Monday Morning Rant

The beach cultivates my intuition

2008-03-03T12:52:00.001-08:00

..Or atleast I'll know in the next 24 hours whether this holds up yet again. Anytime, I've found myself in a rut creatively, personally, physically..My greatest relief, break, leap has come at the beach. In my formative years, this occured in Long Beach Island and in my only spring break appearance Jamaica. Later, Bethany Beach in Delaware is where my family decided would be our next summer break and so I dutifully drove down six hours every third week of August (and cursed at the Delaware highway authorities because there were traffic jams in Delaware on every single trip). Tomorrow, the next stage is in Aruba where I join my wife's family. I'm not sure this is going to be a relaxing trip. Eight of us will be stuffed into a two bedroom apartment. My solace will come during the day when I'm poolside or at beach. At night, my 3-year old and six year old nephews may go nuts. But that's what family trips are about. I was no less wild 26 years ago (though I thought I was a little more tame).
Either way, I'm certain I would've gladly taken a break from work on Aruba or Montana. Its been a cold, windy and harsh winter. We've not found luck in homes yet. Its taken a claw-like grip on our lives and its not a very pleasant experience.
But the beach, wow, my mind opens up with waves hitting the shore. Tropical drinks unlock the safe that kept my imagination in check. I start thinking about those days in Long Beach Island when I was a teenager, when I got so much fulfillment out of life.
A "beach romance" almost happened, but I let is slip through my fingers because NJ-to-Ohio commute was not really conducive though we remained in touch for a few years (KB from Cuyahoga County, I am talking to you).
Then there our endless games of Scrabble, Boggle, tennis, Kadima. ENDLESS being the right way to phrase it.
Marathon bike rides and running. So thru much needed time to exercise, I could replenish my soul. You see I've never gotten used to early-morning exercise before work ever. So as much as I enjoy working out on the weekends, working out during the week is a crap@#. So vacation is where this happens and I enjoy every second of it
Finally, me and good literature connect here at the intersection of land, sea. Giving me some newfound patience and insight on a level I never thought I would have. Michael Chabon has taken words to a new level of precision and appreciation. You can't read this man in a bus or subway or even at home
In order to appreciate his words, you need to be free of responsibililty, absolved of any obligation and this is precisely what I found out last summer with the Yiddish Policeman's Union and later, the Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (the latter, which I will finally complete on this trip).
Well even in writing this, I've truly gotten myself excited.
Until next time.
Have some cocktails, put on the Beach Boys and read a good book when you find that you find that intersection of life and work has gotten too clogged and stuffy.

The Aftermath

2008-02-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

Glory is fading, it is still a desolate February afternoon. What I experienced in the last 21 days (this was no blackjack moment) was triumph, elated glory, disappointment, anguish, sorrow, desperation and finally yesterday defeat. This is what happens when the football team you routed for since you were able to crawl rises up from nowhere to not only win the Super Bowl, but beat Green Bay at Lambeau Field to get there and then beat the undefeated all-world beating and yes undefeated (at the time) Patriots to get there. Then this is what happens in the forthcoming days, when your housing search starts to get numb as the days get colder. When you realize your place of work is no longer what it seems. Then finally, you get great news, that you finally found a house that we (meaning me and Mrs) only to be told that another bid was accepted. The momentary sense of warmth replaced by bitter cold yet again

Super Bowl XLII

2008-02-03T05:18:00.000-08:00

There will be some great highs that I will experience today. In no particular order, its Skyping with my 7-month old nephew halfway across the world, running for nearly two hours in the frigid artcie, making an ambitious bean dip from the pages of that culinary thesis (the NY Post), for once staying home on a Super Bowl Sunday with a six pack of beer for the first time in about oh six years and finally watching my Giants run thru the tunnel in about 10 hrs to try and make a run at history.
I can't say what happens next.
Who can get into the mind of the madness. The Patriots are after all 18-0 and are playing in warm weather again after struggling in cold weather over the last month. Their run-and-gun show can resume. They've also had an extra week to heal after looking miserable in a 12-point win against the Chargers.
Yet everytime I dissect an opponent these past few weeks; I've noted that they might have too much momentum and too much skill and it could be a long night for the G-men. My team in all honesty is in that kind of zone, where they've basically defied all the odds and won.
And that's precisely why I'm staying home today. I like getting together with friends and family, but when it comes down to my team starting at oh 6:18 on a cold Sunday night.
I'd rather just be with the wife and my cat if the worst happens and the missus suckers me into watching something on TIVO when its 38-0 Pats in the 2Q or is there in triumph of another ridiculously awesome upset.
Driving home or taking a subway after all this madness seems like a long slow boring anti-climax under any of these scenarios today.

Pardon The Interruption

2008-01-27T16:55:00.000-08:00

NY Post hockey beat writer Larry Brooks manages to be the one writer at that publication who raises my ire the most (more then Mushnick would ever hope to get from me). Why? Because he's a partisan NY Rangers, anti-NJ Devils fan and he writes like one. I can't believe the NY Post keeps this guy on payroll, because not one nice thing is ever said about the Devils, he overanalyzes line shifts by current Rangers head coach Tom Renney and every chance he gets he lobs a fastball at the Devils.
This happened again this Sunday, when he wined about the state of parity in the NHL in advance of tonight's all-star game. How teams now play to get to overtime to get that one point that the NHL awards even if you lose. And then he says, how else do you explain the Devils. Well, Larry..the standings today, show the Rangers have 6 OT losses and the Devils 3. Also, you take a swipe at the state of affairs on the Devils.
Well, having lost many key free agents in recent years, my favorite hockey team is still in first place and its because Martin Brodeur is once again the finest goaltender in the game. Absent a first rate defense, it looks like he is on his way to getting his most saves ever. (he has made 1166 saves so far this year and last year his 2,182 saves was the most in his career), is averaging 2.16 GAA and .919 save percentage. All amongst his best marks. Also, we've seen the rising of some news stars this year in Zach Parise and Travis Zajac and a fiery head coach in Brent Sutter. Whether this combination works in the end, we'll know more in April. For now, Mr. Brooks, your boring, boarish behavior and 1600 word columns need to go the way of Stephane Matteau, who's heartbreaking OT goal against the Devils in the 1994 Eastern Conference finals stands as the last great highlight that your Rangers will ever see (okay, I'll concede that um Stanley Cup win too).
Signed, this snobbish Devils fan.

The Final Showdown at the Frozen Tundra

2008-01-20T03:58:00.000-08:00

Am I getting caught up in the hype?
You bet I am. My fun-loving giants, who seem to lose players to injuries every week. Are back at at it again. With a Super Bowl shot on the line. In Lambeau Field vs. The Last Gunslinger. (and this is not Stephen King's gunslinger Roland, the protagonist of the Dark Tower anthology). Brett Favre has had his own tragedies and triumphs to fill a couple of novels in his 15 + years in the league.
But what's stood out is that he has done it in one place and united by one nation. The Green Bay Packers ties with their hometown go back to 1921. They play in the same stadium and are a true standardbearer for this league. Their road to redemption (two years after a 3-13 season and Brett's "certain retirement) are also an inspiring story.
Like I said last week kids, I've written way too much on my Giants these past few weeks. Its time to let the story unfold on the field.
I promise like I said last week, more on politics, entertainment and prose in the coming weeks.

Thanks Frr The Memories

2008-01-13T05:09:00.000-08:00

Well unlike Fall Out Boy's not-so-memorable to one night stands, the Giants atleast have stuck around thru now 17 nights this season. Teasing us with the extraordinary and more often then not breaking our hearts with dropped passes and misreads. But in the last two games, this team has proven that its ready to rise above the muck and make a name for itself. BTW, PTI..while Brett Favre said yesterday on multiple occassions that he was ready for Dallas, he forgot that they hadn't played yet. Or was Brett, rather, subconscioulsy SCARED to face the Giants..Well anyways, getting back to the task at hand. The G-Men have a shot today and I think its because we drafted Ahmad Bradshaw in the seventh round. Honestly, the kid never saw a pass or rush thrown in his direction until the 11th week of the season. He has fresh legs, and he's actually pretty darn fast. I know the NFL will punish you for crimes and misdismeanors in College in the NFL draft, but I'm rather shocked no team took this kid as a fourth round draft choice. The Cowboys know everyone else on the Giants, except this kid. So I have a feeling like the Giants can win this game if they stick to a classic 1-2 rushing attack w/Jacobs and Ward and get Eli 20-25 passing attempts in play action.
This brings us back full circle to game 1 of the season. The Giants must still find a way to stop the passing attack of Romo, Owens, Witten and crew. But you know what, I think we'll have another ole fashioned shootout in D-Town and the Giants will not go down thrice to Dallas. As a backup though I did buy free tickets for Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, plus Carrie Underwood to attend the game. Not sure why that might be noteworthy here.
I assure you loyal readers, I will delve more into politics and prose next week or the week after, but I gotta see this through.

On Any Given Saturday...

2007-12-30T06:06:00.000-08:00

What happened last night might be the turning point in Eli Manning's young career. We reserve judgement on this call until next weekend at Raymond James Stadium when we face old foe Jeff Garcia and yet another new team, the Tampa Bay Bucs, for the third wildcard playoff game in the last five years.
But what can I write this morning, that hasn't been said already by my the magnificent sportswriting brethren! Eli stared down the kings of kings, the New England Patriots, and nearly won the battle. He found a new weapon in Kevin "Who's the" Boss, was composed in the pocket, and found Plaxico Burress again (he looked the healthiest he has since the first month of the season). The Giants D, as I predicted, could not stop the Patriots all-world WR tandem of Randy Moss and Wes Welker, but the Pats RB, Laurence Maroney did nothing and Tom Brady got some pressure on him.
Did we lose the war? Well if Kavika Mitchell is out next week, I think the Bucs are still going to be scared by this Gerris Wilkinson guy. Came off the bench was involved in every play. Offensive line didn't flinch when their true center Shaun O'Hara came out with an injury.
So here is what I think this did and history may have to soon start judging "crazy" Tom Coughlin on this year. I think he motivated this squad by leaving all the starters in and fighting till the end when they had ZERO to play for.
You read the comments by some of these G-men this morning and they sound pretty darn confident. Whether this translates to a "W" in Tampa and beyond, we don't know. But we do know is that Coughlin and "easy" Eli have these guys on the same page. These guys possibly have the best mindset heading in the postseason then the previous two years. And more importantly, they get homefield advatange (because its a roadgame).

Note to readers: I promise you that after this month is over, I'll return to more widranging topics then the pigskin. Until then, Chris Matthews can sure as hell adequately tell you about the upcoming presidential caucuses in Iowa and New Hampshire over the next week or so.

Ways to Cement the NY Giants as Legend Killers

2007-12-25T03:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, let's make this crystal clear, I don't think my NY Giants have a shot-in-hell of defeating the New England Patriots and has nothing to do with Tom Brady and Randy Moss, but rather this one important reason. After that, I will devise a few suggestions that, if g-d willing, Michael Strahan, Plaxico Burress and especially Easy Eli read, it might just work. Okay, here is the main problemo..

THIS GAME IS NOT AT GILLETTE STADIUM-Why would I say this? Well, the Giants need to see a shrink during the offseason, since they've played in NJ this season like they don't belong. 77K + plans watching the G-men get blown out this season by Washington, Minnesota, Dallas and Green Bay. Meantime, the G-men went 7-1 on the road this season and may have cemented their status as Super Bowl darkhorses, because they don't have to play at home ever again this season (barring some goofy wild card scenario). In the process, they made the phrase don't hate the player, hate the game not only trendy again on the road, but made it a scene. Fans in Detroit, Chicago, Buffalo and others witnessed their teams turn into stiffs, while Eli Manning turned into his brother for seven minutes in the 4Q after playing awful for the entire game. So whoever shows up on Saturday night, it might be worth it to just wait a week and enjoy the Giants on the road, its a happenin...

So in case, the Giants want some locker room material, I gave it to them, now that they are paying attention, here's the game plan you need to upset the Pats on the way to the road (literally) to the Super Bowl

Run Brandon Run..Run Ahmad Run-They are not predicting rain on Saturday, but it will be in the 30s in that wind zone of a stadium in the swamp. Again, the light bulb in your head started to turn on Sunday in Buffalo Coach Coughlin. Let Eli throw at most, 25 attempts this game and and hand the damn ball off. Week 14..the Pats beat the tarr out of the Steelers, but the leading rusher in that game was Willie Parker with 134 yrds. The Giants know how to run block. They've had four different RBs lead the game in rushing this season. It's their strength, while Plaxico's gimpy ankle and Jeremy Shockey's absence make this a necessity. Pound Jacobs inside and give Ahmad Bradshaw, perhaps the best seventh round pick ever a healthy dose of sweeps

Pray For Rain/SnowYou don't want Tom Brady to get clear looks for Randy Moss, Donta Stallworth, Jabar Gaffney, Wes Welker, or Scooby Doo for that matter. I think the Giants likely have their best secondary in many years, but they still don't have the depth (who the heck does this season) to keep up with these guys..you take Lawrence Maroney rushing for a 1oo yds, if it means keeping these speedsters off the track. Weather.com gives a 10% chance on Saturday, 60% chance Sunday. So anything goes on Saturday night.

The bulb can't go off in Eli's head with 7 minutes to go in the game-It might be 34-3 by then and Matt Cassel the Pats 2nd stringer may have thrown a TD pass or two by then. Immediately start Eli in the no huddle from the start. Hey, it might even give the Giants some momentum that will carry over to the playoffs. He seems to excel when he's in constant rhythm/motion...and he seems to like looking for a wide array of WRs at that point..speaking of Matt Cassel..

Rough up Mr. Brady-Bill Belichick wants to win the Super Bowl more then chase history. Let me assure you of this. If Terrific Tom Brady is nicked, roughed up or hit in a bad manner. I can assure you, even with a bye, that Bill might just save his boy for the playoffs. I think Matt Cassel probably knows the system well enough that he still might be a threat. But every brake, the Giants can catch, they'll need it hear

Well I'm looking forward to the playoffs for a third consecutive year, I'll preview the more important games for the G-Men next week. Until then, enjoy and happy holidays folks and if you are not in NY or Boston, and you don't have the NFL Network, then you don't have to order it. If you are that curious about the Giants-Pats, then this internet thingies, actually give you a fairly good idea as to what's going on..really.

Rockin around the Christmas Tree

2007-12-20T17:48:00.000-08:00

..This December has been one that is far remote from winter's past. There are a dozen political candidates, 11 banking CEOs that have been or maybe fired, 10 Yankees who are alleged to have done steroids, 9 days where it been below 30, 8 crazy nights, 7 Harry Potters, six stories a day on economy's ills, five fantastic off-days coming up, four Die Hard movies (did anyone see III or IV), three happy bloggers (stop, the rest are cynics), two wins left for my Giants, one loud cat waking me everyday and ZERO WRITERS filling me up my winter with new TV shows.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
AND TO
ALL A GOOD NIGHT

The Cheaters Cottillion

2007-12-16T05:53:00.000-08:00

Did George Mitchell's somber speech remind anyone of the press conferences that used to be held in the aftermath of the Watergate breakin?
Well okay, equating Bud Selig with Richard Nixon is perhaps taking it too far, but I may have planted a bug in people's minds that the baseball commissioner could be the ultimate villian here. Letting juicers run amok in his game over the 15-20 years, while not stepping in to do something about it until quite recently. This thought has hardly original, but I let sportswriters around the country; radio show hosts and CNBC (for crying out loud..Citigroup appointed a new leader, the super-SIV is dead, the middle east in chaos and all these anchors wanted to talk about this week was the Mitchell Report..conspiracy indeed), have their fair shot and place lots of blame on the commish, the owners and the culture they "oversaw". Though, again, I think Bud didn't run in the same circles as say BALCO kingpin Victor Conte or the Mets sinister assistant trainer.
All I can do is offer Bud two paths to redemption and these two roads something that would not happen in today's day-and-age
1) RESIGN IMMEDIATELY: Admit you were the commissioner that was the overseer of this culture and ask for immediate government action to intervene and finally appoint an F-N neutral commissioner who was NEVER an owner and NEVER a player. Just somebody who can arbritate, mediate and may have been a fan of the game at one point or another. In the past, I've admired NBC sportscaster Bob Costas and columnist George Will for their love of the game and wondered if they might make good candidates. I stand by that assertion (though Costas still owes me a hockey interview from three years ago).
2) BAN THE ACTIVE PLAYERS ON THE LIST FROM THE GAME-Why did I bold that suggestion. Because you are trying to send an active message. Would the player's union, American Civil Liberties Union, the government..etc. etc. allow it. Probably not. Nor is there conclusive proof that everyone on that list did it.
But that's why you take active measures to beef up testing procedures. That's why upon immediatey testing positive, that instead of 50-games, its more a one-and-done scenario. Baseball my hurt in the short-term, but the game will have taken steps to correct itself, because here is the thoughts I had this week in the wake of the report.

...I'm a diehard Yankees fan and this morning, I'm sad to say that I don't very much like Andy Petite anymore. I'm glad he admitted taking HGH and I think it time, he called it a career. I once watched Mark McGwire as a wide-eyed 23-year old make history in 1998 by breaking Roger Maris record and now I'm thinking that I wasted time on that as well. Call me a cynic, but baseball indeed will be hard for me to watch next year . ! Knowing that I might wonder and guess who's next. Who did what.
...I sure enjoyed watching the NJ Devils play yesterday in the brand new Prudential Center in Newark. Gorgeous arena. Two streets from the Newark Path Station. Might enjoy more time there then in Yankee Stadium this spring.

The Return of the King*

2007-11-25T10:06:00.001-08:00

Well I mistook my Yankee pride and A-Rod's agent miscalculated his net worth. The result is that A-Rod decided to come crawlin back to the Bronx with a modest USD 3m pay raise and Warren Buffett's sound financial advice that he would maximize his net worth in um Gotham (as opposed to say LA).
I fully realize that this rant is about a week-and-half too late, but I needed to figure out, well is my blog worth it at this point? I mean mr. 28m man will be in pinstripes. I will once again resume my 32nd year on this earth routing for the Yankees. So I guess everytime A-Rod hits an A-Bomb (I must never quote John Sterling ever again)..I will probably clap my hands cheer. But when we approach October again and A-Rod hits .223 in the league championship series, I will once again resume my arguments that this dude will simply never close to Reggie in terms of being Mr. October. So I say to that Alex, prove me wrong, you have seven years and oh what..300m if you get the record
As for my blog, well we all need an escape..especially for this mild-mannered business writer tha sometimes forget he become creative some times..especially when a great story is at his fingertips..So every Sunday or so..I'll sit down..drink my coffee and perhaps try and illuminate you with some sarcastic observations..some witty banter and engage in topics..that hopefully will be more serious, and a level of realism that far eclipse Mr. Rodriguez's pursuit of fame and glory in the Bronx.

Knocked Up, Coming Back For More, and a tribue to a runner

2007-11-04T06:38:00.000-08:00

Well I just watched Knocked Up last night and I must say again..Judd Apatow is sheer genius. He taps into that inner voice of ours where we think alot of things, but never say them. Only this time around Seth Rogen's protagonist character says alot of it and more. His castmates follow suit. And it may have been raunchy, over-the-top (zero need for the "scene" within the pregnancy scene). And this gets my utmost Berke's Law 6 stars out of 5. I was so amazed that I linked up immediately to the SuperBad website-the next Apatow production--but saw zero info when its coming out of DVD.
Now to the news of the week. Merrill kicked Stanley O'Neal out of the exeutive suite and Chuck Prince of Citigroup is following him. I never saw this coming, but when Wall Street takes catastrophic losses then somebody needs to be ushered out the door. Ultimately, do we know what kind of stewardship Prince or O'Neal had over their mortgage lending units and super-advanced SIVs? Hard to say, when you are a running a multi-zillion dollar global conglomerate. What is certain is like any other high profile "corporation" this fall somebody has to be the sacrificial lamb.
I can't digress any further on pop culture or wall street.
As a fellow runner, yesterday's death by Ryan Shay was tragic and just a devastating loss for the running community. I've run a NYC Marathon. I endured pain that was unbearable...and yet I fought, I walked some and ran some over the last 10 miles and finished somehow in 5 hours and nine minutes.
I was very lucky that my sister could be there that weekend to usher me through those last 10 miles and talk to me and encourage me.
Mr. Shay was a world class athlete who had a shot at qualifying for the US Olymic team yesterday. Its tough to come up with more words, but to life is precious gift and its simply unfair what happened yesterday.
My condolences to the Shay family.

2007-10-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a little ditty I'd like to tell
About the A-Rod decided to smell
He came over to NY, thought he was cool
Instead, he revealed how much he is a tool

Let me tell you this minute
This past Monday took me to the limit
A-Rod, the fool had enough
The Red Sox won the Series; oh it was rough

Then Mother Merrill laid an egg
It fired its CEO, when he laid an egg
He talked to Wachovia
Financial writers cried Foulovia

This Monday, A-Rod decided to smell
The Red Sawx swept the championship
And Mother Merrill laid an egg
Mixed in a bowl it ruined this rhyme..