Josh Hamilton - the true comeback kid

When I got home from work today and checked the mail, it was nice to see Josh Hamilton on the cover of Sports Illustrated...Hamilton is my new favorite player...

In 1999, I saw Hamilton when he played for Short Season Single A ball for Hudson Valley in the New York-Penn League...Hudson Valley played our Mahoning Valley Scrappers in the first round of the playoffs...Hamilton was the best player to ever pass through Eastwood Field - and that includes players like C.C. Sabathia, Victor Martinez, Alfonso Soriano, and Ryan Church...Hamilton went something like 4 for 5 with 2 homres and 5 RBIs...he was a freakin freak...he was a beast!!...

But we all know that he had a weakness for drugs...he could not shake his drug habit until he hit absolute rock bottom - when he was hired to clean toilets and line the field at some independent baseball league...

I don't know how you cannot root for Hamilton...I believe that people deserve a second chance and this kid is making the most of it...there is no doubt that Hamilton probably takes a lot of shit from opposing fans...all indications show that this kid is trying his best to shed his past...

If he continues this pace, he should easily win the American League MVP...Hamilton will always live with those drug demons...but for his sake, and for the fans of baseball, hopefully he will be able to lead a quality life because this kid is a FREAK!!!...

Funny George Bush TShirt Prints!

You can view more of these here!

Funny George Bush Political Pictures!

It's always about the Clintons

Will someone tell this guy to shut the fuck up already!!!...good ole Bill Clinton wants to be president again so he is crying about a conspiracy against his wife because it looks like she will not get the Democratic nomination...will someone just get this guy an intern and a cigar and tell him to go visit a third world country and rake in a million dollars to speak there...

Personally, I think the only conspiracy is that of the Clintons trying to screw Barack Obama out of the presidency...think about it, if Obama becomes president, that will basically rule out the opportunity for Bill/Hillary to run on the Democratic ticket in four years...I don't see her running against a sitting president from their own party...she would have to wait 8 more years which would make her 69-years-old...

However, if the Republican John McCain should beat Obama, then Hillary/Bill will be able to run against McCain in four years...plus, Obama will be out of the way because he would have gotten his chance to become president in 2008...

The Clintons want McCain to become president because remember, it is ALWAYS about the Clintons - and don't let them fool you!!!...

Willie Randolph Situation

Less than two months into the season and a New York manager is under fire and in the frying pan....nope, it is not happening (as of yet) in the Bronx....this is occurring in Flushing as Mets manager Willie Randolph is in trouble...in a nutshell, about a week ago Randolph shot off that he felt he was being unfairly scrutinized by the New York media because of his race...

He was right about one thing, he was being scrutinized, but it was because his team has been laying an egg since last September....no matter what sport you coach and/or manage in New York City, you are always under the spotlight...if anyone should know, it is Randolph who is a New York native...

Just two years ago the media was calling for the ouster of Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, who happens to be white....he was bashed that he was “out of touch” with his players and a tyrant in the locker room....last season was going to be his last with the Giants....then suddenly, they got hot and won the Super Bowl...

Even Joe Torre is not immune to being scrutinized.....after all he did in the Bronx, the media still criticized Torre after the Yankees lost to the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS last season....I have already read a few grumblings some are having about new Yankees skipper Joe Girardi....the New York newspapers lambasted him three weeks into the season after he made a bonehead move against the Boston Red Sox....

I’m sorry Willie, but the fact is that your team choked in the final weeks of the season last year and the poor play has continued this year....if that kind of collapsed happened across town in the Bronx, the manager would have been fired immediately after the season....but Randolph got another chance and his team is underperforming....

So it is time to sack it up Willie and worry more about your team than about if you are being treated fairly because you are African-American....

Random Baseball Thoughts

Can you believe the Phillies Ryan Howard is batting .204...

Through Memorial Day, A.L. MVP is Josh Hamilton...this kid made an amazing comeback from drug addiction with his play last season with the Reds...he is now a bonafide stud...

My N.L. MVP - Lance Berkman...he is the most unappreciated player in baseball...

Many thought the St. Louis Cardinals were going to struggle this year...they are one behind the Cubs...never count out a Tony Larussa managed team...

Many thought the Atlanta Braves were going to struggle this year...they are 2.5 behind the Marlins....never count out a Bobby Cox managed team....

Willie Randolph will not be fired during the first half of the season....If they don't get out of their poor play by the end of July, he is a goner...

The Tampa Rays - in first place on Memorial Day - story of the year....

At 44-years-old, Randy Johnson is 4-1 this season...

Whatever happened to former Yankee great Bernie Williams?...

Mike Piazza retired this past week without much fanfare...

Junior Griffey has never played in a World Series....so why in the world would he want to be traded from the Reds to the Mariners?....Seattle has the worst record in baseball...

The Dodgers are over .500 despite Brad Penny and Derek Lowe struggling....if the Indians woes continue through July, is it possible to see C.C. Sabathia wearing Dodger blue by August?...

NEVER FORGET

Sunday stories - Hoops, hockey, and more

Penguins-Red Wings
Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes why Detroit is still called Hockeytown despite empty seats in Game 1... "Still, some wonder how Hockeytown can have a Stanley Cup finalist that doesn't routinely fill its arena, and how the most celebrated athlete in Hockeytown this weekend is probably Richard Hamilton, whose one-handed runner in the lane the other night pulled the Detroit Pistons even with the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association's Eastern Conference championship, which are, many have noted, 100 percent ice-free." ...

Gene Collier

Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News writes how the Red Wings too out the Penguins star lineup... "The Wings did everything but knock the C off of Rosby, er, Crosby, holding him to three shots and Malkin to one. When Crosby did get in close in the third period, there was Osgood, squatting low and standing tall." ...

Bob Wojnowski

Pistons-Celtics
Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes how the Celtics had more fire in Game 3... "The Celtics weren't merely the better team in their 94-80 full-scale dominance in Game 3, they were also the hungrier team. They wanted vindication more than the Pistons wanted a victory." ...

Drew Sharp

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe writes how it took the Celtics a while to win on the road, but they did it big on Saturday night... "The Celtics played like champions last night. They played like the team New England fell in love with during the 82-game regular season. They stalled the Pistons, moved the ball, threw down ferocious jams, and silenced the Motown crowd with a 94-80 victory at The Palace of Auburn Hills." ...

Dan Shaughnessy

Spurs-Lakers
Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News writes how the Spurs are an older team who better take advantage of how far they have come this year... "This is who they are, a smart, experienced group that needs naps. This is why Gregg Popovich opted to ration minutes during the regular season, opting for health instead of the best available playoff seed." ...

Buck Harvey

Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times writes how Bill Walton may not be on television, but he makes sure he keeps in touch with son Luke... "Luke Walton doesn't do e-mail, so this is all he hears, his father calling him before each of the Lakers' first two postseason series with an important message. An imitation of an opposing star talking trash." ...

Bill Plaschke

Other sports
Christopher Clarey of The New York Times writes how 25 years ago Yannick Noah took the French Open and his country's heart... "It has been 25 years since Yannick Noah won this tournament, beating Mats Wilander in the final, then leaping, dreadlocks flying, into the arms of his father, Zacharie, and embedding himself in the memories of a generation." ...

Christopher Clarey

Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times writes how the Bears are headed for trouble with Cedric Benson... "When general manager Jerry Angelo seconded those opinions by saying, ``The thing I am most disappointed in is the fact that he put himself in a position to be the victim,'' the Bears should have realized, once and for all, that he's hopelessly unreliable and should be purged from the franchise." ...

Jay Mariotti

Steve Politi of the Newark Star-Ledger writes about a one-time hoops stud... "Louisville declared him academically ineligible last week. Head coach Rick Pitino does not want him back on the team. Caracter first said he would enter the NBA Draft, then changed his mind -- but after his struggles in college, the league's general managers would make that decision for him. Even getting picked in the second round is a pipe dream. He was a prodigy at 13. He is nearly washed up at 20." ...

Steve Politi

MICHIGAN - BIG TEN CHAMPIONS

Stanley Cup and Hoops

Penguins-Red Wings
Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes about how some of the Penguins are in unchartered water... "Just six members of their current roster -- forwards Petr Sykora, Gary Roberts and Georges Laraque, defensemen Darryl Sydor and Sergei Gonchar and goalie Ty Conklin -- have competed in a Stanley Cup final, which means most players will be in uncharted territory when the Penguins face Detroit in Game 1 Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena." ...

Dave Molinari

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes how Pittsburgh's other sports teams are supporting the Penguins... "Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend, who did not know the difference between hockey and curling when he grew up in Mississippi, is scrambling for tickets to Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final in Mellon Arena Wednesday night." ...

Ed Bouchette

Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press writes about the dynamic match-up of Crosby-Malkin vs. Datsyuk-Zetterberg... "In the playoffs, Crosby leads the NHL with 17 assists and is tied with Zetterberg for the scoring lead with 21 points, but Crosby's output came over 14 games to 16 for Zetterberg. Datsyuk and Malkin are tied for second (with Penguins forward Marian Hossa) in scoring with 19 points and each has nine goals." ...

Helene St. James

Eric Adelson of ESPN writes how Detroits fans have a dilemma on Saturday night... "The first three games of the Stanley Cup finals will be played at the same time as Games 3, 4 and 5 of the NBA's Eastern Conference finals. Who cares, you say? Well, just about everyone in Detroit, to start with, as fans here will now have to choose whether to watch the Red Wings or the Pistons." ...

Eric Adelson

Spurs-Lakers
Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News writes how the tired Spurs will regret losing a 20-point lead... "All of the Spurs had reason to be tired after the previous two days. Playing a tense Game 7 two time zones away from Los Angeles, then sleeping in an airplane makes for a pretty good excuse." ...

Buck Harvey

Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times writes how the Lakers comeback win will haunt the Spurs... "They stole a victory from a team that was doing everything right, and they stole it after doing everything wrong." ...

Bill Plaschke

Pistons-Celtics
Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free-Press writes how the Pistons-Celtics match-up is different than 20 years ago... "If you could have been at the old Boston Garden, back when Dumars, Isiah Thomas and the others were battling a dynasty that included Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. That building reeked of age and legend. The banners hung low enough to taunt you. The screaming fans were one part enthusiasm and nine parts arrogance." ...

Mitch Albom

Christopher Gasper of the Boston Globe writes about the match-up and friendship between Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace... "There are few players in the NBA Garnett respects as much as Wallace. He looks forward to their matchups. They share a friendship and, according to Garnett, a lot more." ...

Christopher Gasper

The Cup

The Stanley Cup is the most coveted championship trophy in the world...whether you are a hockey fan or not, everyone dreams of lifting that cup over your head....and if you are a hockey player, this is the ultimate goal of a lifetime...it has to rank right up to the birth your first born....The Holy Grail....The Cup....Lord Stanley's Mug...this is what you play for....that few seconds of skating around the ice with The Cup over your head....and players from either the Pittsburgh Penguins or Detroit Red Wings will have the thrill of hoisting The Cup...

Unlike the trophies awarded by the other three major professional sports leagues of North America, a new Stanley Cup is not made each year...Cup winners keep it until a new champion is crowned....it is the only trophy in professional sports that has the name of the winning players, coaches, management, and club staff engraved on it....the current Stanley Cup is made of silver and nickel alloy and has a height of 35.25 inches and weighs 34.5 lbs...

Currently, in order to have one's name inscribed on The Cup, a player must have played at least 41 games for the championship team during the regular season (provided the player remains with the team when they win The Cup) or at least played in one game of the Finals.... the NHL will also consider other reasons on a case-by-case basis....for instance, Vladimir Konstantinov, whose career ended after a car accident on June 13, 1997, had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup after Detroit defended their title in 1998.....

Jean Beliveau’s name appears on The Cup more than anyone else....he appears 17 times: 10 as a player and 7 as management....Henri "Rocket" Richard has won the most Stanley Cups as a player with 11...13 women have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup....

Tradition has it that the captain is the first player to hoist The Cup...however, that tradition did not happen on two recent occasions....after Colorado won in 2001, captain Joe Sakic accepted The Cup from the commissioner, however, he immediately handed it to Ray Bourque who was the first to hoist it....Bourqueplayed in the NHL for 22-years and never was on a Stanley Cup champion....

The other instance happened in 1998 when Detroit captain Steve Yzerman accepted The Cup but then immediately passed it to Vladimir Konstantinov, who had been seriously injured in a limo accident the previous year and had to be wheeled on the ice...

And remember, NHL players will not touch The Cup until they hoist it after winning the playoffs....

Over the next week, Stiles Points will be providing coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals and the NBA Conference Finals...

Kim Cattrall - Is She Hot or Am I Missing Something?

With all the fuss about the upcoming Sex and the City movie, the Is She Hot feature takes the oldest member of that crew of horny, sex starved women - Kim Cattrall...

Porky's?
Cattrall was born in August 1956 in England, which makes her 51-years-old in American years...she has gone through three husbands and is dating a 28-year-old kid right now...that is a 23 year difference in age!!!...so if I hook-up with a 21-year-old, that would only be 18 years...she has no children...

Anyway, before her role as Samantha Jones, Cattrall had roles in those 1980 movie classics Porky's and Police Academy...she has appeared in over 30 movies...a few years back she also penned a book called Satisfaction: The Art of the Female Orgasm...Cattrall writes how she finally reached sexual pleasure and kinds of other crap about the Big O...

My thoughts - I have seen Ms. Cattrall without makeup and she looks horrible...however, for being 51-years-old, she still has a good body and is not bad looking once Sherwin Williams goes to work on her...yeh, I would say she is hot, but in an older woman way...she is definitely past her prime, but there is obviously still a some thread left on those tires...so this leads to the questions:

Do you think Kim Cattrall is is hot?

If so, why doesn't she get the publicity?

Am I missing something?

Leave your comments

Random Thoughts

What a terrific Game 7 between the Celtics and Cavaliers...great performances by Paul Pierce and LeBron James...P2 played a wonderful game to lead Boston...but it will end for the Celtics in the conference finals...Detroit will beat Boston in 6 games...

Why do the Celtics have good veteran players like P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell and the Cavs don't?...Boston has three stud players in Garnett, Piece, and Allen...veterans like Brown and Cassell, but the Cavs can't get other veteran scorers to help LeBron...Ben Wallace is good on defense, but he is worthless on the offensive end...I just can't understand why Cleveland lacks that other stud player or two...

I'm tired of hearing about Spygate...I am not a Patriots fan, but let's be honest, Bill Belichick did what probably many other coaches have done over the last few decades...

Think about this, before Spygate ever broke, why have offensive coordinators, who are on the sidelines, always cover their mouth when they call in a play?...or when plays were signaled in, there was always at least two, and sometimes three, players signaling in the play...only one of the players would be "hot" while the other two players would be signaling in fake plays in order to throw off the opponent in case they were trying to steal signs...suddenly, people are making this big case against Belichick like he has been the only one stealing signals...

My blogger friend Zach, over at The Big Picture, posed a question last week...who would you select if you can pick just one pitcher and one position player to start a baseball team?...my selections were Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain and Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez...

If this question was asked last year, Cleveland Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto would have selected Jeremy Sowers as his pitcher...Pluto wrote, many times, that Sowers was a "phenom"...and Buzz Bissinger questioned the writing of bloggers?...the word "phenom" should be used sparingly and not thrown out to just any athlete who was outstanding in college or the minor leagues...

If you are a baseball fan and looking for a good read, pick up Working at the Ballpark by Tom Jones...Jones interviewed 50 people who are involved in baseball...from the front office people all the way to the beer vendor and mascot...it is an oral history and a quick read...

Sunday Stories

Bill Livingston of The Plain Dealer writes how LeBron James can beat you many ways..."Despite the Cavaliers’ sword fixation, James is a many-bladed knife. If his shot doesn’t get you, his passing, rebounding, or his defense — the best of his career this postseason, by far — will." ...

Bill Livingston

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe writes why either team may win Game 7... "The Celtics will win because commissioner David Stern wants a Boston-Los Angeles final more than Hillary Clinton wants the nomination. The Cavs will win because Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz., officially ended the golden age of New England sports, igniting a chain of postseason disappointments for local teams." ...

Dan Shaughnessy

Howard Beck of The New York Times writes how the Celtics may not be a guarantee today... "Technically, they are correct. The Celtics still have every chance to put a big green bow on their transformative season. But their frequent pratfalls do not inspire much confidence." ...

Howard Beck

Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post writes how Game 7 is something the NFL can never give you... "But there's one thing pro football in all its glory can't give you: Game 7. The NFL can't give you six games of back-and-forth, of day-to-day adjustments and second-guessing, of cold stares and hard fouls, of familiarity breeding contempt even among friends. Only six previous games can produce the desperate drama that is Game 7, still the coolest thing in sports -- any sport and any teams." ...

Michael Wilbon

Juan Gonzalez of The Daily News writes how the Yankees became the richest team in sports... "Documents obtained by the Daily News under a Freedom of Information request provide a rare look at the Yankees formidable cash-generating operation. Even die-hard fans accustomed to paying top dollar to watch the superstar team will be astounded by the numbers." ...

Juan Gonzalez

Karen Crouse of The New York Times spends "30 seconds" with Laverne DeFazio...

Karen Crouse

Richard Sandomir of The New York Times writes how former ESPN baseball analyst Harold Reynolds has a new life in broadcasting... "Harold Reynolds seemed pleased. He was on a studio set, talking baseball, but it was about the Mets and the Yankees, not the full breadth of major league baseball. He was in Manhattan as SportsNet New York’s new analyst, sitting with Darryl Strawberry and Lee Mazzilli, not in Bristol, Conn., where he was a mainstay on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight.” ...

Richard Sandomir

Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe shares the transcript from Bill Belichick's interview with CBS' Armen Ketayian...

Mike Reiss

David Wharton and Mike Hiserman of The Los Angeles Times writes how the celebrities get their prime seats for Lakers games... "Hours before Wednesday's tip-off, he arrived at the still-empty arena dressed in a gray suit with a pink shirt and matching tie. His work all but done -- Locklear got her seats from team executive Jeanie Buss -- he needed to be on hand for any glitches. An actor who shows up with no seat for his bodyguard. A singer who does not have her parking pass." ...

David Wharton and Mike Hiserman

Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times writes how Bears linebacker Lance Briggs may be the Shawn Kemp of the current NFL... "And where was Briggs during the Cook County proceedings? In Arizona, his offseason place of residence, living with a third woman who is said to have given birth recently to yet another Briggs daughter." ...

Jay Mariotti

Andy Beyer of The Washington Post writes that Big Brown's win in the Preakness was impressive, but we still don't know how good of a horse he is... "Big Brown has not yet faced rivals who can challenge him. The supporting cast in the 133rd Preakness was a pitiful group, with only two graded stakes winners among them. The competition was so weak that bettors made Gayego the second choice in the wagering, even though he had lost the Derby by 36 3/4 lengths." ...

Andrew Beyer

Legendary sports columnist Jerry Izenberg writes about the harmony between jockey and horse... "The gate is open and Desormeaux and the wonder colt Big Brown, the one the army of racetrack workers everywhere lovingly call "The Freak," become one ... a man who talks to horses, communicating through his hands and with an occasional verbal cluck, and a horse that in his brief racing career has shown the ability to create wonders ... there in the kind of emotional and physical harmony that generate a magnificent ballet layered with grace and power and amazement." ...

Jerry Izenberg

Away

There will be no postings on Thursday or Friday because I will be away at a conference...

Alicia Witt - Is She Hot or Am I Missing Something?

The Is She Hot feature takes on its first redhead - Alicia Witt...at times that fire red hair looks carrot orange...but anyway you go, Witt is noticeable...

Big Red
Witt was born in Massachusetts in 1975...she was home schooled and earned her diploma at the age of 14...her love of acting led her and her mother to move to Hollywood...

Her big break came when David Lynch took Witt under his wing and put her in the series Twin Peaks...to this day, Witt considers Lynch her mentor...after Twin Peaks, Witt has bounced around in many roles...I first noticed her when she appeared in an episode of The Sopranos when she played a bitchy, but sexy, Hollywood producer...her latest role is on Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Det. Nola Falacci...I was unable to find out if she is hooked up with anyone or who some of her exes were...

My thoughts - I know she is frail looking and pale, but Witt is my favorite redhead...her photos are not the best and I expect most to give her a thumbs down...but to me, she is RED hot in my book...so this leads to the questions:
Do you think Alicia Witt is is hot?

If so, why doesn't she get the publicity?

Am I missing something?

Leave your comments

Bad Ass Hall of Fame - Frank Sinatra

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
The other night I was watching an infomercial selling DVDs of Dean Martin's celebrity roasts...today's television and movies stars have nothing on the legends of that era...more specifically, there were some bad ass men from that era...

That led me thinking to start recognizing these bad ass legends...to me, a bad ass is a tough guy - a man's man...someone who has that aura of respect...therefore I am creating a Bad Ass Hall of Fame...every now and them I will induct someone in this Hall of Honor...

The nickname of the first inductee says it all "The Chairman of the Board"...that is the best nickname of all-time...and Frank Sinatra was the baddest of bad asses...Sinatra died 10 years ago today, May 14, 1998...

Legend has it that Sinatra was buried in a blue suit with a flask of Jack Daniel's and a roll of ten dimes which was a gift from his daughter, Tina, along with a card that said "Sleep warm, Poppa — look for me"...the words "The Best Is Yet to Come" are imprinted on his tombstone...

Sinatra was someone who had it all - he could sing, act, dance, etc...and most of all, he partied hard...his song "I Did My Way" is a classic along with "Mack the Knife" and "New York, New York"...

Sinatra was also ahead of his times as he did not perform in clubs that excluded African-American people...

Sunday Stories

In honor of Mother's Day, the Detroit Free Press has a series of stories about athletes and coaches in the state of Michigan and their moms...

Detroit Free Press

Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com writes how Tim Tebow spent his off-season in prison... "In the four months since Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, he has sought to spread his message of faith as far as possible. Winning college football's most coveted individual award has provided him with a broader audience." ...

Mark Schlabach

Bill Livingston of The Plain Dealer writes how LeBron James got his groove back... "With 1:52 left in the first quarter of a 108-84 victory over the Boston Celtics, a win that put Cleveland back into the series, James finally made a jumper, a 3-pointer, in fact. Before that, his only basket had been after he forced a turnover, on an uncontested, two-hand fast break dunk. The lead, however, was 27-8 at that point." ...

Bill Livingston

Matt Viser of the Boston Globe writes about the Celtics fans - are they bandwagon fans... "Uneasily mixed into the euphoria over the Celtics' remarkable season and the fervent hopes in this playoff run is the nagging sense that maybe Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Bibby was right: Maybe, as he said at the beginning of the prior playoff series, we really are a collection of "bandwagon jumpers." ...

Matt Viser

Mitch Lawrence of the Daily News writes that the Knicks made an error in hiring Mike D'Antoni... "But D'Antoni is not a good fit for these Knicks. Give D'Antoni a Hall of Fame point guard, a bunch of scorers who can get up and down the floor and find a good shot in seven seconds or less and he'll get you 57 wins out West, maybe 60 over on this side of the NBA. That record of success is nothing to sneeze at. He's a Top 10 coach today, easy. Just one question: When do those players start arriving at the Garden? When they finally get cap space in 2011?" ...

Mitch Lawrence

Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times writes how the Bulls failed in not getting Mike D'Antoni as their head coach... "Mike D'Antoni lives only a few cacti, a couple of rattlesnakes and an estimated 200 yards from Jerry Reinsdorf. But what is proximity when an owner is cheaper than dirt? Reinsdorf couldn't strike a deal with his Arizona neighbor Friday, which only exacerbates the misery of his struggling franchise and prompts thought that he get out of the business before he buries pro basketball in Chicago." ...

Jay Mariotti

Joe LaPointe of The New York Times writes how Tiger Stadium sits empty since the Tigers left in 1999... "Since then, various plans for redevelopment have come and gone. The stadium sits empty. Late last year, the city auctioned mementos like grandstand seats, a dugout urinal, Al Kaline’s locker and the fence in front of the right-center-field light tower, hit by a Reggie Jackson home run in the 1971 All-Star Game. Last month, the city tentatively awarded a partial demolition contract for the stadium, which opened in 1912 as Navin Field." ...

Joe LaPointe

Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun writes how new Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is stressing the team concept... "Harbaugh's philosophy is based on - as the sign that welcomes players into the locker room reads - "Team, Team, Team." ...

Jamison Hensley

Josh Dubow of the Associated Press writes how new Raider Darren McFadden is getting used to the NFL... "McFadden said Saturday he noticed the difference from college as soon as he was handed pens, a highlighter and a notebook with his playbook. McFadden gets to work with rookies this weekend before joining the rest of the team later this month." ...

Josh Dubow

Dan Pompei of the Chicago Sun-Times writes how the spread offense is finding its way into the NFL... "The Patriots made a living on spread offense concepts last year. Coach Bill Belichick has been taking yearly visits to Florida to talk offense with Gators coach Urban Meyer. And now others are starting to catch on." ...

Dan Pompei

23 cent pizza and other thoughts

Pizzas were going for 23 cents in Northeast Ohio on Thursday...not 23 cents a slice, but 23 cents for a 14 inch pizza with one topping...

Papa John’s Pizza offered customers in Northeast Ohio pizza for 23 cents as an apology for a T-shirt meant to taunt Cavaliers star player LeBron James...Papa John's sought customer forgiveness in N.E. Ohio, for a Washington, D.C. Papa John's store’s decision to distribute shirts printed with James’ No. 23 and the word "Crybaby" before Game 6 of the Cavaliers’ first-round playoff game against the Washington Wizards...

By 6:00 p.m., local news reported that most Papa John's in the Youngstown-Warren area were closed because they ran out of food...

When I was growing up, I used to by Ring magazine every month...I haven't purchased the magazine in probably 15 years...well, the other day I saw an edition and was going to purchase it -- until I saw the price - $8.95!!!...$8.95 for a monthly boxing magazine!?!?!?!!?...what is this world coming to?...

Have you noticed that Bill Clinton's face is always beet red?...

I had a hard time watching the pre-game fireworks extravaganza for the Boston Celtics...seeing the Celtics name and pre-game firewords just do not mix...

Even though I was not a fan of his at the time, I now miss Larry Bird...

Whatever happened to K.C. Jones?...

Daniel Gibson needs to score more than 2 points off the Cavs bench if Cleveland is going to beat Boston...last season, Gibson was red hot when the Cavs upset Detroit in the conference finals...

A month into the baseball season and the New York Yankees look like an average baseball team - at best...

Cleveland's Cliff Lee is pitching out of his ass...7-0 and an 0.81 ERA?...

Remember this name, Ben Francisco...he is going to be a very solid player in baseball...

When Charles Barkley talks, I always stop to listen...

How many people know how to play chess?...

If you take one thing away from this blog today, remember this - when the Clintons say it is not about the Clintons, do not believe them!!!...it is ALWAYS about the Clintons...it's time Hillary...it's time!!...

Obama will make a big mistake if he selects Hillary as VP...at times, the media will focus more on her...and if you throw Bill into the mix, Obama would creating a certain media circus that would hurt his presidency...I think he is going to select Bill Richardson as his Veep...even though he is old as dirt, what about Ted Kennedy?....

Naomi Watts - Is she hot or am I missing something?

"Is She Hot or Am I Missing Something?" takes on the woman who was loved by King Kong...and caused the big ape to fall to his death...women!!!!...anyway, is Naomi Watts hot?...

King Kong's Gal
Watts was born in England in 1968 (another one around my age)...she began her career in Australian television where she appeared in commercials and melodramas...her breakthrough with the U.S. market came in 2001 when she starred in Mulholland Drive...she was nominated for an Academy Award for 21 Grams...but she is probably best known for her role in King Kong...

She is not married, but she has a son with boyfriend Liev Schreiber...Watts previously dated Heath Ledger among many other actors...she is also a recent convert to Buddhism...

My thoughts - Watts looked good in King Kong...but overall, she is nothing special...she's nice, but I wouldn't fall off the roof of my house, let alone the Empire State Building, for her...so this leads to the questions:

Do you think Naomi Watts is hot?

If so, why doesn't she get the publicity?

Am I missing something?

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Interview with Playboy model Lyndsy Wolff - Part II

Stiles Points had the opportunity to interview Lyndsy Wolff, a 21-year-old biology major from Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, who is a Playboy model...Wolff, who wants to be a veterinarian, is now competing for Coed of the Month...

The fourth week of May, she will appear as a Coed of the Week on the Playboy website, in which she will compete against three other college girls...on May 29th, the public can cast their vote for Coed of the Month by going to http://www.playboy.com/...if she can win Coed of the Month, she will then be competing in other Playboy competitions...today is the second part of our interview...

Q7. Real quick, Obama, Hillary, or McCain? Why?
A. Hillary all the way! To quote the hilarious Tina Fey, “Bitches get stuff done!”

Q8. So what do you do in your free time?
A. I am your average college co-ed. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, shopping, going out, etc. I basically enjoy anything that helps me decompress after a long week of school.

Q9. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
A. I hope to be happy, healthy, and surrounded by people I love!

Q10. The City of Youngstown often gets a bad rap. People from around the country will be reading this interview. What do you want them to know about Youngstown, Ohio?
A. I hope that they would recognize the potential that Youngstown has. It is my hope that Youngstown will make the transition from steel town to scholar town. The University is an intricate part of our city’s infrastructure. If nothing else, I hope it prompts other young people to consider YSU, which offers so much.

Q11. How often do you work out? What do you eat to keep the nice body that you have?
A. I work out 3-4 times a week. I typically try to do 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of lifting and abs. In terms of eating, I am blessed with a great metabolism. More often than not I do not eat as well as I should. So I am not the best person to go to for nutritional advice.

Stiles Points asked a few of his loyal readers if they wanted to pose a question to Lyndsy...Graig from Money Shot and Zach from The Big Picture asked the following questions...

Q12. This from Graig of The Money Shot blog. What is the process like to be discovered by Playboy?
A. It varies from person to person. In the case of Jenny Walcott, who is also from Youngstown, a person can just have a chance encounter with Hugh Hefner and end up in the magazine. Typically, however, it is a long process of sending in photos relentlessly, casting calls, a long waiting game, etc. I was fortunate enough to skip the casting call process, but it was still a long waiting game.

Q13. This is from Zach of The Big Picture. You must get hit on all the time. What works? What doesn't? How does an average guy have a chance with you?
A. Cheesy pick-up line are the worst! The worst I’ve heard was “how do you like your eggs in the morning? scrambled, sunny-side up, or fertilized?” I don’t hate them completely though! My favorite is a simple one! “how much does a polar bear weigh? enough to break the ice! Hi my name is so and so!” That’s cute! It also shows that he is funny and outgoing. I am most attracted to a man with confidence which should never be confused with cockiness. If you can make me laugh, you’re a winner.

Family reaction - In an interview with Chelsea Pflugh of The Jambar, the YSU student newspaper, Lyndsy described her parents reaction...

"My mom has know about it from the beginning. She has always been supportive. My dad lives in Florida, but I didn't give him the full information of all of this until I got the call that said I was actually going to be in photo shoots. My dad said, 'Lyndsy, you're a 21-year-old woman; you can do what you want.' It was really nice to hear that."

I want to thank Lyndsy for her time...it is much appreciated...and remember to vote for her on May 29th...

Interview with Playboy model Lyndsy Wolff - Part I

Stiles Points had the opportunity to interview Lyndsy Wolff, a 21-year-old biology major from Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, who is a Playboy model...Wolff, who wants to be a veterinarian, is now competing for Coed of the Month...

The fourth week of May, she will appear as a Coed of the Week on the Playboy website, in which she will compete against three other college girls...on May 29th, the public can cast their vote for Coed of the Month by going to http://www.playboy.com/...if she can win Coed of the Month, she will then be competing in other Playboy competitions...today is part one of a two part interview with Wolff...I want to thank Lyndsy for her time...it is much appreciated...

Q1. So what does it feel like to be a Playboy model?
A. It's amazing! I am so honored and humbled to be a representative of a enterprise which includes so many beautiful women!

Q2. Why did you decide to pose for Playboy?
A. Because I’m comfortable enough in my own skin to do this type of modeling.

Q3. The people who know you, such as friends, professors, the guy down at the local store, etc.,have now seen you with your clothes off, do you think they treat you differently? Why or why not?
A. Yes and no! The people who know me best treat me no differently. They know me in such a way that they do not view it in a pornographic manor. Others, such as the guy down the at the local store, smile coyly.

Q4. Does it bother you that Playboy models are often stereotyped as being "dumb"?
A. Definitely! This stereotype was partially my motivation. I want to show that attractive women can also be intelligent.

Q5. There are some people who feel that by you posing nude is flat out wrong and that it sends the wrong message for girls. What is your response to that?
A. I respect their opinion, but I hope that we can agree to disagree. It has become a moot point for me. I can defend myself until I am blue in the face, but some people will just never understand.

Q6. Why are you are interested in becoming a veterinarian?
A. Because I love animals! I have always wanted to be like Dr. Doolittle ever since I was a little girl!

The first time - In an interview with Chelsea Pflugh of The Jambar, the YSU student newspaper, Lyndsy described what it was like getting naked during her first photo shoot with Playboy...

"At first I was a little concerned,but the crew that does your photo shoot is so professional. They never made me feel awkward and by the end of the day it felt like I was wearing clothes the entire time. I've come to realize that we're all born naked and we die naked. No one should feel embarrassed or awkward in their own skin."

Coming tomorrow, the second part of our interview...

Coming Tuesday - Interview with a Playboy model

INTERVIEW WITH PLAYBOY MODEL

Coming Tuesday and Wednesday, Stiles Points has an exclusive interview with Playboy model Lyndsy Wolff...

Wolff is a 21-year-old biology student at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio...she is appearing in three different Playboy publications this year including Playboy's Fresh Faces issue that is currently on newstands...she will also appear in the soon-to-be released College Girls edition....

The fourth week of May, she will appear as a Coed of the Week on the Playboy website, in which she will compete against three other college girls...on May 29th, the public can cast their vote for Coed of the Month by going to http://www.playboy.com/

If she can win Coed of the Month, she will then be competing in other Playboy competitions...

Sunday Stories

Jane Smiley, a guest writer for The New York Times, writes about the tragedy of Eight Belles collapse after the Kentucky Derby... "This is what we saw in Eight Belles — she was more resolute and competitive than was good for her, and she literally ran herself to death. When the race was finished, every part of her was exhausted, including, I am sure, the support apparatus of ligaments and tendons that were keeping her bones together. She probably stumbled and broke one ankle, then stepped hard on the other and broke that one. Then she fell." ...

Jane Smiley

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe writes how the Celtics should be embarrassed to be playing in a Game 7... "But not today. Today is a Game 7 embarrassment. It is a Game 7 that was never supposed to happen. The Celtics and their fans just want to take their victory today, move on to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and pretend none of this ever happened." ...

Dan Shaughnessy

Bill Livingston of The Plain Dealer writes how former Ohio State head football coach is heading to the College Football Hall of Fame despite his dismal record against Michigan... "Fans wanted a coach more like Hayes. They got one in Cooper, who got as uptight as Woody in the big games. That was Michigan's hole card against Hayes and Cooper. Both of them would grow more conservative in a tight game, refusing to take risks. It was playing not to lose that made Cooper lose to Michigan and in bowl games. Cluelessly, he tried to downplay the season-making/season-breaking nature of the Michigan game." ...

Bill Livingston

Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times writes how Laker Derek Fisher deals with a tougher battle of the court... "Quietly, typically, with neither fanfare nor complaint, he has spent the last year helping his 22-month-old child fight retinoblastoma while trying to help the Lakers fight for a championship. The man known for his uncanny vision -- both on the court and in the locker room -- has exhausted himself trying to save his little girl's eye." ...

Bill Plaschke

Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star writes how guns and athletes do not mix... "Do I need to spell out for you which particular type of professional athlete feels most compelled to arm? Here’s a hint: It’s the same group that looks most like me and is most likely to die by gun violence. It’s a vicious little cycle. Black athletes carry guns to protect themselves, but they fail to realize or choose to ignore that their decision to carry escalates the potential for trouble." ...

Jason Whitlock

Thoughts on The Derby

It's time for My Old Kentucky Home, Mint Juleps, and discarded tickets...the Kentucky Derby is here...

This year's Derby is wide open with no clearcut favorite...since 2000, the favorite has won three times: Fusaichi Pegasus (2000), Smarty Jones (2004), and Street Sense (2007)...even the great Barbaro was not the favorite...

This year's favorite, Big Brown (3-1), is coming out of the 20th post position and has only raced three times...Big Brown is followed by Colonel John (4-1) and Pyro (6-1)...after that, every other horse is double digits in odds...

I like to play trainers...Bob Baffert has no horses this years...Todd Pletcher has two horses (Cowboy Cal 20-1 and Monba 15-1)...the trainer that I am looking at this year is Barclay Tagg...

Tagg has two horses - Tale of Ekati (15-1) and Big Truck (50-1)...the one that is piquing my interest is Big Truck who looked fast and had a good workout the other day...Big Truck got noticed after pulling an upset at the Tampa Derby in mid-March...however, he came back with a clunker 11th place finish at the Toyota Blue Grass in mid-April...

But in a year where there is no clear favorite, I'll throw a few bucks on Big Truck in the upset...

Check back Saturday for my complete predictions...

Rachel Ray - Is She Hot or Am I Missing Something?

Today, "Is She Hot or Am I Missing Something?" is looking at the peppy and often annoying kitchen wiz Rachel Ray...

Dunkin Donuts Gal
Ray was born in 1968 and is part Sicilian and Cajun...she grew up in the New York City area and worked at the candy counter at Macy's in the Big Apple...she married John M. Cusimano, the lead singer of the rock band The Cringe...as you know, she is everywhere - from cookbooks, to commercials, to talk shows, to her own show...

She is often ripped for not being a "true cook" because of her 30 minute meal recipes...and her recent allegiance with Dunkin Donuts have health nuts criticizing her for promoting an unhealthy food chain...

My thoughts - Ray is an interesting woman...sometimes she looks hot (photos) and sometimes she doesn't...I could understand where she would be annoying with her constant chatter...I would say she is hot in a "bad girl" kinda way - but not in the class of Giada or the Money Honey...this leads to the questions:

Do you think Rachel Ray is hot?

If so, why doesn't she get the publicity?

Am I missing something?

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