Friday, April 28, 2006

From One Draft to Another

The NFL Draft 2006 kicks off tomorrow and for many of us fanatic football fans it feels like Christmas Eve. How many of you have eagerly scouring over the various mock drafts for some glimpse of hope as to who your team will select? The only definite is there will be surprises, disappointments, complete busts, and late round gems. Most of all the true inexact science of the evaluation process rings perceptibly clear upon further review several months or even years down the line. While hindsight is 20/20, judging the heart, desire, and ability to adjust to a new level of speed is about as deceptive as reading one's prophecy from the Oracle at Delphi. Burning questions for this year's draft include who will be the best quarterback among Leinart, Young, and Cutler? My vote is Leinart. While game tape doesn't lie, how does one judge LenDale White after his offseason workout, or rather, lack of working out? My vote is Maroney will be the more productive back. Who will turn out to be the better defensive pick between A.J. Hawk and Mario Williams? My vote is Hawk. Williams was too inconsistent.

NC State - Lee Fowler, please pick up the phone and call Derek Whittenberg. You're making a mockery of the university. I am all in favor of reaching for the upper echelon of coaches, but after several rejections it is time to solidify the program and and "circle the wagons" (as we Seminoles say). The point is you need a coach and why not look within the Wolfpack family for your candidate? After the turmoil and seasons of discontent what better way to ignite the fan base than to hire Whittenberg. He connects the past with the present and most importantly generates excitement. Think of the headlines and good publicity you'll have for a change. I understand he does not have the experience you want, but he has a track record, albeit a short one, of turning around a program and recruiting excellent players. He will also receive a little more slack at the beginning of his tenure because of his Wolfpack history. That is something none of the other candidates will bring to the table. So step up to the plate Mr. Fowler and take a chance on Whittenberg. He may appear to come up a little short at first, but remember what happened in '83, it turned into a slam dunk!

Bare Knuckle Stout - My good friends at Anheuser Busch replied back to my query and scratch that idea of finding a six pack. Turns out it is only available on tap and only in select cities. The closest city for me is Charlotte. So that settles it then. Back to imported stout 'til an American brewery will deliver the goods. Either that or 'til my neighbor, a true brewmaster connoisseur, brews up another batch of porter. Then it'll be time for tankards of brew and cards amongst friends. Until then... Cheers!

Friday, April 21, 2006

Bare Knuckle


With the weekend finally upon us, it's time to take a brief respite and kick back a couple cold ones. Speaking of which, I highly recommend trying Anheuser Busch's Bare Knuckle Stout. I first learned about it at the beer school in Busch Gardens and drank it at the pub next to the school. Haven't seen it on the shelves here in Holly Springs, but am eagerly anticipating it. Great taste and great little logo!

Anyone else as tired as I am about hearing the name Barry Bonds? Even just typing it causes me to cringe. If you kept the channel on ESPN for more than two minutes you've heard his name. From covering every at bat, to random "classic" Bonds' moments, to giving him his own television show where on the one soundbite I heard he actually referred to himself in the third person, I can't help but say Enough Already!!! He hasn't broken Hank Aaron's homerun record yet and here's to hoping he never will. So stop proverially "stroking" him, ESPN. And for all of you out there who think the whole steroid and perjury charge investigation is race related, then why does Sammy Sosa seemingly get a free pass just like McGwire? The answer is easy. Because only Bonds is still playing. Whether the investigation find anything or not, the court of public opinion has already spoken. Guilty as charged. The evidence? If nothing else the size of his skull has grown. That does not happen from lifting weights. That happens from growth hormones. And guess what? Major League Baseball's drug testing policy only covers urine samples. To test for substances like human growth hormone one must use a blood sample. How convenient. And it certainly is not just Bonds. The more and more you look into it, the more Jose Canseco appears to have been telling the truth about baseball and the steriod era.

In one week the NFL Draft will be upon us. Hallelujah! I know it seems boring to most, but watching your favorite team's draft picks develop or bust over time certainly adds to the feeling of connectivity between a fan and his/her team. I still remember watching the Panthers select players like Peppers, Gross, Smith, Biakabatuka, Morgan, Foster, etc. Even late round picks on Sunday like Colin Branch and Drew Carter. It's a lot of fun to read the varying mock drafts and to speculate who will be picked and by whom. What you find out is that no one has that good of an idea. The NFL General Managers must be some stone faced poker players. Misinformation and deception runneth over during the last two weeks leading up to the draft.

Mark your calendars: May 30th. That's when the new season of Rescue Me starts on FX. It is my true belief that if FX shows like The Shield, Rescue Me, and Nip/Tuck were on HBO, they'd have the same cult following and mythic status as The Sopranos.

Monday, April 17, 2006

1st Post in April

Baseball: the Majors to the Minor Leagues - Know the best part about baseball season? It means the NFL draft and subsequent training camps will be here before you know it. Yes, everything revolves around football. Having said that, I am excited to see the Dodgers finally righting their ship. Seems like Ned Colletti, the new General Manager, has an excellent business plan in mind. Brief contracts for most of the recent signees and then they'll make way for the minor league standouts in the next season or two. Competitive now, but laying the foundation for a much better ballclub in the future. This kind of "old school" planning of building through your farm system is such a wonderful change from Paul DiPodesto's reign as the previous GM. It was tough to follow the train of thought of some of his moves, but already in Colletti's brief stint, the future planning is obvious.

Went to Opening Day for the Carolina Mudcats with the wife and kids. Great time. The organization really pushes the family aspect (was spot interviewed on the subject last year) with lots of entertainment between innings, a clean well-kept park, and a lot of "Muddy" the Mudcat. My kids love him, but like the Easter Bunny, not if he's too close. The concession prices can add up quickly but probably a deal if compared to a movie theater. Nice choice of beers at Five County Stadium too. My only complaint - how about pouring the beers in a souvenir-style cup like the soft drinks. My large Bud Light was in a plain white plastic cup. Why not just serve it in the standard cheap red plastic keg cup while you're at it?

The Masters - Great to see Lefty win another major. Was rooting for Couples, but more than happy to see Phil walk away with the coveted Green Jacket.

Vince McMahon - Have you seen the April edition of Muscle & Fitness? Mr. McMahon graces the cover and is featured inside. I've got one word for you: Impressive. To be sixty years old and in that kind of shape physically?! Chairman of the WWE is a pretty nice title too.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg - An absolute blast in terms of theme parks. After touring and re-living the 18th century in Williamsburg and Jamestown, Busch Gardens serves as an open-arm welcome back to the 21st century. Bottom Line is life was harsh back then, be thankful, and enjoy the comforts of Modern Life.

While the Loch Ness Monster still delivers a thrill, Apollo's Chariot is definitely the highlight of the park. It earned the label "my favorite" after the second ride, and over the course of two trips to the Park was ridden six times. Festhaus is ideal for lunch and the show is entertaining. They've added a nature reserve for Bald Eagles and Gray Wolves in the park. Great thrill to see them both so close, but something didn't seem quite right about a Wolf jumping up on a log and performing tricks like some kind of circus act at the Wolf show. Always enjoyed seeing the Clydesdales at the park too.