Who Who !!

I took a step back to my youth and stayed out late last night attending  "The Who" concert in Phoenix, AZ. I say that because the first time I saw The Who in 1967 I was fifteen. It was their initial American tour and they were but the warmup band. The headliners that night were Herman's Hermit's but my buddy Bill Moriarty and I went to see The Who. They were a brash loud British band that closed out their concerts by tearing up the stage and destroying their instruments, something I just had to see. Their play list was a short one but offered early hits like Substitute and My Generation. We didn't get to hear any on their early stuff last night as they performed music from the album Quadrophenia followed by a five song encore that had the arena rocking. I left knowing that I got my money's worth and if they offer me another opportunity down the road, I bet I'll be there again. Not waiting 45 years between concerts this time.

Elaine, Elaine, Elaine

I was fifteen when "The Graduate" debuted with Kathrine Ross playing the role of Elaine Robinson. I was smitten immediately. She was gorgeous. She was every teenage boys dream.
I noticed in today's newspaper that she is celebrating her 73rd Birthday. How could that be?
So, I give a Birthday shout-out to Elaine...many more. Firing up the DVD tonight.

Flu be Gone

Like many many Americans this winter I encountered my annual bout with the flu over the weekend. I didn't make it an hour into my trading day Friday, having to pull the plug and head back home and the warm cozy confines of my bed. I was lucky to secure a Doctors appointment, hoping after seeing me cough and sneeze all over him, prescribe me a quick remedy. But not so. I only had the crud, nothing more. He told me my son Mark though was really sick, having a full outbreak of influenza. That didn't make me feel better... only worse for my son.

It's funny how our bodies can go into complete shut down mode whenever threatened by aches and pains. I normally try to get a good six to seven hours of sleep a night but I truthfully slept thirteen hours straight Friday night. My wife said she checked to see if I was still breathing. I awoke had a cup of tea and was in much need of a mid morning nap. How could I be tired? The afternoon nap was even better. Whoever said you can't catch up on your sleep???

In between naps, thank god for stupid sappy movies. "You're Got Mail" and "Double Jeopardy" served as entertainment for the day. I also inhaled countless episodes of "Diners, Drive-In's and Dives". Thank the lord the bar wasn't set too high. I would have watched the sign off pattern if it meant wasting time.

Food or the lack of an appetite is also an intriguing element for flu goers. I had my full of Chicken Soup and drinking Ginger Ale. I think I mentioned more than handful of times nothing tastes good. I think I was in "starve a cold" mode but I sure was hungry. Unfortunately, my napping got in the way of meals. It's was a good time to start a diet.

I've been vocal enough about not getting a flu shot every year but I have already marked my Outlook Calendar to insure I trek to the local Walgreen's to get my 2013-2014 flu shot. No more lost weekends for me ever again.

Lefty...Right On!!

I have always been a big Phil Mickelson fan. I live in Arizona and have had the opportunity to watch him play ever since his days at Arizona State. I love to follow him every Phoenix Open for the pure excitement that he provides, good and bad. Besides, I hate Tiger Woods.

The other day when "Lefty" said "So I'm going to have to make some changes" I thought he'd striped it down the fairway, something Phil doesn't seem to do enough of with his Driver in his hands. What he was referring to was his tax bill as a California resident. He said he was in a group targeted both federally and by the state. The fruits of his labor, something that he's worked a lifetime to perfect were going to cost him. A whole lot.

It's not usual for a professional athlete to open up about his personal finances or talk tax rates. I really cannot recall another time when I have heard anything like this. We all know these guys make a bundle and likely pay the max to Uncle Sam. This time it came from someone with a fresh take on what a higher tax bill really means and what one can do to just say no.

I had a conversation the other day over lunch with someone with a differing view on taxation and he was rather surprised by the actual math of every sixty-three cents of Phil's dollar going to the taxman. It hit me, people are either too stupid  or too lazy to do the simple math. Why is it that we only are surprised to hear those we classify as wealth object about their tax bill. Why doesn't every working American take a real look at their "take home" pay and raise a ruckus. All Americans should be united, yet there are way too many that object to the type of success that Phil Mickelson has achieved in his life. He did it all himself. No one else put in the work.

So when I heard Phil sort of backpedal and say that he no long will publicly criticize the government for taking most of his paycheck, we lost an important voice of reason. I hope Phil will reconsider and drill his Driver directly at Washington and for his sake Sacramento.

What...Me Worry?

Bernanke held true to form yesterday in a speech at the University of Michigan, providing equity traders with another blanket buy recommendation, as he reiterated his call that interest rates don't have a snow balls chance in hell of moving higher in the foreseeable future. And that foreseeable future is at least through the end of 2014. The Fed will roughly dump $80 Billion a month in new liquidity into the marketplace. He's not called "Helicopter Ben" for nothing. Granted we have an abundance of mixed economic signals, growth versus "new normal" stagnation. The "fiscal cliff" was averted to some degree, just don't let the common man in on how his paycheck shrank though an increase in the payroll tax.

Next up is a much more important matter and that is the potential raising of the Debt Ceiling. The U.S is set  to hit the debt ceiling in mid-February and given the rhetoric coming out of our dear President at his last first term press conference yesterday, expect one heck of a battle. He said he will not negotiate. After a contentious battle over the fiscal cliff negotiations where Obama demonized Congressional Republicans, don't expect Speaker Boehner or Senate Minority Leader McConnell to hand him any chance to take another victory lap. Get ready for a rock'em sock'em time on Capital Hill.

Let's be frank, the Debt Ceiling is a whole lot scarier than the Fiscal Cliff. If the borrowing limit is not raised, we could be flung into utter economic chaos. Our credit rating surely will be cut, likely raising rates and our borrowing costs. All sorts of payments would be jeopardized, like Social Security , Medicare, Defense and interest on the national debt. Spending cuts would have to be enacted immediately, fueling a potential recession.

In conclusion, it ain't pretty folks and to think this needs to be negotiated between President Barrack Hussein Obama and Congress should scare the hell out of you. Tell me what these elected officials have done for the good of the country lately? So look for each partner in this mess to ultimately pat each other on the backside as they kick the can down the road once more. This country needs a serious discussion on tax reform and spending cuts. I just hope it's in my lifetime.

Brain Kelly...Really!!

I was switching between a couple of NBA games last night when I noticed ESPN was reporting Brian Kelly had interviewed for the vacant Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach position. This comes a couple of days after his Notre Dame Fighting Irish laid a huge turd in the BCS Championship game and a few days removed where he professed he had his best job and he wasn't leaving Notre Dame.

For Notre Dame this is nothing more than a sucker punch, especially if it's true the interview took place just hours after that horrific loss. He's another coach who screams about loyalty but is always a heartbeat away from listening to any offer that would increase his already bloated checking account.
This might be nothing more than Kelly's willingness to listen to what might lie ahead or just plain stoking his ego.If he's looking for a bit of leverage in his Notre Dame contract, he's very lucky I'm not the one calling the shots. I would be walking him to the door and slamming it on his sorry ass. The line is long of coaches ready and willing to now take on the Notre Dame job.

This surely will pass and Kelly will be back on the Notre Dame sideline but for ND loyalist this stinks.

Stink...Stank...Stuck

There was no joy in my house last night as the less than Fighting Irish fell off the "BCS Cliff" in their effort to unseat Alabama. My son who was spared the waste of time watching the mismatch live while he was in flight asked when I turned off the game. My response was, when ND won the coin toss and elected to defer and allow the Crimson Tide to begin their offensive thrashing. There were plenty of things that went wrong for Notre Dame, like a couple of stiff calls that went against them in the early going but and this is a big BUT, there was no way on January 7, 2013 that Notre Dame was going to beat Alabama. They were by far the more physically dominating nasty team. On both sides of the ball. Bama played the game of their year, while Notre Dame simply never answered the bell. Bad decision.

Spring Training can't get here soon enough for me.

BCS Championship Game

ND IRISH VS CRIMSON TIDE

It's roughly six hours before kickoff in the last college football game of the year and it's time to weigh in on who I think will win the national championship.
Let me first give you a bit of my history. I live within a ND family and house. My wife is a St Mary's grad (1975) a time when Notre Dame was first welcoming coed's on campus. My Father in Law is a Honorary Monogram member, the highest honor bestowed on an individual who supports the university. My wife's sister and brother both attended ND and my Mother in Law has had 8 seats on the fifty for over 20 years. I went to Catholic schools my entire life and one of my best friends at the time, Bob Thomas, kicked the winning field goal in the 1973 Sugar Bowl to give Notre Dame the National Championship.

But, my son Craig was wrongly denied admission to Notre Dame at a time when he met all the necessary qualifications to have gained admittance. He deeply wanted to spend his college years in South Bend. I was more than irate, I was angry and in my anger I swore off all things related to Notre Dame. And boy did I pick a good time to turn my ire against the Irish. They stunk year after year, so much so it was hard to conceal my amusement while watching on Saturday afternoons. I would tell my wife and all withing my vocal range, that not to worry, their Women's programs were top notch. And when my Xavier Musketeers eliminated the basketball version of the Fighting Irish in last years march Madness, I had my revenge. And boy was it sweet.

Oh yea, the game tonight. The Catholics vs "If you Ain't Cheating you're not trying" SEC. Notre Dame versus Alabama. Television and Vegas couldn't pick a better pairing. I'm taking the points (9 1/2) and Notre Dame to win outright.You could say I'm trying to get back in God's good graces but I like that Notre Dame finally has the gang upfront to make the difference. Offensive wins games but Defense wins championships and Notre Dame simply has the better D. I also think Everett Golsen will have Bama remembering what 'Johnny Football" did to them in a HOME loss.

This will be a war. But when the stadium clock strikes 0:00, Notre Dame will putting on the championship gear. Final Score: Notre Dame 24 Alabama 23 ( same as 1973 Sugar Bowl)

I Hate Instant Replay

Instant Replay / I Vote No

If you are sitting on the fifty, mid-court, luxury box, enjoying a few beers with buds at the local bar or even watching on your insanely large 80" Plasma at home, the words you now dread to hear are, "the previous play is under review".
Technology is ruining spectator sports, especially Football and Basketball as we used to know them. The pursuit to correctly break down each and every play in a football game or significant moments in basketball games like last second shots, has turned me off so much that I'm thinking about watching cartoons (Bugs Bunny is my all time favorite) rather than tuning in another game that lasts far too long and disrupts the normal flow of a game. Human error is part of the game. If human error is part of the game, let the officials call the game. Players, coaches and officials will make mistakes. It's all part of the game we love best.

I have basically had it. Throw in the fact that many of these reviews still don't get it right. They seem to take forever or should I say as long for the network to run like 8 or 10 commercials. I only wish you can hear my blood curdling screams. My wife unfortunately can.

Last nights Colorado / Arizona Pac-12 basketball game that opened conference play for each team is a perfect example of what's wrong with referees being able to overturn something they already have correctly ruled on. The play in question at the end of the game was a bang bang shot right at the buzzer. Did the shot beat the game clock or was it late. They ruled initially the shot was good. Then the fun started. The ref's are subjected to look at TV monitors and slo-mo playbacks provided by television replays. Angle after angle, real time and slo-mo over and over and over again. Did he or didn't he release the ball before the clock expired? And after all the looks they disallowed the bucket and the game went into overtime.

Did I mention the game was played in Tucson, on UA's home court in front of a raucous pro UA crowd. And Arizona won in OT.

I was so ticked off I refused to go back to viewing the Fiesta Bowl between Oregon and Kansas State fearing another break in the action so a zebra would consult another tv monitor.
I immediately switched to CBS and watched Person of Interest. At least it wasn't a re-run!

Clemens No Hits DOJ

Roger Clemens was found innocent of all charges he lied to Congress yesterday and I have just a few opinions about the whole stupid trial. I will say upfront, I'm no big fan of Roger Clemens despite his time in Yankee Pinstripes. I think he was an abuser pure and simple but what evidence do I have other than a gut feeling.

First, what in the name of God is the Department of Justice doing bringing charges against anyone who lies before Congress? The litmus test being Bill Clinton never spending a moment in jail for telling one of the most famous lies of all time to Congress. Doesn't the government have better things to do with our hard earned tax dollars? What a joke of a Justice Department chasing suspected baseball players using steroids. Thank you Barrack Hussein Obama for your leadership.

Secondly, baseball at its roots has to take on some of the blame. So thank you Bud Selig for ignoring and not ridding the game of players using PED's that go back into the mid 1980's. You shuffled your job off to ex-Senator Mitchell to do the hack job that named names that were kept hermetically sealed (oh a few were leaked) without a hint of evidence. Baseball when all is said and done basically condoned the steroid era by its silence.

Lastly, I could care less who did and who didn't use and how it effects their entry into Cooperstown. It is what it is and the game of baseball and what it went through to get to where it is today is better for it.

Warning...Face"book"plant is Dangerous to your Wallet 

The greatest hype job in Wall Street history should have come fully equipped with a warning label. What was hoped for being the hottest IPO ever, has turned into one of the greatest flop or frauds of all-time. Blame can be passed around, from technical troubles on launch day to increasing the size and price of the offering but the main flaw in Facebook is, this company will have a most difficult time delivering consistent profits for its shareholders. It's a fad, nothing more and it's free. And on Wall Street, nothings free. So next time when Wall Street through the likes of Morgan Stanley or Goldman Sachs, comes touting its next best greatest most sure thing, you now have a reference point as to what can and will go wrong..."Faceplant"

Adios Califonia

California posts a whopping $9.1 Billion deficit.

California Dreaming is so over. I remember when California was the cutting edge of American culture. California was cool and all American's aspired to live a life of surf and sun. Hollywood was John Wayne and the Beach Boys sang about California Girls. Natural beauty was everywhere. Business's thrived, impart through a highly respected education system providing an abundant skilled workforce. California all by itself ranked as one of the leading economies in the world. It was a perfect merger of work and pleasure.
So what derailed the dream? What turned California into one giant welfare state? Government gone wild is my reason. Raising taxes and driving the population to more friendly confines sure got the ball rolling. Because when you over tax businesses and people, they find ways to reduce those added costs and that means relocation and that is what California is experiencing right now. A flight of their highly skilled workforce to places like Nevada, Arizona, Oregon or anyplace other that California. The people footing the bill are backing up their moving vans, leaving the state to those who choose to do nothing but remain on the governments dime. Until, there is change away from government is all things to all people, California is doomed. It's broke and it's not fixable. It's time for personal responsibility.

Monday's Shortstops

1. Boo, boo, boo to the NBA players and owners. When it came right down to it, TV executives must have pointed out the obvious, either get a deal done so games could be broadcast on Christmas Day or find some other "pot of gold". Billions to divide wins every time, right NFL?
2. LSU vs Alabama...again? Looks like the current BCS standings will give me an excuse to be anywhere but in front of my TV when the "big game" gets played. I probably won't waste time on those other worthless Bowl games too. I want a playoff, NOW.
3. How did Andrew Luck all of sudden go to being the underdog for the Heisman? He's the best player in college football and likely the first player drafted in the upcoming NFL draft. I'm so tired of SEC schools (Alabama) running up stats against poor quality opponents. In fact I'm sick of the SEC period.
4. Notre Dame Football stinks. And so does their coach. Nothing like a foul-mouthed coach screaming at players while patrolling the sidelines for the preeminent Catholic University in the World. He needs a confessional with a priest with a baseball bat waiting for him.
   
5. Tebow could be the mightiest running back in the NFL. Just look how defensive backs get out of his way. It's a whole other discussion about his passing accuracy though.
   
6. Urban Meyer + Ohio State = National Championships
7. March Madness gets an early start as both #1 North Carolina and UConn both lose. I can't wait until March. Now you know why I hate the NBA. Give me college hoops anyday.
   
8. Lastly, 18 holes, taking in a college B-Ball game, a dog and a beer. What's another working day for the President of the United States?
   

Random Monday Rants

1. Manny Ramirez - two failed drug tests and it's adios for Manny ever hearing his name called for Cooperstown. The ever growing steroid wing now has one of the greatest but flawed right handed hitters of all-time. Manny was only cared about the money he could earn and who can blame him, given what owners were willing to shell out to a guy they knew had no character. Oh, he was a character and in the end it was his downfall. So if you happen to be a Red Sox, Dodger or Rays fan, the ultimate memory of Manny is cheater and quitter.
2. The Masters and Augusta National - I know I'll take some heat on this but I don't buy into all the hype about the Masters and Augusta. What I believe it has turned into is a Par Five and Putting contest. It rewards those ultra long hitters who can tame their short 5-pars and those who can putt bikini waxed greens.
3. Yankees/Red Sox - I'm a Yankee fan, so I hate the Red Sox. But what I am really getting tired of is that every time these teams meet and it's 18 games per season it's the most meaningful game of the year. It's time to treat these early season games as just one of 162 and move on. Besides, MLB is running a huge risk of overexposure and even more so of understating the rest of MBL. I don't mind seeing Albert Pujols. Anyone watch the 60 Minutes segment last night? I want more Albert.
   
4. Obama Man - Now and only now that he's lost his grip on budgetary matters, he's willing to put in a few man hours and come up with what he says are new proposals. Like increasing taxes on the wealth is his new mantra.
5. NFL Draft - please raise your hand if this isn't the most tiring sports story year after year. Get on with it already. And please no season next year.
6. Lakers lose 5th straight - there is a God.

See you next week

March Madness?????

The only "Madness" in March Madness is the lack of talent, game after game. I can't believe the sum of money CBS and its partners are shelling out for such an inferior product. I love college basketball but remember I was raised in the time of John Wooden and UCLA. Back in the day teams like North Carolina, Indiana, Kentucky and Kansas scrubs could mop the floor with what's playing today. Oh, the games can be entertaining and thrilling, laced with buzzer beaters and upset galore but just look at who's doing it. Your local high schools can provide the same thrills at a fraction of the cost.

The college game is being literally destroyed by the one and done player. There is no continuity for teams who are forced to reload on a yearly basis. At programs like Kentucky, you need a program from game to game to figure out who's playing. And the money. My god the money is out of control. Coaches are now the highest paid state employees in states that can't come close to balancing thier fiscal budgets. And the NBA can't wait to take in these basketball skill lacking players and throw millions at them.

I say the only thing left for March Madness is the braket itself. Filling it out with the bravado that you actually know something no one else does and throwing a few bucks in the office pool. That's all what we care about anymore. I hope though someday, the games reclaim their importance and players like Robertson, West, Kareem, Walton, Ewing and Jordan create madness memories that will never be forgotten.