The bad news is the St. Louis Rams got the stuffing kicked out of them this afternoon by the Arizona (read that formerly St. Louis) Cardinals. The final was 48-19 and it was ugly.
The good news is the Rams will have the second overall draft pick in the 2008 draft. Thanks to the Jets and Falcons winning today and each climbing to four wins, while the Rams lost and stayed at three wins, the Rams will have the pick after Miami which managed one win this year. The Rams ended the season with a whopping three wins. WooHoo!!!
December 30, 2007
Out of the Mouths of Babes
I was playing dinosaurs with my four year old great-nephew G the other day. If you have read this blog for very long you know I lost 78 pounds in 2006. But, over the past two weeks I have put on about ten pounds that I will remove after the first of the year.
But, little G put me in my place real fast. He saw my belly pooching out and asked innocently" what's in there"? I said...'That's my belly". The four year old then replied "Is there a baby in there"? I started to laugh and told him "No G, men don't have babies". He just laughed.
But, little G put me in my place real fast. He saw my belly pooching out and asked innocently" what's in there"? I said...'That's my belly". The four year old then replied "Is there a baby in there"? I started to laugh and told him "No G, men don't have babies". He just laughed.
December 25, 2007
And the Winner Is...
Boulevard Brewing's Nutcracker Ale is the winner of this year's best Christmas Ale.
I sampled the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale while smoking the hens this evening and it is good. But, to me it tasted a whole lot like their Pale Ale. In my opinion Nutcracker had the best all around taste this year. It is hard to rank them because they are all very close, but after Boulevard I would say Sierra Nevada and Schlafly's Christmas Ale are even and then Breckenridge's Christmas Ale is next. Like I say it was hard to compare them because of them all being good beer. But I like the Boulevard product best.
I sampled the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale while smoking the hens this evening and it is good. But, to me it tasted a whole lot like their Pale Ale. In my opinion Nutcracker had the best all around taste this year. It is hard to rank them because they are all very close, but after Boulevard I would say Sierra Nevada and Schlafly's Christmas Ale are even and then Breckenridge's Christmas Ale is next. Like I say it was hard to compare them because of them all being good beer. But I like the Boulevard product best.
Another Great Christmas Day
Christmas Day was just as nice as Christmas Eve. We stopped by my niece S and her husband J's home for an open house this afternoon. There was plenty of food and laughter that filled their home. Add to it the joy of their daughter who was proud to show off her Christmas gifts, particularly the new clothes she received. Four years old and she is already a clothes hound.
Then this evening we had a very nice dinner. I smoked Cornish Hens and potatoes on the Weber Kettle outside and M fixed her awesome spinach and rice casserole. We also had a large amount of fresh veggies from her relish tray that were left over from last night.
We also hooked up the new flat panel monitor she received as a gift last night. It is amazing how clear and how large the picture is.
After dinner it was Pecan pie and we stumbled across a broadcast of "Miracle on 34th Street". It was an excellent Christmas Day and Christmas Evening. All Christmases are good but this was one of the best.
Then this evening we had a very nice dinner. I smoked Cornish Hens and potatoes on the Weber Kettle outside and M fixed her awesome spinach and rice casserole. We also had a large amount of fresh veggies from her relish tray that were left over from last night.
We also hooked up the new flat panel monitor she received as a gift last night. It is amazing how clear and how large the picture is.
After dinner it was Pecan pie and we stumbled across a broadcast of "Miracle on 34th Street". It was an excellent Christmas Day and Christmas Evening. All Christmases are good but this was one of the best.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you and to yours!We celebrate the birth of Christ in Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago and as the pastor at our church states so well, because of that we are saved and will have eternal life!
Our family got together last night at my brother-in-law and sister's home and we had a great time. There were 18 of us all together and it was probably our best Christmas ever. At least it was for me. It was heightened by the presence of an 18 month old, two four year olds and a six year old. Just hangout with the little ones and they will get you into the Christmas Spirit in no time at all.
This image is of our youngest family member who seemed enthralled by "Dancing Santa" once he learned how to push the button.
December 24, 2007
More on Christmas Ales
I had a chance to taste the Breckenridge Christmas Ale Saturday night. It is a pleasing strong ale with a distinctive hoppiness and flavored with Carmel. It also tastes a little like there's a hint of raisin.
It has a dark brown color and has an alcohol by volume of 7.4%. It is as good as Boulevard's offering and a little better than Schlafly. But, all three of them are very good. I will sample the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale tonight or with Christmas dinner tomorrow. Stay tuned.
It has a dark brown color and has an alcohol by volume of 7.4%. It is as good as Boulevard's offering and a little better than Schlafly. But, all three of them are very good. I will sample the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale tonight or with Christmas dinner tomorrow. Stay tuned.
MLB Gives Selig a Vote of Confidence
If you missed it this weekend Major League Baseball owners gave commissioner Bud Selig a vote of confidence to continue when his current contract expires.
Selig has no credibility and the good old boys who pay his salary have no credibility either. MLB was criticized by former Senator George Mitchell for it's role in the steroid scandal. But, now Selig says he is going to get to the bottom of the mess. Yeah right. As I wrote last week, that's a lot like letting the inmates run the prison. Selig knows what he will find. He will find owners who don't care because they are making more money than ever and players who have a union that won't let them be tested.
So, you can see why the owners are so glad to endorse Selig's actions. He is protecting them. The problem is you and I, the fans, are watching a bunch of juiced up phonies re-write the record book and then listen to MLB tell you how wonderful it all is. It isn't. The Selig era is a joke. And Selig who is supposed to be looking out for the good of the game is the biggest problem.
It's time for Selig to be a man and resign. If that doesn't happen then congress needs to take a look at baseball's antitrust exemption.
Selig has no credibility and the good old boys who pay his salary have no credibility either. MLB was criticized by former Senator George Mitchell for it's role in the steroid scandal. But, now Selig says he is going to get to the bottom of the mess. Yeah right. As I wrote last week, that's a lot like letting the inmates run the prison. Selig knows what he will find. He will find owners who don't care because they are making more money than ever and players who have a union that won't let them be tested.
So, you can see why the owners are so glad to endorse Selig's actions. He is protecting them. The problem is you and I, the fans, are watching a bunch of juiced up phonies re-write the record book and then listen to MLB tell you how wonderful it all is. It isn't. The Selig era is a joke. And Selig who is supposed to be looking out for the good of the game is the biggest problem.
It's time for Selig to be a man and resign. If that doesn't happen then congress needs to take a look at baseball's antitrust exemption.
December 22, 2007
Christmas Beer
As regular readers know, I like my beer. I also like the beers produced at this time of year. Most micro-breweries make a Pumpkin Ale in the fall. These are fine beers. But the best seasonals of the year in my opinion are Christmas Ales. They are usually higher in alcohol volume than other products and are usually dry hopped with the bittering Chinook hop and then finished with Christmas type seasonings such as Orange peel or carmel or molasses. They all have a fairly high IBU. (A brewing industry measure of bitterness).
I have tasted Schlafly's Christmas Ale and Boulevard's Nutcracker Ale. They are both fine beers. I think the Boulevard offering is a little better and a better value as it is priced less expensively than Schlafly's Christmas Ale.
I have also located and will soon sample the Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, and have also found a six pack of Breckenridge's Christmas Ale. I will let you know what I think as soon as I sample them. And if you know me that will be very soon!
I have tasted Schlafly's Christmas Ale and Boulevard's Nutcracker Ale. They are both fine beers. I think the Boulevard offering is a little better and a better value as it is priced less expensively than Schlafly's Christmas Ale.
I have also located and will soon sample the Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, and have also found a six pack of Breckenridge's Christmas Ale. I will let you know what I think as soon as I sample them. And if you know me that will be very soon!
It's OK to Wish Me Merry Christmas
Here's what the old house looks like lit up for Christmas. Notice I said Christmas and not the "The Holiday's".
The Post-Dispatch has Sold It's Soul
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has shown again this week why it is one of the world's worst newspapers.
The St. Louis "newspaper of record", placed a display advertisement on the front page of the paper a couple of days ago. It was an advertisement for a new casino in downtown St. Louis that the Post has written of extensively, presumably in hope of large advertising revenues in return.
Years ago when I was in Journalism School I had an old professor who had been around the newspaper business for years. I specifically remember him saying if you see a paper with an ad on the front page it tells you one of two things. Either the paper is going broke, or it has no integrity.
The last time I checked the parent company of the Post, Lee Enterprises, wasn't going broke.
The St. Louis "newspaper of record", placed a display advertisement on the front page of the paper a couple of days ago. It was an advertisement for a new casino in downtown St. Louis that the Post has written of extensively, presumably in hope of large advertising revenues in return.
Years ago when I was in Journalism School I had an old professor who had been around the newspaper business for years. I specifically remember him saying if you see a paper with an ad on the front page it tells you one of two things. Either the paper is going broke, or it has no integrity.
The last time I checked the parent company of the Post, Lee Enterprises, wasn't going broke.
December 16, 2007
A Major Screwup by a New York TV Station
The NBC O&O in New York City implicated St. Louis Cardinal superstar Albert Pujols as a steroid abuser in the Mitchell report. In an effort to score a major "scoop" the TV station said Pujols was one of those listed in the report as having taken the junk.
The story had absolutely no merit and is pure balderdash. WNBC (which is owned by General Electric) has since apologized and put a correction on it's web site. But, how many people will never see the correction and be left with the impression that the outstanding numbers Pujols has put up in his relatively short career were drug aided?
Pujols appears to be a laid back man and genuinely happy to be playing the game and giving it all for the people who pay his salary, the fans. But, the incompetence of WNBC's producers and reporters produced a written statement from from "El Hombre's" attorney on Thursday night. The statement read as follows:
"It has come to my attention that several national and local news outlets have published false reports that associated my name with the Mitchell Report. I have never disrespected, nor cheated the game of baseball and knew without a doubt that my name would not be mentioned in the official investigation. I would like to express how upset and disappointed I am over the reckless reporting that took place this morning. It has caused me and my family a lot of senseless aggravation due to their inaccurate information.
"What concerns me, is the affect this has had on my family and that my character and values have now been questioned due to the media's lack of accuracy in their reporting. I have never had a problem with the media when they do their job correctly, whether it is positive or negative -- just as long as they report truthfully.
"I would like to thank my fans for their continued support and never doubting my integrity. God has blessed me and allowed me to play a game that I would never take for granted."
Albert I don't blame you. Maybe you can publish a list of TV station with incompetent journalists and head it up with WNBC. But, then you wouldn't be like your attackers. Your list would be the honest to God truth.
The story had absolutely no merit and is pure balderdash. WNBC (which is owned by General Electric) has since apologized and put a correction on it's web site. But, how many people will never see the correction and be left with the impression that the outstanding numbers Pujols has put up in his relatively short career were drug aided?
Pujols appears to be a laid back man and genuinely happy to be playing the game and giving it all for the people who pay his salary, the fans. But, the incompetence of WNBC's producers and reporters produced a written statement from from "El Hombre's" attorney on Thursday night. The statement read as follows:
"It has come to my attention that several national and local news outlets have published false reports that associated my name with the Mitchell Report. I have never disrespected, nor cheated the game of baseball and knew without a doubt that my name would not be mentioned in the official investigation. I would like to express how upset and disappointed I am over the reckless reporting that took place this morning. It has caused me and my family a lot of senseless aggravation due to their inaccurate information.
"What concerns me, is the affect this has had on my family and that my character and values have now been questioned due to the media's lack of accuracy in their reporting. I have never had a problem with the media when they do their job correctly, whether it is positive or negative -- just as long as they report truthfully.
"I would like to thank my fans for their continued support and never doubting my integrity. God has blessed me and allowed me to play a game that I would never take for granted."
Albert I don't blame you. Maybe you can publish a list of TV station with incompetent journalists and head it up with WNBC. But, then you wouldn't be like your attackers. Your list would be the honest to God truth.
The Inmates are Running the Asylum
I have finished reading the Mitchell report and both management and labor have to accept responsibility for the steroid problem.
I find it laughable that Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is going to "investigate the problem". Yeah right. Selig is the problem. He never pushed Donald Fehr who heads up the players association to allow serious testing for steroids. Selig needs to resign immediately for the good of the game. It happened on his watch. There is no excuse that a large number of players in the past 20 years were juiced and have put up gaudy numbers that are now questionable at best. Selig has never shown any leadership and if you read through this blog you will see he has made mistakes every time a decision was needed or a leader needed to step in and show the way.
Donald Fehr should also tell the world he screwed up. But, that's fairly obvious in his arrogance and that of the overpaid athletes who pay his salary. Fehr has denied baseball the chance to test as it should have and has been a hindrance to the integrity of the game.
So what happens now you ask? Probably nothing. Neither Selig or Fehr is going anywhere anytime soon while their pockets are being lined. Hopefully the players will wake up and realize the public who has put up with this woeful behavior is paying their salaries and wont tolerate it much longer.
It's time for the players to grow up and take responsibility for their actions. But, given their track record don't hold your breath.
I find it laughable that Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is going to "investigate the problem". Yeah right. Selig is the problem. He never pushed Donald Fehr who heads up the players association to allow serious testing for steroids. Selig needs to resign immediately for the good of the game. It happened on his watch. There is no excuse that a large number of players in the past 20 years were juiced and have put up gaudy numbers that are now questionable at best. Selig has never shown any leadership and if you read through this blog you will see he has made mistakes every time a decision was needed or a leader needed to step in and show the way.
Donald Fehr should also tell the world he screwed up. But, that's fairly obvious in his arrogance and that of the overpaid athletes who pay his salary. Fehr has denied baseball the chance to test as it should have and has been a hindrance to the integrity of the game.
So what happens now you ask? Probably nothing. Neither Selig or Fehr is going anywhere anytime soon while their pockets are being lined. Hopefully the players will wake up and realize the public who has put up with this woeful behavior is paying their salaries and wont tolerate it much longer.
It's time for the players to grow up and take responsibility for their actions. But, given their track record don't hold your breath.
December 02, 2007
MU gets hosed by the BCS
My beloved Missouri Tigers football team got hosed tonight by the BCS. The Tigers should have been going to one of the first tier bowl games in January but instead were not invited to the party. Even after the loss last night, the Tigers were number six in the final BCS rankings. With a total of ten spots available it would seem a no brainer that the sixth ranked team would be invited to a BCS game. But, Noooooo....
Missouri didn't make it to a BCS game. They are headed to the Cotton Bowl instead. Now, you can spin it anyway you want, but the Cotton Bowl isn't the game it was years ago. It's a second tier bowl because it hasn't kept up with the payouts of the big four and the BCS game. The Tigers will play Arkansas, the 25th ranked team in the land, in the game that kicks off Tuesday morning the first of January.
What pisses me off is that the Tigers beat both Illinois and Kansas and both of those teams are playing in BCS games. Illinois is going to the Rose bowl and the Chickenhawks are going to the Orange bowl. What the hell were those bowl committees thinking? And to add insult to injury Hawaii, USC and West Virginia are also playing in BCS games, even though all three of their BCS averages are below Missouri's. Again, Mizzou's final BCS ranking was six in the nation. So what the hell gives?
As far as I am concerned the BCS and all of it's business partners and sponsors can kiss by my big white ass. The whole things is a joke.
Missouri didn't make it to a BCS game. They are headed to the Cotton Bowl instead. Now, you can spin it anyway you want, but the Cotton Bowl isn't the game it was years ago. It's a second tier bowl because it hasn't kept up with the payouts of the big four and the BCS game. The Tigers will play Arkansas, the 25th ranked team in the land, in the game that kicks off Tuesday morning the first of January.
What pisses me off is that the Tigers beat both Illinois and Kansas and both of those teams are playing in BCS games. Illinois is going to the Rose bowl and the Chickenhawks are going to the Orange bowl. What the hell were those bowl committees thinking? And to add insult to injury Hawaii, USC and West Virginia are also playing in BCS games, even though all three of their BCS averages are below Missouri's. Again, Mizzou's final BCS ranking was six in the nation. So what the hell gives?
As far as I am concerned the BCS and all of it's business partners and sponsors can kiss by my big white ass. The whole things is a joke.
Bad Night to Be A Tiger Fan
My Tigers got their butts handed to them last night by Oklahoma in the Big XII Football Championship game down in San Antonio. The final was 38-17 Oklahoma. The Sooners are arguably one of the best teams in the nation. The Sooners' defense shut Missouri's running game down tight and in the Red Zone and Missouri had to settle for field goals three times. Oklahoma also held Missouri to it's lowest point total of the season.
The Tigers made mistakes on both offense and defense, particularly stupid penalties at inopportune times. But, in the end Oklahoma had more athleticism than Mizzou and won the right to represent the Big 12 in the BCS. It appears as if the loss will shut the Tigers out of the BCS completely and they may end up playing in the lesser Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day.
The basketball Tigers also lost last night in Berkeley against the Bears. I didn't watch it since the football game ended late and I was not too happy with the outcome of the football game. If you care the score was Cal 86 - Mizzou 72.
The Tigers made mistakes on both offense and defense, particularly stupid penalties at inopportune times. But, in the end Oklahoma had more athleticism than Mizzou and won the right to represent the Big 12 in the BCS. It appears as if the loss will shut the Tigers out of the BCS completely and they may end up playing in the lesser Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day.
The basketball Tigers also lost last night in Berkeley against the Bears. I didn't watch it since the football game ended late and I was not too happy with the outcome of the football game. If you care the score was Cal 86 - Mizzou 72.
December 01, 2007
Now ESPN is Trying to Save Face
It's bad enough that ESPN is totally irresponsible, but now it's parent company is trying to help the child save face, and it says something about the way ABC/Disney do business. At halftime of the ACC Championship game, ABC's talking idiots in the studio said, I kid you not, "Well it will be interesting to see what happens with Les Miles and Michigan after the LSU game is over".
What? Miles said in his news conference, which anyone could see, he is staying at LSU. But, ESPN/ABC just won't admit they screwed up big time. At the SEC Championship game Miles told a CBS reporter..."I WILL be at LSU next year". End of story. Period.
But, what do the ESPN talking heads say at halftime? They question where he is going. Can you believe that? The ESPN/ABC producers are idiots.
Bottom line is ESPN screwed up badly. They screwed up about as bad as Dan Rather did on the George Bush story, which ultimatly led to Rather's retirment. But, what makes it worse is ABC/ESPN just won't say hey folks we screwed up. Somewhere, there is an executive telling the talking heads how to spin it. And that is just pathetic.
What? Miles said in his news conference, which anyone could see, he is staying at LSU. But, ESPN/ABC just won't admit they screwed up big time. At the SEC Championship game Miles told a CBS reporter..."I WILL be at LSU next year". End of story. Period.
But, what do the ESPN talking heads say at halftime? They question where he is going. Can you believe that? The ESPN/ABC producers are idiots.
Bottom line is ESPN screwed up badly. They screwed up about as bad as Dan Rather did on the George Bush story, which ultimatly led to Rather's retirment. But, what makes it worse is ABC/ESPN just won't say hey folks we screwed up. Somewhere, there is an executive telling the talking heads how to spin it. And that is just pathetic.
ESPN Has No Credibility
What little credibility ESPN had just went flying out the window.
ESPN football "expert" Kirk Herbstreit told viewers on the cable network late this morning that LSU coach Les Miles had accepted the head football coach's job job at Michigan. Herbstreit also reported that Georgia Tech defensive coordinator and interim head coach Jon Tenuta would go with him.
WRONG!!!
Miles and LSU called a hasty news conference this afternoon and Miles tersely told reporters he isn't going anywhere and plans to stay at LSU. He also said he would not take questions because he is preparing for the SEC championship game. and seemed miffed that he had to explain to his squad he is not leaving on the day they are getting ready for their biggest game of the year.
Herbstreit's reporting is irresponsible at best. And his timing is even worse as he has distracted one of the best football teams in the nation as it prepares for it's biggest game of the year. This isn't the first time ESPN has played fast and loose with the facts. Maybe ESPN should stick to televising basketball and football games and leave real reporting to professionals.
ESPN football "expert" Kirk Herbstreit told viewers on the cable network late this morning that LSU coach Les Miles had accepted the head football coach's job job at Michigan. Herbstreit also reported that Georgia Tech defensive coordinator and interim head coach Jon Tenuta would go with him.
WRONG!!!
Miles and LSU called a hasty news conference this afternoon and Miles tersely told reporters he isn't going anywhere and plans to stay at LSU. He also said he would not take questions because he is preparing for the SEC championship game. and seemed miffed that he had to explain to his squad he is not leaving on the day they are getting ready for their biggest game of the year.
Herbstreit's reporting is irresponsible at best. And his timing is even worse as he has distracted one of the best football teams in the nation as it prepares for it's biggest game of the year. This isn't the first time ESPN has played fast and loose with the facts. Maybe ESPN should stick to televising basketball and football games and leave real reporting to professionals.
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