J J Watt - Houston Texans 2011 NFL Draft Pick Interview

Today's the official start of the NFL Draft recap period, as it was partially held-up by the announcement of the end of Osama Bin Laden, starting with President Obama's address on Sunday. Now, we can get back to the issue of the NFL and the NFL Draft, with a focus on the interview of J.J. Watt, the former junior Wisconsin Defensive End (he skipped completing his senior year), who selected for the same role by the Houston Texans.

Watt, one of the highest rated defensive ends along with Aldon Smith (49ers), Ryan Kerrigan (Redskins), and Cameron Jordan (Saints), understands that his job is to come in and contribute right away. As was the case when the Texans picked Mario Williams number one in 2006, and over Reggie Bush, the job is still to get Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning. "I'm extremely excited," he said. "Anytime you get to work with Mario Williams. He's a guy who makes everyone better around him."

Watt is friends with former Missouri Quarterback Blaine Gabbert (Jacksonville) and former Florida State Quarterback Christian Ponder (Minnesota Vikings), and connect frequently via Twitter, but Watt says their fishing trips, and plans to hit the Florida Keys to take advantage of an excursion they won will have to be placed on hold, because it's time to go to work.

Updates report that Watt received what's called a "preliminary playbook" from the Texans, part of an effort to make sure Watt's able to prepare for the NFL while the NFL Lockout is active. The 6-6, 292-pounder also went over the "basics" of the Texans Defense with coaches last week.

Christopher Meloni Of Law And Order Special Victims Unit At NFL Draft

In the NFL's on-going attempt to meld entertainment and sports - and that's not a flip sentence, because it's a good idea - more celebrities were invited to last week's 2011 NFL Draft. And while 30 Rock's Alec Baldwin skipped out on the NFL Red Carpet, and reported due to "the weather" (it had been raining, but cleared-up nicely), Christopher Meloni Of NBC's Law And Order Special Victims Unit was kind enough to be a guest of the NFL and bring his young son with him.

Mr. Meloni was good enough to take a minute to talk about what makes the show so popular.

"I think people connect to the characters. I think it's a subject matter than people feel passionately about. We touch on issues that people feel about societally and culturally. And there's a resolution to all that, after one hour of hanging with us."

Christopher says that the show will be back with all new characters and writers. But, after years of Emmys and acclaim, is an Oscar-targeted movie in the works? "I like the way you think. We have a lot of things we're shuffling around the figuring out. There's not too much time for that."

With all of this fame, Christopher Meloni says he doesn't have a website. I checked on Google, and at one point he had a website. Now, where it once at Christopher-Meloni.com was has this:

Chris has closed his web site

He would like to thank everyone for their interest and support.

Chris will retain ownership of the domain name, but will not be establishing another presence on the internet, including on services such as Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Which may mean Meloni had, sadly, some kind of bad experience. It's too bad that it takes one or two people to ruin the chance to for millions to keep up with their favorite stars.

Stay tuned.

Star Wars Day And Godzilla 2012 At Comic Con?

Wednesday was Star Wars Day, and if you're wondering where that came from, it doesn't seem to have had a thing to do with Star Wars, but with Margaret Thatcher, the British Prime Minister of the 80s. Reportedly, the new PM was installed on May 4th and the saying was "May The Fourth Be With You," a play on the words "May The Force Be With You," from Star Wars, and that's how we got into this mess.

So, it was a great Star Wars Day, but equally great is the unfolding news about the next Godzilla Movie, called "Godzilla 2012." While attempting to secure an interview with the legendary Thomas Tull, head of Legendary Studios, I learned that the studio wasn't granting talks because the movie was in "full active development."

That leads one to speculate if Legendary Pictures will have something ready in the form of a presentation for Comic Con 2011? We can only guess at this point, but the news is that the process to make Godzilla 2012, led by Tull, Godzilla Producer Brian Rogers, and Director Gareth Edwards is under way.

And in the frenzy, this blogger ran across a cool movie clip that features a CGI Godzilla which could be a great forcast of monster to come. Called "Return of Godzila 2009, it's here:



At first, the origin of the video was not known to this blogger, but other Youtubers pointed to a movie called Always Zoku Sanchome no Yuhi (Always sunset on third street 2).

The film has nothing to do with Godzilla, other than that it was set in 1958. Godzilla appears in an "imaginary sequence" at the start of the film, and his role was kept a secret until the movie was shown in 2007. It marked the first time Godzilla was created using computer animation, rather than a person in a suit, or motion capture.

And the effects were terrific.

Stay tuned.

Osama Bin Laden Is Dead - Raytheon Company Employee Disses Obama

A lot of opinions are coming out in the wake of the demise of Osama Bin Laden last week, reported via President Obama. To this blogger and supporter of Obama, the attempts to discredit his work are just, in many cases, totally absurd.

First, credit goes to a wide set of people, from the U.S. Navy Seals who carried out Obama's orders to execute the plan to get Osama Bin Laden, to the past work of George W. Bush (even though I contend he kept Bin Laden around for political reasons while we invaded Iraq), and to our military and our defense contractors, too.

Defense contractors like Raytheon Company, who's 75,000 employees benefited from a nice stock boost in the wake of the exit of Osama Bin Laden.

But one of those supposed employees, a man named Jared with a YouTube channel called Jaredshipwash2003, doesn't seem to care and his hatred for Obama's so great, he would come to my Zennie62 YouTube channel video page and leave this comment:

If you voted for Obama last time you did it to not be racist. If you vote for Obama again your doing it because your an idiot.

Okay!

I wonder what Raytheon Company will think about that?

Why would an employee get on YouTube, leave his employment calling card, then make comments like that?

His YouTube channel says that he works for Raytheon Company!  

What a head-knocker!

I guess he hates his job at Raytheon Company as much as he hates President Obama.   Moreover, he must be interested in hampering their ability to land more large contracts in the future, huh? 

Oakland Birthday, Russo To Alameda, Thanks League Of Women Voters

Well, today is not only Star Wars Day, but the birthday of The City of Oakland, California, my town. To that, this blogger says, Happy Birthday, Oakland!

Oakland turns 159 years young today, May 4th, and has only gotten better with age. Oakland is a city Oaklanders care about because of its - and yes, even in today's diverse society - incredibly high level of diversity and small town / big city feel. Oakland's an easy place to get to know and to love. It deserves many more birthdays.

And while we're celebrating, congratulations to my friend John Russo, who officially accepted the position of Alameda City Manager, and leaves a 16-year legacy of excellent political and policy work in Oakland.

Now, John can focus on the redevelopment of what was once the Alameda Naval Air Station and have that city play catch-up with its own development time table. It's going to be fun to watch John move Alameda out of its Mayberry RFD (remember the TV show?) pace and into a true big-city level of energy.

Here's a photo of John's resignation letter:

The question for Oakland is, can it replace someone of John's now legendary stature. I hope that the seat's not filled by someone who's a weak, "rollable" personality. The Mayor and the City Council may want that kind of person, but at the end of the day, it's not good for them. Russo saved them a ton of pain from potentially calamitous decisions on several occasions, most notably his challenge to the City's push to advance the production of weed, after the Feds told it to hold off.

Thanks Libby And The League Of Women Voters

Great thanks to my sister-from-another-mother Oakland's District Four Councilmember Libby Schaaf and the League Of Women Voters for their award to me for my blogging efforts. I was in New York City for The 2011 NFL Draft last week, but Oakland Local's Susan Mernitt was kind enough to not only accept the award on my behalf, but text me that everyone was saying nice things about me.

Of course, I only half believe it, but it's nice to know about.

Just kidding.

It's a great award considering that it came on the heels of my crits of the League and the Sierra Club.

See, for the readers who don't know, I took on the issue of the League and the Sierra Club having a debate where they planned to invite just three of the ten Oakland Mayor's Race candidates. After a lot of pressure from this space, the Sierra Club and The League - to their credit - did the right thing and had a forum that was a real benefit to Oakland, where all of the candidates participated.

Here's a video from the event:



In fact, I met the terrific Kate Looby, who's the Sierra Club's East Bay Director at my gym a while back, and after exchanging pleasantries as I'd never met her or seen her before, and did not know she was with the Sierra Club, let alone in charge, had my ears burned almost off as she screamed at me from across the room, and then walk back saying "You're THAT GUY. I WANTED TO KILL YOU!!"

I gotta kick out of that one.

But, as I told Kate, it was all because I cared that all of the candidates get a chance to at least be seen by Oaklanders. Plus, we did get a good mayor out of the process.

Kate didn't kill me at the gym that night, by the way.

Dog on it.

Other Oakland News

Got this email from the Adams Point Neighborhood Group from April 20th:

We have experienced a total of six different street robberies in Area 2 in the last two hours. We believe that the same suspect is responsible. He is described as a black male, 25-30 years old, 5'9", 180 - 200 lbs, black ski mask, white short sleeve t-shirt and blue jeans. Suspect vehicle described as an 1985 - 1990 Ford Taurus, light blue with a license plate SIMILAR to 4FET409. Please call the Oakland Police Department if you see this vehicle. DO NOT APPROACH THE SUSPECT OR THE VEHICLE.

I have not seen a note that this person has been caught, so keep your eyes open.

Oakland Budget Video By Mayor Quan

I spotted this video on YouTube, which has been seen only four times since its upload on May 3rd; this embed and presentation should give it a small boost. She informs that the budget season will last a few months, and that the budget cuts are designed to "share the pain." Employees are asked to contribute "somewhere between 10 and 15 percent" in their payment reduction cost. The Redevelopment Agency Budget is not a part of this, as of this writing.

In this budget, the City of Oakland would have to close all of its libraries if it does not receive more contributions from employees.

Here's the Mayor, and new City Administrator Lamont Euwell below:



Mr. Lamont Euwell:



And with all this, the Oakland Coliseum got just a $7 million naming rights deal. Imagine if it was $80 million - its true value That, oh, $20 million (the City's share) would have really helped the City of Oakland at the right time.

Now do you see why I am so upset with the Oakland - Alameda County Coliseum?

Stay tuned.

Rashard Mendenhall - From Osama Bin Laden Twitter To Roethlisberger Dry-Hump, Never Dull

Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Rashard Mendenhall has done it again. One can say that from his semi-pro Osama Bin Laden Twitter Tweet of Monday, to his Ben Roethlisberger Dry-Hump after the Steelers AFC Championship victory over the New York Jets, he's never dull at all.

What Rashard Mendenhall did on Monday, was issue a series of Twitter Tweets that communicate a certain insensitivity to the pain and suffering of those who were immediately impacted by the events of 9-11, September 11th, 2001, and just as America was celebrating the demise of the most feared enemy of our nation since Adolph Hitler.

This is the series of tweets that got Rashard Mendenhall in hot water:

R_Mendenhall Rashard Mendenhall
For those of you who said you want to see Bin Laden burn in hell and piss on his ashes, I ask how would God feel about your heart?

2 May
Rashard Mendenhall
R_Mendenhall Rashard Mendenhall
Those who judge others, will also be judged themselves.

2 May
Rashard Mendenhall
R_Mendenhall Rashard Mendenhall
I believe in God. I believe we're ALL his children. And I believe HE is the ONE and ONLY judge.

2 May
Rashard Mendenhall
R_Mendenhall Rashard Mendenhall
What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side...

While Mendenhall is referring to allegations that 9-11 was faked, the bottom line is that, first, over 3,000 people were killed, and second, Osama Bin Laden himself did say that they intended to hit the twin towers of The World Trade Center with a hijacked jumbo jet, and in this video called the hijacker a "hero:"



Steelers Embarassed

Rashard Mendenhall's social media actions sent the Pittsburgh Steelers into damage-control mode, with team president Art Rooney II saying "it is hard to explain or even comprehend what he meant with his recent Twitter comments."

Still, the Steelers themselves have not used Twitter to issue a statement, which, considering that the whole story came from Twitter, would have been a good idea to do.

Overstock Buys Oakland Coliseum Naming Rights While In California Lawsuit

To add insult to the injury of a terrible $7 million naming rights deal with e-commerce retailer Overstock.com that was reported at Zennie62.com, comes the revelation that the agreement was stuck while the Internet firm was and is embroiled in a lawsuit involving the State of California, and the County of Alameda, as well as six other California counties.

The lawsuit was filed on November 17, 2010, and is still active as of this writing.

It alleges that Overstock.com has, to quote the blog White Collar Fraud, "engaged in fraudulent pricing practices after a two year investigation."

Moreover, one look at the copy of the lawsuit that is online, shows one name well-known to many as the County of Alameda's new District Attorney, Nancy E. O'Malley. Here's the link to the lawsuit: Overstock.com Lawsuit.

This blog post is not to dive into the details surrounding the lawsuit, only to ask how and why the City of Oakland and the County of Alameda, and the Oakland Raiders got involved with a firm who's very way of treating the customer has been tainted by lawsuit?

Did the Oakland Raiders say anything?  What about anyone with the City of Oakland or the County of Alameda.   Did they even know that the County was involved against Overstock.com in this way?

Moreover, how could the San Francisco Bay Area print media, normally derisive of bloggers like myself, miss this legal issue?

So, to close, we have two problems with the Overstock.com, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Stadium Naming Rights Deal: it's way under valued at $7 million, and the firm that's on the other side of the deal is being sued by the same County of Alameda it's giving money to, and for allegedly fraudulent business practices.

Yikes!

Stay tuned.