Weekend Eye Candy - Post-Oscar Holy Melony Edition

Last weekend was the Academy Awards, an opportunity for all of Hollywood's beautiful people to pull out their finest and put on a show for the camera. With the writer's strike having cancelled most of this year's other awards ceremonies, additional pressure was put on the guests to pull out all the stops - and they didn't appoint.

There's more to Oscar night than just the Academy Awards ceremony, of course. Just because you didn't get the all-important invite to the Kodak Theater doesn't mean you won't have opportunities to shine. Just ask our Eye Candy, Sofia Vergara. She was at Elton John's annual combination Oscar watching party / AIDS charity fundraiser - and look ... she brought her friends!

Now, I could go on about her accomplishments as a model and actress, but I think we both know why she has won the coveted title of Weekend Eye Candy - the rack.

That's right, her breasts. Her big, heaving, South American breasts. I'm not even going to pretend that there's any other reason.

Take a good look, boys - for those of you who've spent too long watching stick-thin models dominate the media, that's what breasts look like. I hear they're making a comeback - and I for one am thrilled ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 05:42 AM PST [link]

Not Exactly Maverick and Goose

Being a commercial airliner pilot must be a heady experience. We all wake up in the morning and head off to our jobs, but most of us don't control a multi-million dollar machine and hold the lives of hundreds of people in our hands. Clearly, it takes a special kind of person. The military has traditionally been a rich source of pilots for airlines, and they bring with them a certain swagger to their jobs. Sometimes, though, all that responsibility and swagger leads a pilot to make a decision he probably regrets.

Boeing Commercial Aircraft has two factories in the suburbs of Seattle. Renton, to the south of Seattle, is home to the 737 factory while the main factory is in Everett, 25 miles to the north. The main assembly building, largest building in the world by volume, is where the 747, 767, 777 and the new 787 airliners are built. Once the aircraft is complete, it's rolled to adjacent Paine Field for final checkout, flight test and delivery.

As you might imagine, the delivery of a new airliner is a big deal. In the recent case of Cathay Pacific Airlines, when they were scheduled to take delivery of a new $250 million 777-300ER jetliner, executives of the company were joined by the airlines' chief pilot, Ian Wilkinson, who was to fly the new airliner and VIP passengers back to the CP home base in Hong Kong. I don't know if he just got caught up in the moment, or maybe had watched too many reruns of Top Gun, but shortly after taking off on the long trip January 30, Wilkinson decided to make a flyby pass on the Boeing facility - really low.

Fortunately for all of us, airliner fans often take pictures of the delivery, so we have the photographic evidence of the end of Captain Wilkinson's career. As is clear from the photo, the 777 is gear up, flaps up and flying at around 250 kts - all while hitting a minimum altitude of 28 feet! Remember, this is a quarter-billion dollar airplane full of airline executives and VIPs. Talk about needing a wet cleanup on the center aisle.

On the several trips I've made to Everett to work with my software counterparts (they use the same software package to perform final assembly on the 787 as we do to build satellites), I've often crossed the street to Paine Field to watch the flight ramp. Needless to say, I never saw anything like this!

As word got out about Wilkinson's little stunt, CP tried hard to squash the news, and was able to force YouTube to pull the video of the flyby off their servers. Fortunately, LiveLeak has larger stones than YT. Enjoy ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 10:37 PM PST [link]

RIP Boyd Coddington

If you're a custom car guy, then today is a sad day. Boyd Coddington, one of the original masters of the chop top trade, has died.

Coddington was famous for his custom skills long before being introduced to a new generation of fans via his Discovery show "American Hot Rod". Boyd was easy to spot - he was the one in the perpetual ballcap and Hawaiian shirt. His cars were just as memorable ... if you ever saw one of the classic ZZ Top videos, then you're already familiar with his work.

Beyond his own work, Coddington passed his knowledge to younger fabricators like Chip Foose and Jesse James, who have make names for themselves as they continue his legacy.

Coddington died yesterday in Whittier at age 63. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 10:44 AM PST [link]

Who Says They Don't Count?

Baseball players as a whole are a little different - big boys playing little boys games, and sometimes they really act like it. But even among the players some stand out - particularly the closers. It takes a pretty special mindset to go out night after night with the game on the line and nothing but a fastball to defend yourself with. You could understand if they ended up a little ... odd.

Billy Wagner is the closer for the New York Mets. This is the first week of spring training, and teams are playing against college squads as they warm themselves up and prepare for major league opponents. Wagner was pitching for the Mets against the University of Michigan team when one of the college kids broke an "unwritten rule" - and Wagner didn't take kindly to it.

Forget the Phillies. Billy Wagner nearly started a beanball war with the University of Michigan after one overzealous Wolverine tried to bunt on him in the fourth inning. With a runner on second and one out, centerfielder Kevin Cislo pushed his bunt foul.

Wagner, clearly annoyed, shook his head a number of times, and Cislo wisely swung away, grounding out. Wagner said he couldn't believe that Cislo, a junior, bunted.

"If he got that bunt down, I would have drilled the next guy," Wagner said. "Play to win against Villanova."

The game was obviously just a tuneup for the Mets, and Wagner was thinking the college kids should just be happy to be there, I guess. But if I was on a college team facing major leaguers - and knowing there are major league scouts in the stand - you can bet your ass I'd give it all I could. If nothing else, they're gonna remember Cislo's name - although not as much as they might have had Wagner put one in his earhole ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 03:57 PM PST [link]

The Truth According To Bill Bratton

As a cop, William Bratton has seen all. Before becoming the current chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Bratton served terms in the same role for both Boston and New York, and brings an East Coast no-nonsense approach to the job. A good example? Bratton was recently asked his opinion of a proposed law that would restrict the paparazzi in their seemingly insane pursuit of celebrities. It was clear that Bratton understands where the real root cause of the problem lies ...

What we need is Britney Spears to stay home instead of traipsing all over town. That would solve the problem. We don't need additional laws.... I've got laws coming out my ears to deal with this issue.

[skip]

What you have is several young women in this town and several young men basically making fools of themselves and tying up not only my resources but the resources of the media that would do better covering legitimate stories instead of a bunch of airheads running around out there....

Quite clearly some of these characters so favored by the paparazzi are clearly in need of services. Not police services, but psychiatric services.

Slam! Finally ... someone who will say what we all feel.

The amazing thing to me is the absolute lack of media coverage of his statement. His comments, made on Patt Morrison's KPCC radio program, were first reported last week by Kevin Roderick's excellent LA Observed blog, and subsequently repeated on other sites. But where was the mainstream media - the same folks who will dedicate two reporters and a helicopter to cover Britney's latest frappuccino run? Why would they spend so much time covering paparazzi and not these comments?

Oh, that's right - they're all Hollywood's bitch! Say anything other than niceties about the starmaking machine and watch your ad revenue go down the toilet. No wonder no one takes the LA Times seriously any more.

I liked Bratton right from the moment he kicked off his broken window repair program in the depressed parts of LA, and I like him even more now ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 07:10 PM PST [link]

Go Figure ...

One of the challenges of having a blog is that you have to ... well, blog. You create for yourself an obligation to take some time on some kind of a regular basis and add new entries. For some blogs, that's no problem - gossip blogs, for example, are adding new items every few minutes just because celebrities are such idiots. But the MB is pretty much a general interest, whatever-comes-into-my-mind sort of blog. Early on, I decided that I had to hit the blog at least once a day, five days a week, and I've been pretty good about it. I'll admit, though, there are days when I'm busy or not feeling creative or just don't have anything to say, and on those days it can really be a challenge.

Where are we heading, you ask? A valid question. We keep statistics on the MB, that show us how many visitors we get, where they came from, and how long they stayed. Most of the time it's pretty depressing - something like 50 visitors a day - and the number of comments is much lower even than that. But sometimes something comes along that picks up your spirit and you can use as that much-needed inspiration.

Over the last weekend, I attended a pair of fishing club awards banquets. Offshore fishermen being the target audience of our main site, it's not uncommon to have someone come up and say kind things about SCMO. But a funny thing happened this weekend. I had six different people come up to me and tell me how much they enjoyed the MB - not just the site in general but the MB in particular. I was floored - hell, I didn't even realize the fishermen who come to the site even made it to the blog. It was a gratifying experience, and will serve as inspiration for the next few times I'm digging deep.

On the subject of statistics, one of my favorites is the referring pages - where someone came from to find the MB. A lot of folks come from elsewhere in the site, most often the popular Marlin Club forum. But a lot come via search engines, and it's always a hoot to see the search topics that brought them here. The number one term? "Sara Evans", mostly because of this entry, followed closely by "MILF". OK, not exactly the audience I was looking for, but hey - eyeballs are eyeballs!

Posted by MarlinNut @ 07:19 PM PST [link]

Giving The Eye Candy A Break

As blogs go, this isn't the most controversial one you'll come across. I rant a little on whatever crosses my mind, laugh a bit at the stupidity of mankind, and dig up a hottie to tide us over the weekend. No big deal. So any time my email box fills up with comments about something I've said, I know that somehow, somewhere, I hit a nerve.

Yesterday, one of our entries was about Lindsey Lohan and her decision to pose topless for New York Magazine. We weren't very supportive of the decision, calling it desperate and ill-advised, and reminded people of what happened to the original model of the photoshoot Lohan was trying to reproduce.

And it didn't go over very well.

Literally dozens of emails ... well, several at least ... chided me for riding LiLo so hard. Give the kid a break, they said - at least she's managed to stay relatively sane and out of rehab (for the time being) ... more than can be said of some of her contemporaries. And look - she made a brave choice to try and build her flagging career. At least she's trying, they said.

Fair enough. I respect fighters, and she's trying to put up a fight - last thing I want to do is pile on. So we'll do our part to try and help her out by naming her our Weekend Eye Candy. Sure, we don't get as many readers as NYM, but at least we'll let her keep her ... assets ... covered ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 01:56 PM PST [link]

Here Come The Miami Marlins!

I swear, I didn't think I'd live to see the day, but the Marlins finally have a funding plan in place that will give the team a long-needed new stadium. The retractibly-domed facility, which will be built on the current site of the soon-to-be-demolished Orange Bowl, will seat 37,000 fans and open for the 2011 season. At that time, the team name will be changed to the Miami Marlins.

From Day One in franchise history, the Fish have been hobbled by the lack of a decent stadium and the revenue it brings. We've watched two World Series championship teams be built and subsequently demolished, and a whole string of young players developed and traded, all in the name of finances. Now, finally, the team can make plans based on solid finances down the road. That means that as painful as it will be to watch Josh Beckett and Miguel Cabrera tear it up on other teams, we can rest assured that Hanley Ramirez and Cameron Maybin will have a home in South Florida for years to come.

I can't tell you the number of times I've seen a deal come so close and then fail at the last minute. Even this one was on the brink until or League Baseball Chief Operating Officer Bob Dupuy, who was at the two key hearings held yesterday, stated what should have been obvious to all present.

As commissioners still squabbled before a final vote, Dupuy chose to step forward.

''The failure to move forward on the Baseball Stadium Agreement today is a death knell for baseball,'' he said.

Not long after -- after yet more squabbling -- the commission finally took the vote that gave the Marlins the stadium they have craved for so long.

Now it's up to the fans of the Marlins in South Florida. For years, they've used the stadium as the excuse to not support the team, thinking they'd pick up and move to Las Vegas, or Portland, or wherever. The Fish are here forever, and they're even adopting your name. Don't feel like you have to wait until 2011 to support your team - your team. Get your tickets and cheer the Marlins out at the Rob!

Posted by MarlinNut @ 11:29 AM PST [link]

Say Goodnight, Hillary

Wasn't it just a few months ago when the Clinton campaign saw the primary elections as a formality, a nuisance that had to be endured on the way to her inevitable coronation ... er, election ... as president?

My, how the mighty have fallen.

Despite an early lead in delegates, Clinton traded victories with Barack Obama in the early primaries before watching him reel off eleven straight wins. Forced to play from behind, Clinton's campaign has turned increasingly nasty, most recently attacking Obama for plagiarizing a fellow Democratic politician's speeches (while herself being caught lifting snippets from her husband's stump speeches ) and arguing that the disallowed delegates from Florida and Michigan - where she just happened to win - should be reinstated. Her victory, once seen as undeniable, is increasingly unlikely, and her strategy of depending on victories in Ohio and Texas sounds suspiciously like the one followed by Rudy Giuliani in Florida - and you know where that got him.

Last night, the two Democratic candidates met in debate for the first time since the Super Tuesday elections. The dynamic of the campaigns are much different now, with Obama the clear frontrunner and no longer needing a knockout punch - he only had to not be KO'd himself. Both candidates made their points, but it was at best a draw - and that's a victory for Obama. Even Hillary herself seemed to sense her possible demise, sounding less than certain of herself for the first time in the campaign.

"You know, no matter what happens in this contest, I am honored. I am honored to be here with Barack Obama," Clinton said. "I am absolutely honored."

Assuming she doesn't achieve a clear victory in the March 4 primaries, Hillary Clinton will find herself with a decision to make. Does she continue to wage her campaign, hoping to snare the nomination in a floor fight that could be ugly, or does she back down and give Obama the extra time to start to take on the presumed Republican nominee John McCain. How she chooes to react will say a lot about why she's really in the election and what she really want to see happen.

It should be very interesting ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 10:37 AM PST [link]

And You Thought You Were Hammered Friday Night?

Steven Stein was trying to drive home through an unfamiliar section of Portland early Saturday morning when he got lost. Of course, most of us might have gotten lost on those streets - considering it was a subway tunnel.

Hundreds of feet underground. On the MAX tracks near the Washington Park Zoo stop. More than a mile from the tunnel's entrance.
...

Stein's misadventure stopped MAX train service for more than five hours Saturday morning, while Tri-Met workers figured out how to get his white Pontiac off the tracks. Once they accomplished that, there was repair work to do; about sixty thousand dollars' worth. "We go after the driver and their insurance company", declared Tri-Met's Mary Fetsch. "We do that in all situations." However, Fetsch said she's never really seen a situation like this one.

Needless to say, he's facing DUI charges along with having to pay for the damage he caused to the tracks.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 07:29 PM PST [link]

Last Desperate Act?

Fame is a funny thing. Some folks are comfortable with it, while others struggle to deal with the pressure. Many people find fame without trying, and still others go to great lengths to try and find it.

Lindsey Lohan would have to fall into that last category. Known more for her partying and social life than for any artistic achievement, she's forever trying to get us to take her seriously - usually without success. You can see just how little success she's had by reading her record in the Internet Movie Database. Most successful actresses have a few pictures, usually from their publicist, and a long list of screen credits. Lohan, on the other hand, only has a handful of screen credits, but over 400 pictures - most submitted by paparazzi and gossip fans. Clearly, her priorities are out of whack if she intends to have a serious career as anything other than a party girl.

I mention all this because LL is in the news again this week for something she did off screen. As the story goes, Bert Stern, the photographer who shot Marilyn Monroe just weeks before her death in 1962, wanted to recreate the session using a current starlet. Naturally, he picked Lohan. Heck, whenever you think of Monroe, you don't think of some young blonde thing like Scarlett Johansen - you think of a freckled redhead like Lindsey, right? Anyway, a few weeks ago, Stern flew out to LA and shot Lohan recreating the famous semi-nude shoot for New York Magazine. They published the whole thing in the latest issue - including the shot with her rack hanging out.

Now, there's no question that the shoot is serving LL's purpose by bringing on publicity - hell, I wouldn't be writing about her otherwise - but does it bring respect? Sure, it shows that she's brave and bold enough to show herself topless, but what the heck - half the men in Hollywood have seen her titties, and anyone who's visited a gossip blog has seen the rest. So I can't really see how this is really going to advance her career. All we've really learned is that, contrary to rumor, they're real - fakes don't sag that bad.

A bigger worry is how she reacts when it doesn't result in new opportunities for her (I'm not counting the offers to pole dance). She may not be as fragile as Britney Spears, but she's already been in and out of rehab a couple of times - not unlike Monroe herself. And we all know where she ended up ...

Maybe it's just me, but should we really expect more from someone whose first credited role was as "Trick-or-Treater Dressed as Garbage" on the Letterman show?

Posted by MarlinNut @ 07:20 PM PST [link]

'Bout Time

Paparazzi in LA stalk celebrities as if they were wild animals, and tend to ignore things like laws or property rights along the way. Apparently, the cops have decided enough is enough.

Photographers David Tonnessen and Christian Shostoe were arrested around 7:50 p.m. Tuesday in front of West Hollywood's B2V Hair Salon, where 50 paparazzi tried to get shots of Britney Spears, Whitmore said.

The two men did not comply with deputies' requests, Whitmore said.

"They were repeatedly asked to disassemble in front of the entrances and they were obstructing traffic as well, going into the street," he said.

About 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, in front of the nearby Villa nightclub, deputies arrested photographers Christopher Gonzalez and Vagn Rauch, who were there along with 20 other photographers on the sidewalk, Whitmore said.

The celebrity news Web site TMZ.com reported that Lindsay Lohan was at the club.

They'll tell you they're just doing their job, or trying to make a living, or meeting a need. But that's the same tired excuses you'd get out of a pimp or a pornographer. Imagine trying to live your life with 50 people hounding you 24-7 ... you'd be crazy, too!

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:22 PM PST [link]

Who's Story Do You Believe?

Weather permitting, sometime later this evening the US Navy's guided missile cruiser Lake Erie will fire a SM-3 Standard Missile straight up in the air. The missile's target will be a KH-11 spy satellite that has circled in a low useless orbit since a launch failure back in 2006. The goal of the exercise is to destroy the satellite.

That's the part of the story upon which everyone agrees. After that, things get cloudy ...

The government claims the satellite will enter the atmosphere sometime early in March, and will not completely burn up as it plunges to earth. Several large components - nearly half the 5000-lb total weight, according to some sources - will likely strike the ground going really, really fast. Among those items is the fuel tank, which is still full of hydrazine, a hypergolic propellant. Hydrazine is particularly nasty stuff, and the government is saying the contents of the tank could contaminate an area the size of a couple of football fields. Hence, the need to break it up before it reenters.

But is that the real reason?

You may recall that a little over a year ago, in January 2007, the Chinese used a missile to destroy a dead weather satellite. At the time, there was an international outcry over the incident - led by the US. Now that the tables have turned, the Chinese are the ones leading the opposition. The government correctly points out that it wasn't the fact that the Chinese were practicing anti-satellite warfare that irritated our government - although you know damned well it was bubbling just under the surface. Our complaint centered on the location of the satellite - 500 miles up - that would result in a debris field that would take years to finally burn up ... and only after passing through the orbital plane of the International Space Station. Our spy satellite, on the other hand, is flying below the ISS at only about 125 miles.

It seems to me that the government is awfully determined to shoot this thing down, and that makes me think there's a lot more going on than a couple of hundred pounds of rocket fuel. Sources say that the Navy has been furiously working to retrofit the Lake Erie and its AEGIS missle system since January, and the price tag for the mission is somewhere around $60 million - hardly chump change. Certainly, a tank of hydrazine splattering over someone's neighborhood would be a bad thing, but hey - any piece of this thing landing in my backyard is a bad thing. This seems awfully heavy-handed.

Methinks there's more to this than meets the eye. Obviously, the act of shooting down a satellite provides valuable experience and data should the need ever come during more difficult times. But I don't think that's the real answer. I think there's something else on that satellite that the government wants to make damn sure burns up. If I had to guess, I'd say it's either the "eye" of the spy satellite - a classified surveillance system - that they don't want anyone else to get their hands on, or an RTG power source. RTG is short for "radioisotope thermoelectric generator" - basically a power supply that uses the decay of plutonium or some other radioactive element as a power source. Deep space probes have used them for years, and its possible there's one on the KH-11. Wouldn't want that landing in your pool.

Of course, it could also just be a little political "tit for tat" with the Chinese - a reminder that we were in space before they were, and can still do anything they can. Should make for an interesting evening ...

UPDATE: At 8PM, the Navy claimed they nailed it on the first try.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 04:46 PM PST [link]

Time To Sack Up, Fellas ...

In the wake of the Mitchell Report, at least a half dozen of the baseball players identified as having used steroids or other performance enhancing drugs have made some kind of public statement regarding their inclusion. For the most part, those statements have been pathetic.

There's something very important that each of those players needs to keep in mind. In the broadest sense of the word, any player who was named in the Mitchell Report or any of the other investigations is a cheater. It doesn't matter whether they got shot in the ass daily for years or only tried it once, or if they were trying to go for a record or just hang on to a career. If they did it, they are dirty - plain and simple. Nothing can remove that stain. The only thing that might change their perception in the eyes of the fans, and perhaps put some separation between themselves and the other named players, is the way they react to their inclusion.

With players reporting to spring training camps this past weekend, three high-profile players faced the media to try and explain what they did. Eric Gagne, former record-setting closer for the Dodgers and currently with the Brewers, apologized for "a distraction that shouldn't be taking place" and promptly lapsed into his native French. His then-Dodger teammate Paul Lo Duca, now with the Nationals, apologized for "mistakes in judgment I made in the past and for the distraction that has resulted" (think they have the same PR guy?), but never said what exactly that mistake was. When pressed for additional details, his response was, "Next question, bro."

Say what? Dude, there is no next question. This one is going to haunt you - and the rest of the Mitchell Gang - for the rest of your career. And nothing you've done so far has done anything to make me - or anyone else - want to let you off the hook.

If there's one guy who's taken the right route, it's the Yankee's Andy Pettitte. Save teammate Roger Clemens, no one is under more of a spotlight than Pettitte, and no one is being looked to for answers more than he. And yesterday, in an amazing hour-long news conference, he gave them.

"I didn't do it to try to get an edge on anyone. I didn't do it to try to get stronger or faster or throw harder. I did it because I was that it might be able to help me," he said.

"Was it stupid? Yeah, it was stupid. Was I desperate? Yeah, I was probably desperate," he said. "I wish I never would have done it, obviously, but I don't consider myself a cheater, no."

Amazing. No spin, no excuses, just plain truth. How refreshing.

I'd love to say that this will let him put the whole thing behind him, but that's just not the case. Even with his frank admissions, he still gets the "cheater" tag - although, it may be easier for him to regain what he has lost.

If nothing else, he has gained one thing that can only come when the truth comes out - self-respect.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 12:15 PM PST [link]

Not Funny In Real Life

This story sounds a lot like a setup bit between Peter and Stewie on Family Guy. Unfortunately, this one's true and not at all funny ...

A man who police said passed out intoxicated on top of his 2-year-old grandson has been charged with reckless homicide in the boy's death.

"The infant had been placed somehow in a soft cushion chair, and the suspect allegedly, in an apparent intoxicated state, sat down in the chair where the infant was laying and passed out in the chair," said Detective Steve Goodale of Kentucky State Police.

This is one of those terrible stories where no one wins. The grandfather, who OD'd on prescription drugs, will have to live with the memory of his action. The family has lost a son, and a grandfather.

Life can be a cruel bitch sometimes ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 09:08 AM PST [link]

Monday Sports Rant

Spent the weekend working around the house, which means there was sports on the box all day long ...

- Happy for two things in yesterday's Daytona 500: Happy it didn't go as planned, and happy that Roger Penske finally got a win. This was supposed to be the day that either Dale Jr. or Toyota shook off their miserable 2007 season with a win, but in the end it was Ryan Newman who broke a losing streak. The Hendrick cars, so dominant during Speed Weeks, were not factors in the race. Both Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson ended their races early, and Dale Earnhardt Jr, while competitive, didn't seem to have the advantage he'd enjoyed in his earlier Daytona race wins. The guy who really has to be talking to himself today is Tony Stewart, who gave away the race on the last lap. Leading the Penske teammates Newman and Kurt Busch, Stewart was in the high groove as he took the white flag. He was afraid, however, that the two would gang up and pass him on the final corner, so he swung down into the lower groove to try and pick up a push from his own teammate, Kurt's brother Kyle. But that plan backfired when Stewart was unable to establish a draft quickly enough and the Penske pair drove by to victory. On the bright side, there were no big wrecks or injuries. Now it's off to California Speedway next weekend!

- One big negative to the coverage of the Daytona 500 is that Fox tried to make it into the Super Bowl, with a multi-hour prerace show and lots of features and other crap that true fans don't want and casual ones don't care about. Most agregious was the Gopher Cam - a camera mounted at track level that was so close it damn near got run over. The camera wasn't the problem - it was the stupid cartoon graphic of a gopher ducking panic-stricken into its hole that they had to show every time they used the camera. Whatever happened to serious sports coverage?

- Of course, Fox isn't alone. TNT did the same with their NBA All-Star Game coverage - right down to the halftime concert. Thank God for the slam-dunk competition, which is the only thing that saves the event. In an electric final, Orlando's Dwight Howard outclassed defending dunk champion Gerald Green of the Celtics. Lots of creativity in the dunks this time - for a change. Maybe the dunk is back?

- Enjoyed watching Phil Mickelson win the LA Open ... er, Nissan Open ... er, Northern Trust Open. Hell - he won the event out at Riviera. Phil's dominated the Western Swing the last decade, but this one has eluded him. It damned near did again, and he tried repeatedly to give it away. Lucky for Phil, Jeff Quinney wanted to give it away even more. Quinney, both a runner up in the US Amateur to Tiger Woods many years back and a Amateur champ himself, led at the turn before the wheels fell off. Phil grabbed the lead, but shaky play down the stretch kept it closer than it should be. Chalk it up to the Tiger Effect - even when he's back home in Florida, the field hears his footsteps. Winning all those events not only won him those big checks, but it kept a whole generation of golfers from learning how to win tourneys themselves. They don't understand how to close out an opponent, because most of them never have. Next week, Tiger's back on the hunt at the Match Play Championships - want to bet against him? Not me ...

- Players are reporting to baseball's spring training camps, and normally I'd be thrilled. Few things as exciting as the thought of the start of baseball season being on the horizon. But with all of our best players now with other clubs, it's gonna be a looong season for we Marlins fans. One piece of good news - it appears they finally straightened out the funding for a 37,000 seat indoor stadium on the site of the Orange Bowl. Start digging the hole - quick!

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:36 PM PST [link]

Random Thoughts Eye Candy

OK, Batman - riddle me this: How can you look this ridiculously hot doing nothing more than selecting a grade of gas? If I could figure out how she's doing it, and bottle it, I'd be rich.

The "she" in question is Maria Menounos, part time actress and full time correspondent for the tabloid show "Access Hollywood". Now, anyone can doll themselves up and look good for the cameras (and often, you'll see the struggling young actresses looking surprisingly overdressed for some menial task, just on the off-chance the stalkerazzi are near). But it takes talent to do so with nothing more than jeans, a ponytail and the plain white T.

Why do I have this horrible urge to make a "leading with her assets" joke right now ... :-)

Anyway, Maria is famous as a huge Boston sports fan, and was seen wearing the full Patriots gear outfit at the Super Bowl - while on assignment for AH. Right about now, she's probably inconsolable, but if you see her, tell her the hugs are free at the Home Office.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 06:04 AM PST [link]

I Guess They Liked Ty's Bedroom

With all the bad news there seems to be these days, it's nice to report on something that's, well, nice. We talked earlier about the efforts of the TV show Extreme Makeover - Home Edition to build an ADA-compliant home for fallen LAPD officer Kristina Ripattti. That was a great moment, but is easily topped by the news today and Kristina and her husband, LAPD officer Tim Pierce, are the proud parents of a new baby boy. Lucas Braeden Pierce, weighing in at 5 pounds 18 ounces and 19 inches in length, was born yesterday afternoon at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance. The whole family is resting peacefully.

The baby had fine hands for a future police officer, they agreed, or perhaps a football player.

"Now I can say it," she said, softly. "I wanted a boy."

Pearce stood proudly at her side, beaming as he looked down at his newborn son. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, then stepped aside to let the nurses go back to work.

"I could see it in her eyes," he said. "This made her whole again.

When she had this baby, she took back her life."

Man, I love a happy ending ... or beginning ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 02:40 PM PST [link]

Dumb and Dumber

The Roger Clemens / Brian McNamee Traveling Circus rolled onto Capitol Hill today, and was every bit as dramatic as expected. Frankly, if you hoped today's 5-hr session would bring any kind of closure, you're going to be disappointed. But it made for damned good TV.

Coming into this hearing, each side had stuck to their guns: McNamee claimed to have given Clemens HGH and steroid injections, while Clemens denied all allegations. Someone had to be lying, as the tales were incompatible. But who would crack before the House Oversight Committee and the threat of a perjury charge?

In truth, no one really cracked, although they definitely softened. McNamee, bolstered by the release of Andy Pettitte's deposition claiming to have overheard Clemens saying he'd use the drugs, continued to claim he'd injected both Clemens and his wife (in preparation for a bikini photoshoot). Clemens, while refusing to back away from earlier claims, admitted the use by his wife. He didn't call Pettitte a liar, but said that he had "misheard" the conversation. Much of the session was the usual political posturing for the cameras, as those who supported or opposed one witness or the other made sure the cameras knew it.

McNamee came across as a weasely guy, an ex-cop turned drug dealer, and did little to support his case. But his was the most solid position. Clemens was a strong, assertive witness, but left far too many unanswered questions. My favorite? If he discovered that his trainer was secretly giving his wife injections of a compound he claims to be against, how is it Clemens didn't punch McNamee's lights out?

Bottom line? They're both liars at some level, and have brought nothing but shame upon themselves and the game they claim to love. Let's hope this is the final episode in a pathetic tale - but I doubt it ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 02:43 PM PST [link]

You Could Have Just Asked Us ...

It's February, and here at the Home Office that means only one thing - Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue! You may recall that last year, we railed about the poor choice of cover model, while singing the praises of Marisa Miller and her iPod bathing suit. Well the other suits at SI must have been listening, because Marisa's this year's cover model!! Not as prestigious as MB Weekend Eye Candy, but what the heck.

A couple of other interesting tidbits from the SISI ...

- Among this year's celebrity models is Indy driver Danica Patrick. Now, considering her looks, this might seem a perfect fit, but I'll confess to being a bit disappointed. Not only did they airbrush out her racing flag tattoo in most of the pics, but it would appear that Ms. Patrick has developed a bit of a butt. Admittedly, it's still pretty fine, but probably suits her better by lowering her center of gravity in a high-G turn than in a bikini bottom.

- It wasn't that long ago that people were feeling sorry for Jeff Gordon. After all, his driving career seemed to have peaked and his trophy girl wife left him with most of his cash. Feel sorry no longer. Not only did he take second place in last year's NASCAR standings, but his new wife is in the SISI - and there's nothing second place about her!

- Down side: There's another plug for that goddamn Will Ferrell and one of his lame-ass movies. It was bad enough when he did the Budweiser commercial in character during the Super Bowl, but now he's puking up a perfectly good Heidi Klum pictorial - just to pimp a movie that'll probably go straight to DVD.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 05:42 PM PST [link]

Quick Sports Rant

Slow sports weekend = short sports rant ...

- Let's hear it for the ER staff at Buffalo General Hospital who, along with the quick thinking training staff of the Florida Panthers, saved forward Richard Zednik's life when an errant skate slashed his carotic artery. The gruesome injury, which occured when a teammate was upended and the razor-sharp skate blade grazed his neck, caused Zednik to lose half a gallon of blood and could easily have killed him. Zednik left a bloody trail on the ice as he raced to the team bench, where trainers worked to stop the bleeding with a towel and hustled him to the always-waiting ambulance for a ride to the hospital. After emergency surgery, his prognosis looks good. Frankly, it's amazing you don't see more injuries like this in as physical a sport like ice hockey ... throat guards, anyone?

- Apparently one-time NBA'er Latrelle Sprewell - who will always be remembered for choking his coach at practice far more than he will for anything he ever did on the court - is having a little financial trouble.

Former NBA star Latrell Sprewell's home is up for foreclosure and his yacht sold at auction to help pay off the $1.3 million he owes on the boat, according to court filings.

Sprewell, who once turned down a three-year,$21 million contract extension saying, "I've got my family to feed," has apparently fallen on tough times.

He walked away from over $20 million because he was feeling "disrespected" ... I wonder how seeing his house up for auction will make him feel. Dumbass ...

- How geeked do you think Dale Earnhardt Jr. felt Saturday night when he won the Bud Shootout - the first event he's run with his new car and team? He wouldn't say it last year, but the pundits did - if he'd had a decent car (or an engine that would last 50 miles) he'd have made the Chase for the Cup. Now he's with Hendrick Motorsports, has the best cars out there and - surprise! - dominates the first event. Teresa Earnhardt and the folks running Jr's old squad at DEI must be growling, but I'll bet somewhere Dale Sr. is grinning ...

- Remember when the AT&T National Pro-Am (Pebble Beach, to most of us; "The Crosby Clambake" to the real oldschoolers) was a preeminant golf tourney? It's fallen to the point where Sunday it came down to a playoff between old guy (46) Vijay Singh and his untested new swing and even older guy (47) Steve Lowery. That Singh had to drop 3 shots on the back nine to force the playoff made it all the worse. No Tiger, no interest, apparently, as many of the top golfers opted to skip the event. That wasn't enough to help defending champ Phil Mickelson, whose 11 on the par 14th sealed his fate. I've said it before - Tiger does more damage by winning than just denying others the trophy. He also denies them the experience of winning, and of competing down the stretch for a real prize. He's the ultimate closer, and the others just keep falling further behind - and when they have the chance to step out of the shadow, they simply blink and cower.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 04:45 PM PST [link]

Double Your Eye Candy Pleasure

Last week, knowing that the Super Bowl was Sunday, and knowing what the outcome would be, I also knew who the eye candy would be today - Tom Brady's girlfriend, uber-model Gisele Bunchen, in a nod to what would now doubt have been a MVP performance by her man.

Oops.

Reality being the bitch-slap it can be, we had to scramble to find some new eye candy, but quick! We still wanted to do a Super Bowl-themed selection, but since I've never even seen Eli Manning with a girl there was no help to be found. Instead, we looked to the myriad of parties - and party pics - from last weekend.

What could be more super than one piece of eye candy? That's right - two pieces! Here we have two of Young Hollywood's hottest, chilling in the corner. On the left - Amy Smart, late of TV's "Smith" and the movie "Crank", among others. On the right - Ali Larter, one of TV's "Heroes". If they seem to be having a good time, it's no doubt because they've been friends for years, having shared an apartment when both were models and hopeful actresses.

Man ... talk about the stuff dreams are made of ... imagine being that building's super ...

As for Gisele, I'm sure she'll get over the twin disappointments of the game loss and missing out on this prestigious opportunity. If she works hard and plays her cards right, she just might get another shot one day ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 10:38 AM PST [link]

Spoke Too Soon ...

In an earlier entry, I said that Super Tuesday didn't provide us with final candidate for either party. That would appear to not be true, as now Mitt Romney has suspended his campaign.

I find the timing of this all quite amazing. Romney made his announcement in Washington at the Conservative Political Action Conference, and in spite of his poor showing on Tuesday, many of those in attendance were clearly in shock. But why today? Could it be because McCain is scheduled to speak to the same crowd later today, hoping to strengthen his support with the conservative wing of the party? One would hope so, and that he chose - or was pushed - to do the honorable thing.

It remains to be seen just how the conservative Republican leaders will react to Romney's announcement. They could grudgingly rally around McCain as the apparent candidate, or they could all push for Mike Huckabee in a desparate attempt to achieve their victory. Worse still, they could do as talk show host Laura Ingraham suggested this morning:

"McCain has so radicalized key conservatives that some have vowed to turn themselves into suicide voters next November by pulling the lever for Hillary Clinton," she said.

We discussed this yesterday, after Glenn Beck made a similarly stupid statement. Personally, I think they should listen to Mike Huckabee and his take on that:

"There's no way that they can call themselves conservative and do that," he said on CNN's "American Morning."You know, some people need to switch to decaf."

Decaf indeed!

Posted by MarlinNut @ 11:34 AM PST [link]

Officer Down

The Los Angeles Police Department is in mourning this morning, as SWAT team member Randal Simmons, 51, was killed during an early morning shootout in the West Valley. His partner, James Veenstra, also 51, was wounded in the face and undergoing surgery.

The incident began last night around 9PM when a man called 911 to say that he had killed three members of his family. SWAT was called in around midnight, and entered the house around 1AM, resulting in the shooting. Shortly after daybreak, and an exchange of gunfire with police, additional officers entered the residence and found the suspect dead, along with the three members of his family.

There is no profession as thankless - and potentially dangerous - as law enforcement, and yet brave men and women continue to answer the call. They are the backbone of a civilized society, and yet we seldom give them the respect and thanks they so richly deserve. Only at times like these, or when there is a scandal, do we even recognize their existance. That is just plain wrong.

As a side note, Simmons' death was the first for a member of the LAPD SWAT squad. SWAT was invented here in LA back in 1971, and famously popularized in the 70s TV show. Even though they are the tip of the spear, called in when the field officers find more than they can handle, they have a fantastic safety record. They will learn from today's incident, and only become better.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of officers Simmons and Veenstra.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 10:31 AM PST [link]

What Did We Learn?

Yesterday were the "Super Tuesday" primary elections or, as candidate Barack Obama put it, "Super Duper Tuesday". Super indeed, as nearly half the delegates for the parties' national nominating conventions were on the table. It was thought that a lot would be learned by the end of the day. But what did we really learn yesterday?

Let's start with what we didn't learn yesterday - the names of the final two candidates for President. Sure, John McCain took a big leap in the delegate counts, but he still has problems with a large part of his party, and neither of his two rivals appears to be going anywhere. On the Democratic side, Hillary won the big states as planned, but Obama made a surprisingly strong showing and is still nipping at her heels - and his campaign is clearly the one with momentum as we move forward.

Super Tuesday did teach us some things, though. We learned that both campaigns are liable to be settled not at the ballot box but on the convention floor. The Clinton campaign started out believing their candidate was pre-ordained as the Democratic nominee, and felt that by this point they'd have an overwhelming lead in delegates. If they didn't already know it - and they should have - they learned yesterday that Barack Obama is a serious challenger, and has a significant base of supporters that Hillary just doesn't reach. She has the women and hispanics, but Barack has the black and young voters - people who see him as someone like themselves. Clinton came away from yesterday's contests with a slight lead in delegates, but those came from three urban states - California, New York and Massachusetts. Obama's wins came from a larger number of smaller states. This one will turn on the remaining high-density states - Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. If Obama does well, Hillary could be in trouble.

Over on the Republican side of the circus, we learned that John McCain has legs as a candidate. He took nearly twice as many delegates yesterday as did Mitt Romney, who suddenly finds himself in a fight with Mike Huckabee for the conservative vote. McCain referred to himself as the "front runner" last night for the first time, and if Huckabee and Romney keep splitting the conservative vote it won't be long until McCain calls himself the "presumptive candidate". But the conservative drum-beaters continue to harp on McCain for perceived liberalism, and have said some amazingly stupid things in reference to his campaign (more in a minute). All things considered, though, McCain must be thrilled this morning.

We learned - or, more importantly, he learned - that Mitt Romney has a real problem if he wants to be President. Other than states where he has a home or a connection - or wasn't really challenged - Romney hasn't shown well. And with Mike Huckabee winning a handful of southern states, that's more delegates that Romney counted on winning that he doesn't have. He was pressuring Huckabee to pull out last week - Romney (who has sunk $17 million of his own cash into the campaign) might be the one to have to head to the sidelines.

One last thing we learned yesterday is just how rabid the conservative wing of the Republican Party really is, and just how silly some of the statements they make can be. If you read yesterday's entry, you know that I belong to the Grand Old Party. However, while I'm certainly right of center, I'm nowhere near as conservative as the talking heads that you hear pouring their vitriol out of your radio speakers. They've made no attempt to hide their disgust at the thought of having McCain as their candidate, apparently deciding to forget his many conservative positions and instead focus on his willingness to at least consider the ideas pondered by the Democrats. Frankly, I think the biggest challenge we as a country face is our inability to consider the other guy - that's why we're stuck in neutral as other countries like India, Brazil and China get their acts together and leave us in their wake.

Topping all the silly sentiments yesterday was one expressed by talk show and CNN host Glenn Beck. Beck likes to consider himself an "open minded" guy, and yet he made this enlightened statement: If John McCain is made the Republican nominee, he's voting for Hillary Clinton. WTF? Talk about cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. I can't imagine a dumber statement for a conservative "voice" to make. This just shows the blind singleminded idealism that these guys are showing - and it's just as bad (but maybe not so visibly stupid) on the other side. All the more reason to rally around a candidate - from either party - who can work with the other side to move the country forward.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 10:46 AM PST [link]

Get Out And Vote!

As a people, I don't think there's a more spoiled bunch than we Americans. We ask for a lot - and usually get it - and not much is asked of us. We live in relative prosperity and relative health and relative peace, we have enough to eat, our kids get schooled, and when we go to sleep at night, we know we'll probably not be killed before morning. There's a reason why so many are so desperate to come here.

Today is one of those rare times when we are asked to act - election day. Today, across California and 23 other states, voters will cast their ballots for the candidates of their choice and for or against a series of propositions. There is no more important or precious obligation of living in a democracy. When people talk fighting for liberty, or dying for one's country, this is what they were fighting and dying for - the simple right to have your voice heard. For those of us who inherited this gift, it is easy to undervalue it. But ask anyone who has been to war - they understand.

State leaders claim that today's election, with controversial candidates and propositions, will generate one of the largest voter turnouts in many years, as nearly 8 million Californians are expected to cast a ballot. Yet the population of California is nearly 37 million - that means this "wonderful turnout" is really only around 25 percent. That, quite frankly, is pathetic. There is no reason why you should not vote today. If time or convenience is an issue, you can vote by mail as I do. If you work, your employer is required by law to give you the time needed to visit a polling place. If you do not vote today, it will only be because you chose not to.

The California primary elections were traditionally held in early June, and were moved up to be part of "Super Tuesday". The reasoning was that while the candidates were more than happy to hold fundraisers in California - and then spend that money in Iowa and New Hampshire - the contests were long settled before the primaries arrived in California. Critics felt the move would have no effect, but they were clearly wrong - both parties held debates in Southern California, and the candidates have all spent a lot of time in the state. A good decision, indeed.

It doesn't matter who you vote for today. You can vote for your cat if that is your choice. What is important is that you exercise your right - and your obligation - to get out and vote.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:40 AM PST [link]

Thanks A Lot, Phil ...

America's favorite rodent, Punxatawny Phil, popped his head out of the burrow on Saturday just long enough to see his shadow. That's right, sports fans - 6 more weeks of winter. Just what I need.

Here at the Home Office, we're a classic 60's beach house. That means there's not a stitch of insulation in the place. Normally, that's no big deal, since the temperature band is only about 20 degrees. This winter, though, it's been particularly nasty, with outside temperatures dropping into the 30's. That means inside temperatures in the 30's, too - which pretty much sucks. So another month and a half of winter doesn't put much of a smile on my grill.

The one ray of hope is that Phil's rival, Georgia's General Beauregard Lee, went shadowless, so we have a split decision. Unfortunately, I fear that tie goes to Phil ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 05:53 PM PST [link]

Trademark This: 18 and 1

As Chris Berman would no doubt say, "Dat's why they play the games."

In an upset that will take its place alongside the greatest in the history of professional sports, the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII, crushing the Pats dream of an undefeated season and at the same time, their aura of invincibility.

And I was giggling like a little schoolgirl ...

- This wasn't a case of the Pats making mistakes - they were flat-out beaten by a team that was, at least on this day, the better squad. Going in, everyone knew what they were getting with the Patriots - the best team in the game, maybe ever. But the Giants were a big bag of if's - if the secondary didn't get burned by the Pats receiver corps, if the defensive line could find a way to get in Tom Brady's face, if Eli Manning didn't start to look like ... Eli Manning. If they came true, we knew we might have a game. And oh, boy - did we!

- Let's give credit where it's due: Eli Manning earned every bit of his MVP trophy. There was a brief period mid-game where he made a couple of bad decisions and questionable throws, but he played a very solid game going toe-to-toe and throw-for-throw with the best QB in the game today. His life will be forever changed by his performance yesterday - from now on, his name is "Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning" and not "that other Manning kid". The chaos starts today at 10:30, when Eli will be leading a parade down Main Street at Disneyland.

- Of course, Eli isn't the MVP - and the Pats aren't 18-1 - if the Giants receiving corp didn't step up. Plaxico Burriss got all the attention coming into the game with his skills and his mouth, and he spent most of the game fighting off double teams. That left the other, more or less nameless wideouts to take on the load. SC fans already knew that Steve Smith was a quality possession receiver, but the rest of the world knows now. In addition , both Kevin Boss and David Tyree made key catches to keep drives alive. For all the talk of Moss, Welker and company, it was the hands of the Giants that won the game. And suddenly, Plax will be mentioned alongside "Broadway Joe" Namath as a pre-game prognosticator.

- Can you say enough about the defensive scheme of the Giants? You can bet defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is on the short list for the Redskins and anyone else looking for a strong defensive minded head coach. Everyone talked about the ability of Patriots coach Bill Belechick to use the two weeks before the Super Bowl to lay out a good game plan, but it was the Giants and Spagnuolo who had the upper hand. For most of the game, the Patriots couldn't find any kind of a rhythm due to the intense pressure of the Giants defense. And even the best quarterback can't win the big game if he spends most of it on his ass ...

- No one should assume that the Patriots didn't put up a valiant effort. With three minutes left in the game, they held the lead. Tom Brady, in spite of getting hit more times than he'd been hit all season, still had a solid, error-free game. Wes Welker tied a Super Bowl record with 11 receptions, and was on his way to the MVP until that last drive happened. Even Randy Moss managed to get into the act with a touchdown. But in the end, as both defenses clearly tired, the Pats left too much time on the clock when they scored, giving Manning a full 3 minutes. They challenged him to beat them, and to his credit, he did.

- A couple of things will stick in my mind after this one. The obvious joy of Peyton Manning, watching the game in suit and tie up in a luxury box (suit and tie at the Super Bowl? Archie raised those kids right ...), to see his little brother succeed on the greatest of stages. The obvious lack of class on the part of Bill Belechick who sprinted off the field to the locker room before the final snap of the game (is anyone really surprised?). The incredible, game-changing, life-changing play in which Eli Manning - swarmed by the Pats O-Line and thisfar from a horsecollar tackle - managed to spin away and fire the ball 30 yards down the field to a totally covered Tyree, who somehow outlept the two defenders and pinned the ball against his helmet as he flipped backwards and bent into an angle that made every sore back in America squeal in pain. Tom Petty showing that he still has it - and had no malfunctions, wardrobe or other.

- It was one for the ages, and I'm glad I saw it. Somewhere, the '72 Dolphins are taking a big sigh of relief - and a big swig of champagne.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 10:16 AM PST [link]

Here She Is ... Miss Weekend Eye Candy!

It's been a while since the Miss America Pageant has had any real relevance in American culture. Started in 1921 as an Atlantic City beauty pageant, the event has long struggled to get out from under the impression that it's nothing more than a skin fest.

Ever since long time emcee Burt Parks was canned in 1979, Miss America has floundered. From the Vanessa Williams scandal in the 80's to losing their TV contract a few years ago, the pageant has seen its popularity sag. Attempts to revitalize the event with younger hosts and a hip new location in Las Vegas have met with only mild success.

This year, TLC bought the rights to the event and created a reality show around it. In "Miss America: Reality Check", the series poked fun at the traditions of the pageant and attempted to update the image of Miss America. One of those changes was to leave the one-piece bathing suits behind in favor of hot bikinis on the catwalk. I'll leave it to you to determine if it worked or not. Here we see Miss Michigan, Kirsten Haglund, working it for the people. She must have done something right, because she's now the new Miss America 2008.

Sure, she's got the tiara and the sash ... and the cash. But how many women can claim the coveted title of "Miss Weekend Eye Candy"!

Posted by MarlinNut @ 01:22 PM PST [link]

Big Game Breakdown

I guess I won't be able to go into the weekend without at least taking a shot at the Super Bowl, so here goes:

Patriots win.

Thanks, and have a safe drive home.

OK, it probably won't be as easy as that, but there's just no way you can bet on it going any other way. Ever since they lost to the Colts in the playoffs last year, the Patriots have been on a mission. They've shown that they'll do anything to get over the top - whether it's legal (hiring an entirely new receiver corps) or not (SpyGate). They've been of one mind this season, and that mind belongs to the Hoodie - and do you really think they'd let up now? The Giants have a good team, and their 3 straight road playoff victories are a real feel-good tale. But if they somehow defeated the Patriots, it would go down as one of the biggest upsets in the history of professional sports, and I just don't see it. Doesn't mean I don't want it, but I just don't see it.

Patriots 31, Giants 17.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 07:44 AM PST [link]