Week 5 Picks

Last week: 8-4

Season total: 18-10

Winners are in Bold

Kansas City at Carolina
Chicago at Detroit
Atlanta at Green Bay
San Diego at Miami
Seattle at NY Giants
Washington at Philadelphia
Tennessee at Baltimore
Indianapolis at Houston
Tampa Bay at Denver
Buffalo at Arizona
New England at San Francisco
Cincinnati at Dallas

Sunday Night
Pittsburgh at Jacksonville

Monday Night
Minnesota at New Orleans

·Bye: Cleveland, Oakland, St. Louis, NY Jets

Final Farewell

The House that Ruth built has turned off its lights to the baseball world. As the greatest venue of any kind in the United States of America. Everybody knows the history, the Yankees, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Joe Dimaggio, Lou Gehrig, The Pope, Nelson Mandela, Muhammed Ali, Joe Louis, The New York football Giants, Johnny Unitas, Win one for the Gipper, Marilyn Monroe, JFK, the list can go on and on forever. Unlike other stadiums that try to be more convienent to you, food, beer, space, luxury boxes, new and clean, Yankee stadium was the most personable of all stadiums. You were invited to a museum, a cathedral, history in the making, the feeling of 85 years of amazing moments on any given night against any team. All you need is a hot dog and a beer you don't need the sushi in seattle or the salmon in san diego, those are not baseball food its yuppie food. San Diego even sold wine bottles, there is no wining or crying in baseball.

My first memories of the staduim are very similar to my last. That first trip through the tunnel and the colors just open up the senses in a way I have never experienced, even at museums and actual cathedrals, I could pray in Yankee Stadium. There is a New York feel to it, fast paced, tradition, larger than life, hard working, pride. My father took me to my first game at the stadium and I took him to our last game this year. I saw some amazing moments at this stadium and was spoiled with all the winning ever since seeing guys like Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter play at Albany-Colonie and meeting them at the baseball camps they held. I remember seeing Danny Tartabull smash a home run, Daryl Strawberry hitting 2 in one game, Cecil Feilder belting one in 1996, Paul O'Neill and the target signs everytime he came to bat, seeing guys like Cal Ripken, Kirby Puckett, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Frank Thomas, seeing Barry Bonds (before we know what we know now) blasting one almost out of the stadium, Ken Griffey Jr. hitting 3 in one game over the fences, the amazing pitchers, Clemens, Cone, Wells, Pettitte, Rivera, Wetteland, Key, Gooden, El Duque, Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton, Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, and Mike Mussina. Then there is Arod, Giambi, Damon, Posada, Chamberlain, Tino, the lsit goes on from the 90s alone.

In 2004, though a friend of mine I am sure regrets it now, gave me his ticket to the 13 inning thrill ride of a baseball game between the Red Sox and Yankees in which Derek Jeter dove into the stands. Micheal Kay still calls it the best game he's ever seen. I have always been hard on Jeter especially since I've watched him since the days at heritage park teaching me and my friends how to field ground ball correctly. That night told me everything I ever have to know about Jeter, hes always been clutch, talented, and hard working, but that was heart...... he came out with blood on his face and that saved the game. No other player in baseball would have done that, only a Yankee, and only Jeter, that is why he is the Captain. At the end of a victory in the final night at the stadium Jeter was given the microphone in what a speech like Gehrig, Ruth or Mantle.... Jeter was given his moment at the stadium with a sold out crowd and a microphone, it was amazing. My girlfriend and I became very choked up, feeling the moment through a television set in North Carolina. Thats the thing with this stadium, like Yogi's commercial, its in you, it lives, it breathes, in your heart and your mind. I will always remember these moments that make that stadium priceless. The friez, Bob Shephard, the bleacher creatures, the fans, monument park, the rain delays, the subway pulling up to the stadium, enter sandman, the seventh inning stretch and the bronx cheer. I am lucky enough to have gone as many times as I did.

Yankee Stadium is like the song says "And find I'm a number one, Top of the list, King of the Hill Number One"

Week 4 Pics

Last week :10-6

Winners are in bold

Minnesota at Tennessee
Denver at Kansas City
San Francisco at New Orleans
Arizona at NY Jets
Green Bay at Tampa Bay
Atlanta at Carolina
Houston at Jacksonville
Cleveland at Cincinnati
San Diego at Oakland
Buffalo at St. Louis
Washington at Dallas

Sunday Night
Philadelphia at Chicago

Monday Night
Baltimore at Pittsburgh

Bye: Detroit, Indianapolis, Miami, New England, NY Giants, Seattle

driving top 5s

I spend an hour and a half on the highway each day, up to 2 hrs. somedays. This can be incredibly tiresome so I try to make the best of it. Usually it is a reflective period in the morning as it takes about 45 minutes to get to school. I watch the sun graze the dew over the cotton and tobacco fields, look at the still deep black water and listen to music thinking of the day ahead and day behind reminding myself to enjoy the moment I have. At the end of the day it is an awesome ride, one because I am going home to see a lovely lady and because I can relax for a moment and enjoy the ride. Usually the sun is high and hot so the windows down wind in my face sun in my eyes beautiful ride, some nights the sun is setting and when its flat and the sun sets I believe God has enjoyed LSD once or twice....the arrangement of colors can be breathtaking, at night time when it is dark, no lights on the highway...the stars are so big and bright over an endless sky, quiet, calm, refreshing....with gas being prices it is driving that far can really be a pain in the pocket but it is an enjoyable ride to take, it all depends on the moment.

Since I also am a music junkie, and have the opportunity to listen frequently I have a top 5 on my Dead playlist and DMB playlist for this month of september:

Dead

1.)Scarlet Begonias

2.)Music Never Stopped

3.)Tennessee Jed

4.)Jack Straw

5.) Cassidy

Dave

1.) Rapunzel

2.) #41 (12/8/98 version bela fleck, jeff coffin and leroi moore)

3.) Break Free

4.) A Dream so Real

5.) Warehouse

Thats all for now....keep truckin'!

Week 3 Picks

Winners are in Bold

Kansas City at Atlanta
Oakland at Buffalo
Tampa Bay at Chicago
Houston at Tennessee
Carolina at Minnesota
Miami at New England
Cincinnati at NY Giants
Arizona at Washington
Detroit at San Francisco
St. Louis at Seattle
New Orleans at Denver
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
Jacksonville at Indianapolis
Cleveland at Baltimore
Dallas at Green Bay
NY Jets at San Diego

Football season 2008 picks

Due to the fact that I am a junkie for sports, particularly football...among many other things, I want to give my NFL 2008 predictions now before it is too late and I have unfair information to pick. Week 2 was just completed, although many weeknesses have been shown, particularly Tom Brady out for the season, there is still a lot of football to be played...so here it is:

NFC East winner: Dallas Cowboys

NFC North winner: Minnesota Vikings

NFC South winner: New Orleans Saints

NFC West winner: Arizona Cardinals

NFC Wild Cards: Philadelphia Eagles

New York Giants

AFC East winner: New England Patriots

AFC North winner: Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC South winner: Indianapolis Colts

AFC West winner: San Diego Chargers

AFC Wild Cards: New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

Playoffs Week 1: New York Jets over New England Patriots

Indianapolis Colts over Tennessee Titans

Philadelphia Eagles over Arizona Cardinals

New York Giants over Minnesota Vikings

Playoffs Week 2: Pittsburgh Steelers over New York Jets

Indianapolis Colts over San Diego Chargers

Dallas Cowboys over New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles over New Orleans Saints

Championchip round: Pittsburgh Steelers over Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia Eagles over Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl: Philadelphia Eagles over Pittsburgh Steelers

never forget

Once again September 11th has come and gone. Seven years since the horrifying attacks occured. I was not in Manhattan when it happened but a few weeks later I was. I remember getting searched getting on the train down, seeing the military pointing guns in Grand Central Station, the military riding around on Park and 5th avenue patroling. I remembering going down to Ground Zero and seeing the wall of support flyers from so many countries, missing person flyers for so many people....the debris on the streets, the graves blown up out of the cemetary, the subway trains flipped upside down in the subways underneath Canal Street and meeting a man who would drink tea with his wife everyday in the same spot pouring her tea into the ground as she was no longer there to meet him. I did not see protests and selling of memorbilia, I saw fireman and cops who lost friends and family I saw construction being done and people working together. It was a ghost town down there. I will never forget those images or those people that died. In the most defining moment of my generation people came together and since then have been torn apart. There are few flags hoisted now, no more USA chants, no more hello's and concern from or for strangers, no more coming together for causes, no more agreements. We stood with the towers united and fell with them divided. Politics has alot to do with it. The media says remembering this tradgedy every year is depressing and I cannot beleive that 7 years later people have forgotten because of such things as politics and wars. We have not gotten Bin Laden and even when we do it is not over. America lost alot of itself that day and how we have acted since then had not been American. Don't forget those people that died, those that were heroes and those heroes that are fighting for us everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan and everywhere else. We had one attack that day because of the soldiers who protect us, other countries dont have that, and I have the freedom to write this, other countries dont have that, neva forget 9/11 RIP..........

Half Nelson

One more movie review, since I have 6 hours to kill between my classes, sorry homes, The movie "Half-Nelson". This movies stars Ryan Gosling, the "dreamy dude" from the "Notebook" for all you ladies, particularly the lovely lady that dates me, as a Crack-addicted teacher in the inner city. This movie is disturbing, shocking and powerful. He is a brilliant teacher with a scarred past who turns down more money to work in the "hood" as he feels he will be making a difference. Or maybe he figured he wanted to hide away his Crack addiction in a place maybe noone would figure him out. Helping the students one imparticular has become his priority but his addiction gets in the way. This is not your typical "white teacher in the black hood school" story. Again another movie that is deep that looks at socioeconomic and racial issues as well as confronting our ideals on drug addicts, as they are not always the bums on the street, but sometimes, your DR.'s Lawyers, and even teachers. Another good movie to rent sometime. I'm done with movie reviews, sorry homes, peace!

Things We Lost In The Fire

I'm not ripping off my good friends movie blog, but I am giving a movie review because I enjoy movies as much as the next guy and maybe someone else will enjoy the flick too, I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. "Things we lost in the Fire" starring Benicio Del Toro and Halle Berry was a very under rated movie with tremendous acting performances, particularly by Benicio. The movie has a slower pace to it which is necessary due to the heavy drama that develops as the movie reaches deeper and deeper with real touchy feelings of loss, depression, anger, resentment, forgiveness, loyalty, addiction, recovery, relapse, fear, courage, honor, dignity, confusion, guilt, honesty, and letting go. There are a great many levels that this movie takes place on where there are no words but just watching as the story unfolds. Being an addict myself and having seen several "glorification" movies of getting high and also your"feel good" recovery stories, I felt that this story was accurate, real, and individualized as each addicts story is. Benicio Del Toro easily deserves an award for his performance in this film. This was a touching story. If you have the time I highly suggest you rent this movie. Word!

Thanks for the memories

The last time I did not get to see the only cathedral in baseball decorated on national television for the glorious pinstripes in the boogie down bronx in october I was 10 years old. 15 years ago, 1993, was the last time sports most storied team did not participate in october baseball. This year looks like that streak will come to an end as the Yankees of 2008 are not a team but a bunch of overpaid choke artists. Alot has happened in 15 years and alot has changes since the year 1993. Kurt Cobain was still alive so were Biggie and Tupac. The devil rays and diamondbacks werent even teams yet and the rockies and marlins were in their innaugural seasons. The steriod era was just beginning and football had just begun free agency. Micheal Jordan retired for the first time and the drug "X" was just becomming popular. The seattle music scene had just taken off and the red hot chilli peppers had jsut released bloodsexsugarmagik. Guns and Roses were still around and Dre, Snoop and Warren G had shown what was happening on the left coast. Clinton had just taken office and the OJ trial would soon follow. This streak has lasted for so long including four world series victories and six AL pennants.
It has been one hell of a ride. Getting knocked out by Griffey in 95 to Leyrtiz's blast in 1996. The streak of 13 straight world series wins including 4 over the braves in 96, 4 over the padres in 98, 4 over the braves again in 99 and then game 1 and 2 victories over the mets in 2000 before taking the series in 5 games. 2001 2 outs bottom of the ninth down 3-1 not one night but two coming back to win. Grand Slam's in game 1 of 1998, Wetteland saves 4 straight in 1996, Clemens in 2001 in seattle, Jeter's flip in oakland in 2001, Justice homer's against oakland and seattle, Walk off's for bernie, Jeffery Mayer in 1996, the list goes on and on to Aaron F**** Boone in 2003. Bernie Williams has come and gone. There are no more Tino's, Paully's, Coneheads, and Boomers. No more guys like Chad Curtis, Shane Spencer, Ricky Ledee's, Wade Boggs, or Cecil Fielder's. We have had it good, too good for so long. It is what us New Yorkers have come to expect, the best of it all. I feel for the fans of Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Cinncinatti, Washington, Baltimore, and Texas. Derek Jeter will not know what to do with himself come October 1st. Mr. November cannot play in October.
I am glad to live and die with the Yankees and to have been a fan during this amazing run. My life has been crazy changing in the last 15 years but I could always count on the Yanks in October. There have been legends passing on, September 11th, Darryl Strawberry's struggles, and Corey Lidle. Reggie and Yogi finally came back and Mattingly's number retired. I battles through drugs and alcohol and struggles with religion and faith. God is defintely a Yankees fan. Unless we go on a miraculous run, and we have before, this will not be our year.
Whether you love them or hate them they add to the excitement of the game. In a stadium with so much history......thanks for the memories. And always remember, gangsters and millionaire's wear pinstripes....who the F**** wears RED SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!