DAY 5 OF SB HYPE, EAGLES DO A GOOD DEED, HUSKER DB UNHAPPY & WE VENTURE OUT
For fans trying to get to North Texas for Super Bowl weekend it has been a major nightmare. American Airlines canceled 600 flights to or thru Dallas, one of their largest hubs. Overall, nearly 1,200 flights bound for DFW were canceled. The metroplex absorbed another 6" of snow today & depression among local business owners is growing. Jeez, I wonder if the Dallas area Gentleman's Clubs put on additional help they were calling for in anticipation of their clientele's lap dancing needs? Anyway, getting around North Texas has been a major hassle for a lot of people who don't deal well with hassle. Many media members continue to whine about the weather conditions & it continues to fall on deaf ears, especially from those of us who have been buried in snow for days or weeks. I do feel badly for the local business owners who have seen 1/4 of the customers they were anticipating before Mother Nature hosed half the country.
Just this afternoon, five workers were injured, one severely, by ice falling off the roof of the stadium. large sheets of ice & snow began falling from the dome after the sun came out mid-afternoon. Three of those injured were standing underneath the big screen outside thousands have paid $200 to watch the game on Sunday. Poor Jerry.
The big Michael Vick Party I told you about isn't going to happen after all. I do I know? Vick's agent said he decided not to get involved in such a party. The Philadelphia Eagles said Vick wasn't going to host any parties during the Super Bowl week. Tony Dungy said he had advised Vick against the party & he had agreed it wasn't a smart decision. Even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke out on Vick's party, saying the Eagle's quarterback had a change of heart & wouldn't be hosting a party tonight at Dallas' Deux Lounge. I guess that makes it unanimous, any fandango that requires members of the SWAT team to patrol is a party that should never happen right?
Pittsburgh center Markice Pouncey is officially out of Sunday's game, his high ankle sprain & broken bone in his left ankle just wouldn't allow his participation. Second-year man Doug Legursky will start in his spot. This is a major blow to the Steelers, Pouncey was the Pro Bowl center while Sunday will mark Legursky's 1st ever start at center in an NFL game. And this just isn't any old game, it's the freakin' Super Bowl & he's being called upon to make all the Steeler line calls & block 338-pound nose tackle B.J. Raji. Both very tall orders.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing Sunday right? Some real steelers might not be able to see the game. U.S. Steel operates 3 mills in the Pittsburgh area, Clairton(the setting of the movie The Deer Hunter), Irvin & Edgar Thomson. If you are scheduled to work on Sunday & call in sick, you face "severe disciplinary action unless you can prove just cause." The steelworkers union called upon U.S. Steel to allow volunteers to work the Sunday swing shift so workers who wanted to watch the game could do so without fearing "severe disciplinary action." The Corporation issued no response to the Union's request. I understand you can't shut down plants like these for a football game, but how about letting willing volunteers switch shifts, what's the harm in that?
This TMZ video of Ben Roethlisberger out at a piano bar with teammates is being run into the ground. How can you equate what happened in Georgia last year to drinking & singing at a piano bar? Hey, I'm the 1st guy to say Roethlisberger was a pig for what he did down in Georgia, but if he has changed his ways, then where's the harm? Is he supposed to live his life like a monk? Don't draw comparisons to Michael Vick on me either, Vick's last party was attended by one of his co-defendants in the horrific dog-fighting tragedy & he was shot outside in valet parking only minutes after Vick himself left. Vick was charged & convicted in a federal court & served 23-months in Leavenworth. Roethlisberger was never charged with anything other than being a pig who makes really bad decisions & degrades women. Behavior that turns a lot of stomachs, mine included. TMZ also falsely reported Big Ben as missing the Steelers' 1 AM curfew. Coach Mike Tomlin, Roethlisberger & his teammates all said he made curfew with time to spare & this was a "non-story." Fun how such a non-story has legs for days, showing up everywhere.
One more thing regarding the Super Bowl, for today anyway. I brought this up last year as there were a few big voices talking about moving the Super Bowl to Saturday night. I agreed & still feel that way. Much easier on everyone if you had a day to recover on Sunday instead of feeling crappy & tired or pissed off if your team lost, why not have the game on Saturday evening? Well now a really sharp guy has started a Facebook page entitled "Play the Super Bowl on Saturday & the Pro Bowl the next Day." Now if the league were to pull the plug on the Pro Bowl, that wouldn't bother me one bit, but moving the Super Bowl to Saturday is the right thing to do.
I will have my own Super Bowl preview tomorrow.
Speaking of videos all over the internet & cable news, have you seen the horrible bullying video of the six 13 to 17-year olds abusing a 12-year old kid. They beat him, dragged him down the sidewalk & stuffed him into a tree. Of course a cell phone video recorded the assault & after it went viral on the internet, police charged the 6 youths accused of the bullying. So Linda tells me yesterday the ladies of The View welcomed Nadin Khoury & his mother onto the show to recount the attack. Then out walks Philadelphia Eagles DeSean Jackson, Todd Herremans & Jamaal Jackson. This young man's favorite team is the Eagles & DeSean his favorite player. Tears welled up in the kid's eyes as Jamaal Jackson handed him a gift basket of Eagle goodies, Herremens offered Nadin & his entire family tickets to the Eagles home game of his choice next season & finally DeSean Jackson stripped off his own #10 jersey, autographed it & handed it to the youngster. Wonderful ending to a terrible ordeal experienced by young Khoury. A tip of the cap to the three Eagle players for taking the time to help heal this kid.
I told you about the arrest of USC quarterback Mitch Mustain for "possession of prescription drugs with the intent to distribute." The charges have been reduced to the misdemeanor level as after the drugs were tested, they weren't what Mustain claimed they were. He was selling bogus stuff, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate to be exact, which isn't considered to be a controlled substance. It's like passing off baking soda as cocaine, might cause you to be beaten severely by ripped-off buyers, but it's not a felony.
On Wednesday, National Signing Day, defensive back Charles Jackson signed with Nebraska. Less than 24-hours later, the coach that recruited him, Huskers' defensive backfield coach Marvin Sanders, resigned for "personal reasons." The Lincoln Journal Star is reporting Sanders might be facing "internal disciplinary action from the University for a non-football issue." Young Mr. Jackson didn't like it, he said "they broke the guy code & I'm not very happy right now." Yes it's obvious Bo Pelini knew about whatever it was that caused Sanders to resign before he signed Jackson to a National Letter of Intent. But the letter is binding because the head coach is still in place. But one of the nation's best defensive back prospects isn't too happy with how things went down in Lincoln on Wednesday.
We made a break for town this morning. We got up our 300' of hill relatively easy but when we hit the streets the conditions were still pretty brutal. One road we traveled had a one-blade-width of packed snow to drive on. Parking lots were ice covered but we got our mail & a few groceries before sliding home. I think Linda is well enough to work tomorrow, she said she's so far behind after 4 days off she needs to work on Saturday, so I guess I'll drive her the 58-mile round trip, it's still pretty nasty on the roadways & she's not totally comfortable with my 4x4 truck. We enjoyed hearing from snowbound friends & family around the country on Facebook & by email. At least most of them were able to keep their sense of humor. Hope everyone who is still semi-stranded gets out real soon. Be careful out there.
Just this afternoon, five workers were injured, one severely, by ice falling off the roof of the stadium. large sheets of ice & snow began falling from the dome after the sun came out mid-afternoon. Three of those injured were standing underneath the big screen outside thousands have paid $200 to watch the game on Sunday. Poor Jerry.
The big Michael Vick Party I told you about isn't going to happen after all. I do I know? Vick's agent said he decided not to get involved in such a party. The Philadelphia Eagles said Vick wasn't going to host any parties during the Super Bowl week. Tony Dungy said he had advised Vick against the party & he had agreed it wasn't a smart decision. Even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke out on Vick's party, saying the Eagle's quarterback had a change of heart & wouldn't be hosting a party tonight at Dallas' Deux Lounge. I guess that makes it unanimous, any fandango that requires members of the SWAT team to patrol is a party that should never happen right?
Pittsburgh center Markice Pouncey is officially out of Sunday's game, his high ankle sprain & broken bone in his left ankle just wouldn't allow his participation. Second-year man Doug Legursky will start in his spot. This is a major blow to the Steelers, Pouncey was the Pro Bowl center while Sunday will mark Legursky's 1st ever start at center in an NFL game. And this just isn't any old game, it's the freakin' Super Bowl & he's being called upon to make all the Steeler line calls & block 338-pound nose tackle B.J. Raji. Both very tall orders.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing Sunday right? Some real steelers might not be able to see the game. U.S. Steel operates 3 mills in the Pittsburgh area, Clairton(the setting of the movie The Deer Hunter), Irvin & Edgar Thomson. If you are scheduled to work on Sunday & call in sick, you face "severe disciplinary action unless you can prove just cause." The steelworkers union called upon U.S. Steel to allow volunteers to work the Sunday swing shift so workers who wanted to watch the game could do so without fearing "severe disciplinary action." The Corporation issued no response to the Union's request. I understand you can't shut down plants like these for a football game, but how about letting willing volunteers switch shifts, what's the harm in that?
This TMZ video of Ben Roethlisberger out at a piano bar with teammates is being run into the ground. How can you equate what happened in Georgia last year to drinking & singing at a piano bar? Hey, I'm the 1st guy to say Roethlisberger was a pig for what he did down in Georgia, but if he has changed his ways, then where's the harm? Is he supposed to live his life like a monk? Don't draw comparisons to Michael Vick on me either, Vick's last party was attended by one of his co-defendants in the horrific dog-fighting tragedy & he was shot outside in valet parking only minutes after Vick himself left. Vick was charged & convicted in a federal court & served 23-months in Leavenworth. Roethlisberger was never charged with anything other than being a pig who makes really bad decisions & degrades women. Behavior that turns a lot of stomachs, mine included. TMZ also falsely reported Big Ben as missing the Steelers' 1 AM curfew. Coach Mike Tomlin, Roethlisberger & his teammates all said he made curfew with time to spare & this was a "non-story." Fun how such a non-story has legs for days, showing up everywhere.
One more thing regarding the Super Bowl, for today anyway. I brought this up last year as there were a few big voices talking about moving the Super Bowl to Saturday night. I agreed & still feel that way. Much easier on everyone if you had a day to recover on Sunday instead of feeling crappy & tired or pissed off if your team lost, why not have the game on Saturday evening? Well now a really sharp guy has started a Facebook page entitled "Play the Super Bowl on Saturday & the Pro Bowl the next Day." Now if the league were to pull the plug on the Pro Bowl, that wouldn't bother me one bit, but moving the Super Bowl to Saturday is the right thing to do.
I will have my own Super Bowl preview tomorrow.
Speaking of videos all over the internet & cable news, have you seen the horrible bullying video of the six 13 to 17-year olds abusing a 12-year old kid. They beat him, dragged him down the sidewalk & stuffed him into a tree. Of course a cell phone video recorded the assault & after it went viral on the internet, police charged the 6 youths accused of the bullying. So Linda tells me yesterday the ladies of The View welcomed Nadin Khoury & his mother onto the show to recount the attack. Then out walks Philadelphia Eagles DeSean Jackson, Todd Herremans & Jamaal Jackson. This young man's favorite team is the Eagles & DeSean his favorite player. Tears welled up in the kid's eyes as Jamaal Jackson handed him a gift basket of Eagle goodies, Herremens offered Nadin & his entire family tickets to the Eagles home game of his choice next season & finally DeSean Jackson stripped off his own #10 jersey, autographed it & handed it to the youngster. Wonderful ending to a terrible ordeal experienced by young Khoury. A tip of the cap to the three Eagle players for taking the time to help heal this kid.
I told you about the arrest of USC quarterback Mitch Mustain for "possession of prescription drugs with the intent to distribute." The charges have been reduced to the misdemeanor level as after the drugs were tested, they weren't what Mustain claimed they were. He was selling bogus stuff, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate to be exact, which isn't considered to be a controlled substance. It's like passing off baking soda as cocaine, might cause you to be beaten severely by ripped-off buyers, but it's not a felony.
On Wednesday, National Signing Day, defensive back Charles Jackson signed with Nebraska. Less than 24-hours later, the coach that recruited him, Huskers' defensive backfield coach Marvin Sanders, resigned for "personal reasons." The Lincoln Journal Star is reporting Sanders might be facing "internal disciplinary action from the University for a non-football issue." Young Mr. Jackson didn't like it, he said "they broke the guy code & I'm not very happy right now." Yes it's obvious Bo Pelini knew about whatever it was that caused Sanders to resign before he signed Jackson to a National Letter of Intent. But the letter is binding because the head coach is still in place. But one of the nation's best defensive back prospects isn't too happy with how things went down in Lincoln on Wednesday.
We made a break for town this morning. We got up our 300' of hill relatively easy but when we hit the streets the conditions were still pretty brutal. One road we traveled had a one-blade-width of packed snow to drive on. Parking lots were ice covered but we got our mail & a few groceries before sliding home. I think Linda is well enough to work tomorrow, she said she's so far behind after 4 days off she needs to work on Saturday, so I guess I'll drive her the 58-mile round trip, it's still pretty nasty on the roadways & she's not totally comfortable with my 4x4 truck. We enjoyed hearing from snowbound friends & family around the country on Facebook & by email. At least most of them were able to keep their sense of humor. Hope everyone who is still semi-stranded gets out real soon. Be careful out there.
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