Destry

Sad and Know it

2012-01-26T19:03:00.001-08:00

I am sad and I know it. I am in a funk and can't get out. I don't understand the things around me, wish I could get a better view of me in the mirror. The person I see, the person I try to be, must not be the person others see. What do I do. Grin and bear it. Keep the rage inside. Lashing out won't help. Pointing out the deficiencies in others doesn't improve my standing. So I keep plugging along. Hoping that the person I see in the mirror gets seen by others. I try to improve, I try to help, I just don't know.

I won't show the pain I feel. I don't have an outlet to share. I can't have what I want, it still doesn't diminish my desire for it. I wish I didn't know what I knew. I wish I could exist in the fairy tale I try to spin. But when the silence speaks, I hear my despair.

I know who I am. I know what I want. I just want to be able to share it with someone who will also share with me. I don't want to have to type these words so they exist in the universe for a random person to encounter. I want something I can't seem to get.

I will keep trying. I have no other option. In the meantime, just know the person you see, is not the person in the mirror.

Im Back to Technology

2012-01-11T23:04:00.001-08:00

More to come. Let us just say that there were plenty of things I missed and plenty of things I didn't. I will break this down more in depth tomorrow. Enjoy your evening.

Destry

Sabbatical from Technology for 24 hours

2012-01-10T20:32:00.000-08:00

I begin my sabattical from technology in about 20 minutes. I have chosen to give up the computer, the laptop, the smart phone, the televisions, and all other devices that tie me into social media. I am going to completely enjoy a day in which there are no pulls on my time to check in on this, or respond to that, won't be wondering about this or that, in stead will be accomplishing all of lifes little things that we so easily push aside to enjoy our social media addiction. I am sure the post tomorrow will have tons of thoughts, insights and answering to questions, I haven't even been opened up to. And I wouldn't mind meeting a special someone as I am out and about enjoying life without wires. Come join me. It could be madness or it could be freeing. I want to know.

Best not to speak

2012-01-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

I didn't forget about doing a blog post yesterday, I just chose not to. I try to live by simple motto of not speaking when I am upset. I find that the time helps me put things in perspective. I like the saying, say nothing and be thought a fool, than speak and leave no doubt. I will go on a short tangent on a larger topic. Why do people not want to compete anymore. When did everything become non competitive. What is wrong with competition. There is such a thing as friendly competition. I just don't understand any more. I believe it brings out the best in people. Whether you are trying to get a promotion at work, or just sitting down to play cards with friends and family. Whether the stakes are $0.25 or $25.00 people should want to compete. Obviously must play inside a persons comfort zone. Don't gamble if you can't afford it. But if you choose to play a game of something on a night, and that is your entertainment, then if you lose 20 bucks it isn't end of world. Most likely it was cheapest thing you would have found to do. I am not focused on just on the money, I will play rummy and try to win when all that is at stake is first to 500 points. I just like the thrill of competing. Trying to outwit, outthink, and outplay your opponents. If we can't have competitive fun with our friends then why bother pretending to play. If we decide to bet $1 on rather a coin will land on heads or tails, for me it is about that moment when the coin is in the air, the thrill of wondering if I should have chosen the opposite call. There seems to be people who will take that bet, then if they lose, say oh well it was "just for fun". No it was for $1. I would have paid if I had lost, you should pay when you lose. If you don't have the $1 to waste, then don't bet the coin toss.

On to football. Great job by the home teams, only 3rd time since 1990 when all 4 homes teams won. #Texans were the biggest surprise to me. I am avid #Steelers fan, but with all our injuries, didn't expect to win the game. I would have attempted the 67yd FG at end of regulation, but that is just me. Also with new OT rules in Playoffs, the team kicking should attempt an onside, if they have faith defense can hold them to FG. I guess the game to look forward to is Saints/49ers. The Patriots/Broncos and Ravens/Texans don't seem like very exciting football to me anyway. Also got the #BCS Championship Game tomorrow night. I like #LSU and their record this year, but #Alabama is who I am picking to win by 10.

Friday Friday Which Seat will I choose

2012-01-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

Going to just hit the highlights of my day. First, got a great nights sleep. Thank you Ambien. Thank you also to cool weather, and no thank you to all the women I would to cuddle up with, but you haven't made yourself available yet.

Went to the Studio to do our Sports Ministry radio show, what an excellent day of radio, we have great guest including Pat Hanlon from the New York Football Giants on with us. We also had our NBA correspondent David Gaulman call in an drop some knowledge on us. Big thanks. The people at studio were replacing lights and carpets being cleaned, it is the little things that make you feel like big things are on horizon. Our show went by flawlessly. Great material, great conversations, and over all very excited looking forward to Monday and the release of the dreaded Arbitron ratings. We took guesses around the office, ranged from .4 (not in book) to 1.0 (in book and kicking ass). I guessed .7, jp guessed .6. We both feel the numbers should have been higher but not much promo work done around today to promote the show. We will know on Monday, and our fingers are crossed. This will lead to much easier sales calls and secure some longevity in this format.

Game home at some chili (i really do make great chili). Got talked in to go to Champions Pub in sarasota florida for a blind draw dart tournament. When I was talked into this I had no other plans on the horizon. So off we go, but then I get a text, from girl I have been wanting to go on date with for a while, who is asking me if i'd like to go to the movies tonight, i explain I am already 3/4 of the way to Sarasota, and I would need a little notice, but would really like to take her out next chance she has. Of course tomorrow she is going to comedy club, but we will see. Also talked to dad about his visit to Florida. Going to discuss ways to make the home front ideal for all. ( I need a futon and would like someone to donate one to me) I can exchange it out for free radio press.

Went to blind draw, got teamed up with good partner, beat everyone there, and won first place....woo hoo me... beat my nephew for second, congrats to him. Came back home, just absolutely loved the interaction I get with sister, nephews, and niece, it is always priceless and I do feel like I make the correct decisions. Of course one downside is this way I know I am coming home alone, who knows with movies, if I end up with something something. So here I am at home, took sleeping pill, finishing blog, and about to say for those out there, I love my family, I love my life, I love my friends, I miss some, crave others, but all in all at the end of today I feel more loved than I did yesterday. And isn't that the goal is to grow ust a day

Maybe too deep/ maybe not

2012-01-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

To wonder what we should be doing to fulfill our purpose. I often wonder am I on the right road, the right track, headed in the right direction. I find there are things that make me happy, I find there are things that make me sad, I find there are people I want to be around, and I find there are people I'd rather not be around. Is my job to just find the right balance of all these things. Which areas get extra weight, which areas should be glossed over. What makes me happy. What doesn't.

Here is what I know so far. I think I am near the path I should be on. I think I am close to getting it together. I also feel at times like I am out of touch, wandering alone. Seems the one thing I know is that my family brings me back to my center. My sister who I love, brings out the best and worst in me, sometimes at the same moment. My niece and nephew who until they were born, I never understood people who said things like I would step in front of a bus to protect them, now I completely understand. The smiles on their faces, the joy in thier hearts is what makes me know I am doing something right. A facebook post showing off a christmas present you got them, I know it seems insignificant, but it is not. I miss my mom, I miss my dad, I miss so much, yet find that I am happiest when figuring things out on my own. Everyone has helped shape me. Some are still doing it. My grandmother I adore, my best wishes are always in her thoughts.

I want such simplicity. I want to be loved, to love another. I want to have someone to come home to, someone who wants to come home to me. I want someone to share my life with, who wants to share theirs with me. I want a teammate in life, a person that isn't trying to tear me down, but build US up. I want someone who is smart, sexy, funny, and quirky. I want someone who thinks I am smart and sexy and funny and quirky, even though I know I am not most of those things. I want to be able to move on from people who I believe possess that qualitities, but through actions do not. I want the ability to pick up and move at moments notice, but no desire to do so. I want a dog to come home to, I want a family to care for, I want to love others, I want love.

In the meantime, I will just take the small victories I can piece together. Overcome the obstacles I have to overcome, and persevere until I get those things I want. I want others to want me, I want me to want to be around me.

Destry

All that is good

2012-01-04T22:14:00.001-08:00

Easy to do a blog post today about how crappy different parts of my day were. But instead focus on the few good portions and let the bad stuff stay in the shadows. My nephew Jonathon is 16, and going through the process of getting all his driving requirements completed so he can have his license. He is taking Drivers Ed, which I never took, and kinda wish I had. He loves it, and today he was able to drive on the interstate for the first time. Just love the energy he brings to it, the excitement of something most of us dread. It is refreshing to see the world through the eyes of those that haven't been beaten down by society. My niece broke her glasses today, which is a huge deal since she reads non stop and is blind without them. Good news she is getting a brand new pair tomorrow and hopefully they will be in line with what she is wanting. Stopped at my grandmothers house this evening, helped her with a few computer problems, I can't imagine how hard all this technology is, at times I am overwhelmed by it. But she is a trooper at 82, she is active on it every day, and when I can I don't mind stopping over and helping. Got chance to talk to her husband Bob, he is 95 and always energetic to talk about current events. God bless them, I hope I am in those spirits at that age.

Best part of my evening was grocery shopping at my local publix (will admit I kept looking around to make sure my friend who stopped talking to me wasn't there, didn't want that odd moment, even though I don't know why she stopped talking to me). Anyway, got all the necessary ingredients to make my famous chili, as well as some food to get me through the week. Came home marinated the steak (for the chili), and then got it put in the crockpot just a few moments ago. Watch out, 12 hours from now, I am going to be savoring some chili. If you know my phone number and want some, just shoot me a text. If you don't know number but want recipe, leave comment or shoot me email.

Off to watch some television before hopefully falling into a very somber sleep. God bless and remember to be the victor and not the victim.

Ups and Downs

2012-01-03T22:22:00.001-08:00

Well January 3rd can go down in the books as just another day that showcases both the highs and lows life has to offer. The sports talk show business is turbulent to say the least. Have ego's, pride, ignorance, and much more to deal with on daily basis. Our show quality is incredible right now, seems that we are in full stride with how comfortable we are doing sports talk. We are landing great guest callers, having fun doing end of year and new year pieces, and are very excited about upcoming Arbitron ratings. However dealing with the under belly of AM radio is always a struggle. Dealing with corporate offices that don't understand common sense, sponsors that are looking for magic numbers, and trying to find good help is next to impossible. Lets just say if you are interested in working in radio, god help you. No money, long hours, but you get to do something that makes you smile.

My day overall was good, another day I feel good about. I miss my friend, not sure why she stopped talking to me, but I live with no regret there, I put myself out there to always be helpful to others and if that causes me pain then I'd rather that pain, than the pain of regret. I do hope to find someone to share my life with. I have been working on those things that make me happy with me, so someone else can be happy with me as well. I have been determined to wake up positive, and stay focused on all the good I have to offer. Seems to me what I want is simple, but to others must not be. More on that in the future I hope. I'd love to be able to change my relationship status on facebook. Well it is getting very cold here in Florida tonight dipping into low 30's, high tomorrow in 60's, will be stopping and buying all the ingredients for my famous chili. Hope today was good for you, and hope tomorrow is better for us all.

Destry

Day 2 Still on Track

2012-01-02T20:37:00.000-08:00

Well today is the 2nd of January. For most people their new year resolutions have already started to take some hits. For me, I am still doing good. This is one of the few years I didn't publicly announce my resolutions, I am just relying on myself to keep me on the right track. I can say I am still doing good.

As for my day was mostly uneventful. I will fill you in on a few of the observations I had, as well as some opinions I might have. First, I mentioned yesterday that I was trying the new cheesy bread from Domino's Pizza, well it was underwhelming. I think it was overcooked on the outside, and cheese was gooey on the inside, not exactly something that had much taste, and didn't help that they don't include dipping sauces with the bread. I also had a medium pizza as part of their two for $5.99 special, lets just say thank god I didn't pay anymore. I will interject here that I believe companies should not be able to advertise free delivery, if I can not order the same carryout special delivered to my house. If a large pizza is $7.99 carryout and $9.99 delivered, don't you really have a $2 delivery fee?

My day started like most others, woke up late, watched some television (mostly college football), and enjoyed lunch. I will say that the College Bowl Games (BCS) format drives me crazy. I just can't get into games that have ZERO meaning, other than the National Championship Game. I miss the days when bowls mattered. And this BCS system is irriating. I have said it on air and will repeat here, the College Football season is like a great movie with a terrible ending, whereas the College Basketball season is like a terrible movie with a great ending. What the College Football season needs is a tournament at the end. I propose an 8 team Bowl Championship Tournament. Take the BCS ranked teams 1-8 and have them play in 4 Bowl games on Christmas Day, the winners then play in two bowl games on New Years Day, and then one week later you have your Bowl Championship Game. We still keep the other 28 bowl games (35 total bowls most years), but we make these 7 really matter. This year we would have ended up watching on Christmas Day - (1) LSU vs (8) KSU, (2) ALA vs (7) Boise State, (3) Ok. State vs (6) Arkansas, and (4) Stanford vs (5) Oregon. That would have made for some great match ups, as well as some fun games on New Years, and the National Champion would truly have beaten the best then. If we used the BCS system for other sports, it would have been a Philly vs Yankees World Series, last years Super Bowl would have been Patriots vs Falcons, the system is flawed. Fix it.

Okay moving forward, I did spend the evening at my sisters, played brother in law some more Madden 12, he won tonight (I couldn't complete a pass). I also got to spend some time with nephew and niece. All in all it was a great New Years Holiday, as we took a 4 day weekend from the Sports Talk Radio show. I am looking forward to getting back there tomorrow, although uncertain of the future with the radio station. Our show is very good, but are stuck in a very bad market. We will prevail. Should know a lot more about what the future holds in near term. Stay tuned for more.

Destry

New Year New habits

2012-01-01T17:39:00.000-08:00

Today is January 1st. Figured I would try a few new habits this year. First on that list to blog daily with things going on, or thoughts I am having. So for todays installment, let me bore you with some incredibly dull details of my first day of 2012.

I brought in the New Year at my sisters house, with her family, as well as a few of her friends. Played cards, let off bottle rockets, beat Jeff at Madden 2012, and all in all really enjoyed the low key evening.

I will spend a minute here talking about EA Sports Madden 2012 for Xbox 360. First I don't have an Xbox 360 (unless they send me one for free), but have always been a fan of the Madden series. I miss Madden's announcing, especially since I am not a huge fan of Collingsworth. But fortunately their commentary is something you can turn down. Played two games was able to squeak out victories in both. I play with the Steelers, he plays with the Cowboys. I find that Madden 2012 is visually stunning, but from a player standpoint, there is too much for the player to do with the remote. I miss the days of simple controls. But I really do enjoy the game, love playing the game with my brother in law, and it is fun learning new tricks to the game each time I play.

After playing Madden we set off fireworks, then settled to play some poker. We play for the enjoyment of it. We use chips no money (my sister would want me to emphasis that). I had a very lucky evening and was up most of the night. Won some big hands, and kept my losses to a minimum. I really enjoy playing poker, and even with friends, I like the competition and being able to trash talk as well. I have played a lot of hold'em in different poker leagues and at several local casinos, would enjoy doing it more, but don't have the "extra" money to do so.

Sorry for those that thought this might be more entertaining, but it goes downhill from here. I was able to sleep in a little, and then woke up with the chore of cleaning my house, especially the bathrooms. So I spent day cleaning while the football games were in the background. I enjoy having the Red Zone channel on so it can keep me up to date with all the action. Plus Scott Hanson was a great guest on my Sports Talk Radio show. (The Sports Ministry) I should pause to say that sports are a huge passion, I love doing the radio shows and all the perks that come with it.

So that is for the most part my day in a nutshell. Low key, but feel productive. Bathrooms cleaned, watched football (am watching Dallas / Giants game while typing this). Ordered Domino's pizza, anxious to try the new cheesy bread (will comment on that tomorrow). If you made it this far, then thanks for reading, and look forward to your comments. Follow me on twitter at sports_ministry or tsm_destry. If you want to follow our facebook or google + pages then just search The Sports Ministry.

Thanks for reading.

Destry

Which way is this ride going?

2009-03-04T01:06:00.000-08:00

The Wall Street Journal / NBC Poll released on March 3, 2009 was the best look we have gotten since election day as to what the American people are thinking and feeling. We have as regular Americans been inundated with news coverage of the incredibly negative statistics showing the health or in this case the sickness of our economy. We have talking heads that like to now refer this to the Great Recession, as if a regular recession wasn’t bad enough for them. Every morning we are overloaded with home foreclosure news, unemployement figures, retail sales, automotive sales, bank failures and more and more and more. With this kind of endless assault on the American people one would expect the most recently released polling numbers to be sliding, granted there wasn’t much room to continue to slide after the last numbers released before election. At that time 12% of voters polled felt the country was headed in the right direction, and a whopping 78% said the country was headed in wrong direction. Just to put some numbers for comparison here, the DOW was at 9387.61 on 10/13/2008, the date last poll was released. The view was not pretty and we hadn’t seen the worse of it yet. Market continued to drop as confidence was still riding low. But something strange is in the air now, the new poll numbers show that 41% believe we are on the right track now, which we haven’t seen that high level of number since 2004. That is an increase of 29 points which is a increase of 300% from its low just 6 months ago. The number of people who believe we are on the wrong track as gone from 78% in October 2008 down to just 44%, a decrease of 34 points.

What do these numbers mean to the average working American who is struggling to pay his bills and is worrying about his kids going to college or school, not much, but it might help boost his confidence in our economy and it will help the leaders continue to get bills passed through congress. With a 60% approval rating on WSJ/NBC and a Gallup number in the mid 60’s, the American public are willing to trust this new president has a vision and has a grasp on what is needed to fix this economy. When asked how the President is doing handling economy he holds close with 56% approval on WSJ/NBC.

For our esteemed congress men and women, the numbers are showing improvement, not the same stratospheric numbers as the President, but their job approval as gone from 12% in October to 31% now, which is a number they haven’t seen since March 2007. It seems that more people are answering NOT SURE when asked about their performance, as the country waits with baited breath for Obama’s proposals to be passed through the congress.

Here are some very telling questions from the WSJ/NBC poll:

1. In looking at what President Obama is doing in terms of his leadership and plans for the country, do you feel more hopeful or more doubtful?

More hopeful ....................................... 67
More doubtful ...................................... 28
Mixed (VOL) ......................................... 4
Not sure................................................... 1

2. Do you think the Republicans in Congress have opposed President Obama's policies and proposals more because they are standing up for their principles OR more because they are trying to gain political advantage? **

· More because they are standing up for their principles .......... 30

· More because they are trying to gain political advantage....... 56

· Some of both (VOL) ................................................................ 10

· Not sure ................................................................................... 4

3. Do you think that the recently passed economic stimulus legislation is a good idea or a bad idea? If you do not have an opinion either way, please just say so

· Good idea ........................................... 44

· Bad idea.............................................. 36

· Do not have an opinion ...................... 15

· Not sure ............................................... 5

As you can see from our Gallup Daily Tracking poll the President has enjoyed support ranging from 61 to 67 just this last week. As days goes by and the first 100 days are counted down, here are a few hubdub markets to keep in mind.

What will President Obama's approval rating be on Monday March 16th, 2009?

What will President Obama's approval rating be after his first 100 days in office?

Moments in History part 1

2009-02-02T21:21:00.000-08:00

One day in History

In my lifetime I have been able to witness many moments in history. I was watching television when Cal Ripken broke the record for consecutive games. I was watching television when the news broke that Ronald Reagan had been shot. I was watching television when the Challenger exploded. I was watching television when OJ Simpson led a low speed chase through Los Angeles and then when he was acquitted for the charges of Murder. I have been glued to my television for every stroke of Tiger Woods career. I remember thinking how interesting of a name it was when he played in Masters as an amateur. I have watched on television as won each of the 14 majors, I will be there when he breaks the record of 18, watching on television as many of us do.
I was watching television news coverage the day a man named Barack Obama announced his intention to run for President of the United States of America. I watched with great interest, I talked with many of my Republican friends, each of us unsure of what we were watching occur. I along with many Americans watched as this virtual unknown began to inspire and encourage change with each of his speeches. I began to get drawn into the invisible net that he was casting, his words surrounding me, making me believe I could be the change needed. I found myself in a position I had never known, here I was supporting a Democrat, I was persuading my friends not to believe what I believe, but just to listen and give his words a fair shake. Many were skeptical, but I watched as they silently began to get entangled in invisible net of hope and change. With each passing day and each passing speech more became supporters, more became involved in the political process like never before. House parties were coordinated, invites slipped to these secret republicans who supported Obama. We would gather for the Tuesday night results, we watched as Tim Russert so brilliantly explained how the country was about to do what it had never done before. The moments of a campaign slipped through that timer of life and we began to feel that our America was ready, our America as those before us believed that we were meant to do something. I was watching television during the Democratic Convention when our country nominated for the first time a man of color to represent a major political party. It was at that time that I decided that I could no longer watch history on television, I wanted to be a part of history. I volunteered for canvassing neighborhoods, making phone calls, working at polling locations, and attending events. I was there on the stage when Obama visited Sarasota Florida just 5 days before the election. I had stood in line for hours with thousands of others, all to share in the experience we were there for. I was forced to watch on television the election results as they poured in from around the country, I was watching with a great anxiousness as the results of Pennslyvania finally were revealed, and the mathematic possibilities began to dwindle for McCain. I was watching on multiple televisions tuned to multiple channels at the exact moment when each station broke to their breaking news banner and with what felt like one loud voice announced that Barack Obama had been declared the winner of the Presidential election. I stared in amazement as the looks of each news caster was shown and I felt a moment of sadness that Russert was not there to deliver the news. That moment hung in the air as no other moment had til then. I watched as did millions of others, as people gathered in Grant Park to celebrate. I watched as Barack Obama and his family walked onto that stage and delivered that great victory speech. It was at that moment that I made the decision I was going to do everything I could to witness the inauguaration in person.

Analysis of Sunday's Games

2009-01-11T23:46:00.000-08:00

Steelers Win. Steelers Win. Steelers Win.
Yeah I know it shouldn't seem like something that is worth repeating, they had beaten the Chargers last time they met, they were higher ranked, playing at home, and have the NFL's number 1 defense. The Chargers were without their injury prone running back (lets call him mr. no play in playoffs). But after Saturdays games in which both visiting teams won, and then the Eagles upsetting the Giants, home field advantage looked like a curse. Never in the the history of the NFL had a playoff weekend saw all the road teams win, and until the last game this weekend it was very possible.
The Steelers came out and were immediately the victims of a very well placed pass, the Chargers ran a great play that pulled Troy down low to cover Gates, allowing one on one coverage deep. Rivers delivered a picture perfect pass into super tight coverage and the Chargers went up 7-0 immediately. I can tell you my heart sank a little, knowing the struggles our offense has had at times putting up points. The Steelers came out moved the ball a little, were just outside FG range and let Big Ben pooch punt the Chargers down at the 10. The Chargers who last week excelled in their punting game ended up punting the ball to Holmes who slipped right through weak special teams coverage and even the game up immediately. You could tell this was a blow to the Chargers morale. The 3rd Quarter of this game was where the Steelers showcased why they are an elite team. They took the opening kick and marched down the field taking 8 minutes off the clock, putting up 7 points. Then the Steelers defense game out and allowed the Chargers just one snap before deflecting and intercepting the pass. The Steelers then held the ball the rest of the 3rd Quarter. At one time in the game Philip Rivers hadn't touched the ball for 90 minutes (in real life time). From there the defense did what it did and the Steelers are now off to face the Ravens. This matchup was best described by Mike Tomlin who said a scrimmage with the Ravens is all out war, and this is the AFC Championship game. If the first two games are any indication this will be a nail biter, and FG's could win this one.
I want to also mention that the Eagles are looking like a Championship caliber team. Westbrook/Buckhalter are delivering one two running game / screen pass attack, while Jackson is a great deep threat. The defense seems to be playing with purpose. The Giants just don't have the swagger needed to win. They don't have Burris who for as nuts as he is, is still an excellent receiver. The loss of him has allowed teams to put more pressure on Eli. The Giants defense which amazed everyone this year by performing as well as they did without Strahan who retired, and Osi who was injured. This team is in trouble for next year as two of the three Earth, Wind and Fire RB's are up for free agency, Burris likely done, and only bright spot is Osi coming back.

I look forward to the match ups next week. Eagles / Chargers, and of course Steelers / Ravens.

Analysis of Saturday's Games

2009-01-11T02:28:00.000-08:00

Well after watching both the games, I felt like I was really in tuned with my perspective on the Baltimore game. They simply out defensed the Titans. I expected the Ravens to put up a few more points on the Titans but knew the Titans were going to struggle putting up points against the Ravens.
As far as my Carolina analysis I think it is just a big of shock to everyone that Delhomme accounted for 6 turnovers (5 int, 1 fumble), the Cardinals put almost no pressure on Kurt Warner, and the Cardinals had to abandon the running game early. The Cardinals needed to execute a flawless game plan, keep the Panthers confused on play calling, get the ball to Fitzgerald regardless of number of men surrounding him, put pressure on Delhomme, and at the end of the day, the Cardinals are playing like the cardinals in the middle weeks of season, instead of the cardinals that didn't show up the final 3 weeks of regular season.

Presidential Inauguruation

2009-01-10T00:35:00.000-08:00

At Hubdub we have many markets covering all the nuisances of the potential event. We have a market asking which bible verse his bible will be opened to:

Presidential Inauguration: What verse will Barack Obama's Bible be open to?

We are also curious if Barack Obama will use his middle name while taking the oath of office, most Hubdubbers feel he will:

Will Barack Obama use his middle name when taking the oath of office?

One of my personal favorite markets is asking about the infamous "Yes We Can" line that began in New Hampshire, swept the country with the video by Will I AM, and was chanted at the acceptance speech on election night. Currently more than half of the Hubdubbers feel he won't use the line at all, but I think he will, it fits his style, the American people want to be told that "Yes We Can":

Presidential Inauguration: How many times will President Obama use the phrase "Yes We Can"?

For those of you who are going to be in the crowd during this day, we have a market right up your alley, the National Weather Service measures the temperature on Inaugural Day and we have a market asking what our Hubdubbers feel it will be, you better hope they got a good bead on this one, they are calling for a very comfortable 35degrees:

Presidential Inauguration: What will be the temperature at noon as recorded by NWS?

Another market more tuned into those of you who will be braving the weather, while the rest of us watch from the comfort of our homes or offices, is this market asking How Many Words Long will the Inauguration Speech be, again here at Hubdub we seem to feel that President Obama will carry on for more than 2250 words:

Presidential Inauguration: How many words long will President Obama's address be?

and for those of you were were wondering here are the shortest and longest speeches - George Washington's second address was the shortest (135 words) and William Henry Harrison delivered the longest (8,495 words).
And before we let you go, we would like to ask those in attendance to help us out if at all possible. If you see someone throw a donut at Rick Warren please notify the category editor right away so we may settle this market:

Will Mega Church leader Rick Warren have a donut thrown at him before or on Inauguration Day?

and finally if you see Tom Hanks at the Inauguration and you give him your seat, you will be helping settle a very fun but silly market:

Will Tom Hanks be given a seat at Barack Obama's inauguration?

In a note of seriousness, please be safe, have a great time, and take alot of pictures. You may send all the pictures directly to me at destry@hubdub.com and I will share them on Picasa for everyone to see. Have a great time, enjoy your moment of history, and remember this "Now is the time to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."

Playoff Football games on Sunday Jan 11,2009

2009-01-10T00:11:00.000-08:00

Game #1 Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Football Giants 1pm
I have run two straight years of fantasy football leagues by owning Brian Westbrook, this guy is a dynamo. He can on any play run a screen pass for 70 yards, or take a handoff up the middle for 40. A typical statline on this player is 150yds combined yardage, couple of scores, and the go to guy when things are needed. His backup Buckhalter is a star in his own right, this guy is explosive, makes a 3 yard run an 8 yd run and keeps the defenses guessing the whole time. Donovan McNabb a chronically underrated passer has had a litany of injuries at WR and yet has taken a rookie WR in Jackson and made him the man defenses have to key on. On the other side of the ball the Eagles defense has had lapses in playing this year, they have shutdown high flying offenses one week (week 17 in particular) but yet early in year that same team put up 30+ on that same defense. The Eagles key to this game is which defense shows up.
Speaking of the New York Football Giants, does anyone want to question Eli Manning and his toughness, or the 3 headed storm (Earth, Wind, & Fire) that dominates the running game, the WR fiasco they had with one of the truly talented receivers (granted seems to be fine line between talent and crazy) straying off into crazy world and yet this team kept plugging away week in and week out. This team needed a last second field goal to be the Bengals, the Eagles ended up tying the Bengals, and the Cowboys through a fluke in officiating pulled off a win against this hapless team. While each of the the teams played each other tough, it is the hard headness of the Giants running game that might spell trouble for this Eagles defense.
My Prediction: Giants 27 - Eagles 24 in overtime

Game 2 - Pittsburgh Steelers vs San Diego Chargers 4:45pm
The San Deigo Chargers are the team everyone wrote off since week 4, with fluke calls, last second losses and a star running back not putting up star numbers. But then the impossible seemed to occur, they just kept winning, not against great opponents but they still were winning, while the Broncos delievered the Conference to the Chargers on a platter, the Chargers took it with some gusto. One thing we have learned about the Chargers this year, Tomlinson is not the running back he use to be, he never will be again, he doesn't have the mental toughness the great running backs have. When big games are on the line, Tomlinson likes to sit or stand on the sideline and watch what happens. In 3 postseason games he accounts for only one score and lsess than 60 yards, definitely not Tomlinson numbers. Fortunately Sproles stepped up this year and Turner was there last year. If they were wise in San Diego they would find a new place for Tomlinson and keep the back ups who stay healthy or at least try to play come big game time. Philip Rivers, Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers and Gates would all have been helped with a much better running game, but they have held their own. Can a limping Gates provide enough, will the Steel Curtain put Rivers on his back, these are the questions to this game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled mightly all year to protect the QB. Big Ben who has often been criticized for holding the ball too long can drive fans insane. The one player not on the field for this game who would had the biggest impact is Merriman. The addition of that one player and now the protection would be a growing concern, the lack of a running game would be a top topic for everyone to discuss. Has fast Willie Parker just become Willie Parket, is Moore the new fast back. And can someone find another Bettis for the 3rd and 1's. The ability of Big Ben to throw the ball deep and accurate is not in question, Nate Washington and Santanio Holmes should both see big games, while Hines Ward and Heath Miller patrol the middle of the field. This game is being played in Pittsburgh and our stifling defense will be too much again for this group of over acheivers who are carrying around an expired plane ticket back home.
My Prediction on this game Pittsburgh 28 - San Deigo 13. I predict Tomlinson will suit up but not actually play. I predict Rivers will be sacked at least 5 times.

Playoff thoughts for Saturdays Games

2009-01-08T22:18:00.000-08:00

Game #1 - Baltimore vs Tennessee Saturday Jan. 10th, 2009 4:30pm

While I completely thought the entire season the Tennessee Titans had was a fluke, I still am stunned they are winning. The Baltimore Ravens and a rookie QB have been a shock all season. The defense they have has kept them in games, but the offense has truly won games for them. As a Steelers fan, I would rather face the Titans even though the Steelers beat the Ravens twice this season. The titans to me seem to be running out of luck, because I don't think there is enough skill to keep them in this playoffs any longer. Will Joe Flacco wake up and realize he is playing out of his mind, I hope so but I hope it don't happen this week. My prediction for this game is Baltimore 24 - Tennessee 13.

Game #2 - Arizona - Carolina - Saturday Jan 10th, 2009 8:15pm.

This is a matchup that by all accounts would seem to favor the Carolina Panthers. With their explosive running game Williams and Steward, the dual threat receivers Smith & Muhammed, a defense that is well ranked and feared this seems to be a team playing great at the right time of the year. The Cardinals have no substantial running game, the fluke last week can not be repeated as we have seen all year. The Cardinals have excellent receivers when healthy, but Boldin being injured allows defenses to focus on Fitzgerald (who will still make one or two circus catches regardless). I think we will see the weakness of the Cardinals defense and if it comes down to a time management issue, always go with the team with a better running game. My prediction Carolina 34 - Arizona 17.

T minus 12 days and counting

2009-01-07T23:46:00.000-08:00

The whole world seems to be excited and counting down the days until the Inauguration. This inauguration has a level of importance that very few people seem to have experienced. Not only is America in a recession, we are living in a global slowdown, where common sense seems to be a forgotten science.

Many question what will happen first, which bill will be signed, what legislation will be the focus of the all important first 100 days. For me I believe it is important to keep an eye on the pulse of America, the American people like no time in recent memory feel they have the ability to be a part of something bigger than themselves. The people want and demand our government to step up, take a leading step to showing the people of this amazing land what exactly we elected them to do. I believe that building the infrastructure of America is crucial and will be the building block for getting our country on the right path.

If we can begin to take the 12 plus Billion a month we spend in Iraq rebuilding their country and spend justa fraction of it here in the states building better roads, and bridges we can begin to see those American workers go from the unemployment lines to the employment rolls. There are many different plans to help, what we need to feel is that our elected officials are listening to us. The American economy is so dependent on Americans having confidence that tomorrow will be better than today. People will not feel comfortable investing in a company unless they have confidence that the company will be better one year from today. This begins to turn into a snowball, as the confidence in American companies increase then Americans begin to spend more and thereby fuel the American economy. When will the housing market stabilize just as soon as people feel there is a bottom, the market will rebound, it won't quickly reach the levels of pre-bubble burst but it will nonetheless begin to climb.

The thing we are all so looking forward to in 12 days is that it will be the first day of what many believe is our climb out of this mess. It won't be quick, it won't be easy, but American's are accustomed to doing what is hard.

Playoff Football games

2009-01-04T22:28:00.000-08:00

GAME 1 -
Well the first game I watched was the Arizona / Atlanta game. I wasn't sure what to expect with this game. We had such lousy showings from the Cardinals since they clinched a spot, and the Falcons were playing good ball. Well from my perspective it seems that home field helped, it energized the Cardinals, made the Falcons uncertain and seemed to disrupt the game plan. Michael Turner is a big time weapon, he needs to get more than 50 yards rushing if the Falcons have a chance of winning. On the other side of the ball you have to put pressure on Warner, he has two receivers who are Number 1 receiviers on any other team in the NFL and both of them had huge games. Then we saw a little something from Ken Wisenhut and his days in Pittsburgh, we saw the run, and more of the run, and then some more run, just when they load the box, you got one on one with either boldin or fitzgerald, this isn't fair fight. Atlanta needed to come out and dominate this game from the opening bell, needed pressure on warner, needed to establish the running game, utilize the youth of your QB get him scrambling around. None of this was done and the game was boring.
Game 2-
Indianapolis Colts tried to give all the responsibility to the MVP of the league, let him be respeonsible for the dropped balls, the bad routes, the lack of running. Joseph Addai is a runner, so is dominic rhodes, these people need to become part of the program. If it is first and 10 you should be able to hand off for a gain of 4, now we have 2nd and 6, now a play action pass out of this formation allows Peyton to pick on his screeners across the field or see if he can dump off screen pass to the running backs. We get into a 3 and 2 or less situation we now have ability to dump the ball to Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai, Marvin Harrison, all people able to catch the 3-5 yard play. Then using the genious of Peyton Manning you are constantly looking for the big play, you will get it once a game and you got it yesterday. But what you didn't have is a play that was a big play for the running backs. If you can run the ball on first down for 4 years, and then again for 3 on second down, we only need to go 3 more yards for the first and we have two full downs. So We play action a run it gets one or two yards, then you are now in a 4th and 1 with a million options. What you need to do is make them wonder what you are going to do. Are you going to qb sneak it in, toss it around the corner hoping to break it for a few yards, maybe drop back in shotfun formation and throw the ball to some of the best receiviers in the league. Whyen you get that one yeard, you start process all over and this time you extend the field to show them they have to keep double coverage on wayne and harrison, leaving single coverage from a lineback to cover my tight end and back out of back field. Please bring a blitz, Peyton will school you on that all day. So what went wrong. NO RUNNING GAME, We were forced to settle into throwing downs, coverage could be rotated and made the passing game much more difficult. Bottom line we didn't have a run game to stop them. Our passing game isn't enough to win all the games. Chargers win.
What happened in the Baltimore / Miami game is straight up one team playing better than they should and another team playng right where they should . These Ravens were primed and ready to destroy whatever came in their way. The dolphins just happened to be the team. In the playoffs you have some teams that are fierce and Balitmore today was fierce. They knew how to get to the QB, they knew how to stop that silly wildcate play, they knew what you were going to dobefore you knew what they were going to do, so alll was left was how many times were you going to screw up and give them exactly what they expect. An interception here, or another one here are terrible, but then a fumble here, and another one is killing the spiriti of the team. the Score is 0-0 you are on the 1yr line. you have two chances to get in. You must get in. If you can not then you have flown the flag of surrendor. Your story made every feel good. You turned around a really bad club, now you have to analyze what you could have done to make it even better next year,' Finally we are up to the eagles and thier entrance into this weekend journey. Which team shows up is always the first question. The team that tied the bengals, the team that walluped the Cowbowys, I was hoping for the walluping team facing the vikings and thier one hit wonder All Day Peterson... who actually wasn't really an all day back. Was he hurt, I guess, did he contributie to the team reluctantly. Was he there when his team needed him. Not at all. It is important that the stars step up at the right time, they must raise thier game when others around them begin to do the same. I believer the Eagles were going to win this game, and they went oiut and did it, they got some help from the vikings and thier untested players. But at end of day I have more respect for Eagles, Cardinals, Ravens, and chargers who I feel will flame out dramatically next week.

My first random thoughts of the year

2009-01-03T21:09:00.000-08:00

The ringing in of 2009 which officially came one second later that orignially forecast (due to some computer nerd who thought 2008 wasn't long enough already) was brought in with both a mixture of relief and a sense of dread. The economy is all we hear about on the news, even people that have jobs that aren't affected by the economy downturn are worrying, which in turn is causing the economy to deteriorate faster.
I read somewhere (yeah I am not going to post link if you don't believe me you find something proving I am wrong) that Honda manufacturing plants built here in the USA can change which models they are producing by shutting down the production line for less than an hour, and then creating a different model. I saw that for Ford and GM to do the same thing it takes 2 to 3 weeks. Is it any wonder that the foreign manufactures are most apt to adjust to market trends. I think we should reward people who drive small fuel efficient cars, when you get to the pump you pay a sliding scale price based on what type of vehicle you have. So those who want to drive the expeditions and hummers can obviously afford 10 mpg, and should be paying $10 a gallon for it. They want to save money, buy a smaller car.