Monday, December 21, 2009

Brittney Murphy death cause report delayed "5-6 weeks"

Now it's reported that the cause of Britney Murphy's death may not be known for some time. RadarOnline.com explains that the autopsy was finished Monday afternoon but an unidentified source within the LA County Coroner's Office told the online publication that it "will be 5-6 weeks for test results to come through."




Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy was a popular and talented actress, writer, and producer who passed away of a heart attack Sunday morning at her Hollywood Hills home. She was found in her bathroom by her mother. Murphy's husband Simon Monjack then called 911. According to TMZ.com, Simon Monjack had asked that an autopsy not be performed, but the LA County Coroner's office ignored the request.

Foul play has been ruled out as a possible cause.

John Russo on Oakland, Oakland A's, Oakland City Attorney's office

John Russo: Part One:



John Russo: Part Two:



On Friday December 18th 2009 I sat down to talk with Oakland City Attorney John Russo and produce a vlog (video-blog) of our conversation. The result is a wide-rannging, 32-minute interview that essentially divides into three parts: the Oakland City Attorney's Office in the Economy, the Oakland A's, and the Oakland Mayor's race and Oakland politics. Here are some highlights from the videos:



Oakland City Attorney John Russo

The Oakland City Attorney's Office


Russo says that he has to cut a total 11 of a staff of 40 attorneys, or about 25 percent of his staff. He's already lost seven attorney positions this year, will lose another four, and is expected to cut another million from his budget during the next fiscal cycle. "Everybody works a little harder," Russo said. But he offered that when you lose that much of your core staff you're just not going to get as much done. As Russo pointed out, no one's yelling "save the lawyers."

"The City has to respond to lawsuits," he said. That means outsourcing, which is more expensive than having staff because the work needs to get done. "We're going to do the best we can," Russo said.

The Oakland A's


This conversation was covered extensively in my blog posting of Friday, December 18th. I wrote this:


Our conversation on the Oakland Athletics started because I asked John what he thought of San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera's letter to Major League Baseball. The letter, released on Thursday and I have (and will post for review) a copy of, states at length that the City of San Francisco is concerned with the potential negative financial impacts on that San Francisco if the Oakland A's are allowed to move into the San Francisco Giants 'territorial rights' area as established by the current Major League Agreement...


On the matter of the letter, Russo said "I think its an interesting letter. I spoke to Dennis today. I told him I think its an interesting theory. I can see where his concerns are; I understand it." Russo says that he can see where San Francisco taxpayers are a third-party beneficiary of those territorial rights given to the SF Giants...


"I do know that over the years, the Giants relied upon that territory in creating their ballpark, Russo said. "I also know that here in Oakland we relied on certain representations by the A's in signing a very flexible and advantageous lease with them. And I'm looking into whether or not their clear, and very clear attempt to move to San Jose - and San Jose's attempts to lure the A's - whether or not those are interfering with our rights under the lease."


In other words the City of Oakland's considering suing both the Oakland Athletics and the City of San Jose.

The City of Oakland


Russo explained why the City settled for $1.75 millionin the legal tussle with the Oakland Policewhere 500 officers successfully claimed they went without pay for pre-shift and post-shift activities. "As a matter of law, the City miscalculated over time...Once the court held as a matter of law we violated federal labor law standards in the calculation of overtime, that meant the party plaintiffs were guaranteed to get their attorney's fees for the case." Russo said that the City of Oakland has had 10 years of personnel problems in this area.

Russo didn't like the case but the city was legally bound. Russo said it was important to get the case "off the table" because the City of Oakland has a great relationship with the current new leadership of the Oakland Police Officer's Association. The lawsuit was filed under the OPOAs old regime.

The Race for Mayor Of Oakland


Russo said that there are really only two well-known mayoral candidates as of this writing: Oakland City Councilwoman Jean Quan and Former California State Senator Don Perata. John made an interesting observation in saying that the the executive power had leaked out and away from the Mayor's Office and to the City Council, and both can and need to spend time getting it back. That's a way of saying the Mayor's Office has not taken the lead in running the city, an observation that's become standard among Oakland insiders.

Follow-up coming


I decided to, as they say, eek this out in a series of posts rather than just one. This one introduces the videos but there's a lot Russo said that I will focus more on in blog posts leading up to Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Tiger Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren not divorcing - confirmed

Two days ago I wrote that Tiger Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren was not divorcing Woods before Christmas, if at all in the future. My assertion was based on pure lack of evidence. That's confirmed by TMZ.com today, Monday.

TMZ reports that Elin Nordegren is upset with Woods to be sure, but can't figure out what to do. The sheer number of alleged affairs has her questioning if she can ever trust Tiger Woods again.

But as of this writing just four days before Christmas, they're still together.

I have to mention that HLN's Nancy Grace's show last night reported wrongly that Elin Nordegren was seeking a divorce. Nancy Grace did not hedge her words. She had Elin in Sweden - not true. The result was one of the most awful shows I've seen from someone who's work effort I like.

Reporting an opinion is one thing, but facts are something else. Hey, I get things wrong but I take steps to make it right. Nancy Grace should do the same.

Brittany Murphy death predicted by Perez Hilton on radio show

Not only is Brittany Murphy's death not a hoax, as some are blogging for some reason, it was predicted by Perez Hilton (Mario Lavandeira) this month. The death hoax claims are cruel and unnecessary, just to get that out of the way.



Perez Hilton

Some may find Perez Hilton infuriating - and he bills himself as having Hollywood's most hated website - but Perez Hilton does know Hollywood and the players within it. Including Brittany Murphy.

According to NBC San Diego, Perez Hilton appeared on the morning radio show AJ in the Morning earlier in December. Hilton was asked if there would be another celebrity death "headed in the same path" as Michael Jackson.

His response was "Brittany Murphy, maybe."

According to the same NBC source, Murphy was said to have an eating disorder earlier in he career and that some believed it was tied to an alleged cocaine habit. Murphy denied these allegations in 2005.

On his blog, Hilton hinted at this with his first post on Murphy:

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton wrote:

Absolutely devastating. Especially because this comes as no surprise! We, and those who knew Brittany personally, saw this coming. That does not make this any less horrible.

Stay tuned.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Brittany Murphy dead from heart attack - scenes from her movies

Actress Brittany Murphy's no longer gracing our culture with her charm, after passing away of a heart attack. But thanks to videos on YouTube we can gain a sense of who she is.




Brittany Murphy

Brittany was a frequent guest on The Late Show with David Letterman. Here's an appearance on October 9, 2008 where she was introducing an album by Paul Oakenfold:



But Brittany Murphy is known for her interesting roles in some of the tentpole movies of American Culture. Here's the official trailer for 8-Mile, which she starred as Eminem's love interest and rose to stardom:



In the movie based on a true story, Girl, Interrupted, Brittany played Daisy Randone, a sexually and mentally abused young girl, who's life tragically ends both in the movie and in reality. This, in my view, was Brittany Murphy's most intense performance and the interplay between her, Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie is something to see. Here are scenes with Brittany Murphy as Daisy Randone in Girl, Interrupted:



Brittany Murphy dead - LA County Coroner says death was 'natural'

Actress Brittany Murphy's death today, Sunday, has stunned many, and while speculation on why the talented thespian passed is rampant, one authoritative voice has spoken: Los Angeles County Chief Coroner Ed Winter.



Ed Winter

In a video interview just posted as of 7:02 PM PST at RadarOnline.com, Winter said:

“We will be conducting an autopsy either tomorrow or Tuesday...The final results will be pending the toxicology...The cause of death at this time appears to be natural. We do understand that she had a bit of a medical history and we’re looking into all aspects of that. There are some other issues….which I can’t get into at this time.”

As to "medical issues" that is related to Murphy's mother's explanation that her daughter was a diabetic, according to TMZ.com.

Stay tuned.

Brittany Murphy dead, 32; husband refuses autopsy

Actress Brittany Murphy, who I first saw in the Eminem movie 8-mile, is dead at just 32 years old. Reportedly, drugs caused a heart attack; she passed away at 10:04 PM PST, upon arrival at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center today, Sunday.

UPDATE: L.A. County Chief Coroner Ed Winter says Murphy's death was 'natural.

UPDATE: TMZ.com reports L.A. County Chief Coroner Ed Winter said foul play was not suspected. Murphy's mother told paramedics that she had a history of diabetes but TMZ has not confirmed that information.

UPDATE: A number of blogs and news websites have focused on Murphy's rumored drug use as the reason for her heart attack. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton wrote:

Absolutely devastating. Especially because this comes as no surprise! We, and those who knew Brittany personally, saw this coming. That does not make this any less horrible.

UPDATE: According to TMZ.com, the LA County Cornoner's Office is going ahead with an autopsy, regardless of the wishes of her husband, Simon Montjack. Reportedly, he did not want an autopsy to be done.



Brittany Murphy

This is shocking and I don't know about you but it seems in 2009 we've dealt with a lot of death news, from Michael Jackson, Walter Cronkite and Farrah Faucett, to Chris Henry last Thursday and Brittany Murphy today. Why this is, is a question for a chaplain to answer, but for the present, I just plain can't believe she's gone.

According to TMZ.com (which does its usual great job of being first with news like this within its "Thirty Mile Zone") a 911 call was made by Murphy's husband, Simon Monjack, after Brittany Murphy's Mom discovered her unconscious in the shower. When the medics arrived, they quickly determined she was in "full cardiac arrest."

As a momentary, but related aside, I lost a good friend Michael McGuire in the same way in May of this year, 2009. He came to his parents Berkeley home that Saturday night and just collapsed of a heart attack at 48 years old.  Michael's problem was that he was really, really overweight and didn't see the doctor to know that his condition was in the red zone. I can't believe he's gone either. 26 for Chris Henry. 48 for Michael McGuire. 32 for Brittany Murphy.

The updates on Brittany Murphy are coming fast. Here's TMZ's list to start:



UPDATE 4:00 PM ET -- We're also told the LAPD has launched a death investigation.

UPDATE 4:07 PM ET -- A rep for Murphy tells TMZ, "In this time of sadness, the family thanks you for your love and support. It is their wish that you respect their privacy."

UPDATE 5:21 PM ET -- Two LAPD officers were just spotted going into Murphy's home.

UPDATE 5:34 PM ET -- A neighbor of Brittany's tells TMZ she saw Brittany getting taken out on a stretcher with paramedics performing CPR. The neighbor said Brittany "looked dead."


Allegedly, Brittany Murphy suffered from anorexia and drug use which the hypothesis goes may have caused her heart attack. What's really weird is that her husband does not want an autopsy done. If that's the case, Why the hell would one's husband refuse an autopsy to determine why his (I would hope) beloved wife died?

Ashton Kutcher, who dated Murphy, paid tribute to her from his Twitter account:




1. see you on the other side kid. about 5 hours ago from Brizzly
2. 2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany’s family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon. about 5 hours ago from Brizzly


This is strange.

Stay tuned.

Also, I really have to get after "The Superficial" for its really nasty and totally immature comments about Murphy in light of her death. I hope there's someone over at The Superficial who's got a good heart and isn't afraid to show it.

I present Brittany Murphy's partial filmography from IMDb below. The full list is very long and shows her range of performance and acting, writing, and production talent:

1. Poor Things (2010) (in production) (rumored)
2. Shrinking Charlotte (2010) (pre-production) .... Charlotte
3. The Expendables (2010) (post-production) .... Amy
4. Something Wicked (2010) (post-production) .... Susan
5. Abandoned (2009) (post-production) .... Mary

6. Across the Hall (2009) .... June
7. Deadline (2009/I) .... Alice Evans
8. The Ramen Girl (2008) .... Abby
... aka Râmen gâru (Japan)
9. Happy Feet (2006) (voice) .... Gloria
... aka Happy Feet: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version)
10. The Dead Girl (2006) .... Krista
11. Love and Other Disasters (2006) .... Emily Jackson-Jacks
... aka Love (and Other Disasters) (Australia: DVD box title)
... aka Love (et ses petits désastres) (France)
12. The Groomsmen (2006) .... Sue
13. Neverwas (2005) .... Maggie Blake
14. Sin City (2005) .... Shellie
... aka Frank Miller's Sin City (USA: complete title)
15. Little Black Book (2004) .... Stacy
16. Good Boy! (2003) (voice) .... Nelly
17. Uptown Girls (2003) .... Molly Gunn
18. Just Married (2003) .... Sarah
... aka Voll verheiratet (Germany)
19. 8 Mile (2002) .... Alex
... aka 8 Mile (Germany)
... aka 8 Mile - Jeder Augenblick ist eine neue Chance (Germany: DVD box title)
20. Something in Between (2002) .... Sky
21. Spun (2002) .... Nikki
22. Riding in Cars with Boys (2001) .... Fay Forrester
23. Don't Say a Word (2001) .... Elisabeth Burrows
24. Summer Catch (2001) .... Dede Mulligan
25. Sidewalks of New York (2001) .... Ashley
26. The Audition (2000) .... Daniella
27. Cherry Falls (2000) .... Jody Marken
28. Angels! (2000) .... Nurse Bellows
29. Trixie (2000) .... Ruby Pearli

30. Girl, Interrupted (1999) .... Daisy Randone
... aka Durchgeknallt (Germany)
... aka Durchgeknallt - Girl, interrupted (Germany: TV title)
31. Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) .... Lisa Swenson
... aka Gnadenlos schön (Germany)
32. Zack and Reba (1998) .... Reba Simpson
33. Phoenix (1998) .... Veronica
34. Falling Sky (1998) .... Emily Nicholson
35. Drive (1997) .... Deliverance Bodine
36. Bongwater (1997) .... Mary
... aka Bong Water (USA: DVD box title)
37. Freeway (1996) .... Rhonda
38. Clueless (1995) .... Tai
39. Family Prayers (1993) .... Elise
... aka A Family Divided

Actress - TV:

* 2000s
* 1990s

1. MegaFault (2009) (TV) .... Dr. Amy Lane
2. "King of the Hill" .... Luanne Platter / ... (231 episodes, 1997-2009)
- The Boy Can't Help It (2009) TV episode (voice) .... Luanne Platter
- To Sirloin with Love (2009) TV episode (voice) .... Luanne Platter
- Uh-Oh Canada (2009) TV episode (voice) .... Luanne Platter
- Manger Baby Einstein (2009) TV episode (voice) .... Luanne Platter
- Bad News Bill (2009) TV episode (voice) .... Luanne Platter
(226 more)
3. Tribute (2009) (TV) .... Cilla McGowan
... aka Nora Roberts' Tribute (USA: complete title)
4. "Pepper Ann" .... Tank the 8th grader (3 episodes, 1999-2000)
... aka Disney's Pepper Ann
- The Finale (2000) TV episode (voice) .... Tank the 8th grader
- Unhappy Campers/The Search for Pepper Ann Pearson (2000) TV episode (voice) .... Tank the 8th grader
- Beyond Good and Evel/One of the Guys (1999) TV episode (voice) .... Tank the 8th grader
5. Common Ground (2000) (TV) .... Dorothy Nelson

6. The Devil's Arithmetic (1999) (TV) .... Rivkah
7. David and Lisa (1998) (TV) .... Lisa
... aka Oprah Winfrey Presents: David and Lisa (USA: complete title)
8. "Clueless" .... Jasmine (1 episode, 1996)
- Driving Me Crazy (1996) TV episode .... Jasmine
9. "Nash Bridges" .... Carrie (1 episode, 1996)
... aka Bridges
- Night Train (1996) TV episode .... Carrie
10. Double Jeopardy (1996) (TV) .... Julia
... aka Victim of the Night (USA: cable TV title)
11. "Murder One" .... Diane 'Dee-Dee' Carson (1 episode, 1995)
- Chapter Nine (1995) TV episode .... Diane 'Dee-Dee' Carson
12. "SeaQuest DSV" .... Christine VanCamp (1 episode, 1995)
... aka SeaQuest 2032 (USA: new title)
- Second Chance (1995) TV episode .... Christine VanCamp
13. "The Marshal" .... Lizzie Roth (1 episode, 1995)
- These Foolish Things (1995) TV episode .... Lizzie Roth
14. "Boy Meets World" .... Trini (2 episodes, 1995)
- The Last Temptation of Cory (1995) TV episode .... Trini
- My Best Friend's Girl (1995) TV episode .... Trini
15. "Sister, Sister" .... Sarah (6 episodes, 1994-1995)
- Smoking in the Girls' Room (1995) TV episode .... Sarah
- The Concert (1994) TV episode .... Sarah
- The Birthday (1994) TV episode .... Sarah
- Cheater, Cheater (1994) TV episode .... Sarah
- Slumber Party (1994) TV episode .... Sarah
(1 more)
16. "Party of Five" .... Abby (2 episodes, 1994)
- Good Sports (1994) TV episode .... Abby
- Homework (1994) TV episode .... Abby
17. "Frasier" .... Olsen (1 episode, 1994)
- Give Him the Chair! (1994) TV episode .... Olsen
18. "Blossom" .... Wendy (4 episodes, 1993)
- Blossom in Paris: Part 1 (1993) TV episode .... Wendy
- Blossom in Paris: Part 2 (1993) TV episode .... Wendy
- Blossom in Paris: Part 3 (1993) TV episode .... Wendy
- Blossom in Paris: Part 4 (1993) TV episode .... Wendy
19. "Almost Home" .... Molly Morgan (13 episodes, 1993)
... aka The Torkelsons: Almost Home
- Bowling for Daddies (1993) TV episode .... Molly Morgan
- Hot Ticket (1993) TV episode .... Molly Morgan
- You Ought to Be in Pictures (1993) TV episode .... Molly Morgan
- The Dance (1993) TV episode .... Molly Morgan
- To Date or Not to Date? (1993) TV episode .... Molly Morgan
(8 more)
20. "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" .... Angie (1 episode, 1992)
... aka Parker Lewis (USA: new title)
- The Kiss (1992) TV episode .... Angie
21. "Drexell's Class" .... Brenda Drexell (18 episodes, 1991-1992)
- The Resentments (1992) TV episode .... Brenda Drexell
- Cruisin' (1992) TV episode .... Brenda Drexell
- Til Death Do You Part (1992) TV episode .... Brenda Drexell
- Ashes to Ashes (1992) TV episode .... Brenda Drexell
- Beauty & the Beast (1992) TV episode .... Brenda Drexell
(13 more)
22. "Kids Incorporated" .... Celeste (1 episode, 1992)
... aka Kids Inc. (USA: short title)
- Lay Off (1992) TV episode .... Celeste
23. "Murphy Brown" .... Frank's Sister (1 episode, 1991)
- On Another Plane: Part 1 (1991) TV episode .... Frank's Sister

Actress - video:

* 2000s
* 1990s

1. Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs (2008) (V) (voice) .... Colleen O'Hallahan
... aka The Beast with a Billion Backs (Australia)

2. The Prophecy II (1998) (V) .... Izzy
... aka God's Army II (Europe: English title)

Actress - video game:

1. Happy Feet (2006) (VG) (voice) .... Gloria
2. Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (2005) (VG) (voice) .... Karen Light
... aka Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (USA: complete title)

Of Blacks & Blues

Of Blacks & Blues
By Michael-Louis Ingram-Associate Editor-Football Reporters Online/BASN Contributing Writer

 
PHILADELPHIA (BASN/FRO): It is an incontrovertible truth; there are two songs that arguably every female on Planet Earth know the opening lyrics to…
 
The first would be Gloria Gaynor singing “I Will Survive” (first I was afraid; I was petrified…); but the best, in my humble opinion, is Aretha Franklin singing “Respect…”
 
Interesting in that while everyone knows the Queen of Soul is singing it, many don’t know who wrote it. The late, great Otis Redding gets the credit (“Otis Blue” is among my favorite albums/CDs – and greatest blues efforts of all time), but Aretha gets the fame.
 
In this fishbowl world of sports journalism, that parable fits the script. Fame, or better said, infamy and credit for same are served up on a nightly basis on that bastion of bullshit, ESPIN - aka the Muthafuckin’ Mouse; whose idea of pest control is to trash Black athletes as animalistic circus performers, one step away from prison.
 
As they segue into their somnambulistic soliloquies, simpering over soup-cooling stereotypes, the straight faces belie a seething resentment between the stale jokes and attempts to fuse popular culture within who beat whom at what…
 
But without a doubt, the cruelest turn is when these totalitarian turds wipe away their fake tears in a moment of contrition - the latest being the death of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry.
 
Within hours, the daily assault on darkies subsides briefly for the stern face and measured speech; but even in death there is no peace from the six o’clock “suspect is a Black male” sensibilities of these scumbags.
 
While it was clear Ole Man Trouble had been around young Henry for a spell, in The Mouse’s attempts to chronicle Henry’s run-ins with the law, one would-be reporter recalled Henry being a “one-man crime wave.”
 
Never mind that the man did more damage to himself than anyone else; it just had to be said (for accuracy purposes, I’m sure); and these rancid rapscallions ramble on as if they need to scratch their jock itch by landing a last jibe or two over a dead man’s body.
 
And as more details as to how he died come out, the efforts to bury and loved ones to grieve are further compromised by manipulative maggots bent on muff-diving into a young Black man’s misery…
 
It’s real easy for these Bastards to jump into someone’s shit; but what I wouldn’t give if an athlete who ESPIN wanted to pimp off of would flip the script. You know, something like:
 
Hey Dana Jacobson - are you still down with “Fuck Notre Dame, fuck Touchdown Jesus – and fuck Jesus?”  How would you like to be reminded for that crap every other night, you twit? Like when you Bastards constantly scream on someone like Terrell Owens being a diva and criminal in spite of the fact he has never committed a crime, and, unlike you, excels at what he does?
 
Or, Bonnie Bernstein, why are you still working at The Mouse after that bullshit you offered regarding land Niggers and sand Niggers:
 
“It’s sort of like, you know, and this isn’t — I’m prefacing this by saying this is in no way an analogy to sports because I know we live in a hypersensitive society — but I remember a while ago I was reading an article in the New York Times about Palestinian suicide bombers and I just remember being struck by the notion that from the point of birth, people in Palestine are taught to think that dying in the name of God is a good thing.
They grow up wanting to be suicide bombers. So bringing it back to sports — and again, I’m not making the comparison or the analogy — if a young talented basketball player is being told at an early age that they are destined, it is a good thing to focus on basketball and not worry about what’s going on in the classroom, why are any kids going to be worried about what’s going on in the classroom?”
 
Or be worried about what sports reporters say about those young talents; no need wondering where this mindset comes from…
 
Hypersensitive? You vainglorious cow - if something like that had been said about Jews, you would be front and center trying to call whomever on it; you have a lot of fucking nerve here!
 
While we’re at it, let’s constantly remind everyone about Jemele Hill’s Hitler statement; and the fact Lou Holtz said essentially the same thing, but wasn’t suspended like Hill was; yet Hill will still make the silly-ass asides to be one with The Mouse…
 
So even in the midst of The Mouse, certain mice aren’t treated as nice.
 
But whether you are lab rat or hood rat, the formula is the same, and it ain’t rocket science: defame, decry, dehumanize – and make insignificant whatever positives the Black athlete brings to their respective sport.
 
Unless, of course The Mouse is sucking the dick of the current Negro du jour; and as they spit, swallow and gargle their way to accommodate him, their crumbling cerebellums hope a skeleton or two will soon be rattling in his or her closet very soon…
 
Well, with hope after Chris Henry has been laid to rest, some of the athletes observing the Mouse mess will think twice before indulging these talking idiots; and insist on being respected -  like Otis did.
 
Because once Chris Henry was no longer a story, it was on to the next Nigger – and that Nigger (based on the day’s highlights) could well be you.
 
Rest in peace, Mr. Henry – you deserved better than this, regardless of circumstances.
 
michaelingram@blackahtlete.com
mike@footballreportersonline.com
 

Football Diary

Football Diary-By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online
[Saturday Edition]

Dear Diary

The Pursuit of Excellence

One down and one more to go this week. Earlier on Thursday night the Colts continued their pursuit of excellence remaining undefeated. It took a late 4th quarter drive by Peyton Manning the Colts to hold off the upstart Jaguars, but that has been characteristic of this team all season long. Now tonight we'll get to see act two with the Saints and the Cowboys.

Like the Colts the New Orleans Saints have been making it fashionable to pull out late game comebacks and rallys, and for fantasy owners it has truly been a committee responsible for the work. Drew Brees (3,832-yards, 32 touchdowns) is the only constant in the Saints offensive attack and has proven to be one of the best fantasy players the past couple of seasons. This season in the team's run for perfection, Brees has used a committee of receivers to get the job done that include' Marques Colston (9 touchdowns), Robert Meachem (8 touchdowns), Devery Henderson (43 receptions), Jeremy Shockey (48 receptions), Dave Thomas (22 receptions), and Reggie Bush (39 receptions).

The committee does not stop there with both running backs Mike Bell (598 yards rushing) and Pierre Thomas (713 yards rushing) being significant contributors on the ground this season. Not only is it difficult for fantasy owners to know which Saints dice to roll, but tonight for the Dallas Cowboys their defense will face a monumental task in trying to stop this Saints offense.

Brees has been spectacular that past couple of weeks, passing for 296-yards, 419-yards, and 371-yards, while throwing a total of 10 touchdowns. The Cowboys secondary had fits trying to cover the Charger's receivers last week and they won't catch any kind of a break this week. This one could get ugly fast.
(Editors note: this was written prior to last night's Late result: Dallas Beat New Orleans)

Fantasy Notes:

The Broncos super-stud receiver Brandon Marshall has gone from the doghouse to the outhouse and has now arrived in the penthouse. In his last three starts he has 34 receptions for 380 yards and three touchdowns and will have a good matchup on Sunday against the Raiders. In the first meeting Marshall caught five balls for 67 yards and a score.

The Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles has been running the ball well over the past month. In his last five games Charles is averaging 91 yards rushing and over five yards a carry. He has also scored a touchdown in his last three starts and has five total in his last five starts. He has a favorable matchup this week against the Browns 29th ranked run defense.


10 Things on
My Sunday Watch-List

1. The only chance the Bills will have Sunday, they have to get the ball into the hands of Terrell Ownes, can they?
2. Last week against the Steelers Josh Cribbs and Chris Jennings combined for 160 yards on the ground; how will they do against the Chiefs?
3. The Jets running back Thomas Jones has been solid in 2009 and will undoubtedly be featured on Sunday against the Falcons; will he top 100-yards for the sixth time this season?
4. Last week an injured Matt Schaub stepped up and tossed for 365 yards. Can the Texans quarterback do it again?
5. The Titans running back Chris Johnson has been on a tear with Vince Young under center. Young will play Sunday and I will be watching Mr. Johnson.
6. On Monday night Kurt Warner and the Cardinals passing game could not get off the ground. I expect to see great redemption on Sunday against the Lions 32nd (last) ranked pass defense.
7. The Broncos rookie running back Knowshon Moreno has yet to top 100-yards this season; he should get plenty of carries to do just that on Sunday against the Raiders.
8. With Westbrook and Maclin, can McNabb and Jackson light up the Niners secondary just as they did the Giants last week?
9. Last week the Steelers dropped their five game in a row, can Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense make it a six-Pack!
10. And like all of the NFL nation I too will be watching Ochocinco and the Bengals on Sunday as we all remember Slim!!

COWBOYS VS. SAINTS: IN-DEPTH RECAP OF ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR

COWBOYS VS. SAINTS: IN-DEPTH RECAP OF ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
By William Queen-Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online
 
Jumping the gun, the Cowboys defense came out and were clearly faster than they had been in previous weeks. They stopped the Saints first drive and, in response, centered the ball around their main talent Marion Barber and Miles Austin, leading them to the end zone.
 
7-0 Cowboys
 
On the ensuing possession, Dallas held New Orleans yet again and, thanks to a nice punt return and phenomenal play-calling, the Cowboys took a little more demanding 14-0 lead.
 
14-0 Cowboys
 
New Orleans took over and, though Reggie Bush broke a 25-yard run, their drive ended in a questionable defensive play on a good ol fashioned Drew Brees bomb. Yet, the game continues.
 
Dallas picks up right back where they left off, as quarterback Tony Romo probably could have taken a nap in the pocket and still would’ve had time to throw a strike to Miles Austin. However, somebody forgot to tell Cowboys coach Wade Phillips that your expose to kick field goals on 4th down, as they attempted a 4-yard first down. He got lucky; the refs got flag happy on the saints secondary and the drive was extended. This did not turn out being a good thing for the Cowboys though; two of the next three snaps resulted in Tony Romo eating dirt. So, the Boys’ were forced to punt.
 
Following the defensive stand, the Saints drove down the field, ultimately resulting in a Garrett Hartley field goal.
 
14-3 Cowboys
 
Dallas was then plagued by penalties their next drive and the Saints took over at their own 9-yard line with just under four minutes left in the half. That’s when Drew Brees, well, showed why he’s being considered in the league’s MVP voting, driving the Saints all the way down near field; but that’s as far as they would get. Brees threw interception the following play, which completely erases the whole “being considered for the MVP” statement a few sentences ago.
 
But, thanks to the stupidity of Wade Phillips and the Dallas play-calling, they passed the ball two of the next three plays from scrimmage, as opposed to winding the clock down, which ultimately gave Brees and company another shot at scoring with a little more than 1:15 left.
 
Then, another twist was added to the game, as Drew Brees fumbled the ball and was recovered by the Cowboys with 45 seconds left. This time, the Cowboys took a shot at the field goal and went up 17-3 at the half.
 
17-3 Cowboys
 
Halftime Numbers Report:
The Cowboys are four for eight on third downs, as the Saints are maintaining a big fat 0 under third down conversions. Numbers remain close offensively, the only difference being two New Orleans turnovers; holding the Saints to a mere 3 points. New Orleans looks to be picking it up in the 2nd quarter offensively, out gaining their 1st quarter offensive yards total 35-101. For the Cowboys, almost the opposite; their 1st to 2nd quarter ratio being 101-28.
 
Miles Austin started off the half with a dropped pass. But, it seems that every time he drops one he’ll make up for it with a first down; he converted two plays later. Later in the drive, Marion Barber ran one in from three yards out to finish of Dallas’ stoic drive.
 
24-3 Cowboys
 
New Orleans responded with a heck of a kick return, bringing it all the way back to the 36-yard line. However, a dropped ball in the end zone and a Cowboys sack left the Saints offense to a self-destruct-like drive. Yet, a 10-yard holding penalty dug them out of their own hole, giving the Saints a fresh set of downs. But, nothing doing, as the Saints just ended up right back where they started; 4th and 18.
 
Leading 24-3 with just less than minutes left in the 3rd, Dallas looked to put the game out of reach early with another touchdown. They made it all the way down to the 50-yard line before the Saints decided they wanted to play defense and forced them to a punt.
 
The next drive, Brees looked like a brand new quarterback; the one we’ve been used to seeing the last 13 weeks. He started to relax more in the pocket and throw more accurate passes, thus resulting in their first touchdown of the game, ran in by Mike Bell from a yard out.
 
24-10 Cowboys
 
With the score 24-10 now, the Saints 12th man came back to life, helping the Saints defense hold Dallas to back-to-back punts; giving them another chance at the comeback.
 
They didn’t disappoint. Driving the ball all the way down the field Drew Brees style, the Saints scored on a seven-yard wide receiver screen pass and, more importantly, cutting the lead to seven and giving them a better shot at what has the potential to be the best comeback of the decade.
 
24-17 Cowboys
 
Though the Saints didn’t fare as well as before, as the Superdome watched in grief as Romo led the Cowboys down the field on a time-consuming drive that ultimately ended in a cowboys field goal attempt. Dallas looked to take a game-securing ten-point lead off a chip shot of a field goal from 24 yards out. But hold the phone! They missed it! Hitting off the right crossbar, the ball fell short in the endzone, adding even more drama to the Saints pursuit of an undefeated season.
 
The offense took the field and nothing went their way the first three plays. Nothing. Facing a 4th and 10 with just over a minute left, this was perhaps the most nerve-racking moment of the season thus far. Yet, the magic Carries on, as Drew Brees converted to Marques Colston. Flirting with the clock, Brees carefully tiptoed down the field, using every break he could find. It took nine plays to get 38 yards and suckin up two minutes and four seconds. Later in the drive, on first and ten from the Cowboys 42, Drew Brees was hit as he threw and was ruled an incomplete pass, bringing the clock down to a lonesome twelve seconds. Second and ten, Brees dropped back and was hit by Cowboys defender DeMarcus Ware and fumbled the ball, recovered by Dallas with six seconds left; sealing off the game and the hopes of New Orleans undefeated season.
 
Final Score: 24-17 Cowboys
 
What This Means:
For one of the first times ever, the real story is how this affects the losing team in the New Orleans Saints. Expectations aren’t very high for the Saints; they’ve only been to the playoffs three times in their 42-year history. But, maintaining a 13-0 undefeated record up to this point, it was all or nothing. Iff they win, the spirit lives on. And if the lose, it just brings back memories of their losing history. Though it shouldn’t be that way, that’s how it is.
 
Losing this game takes an enormous amount of pressure off the Saints as they advance into the postseason. I mean, just look at the Vikings, nobodys talked about them ever since ending their six-game streak to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this season; they’re 11-2! But in the end, this shows us a lot about this thriving Saints team. Being able to overcome a 21-point deficit in the second half and rally all the way back to within seven points and have the game coming down to the final play; this is a tough football team. Their star tight end was even out. The defense turned their game around and the offense picked it up. And though they lost, this teams knows how to fight.

Elin Nordegren still at home with Tiger Woods - divorced?

With all the gossip talk of Tiger Woods' wife Elin Nordegren divorcing him, hiring famed family lawyer Sorrell, Trope to assist her, and allegedly moved out of the house, we find she's still there.



Still together for Christmas

TMZ.com reports that what others described as "moving trucks" were actually for repairing damaged garage door panels. While TMZ's quick to link the door problem to the car accident on Thanksgiving, I'm not going to support that guess as of this writing.

I still have the feeling much of this is a media-created reality. Yeah, the media's got a lot of it right, but at times missed a lot too, and filled in information blanks with assumptions. That's just plain dangerous.

TMZ reports Elin Nordegren's at home. The National Enquirer has her on a plane to Sweden for Christmas. Wild.

I'm holding out hope Tiger and Elin hold it together.

Stay tuned.

Domino's new pizza taste is just awful

Rather than go out and see Avatar, or take up my friend's request to get together after her party, I stayed in and watched James Franco host Saturday Night Live. But this blog post is not about Franco on SNL; its about the Dominoes Pizza I ordered.  I started to vlog this one, but I had to get out this news now while my taste buds are damaged, so here's my blog.

I read that Domino's Pizza had a new recipe that aimed to "put away the competition" as CBS News reported. So I decided to order a sausage, bell peppers, and cheese version from the store on Grand Avenue here in Oakland.




Aside from the fact that the delivery person didn't understand how to use the intercom system where I live, and had to come twice, the pizza itself was just plain awful. Now, it was cold but warming it just worsened things. I'm sorry. I read that Domino's spend two years developing this new taste; what the heck were they thinking?

A pizza is made by the crust, the sauce, and the cheese. The Domino cheese, whatever it is, is so bad I don't even want to finish my pizza. And the sauce is so bland, it might as well not be on the pizza.

I'm now eating the Cesar Salad I ordered to go with it. In fact, I'd have been happier with just the salad!

I don't order pizza for delivery very much at all. The last time I did, I called Round Table Pizza, also on Grand Avenue here in Oakland. That was a very good pizza called "The King Arthur Special." No, I'm not sponsored by Round Table Pizza, just an FYI. But if they called and wanted to sponsor a vlogger, I'd be happy to take on the effort. Count me as a fan. Their pizza has a great, thick, chewy crust and the sauce really has a good tomato taste.

The pizza I prefer, and which they'd deliver to my area, is Zachary's Pizza in Oakland on College Avenue in the Rockridge District. Now that's great stuff!! The sauces and cheeses are just perfect - especially their sauce. And the crust is to die for. I'm not a chef but I know a great sauce when I have it, and Zachary's Pizza has it.

I'm not going to order from Domino's Pizza for a while - like another year. They need to go back to the drawing board with there approach. The cheese has some taste that hits my nose in such a way that I feel like hurling. I'm really serious. I am not kidding at all.

If Dominoes CEO David Brandon wants to know what a really great pizza tastes like, he should fly to Oakland and visit Zachary's Pizza. That's the stuff.