cocks ended just short of the promised land.

THE RECAP

GAME ONE:
In the first game, the Cocks came out extremely flat. Team Unity scored six runs in the first inning, en route to a 7-0 win. Outside of the dreadful 1st, Team Unity managed to plate only one run over the next six innings, and the game became a real defensive battle. Unfortunately, the Cock's bats fell silent up and down the lineup, and in brisk fashion, Team unity took game one.

GAME TWO:
In the 2nd game, the Cock's headed into the bottom of the 6th trailing 9-6, and the season seemed to be on the brink of extinction. Miraculously, the bats came alive, and the Cocks scored four runs to take a 10-9 lead heading into the decisive 7th inning. Just as it seemed as if the season would come crashing down due to a lack of offense, the Cock's had risen to the challenge and swung the pressure onto the shoulders of Team Unity. The Cocks promptly shut down Team Unity 1-2-3 in the top of the 7th, and amazingly, still had life. After dropping four straight game to their rival, the Cock's had finally broken through with a win when it mattered most. The championship would come down to one final rubber game!

GAME THREE:
The third game was a total back and forth affair. The Cock's took an early 1-0 lead, only to find themselves trailing 3-1 after three innings. After tying the game in the top of the 4th, the Cock's promptly fell behind again 8-6 in the bottom of the inning. Unfortunately, the Cocks could only to watch as Team Unity charged back with four crucial runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to make it 12-6. As stubborn as ever, the Fighting Cocks would not got down without kicking and screaming. The inspired club managed to score two in their final at bat to make it 12-8, and actually had the bases loaded with the tying run at the plate, but were unable to pull off yet another sensational comeback. As the final out was recorded, Team Unity celebrated in a heap of excitement out by second base, and the dejected Cocks could only look on and wonder what could have been. The truly dramatic championship series had not disappointed.

LOOKING BACK: A Bit of Editorial From Wozzy Bear

This was a tough loss, considering we came so close to winning it all against a team that was clearly beatable. However, the more I think about it, the more I'm proud of our team. We went from a club that hadn't won a playoff game over four season's, to a team that was just one inning from the championship and the top of the mountain. Very simply, we took huge strides this year, with an awful lot of emotional baggage to carry along the way.

My only regret is that we weren't able to bring home the title for Doug. Nothing would have satisfied the member's of this club more than to win the championship in honor of our fallen teammate, brother and friend. This entire season was played with him in mind. We wore jersey's with his initials "DK" on the back, and blue wristbands with his #31 embroidered on the side. There were no personal names or glory, just one team, with one set of initials, and one cause in mind. This season was truly played in his honor and his memory. To have won the title just months after tragically losing a teammate and life-long friend would have been truly remarkable.

In the end, I feel like this season was great therapy for all of us. It brought us together as a team of both players and friends after a terribly difficult winter. There will never be another season quite like this one. We may go on to win a championship in the future, but nothing, not even a title, will ever compare to the pride I felt this season playing for the memory and legacy of my friend. I know I will never play another game without him in my memory, and I know in my heart that #31 will always be looking down on this season and this gritty group of friends as champions.

THE POSTSEASON - SEMIFINALS

2005-08-04T10:24:00.000-04:00

COCKS CHARGE INTO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Fighting Cocks 24, Roscommon 21

GAME LINE: After capturing the first playoff victory in franchise history on Monday, the Fighting Cock's continued their emotional run towards the league championship on Wednesday night with a seesaw 24 -21 victory over Roscommon in the semi-final. Heading into the bottom of the third inning, Roscommon held a 5-2 lead behind its veteran ace starter, and it seemed as if the Cocks were headed towards another meek offensive performance. However, after Sal Milone and Shawn Swingle led the inning off with back-to-back singles, left fielder Christopher Ghuzzi drove a double into the right-center field gap, scoring Milone and awakening the offense in the process. When the dust settled, the Cocks had sent fourteen batters to the plate, and had dropped a nine-spot on the third inning box score. The teams would trade runs over the next two innings, and the Cocks would take a 17-10 lead into the pivotal and decisive sixth inning.

TURNING POINT: Leading 17-10 as they took the field in the top of the sixth, the Cocks looked poised to capture a fairly easy victory, but the demons of past seasons awoke, and the face of the game changed completely. After leading the inning off with back-to-back hits, Roscommon's left-center fielder hit his second homer of the night to cut the lead to 17-13. A series of errors and bloop hits would follow, and when the rattled Cocks trudged off the field, the score was tied at seventeen with the bottom three hitters in the order due up.

In years past, a stunning turn events of this nature would surely have spelled disaster for the Cocks, but this season has been different. Right fielder Matt Hales led the inning off with a single, and catcher Billy Trojanowski promptly followed with a clean double, chasing Hales to the plate. Jack Zucker then followed with a scorching line drive down the left field line, and the top of the order would come to the plate with the Cocks in the lead, and the table set for a huge inning. In one of the more clutch performances of the season, the bottom of the Cocks order had put the team on their back and jolted the club back to life. Leadoff man Dan Grossberg would follow with an RBI single, as would Sal Milone, Shawn Swingle and Ghuzzi.

Just minutes after blowing a seven run lead in the top of the sixth, the Cocks had charged back with seven runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth. A few timely Roscommon hits in the top of the seventh would create a bit of tension, but after Lenny Worthington scooped up a hard ground ball at second base and fired it to first, the the celebration would begin. The Fighting Cocks were headed to their first championship game in franchise history.

THE 11th MAN: On December 29th, 2004, long before the season even began, the Fighting Cocks tragically lost one of their own in a terrible car accident. Right-center fielder Douglas Krueger was killed when his car was struck by a truck on the Garden State Parkway. In year's past, the Cocks had lost a number of close playoff games, and it often seemed as if the franchise was doomed to eternal failure. However, this season has been different in a number of ways. Besides the crushing loss of Doug, the Cocks managed to pull out a number of close ballgames, and it only seems fitting that our eleventh man looking down from above played a major role in pushing this team over the hump. Last night, with Doug's mother looking on, and the letters "DK" emblazon on the back of every jersey, the Cocks ground out a tough victory, and pushed themselves to the brink of a championship. There's no doubt in this writer's mind, that number thirty-one has played a huge role in this emotional and improbable run.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: Cocks shortstop Kevin McCarthy after several bloops fell in for basehits - "The Cocks Always Find the Holes!"

WINNING PITCHER: Sal Milone (12-6) - Fighting Cocks

NEXT UP: The Championship Game - Monday, August 8, 6:30 P.M. vs. Team Unity or Blackthorne.

*** In the legendary words of Indians catcher Jake Taylor - "Well then I guess there's only one thing left to do - What's that? - Win the whole fucking thing!"

LET'S GO FIGHTING COCKS!

2005-08-03T16:11:00.000-04:00

After four disappointing seasons, and several close calls, the Fighting Cocks captured the franchise's first playoff win on Monday. The well-played 10-7 victory pushed the Cock's into a semi-final showdown this evening with rival Roscommon. Tonight, a trip to next week's best of three championship series will be on the line!

TONIGHT - 7:45 - BIERTUEMPFEL PARK - BE THERE!

LET'S GO COCK'S!

"Life Sucks - Get a Fuckin Helmet!" - Dennis Leary

2005-08-02T12:15:00.000-04:00

Let me start off by pointing out that I have never been a really big fan of Bill Gates. While he is an absolute genius, and a gifted businessman, I haven't always agreed with the way he's gone about squashing smaller companies. Furthermore, I feel that many of the Microsoft products he pushes out onto the market are of inferior quality to those of other lesser known companies. The only problem is that the consumer is given little in terms of choice, because Gates uses his superior wealth and power to corner much of the software market. Often times, the consumer is basically forced to purchase a Microsoft product against their will.

So I think I've made it relatively clear that I am by no means a Bill Gates supporter, or even a proponent of Microsoft products. Personally, I own an Apple, and I am thoroughly convinced that Steve Jobs and the Apple Universe provide a substantially superior product. Nevertheless, I respect Bill Gates as an entrepreneur, a self-starter, and a visionary. Regardless of whether or not you agree with the way he chooses to operate his business, you have to give him credit for his vast accomplishments.

With all this said, I came across a speech that Gates delivered to a group of High School kids, and it really hit home for me. Sitting two years out of college, and two years into my career, I've come to some new realizations, many of which Gates touches upon in this speech. Gates' speech centers on 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

BUSTED!

2005-08-01T14:30:00.000-04:00

It absolutely boggles my mind that any player would use steroids after all the hoopla surrounding performance enhancing drugs this past year. What makes the latest offender all the more surprising, is the fact that he is a player representative on an MLB committee that oversees steroid use in the game. Nevermind the fact that just a few short months ago, he was plastered all over the news when he vehemently proclaimed before Congress that he had never used steroids, and was hurt by the notion that anyone would suspect him of using performance enhancing drugs in the first place.

Well Rafael Palmeiro, congratulations! You've now made yourself look like a horse's ass, and have effectively jeopardized your once-assured ticket to the baseball Hall Of Fame.

Missing My Friend

2005-07-29T11:02:00.000-04:00

Doug - My backyard - August 2004 - Dressed like a champ!

Today, July 29th, marks exactly seven months to the day that tragedy struck and took the life of my friend Doug. He was only twenty-three years old, with an absolutely limitless future in front of him. While seven months may seem like a short period of time to some, and an endless amount of time to others, it has done little to help me accept the fact that he's gone. After all, he was an integral part of my life from childhood into early adulthood. I can remember as far back as when we were five years old, and as far forward as the last time he was standing directly in front of me on a cold December evening.

Nevertheless, my incredible group of friends has banded together, and helped each other cope with this terrible loss. There have been good days and bad, but none without him in our minds. Softball games have been particularly tough, as I often find myself looking over to right-center field, expecting to see his face. Other times it's been easier, as we often tell stories as if he were still right here with us. Although he has left us physically, I'm certain that he lives on to this very moment. He's in our hearts and in our minds, and he lives on each and every day through the imprints he's left upon us. I know people say it all the time, but Doug changed each and every one of us for the better. I'm a better man for even knowing him.

Doug and Jess - Christmas party 2004 - Just days before he left us.

I know in my heart, that if he were still here, he'd be continuing his climb up the corporate ladder at MTV, undoubtedly on the fast track to success and stardom. After all, that's who he was. Doug was always the star of the show, the bright spot on a gloomy day, and the voice of unconditional reason. I guess I feel I owe it to him to continue talking about him, and reminding people how remarkable and loyal a friend he truly was. So without further hesitation, I give you in exact words, how we've all described the most decent person I've ever known. Notice how many different types of people, young and old, were effected by this loss.

"When I think of Doug, the first word that comes to mind is beautiful." - Patti Milone (Sal's Mother)

"First as a friend, then as a brother, and now and forever as an angel on my shoulder; I have greatly enjoyed the privilege of knowing Doug." - Sal Milone (Life-Long Friend)

"I had the great privilege of working with Dougie at MTV. He was the heart and soul of our very close team." - Pamela Wagner (Co-Worker)

"He went out of his way to say hello to me when I walked in, and he went out of his way to say hello when I was leaving. That's just the type of person he was, he would always go out of his way for you." - Jonathan Fazio (Fraternity Brother)

"To lose Doug, someone so dear to my heart, in such an abrupt fashion, is what makes this so difficult. My biggest regret are things that were never said, memories that will go unmade, and the idea of life without my brother." - Christopher Ghuzzi (Me - Lifelong Friend)

"You were the hardest working, most level-headed, best dressed, nicest person I ever came across in my life. A piece of me went with you that day, yet a part of me will always remain with you." - Dan Grossberg (Lifelong Friend)

"Marie raised the nicest and kindest young man, and my son was blessed to be his friend. They truly did "grow" together." - Christine Ghuzzi (My Mother)

"Doug will surely visit all of us. In the warm sunshine of a spring morning, the cool breeze of a summer evening, the rousing ovation after an outstanding performance, or in a beautiful dream, he will live on because of the profound affect he had on each of us. By our presence here today, we are showing our love for him. But we all know he felt the same love for most of us. His true measure will be the continued presence of his love and his spirit in our hearts. It is our obligation to remain bound to one another in his memory and to make sure that others will remember that he walked this earth and made a difference in people's lives. We owe him nothing less." - Excerpt from Eulogy at Doug's funeral mass - Michael Cohan (Teacher- Friend)

"I've spent the last two weeks trying to think of something to write about Doug, but couldn't. I came to realize that no words can do him justice." - Billy Trojanowski (Lifelong Friend)

"When my day grows weary and I'm a little less understanding or kind than I should be, I see Dougie in my mind and he reminds me how very precious life and people are; how important casting that ever present "Dougie smile" is." - Yvonne Rago (Doug's Theatre Teacher - Friend)

As I've said many times over the past seven months, "Gone, but NEVER forgotten."

Doug and I - San Francisco - July 2004

Let's Play A Game - Part 2

2005-07-28T09:07:00.000-04:00

Just like we've done with the previous post, simply add the funniest caption possible to coincide with the picture below. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you "Lenny."

"Listen Pirate hooker, why don't you go back to your home on Whore Island!"

"Heaven doesn't want me, and Hell is afraid I'll take over!"

"Impotence: Nature's way of saying "No Hard Feelings."

"If sex is a pain in the ass, then you're doing it wrong!"

A more flattering picture of Lenny below.... He's the big guy in the center...

Let's Play A Game

2005-07-25T12:12:00.000-04:00

Originally, I had intended to write a post outlining my weekend in detail, but I think I have an idea that will be much more fun than reading about my weekend. Because honestly, do you really care about a rundown of my weekend? I didn't think so. I don't live under the delusion that anyone has a real interest in the day-to-day functions of my inconsequential life. So I'll sum up the weekend in a few sentences just for records sake, and then we can play a fun game.

Friday night, Jess and I had dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant "Trattoria" in Westfield Center. We then headed into Hoboken to meet Lenny, Ben and a bunch of other fools from the college days for Dan's 26th birthday. We had a big table with about twenty people on the rooftop lounge at Skybar.
Saturday afternoon, I played a couple of sets of tennis in the scorching heat with Sal, Bill and Francis, in which Francis and I prevailed 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. Then Sal and I headed over to Joey Moran's house (My big Brother's friend) for a BBQ. Drank a ton - won a bunch of games of flip cup - had the usual baseball argument - passed out.
Sunday - slept - vegged - slept - ate - vegged - slept - Tremendous!

LETS PLAY A GAME

Here's how we play. I'm going to post a picture below, and I'd like everyone to come up with the best possible caption to describe the picture. We can liken this to the monthly column they have in "Maxim" or "Stuff" or whatever magazine does this. It really doesn't matter if you know the kid or not, just try to come up with the best caption. However, for those of you that do know this goofy bastard, I expect solid responses. Let's be as creative as possible (especially Dan and Bill). I'll post a couple of captions underneath to get us started, but I anticipate other people will be funnier than me. So fire away folks.

"I intend to live forever. So far so good!"

"That's right folks, I didn't exhale!"

"I know what you're thinking, 1,000 sperm and I was the fastest?"

"Nothing is fool proof to a sufficiently talented fool!"

"I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory."

Vacation In Italy - Part 3

2005-07-22T09:32:00.000-04:00

The third and final leg of our trip saw us leave Positano and the Amalfy Coast, and head for the capital in Rome. Along with Jess' parent's and her Aunt and Uncle, we boarded a train in Naples, and headed towards Rome. Luckily, this train experience was infinitely better than our first, and after two quick hours, most of which I slept through, we arrived in Rome for our final five day stint. I wasn't sure how much I would really enjoy the large city after spending three-and-a-half days in a small coastal village, but it didn't take very long to realize how remarkable Rome really is.

We checked into "Maximum," the bed and breakfast we had booked, only to be greeted by an old man in a leopard print bath-robe. Needless to say, while I was awestruck by this just a bit, Jess was completely freaked out by the little old man. After one night in "Maximum," we decided to cancel the rest of our reservations there, and move to a more suitable hotel near Campo Di Fiori. Thankfully, unlike most of the country, the hotels in Rome had air-conditioning, a luxury that we had gone without for most of the trip.

Over the next five days, Jess and I walked and walked and walked our way all across the city of Rome. Naturally, we took a tour of the Coliseum, and although it is not that large when compared to the stadiums of today, the fact that it was built in 72 A.D. without the help of heavy machinery, makes the structure seem all the more daunting. Over the years, the Coliseum has begun to crumble quite a bit, but it is not difficult to imagine fifty-thousand Romans clamoring inside to watch the gladiator's compete. Directly across from the Coliseum is the Roman Forum, so naturally, we tackled both of these sights in the same day. I was most impressed with how the Roman Forum sort of blends in with the modern city that is Rome. Basically, as you walk down a crowded city street, the ruins of the Forum are simply intertwined within the modern buildings and infastructure. It truly is a remarkable sight.

Of all the ruins and sites that the lovely wifey and I managed to see, I think the Pantheon was my favorite. Originally a pagan temple, the Pantheon is architecturally stunning from the outside, with its long columns and square shape. The view from the inside is absolutely stunning, as the entire room is a circular temple beaming with sunshine from the famous dome above. While it is not the largest or most heavily visited site in Rome, I found it to be the most unique.

Naturally, we awoke in the pre-sunlight hours one morning, and walked over to Vatican City. The plan was to get on line for the Sistine Chapel as soon as possible. Although it did not open until eight forty-five A.M., we parked ourselves on line at about seven-fifteen, and there were plenty of people ahead of us. Luckily, we were heading inside around nine-thirty, so our wait was just about two hours. In all honesty, the wait was well worth it, as Michelangelo's masterpiece lived up to every rant and rave I had ever heard. The sheer amount of detail and effort that was put forth into the painting of the chapel is staggering. As we left, the line stretched over a mile long, and the wait was estimated to be over five hours long, and while we had woken up extremely early, our sacrifice paid off.

After the Sistine Chapel, we headed over to St. Peter's Square, to check out St. Peter's Basilica. Now, I have been in St. Patrick's Cathedral many times, and it is rather large. However, if St. Patrick's is considered large, then in comparison, St. Peter's basilica is enormous. The pictures you see on television in no way do this massive structure justice. Between the utter gaudiness of the artwork and design, to the breathtaking dome in the center, this Basilica exceeded my pre-conceived notions ten-fold. If all churches were this beautiful, I might attend mass more often.

Finally, the most romantic portions of our stay in Rome were most certainly the evening walk by the Trevi Fountain, and our afternoon bike ride through Borghese Gardens. While Trevi Fountain was one of the most heavily populated tourist spots, it's romantic draw far outweighs the crowd. At night, the lights shine off this gorgeous fountain, and make it the ideal spot to walk with someone special. On our last afternoon, in one of the more spur of the moment ideas of the trip, Jess and I rented a two passenger bike, and peddled our way through Borghese Gardens. For the most part, the gardens are very similar to a stroll through Central Park in NYC. Nevertheless, it was easily one of the more quaint afternoons we enjoyed.

After thirteen days and twelve nights traveling across the beautiful landscape that is Italy, it was finally time to head home to New Jersey. Naturally, neither of us wanted to leave, but both the real world and our jobs beckoned. Looking back, I realize that I cannot wait to return to Italy, in the hopes of seeing even more next time. If I'm lucky, I'll get to spend another amazing couple of weeks with my beautiful girlfriend.

Vacation In Italy - Part 2

2005-07-19T09:57:00.000-04:00

The second leg of our glorious vacation saw us leave Venezia for the Mediterranean Sea and the gorgeous Amalfy Coast. Interestingly enough, Marco Polo Airport in Venezia is easily the cleanest and quietest airport I have ever had the pleasure of passing through. The place had spotless hardwood floors for cripe's sake, and was quieter than a church in comparison to beautiful Newark Liberty Airport. So, we hopped on an Alitalia flight and flew to Naples, home of Mount Vesuvius and the lost city of Pompeii.

Now, when it comes to flying, I am about as calm as they come. Basically, my mentality is that there really isn't anything you can do in terms of safety, because you're not the one flying the plane, hence, there is really no sense in getting worked up about it. However, our landing approach to Naples was easily the most terrifying flying experience of my life. The pilot had the plane swaying back and forth repeatedly, while the wife clutched onto my arm like a leech. Her fear skyrocketed when I turned to her and muttered "You know I'm not normally scared when we fly, but I have to be honest, this is terrifying right now!" Thankfully, the plane landed smoothly, and we made it in one piece.

After we grabbed our bags, we were picked up by a private car service that took transported us along the forty minute drive to the village of Positano on the Amalfy Coast. The most exciting part of this was the fact that the driver held up one of those signs in the airport with my name on it. That sort of thing only occurs in the movies, so I found it to be quite exciting. Unbeknownst to me, the drive through the mountains along the coast was absolutely breathtaking, as the Alps roll right into the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the drive consisted of a a narrow road along the edge of the cliffs, with views I could only dream of.

Upon our arrival in Positano, we were greeted by the wifey's parent's, as well as her Aunt and Uncle. The highlight the following day was when me, wifey and her parent's all rented a small motor boat, and zoomed up the coast, swimming right off the boat in certain spots. The Mediterranean provided incredibly clear and warm water, while the Italian sun was unrelenting in its ultimately successful quest to burn my back to a red crisp. Needless to say, the time spent on the beach with the girlfriend was incredibly relaxing, while the seafood was the best I have ever consumed.

One morning, I awoke extremely early, and took a drive to the ancient city of Pompeii with Jess' Dad. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but I had a feeling that this day trip would be pretty interesting. My initial inkling served me well, as the buried ruins in Pompeii were simply amazing. To actually walk through the ruins and see just how much ash covered the city, was an experience unlike anything I've ever seen. Waking up early and taking the two hour tour was definitely worth it.

Looking back on the trip, I can say with certainty, that next time I'd like to spend more than three-and-a-half days in Positano. Perhaps next time we could spend a week traveling up and down the Amalfy Coast, while taking in the awe-inspiring views, and vegging out on the beach. The land of the home-made ceramics and endless lemon trees was far superior than I had ever imagined.

Conspiracy!

2005-07-15T09:32:00.000-04:00

"dig4grunge"

"Joey Books"

NEWSFLASH: They're the same person!

"The files are in the computer. In the computer!" - Hansel

Vacation In Italy - Part 1

2005-07-14T09:24:00.000-04:00

VENICE

My first venture across the Atlantic and into Italy began with an early evening red-eye flight out of Newark Liberty Airport on Friday, June 24, 2005. After an eight-and-a-half hour turbulence-filled flight, we landed in Milan on Saturday morning around eight A.M. Italian time. The wife and I immediately hopped on a bus and headed to the train station in the heart of Milan. After a short layover at the train depot, we began what was easily the worst travel experience of my entire life. Three hours on an over-booked, over-crowded, Africa-hot train, is not my ideal vision of a vacation.

Our first mistake was climbing aboard car number two, when our seats were located in car number five. Although Jess and I had booked second class tickets, thus guaranteeing us seats, we were unable to maneuver our way through the cars due to our luggage and the sheer mass of people standing in the aisles. Needless to say, after sweating through our clothing (sweating became a major theme on this trip), and standing up against a wall for and hour-and-a-half, we finally made it to our seats halfway through the trip. Unfortunately for the woman sitting in Jess' seat, it was time to move. After a nice conversation with an older woman from London, a younger man from Switzerland, and a married couple also from Switzerland, we both passed out for the remainder of the humid ride.

I awoke covered in sweat and stickiness, only to find that the train was pulling into the absolutely beautiful and unique city of Venice. After a full day of work, followed by sixteen hours of non-stop travel, we were there. Unfortunately for my beautiful counterpart and I, it took us quite a while to navigate through the life-size maze that is Venice, and find our hotel. Much to our surprise, our hotel room was actually a private flat complete with kitchen area, off to the side on a small inner canal. It provided us with great privacy and terrificly quiet evenings.

The aspect of Venice that I found most impressive was the concept of an entire city not having any cars at all. The only forms of transportation are boat, foot, or bicycle, and this fact could not be more remarkable. The extensive side streets and plethora of nooks, crannies and inner canals, makes Venice unlike any place I've ever seen. While I found St. Mark's Square to be a terribly overcrowded tourist hub, we both enjoyed the quiet locale of the San Paolo district, most notably the Piazza San Margharita. Outside of our last night in which we found ourselves terribly lost at 1 A.M., with the Vaparetto service closed for the evening, I enjoyed Venice a great deal. After three enjoyable nights, we departed into the sunset and headed for the Amalfy Coast, and the tiny village of Positano on the Mediterranean. More on that portion of the trip to come later....

Viva La Italy!

2005-06-24T10:55:00.000-04:00

So this evening I will be hopping on a plane and heading to Italy with wifey (Brain of J's Sister) for a much-needed two week vacation. We'll be landing in Milan sometime tommorrow morning Italian time, at which point we will jump on a train and head straight to Venice. After a three day stay in Venice, we will depart via Air Italia on a voyage to Florence. Upon landing in Florence, a car service will transport us to the beach village of Positano. Here we will meet up with wifey's parents (Also Brain of J's Parents), and relax in the sun on the beach for four days. Finally, our trip will conclude with a train-ride to Rome, for five days in the epi-center of Italy. Hopefully, there will time for a day trip to Pisa as well.

With that said, I will be bidding my blog, as well as the blogging world, a fond farewell for the next two weeks. While there is a slight chance that I may find some time at an internet cafe or two to drop a line, I don't anticipate much blogging. I hope to return on July 7, with pictures and stories of my excitement and adventure. This is my first trip to Italy (And Europe for that matter), so naturally I am counting the minutes and the seconds until I can spring free of this office and depart on my long-awaited expedition.

So it's off to the homeland. In the meantime, I wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe 4th of July holiday, and as Matt Hales would say, I will catch you all on the flip side.

The Spankees

2005-06-23T09:33:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine forwarded me this picture, and I felt compelled to share it with the blogging community. It was snapped by a Reuters photographer, just after Gary Sheffield smacked his second home run of the game on Tuesday night. I'm sure some of you are wondering what the significance of this picture is, and if you haven't noticed by now, keep reading, and I'll explain.

Now I understand that in baseball, the occasional ass-pat, or the requisite sac-shifting, is an acceptable and common facet of the game. However, after a monster like Gary Sheffield uncorks on a fastball and sends it flying deep into the NY night, I'm not so sure a man-hug with Derek Jeter is what the Yankee faithful (I'm certainly not one of them) had in mind.

Take a deep hard look at this photo, and realize that Jeter and Sheffield are embraced, chin-to-chin and chest-to-chest, all while Sheff is grabbing onto Jeter's sticky buns as if he were fearful he might fall down. I will give them credit however, because they did have the courage to embrace as men in front of fifty-thousand plus at Yankee stadium.

Finally, what you cannot see in this picture, yet it is most certainly implied, is that Arod is also involved in this embrace. If you look closely between Sheff and Jeter's intertwined legs, you can just about make out the tip of Arod's nose, as he teabags both his teammates in the celebratory excitement.

Go Stanks!

WOW!

The Season - Part 9

2005-06-22T10:49:00.000-04:00

GAME 9

"Los Smoked!"

Los Shop-Rite 18, Fighting Cocks 3

It was Latin Baseball at it's Best Last Night for Los Shop-Rite.

GAME LINE: There really isn't much to say about last night's second go around with Los Shop-Rite. After the Cock's pounded out an 18-14 win back in week one, Los Shop-Rite returned the favor two-fold last night by the count of 18-3. Shop-Rite's bats were in full swing early and often, as they absolutely pounded the Cock's into submission. Meanwhile, the Cock's bats disappeared into hybernation for the second time in three games. It was truly a debacle of the highest degree.

BONER OF THE GAME: While the Cock's defense and lack of offense deserves an honorable mention, second basemen Lenny Worthington has actually requested the dubious honor for this game. Worthington struggled at the plate, and misplayed several balls in the field, most notably a routine line drive.

UP SWING: On a more positive note, much to the delight of this author, the toilet paper in the bathroom's at work were upgraded to the two-ply level this week. Needless to say, this has made for an infinitely more enjoyable deucing experience while at the office.

P.S. Right-Center fielder Dan Grossberg went 2-2 in the loss. Thataboy!

LOSING PITCHER: Sal Milone (7-2) - Fighting Cocks

OVERALL TEAM RECORD/STANDING: (7-2) - 2nd Place

NEXT UP: Somebody, Sometime Next Week

The Season - Part 8

2005-06-17T09:46:00.000-04:00

GAME 8

"The Cock's Strike Back"

Fighting Cocks 24, Knight's of Columbus 9

She's a Big Fan of the Cock's!

GAME LINE: Following Monday's disappointment, the Fighting Cock's returned to form on Wednesday by dismantling K of C in a 24-9 route. After a brief slumber, the bats awoke in thunderous fashion, as the Cock's needed only four innings to notch their 7th win of the season. The offense was paced by the heart of the batting order, as Anthony DeRosa continued his stellar season from the three hole, belting two home runs, including a 2nd innning grand slam. Lenny Worthington posted a 3-3 performance in the clean up spot, and was followed in the order by a perfect 4-4 evening from Christopher Ghuzzi. The Cock's broke the game open by posting twelve spots in the 2nd and 4th innings. Both key frames saw Worthington and Ghuzzi lead off with singles to start the merry-go-round, as the Cock's would bat around.

HALFWAY MARK: The victory was the Cocks' seventh of the year, and not only marks the midway point of the season, but the best start in franchise history.

WINNING PITCHER: Sal Milone (7-1) - Fighting Cocks

OVERALL TEAM RECORD/STANDING: (7-1) - 2nd Place

NEXT UP: Not Sure - Tuesday, June 21st

The Season - Part 7

2005-06-14T12:18:00.000-04:00

GAME 7

Team Unity 11, Fighting Cocks 7

Some Inept Umpiring Had the Cock's in Fits for Most of the Evening.

GAME LINE: After rain postponed last week's scheduled game, the Cock's took the field for the first time in over ten days, in a marque matchup with the division's other 6-0 team. The long layoff seemed to make all the difference, as the play was sluggish and the bats were cold the entire evening. In their worst offensive effort to date, the Cock's managed a meager seven runs, while making a number of bad plays in several facets of the game.

From a defensive standpoint, the infield produced several overthrows and fielding miscues, while the outfield allowed several balls to get through for extra bases. With the offense providing a small army of weak fly balls, two strikeouts, and a terrible baserunning miscue with the bases loaded, the Cock's were lucky to be within striking distance heading into the final half inning. Unfortunately, there would be no late inning heroics on this night, and the Cock's stumbled in this clash of unbeaten teams.

TURNING POINT: Although the offense was subpar for the bulk of the evening, a terrible call by the umpire in the top of the 4th helped to break the game open for Team Unity. With one out in the inning, and the Cock's in front 5-4, a Team Unity baserunner attempted to go from first to third on a single to left. Cock's left-fielder Christopher Ghuzzi scooped up the ball and fired a strike to third base. The throw clearly beat the runner to the bag by about a step, and the tag was seemingly applied by third-basemen Kevin McCarthy for the key 2nd out of the inning. However, the umpire came charging down the line with the safe signal, even before the tag was applied. In this case, it seemed as if his mind had been made up before the play had concluded, and the runner was allowed to stay at third with only one out. Frazzled by the atrocious and gutless call, Team Unity would go on to score six runs in the inning to take a 10-5 lead. The Cock's would never recover.

Another terrible call by the umpire later in the game would add salt to the gaping wound. With two on and two out, Ryan Swingle took a called third strike on a full count. The pitch in question came in well below Swingle's knees, and clearly bounced 6-8 inches inside of the plate. Much to the dismay of Swingle and most of the players and fans, the ump rang up the third strike and the threat was squelched.

LOSING PITCHER: Sal Milone (6-1) - Fighting Cocks

OVERALL TEAM RECORD/STANDING: (6-1) - 2nd Place

NEXT UP: ? - Wednesday, June 15.

Freaky Friday

2005-06-10T09:52:00.000-04:00

TOKYO (Reuters) - Two kittens picked the wrong place to relieve themselves when they urinated on a fax machine, sparking a fire that extensively damaged their Japanese owner's house. (June 10, 2005)

I can only imagine what my father's reaction would be if he arrived home form work one evening, only to find out that the cat pissed on the fax machine and burned his home to the ground. Someone needs to teach this feline how to use the toilet like "Mr. Jinx." Naturally, in the instance above, the cat managed to escape unharmed.

GASTONIA, N.C. (AP)A police officer responding to an emergency call of a man struck by a car accidentally ran over the victim with his cruiser, authorities said.
Investigators remained uncertain whether the victim was already dead when he was struck a second time by the police car, said Sheriff's Department Capt. Tony Robinson.

This sounds like an episode of "Reno 911."

NEW YORK (AP) - The body of an apparent stowaway was ripped in half during flight Tuesday and his leg crashed into a suburban neighborhood, where a homeowner found the severed limb in the middle of her lawn, authorities said.
Pam Hearne heard "a loud crash" and later was stunned to see a foot clad in an Adidas sneaker and a sock in her yard, said officer Thomas Blanchard. The leg, with hip and spine attached, dented the shingled roof of her garage before bouncing into the lawn.

So you're sitting in your backyard with the wife and kids on a beautiful summer afternoon. You've got the BBQ all fired up, the dogs running through the yard, and you couldn't be happier in the moment. Suddenly, a human leg, with the hip and spine attached, falls out of the sky and lands on your lawn. Can you imagine? I don't know about anyone else, but I'm having trouble getting past the "Hip and Spine attached" portion of the story. Oh well, might as well pick it up and throw in on the barbie!

In April, police in Buffalo, N.Y., said Thomas L. Hunter, 55, ran off with a case of brandy from the Eastside Liquor store, but during the getaway, he dropped the case, and the bottles shattered. He was arrested when he returned to the scene of the spill and started sucking up brandy with a straw. [Buffalo News, 4-10-05]

You think this guy is an alcoholic, or does he feel really strongly about beer abuse?

Police in Hackettstown, N.J., charged Juan Vargas, 29, with public intoxication at a Dunkin Donuts shop after spotting him speaking into his wallet as if it were a cell phone (February).

I wonder if this guy has tried the "candy-bar" stickup.

14 DAYS UNTIL ITALY!

Blue Light Special - Aisle 4

2005-06-06T16:39:00.000-04:00

Lenny sent this absolutely hilarious tale my way, and I felt it would be a good story for all to read and comment on. I'm not exactly sure where Lenny found such a story, or to whom to credit as the source, but it is worth sharing nonetheless. So here it is:

Wal-Mart, while an evil corporation, can actually be pretty fun to raise hell in. Many a time I have been found in wal-mart with some of my bored friends just causing trouble. We would rearrange items and say strange things to people and one of our favorite things to do was to stand directly in front of people and bend over to tie our shoe.

One day I actually had to go to wal-mart to shop. I happened to be searching for one of those ab-shockers that supposedly burns fat so that I could strap it to my overweight dog and torture it while simultaneously giving it a solid workout. It just seemed like too good of an idea to pass up at the time. While searching in the back of the store among the exercising products my eyes happened to glance along the wall at a small machine that would make my day. No, it was not the aforementioned ab-rocker, it was even better. It was a P.A. unit for the entire store. It was basically a small handset and a button that I assumed was used to make announcements for the entire store. Quickly forgetting about my obese dog I leapt at the handset. This was going to be fun.

I looked around. Nobody was watching. It was go-time. I placed the handset (with receiver) behind my buttocks and held down the button. I then squeezed out a pathetically weak, yet hilarious sounding, squeek of a fart. Sure enough, it was carried over the entire store. I heard muffled laughter in other aisles as I quickly made my way to the exit.

Farting into the P.A. soon became one of my favorite past-times in Wal-Mart. Every time I was in the store the customers were blessed by the unique sounds of my flatulence. I became less conscious, sometimes even quickly doing the deed while people were in the same aisle as me. I would even ask people if they heard that noise while I was putting the receiver back in place. Surprisingly, nobody ever caught on to my charade, until yesterday.

Yesterday I was on my way home from work when I passed Wal-Mart. I decided to stop by with no intention of buying anything, just so I could fart into the P.A. (this was not unusual in the recent weeks). I walked back to the P.A. and noticed that I really had a lot of gas waiting to come out. I smiled to myself as I grabbed the receiver that I knew all too well by this time. I placed it at the back of my pants and waited for the inevitable.

The God of Thunder himself was with me in spirit at this time as I unleashed upon the store the most violent ass-rip that the epidermal tuba of my buttocks could possibly produce. Three full seconds passed by and the fart was still going strong. I thought people might get a little too suspicious soon, but at the same time I was making a quantum leap in the field of P.A. farting. No, I had to keep this going until the end, no matter what the cost.

Another second later I felt two powerful hands grab my shoulders and tear me away from the P.A. The jig was up. The security dragged me into a back room, but they made sure to take me past at least half-a-dozen disgusted parents and their giggling children. When I was taken into the back room the security described how they have seen me do this before on the security tapes and that the cops were going to pick me up for being a public nuisance.

A lone police officer arrived minutes later and led me out of the store. The officer led me to his car where he told me to have a seat in the front. "Ok, this can't be too bad if he's letting me sit in the front seat," I thought as I wondered how much the fine would be for farting over Wal-Mart's intercom.

The officer sat down in his seat and looked over at me smiling.

"This has got to be the funniest damn thing I have ever encountered as a police officer! I don't even know what the hell I should do with you."

I told him I was soory about all of the trouble and that it wouldn't happen again. I searched the cops face to see if he was planning on letting me go, but he just had a huge, cheshire-cat grin on his face. A moment of silence occured between me and the officer.

The officer was the first to break the silence. He told me that he was going to have to call me into the station and I was going to get a ticket. The he reached for his radio, stuffed it under his buttocks and let out the loudest and smelliest fart I had ever heard or smelled to the entire police squad. He then burst into uproarious laughter, gave me a high-five and told me to go about my way.

18 Days Until Italy!

The Season - Part 6

2005-06-03T09:09:00.000-04:00

The field the Cock's play on looks nothing like beautiful SBC Park.

GAME 6

Fighting Cocks 24, Pecker's 23 (8)

GAME LINE: After the Pecker's jumped out to a 10-0 lead after just an inning and a half, the Cock's bats erupted for 13 runs in the bottom of the second, as 17 men came to the plate. The two teams then traded runs for the next four innings, and when the dust settled, the game was tied at twenty-three heading into the seventh and final inning.

With two men on and nobody out in the top of the inning, the Cock's stumbled over a bit of luck. After pitcher Sal Milone deflected a hard ground ball up the middle, second baseman Lenny Worthington grabbed the ball out of the air, stepped on second, and then turned and fired to first to complete the huge double play.

The bottom of the inning saw Sal Milone lead off with a single, only to be stranded at second base, unable to score.

TURNING POINT: After the Pecker's put the first two men on to start the top of the eigth, the Cock's dug in and recorded three straight outs to preserve the tie. This set the stage for the exhilarating finish. Dan Grossberg led the inning off with a clutch line drive single to center, and then moved to second on a hard single by Jay Navarro. Grossberg has done a terrific job of pacing the top of the Cock's lineup all season. With nobody out and the tying run just one-hundred twenty feet from the plate, shortstop Kevin McCarthy stepped into the box with a chance to be the hero. After working the count to 1-1, McCarthy drove a shot deep into the right-center field gap, as Grossberg rounded third and scored the winning run easily. After trailing for most of the game, the Cock's had come all the way back to seize the victory in their final at bat.

TOP OFFENSIVE PERFORMERS:
Christopher Ghuzzi (LF) - 5-5, 2 singles, double, 2 triples, 4 RBI's, 5 runs.
Ryan Swingle (LCF) - 4-5, 2 doubles, 2 singles, 4 RBI's, 4 runs.
Jason Mauriello (2B/3B) - 4-5, 3 singles, 1 double, 3 RBI's, 3 Runs.

WEB GEM: With a runner on second and one out in the top of the first, Ryan Swingle sent the Pecker's a firm message with his right arm. After a hard single up the middle, Swingle came up firing from left-center, and threw a perfect strike to cut the runner down at the plate.

BONER OF THE GAME: A sloppy game across the board, there were just too many terrible plays to talk about. This game was all about offense.

WINNING PITCHER: Sal Milone (6-0) - Fighting Cocks

OVERALL TEAM RECORD/STANDING: (6-0) - First Place

NEXT UP: Kamikazi's - Monday, June 6th

My Sister's Wedding Day

2005-05-27T10:45:00.000-04:00

SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2005

This past Saturday, my sister finally walked down the aisle and married her long-time sweetheart Jim. Now, I know I've spent much of the last few months complaining about how I couldn't wait for all the wedding talk to end, and for the big day to finally arrive. I complained about how the conversation at our Sunday dinner table has been dominated by "wedding-talk" for the past year now, and how my mother has had the same discussion with just about everyone she knows over and over and over again. Meanwhile, my father turned into an emotional cupcake as he tried to come to grips with the fact that he was giving his oldest daughter away. You see, the big secret in my family is that while my father attempts to play himself off as a hard-ass, in actuality, he's extremely sentimental. It is blatantly obvious that he has two gigantic soft spots. One is named Danielle, and the other goes by Suzanne. Most times, it felt like people I hadn't seen in a while were more interested how the wedding plans were going than say my new job.

Danielle and Jim on their Big Day.

However, all the complaining and the nuisance of living with two parent's who were both nervous and excited for their oldest daughter, completely vanished the minute I saw my sister head down the aisle on her special day. I've never seen her look so strikingly beautiful and happy in the same moment. It literally brought a tear to my eye. Her hair was perfect, and her dress fit wonderfully. At her sides, my mother looked youthful and bright, and my father looked dapper in his traditional tuxedo. By the time they reached the front of the church, my mother was sporting a smile wider than the Amazon during flood season, and my father was welling up like a water spicket. The moment had finally arrived, and it truly was special for my entire family.

After the ceremony was complete, and I had managed to brush through my "prayer of the faithful" without stumbling like a bafoon, we all headed to the most important part of the day in the form of the reception festivities. The beer flowed like wine, and my family and friends instinctively flocked to the "Grand Centurion" like the salmon of Capistrano. After eating and drinking quite a bit, my girlfriend even managed to drag me out onto the dance floor. That's right, while dancing may not be my favorite pastime, if you funnel enough drinks into my belly, I'll do just about anything. Together Jim and Danielle shared their first dance as a married couple, cut their wedding cake, and danced with their parent's. I thought my father's floodgates would open up again when he had his final dance with his daughter, but he somehow managed to keep it together.

Before we all knew it, the evening had come to a close (at least at the reception hall), and hordes of family and friends headed back to "Crown Plaza" hotel in Clark for further drinking and shouting. Most of what occurred after this point is hazier than a scorching summer day in NYC, but I'd like to take this opportunity to thank a few people for making this portion of the weekend memorable. Big Ups to:

Anthony, Sal and whomever else was involved in hijacking several cases of beer from behind the bar as we left the reception hall. After the hotel bar closed at 2 A.M., it was your foresight that allowed us to continue drinking deep into the night.
Anthony, for buying shots of wild turkey at the hotel bar after I had previously consumed an immeasurable amount of Jack Daniels and Coca Cola at the reception. It was a great thought, but my body rejected it in a matter of seconds.
Sal, Matt, Jack and Anthony for allowing forty of the wedding guests to cram into their hotel room at 2:30 A.M. for further drinking and celebrating. You fellas really stepped up and took one for the team.
Anthony, for paying the cops $20 to leave us alone and allow us to party even further into the night.
My Irish cousin Brendan, for lighting a cigarette backwards, and then passing out in the middle of the hotel bar. You single-handedly entertained most of the guests.
Sal, for spending most of Sunday afternoon in my backyard grilling hot dogs and hamburgers for my entire extended family. And in the rain nonetheless. My mother was truly appreciative.
To Shawn and Matt, for convincing me to drink four bottles of wine with them on Sunday evening. Clearly, there was no point in doing so, other than in the interest of delinquency.
And finally, to Anthony once again, for tearing the headboard off the wall, bribing police officers, and getting your entire room kicked out of the hotel. Jim is truly appreciative, and you have ultimately carved yourself a place in "Ghuzzi Lore" for all eternity.

It truly was an amazing day for Jim and Danielle, my family, friends, and everyone else that played a role in the amazing weekend. We'll all remember it for a lifetime.

28 DAYS UNTIL ITALY

The Season - Part 5

2005-05-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

GAME FIVE

Fighting Cocks 16, Roscommon 9

BIG START: DAN GROSSBERG'S SINGLE TO LEAD THE GAME OFF SPARKED THE ENTIRE COCK'S OFFENSE. WELL DONE DANNO!

KEY TO THE GAME: Once again, the Fighting Cock's bats did all the damage en-route to the team's fifth straight win to open the season. After plating six runs in the first, and then four more in the second, the Cock's never looked back.

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST: Christopher Ghuzzi recorded his first three hit game of the season, going 3-5 with four RBI's, highlighted by a third inning three-run homer to right. The blast was Ghuzzi's first of the season.

WEB GEMS: In the 4th inning, first baseman Kevin Worthington made a sparkling play on a line drive to his right. Worthington layed out in full extension to snag the line drive and record the first out of the inning. It was one of several nice plays the Cock's first baseman turned in on the evening. Immediately after Worthington finished his terrific play, shortsop Anthony DeRosa made a tremendous diving effort on a line drive to his left.

BONER OF THE GAME: With Ghuzzi on second in the top of the seventh, Cock's third baseman Shawn Swingle swung and missed on a high third strike. In Swingle's defense, the umpire certainly should have called the pitch illegal, but it was a softball strikeout nonetheless, earning Swingle his first "Boner of the Week."

WINNING PITCHER: Sal Milone (5-0) - Fighting Cocks

OVERALL TEAM RECORD: (5-0)

NEXT UP: The Pecker's

The Season - Part 4

2005-05-25T21:29:00.000-04:00

GAME FOUR

Fighting Cocks 14, Los Diego's 0

KEY TO THE GAME: Both the bats and the defense showed up in full force for the Fighting Cocks on this night, as the game was a route. The offense steadily pounded out hit after hit, and the defense played just about flawless.

GAME MVP: Sal Milone - Despite some early difficulty finding the strike zone, Milone pitched five scoreless innings propelling the Cock's to their first shutout of the season.

Pitcher Sal Milone celebrates his first shutout of the season with a Bud and some burgers. Apparently, he also enjoys all-nighters.

BOMB'S AWAY: Anthony DeRosa - 1st inning two-run shot to deep left-center.
Darius - 2nd inning two-run bullet to left-center.

WEB-GEM: Anthony DeRosa - Continuing his stellar all-around season, DeRosa made a terrific diving stab on a line drive to his left. With a batting average close to .800 and solid defensive play at short, DeRosa has become the early favorite for team MVP.

BONER OF THE GAME: With one out in the fifth, and a runner on first, Milone was just two outs from nailing down his first shutout of the season. On a routine grounder to 2nd, infielder Kevin Worthington scooped the ball cleanly and made a waist-high throw to Jack Zucker at first. Unfortunately for the Cock's, Zucker dropped the ball and earned his first "Boner of the Week" award in the process.

WINNING PITCHER: Sal Milone (4-0) - Fighting Cocks

OVERALL TEAM RECORD: (4-0)

NEXT UP: @ Roscommon

The Season - Part 3

2005-05-18T09:12:00.000-04:00

Hear the Fighting Cock Roar!

GAME THREE

Fighting Cocks 21, Blackthorne 9

PLAY OF THE GAME: The short bench forced player/manager Sal Milone to move infielder Lenny Worthington up in the batting order from seventh to the clean-up spot. The move proved genius as Worthington stepped up with four hits to pace the Cocks.

KEY MOMENT: With three regulars missing from the lineup, the bulk of the responsibility was left in the hands of the offense. The make-shift batting order responded with thunder, pounding out hit-after-hit en-route to a five inning 21-9 spanking of Blackthorne.

BONER OF THE WEEK: With the bases empty in the third, Blackthorne launched a sky-high fly deep to left. Cocks left fielder, and author of this blog, Christopher "WozzyBear" Ghuzzi, committed the cardinal sin of outfield defense. He immediately took three strides in, before realizing the ball was sailing deep over his head. Luckily, Ghuzzi used his cat-like reflexes to recover and make the catch, while diving backwards in what can only be described as a handicap moment.

WINNING PITCHER: Sal Milone (3-0) - Fighting Cocks

OVERALL TEAM RECORD: 3-0

The Season - Part 2

2005-05-13T16:16:00.000-04:00

Anthony's mighty thirsty after the game!

GAME TWO

Fighting Cocks 14, Knights of Columbus 10

PLAY OF THE GAME: Anthony DeRosa (above) - 2nd inning Grand Slam HR (2) to deep center.

KEY MOMENT: After a shaky first inning that saw the Cock's infield make four errors, resulting in four K of C runs, everyone recovered to play solid defensively for the remainder of the evening. It was the infield's ability to shake the poor start off that keyed the victory.

CLOWN OF THE GAME: With one out and a bum groin, Ryan Swingle hit a routine ground ball to short. Rather than run the play out, Swingle stopped in the batter's box and watched as the shortstop booted the ball. As a result of Swingle's indifference, K of C was easily able to recover from their fielding gaffe and turn the inning ending double play.

WINNING PITCHER: Sal Milone (2-0) - Fighting Cocks

OVERALL RECORD: 2-0

The Season - Part 1

2005-05-06T14:24:00.000-04:00

GAME ONE

Fighting Cocks 18, Los Wakefern-ShopRite 13

Game MVP: Anthony DeRosa: 4-4, 3 run HR, 2B, 5 RBI, 3 Runs.

Bomb's Away: Anthony DeRosa: 1st inning 3 run homer to center.
Lenny Worthington: 1st inning 3 run bomb to left-center.
Shawn Swingle: 4th inning solo shot to left-center.

Defensive Gem: Nobody!

Clown: Los Wakefern's charismatic shortstop yelled, hooted and hollered in Spanish louder than any human being I've ever heard.

Overall Record: 1-0

Curious George

2005-05-03T10:05:00.000-04:00

Now, it would be easy for me to sit back and write a long post ripping George Bush for his political views and policy-making record, but we've all done that countless times. After all, his actions speak volumes. What's more fun, is to take a look at some of the words and phrases that come out of this man's mouth. Mind you, our President is a graduate of Yale, and as poor as his academic record may be, I think we have to at least respect this accomplishment. And while he's purportedly an Ivy League fellow, it is often extremely difficult to imagine George at Yale after witnessing his public speaking skills.

Now I know what you're all thinking. You're thinking, "hey Chris, hold on a minute, plenty of people have difficulty with public speaking." To that, I would say that you're absolutely right. However, plenty of people don't attend Yale, and still plenty more don't pursue a career in politics. Nevermind the fact that he's the representative and leader of the free world. So what's my point you ask? Well, I take pride in the English language, and the proper manner in which it should be both written and spoken. At the same time, I understand that most people don't feel the same way as I do. Yet, I feel strongly that our nation's leader should have the necessary skills to speak proper english.

I guess what irks me the most, is the level at which Bush often speaks. We're not talking the occasional mishap, or slip-up. Often, he sounds like a third grader, confused by words that sound similar and unaware of his mistakes. It truly is pathetic. Let's have a look. The following are actual quotes given to the press in both speeches and live interviews. Many of them are startlingly confusing and incomprehensible.

BUSHISMS

"We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 20, 2005 - Note the confusion in differentiating the words prevent and presents.

"I want to thank you for the importance that you've shown for education and literacy." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 13, 2005 - That certainly doesn't seem literate.

"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table." —George W. Bush, Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 22, 2005 - Contradictory much?

"You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." —George W. Bush, to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005 - She has three jobs because the economy is in fantastic shape George.

"After all, Europe is America's closest ally." —George W. Bush, Mainz, Germany, Feb. 23, 2005 - He really seems to struggle with synonyms. But that's understandable, because we were taught synonyms all the way back in 2nd grade.

"Who could have possibly envisioned an erection — an election in Iraq at this point in history?" —George W. Bush, at the white House, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2005 - Whoops!

"It's a time of sorrow and sadness when we lose a loss of life." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 21, 2004 - Redundancy George; that's 5th grade english.

"They can get in line like those who have been here legally and have been working to become a citizenship in a legal manner." —George W. Bush, on immigrant workers, Washington, D.C., Dec. 20, 2004 - "Hooked on Phonics Worked for Me" chapter 3 - suffixes.

"The truth of that matter is, if you listen carefully, Saddam would still be in power if he were the president of the United States, and the world would be a lot better off." —George W. Bush, second presidential debate, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 8, 2004 - Perhaps he should consider rephrasing that statement just a tad.

"I think it's very important for the American President to mean what he says. That's why I understand that the enemy could misread what I say. That's why I try to be as clearly I can." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 23, 2004 - That was crystal clear George.

"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —George W. Bush, Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004 - I thought George was afraid of lesbians?

"Let me put it to you bluntly. In a changing world, we want more people to have control over your own life." —George W. Bush, Annandale, Va, Aug. 9, 2004 - He really struggles with qualifiers.

"Tribal sovereignty means that; it's sovereign. I mean, you're a — you've been given sovereignty, and you're viewed as a sovereign entity. And therefore the relationship between the federal government and tribes is one between sovereign entities." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Aug. 6, 2004 - He lost me at hello.

"We stand for things." —George W. Bush, Davenport, Iowa, Aug. 5, 2004 - Very specific.

"I want to thank my friend, Senator Bill Frist, for joining us today. You're doing a heck of a job. You cut your teeth here, right? That's where you started practicing? That's good. He married a Texas girl, I want you to know. Karyn is with us. A West Texas girl, just like me." —George W. Bush, Nashville, Tenn., May 27, 2004 - He called himself a girl without realizing it. Hehe.

"I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 25, 2004 - Ouch! Should have thought of a better way to phrase that one.

"This has been tough weeks in that country." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 13, 2004 - I know three year olds that speak more eloquently than that.

"Recession means that people's incomes, at the employer level, are going down, basically, relative to costs, people are getting laid off." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Feb. 19, 2004 - Thanks for the update. And he has an MBA folks.

"Then you wake up at the high school level and find out that the illiteracy level of our children are appalling." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004 - Shall we include you in the literacy statistics?

"I hope you leave here and walk out and say, 'What did he say?'" —George W. Bush, Beaverton, Oregon, Aug. 13, 2004 - Mission accomplished sir!

Source: Political Humor dot-com.

A Hole Out In Right-Center Field - Coping With the Loss of the Best There Ever Was

2005-04-25T10:16:00.000-04:00

Douglas Michael Krueger - April 23, 1981 - December 29, 2004

Saturday was Doug's birthday. He would have been twenty-four.

It all still seems like a terrible dream, and at any given moment, I'm going to awake in a cold sweat, with my heart pounding, but my sanity still in tact. Unfortunately, as each day passes, reality settles into my swollen heart, and I clutch at those cherished memories for relief. It's been just about four months since we all lost our friend, yet most of the time, it still feels like it happened only a moment ago.

Each morning I wake, and glance over at his picture by my bedside, and I think of a time when we were together, at the beach, in the band, on the softball field, and as children. I head to the shower and close my eyes, and recall a crisp fall afternoon playing football at the park, or heading to a competition with the guys. On my commute to work, a familiar song will play on the radio, and I remember hearing it in his car on the way to school. As I arrive at my desk, I glance over at his picture on the wall, and convince myself that this is reality, and life must go on. It amazes me how many minute details of daily life remind me of my lost friend.

I find myself waiting for his phone calls, wondering what we're all doing tonight. I constantly glance at the door, waiting for him to stride in. I can see that big bright smile, his freshly pressed clothes, and that thick blonde hair combed to perfection. Sometimes, if I'm real quiet, I can still hear his voice calling my name and reassuring me.

We celebrated his birthday on Saturday evening, with a mass in his name, and dinner at an Italian Reataurant. It simply amazes me how strong his mother has been. With everything she's endured in the past few years, she is easily the strongest woman I have ever met. It was odd celebrating his birthday without his physical presence, but it helped me realize how many people cared for him, and continue to keep his memory in their hearts.

I'll take the field next Wednesday for the first time this season, and it will be difficult to hold back the tears. There will be a hole in right-center field, and I know I'll catch myself gazing out into the outfield, looking for my friend. I won't see him, but I know he'll be there. Lost, but never forgotten.

Imposing Their Will

2005-04-21T11:44:00.000-04:00

The Evangelical Movement and Their Crusade to Take Over American Government and Society

- Let me start by saying that I believe it is every American's right under the Constitution and the concept of Democracy, to practice any type of religion they see fit. After all, the right of every citizen to speak their mind and live by their own ideals, is the very foundation on which this nation is firmly planted. However, I become deeply disturbed and angered when a religious group tries to impose their will and core values upon this great nation and the laws that govern its people. While every individual is afforded the right to practice a given religion, there shall be no one religion that dictates the law and process of our government. There shall always remain a separation of church and state.

- This past February, approximately 900 of the nation's fiercest Christian Fundamentalists met in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for what was called the "Reclaiming America for Christ" conference. Before I get into any details, just take a moment and look at the title of this conference, and what its name implies. At the very root, these fundamentalists intend to impose their Christian values on this nation and its government. Even more striking and frightening is the vast number of Americans who actively participate in this group, and the direct effect they have had in both politics and our last presidential election.

-The most devout of these fundamentalists refer to themselves as "Dominionists," or bible pushers who literally believe that God has called upon them to take over the U.S. government. They are led by the grandfather of Dominionists, D. James Kennedy, the founder of this ridiculous movement. In his charge to America, Kennedy boasts, "Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost. As the vice regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors - in short, over every aspect and institution of human society." The very notion that a religious group feels it is their personal religious duty to take over our society and government both frightens and sickens me. Here we are worrying about radical Muslims who feel it is their religious calling to destroy America, when we have an entirely different group in our own backyard with similar aspirations of taking over America.

-As if this weren't enough to simmer your blood just a bit, it gets even worse. These same Envangelical Fundamentalists that are hell bent on taking over control of American government, are supported and backed by our moronic leader George W. Bush. During the past presidential election, over four million Christian Fundamentalists were brought to the polls to vote in favor of Bush, thrusting him and his personal agenda back into the White House. To make matters worse, these groups helped funnel millions of dollars into Bush's campaign fund, and now they want a return on their investment in the form of government control and power. The most terrifying aspect of this growing movement, is that our President is just naive and impressionable enough to allow this to happen.

QUOTES FROM PROMINENT DOMINIONIST SUPPORTERS

"Win back America for God." - Rep. Katherine Harris of Florida.
"We have a right, indeed an obligation, to govern." - David Limbaugh, brother of Rush and author of "Persecution: How Liberals Are Waging War Against Christianity."
"I pledge Allegiance to the Christian flag, and to the Savior for who's kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen and coming again, with life and liberty for all who believe." - A 5th grade teacher in California has her class reciting this as the "new" pledge Of Allegiance each morning. After the school board threatened to fire her, the Alliance Defense Fund filed suit against the school board.
"The most humble Christian is more qualified for office than the best-educated pagan." - Gary Cass, Executive Director of Reclaiming America.
"The state should execute practicing homosexuals." - Roy Moore, former Alabama Chief Justice - Dominionists are pushing President Bush to appoint Moore to the U.S. Supreme Court

DOMINIONIST GOALS

Rewrite schoolbooks to reflect a Christian version of American history
Pack the nation's courts with judges who follow Old Testament law
Post the Ten Commandments in every courthouse in America
Make it a felony for gay men to have sex and women to have abortions

PROMINENT DOMINIONIST DONORS

Amway founder Rich DeVos - $5 million
Jean Case - wife of former AOL chief Steve Case - $8 million
Tom Monaghan - founder of Domino's Pizza - $ unspecified millions

Source: "Rolling Stone"

Culture Shock

2005-04-18T12:44:00.000-04:00

SATURDAY MORNING & AFTERNOON

From start to finish, Saturday was both physically and mentally taxing. I awoke early after a long night out, and headed down to the Philadelphia Museum of Art with Jack, Jess and their parent's to view the Salvador Dali exhibit. I must first admit that I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to art, nor would I consider myself an art enthusiast. However, I am always open and excited by the prospect of new cultural experiences, so this was a terrific opportunity to broaden my horizons.

We arrived in Philadelphia just before noon, and met up with Jess' cousin Kelly-Ann. After punching our tickets and grabbing a quick lunch, we hopped on the extremely long line and began our wait. To my surprise, we were informed that this display of Dali's work was the first in the United States in over twenty years. This definitely explained the immense crowd and the need for time sensitive exhibit tickets.

After a wait of approximately forty-five minutes, we finally entered the exhibit. Having never really been to an art display of this magnitude, I chose to stay with Jess throughout our viewing. My first impression was bland, as most of his early works were predictable and common. Basically, you're garden variety portraits and landscapes. However, after we moved beyond the second room, it became starkly apparent that Dali underwent a peculiar and drastic change in his mid-twenties. Suddenly, his art was brighter, more detailed, and increasingly bizarre. I was completely taken aback at how detailed and utterly unique his paintings were, and I can honestly say that I had absolutely no clue what was going through this genius' mind when he painted. Nevertheless, I now have a profound respect for his talent.

Overall, I felt that the exhibit was a bit on the long side in terms of number of rooms, and the time it took to navigate through the gallery in its entirety. However, it was an experience that I normally would not have encountered if not for the invitation, so I am grateful for that much. Looking back, I would have no problem taking a day and partaking in a further art endeavors. I'm confident that my impending trip to Italy will provide further opportunity.

SATURDAY EVENING

Although I was fatigued from the long stroll through the Dali exhibit, I mustered up the energy to head down to Asbury Park that evening for the "Mustard Plug" and "Pietasters" show. Besides the fact that I hadn't seen either band in almost three years, the show itself was extremely odd in that it was held at Asbury Lanes. Basically, they constructed a stage directly over the middle lanes of the bowling alley, and you could actually roll while the bands were playing. Couple that with the fact that the bar served $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon in solo cups from the tap, and you have yourself quite a peculiar situation.

As far as the bands went, I didn't care very much for "Mustard Plug." I had seen them once before at the "Ska Against Racism Tour" way back in 1997, but for some reason, I remembered them being more exciting. Maybe it was the acoustics of the bowling alley, or perhaps it was just a bad night for the band, but I was not impressed at all. Their sound seemed both loud and loose, and it was very difficult to pick up the lyrics and the horns. "The Pietaster's" on the other hand, were in typical form. The classic drinking man's band, they romped up on stage and put on a raucous performance. Drunk form the get go, they played many of their classics, and continued to drink throughout. The highlight of their performance came about a third of the way into the set, when they invited members of the crowd to come on stage and have a shot of Jaegermeister with them. In all my years of traveling to show after show, I don't think I've ever seen a band voluntarily invite willing members of the crowd to join in a shot. Twas a fitting end to my Saturday of culture.

COUNTDOWN TO ITALY: 68 DAYS

The Great Stadium Debate

2005-04-12T15:03:00.000-04:00

Pac Bell Park - August 2004 - Giants vs. A's

Baseball season is officially in full swing, and this season has already proven to be unlike any other to precede it. For starters, the Boston Red Sox raised a World Series Banner at Fenway park yesterday afternoon for the first time in eighty-six years, and did so in front of the New York Yankees no less. Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez is pitching for the Mets, David Wells is in a Red Sox uniform, John Franco pitched in the home opener for the Mets as a member of the Houston Astros, and Mariano Rivera can't stop blowing saves. Needless to say, the baseball universe seems to be a bit upside down after just one week of play.

With that said, I must admit that I am more excited for this baseball season than I have been in quite some time. Maybe it's because Fart Howe is no longer managing my beloved Mets, or perhaps it's because his replacement, Willie Randolph, came from the hated Yankees. Having future hall of famer Pedro Martinez join the club doesn't hurt either. Yes, I know he's a weirdo, a crybaby, and just plain stupid sometimes, but he throws gas, and it's been a long time since the Mets have had an ace of his caliber. Glavine was a nice addition two years ago, but he has failed to pitch like the Glavine of old. And while I'll always love Al Leiter, I think you have to go all the way back to "The Doc" to remember a flamethrower of Pedro's caliber dressing in a Mets uniform. Ok, honestly, that just sent a wave of reminiscent chills down my spine. I'm ten years old again, and I can just hear my father saying "the doctor is operating tonight." Hopefully, Pedro can give the Metropolitans a couple of "Gooden-like" seasons.

Finally, after several years of missed opportunities in the free-agent signing period, the Mets reeled in the big fish. The morning it became official that Carlos Beltran had chosen to sign with my New York Metropolitans, was the day this baseball season became more exciting than the last three combined. Three years ago we brought in Roberto Alomar, Jeromy Burnitz and Mo Vaughn, only to watch them all have career low periods with the Mets. Last season, we missed out on signing Vladimir Guerrero, the most talented all-around player to hit the market since Arod. And of course, there was the offseason when we shit the bed on Arod as well. Finally, the Mets pulled the trigger, and the resulting firepower is one the brightest young superstars in the game. So for the first time since 2001, the baseball season brings promise for a Mets fan. Probably not World Series promise like our bastard cousins in the Bronx, but promise nonetheless. For now, I am ecstatic with the prospect of promise. It's time for a hardball list.

BALLPARKS I'VE TAKEN IN GAMES AT (In Order From Favorite to Least Favorite)

Wrigley Field - (Chicago) - It was a Thursday AFTERNOON game at Wrigley in mid-July against the Phillies. The minute I walked into the stadium, I could feel the history of the game and park smack me in the face like an angry mother. From the ivy-colored brick wall surrounding the field, to the century old steel girders that lined the stands, Wrigley Field is simply awe-inspiring. No other ballpark experience will ever compare, I'm certain of that.
Shea Stadium - (Queens) - Now I know what you're thinking. You're asking yourself how I could conceivably consider ratty old Shea Stadium to be my second favorite ballpark. It's simple really. My father raised me a Mets fan, took me to my first game at Shea, and the rest is history. I'll have a lifelong emotional attachment to this team and their bright blue "cookie-cutter" ballpark. From Mookie's dribbler in Game Six, to Ventura's 15th inning grand slam single amidst the pouring rain, to Piazza's game winning blast in baseball's return to NY after September 11th, to fireworks night in July, Shea Stadium simply means to much to me to move it any further down this list.
Miller Park - (Milwaukee) - As far as new ballparks go, they don't get any more state-of-the-art then Miller Park, home of the Brew Crew. We spent part of the game watching from the "Fridays" out in left field while listening to Bob Eucker call the game on radio. Equipped with a retractable roof, a slide for "Buddy," and glass windows atop its outer edges, Miller Park is as modern as it gets. And of course, a hot bratwurst doesn't hurt either.
Fenway Park - (Boston) - Fenway was easily my second favorite of the classic trifecta (Wrigley/Fenway/Yankee) for a couple of reasons. First off, I absolutely love the city of Boston and its smalltown feel. There are tons of fantastic places to drink, sightsee and eat. Fenway also offers patrons that naturally cozy feel of a small ballpark and seats that hover right on top of the field. Add in the the huge "Green Monster" and a franchise that shares a mutual hatred for the Yankees, and I'm set.
Yankee Stadium - (Bronx) - As much as I despise the Yankees and their legions of pompous fans, you can't have a ballpark top five without Yankee Stadium. After all, she's stood in the Bronx for a staggering twenty-six World Series Championships, and has housed the likes of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Mattingly and Irabu. Personally, my Yankee Stadium trips are highlighted by a two homer performance from Chad Curtis in the 1999 World Series and Josh Beckett's five hit complete game shutout to clinch the 2003 World Series for the Florida Marlins.
SBC Park/Pac bell - (San Francisco) - An absolutely gorgeous ballpark in a beautiful city by the bay and McCovey Cove. Personally, much like my uncle who resides in San Fran, I like to refer to it as "Pac Bell" even though the name was recently changed to "SBC Park." If you ever have the privilege of catching a game in this park, be certain to try the garlic fries, because they are delicious. The highlight of the game we saw between the Giants and the crossbay rival A's was Barry Bonds' 680th career homer run.
Camden Yards - (Baltimore) - Since April of 1992, when Oriole Park at Camden Yards was officially opened for play, there are few modern parks that can compare. It's very difficult to describe unless you've seen a game there, but the overall feel of the park is that it's stood there forever. Coupled with Boog Powell's BBQ pork sandwiches and the crab cakes out on Eutaw Street, this ballpark will be cemented as a top ten visit for years to come. Interestingly enough, center field sits atop the former site of the bar that Babe Ruth's family once owned. My highlight was attending opening day in 2003 when a brief weather storm caused Cleveland right fielder Coco Crisp to lose the ball in the snow!
Jacobs Field - (Cleveland) - Overall, there wasn't anything about this ballpark that made it stand out other than that it was state of the art. Jacobs was erected in the midst of the stadium boom of the 1990's that we are still feeling the effects of today. The highlight of the game was getting to see Ichiro Suzuki play in his rookie season, as well as watching my friend Dan pee in his pants, only to have the police officer let him go because he felt sorry for a twenty year old kid that couldn't control his bladder.
Angels Stadium - (Anaheim) - From the outside, Angels Stadium looks like your standard "cookie cutter" variety, while the interior of the stadium has been refurbished and looks marvelous. Of all the preconceived notions I had about given ballparks, Angel Stadium exceeded my expectations the furthest. Highlights included the waterfall and rock formation in center field, the oversized baseball cap out front, and the "Rally Monkey" up close and personal.
Busch Stadium - (St. Louis) - Once again, the exterior and interior were in great contrast at this ballpark. From the outside, Busch Stadium looks like it has gone through a ground war, but once you get inside, the mood completely changes. The refurbished interior is both clean and bright, and there doesn't seem to be a bad seat in the house. The highlight of this ballpark is the same day fresh Budweiser that is sold straight from the brewery.
Network Associates Coliseum - (Oakland) - This place was enormous, and it became quite clear early on that this place was designed for the pigskin, and not the cowhide. The good news when we arrived was that it was dollar hot dog night. Thats right folks, one dollar per dog. Needless to say, we all took full advantage of that offer like a bunch of chubby bastards. The other highlight was my buddy Matt's tirade with the Angel's first base coach. After yelling at him for several innings, Matt simply passed out in his seat from excessive drunkenness. We certainly represented Dirty Jersey well.
Dodger Stadium - (Los Angeles) - Whenever people start talking about the best ballparks, for some reason, Dodger Stadium always enters the discussion. You hear about the great weather, the covered bleachers, dodger dogs and Chavez Ravine. However, in all honesty, none of these attractions are very exciting, and the dodger dogs taste like garbage. I found the stadium to be extremely bland and terribly overrated. The highlight of the game we saw marked baseball history, as we witnessed Eric Gagne's astounding and record shattering eighty-four game save streak come to a close against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
US Cellular Field - (Chicago) - When compared to Wrigley and the northside, the southside counterpart and home of the Chicago White Sox is nothing special at all. While the park is fairly new (Opened in 1991), it was the last of the "cookie cutter" model, and missed the excitement of the new ballpark design facilitated by Camden Yards in 1992. The highlight of this trip were the frozen margaritas served at the game.
Veteran's Stadium - (Philadelphia) - Of all the stadiums I've had the privilege of attending, Veteran's Stadium in Philadelphia was by far the worst experience. The place was a shithole, and it's in Philadelphia. There were no highlights with this experience; enough said.

I've also had the privilege of checking out the Skydome (Toronto) and Safeco Field (Seattle), but unfortunately, I traveled through these cities in the offseason, and was only able to view the ballparks from the outside looking in. If you consider that there are thirty MLB franchises, I'm about half way home to checking out every ballpark. Of course, new fields go up almost every year now, so the task is only becoming that much more difficult.

The BLURBS

2005-04-06T11:24:00.000-04:00

Random Thoughts on Random Topics

THE POPE - Might as well begin with this topic, seeing as the death of the Pope is this week's Terri Schiavo in terms of events dominating the global consciousness. This is rightfully so for the most part. Whether you're Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim or even Atheist, it is still relatively important and noteworthy when a Pope dies. Regardless of whether or not you agree with his views, or even the scope of his power, the man has one of the louder voices in the audible forum of global communication. Personally, I find the Catholic Church's stance on most issues to be rather conservative. Nevertheless, at the very least, you have to respect the Pope's core goals and values. He's a man who spent his entire life in pursuit of peace and harmony among all living creatures. While his goals may be pipe dreams in a realistic setting, it's the idealistic thought and pursuit of peace that I respect. At the very least, like the Pope, if everyone could just make simple efforts towards understanding and compromise, the world would be a much warmer habitat. Geez, I sound like a hippy.
PLAY BALL - While it may be difficult to imagine, the 2005 baseball season is upon us, and by no means did it arrive soon enough. With each season, baseball brings hope of a better year, excitement for the game, warmer weather, trips to the ballpark, and countless givens. Cubs fans will inevitably fill with their yearly optimism that this will indeed be "Next Year," while Yankees fans will accept nothing less than a twenty-seventh World Series Ring. Amazingly, for the first time in eighty-six years, Red Sox fans enter a baseball season with a championship to defend and a chip off their shoulder. Meanwhile, baseball remains as irrelevant as a passing car in places like Tampa Bay and Kansas City. From this point forward, we can talk about the actual art of baseball, rather than the endless pursuit of steroid users and illegal substance abuse. Heck, this season there is even a new team, as Washington D.C. makes its third attempt to embrace baseball with the Nationals. Finally, we can just play ball!
THE METROPOLITANS - Let's stick with baseball for just a moment, and produce a few comments concerning my lifeblood, the New York Metropolitans. It was most certainly an offseason for the ages with the editions of Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran and Dougie Mientkiewicz, not to mention bringing on Willie Randolph to replace Fart Howe as manager. Thankfully we unloaded the worthless long-ball champion in Mike Stanton, only to replace him with Felix Heredia in typical Metropolitan head-scratching fashion. However, their is hope that Jose Reyes can remain healthy and at last blossom into the Superstar we all know he can be. Their is the optimism at the hot corner, with the emergence of David Wright in last season's second half. Cliff Floyd is finally healthy as well, and it appears as if Kaz Matsui might very well make a fairly clean transition to second base, after an absolutely dreadful season at short just a year ago. But, this is the "New Mets," and their is reason to believe again. Of course there are catastrophic issues with middle relief, but I'm certainly hopeful for a better season. Unfortunately, after all this optimism, Braden Pooper flushed Pedro Martinez's twelve K performance right down the greasy drain on opening day. As a lifelong Metropolitan fan, I expect nothing less. I only fear that while this may be "The New Mets," we might have the same old ending.
LESS THAN JAKE - It certainly feels like it has been eons since I last went to a true ska/punk show, even though in retrospect, it's only been a couple of years. However, just the thought of going to see "Less Than Jake" on Thursday, a band I've seen approximately fifteen times, has flooded my mind with so many cherished high school/college memories. I recall Friday nights at The Cove in Roselle Park, and a rain-slicked drive to the Wayne Firehouse to see "Humble Beginnings" and local legends "One Cool Guy." I can recollect countless trips to The Pony to see acts as popular as "Blink 182" and "MxPx," and as obscure as "The Derringers," "Catch 22," and "Inspector 7." Or how about that Saturday afternoon during sophomore year of high school when we all spent the entire day amidst a cloud of rain and steam for the "Ska Against Racism Tour" at Montclair State University? I recall being thoroughly soaked and cold, but not caring for even one second as we waited to see legendary act "The Specials," as well as "Mustard Plug," "Less Than Jake," and so many others. And no one can forget the yearly trek in the blazing summer heat to Asbury Park for the "Warped Tour." The shows never seemed to end, as weekend upon weekend upon weekend they continued to roll in like the never-ending tides. I remember dancing in the pit for "MxPx" and "A New Found Glory" at the Birch Hill, all while my arm was broken and held together with staples. How could I forget the Friday evening at Roseland when we saw "Gutter Mouth," "The Descendants," and "Less than Jake," and I had my glasses trampled upon and crushed in the pit? So Thursday, I will make my triumphant return to "The Scene," when we embark on our Journey to Starland Ballroom, formerly Hunka Bunka. It will most certainly be a nostalgia-filled evening, but an exciting one at that. I'm certain that the entire affair will be "Africa Hot!"
AVENUE Q - Let me briefly touch upon this brilliant Broadway show. I was privy enough to be bestowed with tickets for this show by my lovely girlfriend. Very simply, this was a performance unlike any other Broadway show I've ever seen. At it's very core, the nature of Avenue Q broke free from the usual restraints of most Broadway shows, and galloped into a frontier never before discovered in this genre of entertainment. We had a fusion of The Muppets and Fraggle Rock, as well as vulgarity in language and context in manners never before witnessed by puppets. Basically, this show was intended for adults, and can only be described as The Muppets and Fraggle Rock on crack. I found the entire performance to be both hilarious and refreshing, and extend an enormously positive recommendation for viewing to anyone that may be so inclined to purchase tickets. Bravo!

sLoW MoTiOn

2005-04-05T11:19:00.000-04:00

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THE PITS!

2005-03-29T19:10:00.000-05:00

Last night as I was driving home in dreadful weather, a terrible event occurred. I was almost home, traveling along Route 22 West in Hillside, a mere three miles from my house. Suddenly, I saw an enormous pothole in front of me in the right lane, and made every last ditch (Pun) effort to avoid this monstrosity. Unfortunately for my sake, the efforts failed, and I drove right through this hole in the road that was in all seriousness, approximately three feet wide and over a foot deep.

Traveling at about sixty MPH, my right tire virtually exploded, and I almost drove off the road. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to regain control of my vehicle, and pull off the road into a Taco Bell parking lot. At first, I thought my car had been seriously damaged because of the loud grinding noise it was now emitting. However, after I got out and inspected the front end, I realized that I merely had a front-right tire that had been deflated like a used whoopi cushion and rendered useless.

Right out of the gate, I called my mother and alerted her that I was just three miles away in neighboring Hillside with a flat. That's right folks, when faced with a dilema, the first action I took was to call my mommy. I guess that makes me a proud "Momma's Boy." I then called AAA for a tow, but realized that I had a donut in my trunk. So my mother called Jack, and asked him if he could swing over and help me put the new tire on, and then take me home once I dropped the car off at the mechanic. Mind you, at this point, it was pouring rain at Rainforest speeds.

So Jack arrived (Thank you so much buddy), and we jacked up the car and began to take the lugnuts off. After getting the first three off, we realized that the fourth lug nut was completely stripped, and was not going to come off. This motherfucker was more stubborn than I could be in just about any sports argument. The Pope himself could not remove this lug nut with our tire-iron. After trying helplessly to remove the last lug nut for over half an hour, all we had to show for our efforts were sopping wet clothes and frustration. Finally, just as I was about to call AAA and wait an hour for a tow, a trucker pulled into the lot and asked if we needed any help. Naturally, we told him the problem, and he whipped out a rachet from his tool box and remarkably was able to remove the final lug nut. Graciously, I offered to buy him dinner or pay him, but he kindly refused. What a good samaritan this trucker turned out to be; nothing like the roughneck's they're portrayed as in the movies.

So finally, after about an hour of effort, we managed to secure the donut on my wheel base. Here's where this story goes from the typical bad luck tale to "Ghuzzi" luck. As I was driving the three miles or so to my mechanic, I hit yet another pothole on Route 22, this time while traveling a safe forty MPH. Only this time, the crater took out my donut. Naturally, I was well beyond caring about anything at this point, so I proceeded to drive the final mile to the mechanic with a flat donut.

After arriving home and explaining that my donut went flat as well, the first words out of mother's mouth were "Wow, you really are a shit magnet." There isn't much more I can say about that, because as vulgar as it may sound, she's unequivocally accurate with that statement. Maybe some other time I'll create a list that will undoubtably prove this theory.

This morning, I spoke to my mechanic, and I was greeted with the glorious news that my front left tire had a bubble in it, and it will also need to be replaced. So as I write this, my car is being fitted for two new front tires, as well as a new donut. In conclusion, that's two enormous potholes, three flat tires, one hefty bill to pay, an hour of work amidst a driving rain, and may god have mercy on my soul.

POLITICAL RANTS

2005-03-25T12:06:00.000-05:00

To this point, I've tried to avoid it completely in this venue. However, after further thought, I've realized that this is my blog and if I want to talk about politics, then gosh-darnit, it's my perogative. Before we really start to get down and dirty, let me emphasize that I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with how I might feel about a particular issue. After all, the very essence of a democratic system allows for everyone to participate and formulate their personal views and ideas. Having minored in political science and majored in journalism and mass media studies, I try my best to remain as objectively informed and unbiased as possible. I will make a concerted effort to welcome the opinions of those that inherently differ from my own. This concept is the very foundation of political discussion. So away we go on my first politically charged rant.

THE TERRI SCHIAVO DEBATE

I'll dedicate my first political rant to this issue for a couple of reasons. First off, it is clearly the most current and hottest topic of discussion in the news at the moment. If you haven't seen or heard anything about this case recently, then you're probably living in an alternate universe in a galaxy far far away from reality. The sad commentary is that there are millions of people who have absolutely no clue as to what's going on in the world that surrounds them, and in many cases, they're curiously proud of this fact. They wear it like a badge of honor that seems to cry out "look at me, I'm uninformed, ignorant, and unaware of how these issues effect my life, and I'm proud of it!" However, this digresses from the topic, so it's best to leave this alone for the time being. The second reason to start off with this topic is simply because of the broad scope of issues this case covers. The most notable being the question of whether or not the federal government has the right to intervene with Michael Schiavo's legal precedent to make this decision of life or death on behalf of his wife. So lets break the debate down piece by piece, and then I'll hope for some constructive response.

LIFE OR DEATH?

This seems to be the most logical place to begin, after all, the foremost issue here is whether or not you agree with Michael Schiavo's decision to remove the feeding tube from his wife's throat. Personally, I have no problem with this man making the choice he has, a decision that unless thrust into a similar situation, none of us can even begin to comprehend. Think about it at a very human level. This man must choose between leaving his wife in the vegetative state she's endured for over fifteen years, or voluntarily letting her life come to an end. Nevermind the fact that he must make this decision with family members, friends, doctors, experts, government, and an entire nation baring down upon his shoulders.

Since that fateful day fifteen years ago when his wife suffered a heart attack and slipped into a coma, Michael Schiavo has had to care for his wife. This task included visiting her bedside often, paying endless medical bills, and dealing with the general emotional pain of watching his wife slip further and further away right before his eyes. Not to mention his decision to become a registered nurse, so as to better inform himself medically. For me, or anyone, to sit back and judge his decision or criticize the manner in which he has chosen to handle the matter, is plain ludicrous. We're talking about HIS wife here, and ultimately, a decision of this magnitude belongs in the hands of the family. I cannot for one minute pretend to comprehend the emotion and heart-ache that he's feeling, thus, I have no basis to criticize his decision.

DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVE A RIGHT TO INTERVENE?

Fundamentally, strictly from the perspective of the law, the federal government has absolutely no legal precedent or evidence to prevent Michael Schiavo from removing the feeding tube from his wife's throat. This notion that the federal government must intervene with the state's prior decision to overturn the wishes of Michael Schiavo is insane. The minute Terri and Michael Schiavo were married over twenty years ago, they entered into a legal and binding contract of marriage under state law. This is why one must apply for a marriage license within one's state of residence before marriage can be considered legal. By agreeing to this binding contract of partnership, by LAW, Michael and Terri are bound by a shared existence. In essence, when they were married, they agreed to forfeit all medical decision-making to their partner in the event that they may be deemed physically or mentally unfit to make decision on their own.

I don't think there is much of a need to go into great detail on this aspect of the discussion, because the law in this case is so cut and dry. The entire nation learned how cut and dry this law is when repeated attempts by Terri's parents, several Congressmen, and religious fundamentalists made numerous attempts to overturn the state's decision. When the Supreme Court chose not to make any decision at all regarding the case, they in effect ruled in favor of upholding the state's prior decision.

In my opinion, this was the proper move. I would have liked to have seen the Supreme Court take a strong stance on the matter and issue an actual ruling, but nevertheless, the end result was acceptable. This was a prime example of checks and balances at work. In this case, the Judicial branch checked the Federal branch. The minute the Judicial branch allows religious beliefs and personal opinions to interfere with the law, then thats the moment when this nation loses its grip on democracy. Remember, the Constitution of this great nation expressly says that there will be a separation of church and state. Very simply, religious beliefs are a personal matter, while the law of the country one chooses to reside in is binding.

SHOULD SHE DIE BY THIS METHOD?

This is the portion of the issue where I whole-heartedly disagree and disapprove of Michael Schiavo's decision to remove his wife's feeding tube. While I completely respect the law and Michael's legal right to take his wife off life support, from the standpoint of human decency, I cannot support the manner in which Terri Schiavo is going to die. After more than fifteen years in a vegetative state, in all medical likelihood, Terri Schiavo cannot feel any pain. Thus, removing the feeding tube shouldn't burden her with any further pain and suffering. However, there is really no sure-fire way for anyone, whether it be a medial expert or just a random citizen, to know if Terri Schiavo will indeed feel the pain of a slow starvation and dehydration.

If this is indeed the case, then I wonder why she must endure such a painstakingly drawn out death. If Michael Schiavo is going to voluntarily end his wife's life, then shouldn't he choose do so in a relatively quick and painless manner? More importantly, for Terri Schiavo's sake, he should ensure beyond a shadow of a doubt that she passes on in a pain-free and brief manner. The most practical method for doing so would be through intravenous injection. Unfortunately, this is not the route that has been selected.

CONCLUSION

This debate stretches the very limits of one's political and humanistic views. Views can be heard from the far corners of the globe because of the vast number of opinions surrounding Terri Schiavo's condition. Most religiously motivated people will argue that life should run its natural course, and by removing the feeding tube, Terri is being robbed of a natural death. At the same time, others will argue that there is nothing natural about surviving on a daily basis through the use of a feeding tube. And still others will argue that enduring more than fifteen years in a vegetative state, confined to a hospital bed, is no life at all. While extremely difficult, the decision to let someone gracefully die is ultimately made by a multitude of Americans each year. It normally goes without notice. In this particular case, everyone noticed, and many offered their opinion. However, in the end, the only opinions that matter are that of Michael Schiavo and the law that affords him the right to make this difficult decision.

GRIPES!

2005-03-22T11:37:00.000-05:00

I finally caught an episode last night, and seriously, what is the deal with Jack Bauer this season on "24?" Last year, the guy was super-human as he defied the natural laws of anatomy by managing to shake his heroine addiction in a matter of hours. At the very least, I was given the response of "Well, he had the shakes for twenty minutes." Shakes? Heroine? Twenty minutes? Whaaa? Anyway, this season the heroine beating, terrorist whooping, badass is working a desk job and wearing a bullet proof vest. What does he need a bullet proof vest for, can't he catch bullets with his teeth? Talk about going softer than the Snuggles Fabric Softener Bear. And let me guess, he's bringing down terrorists and saving the world again, all in a matter of twenty-four hours? Riiight.
I don't know about anyone else, but if I have to hear or read the words steroids, performance-enhancing, anabolic, Bonds, Schilling, Selig, juiced, Canseco or collective bargaining again, I'm going to sew my eyes and ears shut. Baseball, the game I love, has become as big a joke as Michael Jackson sponsoring an after-school special for kids. I can't take it. Can't we just play ball? At this point, I'm gonna have to start playing with my own balls.
Let me get this straight. If I watch an animated movie like Shark Tale, Finding Nemo or Robots by myself, I'm more feminine than a thirty-five year old woman with three kids at a John Mayer concert. BUT, if I watch those same animated movies with my girlfriend, I'm a considerate and loving boyfriend who isn't afraid to accommodate the wishes of his darling lady every now and again. CHECK.
What an amazing opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. I'll sum this piece up as brief as possible. GONZAGA - Fuck You! SYRACUSE - Fuck You! UCONN - Huge Fuck You! WEST VIRGINIA, BUCKNELL, VILLANOVA, MILWAUKEE-WISCONSIN - Ma Bitches!
Recently, the age-old debate concerning regular soda and diet soda has been brought to the surface of my thoughts. When participating in the conversation, Jack said "Since I started drinking Diet Pepsi as a way to cut out some unnecessary calories and carbs, I have a hard time going back to drinking regular Pepsi or Coke. I never ever thought I would write that sentence, but its true." I'm gonna have to completely disagree. Like that's a shock to anyone. But, I said it once, and I'll say it again. If I go into a restaurant and order a hamburger, and it comes out tasting like a hot dog, I'm gonna be angry. The same can be said for diet soda. It tastes nothing like regular soda, so if a soda is what I'm expecting, it damn well better taste like soda! A Ding-Dang-Doo!
This next thought relates to the gripe directly above. What the hell is going through someone's mind when they walk into a McDonald's and order a double quarter pounder extra value meal, super size the bitch, and then proceed to order a diet coke? What in the jumping-jasper-junk is the point?!?! You just ordered a 750 calorie meal, and now you're going to "watch your figure" by ordering a diet soda that we've already established tastes like my sweaty balls after a three mile run. Terrific, I suggest you get that double quarter pounder with cheese minus the bread so you can adhere to your "low-carb" diet as well.
Now, I know this topic is a bit old, but it still irks me from time to time. Can someone explain to me what exactly a "wardrobe malfunction" is? How does one's wardrobe malfunction? Now, I'm not the smartest man alive, but I'm fairly certain that a wardobe can wrip, tear, stretch, fall off, and even shrink, but malfunction? Don't complex machines that are responsible for assembling cars and packaging goods malfunction? I don't know if I was in an alcohol induced coma while this fairly harmless display of Janet Jackson's wrinkly breast occurred, but if I'm not mistaken, didn't Justin Timgaylake pull her tittie out? That's not a malfunction, it's called sexual frustration. Geez...

RACKET IN MY BRAIN - "Jesus Of Suburbia" - Off of Green Day's "American Idiot"

MARCH MADNESS - ABSOLUTE CHAOS!

2005-03-18T12:43:00.000-05:00

It is the last bastion of pure sport left in the greedy business that is now sports. There are no million dollar contracts or steroid scandals. There is no monetary compensation for play, nor endorsement contracts to fight over. And there is certainly no free agent market to worry about in the off-season. There is only school spirit and pride, perhaps an alma mater to be proud of. It's tourney time baby, and I can't wait!

The big schools will travel across this great nation with their eyes on St. Louis, dreaming of a chance to hoist the National Championship trophy high into the air. Meanwhile, the lesser-known schools will enter their games with visions of a glass slipper, desperately hoping to slip into this year's role as the darling Cinderella story.

No matter how hard you try, you cannot escape it. It's everywhere you look. On the television and the radio, and the internet too. You'll find it at home and in school, and even in the desperate prayers of the hopeful and timid alike. There's gossip at the water cooler and brackets clogging printers, as March Madness is upon us. So sit back and try to relax, because the hardwood battles have begun.

As you can see, I have a bit of an obsession with the NCAA College Basketball Tournament. I honestly can't fathom how one could not at the very least be slightly curious as to what this tourney is all about. After all, it causes so much commotion for three long weeks each year. Keeping it very simple, I'll give you my reasons for my love affair with this great tourney. In the following days, keep an eye out for some posts concerning my reaction to the madness as it unfolds. I hope you handed those brackets in, because it'll be a wild ride, I guarantee it.

REASONS THE TOURNAMENT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME

1. For as long as I can remember, I've watched the tournament from start to finish. When I was little, my father would sit my brother and I down at the kitchen table and make us fill out a bracket. Twenty-five cents per game was the charge, but it's the memories with my family that I hold dear. They both continue to join pools along with me to this day. After all, pride within the family is worth more than the prize money right? Well maybe not, but it sure counts for something at the dinner table.

2. My time spent at Rutgers University only strengthened my interest in this crazy tournament. I spent about as much time at the RAC as I did in the library watching the Scarlet Knights defend New Jersey's hardwood. While the Knights never quite measure up, I've become a blowhard for the Big East Conference along the way. Very simply, I was raised a Big East fan, I graduated from a Big East school, and I'll continue to root for the best basketball conference in the land as long as they keep playing. Every year, I find myself rooting for the same Big East schools that I despise during the regular season. Once the Knights are out of the equation, it's Big East or bust.

3. Basically, everything I said above. College basketball is the last remaining sport around that anchors itself on competition, pride, spirit and pure love of the game. Like I said, there are no million dollar contracts or pre-madonna's. The game is still pure.

4. Those of you that know me understand that it doesn't take very much to get me to watch any particular sporting event. Last spring I was at a BBQ at Jack's house, and he and his father thought I was crazy because I was glued to the U.S. Open golf tournament. I was literally that guy yelling towards the screen, "Get in the hole!" So what's my point? The NCAA tournament seems to pull in even the most casual sports fans, and even many non-sporting types. It just seems to captivate so many people. Think about it. How many mothers do you know that enter a bracket in their work pool, knowing full well that they have absolutely no basketball knowledge whatsoever? And furthermore, how many times have you seen one of those mothers magically win the pool? It's pure chaos, and chaos is exciting.

5. If all the sentimental comments from above aren't enough to grab your attention even for a moment, then I think this final comment may be the clincher. Gambling! That's right folks, gambling. Even if you're not a basketball fan, or even a sports fan for that matter, you can still gamble on this tournament. Bracketology, pools, game-to-game betting. You name it, it's all wagerable. There is more gambling going on during the tourney then at any other time during the year. You might look at that South Eastern Louisiana vs. Oklahoma State game this afternoon and say who cares. But wait my friends, while the game may not seem that interesting at first glance, it sure becomes a heck of a lot more interesting when your money and bracket-picking skills are on the line. Every year I find myself frantically yelling at the television, supporting some school from east bumbleseed because I need them to pull out a win for gambling's sake. It's all about the pool man!

It's priceless. The entire concept is genius. It's back to work for just a while, but fret not, the bottom line continues its endless scroll. Enjoy the hoops folks!

SONG FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS - THE CBS NCAA TOURNAMENT THEME SONG

Wedding Fever

2005-03-14T16:46:00.000-05:00

So on Sunday, my mother threw my older sister a surprise wedding shower at my aunt's house in New Providence. Now, I'm sure you're wondering how this would effect me very much, except for the fact that I, along with my father and brother, was tapped to head up to my aunt's a little before the shower started. Our mission was to rescue Jim and my uncle from this dreadful gathering. In my uncle's case, we were rescuing him from his own home. The fate of our manhood hung in the balance.

You see, as I arrived at my aunt's house to meet my brother, my father, and my uncle, I was greeted at the front steps by my poor uncle. It was about 1:30, and my sister was to arrive at 2:00. As a result, all the women who would be attending the occasion had already shown up and begun to celebrate. My helpless uncle was sitting on the steps with a huge grin on his face, and upon my arrival, he sprung to his feet and said, "please get me out of here! I'm warning you, don't go in there, it's terrifying." I laughed a little, but knew that I would certainly have to venture inside. I had to say hello to my mother, my grandmothers, and Jessica. After a bit of preparation, I swallowed my pride, and braced for the worst.

Upon entering, I was immediately confronted by Jessica, glass of wine in hand, with a huge smile on her face. The initial shock of realizing that there were fifty women in a house, all jacked up on wedding bliss, staggered me a bit. For a few moments, I was actually speechless. The stench of progesterone and female giddiness was overwhelming. I almost passed out right in front of the back door. Within minutes, I had been confronted by my girlfriend, two grandmothers, my little sister, my mother, my aunt, Jack's mom, and countless other woman, all bursting with wedding fever. I felt as if I was drowning in a sea of feminine hormones. I had to make a run for it before I permanently transformed into a pansy. Like cryptonite to Superman, wedding fever was draining me of all my manhood.

Just as I was making my final escape preparations, I was informed of the terrible news. Jim had awoken this morning with a head cold, and much to the dismay of both my parents, would not be attending. Here I was at HIS fiance's wedding shower, and the bastard had managed to cut out of the fiasco all together. I was immediately filled with both anger and jealousy. He would inevitably pay for this absence two-fold at his upcoming bachelor party.

Finally, after dodging several failed attempts at total castration at the hands of rabid woman, I managed to make it back out to the front steps with my uncle. Luckily, both my brother and my father had stealthily managed to escape to the front porch moments before me. After a few brief jokes at the expense of our respective wives, sisters and girlfriends, we began our departure.

When men are confronted with such a harrowing and testosterone-threatening experience, there is only one activity and locale that can recharge depleted manhood and testosterone levels. There is only one haven that can regenerate the very entities that comprise a man. We did what any self-respecting group of men thrust into our predicament would do, and headed to the bar. Together, we would cleanse ourselves of the female ooze by drowning ourselves in beer and college basketball. Like a posse of frontier-hardened cowboys, we rode into the sunset, manhood barely in tact.

Snow-Blower

2005-03-08T15:40:00.000-05:00

Seriously, what is going on with the weather in New Jersey lately? When I walked out of the office yesterday afternoon to take my lunch, my nose was filled with the warm smell of spring air. You know what I'm talking about, the type of air that fills your heart with energy and excitement. The type of air that speckles your mind's eye with thoughts of baseball and backyard BBQ. It was as if spring were right there just a few short inches from the front of my face.

Unfortunately, when I awoke this morning, the contrast in both weather and mood was stark. As quickly as spring seemed to be within our grasp, it was gone like a flash of lightning. I walked out my door to make my daily trek up into Bergen County, only to be greeted by the glum prospect of a rainy day. To my surprise, when I arrived at my office in Cresskill this morning, it had already begun to snow. Thats right folks, snow! In true New Jersey fashion, we somehow managed to go from Spring to Winter in a matter of hours.

As I sit here now at approximately 3:45 PM, my boss has just advised me to leave the office and head home. Peering out my office window, I can see that there is a blanket of at least three inches of snow on the ground. So much for visions of baseball and BBQ's. I'll have to cut my post short and head into the winter wonderland and inevitably gruesome commute down the turnpike. Looking forward to it. You have to love the weather in this crazy state. Like human emotion, it can turn on a dime.

Monday's

2005-03-07T15:27:00.000-05:00

Monday's are just terrible. I'm fairly certain that almost anyone that works has a similar feeling towards the first day of the work week. It's not like this is some grandoise idea that I have stumbled upon, I simply felt the need to share it with everyone. Following even the most mundane weekends, Monday's just seem to drag on. Most times, you walk into the office knowing that there is the maximum five days ahead of you before you have another day off. I'm often filled with a hollow feeling of dread on Monday's. It will usually be several hours before I'm settled in and back in the work flow.

Now some Monday's are worse than others. Take today for an example. This weekend was filled with adventure and excitement at the St. Patty's Day Parade in Hoboken. There was drinking. There was marching. There was fighting, and there was more drinking. Thus, this morning's return to the work-world feels that much more uninspiring. I feel drained from the emotional roller-coaster that only a 17 hour drinking binge can provide.

So how do we get through a day like today? Well, we sleep-walk through the Monday staff meeting, and we take our time with each task before us. Posting on our blog, or reading about the weekend's sporting results can also help. Add in just a touch of the Stock Market Fantasy portfolio, and some steady e-mailing with your pals, and you can alway beat the Monday bug. Just think, tomorrow's Tuesday, and we'll all be that much closer to our next weekend adventure.