Titans Pre Draft notes

     Titans Pre Draft notes
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
04/11/2010
 
As the 2010 season slowly approaches changes have hit Titans camp. Gone is long time punter/kicker/place kicker Craig Hentrich to retirement. Center Kevin Mawae is in limbo, as is linebacker Keith Bullock. Gone are TE Alge Crumpler, DE’s Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse. They have also given contract extensions to players such as G/C Eugene Amano and S Donnie Nickey. They got free agents like LB Will Witherspoon, DB Tye Hill and DE Jason Babin. CB Rod Hood was re-signed as insurance and they kept Bo Scaife as well as adding Chris Simms.
 
Now come the primary needs and the draft. It will take work to make this a playoff contender. This team needs to get away from the occasional 8-8 records that make their fans unhappy. The defense is going through a major overhaul but looks to have the talent. Still a few pieces must be added to make it a playoff unit. The draft is always a mystery in Nashville. Fans have no idea from one year to the next what this franchise will do. Will it be offense when they need defense? Will it be defense when you need offense? Do you take the best player on the board?
 
The Jeff Fisher era has been known more for defense than offense. Granted, there have been years that neither worked too well. The first thing that has to happen is players such as Michael Griffin and Courtland Finnegan are going to have to get back to the top of their game. The secondary was picked apart last year and that must be addressed right away. The young guys Like Jason McCourty and Ryan Mouton need to be ready now. DE’s William Hayes and Jacob Ford, DT’s Javon Haye and Tony Brown are players that must now play like number ones. They will need to feed off all their practice time together and turn themselves into a formidable defensive unit. LB’s Gerald McRath will be asked to make more than just strides now and Stephen Tulloch will have to turn it up a few more notches. There are more stories on defense but they will have to come from the draft full of defensive possibilities.
 
The offense is yet another huge task Fisher must tackle. Vince Young comes off a season that started with him on the bench. He took over and improved his career winning percentage by going 8-2 down the stretch. He improved his throwing motion and had better command of his passes. He showed poise and leadership abilities game in and game out. Basically he quieted his critics, at least for the time being. Of course there is RB Chris Johnson, as he comes of a season that saw him rush for 2006 yards. The challenge now will be to see if he can repeat that amazing feat. It will hard to do because he is not expected to get the same load of carries. History does not favor his long-term plans if he continues to carry the ball so much. LenDale White is in a sort of limbo as he waits to see if the team will deal him somewhere else. He is not too happy with the idea of being a backup and getting scraps for carries again. He wants to go be a feature back but the Titans want to see what happens in the draft. A team may end up needing White’s services depending on how the draft goes for backs. Javon Ringer looks like he may be ready to contribute enough now to fill the void if need be. The receiving corps is in transition and Nate Washington and Justin Gage will have to play like vets all year. Kenny Britt had a nice rookie year but the team needs him to turn it up a few notches and be solid all year. TE Jared Cook looked great in camp last year but got hurt and never looked the same. With Crumpler gone it’s put up or shut up for the young man. Then there is Lavelle Hawkins and the promise he has not lived up to. He still has the confidence of the coaches but that won’t last long if he continues to lag behind as he has to this point in his career.
 
The problems in the kick return game have not been fixed but without that this team will not win too many ball games. They will be looking to free agency if they cannot hit a homerun on a return type guy in the draft. They must upgrade this phase of the game to improve the field position Young will need to be more successful. Too many times in the past few years this has cost them wins.
 
The coaching staff will have to make adjustments as well. Fisher is still being asked by fans to open the offense up some more. It has been the topic of conversations on some sports shows on local radio. No one is trying to tell him how to coach but, maybe to be more aggressive when in the red zone. To air it out a bit more and that may even help the evolution of Young as well. Defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil is in prove-it-to-me mode now after a rough first year. The Titans defense went from one of the best two years ago to one of the worst last year.
 
Then there is the good old draft. A place where teams go once a year in hopes of finding that star. Maybe that hidden jewel that other teams missed on. The crapshoot, as well as the wheeling and dealing begin in less than two weeks. The Titans have plenty of needs. The most glaring would be on defense where they still need a lineman, a linebacker and someone else in the secondary. A return man would be really nice if a CJ Spiller would somehow fall to them. On offense the question in the later rounds or free agency would be a receiver or another back. Players that come to mind for these spots are DE’s Derrick Morgan from Ga. Tech or maybe Sergio Kindle out of Texas. At corner somebody like Myron Lewis from Vanderbilt or Boise State’s Kyle Wilson. Javier Arenas from Alabama could fill the need there as well as a return man. Of course I have already mentioned Spiller too. These are just possibilities for a team in need of a jolt, not a spark. The days of 8-8 have gotten old in Tennessee and time is running out for owner Bud Adams in his quest for a ring.
 
The Super Bowl is in Texas next year. Wouldn’t it be a sight to see if the team that started in Texas could go back home and win it all? Hey let’s get crazy then and say, what about a Titans vs. Cowboys in Taj McJerry for all the marbles? Hey this is the NFL and we all know that stranger things have happened.

Jets Superfan Fireman Ed shouldn’t let his hatred stand in the way of a Superbowl Trophy

Jets Superfan Fireman Ed shouldn’t let his hatred stand in the way of a Superbowl Trophy
By TJ Rosenthal and Dr. Bill Chachkes-Football Reporters Online

So now we have heard it all. The Jets have hired a fan out of the stands to work in the personnel department. What you didn’t know Fireman Ed Anzalone was actually on the Jets front office payroll? I guess he is, the way he’s been getting and giving interviews as of late, regarding the Jets possible signing of soon to be former Dolphin Jason Taylor.

I don’t want to belittle the man for his “fan-ship” of the Jets, or the fact that he has a tough “Day Job” as a NYC firefighter, which is something I have a great deal of respect for. Regardless of how much bashing some people want to do to the Jets front office, I am sure they know a lot more about Football then at least some people give them credit for. Fireman Ed may be a passionate fan who knows a little something about football, but for him to not want Jason Taylor on the Jets because of the past comments traded back and forth is absurd.

Fireman Ed, as a “super fan,” can't afford to get in the way of the Jason Taylor saga. The symbol of Jet fans can't personalize the
trash talking that has gone on between Taylor and Jet fans for years. The rivalry has been too fierce, had too many wild endings, and has affected the outcomes of seasons on both sides for too long in a 44-year history.

Here's the reality. The Jets need a third down pass rusher. Taylor, if used wisely, can be a threat for the next two years and be expected to provide 8-10 sacks minimum given the talent that surrounds him along with the schemes devised by Rex Ryan.
Taylor's "Jet fans are class minus the C and the L" comments have to be taken with a grain of salt and instead viewed as an intensity that will be a welcome addition to a team just a few players away from being complete.

What Taylor must do, is stop the nonsense about his desire to skip OTA's. As a new member of a cohesive team as the Jets currently are, Ryan can't be forced into a corner where there are different rules for different players. Ryan was upset that Leon Washington missed OTA's in 2009 and rightfully so. What Taylor needs to do in order to ingratiate himself with the fans and his new teammates is to show up. Period. Tomlinson will. He's a future hall of famer.

Taylor will be an upgrade in a position that the Jets sorely need production out of ASAP. A blindside strip and sack of Tom Brady,
will make fans like Fireman Ed warm up quickly to him. Asking to skip out on early season team functions will however, make Taylor's entrance a more difficult one.

Let's not confuse the two though. Ed is wrong if he thinks that Jason Taylor won't make the Jets better in 2010. He will make a difference right away. When and if the Jets do sign Taylor, they will be one piece closer to the missing championship they desperately want.

Nadia Bloom - 11-year-old Autistic Florida girl found alive

From the "good news" department, Nadia Bloom , the 11-year-old Autistic girl that was missing since last Friday, was found alive Tuesday according to CBS News.

Reportedly, Nadia, who has Asperger's syndrome and attends Lawton Elementary School in Oviedo, Florida, "vanished" while rising her bike on Friday. A massive search was conducted that came up successful when Nadia was found today by a church pastor, covered in mosquito bites, but OK.

As of this writing there's no report that really explains why Nadia Bloom "vanished." But the CBS News account implies that Nadia may have been encouraged to go missing because she was reading a book called Lanie about an "adventurous girl who camps in her back yard."

Nadia was last seen near Orlando, in the Barrington Estates subdivision. But the good news is that for a change, a child was found alive, well, and save for bug bites, unharmed.

Stay tuned.

Tagged.com, San Francisco-based social network site fined $650,000

Tagged.com, the San Francisco-based social network site who's founder once bragged to this blogger was worth $700 million, was fined $650,000 by San Francisco DA Kamela Harris for "deceptive practices."

District Attorney Kamala Harris launched an investigation into Tagged.com after users complained to her office about the social network site's email campaign that resulted in 40 million to 60 million emails sent to potential new users.

According to the Contra Costa Times, Tagged.com agreed to pay a settlement of $650,000 and stop a practice where users unknowingly gave Tagged.com their entire email list. In 2009, Tagged.com had a registration campaign such that registrants unknowingly provided the social network their entire email list of friends. Tagged.com then used those emails to repeat the process.

Tagged.com, started in 2004, may claim a membership based of 80 million and be the third largest social network, but after this let's see how many people stick around. At a tech lunch event held in 2006 in Downtown San Francisco, one of the founders bragged to this blogger that Tagged.com was worth $700 million.

Stay tuned.

Tiger Woods at The Masters is not the bad guy; the media is

See: tiger woods, the masters, phil mickelson, billy payne, maters tv ratings

On Sunday, Tiger Woods finished what for anyone would have been a respectable Masters golf game, but what for him was a failure. Tiger Woods finished in 4th place. But the unwritten story - at least until now - is how Tiger Woods' appearance in the Masters brought people of color back to Golf if only for a weekend.

Tiger Woods just showing up at The Masters caused rating to jump 47 percent, and that was before Sunday's final round. And on Sunday, ratings were the best since the pre-New Media age of 2001, when a younger Tiger Woods brought viewers to Golf at a level not seen before. Sunday's third round wasn't the near-record this blogger predicted, but it was the third highest round in TV ratings in Maters history.

Tiger Woods at The Masters helped everyone, especially the media, yet we have the SF Chronicle's Bruce Jenkins, ever the fine sports writer and all really an around good guy, shockingly telling us that Tiger Woods is now the bad guy. And for evidence, Bruce went to all of the older, white male sports media guys to get their view.

Sorry for this, but Bruce Jenkins didn't talk to anyone black who wasn't part of the media, like my Mother. My Mom is a Tiger Woods fan, and so much so that my 76-year old parent believed there was a conspiracy to have Woods lose The 2010 Masters. I had to talk her down from that point of view. But you have to understand, as a kid my Mom walked to school while white kids rode the bus to school and occasionally threw rocks at her.

Yes, it's a much different time, but such vivid memories form the basis for suspicion of any media criticism of an African American public figure. And in this case, the media came off to many blacks (update: and whites) I talked to like it was trying to kick Tiger Woods while he was down, at least that's the expressed view of another friend of mine who will only go by the initials of "DG."

DG says the older white media basically could not stand that Tiger Woods had got away with being with a lot of white women and wanted to take him down. That's DG's view.

In fact, the only black guy I can think of who runs contrary to my point is Jason Whitlock, he of the Kansas City Star.

But J-Whit, as he's called, sometimes acts like he doesn't like blacks and seem to save his worst behavior for African Americans, like the family he famously insulted at the NBA All Star Game in Las Vegas.

To write that Tiger Woods is the bad guy and Phil Mickelson is the new hero is questionable at best, especially when Google Trends was dominated with searches related to unproven allegations of marital infidelity between Phil Mickelson and his cancer-stricken wife Amy, and just after his Masters win on Sunday and through Monday.

There are no saints here. Sorry.

The point is, it seems every older white guy in the media at The Masters was looking to beat up on the young black guy, Tiger Woods. And even one older white guy who wasn't in the media, Masters chairman Billy Payne, used the media platform The Maters provided to beat up on Tiger Woods. The end result was the media, especially the wing dominated by the older white men, came off as the real bad guy. That's the real, unvarnished truth.

Stay tuned.

Slavery and the U.S. Civil War (or War between the states)

Lest you fall for sanitized revisions of the history leading up to the U.S. Civil War, I suggest you read this brief article by Carl Cannon: Why Liberals Are Right to Refuse to Honor the Confederacy, at PoliticsDaily.com

Jefferson Davis, in a speech to the Confederate Congress in April 1861, extolled slavery as a benevolent invention that allowed a "superior race" to transform "brutal savages into docile, intelligent, and civilized agricultural laborers." Alexander H. Stephens, Jefferson Davis' vice president, proclaimed that Jefferson and the Founders' high-minded declarations of universal liberty were "in violation of the laws of nature." This was profoundly wrong, Stephens said.

There are those who stridently insist there were many important factors other than the abolition of slavery that led to the "War between the States." There certainly were other factors, but those who examine the record agree: Slavery was undeniably a central issue for those rallying southern citizens to secede and fight.

"Our new government is founded on exactly the opposite idea," thundered the vice president of the Confederacy. "Its foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests upon the great truth that the Negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and moral condition."

As Mr. Cannon notes, the Governor of Virginia certainly did go a long way to make public amends after the fact when he revised his proclamation in the face of the firestorm after he'd signaled his solidarity with white racists to include:

WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to understand that the institution of slavery led to this war and was an evil and inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights and all Virginians are thankful for its permanent eradication from our borders, and the study of this time period should reflect upon and learn from this painful part of our history...

Yet he'd already made it clear that racism is such a fundamental and acceptable part of his world-view that neither McDonnell nor his staff saw anything wrong with the first version of his "Confederate History Month" proclamation, which was tantamount to glossing over the brutal realities of slavery in exchange for the support of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Thomas Hayes is an entrepreneur, journalist, and political analyst who contributes regularly to a host of web sites on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community.

Playboy looking for "Girls of The Pac-10" at Cal Berkeley and Stanford

Do you look like Megan?

According to Richard "Big Vinny" Lieberman, Playboy is on the Cal-Berkeley campus today April 12th and Tuesday, April 13th looking for a Berkeley representative for their segment "Girls of The Pac-10." Aa the photo reads, Playboy wants Cal women to pose for the magazine.

As the Playboy webpage reads:

Playboy's college pictorials have been one of the magazine's most talked - about and popular features for the past 33 years. Thousands of coeds have auditioned over the years and many selected to appear in the magazine have gone on to become Playboy Playmates, models and actresses. Playboy's 2007 Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood and Miss June 2008 Juliette Fretté were first featured in the magazine’s October 2005 "Girls of the PAC-10" pictorial. That pictorial marks the last time that Playboy highlighted the "Girls of the PAC-10."

Playboy's not doing photo shoots, but conducting interviews to determine who they want to work with. Playboy has alread visited UCLA, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, and this week, Berkeley, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford on IRS Tax Day, Washington and then Washington State.

If you're reading this and want to sign up, click here: Playboy on campus.

If you're reading this and think no Berkeley woman would do this, consider that in 2009, Ellen Degeneres had some random-looking people ask Cal students to strip down to their bare nothings and in one case stand in the ASUC.

Stay tuned.

NFL Draft: 2010 Mock Draft notes and C.J. Spiller

As of this writing, two NFL Draft: 2010 Mock Draft's have been presented in this space, but there's some misunderstanding of their intent by some. The idea with the Mock Drafts thus far was to present the player who this blogger felt was the best choice for each team.

The overall philosophy here is pick for need unless the best athlete available comes to you. Then, it doesn't matter if the player's a center and you have an experienced center (in fact that may be a good thing), or if you will have a logjam at wide receiver, you have the most effective team of players.

In the NFL Draft the idea is to find new players who can help your team, not draft to protect existing players. Otherwise, the a team like the Washington Redskins would never get better at a position.  The San Francisco 49ers have a golden chance to land a player, C.J. Spiller, that will change their offense overnight.  Yes, the Niners have Frank Gore, but Gore can't do this:



C.J. Spiller is a prime example of "best athlete available." That's why the Redskins should take him at #4 and the San Francisco 49rs should trade up to get him. But can you imagine C.J. Spiller with the Indianapolis Colts? You could punch Indy's ticket to Dallas for the Super Bowl on the day of the NFL Draft.

Stay tuned.

CNN's overdosing on The Tea Party "movement"

For some reason, someone at CNN feels constantly mentioning the Tea Party Movement makes for good television. It seems every time this blogger tunes in to CNN, the words "tea party" are uttered many times per hour.

In fact, it's so much that it seems as if CNN's trying to fuel the growth of this so-called movement, when in point of fact it's barely larger than the PUMA group that was supposedly going to take town the presidential campaign of then-Senator Barack Obama.

Not only did that not happen, but the PUMAs were revealed to be only a shadow of their media-enhanced self. CNN was involved in that too at the time, much to the consternation of "Obama Rapid Response" team members, one of them named...Zennie Abraham.

This method of the media creating a political movement should be against the law. CNN and Fox News have spent a lot of time covering, and in Fox's case allegedly promoting, Tea Party events. But in CNN's case, the time spent on this takes away from other more important news. The keyword "tea party" seldom shows up in Google Trends, which means even with the one-two punch of CNN and Fox News, many Americans don't give a you-know-what about the Tea Party "Movement."

CNN should stop; then its ratings would jump.

Stay tuned.

@StephenFry hosts Academy's Noel Coward’s Weekend this Friday

Monday, April 12th - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has a special event featuring my Twitter friend, fellow Beverly Hills Polo Lounge fan, and iPad evangelist Stephen Fry this Friday at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. AMPAS reports:

Actor and writer Stephen Fry will host the first night of a special Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ weekend salute to playwright, composer, director and actor Noel Coward that will include a live theatrical presentation of two of Coward’s little seen short plays – Design for Rehearsing and Age Cannot Wither – followed by a screening of the 1932/33 Best Picture Oscar® winner “Cavalcade,” on Friday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The salute will continue through Saturday and Sunday with double-feature screenings at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. The events are presented as closing weekend festivities for the exhibition “Star Quality: The World of Noel Coward,” in the Academy’s Fourth Floor Gallery.

Friday, April 16, 7:30 p.m.
Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly Hills

“Star Quality: The World of Noel Coward,” will be open for viewing in the Academy’s Fourth Floor Gallery from 6–7:30 p.m. and immediately following the program.

Design for Rehearsing – live theatrical presentation by L.A. Theatre Works
This brings to life the rehearsal process Coward undertook with his friends Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt for the 1933 debut of Design for Living.

Age Cannot Wither – live theatrical presentation by L.A. Theatre Works
This is a fragment from Coward’s last, unfinished work, begun in 1967, about a reunion of three 60-ish school chums.

“Cavalcade” (1933)
Based on Coward’s 1931 London theatrical production, “Cavalcade” follows a wealthy family as they experience key historical events in the first three decades of the 20th century, including the Titanic tragedy and World War I.

Directed by Frank Lloyd. Produced by Winfield Sheehan. Screenplay by Reginald Berkeley, based on the play by Noel Coward. Print courtesy of the Academy Film Archive and Twentieth Century Fox. 110 minutes.

Academy Award® winner (1932/33): Outstanding Production (Fox), Art Direction (William S. Darling), Directing (Lloyd)

Academy Award nominee (1932/33): Actress (Diana Wynyard)

Stephen's a great ringmaster and thoughtful person. It's an event not to be missed! Also, catch him on Twitter @StephenFry.

Stay tuned.

The Masters: Phil Mickelson wins; Tiger Woods 4th place

The 2010 Masters is history: Phil Mickelson wins his third green jacket; Tiger Woods gets 4th place. But, regardless of who you were rooting for, and this blogger was cheering on Tiger Woods, it was a great golf game that had all of the drama of a Hollywood movie. First, Tom Watson, then Lee Westwood, then Phil Mickelson had the lead, and all were threatened by Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, K.J Choi, Anthony Kim, and Ian Poulter, before he faltered in the 2nd round.

But give it to Phil Mickelson, who at times shot a Mayo clinic level of golf, especially on Sunday at the 13th, when "Lefty" hit an amazing to-the-green shot from behind a set of trees that's to be seen, and you can see it here (the tree shot is at :23):



For his part Tiger Woods was fighting with several voices in his head: his, that of his new self, what others were saying, and what his friends were saying. Tiger Woods lost because he wasn't himself. It showed Sunday at the 15th hole when he missed a chance to go to 9-under-par by missing a (for him) routine short put, twice.

While the media, including this blogger paid perhaps too much attention to Tiger's emotional levels, it was only because Woods himself said he was going to be more in control of himself. Really, Tiger didn't need to do that. Woods set the expectation, but more to the point, it was an indication that he wasn't happy with himself and who he is.

Tiger Woods needs to rediscover himself and accept himself as he is; that will drive the voices out of his head and allow him to focus on playing consistent golf. At The Masters, Tiger Woods was either incredibly good or uncharacteristically bad.

Later, Woods said to an incredibly rude CBS correspondent that he was going to take some time off and reevaluate things, then he walked away. What Woods should do is keep playing golf and find himself on the course, where he started it all.

Stay tuned.

Children's Hospital Oakland video on same day surgery service

In the wake of the news about Children's Hospital Oakland's fiscal problems, this video from their YouTube channel explains their "same-day surgery and diagnostic imaging" done at their Children's Specialty Center Outpatient Surgery Center in Walnut Creek.



As the video explains, the facility is for "healthy kids" who need ear tubes and plastic surgery (no, not like Nip / Tuck).

As reported last week Children's Hospital is undergoing what could be called a fiscal makeover. In an email Children's Hospital CEO Bertram Lubin said:

We hope to restructure our medical center so that our losses this year are $15 million less that last year (which was $25 million) and that we can make a financial turnaround in three years.

Children's Hospital's problems grew from California and America's high unemployment rate, rising medical costs and less than adequate Medi-Cal reimbursement levels. Children's Hospital has lost $80 million over the past four years.

Polish President plane crash conspiracy talk heats up

One day after the tragic crash of the Russian airplane killing Polish President Lech Kaczynski and an estimated 132 people, all members of Poland's government and social elite, the conspiracy talk heats up.

And while some rest on the current basic explanation that the pilot just failed to follow air traffic controller instructions and not land the plane in the fog, the fact that the President of Poland and so many people so important to Poland were all killed in one act is hard to consider as due to just pilot error. There are a lot of questions, first, why use an "aging" plane?

But Damian Thompson of the Telegraph UK is right when he blogs:

And I can say with confidence that they are being cooked up, because Poland, like most East European countries, is obsessed with conspiracies. Russians, Jews, Americans, Freemasons – they will all be blamed. Some stories will be more credible than others.

He's right. The next event in this terrible story is what the flight "black boxes" will tell.

Stay tuned.

Tina Fey skewers Michelle "Bombshell" McGee and Tiki Barber

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Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xqjew-oFhos

Tina Fey was on fire on Saturday Night Live last night. And while the sketch with Justin Bieber is still the most talked about skit, and rightly so, Tina Fey's "SNL Weekend Update" segment was not far behind.

In it, Fey just skewers Sandra Bullock hubbie Jesse James' alleged mistress Michelle "Bombshell" McGee and Tiki Barber, who cheated on his wife Ginny Barber while she was pregnant with twins.

After calling Republican House Minority Leader John Buener "The biggest bitch in America", Tina Fey turned her acid tongue to "The Oscar Curse" where married actresses who win the Oscar then learn their husbands were cheating on them. "That's not an an Oscar curse," Fey said "that's a lady curse."

Then she attacked, and rightly so, NBC Today correspondent and former NY Giants Running Back Tiki Barber, saying "Ask Tiki Barber's wife if she has an Oscar. Oh, you thought you sneaked under the radar this week, didn't you Tiki? No. You left your wife when she was eight months pregnant with twins Women see that as leaving your wife when she is 16 months pregnant. We don't care for it".

Tina Fey says, and I agree, that there's no such thing as an Oscar Curse, the curse is women like Michelle "Bombshell" McGee, as Fey said "Walkin around." And here, Fey went into a rant that can only be called classic:

"I know you shouldn't judge people based on their appearance, but when your body looks like a dirt bang's binder from 7th grade metal shop, it doesn't bode well for your character. You know, there's a term for women like Bombshell McGee, they're called "Bombshell McGees". Seth, the world has always been full of whores.

For every Sandra Bullock there's a woman who got a tatoo on her forehead because she ran out of room on her labia. For every Elin Nordegren there's a Hooters waitress who spells Jamee with two Es and a star. You could be the women who cures cancer and up against some skank, walking giant, venny fake boobs with the nipple pointed in different directions like the headlights on an old Buick.

Wives, you're not the losers in these situations, you are the winners, because this (pointing to a photo of Michelle "Bombshell" McGee) has to be the loser. Bombshell McGee, ugh, I know you're into like Nazi stuff and white supremacy but if Hitler were alive today he even he would be like Poor Sandra Bullock, sie ist so ein netter womman.

Tina Fey just gave Saturday Night Live one of its best moments and lived up to SNL's tradition of edgy, socially relevant commentary delivered in a hilarious way.

Stay tuned.

Texas Stadium implosion video marks the end; what's next?

The Texas Stadium implosion video marks the end of Texas Stadium; what's next? The site is on 78-acres in Irving, Texas, and not far from the planned community called Las Colinas. When this blogger was a City Planning student at UTA, Las Colinas was brand new and at its center was a small "downtown" set of high-rise developments connected by a people mover system. Today, Las Colinas has expanded to include more residential developments. 78 acres of land, almost the size of the Magic Kingdom at Disneyland, is just about enough to build another new town with the right design.

There's a student contest that could offer a set of development plans for the future, if only the North Texas chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association takes what they do seriously. The "Texas Shoot-Out Real Estate Challenge" is a fifth annual contest where students from six Texas colleges come up with development concepts, and this year, the land that was Texas Stadium is the focus. But the Dallas Morning News reports that the plans will not "likely" be used, and the contest is just to give scholarship money to the students.

That's great, but don't waste the students time and energy by having them come up with an unrelistic plan. In this terrible economy, developers and economic development officials need to take on innovative approaches. Hopefully, the students come up with concepts that focus on manufacturing industry, like an auto plant, something missing from the Dallas / Ft. Worth economic scene.

Texas Stadium presents a great opportunity to do more than the normal offices and eateries combination. Let's hope the student work is taken seriously for a change.

Stay tuned.

Texas Stadium implosion end of beginning of Dallas Cowboys

Watching the video of the implosion of Texas Stadium is a hard thing for this blogger because it marks the end of the beginning of The Dallas Cowboys as America's Team, and the end of a period in American Culture where Dallas, Texas was new and all things seemed possible. The Texas Stadium implosion also sadly marked the end of one major tactile memory of my teenage and college years.

I was a huge Dallas Cowboys fan. Not the typical fan, though. I was attracted to the Dallas Cowboys because my Mom had befriended Oakland Raiders Defensive End Otis Sistrunk. Otis was a large and very nice man who announcers joked was from The University of Mars. Sistrunk came over for a visit in 1976; I was underwhelmed. At the time, football had no place in my life.

I saw football as a major part of an American cultural problem. When I was six, my late grandfather said I should play football; But I said all the blacks played; I wanted to coach. I thought it was weird that the all the players on TV were black but all the coaches were white. That was why I paid no attention to football; I was into science fiction and Star Trek.

But when I figured my Mom was going to be friends with this guy, Otis Sistrunk, who I'd never heard of, I'd better read something about the game. So I found and bought - well, had bought for me at the time - a big thick book called An Encyclopedic History of Pro Football.

The book had different sections and Otis was in it. But nothing interested me except a chapter at the back called "A Strategic History of Pro Football". This part of the book had diagrams of plays that were ran through the history of the game. And it had a special area on Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Tom Landry.

The segment explained that Landry used multiple offense and "pre-shifting" and brought "engineering concepts of feedback and control theory" to the development of The Flex Defense. As one who was interested in engineering, I found a reason to be interested in football and a fan of The Dallas Cowboys.

I subscribed to The Dallas Cowboys Weekly, and yes kept my issues for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader centerfolds. But my dream was to visit Texas Stadium. On August 21st, 1979, I got my wish.

My Mom took me to Dallas and Texas Stadium as a one-day birthday gift. It was The Dallas Cowboys v. The Pittsburgh Steelers in a preseason rematch of their epic Super BowlXIII. What struck me at the time was how simple Texas Stadium was. The corridors were wide, but all concrete. I guessed the luxury I expected to see was reserved for the famous luxury boxes. I read that Dallas Cowboys Marketing Director Tex Schramm sold them to pay a private bond issue to build the stadium. In fact, that was how I learned what bond issues were.

After the game, I was hooked on the Cowboys and their defensive strategy. That led to a letter I wrote to then Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator and NFL Hall of Famer Ernie Stautner. In the letter, I asked what "keys" Bob Breunig, then the Cowboys middle linebacker, looked for while running the "Flex Defense."  To my surprise, the letter he wrote back invited me to the Dallas Cowboys offices! So in July of 1980, I went back to Dallas.

I was allowed to see six reals of film: Dallas Defense v. The I Formation One, Dallas Defense v. The I Formation Two, Flex Strong: Quality Control, Flex Weak Quality Control, Flex Strong, and Flex Weak. What I noticed was that because the defensive lineman in the Flex started over the offensive player, then moved to a gap, an offensive lineman could actually block a defender before that person moved to their gap position.

That happened to Dallas Cowboys Defensive Tackle Randy White, who was head up on New England Patriots Guard John Hannah. The Patriots were in what the Cowboys called at that time "Brown Right" formation. In that, the tight end was on the right, the fullback behind the quarterback and the halfback behind the weakside offensive tackle. The fullback at the time was Sam "Bam" Cunningham. The Cowboys were in "Flex Strong", which is why White was head up on Hannah; White's assignment was the gap between Hannah and the Pats center. He never got there.

John Hannah blocked Randy White so hard and fast that the gap opened because the other defenders were flowing to their positions but not White, and Cunningham flew through the truck-sized hole and raced 56 yards for a touchdown.

When Ernie Stautner came in to check on me, I asked him about that, and he gave me a chalk talk on where White should have been. But with all of that, my love for The Cowboys and for Dallas and Texas Stadium was cemented. I found The University of Texas at Arlington because I wanted to study city planning in Dallas.

Dallas, Texas was growing at the time and basking in the glow provided by the success of the Cowboys and the TV show Dallas. I lived in Oakland; Dallas was everything the Bay Area was not: hot weather, steel and glass buildings, cranes all over and new. Everything seemed shiny new.

Of course, then I went to college and while I enjoyed my four years at UTA and the friends I met and still have today, I felt that Dallas and "The Metroplex" was 15 years behind the Bay Area socially, so I worked to come back. I was accepted at at graduate school and The City Planning Program at Cal Berkeley in 1985.  But before I left, I got a chance to go to a number of games at Texas Stadium.

The one I will remember isn't a Dallas Cowboys game; it's an SMU game.  SMU played Texas-Arlington at Texas Stadium and SMU, which had Eric Dickerson and Craig James, ran all over us.

They called Craig and Eric, "Dicker-James" and I think it was KRLD's radio announcer Brad Sham who came up with the name.  What I remember was my friend at UTA Shelly Gruwell saying "Look at them go" in that Texanese drawl of hers, over and over again.

My love for the Dallas Cowboys never diminished until a man named Bill Walsh came along with an innovative passing game - that's another story for another time. But part of that reason too was how new Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones handled the late Coach Tom Landry; by announcing on radio that he fired him. That was how Landry learned of his ouster.

Gil Brandt was the Cowboys Director of Player Personnel and the architect of the great Cowboys teams as well as the pioneer of using computers in the player scouting process. Gil was locked out of the Cowboys Headquarters.

It took me a long time to get over that. I've since met Jerry Jones and really admire him as a business man. But the "Landry issue" will always stick with me. Texas Stadium was a symbol of that. But also of a certain hubris and free-spending era, too.

In defense of Jerry Jones, Jones discovered a lot of fiscal overspending by the Cowboys management when he took over the organization. Jones cut the fat and caused the Cowboys to turn a profit.

One can say the new Cowboys Stadium is Jerry Jones way of saying "The Cowboys were OK then, but this is what they should be. An example for the sports World."

I'll miss Texas Stadium. May it rest in peace.

NFL Draft: 2010 Mock Draft - Redskins and 49ers trade picks

> nfl draft, nfl mock draft, nfl mock draft, nfl draft 2009, nfl draft 2010, nfl draft mel kiper, 2009 nfl draft prospects, nfl draft order, nfl draft date, redskins and 49ers trade picks

This NFL Draft: 2010 Mock Draft, the second Mock Draft in as many days by Zennie62.com, has the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers trading 1st round draft picks. The idea here is that with Donovan McNabb and Jason Campbell, the Redskins have depth at quarterback and feel they can trade down and stockpile players. The 49ers, with two picks in the 1st round, want to trade up and get a difference maker like C.J. Spiller, the running back from Clemson.

This is rooted in the fact that the Niners saw first hand the difference a speed running back can make when Chris Johnson of The Tennessee Titans ran for 135 yards on 25 carries against them. At times, Johnson made the Niners defense look like it was in slow motion. While there's an argument that the Niners don't need running backs, they also don't have one with C.J. Spiller's blazing speed and don't want to worry about Frank Gore's durability over the season. Seeing how this position switch impacts the NFL Draft is a "teachable moment."

What we learn is that even though what player available impacts what a team does, on many occasions the basic need of the team points them to the same player as in the normal order, or another player at the same position.  That's especially true for the New England Patriots, who really need defensive line help.

The other developments noted in the first Mock Draft remain:

- The St. Louis Rams taking Ndamukong Suh, the Nebraska defensive tackle, and not Oklahoma Quarterback Sam Bradford. Really, taking Suh means you can pencil him in as a certain starter, where Bradford is not a player the Rams need and one they would have to develop.

- The Oakland Raiders picking a wide receiver, Florida's Dez Byrant, to make up for, push, and complement Darrius Haywood-Bey, who can only get better in 2010. Bryant would give the Raiders a passing attack that on paper can be one of the best, but the Raiders coaches have to make that a reality.

- Seattle's Pete Carroll takes one of his former USC players, Taylor Mays, to become the enforcer in the defensive secondary the Seahawks need.

Other developments still have Cal's Jahvid Best going to the San Diego Chargers, which seems to be a scenario that could play out as Best could fall to The Chargers at number 27. Again, Best is better and faster than Fresno State's Ryan Matthews. But Matthews is ranked higher by some draft services, and Best is ranked higher by other draft services.

The order is in pick number, team, player, and reason.

1. St. Louis - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska: The Rams ranked near the bottom in total defense in 2009, giving up an average of 30 points-per-game. Ndamukong Suh is a gamer and would complement DE Chris Long. Plus, he comes cheaper than a QB and as in 2006 would set the tone for the lower NFL Draft salary structure.

2. Detroit - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma: This is a clear need pick as Detroit had the worst defense in the NFL and drafted a QB in Matt Stafford. McCoy can be the player that improves their defense overnight.

3. Tampa Bay - Eric Barry, S, Tennessee: A case could be made for the offensive tackles, but passing Eric Barry just seems stupid. Plus, Tampa Bay's offensive problems are borne of a bad scheme more than player issues.

4. San Francisco from Washington - C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson: The 49ers could make great use of this super-fast back to both complement and spell Frank Gore. Spiller, who runs a 4.27 40-yard-dash, is also much like Chris Johnson, the Tennessee Titans running back who scorched the Niners last year.

5. Kansas City - Joe Haden, CB, Florida: The Chiefs had one of the NFL's worst defenses and gave up 231.7 passing yards a game, and were not respectable against the. Haden is the pass defender the Chiefs need who can offer run support as well.

6. Seattle - Taylor Mays, S, USC: Pete Carroll's first pick of his first year back in the NFL. Carroll knows Mays and Taylor's wild combination of size and speed will give the Seahawks an enforcer in the secondary and stop teams from racking up 245 yard per game in the air.

7. Cleveland - Sam Bradford, QB, Qklahoma: Bradford would be perfect to sit behind Jake Delhomme and learn for about two years, before he's ready. The Cleveland Browns have entirely rebuilt their team already and the need in the draft is for defensive playmakers that can stop the run. But the DTs are gone and Bradford's too good to let drop down past the Browns.

8. Oakland - Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State: A make-up for Darrius Hayward-Bey? Yes. The Oakland Raiders do not have a deep-threat receiver who will consistently separate and catch the ball. Bryant may not have had a great pro-day, but get him on the field and he will do fine, perhaps on the order of Jerry Rice.

9. Buffalo - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State: The Bills problems were scheme-based, not player-based. Oklahoma State's Okung will solidify the left side and remain their for 7 years.

10. Jacksonville - Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech: The Jacksonville Jaquars gave up 235.9 passing yards a game. Morgan would provide the speed pass-rush not unlike Dwight Freeney of the Indianapolis Colts.

11. Denver from Chicago - Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa: The Denver Broncos are in need of larger, better pass blockers and Bulaga is the perfect choice.

12. Miami - Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland: While some would argue for a linebacker here, the Dolphins also need an offensive lineman, and Campbell is ranked higher than Sergio Kindle.

14. Washington from San Francisco - Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma: Having traded down, the Redskins can add a playmaking tight end to add depth and speed to their passing game. Gresham's the perfect choice at this spot.

15. Seattle from Denver - Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers: One of the Seahawks' needs is at Offensive Tackle where Walter Jones has been a star. Davis is said to have "character issues" but there's no one better than Seahawks' Head Coach Pete Carroll to work with him.

16. New York Giants - Earl Thomas, S, Texas: Called "young" but all of the players in the NFL Draft are. Thomas is a playmaker for a NY Giants team that needs a new safety who can play nickle-back. That's Thomas.

17. Tennessee - Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State: The Titans have openly stated they seek a cover cornerback and Kyle Wilson fits here.

18. Washington from San Francisco - Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida: When a center is ranked as high as Maurkice Pouncey appears, you don't pass on him because that's a rare event. Redskins GM Bruce Allen would agree. He's a player that would make a good line great over time. The point is, even with the Redskins picking here, the choice is Pouncey.

19. Pittsburgh - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame: Aside from the character events, Ben Rothlisberger is not getting younger and won his Super Bowl ring. Clausen can be Pittsburgh's quarterback of the future and push Ben to play at an even higher level.

20. Atlanta - Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri: The Falcons have a number of defensive needs, but linebacker and defensive end are prominent. But Sean's an athlete and a team leader and a playmaker. The nasty streak some say he needs will come when he gets angry for being blocked in the NFL.

21. Houston - Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State: The Texans have tried to secure a deal with Cornerback Dunta Robinson, who's now with the Atlanta Falcons. That opens a need that Robinson can fill.

22. Cincinnati - Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida: The Redskins shift with the Niners allows the Bengals to shift to defense, and take Carlos Dunlap off the board. He gives the Bengals more needed defensive edge speed.

23. New England - Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee: Defensive line is the concern of the New England Patriots and Williams can help stop the run, but is an effective pass rusher. Again, the Redskins shift with the Niners brings Williams up one spot.

24. Green Bay - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida: The Green Bay Packers could move the ball, but they could not stop other teams from starting what turns out to be a track meet. Jason Pierre-Paul of South Florida: is a run stopper the Packers need for their defensive line. In other words, the same words for Dan Williams apply to Jason Pierre-Paul. Both fill the Packers needs.

25. Philadelphia - Charles Brown, OT, USC: The Eagles need a potential offensive tackle starter for new starting QB Kevin Kolb; USC's Charles Brown, one of the best tackles available and best NFL Draft players, can provide that and challenge for a starting role.

26. Baltimore - Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho: while the Ravens need a playmaking linebacker, a player as good as Mike Iupati must be taken if he falls to Baltimore, who's run-oriented offense can be helped by this physical blocker.

27. Arizona - Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech: Some would say the need is for offensive line, but Demaryius Thomas will help Arizona fill the void left by the loss of Anquan Boldin. Yes, they did well in the passing game in 2009, but Thomas falls here; Arizona should take the talented pass catcher.

28. Dallas - Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State: The Cowboys have are great at the edge of the defense, but a run-stopping defensive tackle and more line depth are needed. Penn State's Jared Odrick is perfect.

29. San Diego - Jahvid Best, RB, California: With the loss of LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles, the running back position takes priority. Jahvid Best is the speedster the Chargers have not seen, even with Sproles, who's more quick than fast. Best, being a Cal Football player, would also sell tickets in San Diego.

30. New York Jets - Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame: The perfect complement to the veteran playmaker Braylon Edwards, Tate can come in, work with Jets QB Matt Sanchez, and form a threatening passing attack.

31. Minnesota - Morgan Burnett, S, Georgia Tech: The Vikings lack a playmaker in the secondary to complement their great defensive front seven. Burnett would help address problems at safety that were exposed in the 2009 Arizona 30-17 loss.

32. Indianapolis - Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers: The Colts really need an enforcer in the secondary but even more a shut-down cornerback. Devin McCourty led Rutgers in pass breakups, and may be good enough to land a starting job with the Colts.

33. New Orleans - Chris Cook, CB, Virginia: When New Orleans lost games, or came close to being beaten, their defensive secondary was the problem. Like Indianapolis, New Orleans lacks a shut-down cornerback and ranked 22nd against the pass in 2010. Cook could play close to that level, and perhaps evolve into one.

That's how the NFL Draft 1st round would look with a Redskins and Niners 1st round trade. Stay tuned for more scenarios.

Dixie Carter dies - star of "Designing Women"

Dixie Carter, best known as the star of Designing Women and for an Emmy-nominated guest starring role on Desperate Housewives, died Saturday morning. She was just 70 years old.

Dixie Carter played an outspoken liberal Democrat named Julia Sugar-Baker and was one of four women and one man at an Atlanta-based interior design firm. Dixie Carter was married to the legendary actor Hal Holbrood (Wall Street) since 1984.

Here's the Associated Press video:



Hal Holbrood issued this statement according to Entertainment Tonight:

"This has been a terrible blow to our family. We would appreciate everyone understanding that this is a private family tragedy."

Tina Fey and Justin Bieber rock "Saturday Night Live"

> tina fey and justin bieber, justin bieber snl, tina fey snl, tina fey saturday night live, justin bieber saturday night live

Tina Fey of NBC's 30 Rock and Parks and Rec and "Twitter Top Tag King" teen pop star Justin Bieber rock "Saturday Night Live" tonight, with a classic work of SNL comedy where Tina Fey plays a teacher who fantasizes about a student played by Justin Bieber during class.

The skit is punctuated by dream sequences where Justin Bieber sings a romantic rap to Fey. Then Fey comes out of her dream to realize she's talking to herself before her class.

The NBC skit video's not up yet; here's the promo:



Tina Fey and Justin Bieber on "Saturday Night Live". Great television.

Stay tuned.

Jim Kelly on Enter The Dragon, Bruce Lee, discrimination - WonderCon SF

Jim Kelly is an American and Worldwide Martial Arts Star, who gained fame starring as "Williams" in Enter The Dragon with the legendary Bruce Lee. Enter The Dragon was the first American produced martial arts film. Released August 19th, 1973, Enter The Dragon quickly raised Bruce Lee to the level of cult figure. In 2004, Enter The Dragon was judged to be culturally significant, and selected for preservation in The National Film Registry.

Since Enter The Dragon, Jim Kelly himself has become an American icon. He's known for a number of "Blaxploitation" movies including Melinda and Black Belt Jones.

Jim Kelly, at WonderCon SF to meet fans, stopped to talk about what he remembered about Bruce Lee and how society has changed for African Americans and Chinese Americans. Kelly says he met Lee while making the film, but "I was looking for him before that. In 1970, I was looking to train with him, so I went down to Chinatown and I couldn't find his school. But on the set, between shoots, we trained a lot together."

Kelly says that the cast of Enter The Dragon didn't know they were making a cult film; they were just looking to make a "very good film."

What Kelly remembers about Bruce Lee is they both "had similar struggles" being people of color in America. Race relations in the United States have changed so much from the 70s that a whole generation has grown up without an intimate knowledge of the culture then. Kelly says that Bruce Lee had "caught hell" in Hollywood because he was Chinese. "They didn't want him in Hollywood," Kelly said.

Kelly asserts that Kung Fu, the TV show that starred the late David Carradine, was "made for Bruce Lee." That claim is backed by Bruce Lee's widow Linda Lee Cadwell, who in her book Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew said Bruce Lee created the concept in 1971 for the series which was then stolen by Warner Bros.

Kelly says the writer of the series Kung Fu took the script to Bruce Lee and Lee wanted to do it. The writer, Kelly explains, went to the major studios, who loved the project and "Hey, everything's good. We just can't have a Chinese guy that starred in an American (film). So we gotta get a white guy and make him look half-Chinese. But we don't want Bruce because he's Chinese."

This part of our discussion was the source of some controversy on YouTube because of the generational lack of education on what is called institutional racism in America, especially during the 1970s and 1980s. The lack of desire to hear a discussion of a racial issue is complicated by the fact that the Warner Bros-studio-related explanations of why Bruce Lee was not selected for Kung Fu are watered down to remove any obvious concern about Bruce Lee as a Chinese American. Thus, we have two views: the Asian and progressive view and the white studio explanation.

Jim Kelly said Bruce Lee went to Hong Kong to get a "break" in the movies.

When asked if society had improved racially since Enter The Dragon, he says things have improved but not near where they should be "Not even close." But he thinks President Obama is the sign of a new period in the World where it has a new image of black men. In fact, Kelly's vote for Obama for President was the first one he ever cast in his life.

Jim Kelly closed our talk by explaining some people though he was dead. Obviously that's not the case. In fact, in 2006 Kelly starred with LeBron James in a Nike Commercial that was ultimately considered "blasphemous" and banned in China called Chamber of Fear. Here it is:



Yes, Jim Kelly's still with us and meeting his fans at conventions around the country. Hopefully, Quentin Tarrentino will find a way to get Jim Kelly into one of his movies.

Stay tuned.

Polish President plane crash kills 132 people - foul play?

> plane crash polish president lech kaczynski, polish president plane crash russia, crash plane carrying polish president,polish president plane crash dignitaries, polish president plane crash delegation, polish plane crash, polish prime minister plane crash


In what has been called "the worst tragedy in Poland’s post-war history", the World cries and prays for Poland after the stunning report of the crash of what has been described as an "aging" Polish Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 jet aircraft in Smolensk, Russia, killing Poland's 60-year-old President Lech Kaczynski and 132 others (the Huffington Post entry reporting 96 is inaccurate), including dignitaries of the Polish establishment.

Ironically, the Times Online UK reports the trip was to "commemorate the Soviet massacre of Polish officers in the Katyn forest seven decades ago."

The video below talks about President Kaczynski, his style, and his legacy:



The commentator said that "Poland took a political hit" because so many high officials were killed. According to the video description, the Governor of Smolensk said that there were no survivors and "the aircraft clipped the tops of the trees, crashed down and broke into pieces."

The airplane was approaching Smolensk-North airport in Russia.

President Kaczynsky

Lech Aleksander Kaczyński, President of the Republic of Poland, was born on June 18, 1949. The President was an ally of the United States; President Obama said "Today's loss is devastating to Poland, to the United States, and to the world."

The reason for the crash, according to The Times Online UK, is that the pilot of the plane ignored warnings not to land in thick fog. The airplane's crew is described as "very experienced."

At this point, the "black boxes" that record critical flight data were just recovered from the crash and have not been analyzed.

President Lech Kaczynski did not have a great relationship with Russia.  Reportedly President  Kaczynski was attending the controversial event against the unofficial wishes of the Kremlin.

Stay tuned.

The Masters: Tiger Woods gets emotional on Saturday

After stating that he was working to be more centered and avoid highs and lows on the golf course, Tiger Woods showed more than a little emotion at The Maters today, Saturday. Woods had three bogeys in four hole by the 8th hole and as of this writing is facing an important put.

At the 6th hole, Woods showed more than a little emotion after a drive he didn't quite like. The CBS Sports camera and mic picked up Tiger Woods saying "Come on. Damnit! Tiger!" The CBS announcers noted that his step was quicker and he was more impatient because he was upset with his play on Satuday, after really playing well on Thursday and Friday.

It proves that Tiger Woods is only human. But it also says that perhaps Woods is battling with trying to overcompensate for the person he was, when he slept with the 14 mistresses, or whatever the count is now.

Tiger Woods now has his put at the 8th hole. And he made it. He's made birdie to stop the scoring slide and now sits at 6 under par. Tiger Woods has a long way to go, as he's said before. Lee Westwood's the leader at 10 under par right now.

Stay tuned.

NFL Draft: Zennie62 2010 Mock Draft Number One

> nfl draft, nfl mock draft, nfl mock draft, nfl draft 2009, nfl draft 2010, nfl draft mel kiper, 2009 nfl draft prospects, nfl draft order, nfl draft date

The 75th NFL Player Selection Meeting, or The NFL Draft, is April 22nd - April 24th in New York City, and for the first time in history is on a weekday night, Thursday. As of this writing, the St.Louis Rams have the first pick, followed by The Detroit Lions.

This new spotlight places a premium on NFL Teams getting the right player, especially with economic and labor concerns. This is a season without a salary cap, so this blogger thinks the NFL will be wary of picking players that will command a high dollar value and be more likely to hold out of camp. With that, here's Zennie62.com's chance to play Mel Kiper with the first NFL Mock Draft of who each team should pick by need, the next Mock Draft will be what each team may do. For more information, visit Zennie62.com's NFL Business Blog by Bill Chackhes.

In this Mock Draft some highlights are:

- The St. Louis Rams taking Ndamukong Suh, the Nebraska defensive tackle, and not Oklahoma Quarterback Sam Bradford. Really, taking Suh means you can pencil him in as a certain starter, where Bradford is not a player the Rams need and one they would have to develop.

- The Oakland Raiders picking a wide receiver, Florida's Dez Byrant, to make up for, push, and complement Darrius Haywood-Bey, who can only get better in 2010. Bryant would give the Raiders a passing attack that on paper can be one of the best, but the Raiders coaches have to make that a reality.

- The San Francisco 49ers draw a linebacker to complement Patrick Willis and a center that's so good he's ranked as a first rounder; you don't pass on them.

- Seattle's Pete Carroll takes one of his former USC players, Taylor Mays, to become the enforcer in the defensive secondary the Seahawks need.

Other developments have Cal's Jahvid Best going to the San Diego Chargers, which seems to be a scenario that could play out as Best could fall to The Chargers at number 27. Best is better and faster than Fresno State's Ryan Matthews. But Matthews is ranked higher by some draft services, and Best is ranked higher by other draft services.

The order is in pick number, team, player, and reason.

1. St. Louis - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska: The Rams ranked near the bottom in total defense in 2009, giving up an average of 30 points-per-game. Ndamukong Suh is a gamer and would complement DE Chris Long. Plus, he comes cheaper than a QB and as in 2006 would set the tone for the lower NFL Draft salary structure.

2. Detroit - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma: This is a clear need pick as Detroit had the worst defense in the NFL and drafted a QB in Matt Stafford. McCoy can be the player that improves their defense overnight.

3. Tampa Bay - Eric Barry, S, Tennessee: A case could be made for the offensive tackles, but passing Eric Barry just seems stupid. Plus, Tampa Bay's offensive problems are borne of a bad scheme more than player issues.

4. Washington - C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson: The Redskins are taking a look at quarterbacks, but selecting one when they have Jason Campbell, who just needs good coaching, is stupid. The Redskins are getting old at the other skill positions and need a fast, game-changer. Spiller, who runs a 4.27 40-yard-dash, can be that, and spell the aging Clinton Portis.

5. Kansas City - Joe Haden, CB, Florida: The Chiefs had one of the NFL's worst defenses and gave up 231.7 passing yards a game, and were not respectable against the. Haden is the pass defender the Chiefs need who can offer run support as well.

6. Seattle - Taylor Mays, S, USC: Pete Carroll's first pick of his first year back in the NFL. Carroll knows Mays and Taylor's wild combination of size and speed will give the Seahawks an enforcer in the secondary and stop teams from racking up 245 yard per game in the air.

7. Cleveland - Sam Bradford, QB, Qklahoma: Bradford would be perfect to sit behind Jake Delhomme and learn for about two years, before he's ready. The Cleveland Browns have entirely rebuilt their team already and the need in the draft is for defensive playmakers that can stop the run. But the DTs are gone and Bradford's too good to let drop down past the Browns.

8. Oakland - Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State: A make-up for Darrius Hayward-Bey? Yes. The Oakland Raiders do not have a deep-threat receiver who will consistently separate and catch the ball. Bryant may not have had a great pro-day, but get him on the field and he will do fine, perhaps on the order of Jerry Rice.

9. Buffalo - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State: The Bills problems were scheme-based, not player-based. Oklahoma State's Okung will solidify the left side and remain their for 7 years.

10. Jacksonville - Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech: The Jacksonville Jaquars gave up 235.9 passing yards a game. Morgan would provide the speed pass-rush not unlike Dwight Freeney of the Indianapolis Colts.

11. Denver from Chicago - Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa: The Denver Broncos are in need of larger, better pass blockers and Bulaga is the perfect choice.

12. Miami - Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland: While some would argue for a linebacker here, the Dolphins also need an offensive lineman, and Campbell is ranked higher than Sergio Kindle.

14. San Francisco - Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas: The 49ers 3-4 needs this kind of active linebacker to complement Patrick Willis.

15. Seattle from Denver - Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers: One of the Seahawks' needs is at Offensive Tackle where Walter Jones has been a star. Davis is said to have "character issues" but there's no one better than Seahawks' Head Coach Pete Carroll to work with him.

16. New York Giants - Earl Thomas, S, Texas: Called "young" but all of the players in the NFL Draft are. Thomas is a playmaker for a NY Giants team that needs a new safety who can play nickle-back. That's Thomas.

17. Tennessee - Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State: The Titans have openly stated they seek a cover cornerback and Kyle Wilson fits here.

18. San Francisco from Carolina - Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida: When a center is ranked as high as Maurkice Pouncey appears, you don't pass on him because that's a rare event. He's a player that would make a good line great over time.

19. Pittsburgh - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame: Aside from the character events, Ben Rothlisberger is not getting younger and won his Super Bowl ring. Clausen can be Pittsburgh's quarterback of the future and push Ben to play at an even higher level.

20. Atlanta - Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri: The Falcons have a number of defensive needs, but linebacker and defensive end are prominent. But Sean's an athlete and a team leader and a playmaker. The nasty streak some say he needs will come when he gets angry for being blocked in the NFL.

21. Houston - Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State: The Texans have tried to secure a deal with Cornerback Dunta Robinson, who's now with the Atlanta Falcons. That opens a need that Robinson can fill.

22. Cincinnati - Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma: The Bengals have a glaring need for a pass-catching, big and fast tight end and Jermaine Gresham is the best one on the board.

23. New England - Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida: One major problem with the New England Patriots in 2009 was their inability to effectively rush the passer from three-rush sets. Dunlap is a great player who can really help New England.

24. Green Bay - Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee: The Green Bay Packers could move the ball, but they could not stop other teams from starting what turns out to be a track meet. Tennessee's Williams is a run stopper the Packers need for their defensive line.

25. Philadelphia - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida: The Eagles have drafted enough speedy players for their offense; the problem was always on defense, and they've lost playmakers. Jason Pierre-Paul is the elite defensive lineman that can help.

26. Baltimore - Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho: while the Ravens need a playmaking linebacker, a player as good as Mike Iupati must be taken if he falls to Baltimore, who's run-oriented offense can be helped by this physical blocker.

27. Arizona - Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech: Some would say the need is for offensive line, but Demaryius Thomas will help Arizona fill the void left by the loss of Anquan Boldin. Yes, they did well in the passing game in 2009, but Thomas falls here; Arizona should take the talented pass catcher.

28. Dallas - Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State: The Cowboys have are great at the edge of the defense, but a run-stopping defensive tackle and more line depth are needed. Penn State's Jared Odrick is perfect.

29. San Diego - Jahvid Best, RB, California: With the loss of LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles, the running back position takes priority. Jahvid Best is the speedster the Chargers have not seen, even with Sproles, who's more quick than fast. Best, being a Cal Football player, would also sell tickets in San Diego.

30. New York Jets - Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame: The perfect complement to the veteran playmaker Braylon Edwards, Tate can come in, work with Jets QB Matt Sanchez, and form a threatening passing attack.

31. Minnesota - Charles Brown, OT, USC: The Vikings one need is depth at the offensive line and Charles Brown, one of the best tackles available and best NFL Draft players, can provide that and challenge for a starting role.

32. Indianapolis - Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers: The Colts really need an enforcer in the secondary but even more a shut-down cornerback. Devin McCourty led Rutgers in pass breakups, and may be good enough to land a starting job with the Colts.

33. New Orleans - Chris Cook, CB, Virginia: When New Orleans lost games, or came close to being beaten, their defensive secondary was the problem. Like Indianapolis, New Orleans lacks a shut-down cornerback and ranked 22nd against the pass in 2010. Cook could play close to that level, and perhaps evolve into one.

Again, the next Zennie62.com Mock Draft will focus on what teams will do, versus need.

Stay tuned.

Codependency: Why do people stay in unhealthy relationships?

Have you ever wondered in frustration why someone you respect or admire decided to “stay” with a spouse or partner who has committed repeated acts of betrayal? Or do you tend to always end up dating people who come from alcoholic or dysfunctional families? Or maybe you know someone whose job consumes all of their time and energy, leaving essentially no time for self-care or meaningful relationships. This article aims to explain why some of us struggle to separate from unhealthy people or work settings that consume our energy at the expense of our own mental and physical well-being.

Codependency became a widely used term in the 1970’s to describe family dynamics when one person is an alcoholic. Since then, mental health professionals have come to describe codependency as a learned behavior that often originates during childhood in dysfunctional families. Common causes of family dysfunction are chronic parental conflict or divorce, alcoholism or addiction of any kind, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, or chronic illness. Children raised in an environment where their needs and feelings are frequently overlooked are at risk for developing a codependent style of interacting. As adults, they tend to seek out relationships or work environments that demand codependent behaviors, because they feel familiar and comfortable, in spite of the pain or hardship they bring.

Common characteristics of codependency

A need to control others. Codependents attempt to exercise authority over people around them through unsolicited advice, in an effort quell fears of unpredictability. They tend to use gifts, favors, doting behaviors and sex to manipulate others into cooperation. They can appear to have a superior attitude, but very often have low self-esteem as a result of poorly developed self-worth in childhood.

A need to "fix" people or things around them. Codependents need to feel needed. They have a hard time knowing the difference between normal caring behavior and codependent care-taking. They tend to believe others are incapable of caring for themselves, and are typically attracted to people whom many would deem hopelessly riddled with problems. They believe (unrealistically) in their power to change others. When people around them start to ‘get better’ codependents may sabotage others’ progress, so as to continue being needed. Other types of codependents take on unrelenting work loads, believing themselves to be the only one capable of doing a job, while others in similar positions find it acceptable to do less. They are compulsive care-givers and workaholics, often neglecting their own physical and mental health.

Codependents have difficulty expressing feelings. Codependents often struggle to identify their feelings, and attempt to minimize, deny or alter their true feelings once they are known. They tend to avoid confrontation, and remain loyal to their own detriment out of fear of abandonment or loss of a job that has essentially taken over their life. They often repress a great deal of anger, and as a result, tend to behave in passive-aggressive ways, making statements such as "After all I've done for you, this is the thanks I get” or “where would you (or 'this company') be without me?”

Outside opinions determine their self-worth. Codependents rely heavily on the opinions of others to determine their value, because they lack a sense of their own positive self-worth. They often accept purely sexual relationships when they really seek love. Only when they believe people are attracted to them/like them, or they earn coveted praise or work accolades do they feel any sense of worth. They have an extreme need for recognition and approval and are often devastated when their efforts go unrecognized.


Codependency Test

1. Do you feel offended, rejected or angry when another person does not want your help?
2. Do you constantly over commit yourself to another, committees or your work?
3. Do you have a hard time understanding or expressing your true feelings?
4. Do you feel worthless unless you are ‘productive’?
5. Do you find it difficult or uncomfortable to spend time by yourself?
6. Do you work long hours at your job, without receiving additional compensation or recognition for your effort?
7. Do you find yourself constantly trying please others?
8. Do you worry more about your loved ones’ activities than yours own?
9. Do you go to work early and stay late, because the boss "needs you"?
10. Do you blame others for your anger and/or lack of control?
11. Do you find yourself repeating one bad relationship after another?
12. Do you sometimes deny or hide the fact that your family may have been abusive and/or dysfunctional?
13. In the last year, has anyone resorted to arguing with you, or begging to get you to stop trying to help them?
14. When you survey your relationships, do you find yourself surrounded by mostly people who need you?
15. Do you ever find yourself making excuses for needy or abusive people in your life?

If you answered YES to 4 or more of the questions above, you may have a problem with codependency. Treatment options, including individual and/or group therapy, may help you begin to make healthy changes.

Respectfully submitted by Dr. Christina Villarreal, Clinical Psychologist is Oakland, CA



Reference:
www.CoDA.org[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoNXsne8exg&feature=player_embedded] (Co-Dependents Anonymous, Inc., a.k.a. CoDA). CoDA is a fellowship of men and women whose common purpose is to develop healthy relationships and is not affiliated with any other 12 step program.

SF Giants v. Atlanta Braves Opening Day and Zennie's day off

The SF Giants take on The Atlanta Braves at 1:35 today, and this blogger's off to AT&T Park for the game and fun, and to watch The Masters, too.

That means a day off and away from the computer. Well, ok, I will have my G-1 Phone and camcorder. Watch my tweets at @Zennie62 on Twitter.

Go Giants! Go Oakland A's. And that's Oakland A's, not San Jose or Fremont, or any other weird name for a baseball team.

Oakland A's, baby. Get used to it. Regardless of what an MLB "blue-ribbon" committee says, the A's are an Oakland story.

Have a great day.

Tiger Woods at The Masters: 68 best start; at 4 under par today

Also: tiger woods masters, tiger woods nike ad, tiger woods golf, woods at maters, woods in augusta

Lost in all of the media coverage of Tiger Woods return and the Tiger Woods Nike Ad controversy, is the fact that in his first day of play for all the marbles, Tiger Woods shot a 68, his best start in his career. Now, as this is written, Tiger Woods is at 4 under par with nine holes completed. Fred Couples is holding a two-shot lead at 6 under par.

What this shows is Tiger Woods retrained way of playing the game of Golf is working when it counts: at The Masters. He's centered himself and now that the highs and lows are gone, Tiger Woods plays like he's seen it all; he can concentrate more on his technique.

No word of airplanes with funny banners today. At least not yet.

Stay tuned.

2010 Camaro gets Barris makeover for Saturday event with Jay Leno

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, the new version of the classic American muscle car from GM and Chevy, gets George Barris makeover for a Saturday event. On April 10th, Community Chevrolet, located at 200 West Olive Avenue in Burbank, California has the first, the # 1 Barris Kustom 2010 Chevrolet Camaro "Spirit" car, and it's hot.

If you're wondering who George Barris is, you haven't lived. Barris created many of the legendary television cars like the 1966 Batman TV Batmobile, The Munster Koach from The Musters, the Beverly Hillbillie truck, and Knightrider KITT car, to name some of Barris creations.

But this Barris Kustom "Sprit" Camaro is not for TV, it's for real (Barris likes to use the word "Custom" with a "K" so it's "Kustom"). Barris said:

Today so many kustom vehicles have entirely too much work done on them. I believe we have succeeded in developing a kustom vehicle with just the right amount of kustom features and keeping it affordable to the automotive enthusiast while being made in the USA.

Some of the highlighted changes in the base 2010 Camaro 2SS RS include:

Kustom painted hood with deep pearl and metallic accents emphasizing the wide, aggressive stance of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro.
Kustom painted front fenders and doors. The aerodynamic “Spear” blurs the vision with a striking burst of speed.
Kustom foil “hand-swirled” striping and beautifully pin-stripping outline the kustom paint on the hood, front fenders and doors.
Kustom paint to accent the rear fender louvers
Kustom paint to accent the four taillight tunnels
Kustom 3 bar chrome legend grill
“Spirit” name is added to both fenders along with a Barris Kustom Crest insignia.
Barris Kustom dash plaque hand signed by George Barris.
Lexani Chrome Painted Spoked Wheels

You don't have to be in Burbank to order this car; just contact your Chevy dealer. But if you can, come to Community. There will be celebrities like John Schneider, Joe Mantegna, James Pitt (Avatar), Brenda Dickson-Young & The Restless, Claudia Wells-Back to the Future, Kat Kramer, LA Councilman Tom LaBonge, Barris pal-Jay Leno, Cindy Margolis, Tom Hallick and many others.

Stay tuned.

Nancy Pelosi visited San Francisco's Balboa Cafe

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

A tip from a good source informed this blogger that Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of The U.S. House of Representatives and San Francisco representative, paid a visit to The Balboa Cafe in San Francisco Saturday night, March 27th, and it was out of the blue.

It started with a phone call informing the manager that Nancy Pelosi was coming with a party of an undisclosed size. But when they arrived the party also included "a lot of Secret Service people. This place has never seen that kind of security" the source said.

But it's not the first time The Balboa Cafe has entertained important elected officials. When San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was an entrepreneur who was co-owner of The Balboa Cafe, he was known for election night parties that attracted U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and former Mayor Willie Brown.

When Jerry Brown was Mayor of Oakland, he was a known to visit The Balboa. One night on a July Saturday in 1999, this blogger, who was at the time working to bring the Super Bowl to Oakland, was sitting near the side entrance door when Jerry walked in. "What are you doing here in San Francisco?", Jerry said, "You're supposed to be raising money for The Super Bowl."

"Jerry," I said, "That's why I'm here."

The Balboa Cafe, of which this blogger is a regular, has also hosted celebrities like the late Anna Nicole Smith and Star Wars-creator George Lucas, who likes (from personal experience) Irish Coffees.

I started visiting "The Balboa" while working for Mayor Elihu Harris as Economic Advisor between 1995 and 1999; that was also how I learned about The Balboa's election parties.

Maybe one day Mayor Newsom will get President Obama over for a visit?

Stay tuned.

San Francisco's Pelosi stalker Gregory Lee Giusti bipolar?

Also: san francisco, nancy pelosi, speaker pelosi stalker, gregory lee giusti bipolar, pelosi health care bill threat

48-year-old Gregory Lee Giusti, the San Francisco man who was accused of threatening and stalking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, may be bipolar. According to CNN, Gregory Lee Giusti "wept" in court Thursday, as he talked to his lawyer before a federal court hearing. Afterward, Magistrate Judge Bernard Zimmerman reportedly asked prosecutors to interview Giusti to determine if he was bipolar, which could lead to placement in a halfway house rather than jail.

Gregory Lee Giusti was said to have called San Francisco and Washington, D.C offices of Speaker Pelosi as many times (48) as he is old. Giusti allegedly said "don't bother coming back to California cause you ain't gonna have a place to live" if the Health Care Bill is passed.

It passed.

This blogger thinks Gregory Lee Giusti's problem is he never grew up to learn that people get placed in jail for making threats. It's more that he's immature than bipolar and was probably lucky enough to get away with this stuff until this week when he was arrested Wednesday. His Mom guessed that Gregory Lee Giusti got his negative ideas from watching Fox News.

No surprise there.

Stay tuned.

The Masters Tiger Woods Ad by Nike Golf hypocritically slammed

Also: the masters, tiger woods ad, nike golf ad, masters tiger woods, earl woods ad

Note: don't forget the Tiger Woods poll.

The Masters Tiger Woods Ad has been described in this space and on video at Zennie62 on TouTube as an American Classic and a work of genius...



The Masters Tiger Woods Ad by Nike Golf is being hypocritically slammed in the media. If you've not seen the controversial ad, which has now generated over 1 million views on YouTube as of this writing, here it is:



Some in the media, actually a number of people, have called the ad "tasteless", "rank", and other choice words and then harp on the commercialism of it all as AOL's National Columnist did in the first blog post on the Tiger WOods ad in this space.

What's funny about the blast against Nike and consumerism is the news websites and blogs that are leveling those claims have ads on their pages, thus making money from the online traffic the Tiger Woods-Nike-ad-related article draws.

In other words, the New Media critics charging that Nike's just trying to sell products are themselves helping other companies (and maybe Nike if the Nike ad's on their website) sell products and services. That's why I claim the Tiger Woods Ad is being hypocritically slammed. The News Media itself is part of the same consumerism some in News Media rail against.

HLN's Jane Valez-Mitchell,  who's Issues show I really love, was for me uncharacteristically annoying in her blast against the Nike ad, slamming the use of Tiger Woods' father's voice to "sell products" and screaming "consumerism" while at the same time promoting Geico auto insurance (which uses that awful commercial series that makes Cavemen a minority group), and day-trading software.

Why doesn't Jane have a problem with a Geico commercial that subversively makes fun of the concerns of American minorities who've been stereotyped in the media?  Is it because Geico sponsors her show?

The American News Media has been so drunk on the revenue from ad spending for print for so long that it has been under the impression that news produced was totally disconnected from ad sales and what was produced was free of corporate influence. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Now that the ad money for newspapers and magazines has dramatically decreased and television has become a trend-follower's free-for-all, News Media journalists and editors are at a loss to figure out how to replenish lost ad dollars online, yet still act as of they're not part of the same corporate system that sponsors Tiger Woods, when they really are.

It's silly; it really is. If the News Media took off their blinders, dropped the ego, and realized that they need the same Nike company to buy ads, they'd see the whole Tiger Woods Nike Ad issue differently.

No, I'm not saying don't criticize the ad, but just stop mentioning how Nike is trying to sell product. It's really weird, silly, and hypocritical to have News Media people whining about that.

In other words, leave Tiger Woods alone, unless you're going to admit, as I do, that blogging about him generates traffic and ad revenue. In other words, be real!

Stay tuned.