Back and better than ever

I apologize for my self-imposed exile of the past 3 months. I've been trying to refocus and regroup for a busy winter. Sort of like a reverse hibernation. Who am I kidding? I've been too lazy to update my blog. Man, that says a lot. It's good to be back, though. So, without further ado...

1. The Patriots are good.

I mean, I knew that they were going be frontrunners after all the off-season garage sale pick-ups Belichick and the front office acquired, but sheesh...this is just ridiculous. 9-0, with a legitimate shot at 19-0, and Maddenesque numbers being put up by Tom Brady and Randy Moss. Spygate shmygate...I don't care how many video cameras you have pointed at the Jets' sideline, or how many microphones you have in the Browns' locker room, or how many web cams you have in the Cowboys' shower...you still have to read the coverage and you still have to be able to execute. Plain and simple. Maybe the "cheating" gives them a slight advantage, but the Pats are still annhilating almost every team they face. With Buffalo, the Jets, the Dolphins, and the Ravens coming up, the beat-downs should continue. Pittsburgh is playing some good football these days, and you never know which Eagles and Giants teams will show up, so we'll just have to wait and see how things unfold over the next 7 weeks.

2. The Blue Jackets are on the brink of being good.

It's very early in a very long season, but as of today the CBJ are 5th in the Western Conference, with a record of 8-5-3. While most teams in the NHL would be happy with that record, the Jackets, and their fans, have to be ecstatic. A friend of mine told me that the philosophy of Ken Hitchcock is to break the season down into 8 10-game mini-seasons. It keeps the team focused and striving for a .500 or better record in each 10-game stint. The Jackets went 6-3-1 in their first series, and are 2-2-2 in the current one. With 3 of their next 4 games taking place at Nationwide Arena, there is a good chance that their second series will finish not too far off the mark set by the first.

Pascal LeClaire has been, for the most part, sublime in goal. Coming into this season, he had 1 shutout in his brief NHL career. He has 5 so far this season. However, it's feast or famine for our favorite French-Canadian goalie, as he either throws a no-hitter or turns into, well, Pascal LeClaire.

Rick Nash has been scoring points by the bushel, which is exactly what he was born to do. It's finally nice to see him doing what he's done for Team Canada over the last 5 years...score big goals and carry his team to victory.

All that being said, I do realize that the CBJ have 66 games left this season, of which they could easily lose 50.


3. The Buckeyes pulled off a coup d'etat by ascending to the throne, and have now been summarily tossed into banishment by the public.

Was it smoke and mirrors that got Ohio State to 10-0? Were the Buckeyes looking ahead to their showdown with Michigan? Did Jim Tressel forget to put on his lucky sweater vest this past Saturday? It really doesn't matter what the answer may be, because the Buckeyes took themselves right out of the National Championship hunt by doing their best impersonation of a fish out of water against Illinois. At home, senior day, #1 in the nation, against an unranked team. If you're going to go down, you may as well go down hard. As George Costanza once said, "I really wanna leave my mark this time, you know? I wanna walk away from the Yankees with people saying 'Wow! Now that guy got canned!'"

Until next time, please take a moment to remember all our fallen soldiers on this Veterans' Day.

Beatlemania

Last night, my awesome daughter climbed a few more rungs on the ladder of coolness. She's 3 1/2, which you must keep in mind. She's the coolest person I've ever met, and her actions last evening made me beam with pride.

I'm channel surfing and came upon VH1 Classic, which is quickly becoming my favorite station. They were showing Backbeat, which is a rather cheesy dramatization of the early years of the Beatles. My daughter looked at me and said, "That's the Beatles." I was shocked. Awesome! I told her that it kind of was, but kind of wasn't. She said, "I want to watch the Beatles." I almost fell out of my chair. "Really?" I asked. "OK...I'll put on some Beatles." So, I walked over to the DVD collection and grabbed one of my many Beatles discs and popped it in. For the next hour, she rocked out to the Beatles, dancing and attempting to sing along. She's 3!! My 3 year old daughter is loving her some Beatles. I couldn't be more excited and proud.

To further drive the point home, those who know me know that I don't let anybody touch my Beatles shit...books, DVDs, CDs, LPs, toys, etc. I broke out of my shell and let her play with my Beatles action figures (yes...I own Beatles action figures). She had a blast. It was a real father-daughter moment that will forever be etched in my brain.

Gotta love kids.

Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog

It's been quite some time since I last posted anything. A lot has happened in the past month...the Cavs lost the NBA Finals in four games, Angel Cabrera won the U.S. Open, Tiger Woods became a father, Maria Sharapova was bumped early from Wimbledon (sob, sob), Harry Potter mania has swung into full effect, and my company has undergone a huge reorganization that has left many of us dizzy and lightheaded.

However, all of this has been overshadowed by the greatest spectacle on the planet, the championship to end all championships, the most amazing sporting event ever to take place...

The 2007 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Competition.

Now, let me tell you, any sporting event where one of the contenders to win blows chunk into his hands and then proceeds to swallow said chunk, is the ultimate in grace, composure, and skill. Unfortunately for 6-time defending champ, Kobayashi, he met his match when American Joey Chestnut (that can't be his real name, can it?) downed a record 66 hot dogs (and buns) in 12 minutes. For those of you who may be mathematically challenged, that's 5 and 1/2 hot dogs (and buns) per minute.

Now that is what I call winning a world championship and breaking a record in style. Barry Bonds? Meh. Roger Clemens? Na. Joey Chestnut is the story of the year.

And he didn't even need to barf to prove that to me.

See you soon.

Umm...yeah...my bad...

So, umm, hi there...I got that one wrong, huh? Well, here's my Game 2 prediction...

Yeah...I'm not making a Game 2 prediction, because, well, my ass can't cash these kinds of checks.

On a lighter, much more sarcastic and ass-cracking note, my lovely wife directed me to this stolen archive of Nick Saban's itinerary. Enjoy.

Go Cavs...

LeBron...buddy...hate to say it, but the spotlight is glowing extra bright this week. I have faith...

Predictionitis

It's 11:20 pm...21 1/2 hours prior to tip-off between the Cavs and Spurs.

For the record, I want to cash in on my good sports mojo savings account and declare that I'm boldly predicting that Cleveland will steal Game 1 late in the 4th quarter in San Antonio and get things started proper style.

That's just my two cents...but we shall see...

To be continued...

So it's official...

The Cavs have done it. According to certain segments of the sports media world, they pulled off the single greatest miracle in the history of sports, the most amazing, stunning, shock-the-world win EVER.

Or did they?

All the spinning tops (I'm looking in your direction Woody Paige and Stephen A. Smith, et. al.) proclaimed two weeks ago that the Pistons were destined to advance to the NBA Finals, yet again...most assuredly in four games. Did I believe the prophecies of these modern day sports soothsayers?

Nope.

I'm no Nostrodamus, but I pulled my good sports mojo out of my back pocket (see Patriots, Braves, Orangemen) and said that the Cavs would give Detroit all that they had. Did I think, realistically, that Cleveland would win the series...no...but, I knew that they were bringing back the same team as last year, with a 100% Larry Hughes (and a young stud named Daniel "Boobie" Gibson), and Detroit was without Ben "watch-my-afro-grow-during-this-Craig-Sager-interview" Wallace. I liked the Cavs chances to hang. Guess what? I was right, and then some.

The real test is upcoming...the Spurs have the advantage in almost every category. However, the fact of the matter is this...it's June, there are only two teams left, and the Cavs are still alive. Who'd have thunk it? I for one, would not. I've seen the promised land...and it is painted in wine and gold. Here's to a fun couple of weeks yet to come.

It was 40 years ago today...

Cheers to my all-time favorite band, my idols, The Beatles, on the 40th anniversary of their release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. We all know what a breakthrough, iconoclastic album it is, so there's really no need for a lot of hyperbole. In the music world, There was pre-Pepper and there's post-Pepper. It changed the landscape of music, fashion, culture, and style forever.

Sgt. Pepper still resonates today with the same jaw-dropping amazement that I'm sure was felt in 1967. I've listened to Pepper hundreds of times, and it's just as fresh today as the first time I heard it. To go from Please Please Me in 1962 to Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite five years later blows my mind! The musical evolution of The Beatles in such a short span reinforces the level of genius manifested in the four lads from Liverpool...the four coolest dudes to ever walk the planet, in my humble opinion.

Happy Birthday Sgt. Pepper, Billy Shears, Mr. Kite, and the rest of the swirling circus of characters!

WITNESS!!

What was I a witness to last night? Am I worthy of such a thing?

As I wrote in a previous entry, I live for the drama of sports. Last night was a religious experience for me...the wonderment of which I'm still recovering. The mind-blowing performance of one LeBron Raymone James in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals has to rank up there as one of the most amazing spectacles ever put on in the world of professional sports.

The ridiculously stupid NBA commercials featuring David Blaine spouting the magical qualities of the stars remaining in the playoffs may, in fact, be right on target. LeBron pulled off Houdini-esque, no, David-Copperfield-making-the-Statue-of-Liberty-"disappear"-esque feats of wonder last night in Detroit. In a town that gave us "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", LeBron carried the weight of his team, his city, his state, and anybody who loves sports to an unprecedented height. If you watched the game, you know what I'm talking about...if you didn't, find a friend or loved one who DVR'd it, sit your ass down on the couch, and become a witness. I still can't believe what I saw.

This is a Pistons team that many predicted would sweep the Cavs. Hell, the Cavs could be up 5-0 right now (yes, I realize that it's best of seven). This is a veteran Detroit team, at home, playing against one baller and a bunch of pick-ups. End of story. The Cavs, on paper, should be back home watching reruns of "White Shadow", while the Pistons gear up for the Spurs. On paper. Ah...but we all know that games are not played nor won on paper. When you have an x-factor such as LeBron...game on.

Scoring the final 25 points of the game for the Cavs, and 29 of the final 30 (in double overtime, no less), on the road, with Kid Rock and Bob Seger staring you down like Black Bart to your sheriff, in basically a must-win situation...unbelievable. I'm having difficulties formulating my thoughts into words this morning. It was that amazing!

And what makes it even better is that LeBron is genuinely a team player, a guy that just wants to win, whether it's he alone, or with a supporting cast. Best quote of the night:

"If I did everything I did tonight and we lost, it means nothing," James said. "The win is the most important thing for us, and we need one more win to reach our goal."

For all the talking heads who criticized LeBron for not taking the shot at the end of Game 1, and criticized him for taking the last shot at the end of Game 2, the reporters and sports talk hosts who said he doesn't come through in the clutch, doesn't finish games, is overrated...that discussion is officially closed...over...finished. Just like the Pistons are, hopefully.

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?

As you may have noticed, I have not posted anything new since the 3rd of the month. I was in Charleston, SC for a week attending a marketing conference, followed by a week's stint in Toronto at a horrendously boring convention (I did, however, enjoy some very nice meals and some fantastic wine). I was without access to a computer during that time.

Jen left for Spain on Saturday afternoon (her company has a lab in Granada and she kicks so much ass that they asked her to go scope it out for a week), so I'm home alone with the kiddies.

So, between catching up on the 400+ work emails I received while I was traveling and entertaining/feeding/clothing/keeping alive my children, I haven't had a chance to sit down and write about all the fun and exciting things happening in our world. Rest assured all you Tangled Up In Blog fans (of which there may be 2), I will be back and better than ever in the coming days!

So what's the deal with this blog?

I think (if for no other reason than to keep myself somewhat in check) it would be a good idea to briefly expound (I believe that would be what some people call an oxymoron) on what this blog is all about. I'm not sure I'd ever heard of a blog until at least a year after they became trendy, and, even then, I thought creating and maintaining one was way over my head.

Then, a couple of months ago, I accidentally stumbled upon a blog written by a buddy of mine. I was Googling a topic we had discussed involving March Madness and a certain series of fucking retarded Applebee's commercials involving a retired high school basketball coach and his thankless hag of a wife, when I happened upon his blog with which he had addressed the topic of our conversation. I started reading it on a regular basis and discovered that I, too, wanted to have an outlet that would enable me to craft my writing and express my thoughts and opinions of the world around me.

First and foremost, this blog will be top-heavy with sports, music, entertainment, and pop culture writings and references because...well...that's what I like and that's what I know. Sure, some news and politics will fill in the gaps, and stories of my work, family, and friends will probably make guest appearances every once in awhile.

A few things you should know, in particular, about my sporting interests:

If it's even remotely considered a sport (i.e. cricket, billiards, horse racing, dwarf tossing, Battle of the Network Stars, etc.), there's about a 99% chance I'll tune in and watch it.

Nothing is more thrilling, in my opinion, than the drama of sports. I'm talking about Game 7, Sunday at the Masters, the Final Four, and the Super Bowl. I'm talking about walk-off home runs, double-overtime goals, buzzer beaters, and photo finishes. I'm talking about Kirk Gibson (1988 World Series), 4th and 1 against Purdue (Ohio State, 2002), Tiger on the 16th at the 2005 Masters, and guys named Bryce Drew from Valpo. Give me any of those on any given day. I love it and I live for it.

Speaking of living, I was born in New York (Upstate...not that other part of the state that everyone always thinks of), moved to Atlanta, New York again, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Atlanta again, Virginia, Atlanta again, and finally, Ohio (I'm staying here for good...I'm fucking tired of moving), so my sports teams are all over the map. Seriously, here are my teams:

• Atlanta Braves
• New England Patriots
• Columbus Bluejackets
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Manchester United
• Syracuse University basketball
• Ohio State University football

Over the course of this blog, I'll visit how I came to discover these teams, and how they became an integral part of my life. For the moment, I'd like to focus on the Braves, the first professional sports franchise I invested my life in (I was born into Syracuse basketball, bleeding Orange, a half mile from where the Carrier Dome stands...more on that later).

Atlanta Braves

Baseball is my first love. Period. Some of my earliest memories involve Little League, baseball cards, keeping score, trips to Cooperstown, and TBS. When I was 8 years old, living outside Syracuse, New York, I got hooked on the Braves. We had just moved from Atlanta, where I was mildly aware of the team, but Gobots, Return of the Jedi, and Michael Jackson's Thriller took up the bulk of my adolescent interests.

Most of my friends in NY were either Mets or Yankees fans, and I knew, even at that young age, that I hated both of those teams. Lucky for me, Ted Turner owned TBS and the Atlanta Braves, and they were on television every night (this was years before Fox Sports South, Turner South, and all the other satellite channels split the Braves TV schedule into a million pieces so a kid in New York could only watch a third of the games). This was THE Superstation in all its glory...when 162 games a year were televised...a decade and a half before the scheduling geniuses at the network decided that replaying Turner and Hooch 26 times in the month of July was better than a handful of series against the Mets, Phillies, Cubs, Cards, and Expos (yeah, I went down that road).

The Braves were still part of the NL West, so many of their games didn't even start until 10:00 PM EST. Luckily, I had a little UHF television set in my bedroom and I used to turn the games on when I was supposed to be sound asleep. Shhhh...don't tell my folks.

It was the era of 90 losses a year, Dale Murphy, Bob Horner, Glen Hubbard, Bruce Benedict, Rafael Ramirez, Bruce Sutter, Ozzie Virgil, Zane Smith, Fulton-County Stadium, and Skip Carey in all his fat, drunken, Bob-Uecker-in-Major League glory. It was awesome. I was there through it all, and got to experience pure-adrenaline elation when the Braves beat out the Dodgers on the last day of the season in 1991 to win the NL West and total sports euphoria when they finally got that beautiful World Series trophy in 1995.

I've been there through Tommy, Mad Dog, Smoltzy, Kid Avery, the Blause, the Lemmer, Otis, Justice, Francisco Cabrera, Sid, Klesko, Wo-daddy, Schmidty, Marquis, Javy, Rocker (meh), Turner Field, Chipper, Andruw, T-Hud, Frenchy, and McCann, just to name a few. It's been fun, and it looks like it may be fun for a while longer.

God bless America's Team.

Happy Birthday, Jen!

Today is my wonderful wife's 31st birthday. My, how the years fly by!

Happy Birthday, sweetie! You deserve to pamper yourself today and be treated like the queen you are. I look forward to celebrating many, many more with you and the kids! Cheers!

Keeping Up With the Joneses

Well, Manchester United failed to make any attempt at a comeback last night in Milan, falling 3-0 to the Italian football club. Thanks for showing up Reds...here are some nice parting gifts for you. Bye, bye treble. Oh well, there's still the Premiership and the FA Cup.

On a happier note, the Braves continued their great play last night, disposing of the Phillies 4-3. Chipper Jones is leading the National League in HRs (10), with 22 RBIs and a .318 average to boot. Perhaps we're seeing the reemergence of one of the best players (and by all accounts clean) in the game and a return to his MVP form of 1999. So far, I have to say I'm impressed with the active roster the Braves front office has put together around the nucleus of John Smoltz and the Jones boys.

Let's face it, Bobby Cox has to be nearing the end of his remarkable run with Atlanta, and with guys like Smoltzy and Chipper entering their penultimate years, or, in Andruw's case, likely headed to another ball club, these guys want to win another World Series as much as Kobe wishes he had Shaq back in L.A. John Schuerholz has built a solid group of players to help achieve this. Jeff Francoeur is playing lights-out and is more patient at the plate this season (.311, 5 HRs, 25 RBIs), Brian McCann is the next coming of Mike Piazza, but without the Posh Spice attitude, Tim Hudson is pitching like he did in Oakland (3-0, 1.40 ERA), Edgar Renteria is getting on base a lot (OBP of .403) and making the defensive plays we expect of him, and Kelly Johnson is filling in admirably at second (.323, 5 HRs). Bob Wickman, of blowing-saves-by-the-bushel-in-Cleveland fame, has been shutting down opponents left and right...that is until this week when he blew two saves and ended up on the 15-day DL. All things considered, the Braves are making a serious argument for being a contender for late October baseball glory. Of course, we have 5 and a half months to see how it all shakes out. I like our chances, though.

Stay tuned...

What the hell is a BLOG and why am I writing one??

This is my first official posting, and my first stab at the world of blogging.

As I sit here in my tiny office today, I'm listening to a live broadcast of the Manchester United-AC Milan semi-final match in the UEFA Champions League (gotta love the internet!!). MU is trailing 2-0 at halftime, and it sounds as if the end is in sight.

Too bad, really, as Liverpool put Chelsea away last night to advance to the finals. A northwest final between two storied football clubs would have been something to get excited about. Of course, this game isn't over just yet. We still have 45 minutes to square this game up. A draw advances MU, after we put AC Milan down last week 3-2. Stay tuned...