Happy Trails...........July

Goodbye..........July.......

You blessed this blog with a record 42 posts........Thanks!

July ......saw the NBA's Seattle team leave for Oklahoma City.......An all Williams sister Wimbledon final.......Fireworks on the 4th........The MLB All-star game.

We had .........the Reverend Jesse Jackson putting his foot in his mouth.....A-Rod's divorce.......The ESPY's..........and 4 very good "Hump Days".

We saw Barack Obama increase his lead in the polls........The USA basketball team tuning up for Beijing.......Beijing, banning blacks from bars........

You also gave us that "Brett Favre" fiasco.......you could have kept that.

July........you were indeed.......very entertaining.

And in this southern college town.......you gave us heat.......My , my, was it hot .

Could it be..........global warming? When I was a child.....it didn't seem this hot. Or ....am I just getting old?

Anyway.......happy trails........July.

Political Science for Dummies

Interesting........we came across this in an e-mail.........

Anonymous.......

Political Science for Dummies

DEMOCRAT	You have two cows. Your neighbor has none. You feel guilty for being successful. You push for higher taxes so the government can provide cows for everyone.
REPUBLICAN	You have two cows. Your neighbor has none. So?
SOCIALIST	You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor. You form a cooperative to tell him how to manage his cow.
COMMUNIST	You have two cows. The government seizes both and provides you with milk. You wait in line for hours to get it. It is expensive and sour.
CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE	You have two cows. You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows.
BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE	You have two cows. Under the new farm program the government pays you to shoot one, milk the other, and then pours the milk down the drain.
AMERICAN CORPORATION	You have two cows. You sell one, lease it back to yourself and do an IPO on the 2nd one. You force the two cows to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when one cow drops dead. You spin an announcement to the analysts stating you have downsized and are reducing expenses. Your stock goes up.
FRENCH CORPORATION	You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows. You go to lunch and drink wine. Life is good.
JAPANESE CORPORATION	You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. They learn to travel on unbelievably crowded trains. Most are at the top of their class at cow school.
GERMAN CORPORATION	You have two cows. You engineer them so they are all blond, drink lots of beer, give excellent quality milk, and run a hundred miles an hour. Unfortunately they also demand 13 weeks of vacation per year.
ITALIAN CORPORATION	You have two cows but you don't know where they are. You break for lunch. Life is good.
RUSSIAN CORPORATION	You have two cows. You have some vodka. You count them and learn you have five cows. You have some more vodka. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. The Mafia shows up and takes over however many cows you really have.
TALIBAN CORPORATION	You have all the cows in Afghanistan , which are two. You don't milk them because you cannot touch any creature' s private parts. You get a $40 million grant from the US government to find alternatives to milk production but use the money to buy weapons.
IRAQI CORPORATION	You have two cows. They go into hiding. They send radio tapes of their mooing.
POLISH CORPORATION	You have two bulls. Employees are regularly maimed and killed attempting to milk them.
BELGIAN CORPORATION	You have one cow. The cow is schizophrenic. Sometimes the cow thinks he's French, other times he's Flemish. The Flemish cow won't share with the French cow. The French cow wants control of the Flemish cow's milk. The cow asks permission to be cut in half. The cow dies happy.
FLORIDA CORPORATION	You have a black cow and a brown cow. Everyone votes for the best looking one. Some of the people who actually like the brown one best accidentally vote for the black one. Some people vote for both. Some people vote for neither. Some people can't figure out how to vote at all. Finally, a bunch of guys from out-of-state tell you which one you think is the best-looking cow.
CALIFORNIA CORPORATION	You have millions of cows. They make real California cheese. Only five speak English. Most are illegal. Arnold likes the ones with the big udders.

Hump Day.....News & Views

The great Beijing conspiracy.....

It's been almost 10 days since the story first broke........We were one of the few who dared to post it.....

You remember........the Chinese government forcing local establishments ......not to allow blacks in bars.....during the 2008 Olympics.

Well........there has still been nothing from the major media outlets. MSNBC's web site had a message board.....

MSNBC - Race & Ethnicity message board - Blacks banned from bars ...

But........that's about the extent of the coverage. Go figure........


Mr Favre........just won't go away.....

Brett Favre is coming back. Favre faxed his re-instatement papers to the league office while Green Bay Packer brass flew down to Mississippi to talk him out of attending Packer training camp.

What a mess...........It's obvious, the Pack........does not want Favre.....but they also don't want him to play for another team.....

Note to Green Bay: "You can't have it both ways.....either accept him back on your team.....or give him the release he asked for a month ago".

Egos.......egos.....


The NBA is making........off season news?

Say it ain't so..........but this is good.....No, nobody got shot..........or arrested.......just a major trade.

The Sacramento Kings have traded our favorite bad boy, Ron Artest, to the Houston Rockets......Yes, that Ron Artest........That Ron Artest, who incited that famous Detroit brawl.....That Ron Artest, who leads the league in technical fouls every year.......

But........the boy has game.....and ........teaming with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady........makes the Rockets a contender in the NBA western conference.

Yes ............there is baggage here........but ........the guy can play.


My wedding ..........is this weekend......

Well, it's not exactly ...my wedding.

My daughter is marrying the man she has chosen.......to accompany her through the rest of her life......

My small role is simply to answer the question of , "Who gives this woman away"..........

I think I can handle that........My hope is .....for her eternal happiness. She deserves nothing less.


Finally............

Gardening........is ..........very humiliating.......

Last summer, I bragged........maybe even on this blog......(I just can't remember)....about being a ....."master gardener".

Well.........let me tell you.....This year........nothing.

The corn I planted grew to about 2 feet.......and quit. The Okra never even came up. The green beans were a miniature version (as were the collards and tomatoes)..........The squash decided to bloom, but bear no veggies........

Between the drought..........and the oak trees.......and that fig tree.......and that plum tree.......all those roots.......and lack of water.......

I.....have failed this year.

Have a great........Hump Day!

Mark Teixeira.......No Return on Investment

The Atlanta Braves......need a crash course in Economy 101......

$12.5 million........1 future star catcher (Jarrad Saltalamacchia), and 3 minor league prospects.

This what the Braves gave up in the trade for Mark Teixeira almost one year to the day, in hopes of making a play-off run.

Well.......the Braves didn't make the play-offs last year.......

And yesterday.......they traded Teixeira.....to the Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem ..........for an average 1st baseman and a minor league pitcher.

And.......no.......they won't make the play-offs .....this year either.

It was an expensive lesson for the normally shrewed Atlanta front office.

Major League Baseball........has come down to the following:

If....you're the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Redsox........you buy the best team money can buy......

If.....you're the Tampa Bay Rays, Florida Marlins, Minnesota Twins........you build your team with the draft, good scouting, and a great minor league system.

There is no in between.

It is quite apparent, the Braves should go back to what made them a near dynasty in the 90's.......a great minor league system (from A ball , to AAA).....focusing on good young pitching.....

This year.......Atlanta.......instead of developing young arms.......tried to go back in time...putting their investments in the likes of Tom Glavine.... John Smoltz.....and Mike Hampton.......

It did not work!

Atlanta will again.......for the 3rd straight year........miss the post season.

Time to start getting returns on the investments......

Earthquake.......No Problem.....We're Still Playing!

5.4 earthquake rocks L.A. area; minor injuries and damage reported

From the Los Angeles Times:

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 jolted large parts of Southern California late this morning, shaking a wide swath from Ventura County to San Diego and causing minor damage and a few injuries.

The quake rattled buildings in downtown Los Angeles and was felt as far east as Palm Springs. It was centered near Chino Hills, about 30 miles east of Los Angeles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.


But........the games go on........as in baseball:

From....Yahoo Sports:

Dodgers-Giants game to be played despite earthquake

LOS ANGELES (TICKER) —Tuesday’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants will be played at its scheduled time despite an earthquake that hit Southern California earlier in the afternoon.

A tremor measured with a 5.4 magnitude struck near

ly 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles in the city of Chino Hills at 2:42 p.m. EDT. The city in the county of San Bernardino is a relatively remote area.

When contacted by PA SportsTicker, a spokeswoman for the Dodgers confirmed that there was some shaking of Dodger Stadium but no damage was found and the game would be played as scheduled.

Los Angeles is hosting San Francisco in the second game of a three-game series with the first pitch tabbed for 10:10 p.m. EDT.

You gotta love.....Major League Baseball.......You can't play in the rain........but earthquakes? And aftershocks?

We play on........

Braves Trade Mark Teixeira

This just in........

The Atlanta Braves have traded 1st baseman Mark Teixeira to the Los Angeles Angles.....

From ESPN.com:

Sources: Braves deal Teixeira to Angels for Kotchman

ESPN.com news services

Updated: July 29, 2008, 6:04 PM ET

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One of the biggest names bandied about as Thursday's trade deadline approaches has found a new home.

Teixeira

Kotchman

Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark on Tuesday that Atlanta Braves first baseman Mark Teixeira is headed to the Los Angeles Angels for Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Steven Marek.

Kotchman was pulled off the field during pregame warmups at Fenway Park on Tuesday afternoon, further fueling speculation that a deal was in place.

Teixeira was traded to the Braves from the Texas Rangers in a deadline deal last season, but he is in the last year of his contract. With Atlanta falling out of contention, it seemed logical that the team would try to move him.

The switch-hitting Teixeira is batting .283 with 20 home runs and 78 RBIs this season.

Kotchman, who is known as much for his defense at first base as his bat, is batting .287 with 12 homers and 54 RBIs for the first-place Angels.

Jayson Stark covers major league baseball for ESPN.com.

Things......... Learned From the Week-end

Here comes the NFL.......

Yes..........it's back! Saturday, teams all cross the country started up their training camps......Those dreaded "two-a-days"............morning and afternoon practices and drills.

The pre-season begins this Sunday, in Canton, Ohio, with the Indianapolis Colts against the Washington Redskins.

Welcome back........guys.........you sure were missed!






Blowing it .......twice........in Philly..........


The Atlanta Braves scored 27 runs in the 3 game series in Philadelphia. I'm not a math major, but that comes to 9 runs per game and puts your team in positions to win. Unless you are the Braves........


Saturday, the Bravos blew a 6 run lead, and lost, 10-9. Sunday, it was a 5 run lead which evaporated ..........resulting in a 12-10 loss on the field and the loss of All-star catcher Brian McCann (right).



Atlanta can take solace in going 3-3 on this road trip. But they will look back on those two recent losses.......and think what might have been.








Andruw Jones........benched!

This is what happens when you're batting .166, have only 2 home runs, and a measly 12 rbi's.

From Yahoo Sports:

Andruw Jones finally reached a point on Sunday when his $36.2 million contract was no longer enough to save him from a benching.

Jones, the Dodgers' colossally slumping center fielder, was replaced in the lineup by Andre Ethier, who had sat out the first two games after Juan Pierre's return from the disabled list because the Dodgers were facing left-handed starting pitchers in both of those games. Jones went 1 for 6 in those games, doubling once but hitting no other ball out of the infield.

"I just needed to get Andre in the lineup, and Matt (Kemp) is hitting really well," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "Right now, we're going with the hot hands. I think you have to keep everyone as sharp as you can and get them as much playing time as you can. ...More

A Little Sunday Politics.......

Obama lead up to 9.......in latest Gallup poll.

Seems this recent trip abroad has energized the Barack Obama campaign .

Lots of media attention.......lots of republican whining.......and in the end, Mr. Obama came off looking very presidential.

Here's the latest poll from Gallup.com:

Gallup Daily: Obama 49%, McCain 40%

Third day with Obama holding a significant lead over McCain

• USA
• Election 2008
• Gallup Daily
• Americas
• Northern America

PRINCETON, NJ -- Barack Obama now leads John McCain among national registered voters by a 49% to 40% margin in Gallup Poll Daily tracking conducted July 24-26.

November..........can not get here fast enough.....

Happy Trails.....Red Lasso

We discovered Red Lasso about 3 months ago........

A really unique site that recorded shows on NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, ESPN......and others, and made them available to bloggers to imbed clips on our blogs.


Their video quality was so much better than YouTube........

But .......they have been sued...........copy write infringement ...........

This is an article from Cnet.com:

RedLasso has suspended access to its video search-and-clipping site two days after NBC Universal and Fox filed a copyright suit against the company.

File this one under inevitable.

RedLasso, which announced the closure in a statement on Friday, recorded TV shows and then indexed clips so users could find, pull, and embed them on other Web sites. They did so without permission. The company had suggested that it was in talks to obtain licenses. RedLasso will keep operating its Radio To Web service, which allows radio stations to search and upload their content to their own Web site.

In May, NBC Universal flatly denied that it had any affiliation with RedLasso when the entertainment company sent a letter accusing RedLasso of "building a business based on the unauthorized syndication of" the content owners' shows.

The era of companies following in YouTube's shoes is over. No more are the studios going to sit back and allow tech start-ups to use their content to grab eyeballs and then negotiate terms later.

Not when they are giving their content away free, at sites like Hulu, the video site created by NBC Universal and News Corp. Anyone can go to Hulu and grab embed code for feature films and many NBC Universal shows without violating the law.

"We are very disappointed in the actions of select networks," RedLasso said in a statement. "We believe we have always acted within the law and have been respectful of the networks' rights. Unfortunately, they have forced our hand."

So ........there....it's done.

Red Lasso, you will be missed........And we here at 5 on Five can no longer provide our readers with state of the art video of clips that are meaningful and useful to this blog.

Well.......at least we still have..........YouTube.

Mike Hampton........Returns....

Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Hampton ..........

Pitched in a major league baseball game today. No big deal to most people.....but.....

This is the Mike Hampton who earns........(or receives a salary of $15 million a year). The Mike Hampton who has not made a major league start since August of 2005.

Almost 3 years of injury after injury.......rehabs........minor leagues..........more injuries.....more rehabs.....

We admire him for just not giving up and calling it quits.......He's made his money......why keep trying.

Well, today was the coming out party for Mr. Hampton. And ........he did not disappoint. He was the same old Hampton. He pitched 4 plus innings, struck out 1, walked 2, allowed 6 earned runs on 8 hits, and could not get out of the 5th inning.

That's what $15 million buys these days.....

Anyway.......

Welcome back, Mike.

By the way.......the Braves eventually lost to the Phillies, 10-9.

Blacks.....Banned.....From Bars?

This has been researched.....

We have verified the sources......It is indeed true.

Our own GaPeach913 did the homework, checked out the Chinese newspapers, and qualified this story.

Troubling.......to say the least.......but .......here it is:


From GaPeach913.....


At first I didn't think it was true. I did a search in the Beijing paper and it is definitely true.

http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2c913216495213d5df646910cba0a0a0/?vgnextoid=267a08a88f13b110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=teaser&ss=China&s=News



Chinese Paper Says Blacks Banned From Bars During Olympics Published on: Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Nsenga Burton
What do Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Jason Kidd have in common? They are the starting five of the 2008 Olympic Men’s Basketball team and none of them will be admitted to any bars in Beijing because they are black. No, this is not fiction -- it is fact as reported by the South China Morning Post (7/18/08). Beijing authorities have forbidden bar owners to serve blacks during the 2008 Olympics.

How hypocritical is it that the host of the largest international sports competition in the free world would ban an entire group of people based on race? This blanket discrimination is couched in the idea of “controlling” Beijing’s problem with prostitution and drugs, which is primarily driven by Mongolians. Somehow, this policy smacks of impropriety, pun intended, and underscores China’s continuous policies of discrimination. You would think with the global embarrassment over the mistreatment of Tibetan Monks, faulty consumer products, and the suppression of information about deadly diseases, that China would have figured out by now that the systematic exclusion of an entire group of people, many of whom have histories of horrendous discrimination in their home countries, would not reflect well on the mainland. Further, I was not aware that blacks owned drug trafficking and prostitution worldwide. Amsterdam anyone?

Let’s get this straight. Black people can participate in the games, add money to the economy in “permitted” spaces like hotels, lodges and restaurants, but they cannot go to a bar, which may be located in a hotel, lodge or restaurant. This is outrageous. Would the world stand still if in 2008 the United States was banning entire populations of people based on perceived ideas about race?

Pretending to control drug trafficking while controlling the movement of black folks is out of control. To define an entire race of people as drug dealers and prostitutes is unacceptable. I guess this is what you get when an international committee overlooks a country that has transgressed human rights without recourse. The world community needs to unite against this injustice and demand that China allow all Olympic participants, athletes and visitors alike, equal access to all venues.

As China prepares to take the world’s stage in celebration of athletes all over the world, and by extension their people, it is tragic that they have decided to add blanket discrimination to the many offerings during this year’s Olympic games. Perhaps our expectations of China are too high? It is kind of ridiculous to have the expectation of moving freely in a country that does not allow its citizens to move freely. Complicated countries have complicated practices. The fact that Beijing is being allowed to ban all Blacks from any place or event, without rebuke or scorn, is maddening. Will the world stand by while China further institutionalizes another human rights debacle?

Since this posting.......

We have found out that the bars in question, and the Chinese government have denied this story........And the original story from the link we had....has been erased.

Folks........this is communist China.....did you expect more?

Developing..........

Don't Look Now......But the Yankees....Are Coming!

The best team money can buy..........

Is mounting a surge. You remember them. That team which dons the famous "pin stripes".

The New York Yankees........Winners of an unprecedented 26 World Championships and 39 American League Pennants. No other team comes close.


The New York Yankees.......With a league leading payroll of over $200 million, with two players, Alex Rodriquez ( $28 million) .....and Jason Giambi ($23.4 million) making more this year than the entire Florida Marlin team ( $22.7 million).

The New York Yankees.......The team we love to hate........That team, in 1996, who erased a 0-2 deficit to beat the Atlanta Braves, 4 games to 2.



The New York Yankees.........Who featured "The Babe"...... Yankee Stadium........the house that Ruth built......Joe DiMaggio......Lou Gehrig........Yogi Berra........Mickey Mantle..........Roger Maris.......Reggie Jackson.......to name a few.



Well........don't look now........but them Yankees........are a coming......

Let the Hype.....Begin

It.......has started....


The Much anticipated 2008 college football season is almost here. In this southern town, the "Bulldog Nation" can hardly control itself, as their beloved "Dawgs" of the University of Georgia are ranked 1st or 2nd in just about every pre-season poll.


This week, the Southeastern Conference held it's annual Media Days in Hoover, Alabama.


Thanks to Online Athens, here's a sampling of Georgia's day:

Can't.... Have it .....Both Ways

Yes.......you...WNBA..........

You.....of the slogan, "We got next".

You..........with the ESPN television contract........

Well........"you"........just threw assistant coach and former NBA star Rick Mahorn....under the proverbial bus.

"You"..........suspended Mahorn for two games........He was only trying to be a peace-keeper.

"You " say Mahorn shoved Lisa Leslie to the floor.....I...beg to differ. He came out onto the floor to restore peace........She rushed him........He.....at 6' 10"........turned.....and .....she fell.

And what came next? According to "you"..... he (Mahorn)........knocked down .......a mother of a child........

Well.....lah dee dah............ Mahorn just happens to have 4 daughters of his own.

But wait.........listen............When an altercation happens ...........in Men's sports.......Do we say, "So and so, hit ........a father .......of three.........No? I think not.

WNBA...........you wanted "next"...........You got it.

You wanted equality......you got it...........

But when the going gets rough............don't pull ...........that female card..........

It's in the game........

"You"...........

Wanted .......next!

1 Win..........2 Losses

Even with a win..........the Braves lose....

Sometimes, I think the Atlanta Braves have somewhere along the way.....pissed off the baseball gods.

How else can you explain what happened in last night's 9-4 win over the Florida Marlins. From the outside looking in.....it seems innocent enough .......The Bravos just took 2 out of 3 from the almost 1st place Fish.


[ Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson (15) is greeted by Chipper Jones after Hudson scored on a double by Yunel Escobar against the Florida Marlins in the third inning of a baseball game in Miami, Wednesday, July 23, 2008. The Braves won 9-4. Hudson left the game after six innings with soreness in his right elbow.
(AP Photo/Alan Diaz) ]




But last night's win came with a steep price. Ace.......(and I mean Atlanta's.....only ace) Tim Hudson left the game after 6 innings and only 68 pitches........due to a "tender elbow". Let's see....."tender.".....as .....opposed to....."tough"?

Or.......is his freakin' arm....about to fall off? Who knows........Anyway, he is......day to day.

Then........ there is Larry Jones........You know him as...........Chipper.

Well, Chipper came up lame last night ........as he strained his left hamstring just running out a grounder. Nothing strenuous........just a jog down the first base line.

But.......these ........are the 2007......excuse me........the 2008 Atlanta Braves. And just like 2007, these Braves are just as unlucky.

Chipper is .......also....day to day.

So Atlanta limps into a most important series.......against the Philadelphia Phillies..........with Jones "iffy" and Hudson a question mark.

This season........being what it is.......I would not be surprised .......if the Braves.....sweep.

Been a strange year!

Hump Day.......News & Views

The WNBA........has arrived.

Bench clearing brawl....punches thrown.....one player carted off in a wheel chair? A cat fight at The Palace at Auburn Hills in Detroit. You can't buy this much publicity.

Remember girls basketball in the 60's and 70's..........six member teams........only 2 "rovers" were allowed to go over half court. The remaining players stayed on one side.

My...have we grown..........or what?






The Mets are having .......another meltdown..........

Last night the N Y Mets led the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 going into the top of the ninth inning.

The "fighting phils" then scored 6 runs to win the game 8-6. Yes, it's just one game. But this shows the true colors of the Metropolitans ............No heart.

You remember these Mets........The ones that blew an 8 game lead last September.......and missed the play-offs.

Same old Mets.....


Meanwhile..........

The Atlanta Braves..........totally suck! The Braves where limited to 1 hit..........yet again.......in their 4-0 loss to the Florida Marlins last night. Bases loaded, nobody out? No problem for the fish............and no runs for the Bravos..........




Happy trails........Josh Childress.......

He of the big afro has dissed the Atlanta Hawks and signed a multi-year contract to play in Europe.

Again......same old Hawks........










Finally......

Hello "Dolly"..........this hurricane is wreaking havoc along the Texas coast........

I drove through torrential downpours last night in north Atlanta (Lawrenceville)........but not a drop.......in this southern college town.

8/8/8...........as in August 8, 2008...........The Olympics.....Are you ready?

I think the WNBA brawl..........was a good thing.....

Have a nice..........Wednesday.

Melee...........in the WNBA?

Wow...........

And it happened in Detroit.....Surprise, surprise....

Thanks to ESPN and Red Lasso:

Explaining..........the Word, "Niggar"

From ........"The View"

The "N" word..........

What the problem is?

Courtesy of Red Lasso and ABC:

Why Dan Rather.......is no Longer a News Anchor

I think he is a tad........senile......

Dan Rather referred to Barack Obama..........as Osama Bin Laden........Wow!

Thanks to MSNBC and Red Lasso.......

Enjoy:

Venus ...........on .......Leno

In case you missed this...........

Here is Venus Williams on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.....I've always had a thing for Serena.....but....

Venus really handled herself well. And, was extremely attractive doing so...........

Brought to you be our friends at Red Lasso and NBC Television:

Hey...........What's up with These....N Y Mets?

The New York Metropolitans ...........

1st place in the NL east. Winners of 10 in a row........

The train wreck, which was the Mets, has been cleaned up, spit-shined and polished , and transformed into the hottest team in baseball.

Exactly one month to the day of Willie Randolph's unceremonious firing, these Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds last night in a come from behind slug-fest , 10-8, to extend their winning streak to 10 games.

A month ago, the Mets were 6 1/2 games out ........in 4th place .......and going nowhere.

Jerry Manuel, who took over for Randolph, is now an impressive 18-9 as new Mets manager.

While we still feel somewhat bad for Randolph, and the way the firing was handled.........You've got to give high fives to Manuel and his staff.

The players are responding.......the team is winning........for now.

But this is New York.....

And.....we all know.....things can change........

In a New York minute.

The ESPY's

First looks..........courtesy ....of ....The Young, Black, and Fabulous:

Derek Fisher’s wife Candace

Kevin Garnett’s wife Brandy.

Michael Strahan’s girlfriend Nicole Murphy.

Paul Pierce’s girlfriend and baby’s mother Julie Landrum.

T.O.’s main chick of the moment

It's Time....to get Serious

Our Beloved Atlanta Braves...........


After 95 games, you are in 4th place in the NL east (45-50). 6 1/2 games back of the Phillies. We play 162 games at this level, so there is still time.....

But...........you have to get serious........now.

You have lost more 1 run games on the road this year than any team in the history of baseball.

John Smoltz......gone. Tom Glavine.......gone. Both due to injuries. Can't use this as an excuse any longer. Every team has injuries. Play through them.

It has been said .....of this 162 game marathon.....a team will automatically win 60......and lose 60. It is what happens in the 42 remaining games which will determine any post-season aspirations.

The one glaring statistic of this year's team is the home record (30-18).......versus the road record (15-32).

This ...........has to change...........Now.

Useless information: In the latest Harris poll, guess who is the second most popular MLB team in America? Yes........your Atlanta Braves. The New York Yankees are number 1.........the Boston Red Sox, number 3. Go figure.

And go Braves........

Let's get serious.........now.

Folks.....We're Still Behind

This is day 198 of the year 2008........

There are 366 days in this leap year. We have made 182 posts thus far. Which puts us 16 posts behind.

Our goal for 2008 at "5 on Five" was a post ........a day.

And..........we're behind.

Send your e-mails..........send your comments..........

Send help..........and posts.....Get GaPeach913 and 6eVoice to get off their collective butts.......and post something.

I'm reaching out.......send help to Keveekev!

My back is getting just a little tired...........from carrying this blog.

If you wish to be a contributing writer........e-mail us ...........it's an open audition.

All reasonable responses will be considered.

Help!

Hump Day News & Views

Yesterday, was an election day?

Yes.......it was. Primary elections were held all over the country. This was to see who meets for the big ones in November.

But ..........a funny.....(well, not so funny) thing happened. Nobody showed up.

In this state (Georgia), officials predicted a 30% turn out........When all the counting is done....they'll be lucky to get 20%.

That's 20% ..........of registered voters......not 20% of the population. And we have been told only about half the population registers.

Shame, shame......... And the Republicans are so concerned about voter fraud. This year, Georgia's new law was in play..........requiring voters to present a photo-ID .....at the polls.

Nonsense....nonsense.......If this country ever wanted to include the masses in the election process...it should consider the following:

1. Eliminate voter registration..........if you're a citizen.....you vote........period.

2. Get rid of "Election Day Tuesday"........Why just one day?.......Make it convenient .......Like 3 days....Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. With poll hours, 7am to 7pm. I think I might be able to get in one of them.

3. Design voting machines to take a thumb print to make selections.......This will eliminate people voting multiple times........since no 2 prints are alike. And eliminates the need for a photo-ID.

I'm just a simple man.....I possess no political science degrees..........but it makes sense to me.




Dan Uggla.......was ugly last night.

I felt bad for the Florida Marlins' second baseman .......In the All Star game.......in front of 55,632 fans at Yankee Stadium .......and millions watching on TV........imagine this in the box scores of every newspaper across the nation: 3 errors, 0 for 4.......with 3 strikeouts.....and hitting into a double play. We have all had bad games........but on a stage like this?

Uggla is really a good player........but when you're going bad.....that ball always finds.......you. Dan, I felt your pain.





Only.......in Athens.......

From the Athens Banner Herald "Police Blotter":

Man in boxers doesn't go quietly

| | Story updated at 10:33 PM on Wednesday, July 16, 2008

An intoxicated man dressed only in boxer shorts was bothering customers at a store on Atlanta Highway on Monday afternoon, ranting that he'd been bitten by a snake, Athens-Clarke police said.

Officers found 43-year-old Michael Glen Stearns outside of Fred's, 2656 Atlanta Highway, reeking of mouthwash and covered with poison ivy rash, according to police.

Officers talked with the man for 20 minutes, trying to get him to leave the discount retail store.

When they arrested him, Stearns resisted by going limp, and officers had to carry him to a patrol car, police said.

Officers placed Stearns in a restraint when he tried kicking out the patrol car's window, damaging the frame, and he repeatedly banged his head against the window, police said.

He was charged with simple battery on a police officer, obstruction of a police o

fficer, criminal trespass and interference with government property, police said.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 071608



No Tiger........no interest......

Thursday is the start of the British Open golf tournament......Minus one Mr. Tiger Woods. This is the window of opportunity for many golfers.......This is like the 2 years Michael Jordan took off to play baseball........allowing Hakeem Olajuwon to win his only 2 championship rings......Phil........Garcia .......Veejay???

It's now ............or never.......





Random.......Thoughts.....on a Hump Day....

Jeopardy......is still the best game show on television.

Why is everybody still going goo-goo .......over Anderson Cooper? (His ratings suck)

My daughter went to see the new Will Smith film, Hancock..........and said it was very good......and funny too.

I actually forgot to register to vote in Tuesdays' primaries.

What happened to hurricane "Bertha"?

Have a great ......."Hump Day"!

All Star Game Moments

In case you missed it..........

Last night's Major League Baseball All Star game was won ..........yet again ......by the American League. From Yahoo Sports: (AL wins All-Star game 4-3 in 15 innings)

Here's a look at the Top 10 All Star moments.......courtesy of ESPN and Red Lasso:

Can Brett Favre ..........Just go Away.......Please!

It just.....won't go away....

It's like that old stray dog or cat ..........just keeps hanging around. Like the out of town visitor who never leaves........Like that summer cold, you can't seem to shake. Like that Energizer bunny.......on and on.....and on.

This Brett Favre story is quickly becoming all of the above.

First, he retires..............Then un-retires..........Then asks the Green Bay Packers for an unconditional release. (Which of course they denied).

I'm so tired of Favre.......and the story.

Note to Brett,

"You've had a brilliant career, a Super Bowl ring, MVP years.........move on. Don't be another star professional athlete who didn't know when to quit. You know, Boxers like Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis...........Baseball players like Willie Mays and Ernie Banks.....Basketball's Micheal Jordan and Patrick Ewing......And your own sport 's Joe Namath and Emmitt Smith..........just to name a few .....on a long list.

You've thrilled us........dazzled us..........amazed us. We thank you. Now go....please........
and take the story with you."