Ah, the soap opera that now swamps all sport.  It's so gross and pathetic cycling around  consumer hunger for finger pointing.  We all #### the the wheel.  We're an embarrasing lot, us american sports fans.  We'll proclaim it shouldn't be but IT IS.  Many a holy liar pretends not to register the subtext but it's there.  When T.O. ripped Garcia, proposing McNabb was better, i registered racism.  Few questioned it publicly.  When T.O. ripped McNabb proposing Farve would be better, I registered, piece of BLEEP.  How could he do this to McNabb?  His own teammate.  A black teammate who'd suffered the Limbaugh opinion.  Real smart T.O.  Real cool thing to do.  I read blogs all the  time crying, "I wish racism would go away".  But it's not going to go away.  T.O. was racially insensitive when he ripped Garcia.  He's a selfish fool for ripping McNabb.  There has been race all around this from the beginning. 

So, McNabb reopens a can of worms with a bad racial analogy.  Selfish?  To each his own.  Let's turn off the trainwreck.  Yeah, Right!  

Things I thought to say last night alone at the bar, Flannery’s.

-         We need to make Blogside t-shirts

-         UCLA’s point guard is really good

-         Did you see the behind the back pass through traffic by USC’s point guard?  Sweet.

-         Oregons yellow jerseys forced me to wear my sunglasses at night in public.

-         VT basketball player, Washington, kicks Dukie in face.  What in the hell?

-         Should I continue to increase television consumption to muster blog fuel?

-         JJ Reddick is really good.

-           Sweetback is detpak?  Yes.

-         I WILL NOT get into video games so I can blog about them.

-         If I post a book, chapter by chapter, how much will Socal charge to promote each chapter?

-         I hope Pittsburgh wins. I like Cowher.  Roethlesberger and Polamalu are cool and I've placed a curse on Grant Wistrom. 

-         Blogging now tops my personal vice rankings.  It’s not a habit, IT’S COOL, I feel AAAlive, if you don't have it your on the otherside.

-         Even though I’m hoping Pittsburgh to win, I believe Bill Gates should help the Hawks keep Sean Alexander.  He’s legit.

 The Los Angeles Lambs moved to St. Louis in 1994.  They won their first five games as the St.Louis Lambs then collapsed, missed the playoffs, and sustained ineptitude for four years. We lost a lot and it made news when our quarterback, Tony Banks, missed practice because his Doberman pincher pup, Felony, was hit by a truck.  You began to see lot’s of PSL’s listed for sale in the paper pretty cheap.

In the off-season of ‘99 legitimate hope was granted with the signing of All-pro talents Trent Green and Marshall Faulk. The faithful showed up buzzing at preseason game #1 like kids eying unopened presents.  Things were looking much improved.  I was biting my bottom lip, actually shivering with excitement before a blitzing defensive back drove a shoulder pad into back of the back of Green’s knee and snapped it(looked very similar to the Carson Palmer accident).  Silence, then a groan of agony, the buzz of hope evaporated and a distraught grumble ensued.  By the thousands, PSL holders slouched back into their seats and gulped beer.  Many had to ask, “Who’s our second stringer?”  Kurt Warner.   They carted Green off.  It was gross disappointment.  Many left to the bars to drink a lot.  On Monday I comforted my dad, “the Warner guy looked pretty good though.”

The Rams stomped out to a 3-0 start whipping Baltimore, Atlanta, and Cincinnati a combined 100-27.  Nobody was counting chickens yet because the 49ers were coming to town holding our leash for 17 games in a row.  The Rams dominated with flare 42-17 highlighted by 4 touchdown catches by Isaac Bruuuuuuce. I got chills during #### Vermeil’s post game interview when Bill Walsh came by, placed his hand on ####’s shoulder and said, “You’re goin’ all the way buddy.”  Vermeil sputtered, “Aw, Jesus!  Don’t say that.”  It was a warm October 10^th and the sun shined for hours after we got out of the stadium.  Sun Decker’s on Laclede’s Landing overflowed and rocked until near midnight that Sunday for there was upswing on our big investment.  Things had changed.  The Ram’s went on to finish 13-3 and secured home field advantage for the playoffs. 

That year delivered a ton of moments but the most memorable football moment for me was with 4:44 left in the NFC championship.  Ricky Proehl hauls in a leaping one armed catch in the corner of the end zone.  Ram’s held on and beat Warren Sapp and the Bucs,  11-6!  I wasn’t at the game, I was in Sun Decker’s watching on T.V.  When Proehl made that catch Sun Decker’s shook for minutes.  It’s an old bar with a stone foundation, wood floors and a tin ceiling.  When the pandemonium calmed the blades had been ripped off all the ceiling fans and two drunken dudes who were very near fisticuffs were hugging.  In tune of the rap hit Tootsie Roll everyone chanted for a long times, “Touchdown catch by Ricky Proehl, LET ME SEE THAT SUPER BOWL!”

Bruce’s touchdown catch in the Super Bowl is right behind it.  We bobbed and weaved on the cobblestone streets after Mike Jones made, ‘the tackle.”  Then on Monday it was parade day.  After work my good time friends gathered in Kiener Plaza where the parade would end and the players would say some stuff.  It was freezing and people packed in so tight you couldn’t sit down.  The parade was late and irritability was rising among the crowd.  A battle with influenza was eminent and I wished I wasn’t there.  The politicians took their publicity.   We were about 35 yards from stage; relatively very close.  People lined the tops of near by parking garages and buildings.  When, then Senator, John Ashcroft spoke, I yelled, “WARNER FOR SENATE,” as loud as I could.  It made my friends very uncomfortable.  Then a whiney moan came from behind my friends and I and we were bumped into.  Vollmer and I turned to see a short mustached man in a tie wearing trench coat.  We asked, “What’s your deal man?” 

“I’m sorry.  I need to get to the front but I’m just too small!  People won’t let me through!”

“Well everybody wants to be closer, why should they let you in front?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you!”  Holding a camera he moaned and spun expressing serious distress.  His antics were amusing however they were sincere.  I’ll color it like this:  I’ll bet my life this guy saw Brokeback Mountain in the theatre. 

“So, tell me.  Why do YOU need to get to the front?”

“You won’t believe me!  Nobody will!”

“Tell me why and maybe I’ll help you.”

He took a deep breath and began, “I’m a limo driver and this is Kurt Warner’s camera.  He and his wife left it in the limo and they asked me to try to bring it to them.  If you help me get it to them, it may be worth a handshake.”  Just standing in the crowd was miserable let alone climbing through with a fairy on my back.  Vollmer refused the task.  I thought about it a few minutes and accepted considering the potential meeting of Kurt Warner.  Maybe he’d take his picture with me.  The limo driver followed me as I put on dramatics of my own.  I squeezed through the crowd announcing, “Excuse me!  Emergency, Emergency!”  I wasn’t sure if it was wrong or what but we cut steadily through the crowd behind these words.  I made him swear he was telling the truth and he swore.  After about 10 minutes of gross struggle, I stopped about three rows from off the barricades and told everyone to let this man through.  He thanked me greatly and moved up front.  He was holding a camera and it looked like he was lying to get up front to take shots.  I explained to a radius of bitter bystanders, “He claims that’s Kurt Warner’s camera.  He’s the limo driver and they left it in the limo at the airport and don’t worry if he’s lying I’m going to beat his ####.”  They all smiled at the story.  The limo driver didn’t seem to appreciate the public proclamation.  It wasn’t long till Warners truck pulled up.  He and Brenda stood near 20 yards away.  The limo driver flailed, but so did everyone.  He pleaded with a police officer to walk it over.  The woman refused.  They never saw him.  How could they?  He was too small.  I have no doubts he was telling the truth.  He dialed them on the phone, but no answer.  Finally the limo driver crawled back into the crowd defeated.  To this day I feel bad for saying I was going to’ kick his #### if he was lying but I don’t think he realized the crowd had some questions about our emergency.  

I had crafted a fat fun blog with sweet pics but I CAN"T GET THE PICS IN!

Angrilly from the hip...

Congrats to all the Seattle fans in the community.  With each score I could only envision Sleepless’s celebrations and I greatly envy your wagon.  It appears Hasselbeck can be trusted.  Below are my notes on the game; decipher, critique and get them to Holmgren.

PIC MISSING

Then I became drunk and got sentimental before game two and ruined the Patriots by placing $100 on them.  That bet caused the wind that disrupted Brady’s inaccuracy.  The Snake won it.  Slick pass on that last touchdown.  I could have just as easily wagered on the birth of the Snakes head on the QB playoff  totem pole but I had to root for three in a row; four out of five, but that’s a lot of juice and the Pat’s couldn’t squeeze it.  During the game it was demanded several times, “Jeb Putzier, put that in your blog!” 

Then sunday.  Everyone’s talking about the end but Pittsburgh’s 14-0 early foundation is the story.  They came out blasting with success and Roethlisberger carved respect.  As much as I frowned on Porter’s trash talk and sympathized with Manning’s chance to right his history of big game failure I say the best team won an awesome game.  Criticism of Cowher for the Bettis fumble is pooey hindsight.  I hope a big mirror falls on Terry Bradshaw and hurts him.  If you want to go there you’re a crabby arm chair opportunist.  What a big tackle by Roethlisberger!    Vanderjagt: Poetic justice.  The Colt's got beat.

The Bears lost.  They new what was coming but they kept falling down.  Their defense simply shattered and embarrassed by Delhome and Smith.  I advise Bears fans demand a new QB.  The physical appearance of Grossman and Orton is simply weak.  Get them to a tanning bed or maybe some Mike Tyson style tattoos on their faces, hm?   

Somebody tell me how to put picks in please.  My whole day, RUINED!

Fox blog terrorist FooFoo seduced the creativity and energy of a significant portion of the community this weekend.   FooFoo posted an article of short quips 'CUTTING' the entire field of sweet 16 trophy holders which includes an ambitious cheating liar of  only fiftteen years old.  He then enticed detpak into a bout which caused many to in the community to throw white towels at their computers in hopes detpak would submit.  With simple torment of repeating what a blogger writes before or chiding their signature comments he drives them insane.  A series of detpak comment remains deleted and in wide debate. 

President Socal had called for a total boycot of  Foo's posts and seeks a unified agreement on deletion of Foo's comments.  Some have voiced opposition to the morality of this banishment but the overall word on the street is FooFoo is a dark lonely man who deserves no attention.  As many posts plead to ignore Foo his darkness swells patiently.

In a development of grave concern, Foo  has acknowledged President Socal's impressive record on game prediciton.  The president thanked him teven hough Foo says, "this shiat can't continue."    

It keeps coming to me that Reggie Bush was not in on the fourth and 2.  I know the other guy was having a great game, 3 touchdowns and all.  I've seen no comments yet but I insist Reggie Bush is livid about it.  I would be. 

There was such an underlying true heisman thing going on and when the biggest at bat of the game comes they don't send Reggie to the plate.  All year, Reggie is going to the Texans.    Reggie is the best ever, he's Barry Sanders and a little Walter Payton blah, blah blah.  Was it the lateral that shook Pete's confindence?  Would it have been too obvious Reggie was getting it?  I thought it was too obvious mr.3 touchdowns was getting it.  I almost puked before the play happened. 

I insist the heisman trophy winner should have gotten that ball.  He'd just delivered the big TD flip into the end zone.  REGGIE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT BALL.  I feel Reggie's almost forgotten now.  4th and 2, National Title, heisman truth hangs in balance AND REGGIE'S NOT IN THE RING!  IF THE OUT IS TO BE MADE IT'S REGGIE'S! 

A RECOUNT?  USC RAN SOMEBODY ELSE!! Shame on Pete!!

With Washington giving big head coach bucks to their defensive coordinator does this signal and evoution in NFL coaching structures?  What is a head coach if he's not calling plays?  He's a dean of students motivational cheerleader who manages timeouts.  Mike Martz isn't cut for this job.  HE SHOULD BE UP IN THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS BOX!!!   Not drafting Steve Bellasari and Tim Couch.  I read a quote by Martz to the effect he thought the, 'cook should have say in the ingredients'.  His failure to procure defensive and special team ingredients doomed his Ram's tenure.  So sad.

Some maverick genius should bring him into a program as OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR and pay him more than the head coach.   Martz will do it if the moneys right and somewhere in the maddness he knows he belongs up in that box.

Good bye Mike and when you return have mercy on us.    

Before the Rams ditch Mike Martz I think they should offer him a return to offensive coordinator. At least ask.  That's where he belongs.  Not on the sidelines pissing away time outs like they are snap pops.  We don't want him as head coach but we all would like to keep his offensive maddness even if it's been out of balance.  Keep him but put him on leash. 

Everyone's screaming give it to Steven Jackson as if this will be the cure-all.  I fear they are heading toward retooling the offense around him.  I'm all for balance but wrecking the current system would be hasty mistake.  Jackson has great potential but it seems to me he's been admiring Marshall a bit too much.  They are different models.  Steven needs to hit the hole more like a train rather than shuffling up like he's a sports car.  Some say the Rams run game is designed to function with a 'patient' back.  Steven Jackson is destined for greatness.  With the Rams current program I'm not so sure.   

The Rams real problems lies in defense and special teams.  They simply haven't had the personnel.  They were lucky to make play-offs the last two years and now last years fifth string wide reciever is a starting at safety.  Upon bringing this point up to a friend he responded, "But Furrey's doing okay."  Okay ain't cutting it.  Okay is under .500.  Our biggest freak is Leonard Little and he's not that big.  We need a freak or two in the defensive backfield.  It's Martz's fault we don't have them.  The drafting of Bellasari and Crouch are also monuments of his unchecked maddness.  It's not just lack of balance in this years play calling its been a lack of balance period.  He's and offensive animal.

It's a mad idea.  Martz couldn't accept demotion.  Could he? 

I went to Town Lounge in O'Fallon, IL for a coaches meeting last tuesday.  At the bar a players dad, from Chicago, told of how he and his son would be traveling to Soldier Field to see the Bears play the Packers on sunday.   He removed his coat revealing a White Sox sweat shirt.  Not a World Series Champs logo just the falling S-O-X on his chest.  With a tone of congratulations and relief I asked, "Lifetime Sox fan?"

"No, I'm a Cub's fan."