Nick Mayon will be joining me on the air this week. The topics already on the board for this week are as follows:
--The FIFA World Cup™.
--The oil spill and the lifting of the drilling moratorium.
--One year later, Michael Jackson is still dead.
--The Wimbledon marathon match.
--Which politicians are most likely to lose in the upcoming congressional elections (a holdover from last week).
--Your phone calls (337-232-4434 ext. 207), your e-mails (124emain@gmail.com), and much more!
You can check out 124 E. MAIN tomorrow night and every Saturday night at 9:00 P.M. Central Time online at UStream and, for those of you in Acadiana, on the Acadiana Open Channel, channel 15 on Cox Cable and channel 3 on LUS Fiber.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Guilty Pleasures: The Maury Povich Show
[EDITOR'S NOTE: We had no mail in the inbox today (shamelessselfproductions@gmail.com), so we'll skip the mailbag segment.]
Since I've been back home, I've indulged in a guilty pleasure every morning. At 8:00 A. M. each day, I turn on the television and tune into KADN and watch another fine episode of MAURY. That's right, I lower my IQ a little every day by watching the unwash of society air their problems on nationally syndicated television. This morning, I finally realized why I engage in this ritual. I watch MAURY so when I think my life sucks, there is always someone else with bigger problems than me. After all, when you hear Maury Povich announce the magic words of "You are NOT the father," you thank the Good Lord above that you aren't the guy that got the paternity test, the woman trying to figure out which of her fifteen partners is the father of her child, or the baby that's caught in the middle of everything.
An hour after MAURY goes off the air in Lafayette, THE PRICE IS RIGHT signs on KLFY. Of course, THE PRICE IS RIGHT makes anything and everything better. As these YouTube clip shows, it can even make the MAURY show more entertaining.
On Monday, my thoughts on kiddie softball parents and supporters.
Since I've been back home, I've indulged in a guilty pleasure every morning. At 8:00 A. M. each day, I turn on the television and tune into KADN and watch another fine episode of MAURY. That's right, I lower my IQ a little every day by watching the unwash of society air their problems on nationally syndicated television. This morning, I finally realized why I engage in this ritual. I watch MAURY so when I think my life sucks, there is always someone else with bigger problems than me. After all, when you hear Maury Povich announce the magic words of "You are NOT the father," you thank the Good Lord above that you aren't the guy that got the paternity test, the woman trying to figure out which of her fifteen partners is the father of her child, or the baby that's caught in the middle of everything.
An hour after MAURY goes off the air in Lafayette, THE PRICE IS RIGHT signs on KLFY. Of course, THE PRICE IS RIGHT makes anything and everything better. As these YouTube clip shows, it can even make the MAURY show more entertaining.
On Monday, my thoughts on kiddie softball parents and supporters.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
RANDOM ACTS OF MUSIC: BLOG EDITION--Episode 1
(Editor's Note: Random Acts of Music: Blog Edition will be posted every Wednesday. It shall serve as an online continuation of the WPRB radio show of the same name.)
I was driving down Johnston Street in Lafayette today when I heard the Barenaked Ladies' song "One Week" playing on radio station KSMB. While listening to the song, I picked up on a couple of references in the track that I'd never noticed before. Before we go any farther, here is--for your reference--the Barenaked Ladies with "One Week."
The first reference I caught was one of Bert Kaempfert. Kaempfert, a German-born jazz musician, composer, and big band leader, wrote such numbers as "Strangers in the Night" and "Danke Schoen," which would become Wayne Newton's signature song. Kaempfert also composed our next song. It's a piece called "A Swingin' Safari," which older television viewers will recognize as the theme song to the original version of "The Match Game" that aired on NBC from 1962 until 1967. Here is Berthold Heinrich Kämpfert and his orchestra with "A Swingin' Safari" on RANDOM ACTS.
Bert Kaempfert and His Orchestra with "A Swingin' Safari."
"One Week" also makes reference to "[busting] rhymes" and being "big like LeAnne Rimes." Although Busta Rhymes isn't explicitly mentioned, the lyric, when rapped, sounds as if the rapper's name got dropped. It also gives me a cheap excuse to play hip-hop and country songs back-to-back. Without further adieu, here are Busta Rhymes and LeAnne Rimes on RAoM.
LeAnne Rimes with her debut single, "Blue," which cracked the Billboard Country Top Ten in 1996. Just before that was Busta Rhymes with his Grammy nominated song "Dangerous," which was released in the fall of 1997 and peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Let's see THOSE two get together to perform a duet.
The last musician namedrop that I never caught until today was that of Sting. Not to be confused with the professional wrestler of the same name, Sting, born Gordon Sumner, found a great deal of success after the breakup of the Police. In 1994, he won a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance with our next track. From the 1993 album Ten Summoner's Tales, here is Sting with "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" on RANDOM ACTS OF MUSIC.
From 1993, that was Sting with "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 at #17.
That will do it for this week's edition of RANDOM ACTS OF MUSIC. The moral of this week's episode is: Pay attention to the lyrics of the songs you hear on the radio. You may hear something that you never noticed before. Thanks for joining us on RANDOM ACTS OF MUSIC. Good night!
I was driving down Johnston Street in Lafayette today when I heard the Barenaked Ladies' song "One Week" playing on radio station KSMB. While listening to the song, I picked up on a couple of references in the track that I'd never noticed before. Before we go any farther, here is--for your reference--the Barenaked Ladies with "One Week."
The first reference I caught was one of Bert Kaempfert. Kaempfert, a German-born jazz musician, composer, and big band leader, wrote such numbers as "Strangers in the Night" and "Danke Schoen," which would become Wayne Newton's signature song. Kaempfert also composed our next song. It's a piece called "A Swingin' Safari," which older television viewers will recognize as the theme song to the original version of "The Match Game" that aired on NBC from 1962 until 1967. Here is Berthold Heinrich Kämpfert and his orchestra with "A Swingin' Safari" on RANDOM ACTS.
Bert Kaempfert and His Orchestra with "A Swingin' Safari."
"One Week" also makes reference to "[busting] rhymes" and being "big like LeAnne Rimes." Although Busta Rhymes isn't explicitly mentioned, the lyric, when rapped, sounds as if the rapper's name got dropped. It also gives me a cheap excuse to play hip-hop and country songs back-to-back. Without further adieu, here are Busta Rhymes and LeAnne Rimes on RAoM.
LeAnne Rimes with her debut single, "Blue," which cracked the Billboard Country Top Ten in 1996. Just before that was Busta Rhymes with his Grammy nominated song "Dangerous," which was released in the fall of 1997 and peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Let's see THOSE two get together to perform a duet.
The last musician namedrop that I never caught until today was that of Sting. Not to be confused with the professional wrestler of the same name, Sting, born Gordon Sumner, found a great deal of success after the breakup of the Police. In 1994, he won a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance with our next track. From the 1993 album Ten Summoner's Tales, here is Sting with "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" on RANDOM ACTS OF MUSIC.
From 1993, that was Sting with "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 at #17.
That will do it for this week's edition of RANDOM ACTS OF MUSIC. The moral of this week's episode is: Pay attention to the lyrics of the songs you hear on the radio. You may hear something that you never noticed before. Thanks for joining us on RANDOM ACTS OF MUSIC. Good night!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Idiot of the Month Nominee: Guy Steals Car on Test Drive
Yep. That is not a misprint. Dateline: Austin, Texas. A 37-year old man, John Albert Green, and his girlfriend made off with a 1997 Mercedes after asking for a test drive. There was a slight problem, the salesman, Merhdad Mohebi had a copy of Green's driver's license, which was enough to charge Green with felony theft.
(Full story here.)
We should note that Green has not been arrested yet, but if and when he is, he'll have to kick himself for leaving behind a copy of a document that give the police his whereabouts. Our first IotM nominee: John Albert Green.
(Full story here.)
We should note that Green has not been arrested yet, but if and when he is, he'll have to kick himself for leaving behind a copy of a document that give the police his whereabouts. Our first IotM nominee: John Albert Green.
Morning Thoughts
1) I stopped by a convenience store this morning to purchase a scratch-off lottery ticket and a bottle of water before heading to the office this morning. The lady behind the counter wore a badge that read: "Hi! My name is TAAKA." Taaka? Really?! Her mom and/or her dad named her after a brand of vodka? If that's the case, couldn't they have named her after another brand of vodka, like Skyy or Grey Goose, or--even better--after a liqueur, like Tia Maria, Kahlua, or Bailey's?
2) Watched a full episode of WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW last night for the first time in over a year. It was mediocre at best. The wrestling was okay, while the promos looked scripted and contrived. I won't comment on storylines and angles because I've been out of the loop for too long. I'll give it another chance next week, but I think I'll be sticking to archived footage of old-school NWA action in the long term.
3) I'm tired of hearing people complain about the vuvuzelas at the World Cup™. It's a part of the South African soccer tradition, and I hope it becomes a World Cup™ tradition. If you want to get rid of one tradition at sporting events, let's do away with the drunk, obnoxious sports fan.
4) If you have questions or comments, feel free to e-mail shamelessselfproductions@gmail.com. Some of the best ones will be answered in a weekly post called "Mailbag" every Friday.
5) Happy birthday to Olympic-champion speed skater Joey Cheek, who celebrates his 31st birthday today. Joey won gold in the 500-meters and silver in the 1000-meters at the 2006 Turin Olympics. He also won the bronze in the 1000-meters at the 2002 Salt Lake City games. Joey is also an activist, humanitarian, philanthropist, and budding statesman who, as founder of Team Darfur, has raised awareness and funds to stop the crises in the Sudan and whose work with Right to Play has helped teach children in underprivileged areas of the world learn life skills such as teamwork, communication, and integrity, just to name a few, through sports. Joey will be a senior at Princeton University next year, and I had the honor and pleasure of getting to know him during my time there. It is also an honor and a pleasure to call him a friend. Happy birthday, Joey, and best of luck to you in all of your future endeavors!
2) Watched a full episode of WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW last night for the first time in over a year. It was mediocre at best. The wrestling was okay, while the promos looked scripted and contrived. I won't comment on storylines and angles because I've been out of the loop for too long. I'll give it another chance next week, but I think I'll be sticking to archived footage of old-school NWA action in the long term.
3) I'm tired of hearing people complain about the vuvuzelas at the World Cup™. It's a part of the South African soccer tradition, and I hope it becomes a World Cup™ tradition. If you want to get rid of one tradition at sporting events, let's do away with the drunk, obnoxious sports fan.
4) If you have questions or comments, feel free to e-mail shamelessselfproductions@gmail.com. Some of the best ones will be answered in a weekly post called "Mailbag" every Friday.
5) Happy birthday to Olympic-champion speed skater Joey Cheek, who celebrates his 31st birthday today. Joey won gold in the 500-meters and silver in the 1000-meters at the 2006 Turin Olympics. He also won the bronze in the 1000-meters at the 2002 Salt Lake City games. Joey is also an activist, humanitarian, philanthropist, and budding statesman who, as founder of Team Darfur, has raised awareness and funds to stop the crises in the Sudan and whose work with Right to Play has helped teach children in underprivileged areas of the world learn life skills such as teamwork, communication, and integrity, just to name a few, through sports. Joey will be a senior at Princeton University next year, and I had the honor and pleasure of getting to know him during my time there. It is also an honor and a pleasure to call him a friend. Happy birthday, Joey, and best of luck to you in all of your future endeavors!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Louisiana and the Oil Spill: Living on a Prayer?
Louisiana politics is not for the faint of heart. The shenanigans that go on inside of the house that Huey built would make even New Jersey lawmakers laugh. However, the recent actions (or lack thereof) by Louisiana's elected officials have those of us that normally would chuckle shaking our heads in disbelief. Instead of asking for help from the federal government in cleaning up the state's beaches, the state Seante is asking for help from God to end this disaster.
The Louisiana State Senate designated yesterday a statewide day of prayer. The resolution was introduced by Senator Robert Adley (R-Benton), who said in a press release that, "It is clearly time for a miracle for us." Adley is correct. The Gulf Coast region needs an act of God by God himself to fix this mess. However, Adley is incorrect in his assertion that "the efforts made by mortals to try to solve this crisis have been to no avail." At best, the efforts of those mortals to prevent the initial blow-out and clean up the resulting mess have been half-hearted. TransOcean and BP's gross negligence was the result of their desire to save money. The two companies, the leasee and the owner, respectively, failed to implement safety devices and shut-off valves on the Deepwater Horizon because it was not mandated by federal law. BP's use of booms, junk shot, top hats, top kills, and dispersant are no more effective today than they were thirty-one years ago. State officials have not been any more effective in their clean-up efforts. Governor Bobby Jindal has failed to declare a state of emergency and ask President Obama for federal assistance to help clean Louisiana's shores. Instead, Governor Jindal (pardon the pun) drags his feet in the sand and complains about the lack of federal involvement in an attempt to discredit President Obama's administration and to drum up support for the GOP and himself in this Congressional election year (which is also one year away from Louisiana's statewide elections). Simply put, British Petroleum and Bobby Jindal are protecting their bottom lines--BP, its pocketbooks; Jindal, his and his party's chances during the upcoming election seasons.
If a miracle is needed to fix the problem in the Gulf of Mexico, why would God want to give us a "Get out of Jail Free" card? After all, Transocean, Halliburton, and BP could have invested a few hundred thousand dollars in safety mechanisms that, theoretically, could have prevented this disaster from happening. BP could have used some of the millions of dollars it spent on its public relations campaign to speed up the clean-up process and to develop new technologies to clean up oil spills like this one. The Good Lord gave the human race the intelligence and the resources it needs to prevent disasters like this one from happening. Those responsible for disasters like this shouldn't be pleading to a higher power for a bailout when their own laziness results in a tragedy like this.
Senator Adley's resolution and the day of prayer itself were wonderful gestures, as they showed the world that Louisianians are holding out hope for a miracle that will end this disaster. However, the prayers of the faithful do not take oil out of the water or off of the beaches of Louisiana and the rest of the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Only BP and the workers on the ground have the ability to do this. Asking God to clean this mess is impractical and irresponsible. To quote Freddie Mercury, "If there is a god in the sky looking down, what can He think of what we've done to the world that He created?"
The Louisiana State Senate designated yesterday a statewide day of prayer. The resolution was introduced by Senator Robert Adley (R-Benton), who said in a press release that, "It is clearly time for a miracle for us." Adley is correct. The Gulf Coast region needs an act of God by God himself to fix this mess. However, Adley is incorrect in his assertion that "the efforts made by mortals to try to solve this crisis have been to no avail." At best, the efforts of those mortals to prevent the initial blow-out and clean up the resulting mess have been half-hearted. TransOcean and BP's gross negligence was the result of their desire to save money. The two companies, the leasee and the owner, respectively, failed to implement safety devices and shut-off valves on the Deepwater Horizon because it was not mandated by federal law. BP's use of booms, junk shot, top hats, top kills, and dispersant are no more effective today than they were thirty-one years ago. State officials have not been any more effective in their clean-up efforts. Governor Bobby Jindal has failed to declare a state of emergency and ask President Obama for federal assistance to help clean Louisiana's shores. Instead, Governor Jindal (pardon the pun) drags his feet in the sand and complains about the lack of federal involvement in an attempt to discredit President Obama's administration and to drum up support for the GOP and himself in this Congressional election year (which is also one year away from Louisiana's statewide elections). Simply put, British Petroleum and Bobby Jindal are protecting their bottom lines--BP, its pocketbooks; Jindal, his and his party's chances during the upcoming election seasons.
If a miracle is needed to fix the problem in the Gulf of Mexico, why would God want to give us a "Get out of Jail Free" card? After all, Transocean, Halliburton, and BP could have invested a few hundred thousand dollars in safety mechanisms that, theoretically, could have prevented this disaster from happening. BP could have used some of the millions of dollars it spent on its public relations campaign to speed up the clean-up process and to develop new technologies to clean up oil spills like this one. The Good Lord gave the human race the intelligence and the resources it needs to prevent disasters like this one from happening. Those responsible for disasters like this shouldn't be pleading to a higher power for a bailout when their own laziness results in a tragedy like this.
Senator Adley's resolution and the day of prayer itself were wonderful gestures, as they showed the world that Louisianians are holding out hope for a miracle that will end this disaster. However, the prayers of the faithful do not take oil out of the water or off of the beaches of Louisiana and the rest of the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Only BP and the workers on the ground have the ability to do this. Asking God to clean this mess is impractical and irresponsible. To quote Freddie Mercury, "If there is a god in the sky looking down, what can He think of what we've done to the world that He created?"
Friday, June 18, 2010
IPA'S RETURN FROM EXILE
Eighteen days ago, I walked out of FitzRandolph Gate as a newly-minted graduate of Princeton University. Four years of studying and struggling through an Ivy League institution had finally paid off. In a matter of hours, I would be on an airplane flying back to Louisiana with the most expensive piece of paper I would ever own. I had the world on a string, or, at least I thought I did.
Nearly three weeks later, I've discovered the string through which I held the world had been cut. The luxury of living life at my own pace and on my own terms has disappeared. I'm unemployed and broke, and it doesn't look like this situation is going to change in the immediate future (read: tomorrow or next week). I still have umpiring to fall back on, but making $20 an hour for 20 hours a week isn't going to pay a car note or the rent. For the time being, I'll be living at home and driving my mom's car around Lafayette during the day.
Although I don't have a broadcasting job yet, I will still keep my face in the media. Of course, unsuspecting news directors will be receiving my résumé and demo reel, but while I'm in job limbo, I'll be returning to the Acadiana Open Channel. AOC has a special place in my heart. It's the TV station on which I got my start in media some twelve years ago, and every summer for the last three years, it has given me an outlet to hone my on-air skill while away from the confines of WPRB-FM/Princeton. Again, it doesn't pay, but it keeps me on the air and helps me better my on-air talents. Furthermore, this blog will serve as another outlet. During the course of the coming weeks, I will post my thoughts on news, sports, pop culture, and anything else that tickles my fancy.
This blog will be a combination of the programs I've hosted over the last five years. The news and views of WPRB's THE WEEK IN REVIEW, the sports commentary of TIMEOUT, and the music musings of RANDOM ACTS OF MUSIC (from which this blog's new name was taken), and a potpourri of other topics (124 E. MAIN) will be rolled into one and presented in this forum.
In honor of the relaunch of this blog, here is a clip of another famous debut. It also includes a warning that is apropos for this website.
Nearly three weeks later, I've discovered the string through which I held the world had been cut. The luxury of living life at my own pace and on my own terms has disappeared. I'm unemployed and broke, and it doesn't look like this situation is going to change in the immediate future (read: tomorrow or next week). I still have umpiring to fall back on, but making $20 an hour for 20 hours a week isn't going to pay a car note or the rent. For the time being, I'll be living at home and driving my mom's car around Lafayette during the day.
Although I don't have a broadcasting job yet, I will still keep my face in the media. Of course, unsuspecting news directors will be receiving my résumé and demo reel, but while I'm in job limbo, I'll be returning to the Acadiana Open Channel. AOC has a special place in my heart. It's the TV station on which I got my start in media some twelve years ago, and every summer for the last three years, it has given me an outlet to hone my on-air skill while away from the confines of WPRB-FM/Princeton. Again, it doesn't pay, but it keeps me on the air and helps me better my on-air talents. Furthermore, this blog will serve as another outlet. During the course of the coming weeks, I will post my thoughts on news, sports, pop culture, and anything else that tickles my fancy.
This blog will be a combination of the programs I've hosted over the last five years. The news and views of WPRB's THE WEEK IN REVIEW, the sports commentary of TIMEOUT, and the music musings of RANDOM ACTS OF MUSIC (from which this blog's new name was taken), and a potpourri of other topics (124 E. MAIN) will be rolled into one and presented in this forum.
In honor of the relaunch of this blog, here is a clip of another famous debut. It also includes a warning that is apropos for this website.
Friday, June 13, 2008
TIM RUSSERT DEAD
Damn! First Jim McKay, and now Tim Russert has left us. Russert, host of Meet the Press since December 1991, died earlier today at the NBC News Washington Bureau while recording promos for this Sunday's edition of said program. No cause of death has been announced, but an autopsy is being conducted.
Newscasting and reporting is often thought of as a cutthroat business, but the tributes from the likes of George Stephanopoulos, Bob Schieffer, Charles Gibson, and Dan Rather (whose remarks, if I can find them, I'll repost later) were very moving. Even the politicians Russert grilled on MTP had nothing but kind words to say. Comments from the Clintons, Barack Obama, and John McCain showed the respect they held for Russert and his style of interviewing.
More information can be found at msnbc.com or on the cable network itself. Watching Keith Olbermann trying to maintain his composure during the special report makes you realize how special Tim Russert was.
Newscasting and reporting is often thought of as a cutthroat business, but the tributes from the likes of George Stephanopoulos, Bob Schieffer, Charles Gibson, and Dan Rather (whose remarks, if I can find them, I'll repost later) were very moving. Even the politicians Russert grilled on MTP had nothing but kind words to say. Comments from the Clintons, Barack Obama, and John McCain showed the respect they held for Russert and his style of interviewing.
More information can be found at msnbc.com or on the cable network itself. Watching Keith Olbermann trying to maintain his composure during the special report makes you realize how special Tim Russert was.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Busy Sports News Day . . . and I Missed Most of It
I love umpiring softball, but sometimes it does have its disadvantages. Today was a very sports news day, and I'm just learning about most of it now. Big Brown finished dead last in the Belmont Stakes, forcing horse racing enthusiasts to wait yet another year for a Triple Crown winner. Ana Ivanovic won the women's singles championship at the French Open. In a matter of hours, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will face off against each other for the third consecutive year. The most important sports news of the day, though, does not involve an athlete, team, or coach. It, unfortunately, is the news of Jim McKay's death.
For 37 years, McKay spanned the globe to bring us a constant variety of sport on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Though he may be best remembered as the host of WWS broadcasts and twelve Olympic broadcasts (including anchoring the coverage of the 1972 Munich hostage crisis), McKay is--arguably--the most underrated sports broadcaster in television history. Sportscasters, including yours truly, have much to learn from Jim McKay's work. He put the events he covered and their participants at center stage. McKay realized that his job was to present the events he covered to the viewer in the simplest way possible while making them seem as if nothing else in the world were important. Simply put, McKay sold the games and not himself. Too often we see a broadcaster try to become the star of the show while putting the athletics on the back burner. Jim McKay never did this, allowing the athletes and the games they played to shine. In the process, he earned the respect of his peers and colleagues as well as the people that tuned in to watch the programs he anchored.
McKay's life story is too deep for me to cover in this blog. If you can find a copy of his autobiography, The Real McKay: My Wide World of Sports, or catch the HBO documentary about his life and career--Jim McKay: My World in My Words--take a look at them, as they give deep insight not only into his career, but into his personal life and the events that shaped both. Both will give the reader/viewer an even deeper appreciation for how wonderful this man truly was. The world has lost a wonderful broadcaster in Jim McKay, but it lost an even better man in him. May God rest his soul, and may he cover the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat from the broadcast booth in the sky.
Here's a 1970's intro to Wide World of Sports.
This is a clip from 1991 from the 30th anniversary episode of WWS.
For 37 years, McKay spanned the globe to bring us a constant variety of sport on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Though he may be best remembered as the host of WWS broadcasts and twelve Olympic broadcasts (including anchoring the coverage of the 1972 Munich hostage crisis), McKay is--arguably--the most underrated sports broadcaster in television history. Sportscasters, including yours truly, have much to learn from Jim McKay's work. He put the events he covered and their participants at center stage. McKay realized that his job was to present the events he covered to the viewer in the simplest way possible while making them seem as if nothing else in the world were important. Simply put, McKay sold the games and not himself. Too often we see a broadcaster try to become the star of the show while putting the athletics on the back burner. Jim McKay never did this, allowing the athletes and the games they played to shine. In the process, he earned the respect of his peers and colleagues as well as the people that tuned in to watch the programs he anchored.
McKay's life story is too deep for me to cover in this blog. If you can find a copy of his autobiography, The Real McKay: My Wide World of Sports, or catch the HBO documentary about his life and career--Jim McKay: My World in My Words--take a look at them, as they give deep insight not only into his career, but into his personal life and the events that shaped both. Both will give the reader/viewer an even deeper appreciation for how wonderful this man truly was. The world has lost a wonderful broadcaster in Jim McKay, but it lost an even better man in him. May God rest his soul, and may he cover the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat from the broadcast booth in the sky.
Here's a 1970's intro to Wide World of Sports.
This is a clip from 1991 from the 30th anniversary episode of WWS.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Two Nights, Two Ejections
Dear Lord, will beer-leaguers ever learn that cursing out an umpire will never lead to one reversing his/her call? In the last two nights of officiating, I've had to toss two people from games--one a player; the other, a spectator. Both were run for the same reason, cursing and blaspheming an official and his calls.
Tonight's ejection involved a drunk fan. This guy initially joined his team in the dugout as a coach. After my partner asked him to enter the dugout while his team played defense, he left and proceeded to the balcony area of the park. From there, he called to my partner and me after the end of the inning. "Hey, Blue!" he called. From a distance, I could see him shooting us the bird, but I hesitated before doing anything. He then called us again, this time adding, "Fuck you, you motherfuckers!" At this point, both my partner and I ejected the guy and had him escorted out of the park.
Last night's heave-ho aggravated me more than any other ejection that I have had to execute. The first batter in the bottom of the first inning grounded out after taking a first called strike. After being put out, he shouted, "If you don't know the goddamn rules, get off the goddamn field!" In an attempt to keep order on my field and to send a message to both teams, I ejected him. After he refused to leave and kept shouting from the dugout, I delayed the game to have park management escort him out of the park.
The aforementioned player's comments wasn't what angered me. It was the comments of another player from the other team that got under my skin. As an umpire, I know that I can't hold any grudges or any other personal vendettas in mind during any contest, so I must explain now that the following remarks had no bearing on the game at hand. This player--who shall go unnamed--told members of the other team, "This guy is a rookie that does this once a month to pay for his college." Well, sir, this rookie has three years experience, including ten national invitational tournaments, five state championships, one national tournament, and one world tournament. This umpire has survived line drives, errant throws, catchers that couldn't catch, cup checks, and death threats and constantly has worked to improve his game. You, on the other hand, couldn't handle the heat (proverbial and literal) of officiating and quit. Your actions and attitude towards your fellow umpires as a player before, during, and after your service as an official were unbecoming of an umpire and brought shame to yourself and the red shirt that represents your former profession. I thought that someone that supposedly loves the game as much as you do would have more respect for it and the people that work to enforce its rules. Your actions this year and last year (don't think I forgot about having to eject you for throwing dirt on me) have shown that you have proven otherwise.
For you slow-pitch softball players that come across this blog, please remember to be nice to the men in blue, red, green, or whatever color your local umpires might wear. Please know that we are out there because we love the game just as much as you do. Lord knows we aren't out there for the money. We dedicate ourselves to reading the rulebook, going to training clinics, and doing everything else we can to do our jobs better and to make your experience on the field better. We make the calls like we see them, not to give your opponents an advantage. Please keep this in mind before you begin shouting obscenities towards an umpire.
ian
After all of that ranting, I'll leave you with this clip of former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver getting ejected from a 1983 game. If I might add, this is absolutely NOT how an umpire should conduct himself on the field.
Tonight's ejection involved a drunk fan. This guy initially joined his team in the dugout as a coach. After my partner asked him to enter the dugout while his team played defense, he left and proceeded to the balcony area of the park. From there, he called to my partner and me after the end of the inning. "Hey, Blue!" he called. From a distance, I could see him shooting us the bird, but I hesitated before doing anything. He then called us again, this time adding, "Fuck you, you motherfuckers!" At this point, both my partner and I ejected the guy and had him escorted out of the park.
Last night's heave-ho aggravated me more than any other ejection that I have had to execute. The first batter in the bottom of the first inning grounded out after taking a first called strike. After being put out, he shouted, "If you don't know the goddamn rules, get off the goddamn field!" In an attempt to keep order on my field and to send a message to both teams, I ejected him. After he refused to leave and kept shouting from the dugout, I delayed the game to have park management escort him out of the park.
The aforementioned player's comments wasn't what angered me. It was the comments of another player from the other team that got under my skin. As an umpire, I know that I can't hold any grudges or any other personal vendettas in mind during any contest, so I must explain now that the following remarks had no bearing on the game at hand. This player--who shall go unnamed--told members of the other team, "This guy is a rookie that does this once a month to pay for his college." Well, sir, this rookie has three years experience, including ten national invitational tournaments, five state championships, one national tournament, and one world tournament. This umpire has survived line drives, errant throws, catchers that couldn't catch, cup checks, and death threats and constantly has worked to improve his game. You, on the other hand, couldn't handle the heat (proverbial and literal) of officiating and quit. Your actions and attitude towards your fellow umpires as a player before, during, and after your service as an official were unbecoming of an umpire and brought shame to yourself and the red shirt that represents your former profession. I thought that someone that supposedly loves the game as much as you do would have more respect for it and the people that work to enforce its rules. Your actions this year and last year (don't think I forgot about having to eject you for throwing dirt on me) have shown that you have proven otherwise.
For you slow-pitch softball players that come across this blog, please remember to be nice to the men in blue, red, green, or whatever color your local umpires might wear. Please know that we are out there because we love the game just as much as you do. Lord knows we aren't out there for the money. We dedicate ourselves to reading the rulebook, going to training clinics, and doing everything else we can to do our jobs better and to make your experience on the field better. We make the calls like we see them, not to give your opponents an advantage. Please keep this in mind before you begin shouting obscenities towards an umpire.
ian
After all of that ranting, I'll leave you with this clip of former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver getting ejected from a 1983 game. If I might add, this is absolutely NOT how an umpire should conduct himself on the field.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
POLITICAL NEWS: Cynthia McKinney is Green Party Presidential Candidate
According to several sources, Cynthia McKinney, the former U. S. Representative from the Atlanta metropolitan area has locked up the Green Party presidential nomination. I'm sure she's going to gain the support of Capitol Hill Police are going to support her bid for the nation's highest office.
McKinney joins Ralph Nader (Independent), Bob Barr (Libertarian), and John McCain (Republican) on the short list of presumptive and/or definite candidates for the presidency. More news about this as it comes along.
McKinney joins Ralph Nader (Independent), Bob Barr (Libertarian), and John McCain (Republican) on the short list of presumptive and/or definite candidates for the presidency. More news about this as it comes along.
More Airport Blues
And no, we weren't stopped by the TSA this time around. The end result, however, would have been just the same if we were detained. Let's hearken back to last Tuesday. I'm finishing last minute packing and shipping and trying to get to Newark Liberty International Airport for my 10:55 A.M. flight to Memphis. A few snags along the way made what was supposed to be an eight-hour journey turn into a thirteen hour trek.
After finally cleaning out my basement abode and shipping boxes off, I raced to the Princeton Dinky Station with bags of luggage to catch the next train out of town. That next train would not arrive until 9:30, leaving me little less than an hour to get to the airport. While sensing possible disaster, I keep my cool and board the train when it arrives and head to Princeton Junction. Going without sleep for 48 hours proved troublesome as I fell asleep on the dinky. The conductor woke me up some five minutes after arriving at Princeton Junction when she noticed that I hadn't disembarked. While running to cross the tracks, the handle on my largest piece of luggage snapped, rendering pulling it even more troublesome than it already had been. I trudged along, and boarded the 10:08 express to EWR with my wounded luggage.
The forty-minute trip seemed to be only twenty minutes because I slept through it. I arrived at the airport at 10:45, leaving me ten minutes to reach the terminal via the airport's air train. Suffice it to say, I didn't make it in time. I reached the Continental check-in desk at 11:00, five minutes after zero-hour. After waiting in line for about fifteen minutes behind a guy whose bitching and moaning would make a beer-league softball player blush, I finally got to talk to a representative.
"Can I help you, sir?"
"Yes, sir. I think I missed my flight."
"What was the departure time?"
"10:55."
"Yeah, you missed it. They took off ten minutes ago."
"Damn! Are there any other flights out of here going to Memphis?"
"Yes. One more at 3:30. What's your ultimate destination?"
"Lafayette, Louisiana."
"Hate to tell you this, but you're screwed, sir."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, you'll be on standby for both flights, but both are overbooked. You'll probably be able to make it to Memphis, but you might be stuck in Memphis. When you get there, you'll need to check with Northwest Airlines since you initially booked with them."
At this point, I could have cared less about how and when I got home, so I took the tickets. "How much are they?" I asked. "$525," the guy behind the counter answered. "But, because you were patient and a nice guy, I'm only going to charge you $25 for the baggage. Would you like to pay with cash or credit?" I let out a gale-force wind with my sigh of relief. I handed over my bags and debit card, and headed towards to the gate.
After another nap, a leg cramp, and reading the latest issue of Rolling Stone, I approach the gate at boarding time. A minor delay occurred when the boarding agents could not find my ticket information in their computers, but they fixed the problem and allowed me on the flight. The flight took off at 3:40 P.M., taking me on the first leg of my journey home.
After arriving in sunny, humid Memphis, I head over to the Northwest Airlines booth. I explain to that person what happened only to have him send me back to Continental Airlines. After relaying my story to the Continental guy, he sent me to baggage claim and then back to Northwest Airlines. I collected my crippled bags and head over to the Northwest check-in counter. The attendants there heard my sob story before checking their computers.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we have no record of your flights."
"I rebooked with Continental, and they told me you'd have to plug me into your system separately."
"No, they screwed up. They should have put you into our computers as well. Do you have your old boarding pass?"
"Here it is."
The Northwest people did the voodoo that they do so well and booked me on standby on the flight to Lafayette. After paying again to check my bags (this time $75), I handed the luggage to the ladies behind the counter and headed back to the gate. After an hour's wait, I was on my way home.
The plane landed at Lafayette Regional Airport at 9:42 P.M. It felt good to be back in the warmth and humidity of my hometown. The rest and relaxation that came along with returning is beyond description. After the stress of moving out, it's much needed.
So what have we learned through all of this? It pays to be nice. Plan your packing and moving several WEEKS in advance (not hours, make sure you catch the right train so you can be on time to catch your flight, and always carry enough money on you or in your bank account to pay for a one-way plane ticket just in case you forget the first two lessons.
After finally cleaning out my basement abode and shipping boxes off, I raced to the Princeton Dinky Station with bags of luggage to catch the next train out of town. That next train would not arrive until 9:30, leaving me little less than an hour to get to the airport. While sensing possible disaster, I keep my cool and board the train when it arrives and head to Princeton Junction. Going without sleep for 48 hours proved troublesome as I fell asleep on the dinky. The conductor woke me up some five minutes after arriving at Princeton Junction when she noticed that I hadn't disembarked. While running to cross the tracks, the handle on my largest piece of luggage snapped, rendering pulling it even more troublesome than it already had been. I trudged along, and boarded the 10:08 express to EWR with my wounded luggage.
The forty-minute trip seemed to be only twenty minutes because I slept through it. I arrived at the airport at 10:45, leaving me ten minutes to reach the terminal via the airport's air train. Suffice it to say, I didn't make it in time. I reached the Continental check-in desk at 11:00, five minutes after zero-hour. After waiting in line for about fifteen minutes behind a guy whose bitching and moaning would make a beer-league softball player blush, I finally got to talk to a representative.
"Can I help you, sir?"
"Yes, sir. I think I missed my flight."
"What was the departure time?"
"10:55."
"Yeah, you missed it. They took off ten minutes ago."
"Damn! Are there any other flights out of here going to Memphis?"
"Yes. One more at 3:30. What's your ultimate destination?"
"Lafayette, Louisiana."
"Hate to tell you this, but you're screwed, sir."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, you'll be on standby for both flights, but both are overbooked. You'll probably be able to make it to Memphis, but you might be stuck in Memphis. When you get there, you'll need to check with Northwest Airlines since you initially booked with them."
At this point, I could have cared less about how and when I got home, so I took the tickets. "How much are they?" I asked. "$525," the guy behind the counter answered. "But, because you were patient and a nice guy, I'm only going to charge you $25 for the baggage. Would you like to pay with cash or credit?" I let out a gale-force wind with my sigh of relief. I handed over my bags and debit card, and headed towards to the gate.
After another nap, a leg cramp, and reading the latest issue of Rolling Stone, I approach the gate at boarding time. A minor delay occurred when the boarding agents could not find my ticket information in their computers, but they fixed the problem and allowed me on the flight. The flight took off at 3:40 P.M., taking me on the first leg of my journey home.
After arriving in sunny, humid Memphis, I head over to the Northwest Airlines booth. I explain to that person what happened only to have him send me back to Continental Airlines. After relaying my story to the Continental guy, he sent me to baggage claim and then back to Northwest Airlines. I collected my crippled bags and head over to the Northwest check-in counter. The attendants there heard my sob story before checking their computers.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we have no record of your flights."
"I rebooked with Continental, and they told me you'd have to plug me into your system separately."
"No, they screwed up. They should have put you into our computers as well. Do you have your old boarding pass?"
"Here it is."
The Northwest people did the voodoo that they do so well and booked me on standby on the flight to Lafayette. After paying again to check my bags (this time $75), I handed the luggage to the ladies behind the counter and headed back to the gate. After an hour's wait, I was on my way home.
The plane landed at Lafayette Regional Airport at 9:42 P.M. It felt good to be back in the warmth and humidity of my hometown. The rest and relaxation that came along with returning is beyond description. After the stress of moving out, it's much needed.
So what have we learned through all of this? It pays to be nice. Plan your packing and moving several WEEKS in advance (not hours, make sure you catch the right train so you can be on time to catch your flight, and always carry enough money on you or in your bank account to pay for a one-way plane ticket just in case you forget the first two lessons.
Summertime on the Home Front
Live from America's armpit, it's the return of the blog! That's right, peeps. Louisiana has called me home, and it feels wonderful to be back in the stifling heat and humidity of Lafayette. Being home should afford me more time to post to this here forum and keep you abreast of the random thoughts and musings of yours truly and friends.
Much has happened since returning to Lafayette last Tuesday night. We've resumed beer-leaguing and returned to public access television, but in the process we missed a flight out of Newark. Blogs about these experiences coming later this week on HOLY CRAP!
In the meantime, enjoy this clip of Jim Vance and George Michael of WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., describing a clip about a runway model.
Much has happened since returning to Lafayette last Tuesday night. We've resumed beer-leaguing and returned to public access television, but in the process we missed a flight out of Newark. Blogs about these experiences coming later this week on HOLY CRAP!
In the meantime, enjoy this clip of Jim Vance and George Michael of WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., describing a clip about a runway model.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
GIVING HIM THE BUSINESS
School's been a killer lately, hence the lack of posts lately. A call from last Saturday's (November 24) ACC football contest between North Carolina State and Maryland warrants a new post. After a personal foul penalty was called against a linebacker that started punching out a wide receiver after a low block, referee Ron Cherry gave a great explanation for why the penalty was called.
Apparently, there is a precedent for calling a personal foul for "giving [someone] the business." In 1986, former NFL referee Ben Dreith made the call during a Bills-Jets game.
And now, as an added bonus, a remix of the two calls.
One person commented that the "giving him the business" call was the reason he got into officiating. Although it's not the reason I got into the profession (I'm in my second full year now and never heard the Dreith call until yesterday), I'm hoping I'll get to use it at some point before retiring.
Apparently, there is a precedent for calling a personal foul for "giving [someone] the business." In 1986, former NFL referee Ben Dreith made the call during a Bills-Jets game.
And now, as an added bonus, a remix of the two calls.
One person commented that the "giving him the business" call was the reason he got into officiating. Although it's not the reason I got into the profession (I'm in my second full year now and never heard the Dreith call until yesterday), I'm hoping I'll get to use it at some point before retiring.
Friday, November 2, 2007
RANDOM CRAP SINCE THE LAST POST
Wow! It REALLY has been a long time since we've visited this page, hasn't it? Much has happened since September 25. The Saints are almost back at .500 (3-4 as of this post), the Bears are proving to be who we thought they were, O. J.'s back in trouble, Halloween has come and gone, and Fall Break has come to an end.
Speaking of Halloween, here is a picture of me in my Halloween get-up. I was inspired to dress as Robert Goulet as a tribute to the wonderful baritone that sadly and tragically passed away the day before. Turns out, I wasn't too sucessful in imitating the late-star of Camelot and the Naked Gun series. I was told I looked like Freddie Mercury, Burt Reynolds, and Super Mario. I'll let you be the judge.
Tell me. Who do you think I resemble with that horrible moustache? Robert Goulet (bottom left), Freddie Mercury (bottom center), or Burt Reynolds (bottom right), or none of the above.
More to come upon my return from Philadelphia tomorrow. For now, I shall leave you with this.
Speaking of Halloween, here is a picture of me in my Halloween get-up. I was inspired to dress as Robert Goulet as a tribute to the wonderful baritone that sadly and tragically passed away the day before. Turns out, I wasn't too sucessful in imitating the late-star of Camelot and the Naked Gun series. I was told I looked like Freddie Mercury, Burt Reynolds, and Super Mario. I'll let you be the judge.
Tell me. Who do you think I resemble with that horrible moustache? Robert Goulet (bottom left), Freddie Mercury (bottom center), or Burt Reynolds (bottom right), or none of the above.
More to come upon my return from Philadelphia tomorrow. For now, I shall leave you with this.
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