Senator Hillary Clinton's Poll Lead Due To Women - Washington Post

According to the Washington Post , Senator Hillary Clinton's poll leads -- until recently -- came due to her support from "less educated women" where Senator Obama fared better with women with higher education.

It will be interesting to see if this remains as we get more into the debate season.

Gallup Poll - Senator Obama Ties Hillary Clinton In USA Today / Gallup Poll

In a USA Today / Gallup Poll conducted June 5th, Senator Barack Obama has tied Senator Hillary Clinton. According to Gallup, "The poll was conducted June 1-3, 2007, and almost all of the interviews were completed prior to the Democratic candidate debate held in New Hampshire on Sunday, June 3. Republican candidates will debate one another in New Hampshire on Tuesday night, June 5...

The poll asked Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party who they are most likely to support for the Democratic nomination for president next year. Obama and Clinton are now tied, with 30% supporting Obama and 29% supporting Clinton. Seventeen percent of Democrats support former Vice President Al Gore for the nomination, and 11% support former North Carolina Senator John Edwards. No other candidate registers better than 3% support.

Genarlow Wilson Granted Release From Jail; But Georgia's AG Baker Challenges It

Genarlow Wilson -- at the time a teenager -- was sent to jail for having sex with another teen. For some weird reason beyond logic this boy was sentenced to nine -- nine years in jail.

Today, Genarlow Wilson was granted a release after serving 24-months in jail only to have the judge's decision blocked by off all people Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker. Now before you start thinking that Attorney General Thurbert Baker is white, he's not. But it also goes to show America that Blacks can be harder and more racist against other Blacks than whites in the 21st Century.

I personally can't understand the reasoning of Attorney General Thurbert Baker. More soon.

Sopranos Fans Expect Hollywood Ending; Don't Get One

At the risk of being lazy, I'm going to copy what was presented on the Premium Hollywood Blog here. It is a perfect example of how we want everything neat and packaged. But the people who want this forget that there's nothing "neat and packaged" about the Sopranos at all.

Here it is:

I don’t even know what to fucking say right now. I really don’t. Maybe I missed something. Maybe I just didn’t appreciate what David Chase was trying to accomplish. Or maybe my expectations were simply too high. I don’t know.

People have been saying for years that “The Sopranos” peaked too early. I’m not sure if I agree with that or not, but I will say that this final season peaked too early. Last week’s episode was brilliant, maybe one of the finest hours of television you’ll ever see. Seemed the stage was set for a fantastic finale for a series so many of us have been following for so many years.

Instead, we got this. Look, I wasn’t expecting a 65-minute bloodbath tonight. That’s not even what I was hoping for. But I sure as shit wanted some resolution, and I wanted some conflict. Instead, we get AJ telling his parents he wants to go into the Army so he can fulfill his dream of being a private helicopter pilot for Donald Trump, Meadow trying to parallel park her car for 20 freaking minutes, Carm starting the plans for her next spec house, Janice trying to swindle Junior by telling him he was her daughter, Paulie bitching about a stray cat, and Tony shuffling through a tabletop jukebox.

What, the, fuck?


Anyone who’s read this blog knows that I’ve been a patient fan of the show. People griped about the slow episodes and I said that Chase was building to something big. People called for more bloodshed and I said it was coming. Well, I guess those things did happen, but they happened last week, when Tony made a move on Phil and the NY family capped Bobby and Sil. What do we get this week? Onion rings and horrible Billy Baldwin screenplays. Well, Phil was whacked too, but I hope you’ll forgive me for mentioning that key bit of information in passing since that’s just about how Chase treated it tonight: one second Phil’s saying goodbye to his grandkids, the next he’s shot in the head, and the next he has a car roll over his head (which reminded me of a “Six Feet Under” episode, by the way). And just like that, the primary conflict of this entire season is gone. Done. It was like Christopher’s death all over again: I felt robbed.

The thing is, I understand – or I think I understand, anyway – Chase’s intention with the final scene. The suspense builds as Tony walks into a crowded restaurant and starts skimming the jukebox, scanning past such cryptically placed tunes as “This Magic Moment” and “I’ve Gotta Be Me” before settling for Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” Every time the bell over the door rings, Tony glances up to see who’s walking in. Who is he waiting for? Finally, Carm enters and takes a seat. They scan their menus. The bell jingles again and AJ walks in behind an ominous looking dude who sits at the counter and glances over at Tony’s table a few times. Surely, this guy has bad intentions. Meanwhile Meadow proves that she may be the only person on the entire planet who actually needs that new Lexus that parallel parks for you by failing in her first three attempts to guide her car into the biggest parking space you’ll ever find in front of a crowded restaurant. AJ bitches about his new job before reminding Tony that he once told him, “Try and remember the times that were good.” The suspicious man at the counter glances over at Tony again and then stands up. Tony looks up…and watches the guy head toward the bathroom. The waiter brings a plate of onion rings and all three Sopranos at the table pop one into their mouths as Steve Perry belts out, “Hold on to that feel-ay-eee-aying!” Meadow finally gets her head out of her ass and parks her car before dashing across the street – is she going to get hit by a bus? The bell over the door rings and Tony looks up expectantly.

And that’s it.

…Wait, that’s it? Okay, fine, this is how we’re to assume Tony will live out the rest of his days – constantly wondering if someone is out to get him, looking up every time a bell over a door jingles, worried that someone like Carlo (who apparently flipped this week after his son was picked up for selling ecstasy) is going to rat him out to the Feds, all while balancing his rather mundane family life. I get that. I appreciate it. But couldn’t we have been given more to sink our teeth into? Couldn’t something of significance – I mean, besides AJ’s car blowing up because of his freaking catalytic converter, of course – happen tonight?

Instead, one of the few memories I’ll take from tonight’s episode is the way agent Harris put his neck on the line to help Tony out by giving him info on Phil’s whereabouts. The best part, of course, is when he finds out about Phil’s killing and excitedly says, “Damn, we’re going to win this thing!” Sweet.

But sadly, that’s one of the very few highlights. We didn’t even get any real resolution with Paulie’s storyline, which I suppose could mean that he never betrayed Tony. Then again, maybe that means he did betray him and, like Tony, we’re never going to know about it. Or maybe it doesn’t mean shit. What do I know? Oh, and Sil is still alive, but does he survive? Again, who the hell knows?

I wasn’t looking for Chase to put a pretty little bow on the series tonight. I wasn’t looking for The Shocker of the Century. I wasn’t even really looking for closure, as the women like to say. But I wanted something more than this. I wanted an ending befitting of one of the most entertaining shows in TV history. Instead, we got stray cats, The Donald and Steve Fucking Perry. Oh well; remember the times that were good, right?

Speed Racer and Mach 5 Come Alive In Emile Hirsch and Christina Ricci's Live Action Movie

Ok. When I was a kid, I lived for the cartoon "Speed Racer" and wanted to have a car just like the Mach 5 . If you remember the show from the 60s, Speed was constantly in a battle for racing supremacy with Racer X. But more important to car freaks like me was the Mach 5 itself and what it could do. It had twin retractable cutting blades that allow it to slice trees in a forest.

ALERT: New blog "Senator Barack Obama for President!

With the push of a button the car could seal passengers and travel underwater, while a periscope allowed a view of the elements above water. The Mach 5 had a before-its-time robot homing pidigeon that could fly around and come back to the car. It had "super jacks" on all four wheels which permitted it not only to be lifted off the ground, but cause the car to jump over creeks and rivers. The tires were fitted with extendable special treads for ice-covered pavement driving. And finally, the thing was just plain cool to look at: sleek, long hood, arrow fenders that cut through the wind. The Mach 5 was the real star of Speed Racer.

For those of you who remember the show which aired starting in 1966, here's a video of the opening:



Now, we have the live-action version of the cartoon, brought to you by Matrix directors the Wachowski brothers, produced by Joel Silver, and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. The Mach 5 will be an actual vehicle in the film. Instead of being driven on pavement, it will be hung from a crane and have its effects computer-generated. The real Mach 5 was unvealed last week and from what you see here, I think they got it right. Here's the car in this video:



I managed to find a snopsysis of the movie from MovieWeb.com:

Hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is a natural behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory of the brother he idolized -- the legendary Rex Racer -- whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill.

Speed is loyal to the family racing business, led by his father, Pops Racer (John Goodman), the designer of Speed's thundering Mach 5. When Speed turns down a lucrative and tempting offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company's maniacal owner (Roger Allam) but uncovers a terrible secret -- some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls who manipulate the top drivers to boost profits. If Speed won't drive for Royalton, Royalton will see to it that the Mach 5 never crosses another finish line.

The only way for Speed to save his family's business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support of his family and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), Speed teams with his one-time rival -- the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) -- to win the race that had taken his brother's life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible.

Watch for Speed Racer coming May, 2008

Paris Hilton - Paris Hilton WIll Not Appeal Judge Sauer's Decision - TMZ.com

Paris Hilton issued this statement, according to TMZ.com: Also, she' not eating in jail at all.

"Today I told my attorneys not to appeal the judge's decision. While I greatly appreciate the Sheriff's concern for my health and welfare, after meeting with doctors I intend to serve my time as ordered by the judge.

This is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. During the past several days, I have had a lot of time to reflect and have already learned a bitter, but important lesson from this experience.

As I have said before, I hope others will learn from my mistake. I have also had time to read the mail from my fans. I very much appreciate all of their good wishes and hope they will keep their letters coming.

I must also say that I was shocked to see all of the attention devoted to the amount of time I would spend in jail for what I had done by the media, public and city officials. I would hope going forward that the public and the media will focus on more important things, like the men and women serving our country in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places around the world."

As much as I disagree with Judge Sauer's decision, perhaps this will go a long way toward ending the stupid ways people treat Paris Hilton. Several news accounts quote people calling her "a stupid dumb blonde" which itself is totally racist.

"Lauren's Sexy Bikinis!" Video - What's Ford Models Up To?

The top ranked video today is from -- drumroll -- Ford Models. It's called "Lauren's Sexy Bikinis!" and drew over 300,000 views. It's part of a new online initiative launched by the modeling agency and has videos on not just YouTube but 14 other video distribution services.

I applaud the 60-year-old fashion firm's forray into online marketing and see it as a revolutionary step -- and a logical one. Ford's in the image business; what better way to present their image and brand than digital media? Racy videos? Yes. But that's the nature of the apparel business -- presenting bodies that capture your attention wearing something you want to buy.

Ford "gets it."

Paris Hilton - LA County Sherriff Lee Baca Says Paris Hilton Has "Severe Problems"

According to TMZ.com , LA County Sherriff Lee Baca says that Paris Hilton has "severe problems." TMZ reports:

In a statement to the press, Baca said, "There's 20,000 inmates the largest jail system in the united states ... It's very overcrowded."

According to Baca, 90% serious felons -- many in his jail on murder charges or attempted murder charges.

Baca also said that he reassigned Hilton based on "her severe medical problems." Baca said that her "increasingly deteriorating problems" were evaluated and add, "This lady has some severe problems."

Paris Hilton - LA Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer Orders Paris Hilton Back To Jail Today - CNN

In a bizarre turn of events, Paris Hilton was ordered back to jail by Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer, according to CNN and other news sources. It seems the Judge didn't sign the documents that allowed her release from prison as the LA County Sheriff's Office had sent her home under house arrest, and the LA City Attorney signed a petition demanding to know why Hilton was released.

I think Judge Sauer's right in that he didn't sign the release and so procedure had to be followed. But I don't think Paris needs to be in jail. Hey, when Judge Sauer originally sentenced Paris to 45 days, he got a standing ovation in his church, so he feels emboldened to do this.

The basic reason I favor Paris Hilton going home is that it would be a direct negative reaction to the rise of this police state. It seems that we -- some of us -- want to see those who have more money than we do "get it" but aren't even considering the laws and the way they're enforced.

Look. Drinking and driving is dangerous and wrong. But we've taken things a little too far in how we allow constitutional rights to be smashed on. Paris had no business flouting the law, but the punishment doens't seem to fit the crime. Plus, and what I rail against, is that there's a weird lynch mob mentality out there, one that hungers to see Paris punished, at any cost.

Let's take some of the blogger's commentary, particularly angry ones like this one at "Boo-Hoo Paris" where the writer asks Paris to "Shut her mouth." Okay.. "No seriously" wants to know what's up with Paris head, although the writer seeems unmoved by her return to jail.



Or how about this angry post , which reads "Paris Hilton: Is she for real. Let's all of us common folk defy a judges order and see where that leaves us. I did and it landed me in PRISON for 30 months ( same Offense ). Jail--a drop in the hat, She could sleep for 45 days and leave. She's isolated--what could be better. Read a book or two if you know how to. Oh I forgot --there isn't a menu. Showers are refreshing but don't bend over. Give me a break. This spoiled rich Bitch thinks she can do anything she wants and buy her way out because she's rich. Hoo-ray for a judge who sticks to his gun's. Don't tell me that money doesn't buy freedom--just ask the idiot sherrif who released her because she didn't feel good or was he afraid of HOLLYWOOD. That's a whole different topic."

See? All these posts -- or most of them -- exhibit anger over the very mention of Paris Hilton. Do we have that many slackers in the USA, now? People who are so lazy and unambitous they'd rather see others dragged down to where they are, rather than be on a socially upward path? Well, not everyone thinks that way. Frank Paul supports Paris Hilton, stating "even though the Paris home is like super luxury...it would still be a punishment *For Paris* to be home-bound for 42 days.
I think that to a certain degree, celebrities should receive special treatment when it comes to matters like this becuase they are treated as special people of our society."

I agree. But only in the case of non-violent offenses. For example, who's going to protect Paris from the photo seekers in jail? I understand the LA Sherriff's office stands to gain $500,000 from any pict taken while she's in custody. That's not something which happens to "normal people" so the idea that Paris should be treated "normally" is silly because if she were "normall" no one would even have to make that statement. She's not common, so we should respect that; we can't change it and the very act of trying is proof that we can't.

Paris Hilton Gets House Arrest - Transfered From Jail Today

On Thursday May 17th I wrote a post called "Give Paris Hilton A Break - Why Not House Arrest?" Well, it seems the LA County Superior Court was reading my blog, because today she was released and placed under house arrest. The reasons given in the report were for "unspecified medical conditions" which could very well be claustraphobia. Hey, some people don't take to being in confinement.

Whatever the case, this in my view rights a real wrong of massive injustice -- the court seemed to give in to a kind of mob rule directed by jealous, poor, unhappy, resentful people who wish they had Paris' money and celebrity. They're going to holla back that she should be treated like everyone else. My retort is that she wasn't really treated like everyone else -- even in this case, she was treated like Paris Hilton.

That means she was subjected to jokes, an unsusually harsh sentence, people who wanted to make money off her jail photos, and that includes the LAPD.

In fact, I'll bet the real reason for her release had something to do with that. The LAPD is legally barred from profitting in such a matter, thus Paris mere existence in jail placed them in a bind.

See, the point is that because she's Paris Hilton, she's got the problem -- the blessing and the curse -- of being treated like Paris Hiton.

But for me this keeps the meritocracy intact. If you want to be Paris Hilton, you've got to work at it. Period.

Johnson's competition in match race could be tougher than he looks

From Pro Football Weekly

Johnson's competition in match race could be tougher than he looks

By Mike Wilkening
June 7, 2007

Bengals WR Chad Johnson is racing against a horse on Saturday. We know all about Johnson, and we are not surprised.

But what do we know about the horse?

His name is Restore the Roar, and he was named after a Bengals cheer bearing the same moniker. He has yet to win a race, but he has one second-place finish and one third-place finish in five career starts. The 4-year-old gelding has raced from distances from three-quarters of a mile to a mile and 70 yards, and always on dirt. Saturday’s race, at Cincinnati’s River Downs racetrack, will be his first try on grass.

Johnson, a turf sprinter if there ever was one, will have a head start. He'll break from the outside rail of the turf course at the sixteenth pole and run to the finish line, 110 yards in all. Restore the Roar, with retired jockey Patricia Cooksey in the saddle, will be breaking from a starting gate set up an eighth of a mile, or 220 yards, from the wire.

Restore the Roar is used to having to make up a lot of ground. He has never officially held the lead at any point in any of his five starts, and he has been at least 4½ lengths behind the leader entering the stretch in all of his races.

However, should Johnson make any Calvin Borel-like peeks over his shoulder, he could be alarmed at what he sees. The horse will be quickly covering ground, likely more than 20 feet per stride.

“That adds up pretty fast,” said River Downs publicity director John Englehardt.

The idea is to produce a photo finish, which is exactly what happened the last time a Bengals receiver raced a horse. The year was 1993, the Bengal was Cris Collinsworth and the horse was a first-time starter who defeated the talkative wideout by a nose. Cooksey had the mount that day. Now the deputy executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, Cooksey joked that she was coming back to ride Restore the Roar because she was “undefeated against the Bengals and I plan on keeping it that way.”

This latest match race was the idea of Cincinnati radio host Andy Furman. Johnson, wanting to raise money for the charity Feed the Children, was game. Now they just needed four-legged competition.

That’s where Restore the Roar, son of Musical Dreamer and out-of-the-stakes-winning mare Princess Hawkins, comes in. The name made him a natural, as did his temperament. “You could probably blow a firecracker under his belly and he probably wouldn’t turn his head,” Englehardt said.

Englehardt approached the horse’s owner, Patricia Genn, who agreed to the race. She and her husband, Wilhelm, keep 15-20 show-jumping horses at Rheinland Farm in Lebanon, Ohio. They have only three of the racing variety, and Patricia Genn doesn’t rule out the possibility that Restore the Roar could change careers if he doesn’t take to racing. However, she believes the horse is simply going through a long, slow maturation process.

“He’s just figuring his job out,” she said.

Restore the Roar is coming off what may have been his worst race of his career, a six-furlong sprint vs. fellow Ohio-bred horses at River Downs on May 29. Restore the Roar was not quick enough to keep pace with the leaders, and he could not muster a closing kick in the stretch. He finished sixth in the field of 12, beaten by 14½ lengths.

Sprints, Genn admits, are not Restore the Roar’s game. “He can run all day,” she said. “Short distances, I don’t know.”

Advantage, Johnson.

Or is it?

If Restore the Roar takes to the grass, what a race Johnson could be in for, and what a race this could be. “His father’s biggest win was on the turf at River Downs,” Englehardt pointed out, referring to Musical Dreamer’s triumph in the Green Carpet Stakes 10 years ago.

The humans involved in this match race are primarily concerned with its charitable goals. River Downs is holding a silent auction of items autographed by Johnson, and the track will book “wagers” on the race, drawing winners for cash and prizes and donating some of the proceeds to Feed the Children. Also, Genn has pledged to donate a share of Restore the Roar’s future earnings to the charity.

To date, he’s made $4,354 for his owner. On dirt, he’s a one-paced plodder. On turf? No one knows, except maybe his daddy, and he isn’t talking. And that’s why Chad Johnson, who can cover 110 yards perhaps as fast as any human in the Cincinnati area, better not underestimate his competition, no matter what the racing form says.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ok So Chad's gonna race a horse. thats great, he just better not wind up looking like the horses rear!

London 2012 Olympics Logo Looks Like Swastika

There's a petition going around that calls for the organizers of the London 2012 Olympics to scrap the logo they came up with because they just plain don't like it, and that it will cause epileptic seizures.

Well, when I got my first glance at the logo, I could not get out of my mind how much it looked like the German Swastika. I'm not kidding. The logo has that same four-square-corners rotating around a center look as the Swastika.



Moreover, it looks like someone knew this, and decided to turn the logo so that it was more square than diamond. But what if you turned it so it was more diamond that square?

You think maybe the logo designer was a Neo-Nazi? Look at the picts in this blog and make your own conclusions.

Senator Barack Obama Ties Senator Clinton In Polls - Chicago Sun Times Not Happy

Senator Barack Obama's now tied with Senator Hillary Clinton in the latest USA Today / Gallup Poll. But that's not something the Chicago Sun Times wants you to know. They immediately came out with an article that tries to douse water on this news, by saying that all other polls show him behind her.

The trouble is those polls are old. The Sun Times reporter who wrote this, Scott Fornek, was either trying to help in some small way to cause Barack to lose the race, or he was just plain being sloppy. Whatver the case, I wrote this letter:

Hi Scott,

I read your article on Senator Obama's tie in the polls with Senator
Clinton. I'm writing because I'm plain sick and tired of how the
media -- including you -- distorts any positive news about Senator
Obama because it seems you don't want someone black and male in the
White House.

Look, the USA Today poll was just released; why compare it with older
polls which show him behind, but you report it as if these polls were
out on the same date. They were not. The point you should make is to
show how Senator Obama's campaign is picking up steam, because that's
what your own information shows.

Please stop trying to manipulate a message and just report the news.

Thanks,

--
Zennie Abraham, Jr.
Chairman and CEO
Sports Business Simulations
510-387-9809
http://www.sbs-world.com
http://www.sbstickets.com

Institutional Racism: Fox News Can't Tell One Black Person From Another

This is stupid, and is a great example of why diversity in society is so important. Fox News showed a clip of Representative John Conyers but reporting that he's indicted Representative Bill Jefferson. Here's a video on the error by TPMtv..:

Mike Nolan Wants To Wear Suits Full TIme All Season

According to a small news bit in the SF Chronicle, SF 49ers Head Coach Mike Nolan wants to have a suit on for every game. I personally support this, and I really don't understand how this casual kick was allowed to become institutiionalized. Apparently Reebok likes the idea, too, but for just two games. Yikes. Make it for all games.

You'd think that in an NFL that wants to give kids the right images, they'd back Nolan's call in a hurry, eh? Next, they should make Hybrid Cars the official vehicles of the league.

49ers Add Defensive Tackle Sam Rayburn - SF Chronicle

This is a huge addition -- excuse the pun -- for the 49ers. Depending on how they scheme, the Niners may be building the best defense in the NFC West. They've certainly got the right mix of youth and experience.


49ers sign Rayburn, bolster line
Kevin Lynch, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 6, 2007

The 49ers bolstered their defensive line by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with former Philadelphia Eagles tackle Sam Rayburn. The contract includes a small signing bonus and some playing-time and sack incentives, according to Rayburn's agent, Jason Brown.

Coach Mike Nolan, when asked about the prospect of signing Rayburn on Monday, said he admired the lineman's toughness. Rayburn fits Nolan's model of a rugged, run-plugging player, who's not averse to occupying blockers while linebackers make the tackles.

Rayburn made the Eagles as a rookie free agent in 2003, had his best season in '04 with 46 tackles, six sacks and eight quarterback hurries. Before the '04 season, former 49ers general manager Terry Donahue tried to trade Terrell Owens for Rayburn, but instead the Eagles sent Brandon Whiting, who lasted only a few games in San Francisco before injuring his knee.
Rayburn dipped in production while struggling with an elbow injury (35 tackles, one sack) in 2005 and last year, he hardly played.

"They wanted to play the first-round guys" Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson, Brown said, "which they should."
Brown also said Rayburn lost weight, dropping from 310 to less than 300 pounds.

"He's in great shape now," Brown said. "He's about 310."

Rayburn is to sign his agreement Sunday and will take part in next week's team practices. Brown said that Rayburn would compete as Bryant Young's backup or possibly play nose guard.

Heitmann ready: Center Eric Heitmann's first assignment Monday after returning from his broken leg was to drive-block 320-pound nose guard Aubrayo Franklin.

"I was like, 'Oh, this will be a good test,' " Heitmann said. He passed that test and took part in most of the team's practice Monday and Tuesday.

Heitmann's tibia was shattered Dec. 14 when Seattle's Darryl Tapp fell on him.

Heitmann was greeted by cheers when he entered the huddle this week. So far, he has taken 12 of 18 snaps with the first team during scrimmage. He'll probably be up to the full complement soon.

"All the drill work, pushing sleds, it feels great." Heitmann said.

Whew, Mangini wasn't whacked

(From Newsday's Neil Best-His Coverage of Sports on the Air

Whew, Mangini wasn't whacked
June 5, 2007

Someone had to do it, so I broke the news early last night to Eric Mangini:

The Emmy Award presentations are Sept. 16 in Los Angeles, the same day his Jets play in Baltimore.

"That's OK," he said. "I don't think they give awards for non-speaking parts."

Mangini was being modest. He nailed his cameo on the penultimate episode of "The Sopranos" on Sunday night, his most compelling acting since a stint last year on another of his favorite shows, "Sesame Street."

In a scene taped Feb. 8 at Silvercup Studios in Long Island City, Mangini and his wife, Julie, dined at Artie Bucco's fictional restaurant, where Artie informed Tony Soprano that "Mangenius" was in the house.

Tony said he should go over to say hello, which he did, in a series of shots seen only from a distance. Mangini was seen clearly in profile, but Julie only from behind.

"The back of her hair looked really good," the coach said sheepishly.

Mangini called himself "a huge fan of the show" but is not entirely sure why he was invited. "They're very secretive about how scripts evolve," he said.

He initially thought it was a joke when he learned he was wanted. It was not, and two days later, he was on the set. Julie, an avid Bruce Springsteen fan, was most excited about meeting Steven Van Zandt, who plays Soprano's consigliere, Silvio.

Left unexplained in the script was why Mangini was dining in New Jersey.

"It could have been after a game," he said. "We didn't explore the motivation very deeply."

And why did Soprano act as if he knew him? Did it have something to do with the bet Tony made on the Jets earlier this season before a fictional 42-10 rout of the Chargers?

"I was pleased with that," Mangini said, meaning the final score, not the betting part.

The coach and his wife kept the cameo a secret from all but a few close friends. Now he can fully bask in the honor of taking part in one of the most honored shows in history, after only one season as a head coach in New York.

"It was fantastic," he said. "I love the show and just have always respected the story lines and think it's incredibly well done ... I'm disappointed it's coming to an end."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Too Bad They didn't get him in last year! he could have come back this year as a Football coach in over his head with Tony. Yeah Right.............At least it wasn't something to do with gambling.

Mark Cuban's Wrong - Potential UFL Team Owner Says No Based On Zennie's Blog Post

I just received a call from a friend of mine back east, who -- I can't use real names, corporate or otherwise, to protect the persons involved -- told me that a family member who works for a major comunications and media organization with significant monies in sports, happened to be talking about my blog post called "Why Bill Hambrecht and Mark Cuban's UFL - United Football League - Will Fail" while her bosses were overlooking the article on her computer.

"Wow," one of them was reported to have said, "Maybe this guy ( referring to me) -- knows what he's talking about. After all he's made this XFL Simworld and had the Oakland (Alameda County) Sports Commission. He must know something."

Fully on the basis of my post, this organization that owns a large and famous arena decided to avoid making overtures to establish a UFL team.

It proves that, unlike Mark Cuban in the case of the UFL (I don't know the man), there are people out there who listen to the voices of reasons and analysis. "Competing With The NFL", as Cuban puts it, is purely silly.

Akon Tosses Small Teenager - Acts Stupidly; Crowd Eggs Him On

Well, it seems this kid decided to throw a ball at Akon. But rather than have him removed from the concert, Akon uses this as a "stage" to show how stupid he is.

Now this confirms just how stupid both Akon and his audience are. I mean let's face it. If this kid he threw off the stage were not small, Akon would have been the one tossed off stage. As it is, I hope the boy's parent sue Akon. First, Akon had his handlers go after the kid for some reason, then bring him to stage against his will, where Akon assaults him.

Period.

There's no one way anyone can justify Akon's actions. Whatever's gotten into this brother, he should have it removed immediately. And on that note, here's the video:

"With Leather" Gets On "ProFootballtalk.com" - Mike Florio Whines Over A Taste Of His Own Medicine

I had to laugh when I saw this on today's Profootballtalk.com website:

There's a blog thing out there called WithLeather.com, which has said mean things about us in the past.

Hey, we can take it. We've been called a lot of things, many of which are accurate. But we never, ever, ever, ever (did we say "ever"?) make stuff up.

Another thing we never, ever, ever, ever (did we say "ever"?) do is go with a tip that a guy has been arrested or committed any other type of misconduct that could damage his reputation, unless we have solid sources who have verified the information.

Over the years, it has caused us to miss out on "breaking" many a story that eventually became public, such as the rumors that Joe Horn fathered a baby with Willie Roaf's wife. But, on the bright side, we've never been taken to People's Court (or any other court of law).

It's one of the benefits of that law degree thing that the Poobah picked up 16 or so years ago. We know where the line of liability is, and we stay the hell away from it.

On Monday, WithLeather.com is doing the lambada on that line by going with unverified tips that Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman beat the crap out of some dude over the weekend, returned with a gun-wielding posse, and later tried to buy the victim's silence.

Maybe the information is completely accurate and, if so, kudos to the site for getting the truth out there. But it's one thing to be wrong about a trade rumor; it's quite another to be wrong about something that inflicts even more damage to a guy's image than he already has inflicted himself.

In this case, if the tip turns out to be embellished at best or fraudulent at worst, the folks at Fat Penguin Media will need to be ready to post a retraction before the process server shows up at the headquarters in Mesa, Arizona.

And if the tip is on the money, it might be time for Odell Thurman to throw out his cleats, because he'll never, ever, ever, ever (did we say "ever"?) need them again.

There's some truth to what Florio writes here. I've not know for Profootballtalk.com to make things up, but I have seen them use racially insensitive photos on too many occasions. I've called them on it, and pointed out the harm that that action causes.

So it's for that reason I'm not unhappy that Profootballtalk.com is getting negative press.

Mark Cuban Says Advertisers Have Leverage In Pricing Ads For Video - Really?

In his latest blog post, Mark Cuban takes a look at the impact that Nielsen's release of commercial data has had on the discussion of how ads in videos should be priced.

He says "So riddle me this. If the Internet is the ultimate DVR for video, will advertisers put comparable pricing parameters on internet video that they are trying to put on TV DVR commercial viewing ? If they do, and only pay for videos viewed within 3 days of the video being posted, won't that put a huge crimp in the internet video business ?"

My basic reponse is that there's an apples and oranges comparison here. Videos are ran over and over again each day. Plus, because they're within an optimized webpage, they're looked up in a search engine. Thus, if the video concerns a Paris Hilton issue that is discussed on the TV news, the search for that will go up, and thus cause a new round of views for the applicable video.

For the video meter to stop running in this case would be unfair and not negotiable from the standpoint of the video producer. A commercial withing a video, or a sponsored video is part of the video. Thus, it "moves" with the video -- if the video is found on Mamma.com, the ad will be there, and so on.

This is an entirely new approach to commercial message distribution. I don't think one can compare it to current TV commercial economics. I also don't think advertisers really have a good clue what's going on in new media. Many of them can't even define Web 2.0

Mark Cuban Responds To My "UFL Will Be A Failure" Post

Mark Cuban , a key player in the proposed United Football League, responded to my blog post which states in detail why the UFL will fail. He writes

"then again, there are people who read press reports and think they are an expert on someone else's businessplans...

i like our preparation better.

m"

What's interesting is this comment falls right into my take that much of the push behind football league proposals like the UFL is ego. Think about it. Cuban referes to "our preparation" as if he's not willing to listen to outside voices of reason. That's a sure receipe for disaster.

A good analysis must also take into account dissenting voices. Not true for Cuban and the UFL team, it seems. One has to admire -- to a degree -- the PT Barnum level of hubris, but it's also what blinds Mr. Cuban to the spectre of failure.

Moreover, Mark doesn't have a UFL simulation, so he's flying blind!!

But that aside, and while I hold and with a simulation that is the basis for my charge that the UFL will fail...Thanks for the response, Mark!

Mark Cuban's Right - CD's Are On The Decline

Mark Cuban's certainly totally wrong about the football business , but he's right on regarding compact disks and their future as a music distribution system. Just check out his blog and its references.

As I think about it, I can remember the last time I listened to music on the CD and that was in a car. But I've not done that anywhere else: not at home, for example. I watch movies on DVD, but music on CD's? Only in the car. It's a matter of time before one's able to just plug in their iPod and use it as a full car stereo for all cars, not just a few.

But Mark's totally wrong about football; the UFL will fail.

Does Ever Rising Salary Cap Put NFL Parity in Danger?

In 2005, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue closed out a stellar tenure by negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association. With that new agreement, the NFL salary cap jumped from just over $85 million to a whopping $102 million dollars providing cap releif to several NFL teams. This season, the salary cap has swollen to $109 million. Is the salary cap reaching a point where small-market teams cannot afford to reach the limit leaving big-market teams the ability to start stockpiling talent?

June 1, previously a red-letter day in NFL free agency came and went with a relative whimper this year. Usually a day where NFL teams discard high-priced veterans to find salary cap relief, many teams found themselves comfortably under the $109 million cap without releasing some of their bigger names.

Since the new CBA was signed in 2005, the cap has grown an astounding 27.5%. In 2005 alone, the cap grew nearly 20% from $85.5 million to $102 million. Even big-spenders like the Dallas Cowboys suddenly found themselves in the tens of millions under the cap. At the time the CBA was signed, small-market owners such as Cleveland's Paul Brown and Buffalo's Ralph Wilson expressed concerns that under the new CBA, even with provisions that spread some of the wealth to them, that the runaway cap would eventually spell doom for their ability to compete.

With the rising cap comes rising contract demands. But with more and more teams and agents opting to place roster bonuses on March 1 instead of June 1, free-agents find themselves released at the beginning of free-agency while teams are still flush with cash. So contracts will continue to rise because the market has adjusted to bear it.

The gap between the role-players and the superstars is also growing. In a case of entertainment mirroring life, the NFL middle class is slowly disappearing. While the CBA stipulates minimum salaries based on number of years, the real dollars are spent on signing bonuses and roster bonuses. A mid-level player may see a roster bonus in the tens of thousands if at all. But players like Terrell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys received a $3 million bonus on June 1st just for being on the roster.

The NFL today is a league constantly in transition. As contracts of star players expire, more and more choose to enter the free agent bonanza rather than sign an offer sheet with their current team unless the offer already puts them among the top paid players at their position.

As the cap continues to swell, more and more of these free agents in smaller markets will move on where the pastures are as green as the money. Even with room under the cap, the Cleveland Browns of the world will eventually be at the limits of their budget before they are at the cap limit. Will Lee Evans make it to a second contract in Buffalo? It depends on whether or not the cap continues to soar.

On the other hand, General Managers across the league have learned to work the salary cap very well. A little creative financing can go a long way. But unless the profit shares to the smaller market teams grow in proportion to the cap, it is very feasible to say that buying consecutive championships will return to the NFL.

Why Bill Hambrecht and Mark Cuban's UFL - United Football League - Will Fail

Well, all I can say is "here we go again." A group of rich guys with egos -- no women involved here -- think that because they have enough money to start a football league, it will automatically work.

In the newest example, we have the to-be-called United Football League , or UFL. This is an idea started by San Francisco Bay Area investment banking maverick Bill Hambrick, who's firm WR Hambrick and Company I remember as Hambrick and Quist, and who employed a friend of mine from Skyline High School school, Marla Goldstein.

Ok, enough of that.

Hambrick managed to come up with this idea of the UFL and get Internet entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner (funny, how the word mavericks comes up here more than once) to sign on as the first owner of a team. As I understand the UFL concept, they're going to establish cities in areas where the NFL does not have a team, and "compete" with the NFL for players that come out of college "lower than the second round."



OK. Here's the foundation upon which their failure will be based -- if they ever get enough owners to start an eight team league. The lessons of football league failure are captured in that business school case study called The XFL.

In fact, I created a system dynamics online simulation now called the XFL Simworld , and with Forio Business Simulations created a company around it called Sports Business Simulations .

The idea of the XFL Simworld is to make the right business decision to cause the XFL to last longer than the one year it did in reality.

What I've learned after countless hours and years of analysis, and design, and play and test and watching others run the sim is this: people watch people. What I mean in detail is that the XFL's biggest mistake was that it didn't have players people cared to watch. Mark Cuban's right about the "pent-up demand for football" but that doesn't mean anyone will come out and watch you and me play pro football.

What I learned from the XFL Simworld is that the XFL, and now the UFL, stand a better chance of survival if they hire recently retired or close to retiring NFL players and mix them with college players. Why? Because each of the NFL players close to ending their careers either by choice or for other reasons has their own brand name. For example, you know who Keyshawn Johnson is if you're even a causal fan of the game. But do you know who Jacoby Jones is?

Who?

See that's my point. Jacoby Jones is a wide receiver from tiny Lane College, drafted by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. That's one of the rounds Hambrecht and Cuban say they're going to "compete" with the NFL for players. That's great for the player and for the NFL, because the NFL doesn't have to worry about paying that player who may have dropped to the lower rounds for weird reasons more than a third round pick, and the player at least has another place to go, but don't think there's going to be a bidding war -- in fact, I predict the opposite.

The Jacoby Jones of the world may try to use the UFL as a negotiating ploy, and wind up not being signed by the NFL team. It's basic math -- there are more "third round level" players, than first round level players, so someone else who fell past the eyes of NFL scouts may look better in free agency than the third round pick using an upstart league to cause a bidding war. So Jacoby Jones goes to the UFL and gets the same money he would have earned as a third round pick by the Houston Texans. Fine, so he's happy. Meanwhile, the UFL gets a player no one ever heard of, and no one save for his family, friends, and the curious, will come out to see or turn on the TV to watch.

What Hambrecht and Cuban miss is that football is entertainment. The bottom line is to put people in seats at the stadium and have them watch on television. People follow names. They'd sooner watch a team with Keyshawn Johnson than one with Jacoby Jones. That's one big reason why the XFL failed; it lacked name NFL players to maintain TV ratings. Without them, XFL ratings dropped like a rock, and the league folded after NBC pulled from its commitment.

The UFL faces the same fate for that reason, and one more that's in a way related to the first problem I discuss. It's team location. In the XFL Simworld, the player has the option of having XFL teams in NFL cities, cities of the actual XFL, and warm weather cities. Which combination brings the best attendance? The Warm Weather Option, of course. This scenario was created based on the problems the real XFL faced in having constantly high attendance in all cities.

The best city for this in the XFL system was San Francisco, where the February through May climate was constantly mild, and never burdened with snow. Snow's a big deterent to the fortunes of a new football league hiring players no one has ever heard of. People don't buy tickets to teams that hire unknown players to play in cold weather.

Better to have a Southern Strategy.

With all of this, you'd think Bill Hambrecht and Mark Cuban would have thought more carefully before launching the UFL as a business. But they didn't, and I'm not surprised. There's one common element in all of these "new football league" cases -- ego. Someone always thinks they can clobber, outdo, take advantage of, or just plain be the next NFL. And in all cases, that never comes to pass. The UFL has all of the color of failure for that reason and the ones I gave above. What Hambrecht and Cuban should really do is work to start an NFL team to LA.

In other words, they're not going to beat the NFL, so they might as well join them.