Raj Rajaratnam, billionaire Sri Lankan, arrested for hedge fund insider trading

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Today I saw a rather interesting sight that shows how diverse our World has become: an rather large man, Indian, named Raj Rajaratnam, was perp-walked by law enforcement officials. (Video from Hulu.)



Mr. Rajaratnam, billionaire founder of hedge fund firm Galleon Group, who's the richest Sri Lankan in the World, is charged with hedge fund insider trading. But before I get into that, the scene today reminded me of the insider trading arrests of the 1980s which formed the basis for the movie "Wall Street" by Oliver Stone.

Back in the 80s, the people in handcuffs were white and male; now it doesn't matter what color or sex a person is in the financial world as five men (including Raj Rajaratnam) and one woman are being accused of insider trading: there are people who work within the law and those who operate outside of it. Apparently, Raj Rajaratnam worked outside of it.

What's a hedge fund?

The stories on this start without explaining what a hedge fund is. A hedge fund is an agressively managed set of investments that are designed for high-net-worth people of generally over $1 million in annual income.

The idea of a hedge fund is to have an at times constantly moving set of investments designed to essentially take advantage of Worldwide price movements. The idea is to have a constantly moving "Net Asset Value" and fees are paid to managers like Raj Rajaratnam from that increasing Net Asset Value.

There are a large number of ways to achieve that objective, from long equity / short selling (where stocks may be sold one hour after, say a company goes public, thus taking advantage of what's called a "pop", where other stocks with more robust prices are held for longer terms, like oil and utility stocks) to investments in undervalued companies who's bonds may be at "junk" levels (the bet here is that the company will take off and provide a higher return on investment).

The hedge fund industry has been for all practical purposes the "wild-west" of the financial world, with more liberal regulations and little scrutiny - or so it seemed until today's developments.

Fees of over $20 million

Raj Rajaratnam generated fees of over $20 million, making this the richest case of its kind in history.

What Rajaratnam is accused of doing is insider trading in several tech funds he started which included the stocks of Google, Polycom, Hilton Hotels, Sun Microsystems, Advanced Microsystems and International Business Machines. Insider trading is buying and selling stocks based on information not available to the public.

Basically, Rajaratnam, Rajiv Goel, the managing director of strategic investments at Intel, Anil Kumar, a director at management consulting firm McKinsey & Co., and Danielle Chiesi of New Castle, which is the equity group of Bear Stearns Asset Management with Mark Kurland, the senior managing director of Bear Stearns Asset Management and IBM’s Robert Moffat are accused of sharing information on companies and that led to the complaint filed by Preet Bharara, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Insider trading and record profits

Is there any connection between this kind of alleged activity of insider trading and the record Wall Street profits by banks that received bailout funds?

That's not clear, but one obvious advantage of the bailout, according to the NY Times and Talking Points Memo, is the new ability of traders to take bigger investment risks, which is a common practice in the hedge fund industry, because their money is leveraged.

But this insider trading case had nothing to do with the bailout system. The wiretaps used to collect the evidence go back to 2006. That written, this is only the tip of what seems to be a large iceberg of possible future complaints. The AIG bailout helped a number of hedge funds. Business Insider reports:

Documents reviewed by the WSJ reveal that some of the banks listed as the beneficiaries of the AIG bailout were themselves middlemen for hedge funds. So AIG is a conduit to conduits to hedge funds. It seems that the investment banks sold credit default swaps on mortgage backed securities, and then hedge their risks by buying CDS from AIG. The swaps payoff if mortgage defaults rise above a certain level.

Did anyone of the hedge funds know the bailout was coming and profited from it? The US Attorney General, the FBI, and the SEC sent a powerful message to the hedge fund community that they are watching its moves.

Stay tuned.

Interracial couple denied marriage? What about Obama?

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As I read the unbelievable story of how Louisiana Judge Keith Bardwell showed that racism is indeed a mental illness by denying an interracial couple a marriage license because they were, well, of different skin colors, I thought about President Obama.

As Americans know, perhaps even Judge Keith Bardwell, Barack Obama is the product of an interracial marriage between a black man and a white woman. Terence McKay and his girlfriend Beth Humphrey, the victims of Judge Bardwell's racism are black male and white female.

What was the reason Judge Bardwell gave for his mindless actions? "I do it to protect the children, he reportedly said. The kids are innocent and I worry about their futures."

Ok, so Judge Bardwell's trying to prevent the creation of future Presidents of the United States, right? Because if you think about it, if laws against interracial marriage were still on the books and enforced, we would never have a President Obama.

But my concern is that folks like Judge Bardwell are allowed to practice anywhere in America. That he's active says as much for Louisiana as it does for him. Governor Bobby Jindal should be very concerned about the message of racial hostility Louisiana sends out to the World with Judge Bardwell's obvious violation of the civil rights of Americans.

What's even more frightening is Judge Bardwell doesn't think he's racist. According to the Associated Press, Bardwell said this:

"I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way," Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday. "I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them just like everyone else."

That, folks, is the statement of one who in my view is irrational.

I totally agree with my SFGate.com CityBrights friend Yobie Benjamin, who writes:

This case is important as it shows the deep seated ignorance of some people in power. In the deep south, the justice of the peace is an important position of power and influence and is an elected position. From another point-of-view, the case is clearly no different from the discrimination gay couples suffer when government refuses to grant them right to marry.

But where I depart from Yobie's blog is that the case also shows how much we allow ignorant people to have power. Judge Bardwell proved this himself when he said that he had "piles of black friends". Obviously they're the kind of "friends" who are also afraid to challenge him because he's a judge.

Judge Bardwell's friends are also to blame for allowing him to serve as a law enforcement official without challenge. We as a society must take a far more agressive stance against racism than we have done to date.

I think one action should be for the NFL to relocate the 2013 Super Bowl away from New Orleans unless Judge Bardwell is removed and the sooner the better.

In fact, all bowl games planned for the Louisiana Superdome should be relocated if Judge Bardwell remains in power in any capacity in Louisiana.

And online we must take steps to stamp out racism, for good. For example, the subject for Blog Action Day 2010 should be 'racism and how to end it'.

We as Americans have to take steps to make sure there are no more people with the racist attitude that Judge Bardwell has.

Enough is enough.

Tom Hayes: Skin color? Again?

As you've probably learned, Louisiana magistrate Keith Bardwell, a Justice of the Peace, recently refused to grant a marriage license to an interracial couple out of "concern" for the effect(s) on any children born of that relationship.

“I’m not a racist,” Bardwell, told the Hammond, Louisiana, Daily Star. “I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house. My main concern is for the children.”

If denying a couple in their 30s a marriage license based on them being different colors isn't racism, I'm not entirely sure we're all using the word the same way. It's been well over a year since then-candidate Barack Obama gave a candid, frank speech of our history and how we need to move beyond the out-dated use of color that divides us and inhibits our success, and I invite Keith Bardwell to review it. His actions are unacceptable to me, and violate principles laid down by our founding fathers in establishing the basic tenets we have relied on ever since - the Constitution of the United States of America.

I’ve got many friends from diverse backgrounds, that's the marvelous opportunity of living in the world's greatest melting pot. We talk about race from time to time. We understand that we've far from overcome the lingering, emotional "not like me ism," the "stick to your own kind" mindset of those who insist they aren't racists yet continue to speak and act as though skin color is the most important way to categorize people.

I trust any U.S. magistrate would say it is, indeed, self-evident that the egalitarian principles embodied in our Constitution and the Bill of Rights are widely acknowledged as both our guiding vision and our best weapon in the “War on Terrorism.” Here's something I shouldn't have to explain: That bit about "all men are created equal" applies to skin color as well, Mr. Bardwell.

In a recent column at Creators.com, Connie Schultz described a conversation she had with a non-white friend regarding race. Her column included the Jay smooth video above, from the illdoctrine.com website.

He listened patiently as I whined about how hard it is to nudge people on the issue of race.

Then he set me straight.

"Your problem," he said, "is that you want everyone to have that kumbaya moment and feel the change in their hearts. I don't need that. They can take all the time they want to drag their hearts along, but I want their words and deeds to change right now because what they do can have an impact on my children and on my grandchildren."

Connie Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and the author of two books from Random House: "Life Happens" and "… and His Lovely Wife." To find out more about Connie Schultz (cschultz@plaind.com) and see other columns visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

The fever of hope is contagious

Less than one year after his election as the 44th President of the U.S.A., Barack Obama's un-whiteness figures in world-wide perception of political reality in the United States. Centuries after the Constitution declared that all men are created equal, decades after the signing of the U.S. Civil Rights act, Obama's skin color highlights the potential for real change in our view of community.

President Obama's candor about skin color has elevated the conversations everywhere about our obsolete, insidious prejudices - but there are evidently parts of Louisiana where they need to be encouraged to listen harder.


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

He's pro-diversity.

“FRO’s Favorite Five” Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks Week 6

“FRO’s Favorite Five”
Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks
Week 6
By Frankie Underwood, Senior Fantasy Writer at www.footballreportersonline.com Email questions and comments to Frankie@footballreportersonline.com



While it may seem like an over reaction to his sensational game last weekend, Seattle Seahawks Matt Hasselbeck should be up for another good game. Hasselbeck plays at home against an Arizona Cardinals defense that has stopped the run well but given up high yardage numbers to QBs. This fits perfectly into a Seattle offense that can not find a running game but has really good receivers. Other than the first game, Arizona has given up nearly 300 yards to each opposing passer either in garbage time or just throughout the course of a competitive game. So as long as Hasselbeck’s ribs hold up he should be a nice fill in play this weekend. This could also be one of your few opportunities to start Carolina QB Jake Delhomme.

Let’s pick on Oakland, everybody else seems to. The Philadelphia Eagles face the Oakland Raiders this weekend and since it should be a blowout back up running back LeSean McCoy could be a nice play this weekend. The Oakland Raiders held up fairly well against bruising Giants RB Brandon Jacobs. Then the speedy back up Ahmad Bradshaw racked up 110 rush yards and two touchdowns. Both McCoy and starter Brian Westbrook are in a more similar vein to Bradshaw, so at least split that production between these two. Oakland has a lot of problems on their hands and facing the Eagles may be the least of them. If you need a last resort, one of the Tampa Bay running backs could also play well this weekend against Carolina.

Remember the week everyone expected from Mike Sims-Walker last week? I say we just carry that over. Oakland isn’t the only team we enjoy picking on, how bout those St. Louis Rams! I really have no stats to back this up, only gut feelings. St. Louis has been beaten by TEs and RBs, but still I feel that Sims-Walker will attempt to redeem himself after last weeks embarrassing deactivation. If you want to go more with the stats Rams receiver Donnie Avery and the Original Steve Smith (Carolina) are both poised for break out performances.

The Green Bay Packer’s TE Jermichael Finley has a great match up this weekend. Fresh of their bye week, the Packers get to face the lowly Detroit Lions. The Lions have given up a touchdown to a TE every week except for their win against the Redskins, and multiple TE TDs twice. Even the Lions have to notice this trend, but I’m sure they’d rather be beaten by the TE than on a deep Bomb by the WRs. While Packers left tackle Chad Clifton should be back this weekend, starting TE Donald Lee should be kept in a lot to pass protect. This will leave Finley to go out in pass routes. As I said above the Rams are consistently beaten by TEs so look at Mercedes Lewis of the Jaguars.

The New England Patriots started out as a top 5 fantasy defense, but have fallen off recently. This weekend against a reeling Tennessee Titans team they should be able to regain their start worthy status. Everyone blames the Titans problems on their defense but Sunday night against the Colts that defense held early. Unfortunately the Titans offense could not take advantages of the turnovers and field position the defense produced, only managing three field goals. That offense also could not manage to sustain a drive but did manage to turn the ball over, leaving the defense on the field way too often. Vince Young could see significant action in this game, hopefully the Patriots don’t make him cry, (or quit). Since I’ve recommended most of their other positions, why not start the Jaguar’s defense against the Rams also.



Last Weeks Favorite Five

David Garrard – 188 yards and 2 lost fumbles, sorry (but the MSW deactivation, so not my fault? Kidding).

Ahmad Bradshaw – 110 yards and 2 TDs, 1 reception 55 yards, you’re welcome.

Dwayne Bowe – 74 yards and a TD, that will have to work.

Brandon Pettigrew – 3 for 27 yards, sorry.

Dallas Cowboys – 4 sacks, still no turnovers sorry.

So Far, Henne Making The Most Of His Opportunity

So Far, Henne Making The Most Of His Opportunity
By Jon Wagner Sr. Writer at Large-Football Reporters Online
(Photo: Chad Henne by Chris J. Nelson)
A starting quarterback, a former first-round draft pick of an AFC East team, goes down with an early-season injury, and a young kid from The University of Michigan steps in and unexpectedly starts winning big games.

Sound familiar?

Certainly, after a mere two NFL starts, no in his or her right football mind would equate Chad Henne and his potential ceiling as an NFL starting quarterback with the accomplishments of New England Patriots’ legend Tom Brady.

However, there are already some similarities between the backgrounds of Brady and Henne, how each got their chances to shine, and how Henne, like Brady early on, has already made the most of that opportunity.

And, Henne’s also accomplished something that the two-time Super Bowl MVP Brady couldn’t do so far: play well enough to beat the New York Jets and their Rex Ryan-led defense this season.

There are some differences in how each quarterback got to the NFL. Brady had to prove himself, not getting a real shot at Michigan until his junior season, and not being drafted until the sixth round, as the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft. Henne meanwhile, guided the Wolverines from the time he was a freshman and was taken a lot higher (in the second round) by the Miami Dolphins in the 2008 draft.

But, both quarterbacks set passing records by the time they graduated from Michigan, and both took over an AFC East team surprisingly well after being thrust into a starting role by necessity, with very little expected of them.

Brady got his shot after first-round draft pick Drew Bledsoe was injured. He of course, turned used that opportunity into three Super Bowl victories, a league MVP, and four Pro Bowls on the way to what will someday conclude as a Hall of Fame career.

What he does with his own opportunity from here remains to be seen, but Henne similarly got his chance after Miami was reeling at 0-3. The Dolphins were looking like a bad team headed nowhere in 2009, after coming off the biggest turnaround in NFL history, from 1-15 in 2007, to 11-5 and an AFC East title last season under the direction of former firs-round draft pick Chad Pennington –- whose season ended in Week 3 this year, with a shoulder injury, opening the door for Henne. And, at least so far, the other former Michigan star has busted through.

Sure, it’s only been two starts, but Henne has helped saved the Dolphins season while going 2-0 as a starter.

Henne wasn’t great, but efficient, going 14-22 for 115 yards, throwing his first career touchdown pass and no interceptions in his first start two weeks ago, a 38-10 Dolphins’ victory over Buffalo.

But, on Monday night, Henne was brilliant, carving up a Jets’ defense that Brady had a lot of trouble with, in a 16-9 loss, earlier this season.

There are two ways to look at that: a skeptic would say that Henne had the advantage of a very effective wildcat running game to help set up his throws, a benefit which Brady lacked against the Jets.

Conversely, a pro-Henne advocate would declare that much to his credit, Henne, in only his second start, in a big divisional game before a Monday Night Football national television audience, was able to stay remarkably poised and in rhythm despite being shuffled in and out of the lineup on an inconsistent basis due to the wildcat’s unconventional offensive sets which often don’t employ the use of a quarterback on the field.

Either way, Henne was terrific, going 20 of 26 for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions for a 130.4 passer rating. And, Henne’s performance went far beyond those statistics. The truly impressive part was leading three fourth quarter drives, each with his team down, and each time, getting the Dolphins in the end zone, and coming away with his second win in as many starts in the NFL. Still, it wasn’t even THAT.

No, it was the throws that Henne made and the tools he displayed at the most crucial moments: Henne sold a play-action fake perfectly on a beautifully thrown 53-yard touchdown bomb to wide receiver Ted Ginn, who beat the Jets’ entire secondary, for a 24-20 fourth-quarter lead. Including that score, Henne, who was used to running some play action at Michigan, was a perfect 7-for-7 for 140 yards and two touchdowns when faking a handoff against the Jets on Monday.

Later, leading the game-winning drive, Henne, with the coolness of a seasoned veteran like Brady, converted consecutive third downs in the final two minutes. First, with an all-out blitz and defenders in his face, Henne lofted a great pass over the shoulder of Greg Camarillo for a 14-yard gain and a huge first down to keep the drive going. Then, faced with a 3rd-and-10 with 1:06 left in the game, Henne, again facing a Jets’ blitz, rolled right and fired an absolute bullet low and straight, again to Camarillo, who went to his knees to coral the ball for another big first down at the Jets’ 4-yard line. That play set up the eventual game-winning touchdown by running back Ronnie Brown.

Suddenly, the Dolphins season isn’t in shambles after losing their original starting quarterback.

During the post-game press conference, Ryan (maybe overdoing it), compared Henne’s performance to that of many turned in by former Dolphin and all-time NFL great Dan Marino.

Was that one game a coming of age for Henne the way Brady’s first season as a starter was?

Well, Henne will have to have a lot more games, even seasons, like he did against the Jets before he can remain the starting quarterback throughout the rest of this season, and into 2010 and beyond, let alone even contemplate approaching some of the many things which Brady has accomplished in the NFL.

But, after just two starts, Dolphin fans are already hoping Henne is the quarterback to lead their team into a successful future.

The Fall of Johnny Smiles

The Fall of Johnny Smiles
By Michael – Louis Ingram, Associate Editor, Director of Scouting
FRO/BASN
 
“White Men Can’t Jump? They don’t have to…they own the team!”
-          Humorist Paul Mooney  
 
PHILADELPHIA (FRO/BASN): On the long running comedy series, “The Jeffersons,” main protagonist George Jefferson would always love to brag that he made “enough green to cover his Black.”
 
To a similar extent, that seemed to be the case with right – wing talk show wonk Rush Limbaugh, a smiling assassin in the minds of his legions of followers.
 
While the putrid, proselytizing purging from this pusillanimous, penile pig has contributed to the current calamitous climate in which “one lone nut” can act without fear of repercussions (because Limbaugh and others are “entertainers” and therefore, not responsible for others’ actions), Limbaugh began to really believe his trash was others’ treasure.
 
And then came the big payoff; the chance to be the “Voice of the Fan,” as a talking head at The Mouse on their flagship National Football League pre-game show, “NFL Countdown.”
 
Looked as if the little Nimrod was movin’ on up to the East Siiidde…
 
But then came the Donovan McNabb incident; as in “the media wants a Black quarterback to succeed.”
 
You know, the only part of that asinine statement that was never sufficiently gleaned was…all of it.
 
If our bellicose butterball had done his homework, he would’ve known there has never been any concerted effort on the part of mainstream media to promote the success of any Black quarterback.
 
The ‘Wizard of Oohs & Ahs,’ Mr. Chuck Ealey goes undefeated his entire collegiate career - 35-0 – at the University of Toledo at quarterback – and his reward? Some NFL asshole telling him to try out at defensive back…
 
Jimmy Raye leads Michigan State to a national championship at quarterback; but no sniff at playing his best position in the NFL;
 
Eldridge Dickey, “The Lawd’s Prayer” gets drafted in the first round to play quarterback – and he still can’t play it because the big bad Oakland Raiders were too chicken shit to follow through after he proved he was better than the others in camp (including Ken Stabler);
 
Joe Gilliam goes 4-1-1 after winning the starting QB spot for Pittsburgh, but has the job taken from him because they couldn’t think of a palatable enough lie;
 
Warren Moon wins the Rose Bowl at quarterback, but in spite of a stellar career, he’s told to move to another position if he wants to make it in the NFL (and all Moon did was become a Hall of Fame quarterback in two leagues! No thanks to the NFL!)
 
And let’s not forget the brothers who went north to Canada to rock the house: Condredge Holloway, Roy DeWalt, the fantastic Damon Allen, Tracy Ham, Marcus Crandall, Gilbert Renfroe, J.C. Watts, Danny Barrett, Casey Printers; all champions, all quarterbacks. I don’t remember the American mainstream media singing their praises…
 
Doug Williams takes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from ‘worst to first’ at quarterback, but he’s treated like a Nigger because he dared to want to be paid on a par with his peers, many of whom with pro credentials far less than but paychecks far greater than his?
 
And last (but not least for now) Kerry Joseph wins an NFL Europe Championship at quarterback, but unlike Kurt Warner or Brad Johnson, is told to play safety, plays out of position for four full seasons in Seattle, and finally, given the opportunity to play the position he was supposed to play in the first damn place, wins a Grey Cup Championship for the Saskatchewan Roughriders – at quarterback.
 
Now that didn’t happen in 1957; that was 2007.  
 
Nobody said it then, so I’ll say it now – where the fuck have you been, Peaches?       
 
And that woeful unpreparedness, the disdain for real football fans – on top of the other bullshit you spewed on that panel, is why you had no business being there in the first fucking place!
 
So The Mouse shows you the door (‘either he goes, or I go’ – you figure out among that bunch who said it!)  but like Chuck Taine, he rocks, skates, rolls and bounces along with his career, becoming a money making misanthrope, merrily mixing a maelstrom of madness,  motivating millions of mindless myrmidons into believing he’s not only one of them – he is their conduit to the corridors of power.  
 
He dogs out the newly – elected President of the United States, and is then offered a shot to buy into the Ultimate Boys’ Club – and snag a piece of the Saint Louis Rams, who have fallen on hard times…
 
Hard times, my Black ass! The team is only worth about $950 million; in an economy that has been in recession mode for at least eight years.   
 
But, there’s a problem; seems some of his words have come back to bite him in the ass; making analogies about NFL games being like the Bloods & Crips goin’ at it (not the smartest thing to say in an organization with 65% Black players as members).
 
Someone far wiser than I once said a long time ago that “quiet money always speaks the loudest.” Admittedly, that took a day or two to sink in; but the point was made to say real money usually has a little taint on it – and the last thing anyone wants is – attention…
 
(“I’m Johnny Smiles” lyrics by Skar, arranged by K. Lynch; from” Mob Story – A Hip Hopera”)
 
Well I’m Johnny Smiles
New kid on the scene…
And when I get done shinin’
Bet those shoes are clean…
I pour the coffee and even park the cars
I get to drive the Fat Bastards straight home from the bars…
And all of these jobs I do ‘em with pride
I gain their trust and soon I’ll live large and start to thrive
See in This Thing of Ours, this is the only way
A kid from the street can climb the ladder and make crime pay.
Growing up where I did you get to see a lot of things
The guys in this club were like a local Kings
They had the finest broads all willing and able in any restaurant
They got the best damn table!
Pinky rings and rockin’ Cuban cigars
They had Chinese suits by the dozen in the trunks of their cars
To a kid like me to get this far
Andrea Doria Social Club just ain’t some local bar…
I had dreamed of this life since I was ten
Finally made it straight to the center of the lion’s den…
So to make my bones, see, I’ll do what they say
Cause I’m looking to a future, to a brighter day.
When I’m a full Goumba
A made Gummie Gump
Runnin’ scams for friends or for some straight-laced chump
All of these petty tasks; it ain’t just for nothin’
It’ll all be worthwhile when I get my button…
 
Gotta get my button ‘cause I gotta get paid (big shot)
When you’re made you’re the man; when you’re not
You’re just nothin’ (big shot)
Gotta get my button ‘cause I gotta get made (big shot)
When you’re made you’re the man; when you’re not you’re just nothing…
 
So enough about me let’s break it down to the crew
I’ll tell ya who the hell they are
And what the fuck they do;
I’ll start at the bottom and then I’ll move up the line no matter what I say
They’re all friends of mine….
So even though I know this guy’s a little bit slow
Every operation needs some muscle to make it go
Bobby Bats
The guy’s a soldier like iron…
Made his bones 20 years ago stuck a guy with an eye jamb…
Quick with the club so when push comes to shove
If the shit hits the fan he’s the man you gotta love 
Tony Fingers
Another cat in the crew
Just hijacked an armored truck; the driver turned up blue;
Tight with the Don and a stand up guy
He’ll hit the trigger on his gun before you blink your eye
The guy knows the biz; at the track he’s a whiz
So good with the ladies you hear
The pussy fizz…
And speaking of chicks, the Don’s consiglieri Vic
With whose foot fetish is enough to make everybody sick  
He may be a Queen, but buddy keeps the record clean
Money filtered through Geneva
Important guy on the scene (big shot);
 
Gotta get my button cause I gotta get paid (big shot)
When you’re made you’re the man; when you’re not
You’re just nothin’ (big shot)
Gotta get my button ‘cause I gotta get made (big shot)
When you’re made you’re the man; when you’re not you’re just nothing.
 
Now Don DeVito’s a large man and a legend with us all
Coming up as a soldier they used to call him Brass Balls (swing low!)
Prince on the street the man with the master plan
Took me in at 15 so I’m his biggest fan
But he’s not without critics even in our own crew
That would entertain Paulie ga-ga if he ever knew…
 
To me he’s the best to that I will attest
Came up from the streets and I know he wears the crest
 
The Don is the Don
Regardless of what it is he does
So De Vito’s the Boss
‘Cause because just because
Then there’s this girl I’ve known all my life
I wouldn’t call her a slut, but still she’s far from a wife (she gets around…)
When I was a kid on Delancey Street I knew
She’d be goumba to bringin’ drama to somebody’s crew…
 
Sexy and smart her name is
Gabrielle
With a whiff of her perfume you’ll be under her spell (I’m just playin’…)
The girl’s got it all but still she’s well adjusted
Word has it she‘s the only one the Don’s trusted
She’s not just a moll
Like us she’s on call
With all Gabrielle is, even the Don might fall…
 
Gotta get my button ‘cause I gotta get paid (big shot)
When you’re made you’re the man; when you’re not
You’re just nothin’ (big shot)
Gotta get my button ‘cause I gotta get made (big shot)
When you’re made you’re the man; when you’re not you’re just nothing;
 
Gotta get my button ‘cause I gotta get paid (big shot)
When you’re made you’re the man; when you’re not
You’re just nothin’ (big shot)
Gotta get my button ‘cause I gotta get made (big shot)
When you’re made you’re the man; when you’re not you’re just nothing.
 
As I complete this column, word has come out that Dave Checketts, point man for the group wanting to snag the Rams, has stated Rush Limbaugh is now out of the group.
 
While I may feel some mild elation over this, I say it never should have come to this – so fuck you too, Checketts – first for including his drug addict ass, second for thinking you could skate on it, and third for having the same mindset as this cum stain!
 
Ultimately, cash condones crass, but can’t consume class.
 
Sorry, Sweet Cheeks – you’ve been shut out.
 
Editor’s Note: Although I know BASN will never get the credit, the information regarding Limbaugh was constantly served “Straight, No Chaser” by our colleague Desi Cortez months before it was a ripple on Mouse Pond. ‘Way to go, brother man.
mike@footballreportersonline.com
 
 

JETS HUMBLED BY 31-27 LOSS TO MIAMI

JETS HUMBLED BY 31-27 LOSS TO  MIAMI
by TJ Rosenthal

The NY Jets were humbled Monday night at Landshark stadium in Miami. Unable to stop the vicious Wildcat run formation that the Dolphins introduced to the NFL back in 2008, the Jets lost a heartbreaking key divisional game to the Miami Dolphins 31-27 on Monday night football. Ronnie Brown scored his third TD on a third and two with under ten seconds left, on a play where a stop would've forced OT. The Braylon Edwards (5-64yds TD) coming out party was spoiled by a defense that could not find a way  to stop Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Now at 3-2 the AFC East leading Jets remain tied with the Pats while the Dolphins at 2-3, inch closer.

The 1st drive for Miami was a sign of things to come. Seven minutes, led by an assortment of runs off of direct snaps to RB Ronnie Brown led the Fish up the field. A Brown TD capped the drive and a 7-0 Dolphin lead. The Jets answered back. QB Mark Sanchez, looking to rebound from his 3 int performance in New Orleans, led the Jets downfield and finished it with a 3 yard TD pass to the newest Jet, WR Braylon Edwards to tie it up 7-7.

Edwards  who only logged three days of practice time with the Green and White since coming over from the Browns last week, could become the first true tall deep ball and red zone threat the Jets have had at WR in a long time.  Keyshawn Johnson  and 1980's Jet star WR Al Toon  come to mind though Edwards possesses a special athleticism that allows him to grab the tough throws. Catching consistently will be the key for Edwards success  as a Jet. He leads the league in targeted drops over the past season.

In the second quarter, a fake punt snap to all purpose player Brad Smith , the Jets 2nd successful fake punt of the game, led to a Jay Feely FG and a 10-10 tie. Feely added another at the end of the half after Sanchez administered a solid two minute drill. The drill coming on a drive capped by a heady tough run out of bounds by the "San-chize", stopping the clock to allow time for the kick. The Jets led 13-10 at the half and considering how things started, had to feel good on the road in a divisional game having regained the lead.

The Dolphins however continued to stuff the Wildcat down the Jets throat. A Chad Henne to TE Anthony Fasano TD made it 17-13 Fish. Henne, making his 2nd NFL start threw for 241 yards and two TDs , shocking the Jet coaches with his efficiency in the passing game all night. The Jets had no sacks in the game "We made that guy look like Dan Marino," Ryan said begrudgingly during the post game press conference. 

Down 17-13, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer then unleashed the "Manchez". The rookie's bomb to speedy WR David Clowney put the Jets in the Miami red zone in a flash. The Jets have lacked a quick strike ability for years.  Santana Moss maybe? With slot WR Chansi Stuckey now with Eric Mangini in Cleveland as part of the Edwards deal, Clowney (4 catches 72 yds) will find time in the slot and give the Jets more chances to score fast.. After the Clowney catch, on 3rd and long, Sanchez threw a great ball down the sidelines that Edwards, heavily covered made a terrific play on before diving for the marker. The catch was ruled a TD but a Miami challenge took the TD away from Edwards. It left the ball on the one where Thomas Jones punched it in for a 20-17 Jet lead. Another Jet Miami classic was brewing. 

The Dolphins then went on another time consuming drive to end the third and on the 1st play of the 4th regained the lead on a Ronnie Brown TD dive. 24-20 Miami. Brown was impossible to stop all night out of the Wildcat faking reverses to Ricky Williams, running off tackle , running sweeps. The Jets defense never got comfortable,  and were unable to throw the Dolphin backs for any big drive ending losses on first or second down. Instead the Fish were grinding 4 yards, 5 yards at a clip all night.

The Jets and Sanchez answered the bell again midway through the 4th. A bomb to Edwards well covered by former Giant Will Allen was called pass interference on the Miami 1 yard line. The Replay showed good coverage, but the Jets capitalized on the call with a Thomas Jones TD plunge and a 27-24 lead. The problem  for the Jets was that there was over 5 minutes left: too much time left for a tired confused Gang Green defense that to that point had allowed over 320 total yards (Miami finished with 413 total yards). Unable to get to Henne, and lacking the ability to slow down the Wildcat, the Jets needed to induce a Dolphin mistake.

Instead , the Fish mixed up their play calling on the final drive to perfection. Henne 1st hit WR Greg Camarillo for a 9 yard gain. Short three step drops sprinkled around a devastating run attack allowed Henne the time that no other QB has had against the Rex Ryan Jet defense all season. Speedy rookie QB Pat White was even brought in with 3 minutes left, to run the Wildcat and gained a big first down on a quarterback draw as the Dolphins marched toward the red zone. A key third and long was converted with 1:20 left as Henne hit Camarillo with a bullet, setting up a 1st and goal inside the Jet 10 yard line. Refusing to expend timeouts, sure his defense wouldn't give up 6, Rex Ryan left it up to his defense.  A big Kerry Rhodes tackle of Brown, shedding a fullback block on a sweep,  left Miami with a third down; one time out and ten seconds left. A stop would've forced Miami to tie it  on 4th down, with a FG forcing OT. Instead Brown powered through the wilting Jet interior and it's exhausted run killer NG Kris Jenkins, for the 31-27 win. Five lead changes took place in the fourth, the final one leaving NY no time on the clock to respond.

Next up for the Jets is a home date with a  Buffalo Bills team  that is 1-4 and in disarray. The pitiful Oakland Raiders then follow the Bills. 5-2 is within the Jets grasp. A rematch with Miami follows these two extremely winnable games. Before the Jets get their chance for payback with the Fish in week 8, they'll have to take care of business by doing what all good teams do. They have to smother struggling teams and lesser teams from the get go. After losses to the high powered Saints and the top running team in the NFL in the Dolphins, it's time to regroup and regain that confidence and swagger that at 3-0, had many including the Jets as one of the top teams in football.