How's this for Gibb's genius? Along with the Raiders and Browns, the Redskins are one of three teams (out of 32!) that are under .500 when leading at the half. Gibbs really knows how to keep that focus....
It's not as easy as it may seem for me to hate on Gibbs but his decision making and performance lead me to have something less than faith in him now.
2nd Quarter
Starting out with 4 bench players trying to get a spark with Kwame being the lone starter on the floor. Normally, Lamar would be out there at this time for a bit of stabilization.
Good work Kwame...way to stick with the play! Fight for the rebound, wait for the steal on the lazy pass.
Looks like Phil's plan is to lure the Heat to sleep, take the edge off.
Deeper Lakers squad makes me feel tons better about Kobe being on the bench for 5 minute stretches or more. V-Rad, aka the Geico Cave man, is slowly getting into a Lakers rhythm. Luke has definitely picked his game up. Maurice Evans has had some nice run too, despite just getting his shot jacked by Mourning....
Time for more eggnog and brandy. . . .
What the hell is 'Curse of the Golden Flower'? What kind of name is that? Why does a martial arts flick have such a girly name?
Okay Sasha, that's three straight shots....
Another bad call on Kwame, three personals and maybe one of those was an actual foul.
The fact that the Heat were given a championship last year still leaves a bad taste in my mouth....
Four straight threes from Sasha...
Phil...take Shootsha out....
Five possessions....five threes attempted.....one three made.....down by twelve,not surprising.
Why the hell is lebron wearing a headband in the pool?
Gotta hold my newborn, be back later.....
1st Quarter
Fouls can be the story. Two centers, two fouls, five minutes left in the first quarter. Oh, and the whole D-Wade is allowed to draw a foul by initiating contact....Kobe can't get to the line to save his life.
Alert: Miami players are putting parts in their hair a la Spike Lee's 'Do the right thing'....bad idea. Perhaps it is some kind of team unity thing; you know, if we all have bad haircuts then we can't all get laughed at together!! One for all and all for one.
Shot selection is suspect right now.
Turiaf with a nice post up.
Every time D-Wade touches the ball the refs blow the whistle. Shades of the finals returning....8 free throws in the first quarter...at this pace he will have 32 free throws at game end. First quarter has taken over 30 minutes with the parade to the foul line currently known as the Heat Offense.
It's apparent that we must avoid all defensive pressure for fear of the whistle......
Cooks Island -- Approximately 8:40 pm, for the first time in modern history, white folks lose. In a surprising turn of events, the winner of this year's Racial Survivor will not be a Caucasian. VT (as I call him since I don't know his real name), the last caucasian on the show, was voted off of the controversial show.
When this year's show started -- for those that are pop culturally challenged -- 16 contestants were divided into four tribes based on their race. Whites versus Blacks versus Asians versus Hispanics - Let's get it on! The racial theme lasted only briefly as the driving force as the tribes were mixed within the first few episodes.
With tonite's finale nearing the midpoint, we have two Asians, one Hispanic, and one Black. My money is on an Asian, more than likely Yul, the Godfather.
Wins like last night's 112 - 101 comeback victory over the Houston Rockets without Lamar Odom are the kind of games we can look back on when we need a boost later in the year. Kobe's 53 point outburst fueled, carried, willed-- and any other verb you wanna throw at it -- the Lakers to their fifth victory in seven games. 53, 10, and 8 assists -- those, my friend, are true numbers!
Odom sprains right knee
HOUSTON (AP) - Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom sprained his right knee in the first quarter of Tuesday's game against the Houston Rockets and Coach Phil Jackson said he might be out for more than a month.
The 6-foot-10 Odom, the Lakers' leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, landed awkwardly after Shane Battier blocked his shot on a drive. Odom stayed in the game for another 90 seconds, but the Lakers called a time out so Odom could come out with 8:31 left.
"I don't know exactly when it happened," Odom said. "But I felt like something was really wrong. I have no idea how long it'll be. I've never had anything like this."
Odom was taken to a hospital for an MRI. The Lakers said Odom suffered a moderate MCL sprain and was flying back to Los Angeles for more tests on Wednesday.
"He's going to miss some time," Jackson said. "I'll be really happy if he plays again in January."
Odom had started all 20 games for the Lakers and is averaging 18 points and nine rebounds per game.
If there is anything that we didn't need, it is this. Odom possibly out for several weeks. Luke Walton's production has been great but now we are going to need it stay consistent. Previously, it was needed but there was room for a loss of focus here and there. Not any longer, Luke has officially become our second scorer followed by the Brown/Bynum tandem. Tough stretch of road games coming up with another in Dallas tonite.
One million bucks goes to the world's best casual gamer. 10 payments of one hundred thousand dollars. Mrs. Xpinionated plays solitaire, bejeweled 2, and zuma. Mrs. Xpinionated needs to hone her skills and make us some munay!
To The Race:
Being of Black America, lets begin tomorrow by not using the N- word. While achieving this, lets concentrate on eliminating other derogatory words that we use so faithfully.Speak with words of Love, Peace and Happiness, forget the F-word, S-word and G-word, etc. Man life without profanity is beautiful.
Pop
CollegeFootballNews.com has released it's top rated ACC players list and Hokies made a pretty respectable showing.
The All-ACC Offensive team listed Branden Ore at RB and Brandon Pace at PK. The defensive team sported three Fighting Gobblers with Vince Hall, Jr. at LB, Brandow Flowers DB, and Eddie Royal, Jr as PR.
CFN also listed it's top 30 regardless of position. 
Vince Hall was highest on this list at the four spot. He was followed by Branden Ore at 9 (who also received top back accolades), Xavier Adibi at 14, and Brandon Flowers at 19.
I need to be strong. I want my son to be healthy. I want him to be here. That way I feel I can at least do something. The latest ultrasound showed that his heart was slightly to the right. It's functioning normally and although the doctor told Mrs. Xpinionated not to worry, I'm a little sickened. I just want Devin here.
What does it take to realize your team sucks? How about realizing that with 25% of the season left, you can only hope to get to .500? Upon hearing that your current coach is going to stay, you suddenly start making plans for next season's Sundays so you can spare yourself the frustration?
You know your team sucks when people stop talking trash to you
You know your team sucks when you stop talking trash
You know your team sucks when you try to talk trash but can't help but giggle a little with anything you say
You know your team sucks when you don't know who they play next....and you don't care
You know your team sucks when they consistently get between 0 and 1 highlight per Sunday evening episode of ESPN.
You know your team sucks when your coach is more successful in his 'other endeavours' than he is in his job!
You know your team sucks when your reply to any criticism revolves around the record breaking performances of Doug Williams and Timmy Smith in the Superbowl umpteen years ago...
The Virginia Tech Hokies have accepted a bid to play the University of Georgia on December 30th in Atlanta at the Chick Fil A (Peach) bowl -- it will always be the Peach bowl as far as I'm concerned.
Living in the metro ATL area, I've been exposed to my fair share of UGA fans and their football. Though always obnoxious, I can respect that much more than I can Georgia Tech's new obnoxiousness, which coincidentally has died down considerably with the real GT showing it's colors. For these eight years, I have prophesied on how UGA is a good team, no doubt, but I'm not convinced that they are better than VT. In fact, I'm sure beer influenced boasts followed at regular intervals, not to mention well timed 'Yipes' to mock any UGA barking that may have been previously heard.
Well, now the time has come. The Hokies and the Bulldogs. I didn't score tickets to the game and I'm not all that upset about that. After four years of being the only Hokies fan at my local watering hole, it is only right that I watch that game, for better or for worse (and circumstances willing given the expected child), at that bar surrounded by all those Dawgs fans.
Trash Talk? I do not plan on starting it but I will not turn the other cheek...that's fo' sho'. Now during the game and after the game, only the game can decide (and the amount of liquid courage filling the room) what is said.
Ben Johnson, the former sprinter who was stripped of his 9.72 second gold medal in the '88 univer-Seoul Circus ... uh Olympics has told an Australian newspaper that Carl Lewis set him up. Blah blah, the funny part of this is the victim toned statement:
"Number one, that day the drugs that they find in my system was not the drugs that I was using," he said.
Followed by:
"I'm not denying at all that I was taking drugs but that's the drugs that I was using that they claiming.
And we're supposed to feel sorry for the guy.....cuz he was sabotaged...poor li'l fella....dumbass.
Lakers.com has a quick note on Kobe's uniform change from 8 to 24:
#24 was Bryant's first high school number, before he switched to #33. Kobe has said that he wanted #24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable, as was #33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The story as I understood was a little more than that. As you may know, Kobe was formerly signed to Addidas. Kobe later signed with NIKE who had the loyalty to stand by him through his legal troubles. However, apparently (no research done by me on this -- I either heard it or read it somewhere) Adidas was still using #8 as a selling point even though Mamba had moved on to a different athletic company. So what's the best move if a company is using you to make money that you aren't getting a piece of? Change whatever it is that company is using to make loot. No association, no appreciation.
After a slow start, Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant came in to save the day. . . .wait. . . . what's that? It was Kwame Brown, Luke Walton, and Jordan Farmar?!?! Are we talking summer league ball? No? 
Did ya see Kwame Brown playing inspired ball last night? Quick spin moves, decisive selection, even being a bit of a bully down low. And best of all, he was catching the ball!
Did ya see Luke Walton looking for his offense and only taking it when it came to him? Did you see the confidence? 13 - 19 from three point land has him leading the league in % right now.
Jordan Farmar continues to impress with lots of activity and an athleticism that Sasha V. just doesn't have.
If the playoffs were to start right now, Utah and Orlando would be the number 1 seeds....scary thought. We should have had that game Friday night against the Jazz but too many mistakes late cost us. We'll get them at home Thursday night... I predict a 10+ point victory -- 103 - 91.
Well, Jason Campbell has played his first entire NFL game. 19 for 34, 196 yards, two touchdowns. Not to mention a dropped TD reception by Brandon Lloyd. I'm satisfied with that. After all, Santana Moss didn't play. Clinton Portis didn't play. TJ Duckett did play so you know something has gotta be up.
So what is the next move in regards to a) fixing this Titanic journey and b) setting it up for a bright future? Personally, I wonder how much Gibbs is truly invested in this team anymore. It seems you can only get direct, confident answers from him when he's talking about NASCAR. Oddly enough, he has no problems with having a young driver in there but hell blows an icy wind when it comes to a young quarterback. I know he's a Hall of Fame coach, and I know what he has done for the franchise in the past...but that's just it -- it's in the past. I'm more than ready for the future. And the future I foresee doesn't include Joe Gibbs as the coach. The game has passed the man by and it's time to realize this so steps towards winning can be made.
Bright future? Going into next season, assuming we're healthy, we'll have Clinton Portis in the backfield along with a relatively mobile Jason Campbell. Moss and Randle El along with Brandon Lloyd at wideout. Cooley as our catching TE. Offensively, at least personnel wise, I am satisfied. Defensively is where some help is needed. Cornerbacks - particularly the less than healthy and aging Shawn Springs - should be a point of emphasis. If we can do a little more man to man coverage, perhaps we can get some blitz packages so we at least have the opportunity to hit the qb. I feel like QB's just play toss and catch against us because we get no penetrating pressure. Getting healthy will go a long way in helping our defensive woes as well. Staying healthy will be key although we are pretty limited in what we can do to ensure this.
How's this for a guy's night out? Go out to the watering hole and meet the fellas. Throw a couple back and head home. Couple of the guys joining me. Video games at 3 am and nearly a pound of turkey bacon consumed...oh what a night!
I would have commented on Jason Campbell's ascent to the starting job earlier but after the butt scrubbing received on Sunday, my enthusiasm for this Gibbs destroyed team has more than waned. I will still watch, especially to see if I was correct about putting the young QB in the game. But I don't see any type of miracle playoff run. I have to take solace in beating Dallas once this season.
Clinton Portis is also out for the season. Maybe we'll see some thunder and lightning combo out of the backfield with Ladell Betts and TJ Duckett. At least if we cash it in now, we can look towards the draft. . . . I think . . . . .or did we trade this year's pick away. . . . .we probably did. . . . . .don't wanna think about it.
How freakin' great must it be to be a horse? Think about it fellas, you run as fast as you can, get treated like royalty, and then. . . .get this . . . .then you are retired to stud!
Yes your single retirement goal is not a livable IRA income, not putting your little horses through college, nope....you screw. Youscrew and screw...and the better you were as a racehorse, the more you screw....
Time and time again, I hear so called basketball fans complain about the NBA. Spouting such idiocy as "I used to be a big NBA fan", "The players are too thuggish", "The players are paid too much", "I like the college game better". To hear these 'fans' irks my nerves but I typically bite my tongue. Nevermore.
In fact, this post on sportsbybrooks.com is what inspired this post. I couldn't remember my login/password for that site and since I rarely visit it, I didn't care to create a new one. In short, the post is entitled 'When did the NBA die for you?' His basic premise is that he doesn't know anyone who watches a full game anymore and he wants to pinpoint when the league died. Let's attack his points one by friggin' one
There were only two responses to his post. One was an obvious Celtics fan who disapproved of Rick Pitino as coach. No qualms with that as I have admittedly said I follow the Lakers obsessively and note other teams only as they relate to the Lakers.
The second response is what got my jock strap in a wedgie. The reply was (the NBA died) 'When the players started packing pieces and travelling in posses'. I just want to get this straight, there are 32 teams with 15 players each (not including practice squads or the NBDL) which equates to 480 players in the league. I dare anyone making these generalizations about players being too thuggish, packing pieces, etc to name 10% of the league that can be considered guilty of that behaviour. Yeah, name 48 players that have demonstrated thug mentality, that have been arrested on gun charges...or any charges. Bet it won't happen....but you know where the 'NBA players are thugs' idea comes from....hate to say it but it is simply ignorance. You see a league that is 90% black and add a couple of well, if not over publicized, incidents and you can apply the image of 10 players to a league of 432 players (taking out the 10% of white players because they are rarely seen in that light).
Oddly enough, the word thug is only used in reference to players in sports dominated by black athletes. Baseball has a bench clearing brawl and I guarantee you not a single player will be looked at as having thug behaviour. Even though the next pitch is an intended bean. Hockey specializes in fights and does everything but market them as part of the sport. Not considered thugs. In fact, they are revered for their injuries resulting from their thug behaviour. Why is that? If the fighting is part of the sport, why are they put in the penalty box? Simply stated, the race of the players of any sport still play a huge part in determining the image that sport.
The NBA isn't dead, just the bandwagon player fans and fairweather fools aren't paying attention anymore. Which is actually good.....
Sorry I disappeared for a minute.
Mrs. Xpinionated is still in the hospital. She's on bedrest for at least the next two to four weeks. There has been discussion about discussing when she can come home. But, since one set of doctors don't really talk to the other set of doctors, those discussions (though on the same page now) are not usually sharing the same page.
Personally, I prefer her to stay in the hospital. Not because I get to be home by myself doing whatever pleases me with the two hours a weeknight that I'm home, nope not it. I (watch out now) actually have a mature reason for my preference. With her home alone, she is just that....alone. Should something happen there is no guarantee that help would be immediately available leaving her to call an ambulance. Said ambulance would probably not take her to NorthSide -- the baby factory of these United States. If she stays at Northside, I am only 15 minutes away during the week and 30 minutes during the weekends, if I'm not in the room already. See, Xpinionated can grow up tooo
Season opener. Lights out. 2nd year starting center. Leading scorer and team leader not available. Sounds like disaster looming....
Hold on there buddy! In the famous words of Mr. Lee Corso, not so fast! After withstanding a 41 point first quarter, Lamar Odom and the Los Angeles Lakers battled 
from 19 points down to leading by as many as 15 on their way to a 114 - 106 victory.
Baby boy Bynum played a helluva game. Post moves, baby hooks, short jumpers. The kid looked good.
Lamar Odom took over after a slow first quarter. Aggressive, no fadeaway layups, knocking down menage a trois, and being the starting point for the offense.
Farmar, outside of a shot clock violation after a timeout, showed remarkable maturity in his first pro game. Liked his grasp of the offense...
The team as a whole didn't give up. They could have easily folded with 3 minutes left in the first quarter and the Suns approaching 40 points. But not at all, nope, they chipped away in the second quarter, took over in the third quarter, and finished them in the fourth. Next up, Golden State...
Photo By Kevork Djansezian, AP
It's not quite a wrap but it's damn close. With the flailing Hurricanes falling to Georgia Tech Saturday, the Hokies quest to be a factor in determining the ACC champion every year they are in the conference looks to be coming to an end.
The Hokies would have to win out and have Georgia Tech lose two conference games to get into the title game. NC State may prove capable of an upset, but with North Carolina and Duke part of the remaining schedule, it would take a phenomenal collapse (or Calvin Johnson injury -- I'm not wishing that, I'm just saying) for GT not to win the Coastal division.
This year, the Lakers are coming out strong. Young. Hungry. Team.
This season the Lakers are a tribe, battling opponents each and every game.
It’s going to be a journey, and everyone can go on it with them. The Lakers are ready.
There is the new, players like Radmanovic, rookies like Farmar, Kobe's number.
There is the continuum, Lamar will dominate, Kwame will flex, Luke will flow.
And all of them will play as a team.
It’s going to be an exciting season, and you won’t want to miss a game.
STAPLES Center will be transformed to bring the focus back to the game.
In the past, lights were so bright everywhere that attention from the court drifted.
This year, the focus is the game.
This season, it's Lights Out.
It's our building, it's how we play, it's what we do.
It's Lights Out.
October 31st, 2006
Today, Mrs. Xpinionated has definitely shown improvement today. At a cost, however, as she was weakened most of the day and having trouble holding down food.
Good news is that they have stopped her magnesium drip which was causing her weakness. The baby still looks good. She has slowly gotten her strength and appetite back.
I'll let you know more......when I know more......
I'm not here to toot my own horn. I'm not here with the frothing at the mouth with "I told you so's" and a grin. I'm ecstatic. Excited that I can be excited about Virginia Tech football again. Increasingly excited that the coaching staff returned to the gameplans that had yet to fail. Enthusiastic about upcoming games . . . particularly Miami and Wake Forest.
In two games, Brandon "Iron" Ore has rushed for over 400 yards. Prior to his huge game against Southern Miss, the Hokies were averaging less than a hundred yards a game.
Sean Glennon surprisingly showed some pocket presence last night, often avoiding sacks (except for the fumble near the end of the first half) and getting the ball back to the line, if not gaining yards.
Most impressive, though, had to be the Hokies defense. 'You will not run on us! You will not pass on us! You will punt...and punt again!!' And punt they did! After the initial quarter, Clemson's offense was frustrated and bottled up like a freshman boy watching the senior cheerleaders practice on the band field.
Next up is Miami. Oddly enough, this week Hokies fans should be cheering for Miami against Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech losses push Va Tech closer to a possible ACC championship birth. Let's win out...and let the cards fall as they may.
The following quote from si.com says it all, in my opinion, in regards to the leading candidate for the 06-07 NBA MVP:
Our verdict: Wade's championship credentials have made him the fashionable pick, LeBron is an appearance in the Finals away, but when, as a scout says, "you are the player all others compare themselves to," well, Kobe can take the last shot for us, anytime.
But if you really need to read the whole article, here ya go
Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis is confused by the Fighting Irish's fall in the polls. His conundrum is that since his team won, they should not fall. Hmm...a comeback against an unranked (and start the flame wars now) and west coast team does not shout top 10.
"One of the teams (Tennessee) that jumped us had the same game that we had. They're down, they're playing at home and they win by a field goal," Weis said Tuesday. "Another team (Florida) that jumped us wasn't even playing. They were home eating cheeseburgers and they end up jumping us. That befuddles me."
Alabama and Tennessee are a rivalry. There is adrenaline, tradition, and the intangibles that make the Vols victory a little more impressive than N.D. beating UCLA. And Charlie, should you really be chastising anyone for eating cheeseburgers?
I apologize. The last statement was not necessary. I don't like getting personal to prove a point.
Texas, which needed a 22-yard field goal to beat Nebraska 22-20 with 23 seconds left, passed the Irish in the Bowl Championship Series standings, dropping the Irish to No. 9.
"Tell me how that works?" Weis said. "Maybe I'm just stupid. Tell me how that works?"
This one here is pretty simple...Nebraska was ranked.
The really funny thing about the praise Weis has received along with Notre Dame's infamous hype this year: Weis is still playing with Ty's guys. These aren't players recruited by Weis, they are players that happened to mature together when he took over the reins. But, let's face facts...Weis' influence on those kids in South Bend will not show until at least next year at the earliest. Let's stop the media's hype machine from taking our focus of that which is sustenance in football....look behind the lies lines of the journalists and come up with your own lies......
New York Giants linebacker LaVar Arrington likely is out for the season after tearing his left Achilles tendon in the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night.
I'm not cheering for the dude's injury. At the same time, given his tenure with the 'Skins, a season ending injury sounds like what I'd expect from him.
Joe Gibbs. One of the most revered in the Redskins family. Perhaps twenty years from now, his current stint as head coach will fade into the background of his accolades.. .. . but that is in twenty years. Right now, he's simply tarnishing his past, being stubborn, and seemingly enjoying it.
The talk shows and chat rooms might be clamoring for Jason Campbell to replace Mark Brunell, but coach Joe Gibbs doesn't plan to give the quarterback -- for whom he traded three draft picks to take in the first round in 2005 -- practice reps with the first team during their two bye week practices. "We love Jason," Gibbs said. "At some point, his time is going to come. Right now, that's not something that's a focus of mine."
If that's not a focus, how about winning? Is that a focus? At this point, does it matter? Three draft picks for a quarterback we're not using. Another draft pick for TJ Duckett whose number as a Redskin I don't know because he gets even less time in DC than he did in the ATL....and by less time, I mean no time. So that's four picks that we aren't going to use for players that we aren't using....and this makes sense how?
At 2 - 5, the only under .500 team in the division, the only team in the division without a division win, and on a three game skid, why not put Jason Campbell in? Why not at least show that you're willing to adapt? Yeah, you hired Al Saunders to call the plays but then you limit his ability by keeping broke Brunell under center. What's the point of spending money on every position offensively, and then keeping the most limited player on the field. Think how often has Mark Brunell been sacked before he even took three evasive steps. The guy is done...I don't care how good he may look in practice...he's done, and has been done for a while. Yeah, he had 2 good games this year but if it takes seven games for him to havetwo good ones, is it worth it. 6 and 10 this year is a long shot
Gibbs, take a hint from your counterpart Bill Parcells: at some point you have to let go of 'your guy' and do what's best for the team...right now, Brunell ain't it!
In June's NBA finals, for instance, the Lenovo Stat showed the best combination for the champion Miami Heat included Dwyane Wade, James Posey, Gary Payton, Antoine Walker, and Alonzo Mourning. Missing from the list is O'Neal, the 7'1" Miami Heat center who is an 11-time NBA All-Star and named one of the 50 Greatest Players in league history. But it was with Mourning -- rather than O'Neal -- that the Heat had the greatest point advantage during the championships, according to the Lenovo Stat.
Find the full story here
For the first time in quite a while, I am not particularly eager to catch a VT game. In fact, I wasn't sure what time the game even started until today. I did know who we were playing but that was about it.
Interesting fact, we are currently 102nd in the country in rushing. ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND. IN RUSHING. You know what makes it more interesting? The fact that Branden Ore averages 5 yards a carry and we are 102nd in rushing. Great average, horrid ranking....perhaps not playing to our strength????
Mrs. Xpinionated is currently on bed rest. Momma Xpinionated has driven from Indiana to join her which I'm sure is a comfort to both. Updates on what the doctors are saying will have to come tomorrow as I am dead tired and type this only waiting for a load of clothes to finish.
I do want to express my sincere and complete gratitude to all of our family, friends, and co-workers (almost redundant since the aforementioned have become extended family and friends if they weren't considered as such previously) for their prayers, thoughts, and support. We are extremely lucky to have people like you in our lives.
As I arrived home Tuesday night, I decided to give Mrs. Xpinionated a call because she said I may need to pick her up from work. To my surprise, a co-worker answers. My first thought is that Mrs. X had to catch a ride because my cellphone was dead.
Instead, B (the coworkers Xpinionated alias as of now) tells me that Mrs. X is in the hospital. She has been bleeding and they need me to get to the hospital as soon as possible.
Fear, sadness, worry crowded my thinking. I turn around and start to head out of the neighborhood. Then I realize I have no idea where the hospital is and my phone is dead. So I turn back around and go to the house to get instructions. My mind is racing, my decision making is hindered and I'm about to get on the interstate.
Amazingly, I was less aggressive than usual. I kept thinking, I'm no good if I get into an accident, no good in an accident. I arrive at the hospital and after travelling the Labryinth that is Northside Hospital, I found my wife.. . . . smiling
She was listening to Devin's heartbeat and that was all she needed to calm down. I, on the other hand, took a few hours before I could calm down.
Although we're not out of the woods, mother and baby are doing well. Though there is still bleeding, neither appear to be in harm's way right now. I'm sleepy but don't want to go to sleep quite yet. Her contractions seem to have stopped and I think she is actually sleeping now. Gonna go . . . .
Lamar Thomas, former University of Miami football player turned short time commentator, was fired for comments made during the brawl with FIU, yet another embarassing Miami moment.
"Now, that's what I'm talking about," Thomas said as the brawl raged out of control. "You come into our house, you should get your behind kicked. You don't come into the OB playing that stuff. You're across the ocean over there. You're across the city. You can't come over to our place talking noise like that. You'll get your butt beat. I was about to go down the elevator to get in that thing."
That was followed by:
"I say, why don't they just meet outside in the tunnel after the ball game and get it on some more? You don't come into the OB, baby," Thomas said. "We've had a down couple years but you don't come in here talking smack. Not in our house."
It just goes to show, not only does Miami recruit thugs, but it grooms, them and sends them out into the world.
In all honesty though, jokes aside, has anyone really seen the saddest part of this incident? The university of Miami got into a brawl with FIU -- Florida International University. How many folks outside of Miami-Dade county knew what FIU stood for before Saturday night?
A glorious Saturday morning to ya! Devin was quite the active fella the past 14 hours. We went to see 'The Departed' last night (more on that in another post). Loud theater, lots of gunshots. We are officially at that point where he will respond to loud noises. I was literally sitting at the theater with my hand on Momma Xpinionated's stomach and he was kicking me like he was playing Francis Costello (reference to 'The Departed', Costello was Jack Nicholson's part) in the movie.
Again this morning, entirely too early but I guess I'll have to get used to that, Devin was awake and active. The kicks or punches or elbows or whatever my lil man is doing have definitely gotten stronger. Kinda amazing really.
Since I went out on Thursday night to watch the joke that is currently Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's football program, I decided to take a Friday night off. I told the wife we could go see a movie if she wanted figuring I'd either sit through something I truly had no desire to see, or take a nap -- something I have become exceptionally fond of doing in movie theaters (it could be worse, ain't that right Pee Wee). To my surprise, the wife picked a movie that she kinda wanted to see but that she thought I would like. Like, indeed I did. In fact, loved.
A bad guy-good guy flick with enough headshots to make you think it was a video game instead of a cinema feature. No cranium was safe, and the best part (in a sick, slightly twisted way) was none of the headshots were expected....and the resulting splatter was grotesquely good.
Indeed, the only disappointment was a result of incorrect expectations set by Yahoo Movies. They mentioned the flick was rated 'R' for strong sexual content among other things....a woman in her bra and thongs engaged in foreplay is hardly strong sexual content. Hell, that's a saturday night at the mall!
I'm not a movie reviewer so don't expect some intricate analysis of the acting, plot, directing, lighting et cetera and so on. Actually, don't expect anything...you'll never be disappointed that way ;)
“I think we need to get our running game going,” Beamer said. “I’m pleased with how we throw the ball right now. Sean has been good, and the receivers have been good. For us to win, we have to be able to run the ball and stop their run.”
Really now? Run the ball. Something I've been saying for much of the season. Now it dawns on the coaching staff that running the ball is in the Hokies best interests???? Try not to be bitter X
The 'skins had a chance to get back in the NFC East race this past Sunday. I didn't see the game but my at the bar correspondent said we looked absolutely pitiful.
I would keep my head up by saying we have Tennessee this weekend but they gave Indy a run for their money last week so this game may not be easy like the Texans were.
If I'm offended by sensitivity training, who do I report that to?
I was going through the required training for my new gig. Today's lesson was the anti-harassment training. So many classic moments to mention that I'm not quite sure I can list them all:
Funny stuff was captured in these videos. But the funniest moment of the day was when I was talking with a new employee who went through orientation yesterday. He was talking about the diversity section of the training and said,
What's the group for the straight white male?
I promptly replied,
Management
What's the group for the straight white male?
Management
The way work has been lately, I'm starting to wonder if I made the right decision staying when I had the opportunity to take off. I'm hoping to get off my current project which has me doing the same thing I'd been doing for more money. I thought the more money would pacify me for a while but no such luck there. Patience I 'spose is my best option....
On another note, I feel very overwhelmed. Too many things I want to do but never enough time to do them. I want to work on my web page, play video games, work out, ride my bike, do some things around the house (this is more of a need to than a want to), detail my car. . . . I mean really detail it, go to Jeffreys, read some books...but all I seem to get to do is drive to work, work, drive home, and maybe get a game or two in before I gotta go to bed to start it all over again.
"He didn't know anything when he was here. What makes you think he'll know something up there?"
Cute/nice IT guy/PC specialist will fix your computer in exchange for a gentle feel of your boobs. I'm a totally non-creepy (really) professional who will repair your hard drive, back up files, install software and peripherals, whatever, for an innocent grope. I have a lot of tech knowledge in my life and regrettably no boobs. Serious inquiries only and thanks.
Excited? Me? Nah Hell to the yeah I'm excited!
I just read your Kobe article. As a Lakers fan since 1984, I've gotten used to the beating Kobe receives in the media. I expected your article to be just as battering though I was slightly surprised. However, I do disagree in regards to the USA team being better without Kobe. Kobe's job on the Lakers was to score because quite frankly there weren't a whole lot of options to whom to pass the ball. I think Kobe would have fit in brilliantly with Team USA. Take, for instance, his play in all-star games. I know those are exhibitions meant more for highlights than anything. But if Kobe is the selfish player the media world has portrayed him to be, wouldn't he take the opportunity to 'show his shine' at the All-Star game in front of the world, against the best? Instead, he gives the ball up, even plays second fiddle quite often. Not to mention, during the Lakers glory years a few back, Kobe led his team in assists 4 out of 6 years (at work so I can't get the exact numbers). I'm just sayin' ;)
Xavier, It is questionable. Kobe is probably the best player in the game right now, but I don't think he's the best teammate. I don't care what anyone says and revises history, he forced Shaq out and it cost him and the Lakers a title(s). This team is about teammates. Now, if Argentina holds them to 80 points because no one can make a challenged jumper, then Kobe will get the last laugh. But so far everyone on the team is praising LeBron and Wade and you never hear that about No. 8/24. Thanks, Brian
Brian, I've often asked folks who state that he forced Shaq out to provide some evidence other than personal opinion. You're stating an opinion as fact. As in any good sports debate, you are welcome to your opinion but it should be backed up with more than just your personal feelings. FACT: Shaq was offered a contract in February that was in the neighborhood of 20 million per year. Shaq rejected. That summer, after a season of saying Buss didn't want to pay him, Shaq signed with Miami for. . . .20 million + per year....what did Kobe have to do with that? If you offer a man a contract and he rejects, what choices do you have as an owner? Better question if Shaq had stayed and Kobe had left, do you think the media would have been quick to say Shaq forced Kobe out? Fact: SHAQ states in a recent interview, which is can be found at http://www.nba.com/features/shaq_060821.html?loc=headline, Shaquille admits some ill-advised approaches...not only to Kobe, but Penny Hardaway as well. Sorry, I'm not sure which history revision you're referring to, but the fact remains there is no solid proof that Kobe forced Buss' or Kupchak's hand in trading O'Neal, simply media propagated rumor. P.S. I will probably put this email thread on my Lakers blog. If you don't want your name associated with it, let me know and I'll leave it out. And one other thing, then I promise I'll leave you alone ;), I don't think Kobe is sitting at home hoping Team USA loses. There's no last laugh for Kobe if they lose, there's country wide embarassment again. Further, you won't hear about #24 because he's not playing. When do you ever hear about a missing player when times are good?
Xavier, I've gone round and round with Lakers fans about this and I don't want to rehash everything. Kobe is a great player, as I said, maybe the best. Kobe is not a great teammate. That is the point.
Basically, all I did with D-Wade is just have discussions. Not only that, I learned that, you know, from dealing with the first two guys, I may have made some mistakes in the way I dealt with those guys. We'll never know, but I looked at the mistakes I made with those guys and I didn't want to do it with him. Like, when I was with Penny, we were both young guys and since everybody was going to put the pressure on me, we're going to do it my way. Period. You don't like it? Forget you. The same thing when I went to L.A.
Now that I'm much older and I got a younger guy, and I see that the other two guys didn't really like the yelling and took it personal, so I never yelled at D-Wade. And it probably was the best move I ever made, because he's the first other superstar where we're best friends. The other two, we never hung out. We never talked. We just never did anything ... ever.
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