There are a lot of local comedians out there. You always find these folks in the "Question of the Day" column in the Plain Dealer. Last week, the question was what do you think of the nickname for the new hockey team? It was the Lake Erie Monsters, if you recall. Pretty dumb. But someone suggested, "What about the Cleveland Steamers?" Do they have an editor there?

Today's question was about your favorite snow day memory. A joker chimed in that with Paul Briggs as your school superintendent, you never had snow days. Ha! They also had the temerity to bring up the quote, "If I can come to work, then the kids can come to school." Brilliant!

Meal of Links

I zipped over to the Cinemark to see "Volver". Almost had a private showing, if it weren't for these two women who showed up when the trailers started. Speaking of the trailers, with this sort of movie, you get Sony Pictures Classics and Fox Searchlight types. One was a German movie you had to read. Another was a Paul Verhoeven movie you had to read. They snuck in the Adam Sandler/Don Cheadle "Reign Over Me" which, of course, meant dollars for The Who with "Love, Reign O'er Me" playing. The Sandra Bullock movie where "Jim dies" was also shown. The new Danny Boyle film, "Sunshine", looked really good. But the one that I thought looked the best was "The Hoax" with Richard Gere. That one is about a story I'm familiar with, the Clifford Irving fake biography of Howard Hughes, a fascinating story. And The Who made more cash as "Who Are You?" was played over that one.

As for "Volver", I'll paraphrase Penelope Cruz's mother who asked, "When did your chest become so big?". Almodovar must have liked filming her, because there were a few shots of her ass and some disturbing cleavage views. Not that her cleavage was disturbing, far from it, but the way it was filmed was so, what's the word, distracting? Anyhow, Cruz was really good, maybe her best. The movie was OK. I thought there were some loose ends as some characters kind of showed up, then drifted off. What else did we have? Death, incest, attempted faux incest, murder, reality TV, Cruz singing, more humor than you would think. Probably not Almodovar's best, and as you can tell, it's not exactly setting the box office world on fire, probably because you have to read it. Might be worth catching at a matinee or some evening, years from now on IFC.

Jack Bauer gadgets. The city of Los Angeles once named a street after Jack Bauer in gratitude for his saving the city several times. They had to rename it after people kept dying when they tried to cross the street. No one crosses Jack Bauer and lives.

Some Spike Jonze commercials to chew on.

Exercise Yard

At work, we debated on what Jim Nantz will come up with for his totally ad libbed, off-the-cuff line that he's been working on for days when the Colts (i.e. Peyton Manning) win on Sunday. I was leaning toward something with "PAY-dirt" or "PAY-off" after the final Victory Formation.

As "One Shining Moment" is played in the background, we decided it will be:

"And Dolphin Stadium has become Peyton's Place." Can I get a prop bet?

Visitor

6 Down: Painter Chagall (4 letters) Answer: Marc

I swear I saw Castro walking around today. He was in a sweatsuit though, the universal sign of giving up. I wonder if the party is in jeopardy.

Meal of Links

They found a village near Stonehenge. "...and they built Stonehenge, one of the biggest henges in the world. No one's built a henge like that ever since."

Save your pennies. The Police reunite.

I drifted over to the Bob Edwards show on XM on the drive to work this a.m. Really good interview with Steve Turner who has written two books about the Beatles.

Exercise Yard

Oscar de la Hoya picks Freddie Roach to train him for the Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fight. He had to fire Floyd Mayweather, Sr., to do it though, so we'll see if Senior goes to Junior's camp. It's three months away and already it's the biggest fight in years. Let's see. Cinco de Mayo, Mayweather-De la Hoya, Kentucky Derby and Arsenal-Chelsea. Regardless of the horoscope, I see May 5 as a good day.

Visitor

50 Across: '70s family pop group (7 letters) Answer: Osmonds

They finally put Barbaro down today. The outpouring of emotion for this horse kinda puzzled me. I've watched a lot of horse racing in my day and, sad to say, have seen horses break down from time to time. It always comes out of the blue when it happens, but Barbaro is certainly not the first to break down, and not the first to break down in a major race on TV. Ruffian and Go For Wand come to mind. And for a while, it seemed Wayne Lukas was running his stable into the ground as a weekly show. So, I was startled that this horse, at this time, seemed to strike a chord with the public. Maybe the fact Barbaro was not immediately euthanized had something to do with it.

The other mystery is, since when did horse racing have this many fans? The tease has always been the next Triple Crown winner will bring racing back. Then the book "Seabiscuit" (a great read, BTW) came out and that was supposed to be the next catalyst. Ah, then the movie "Seabiscuit" came out, and boy, you were gonna have to show up early to get a parking spot at the track. Well, it hasn't happened. And the sport has been dying such a slow death, it probably never will. I always joke about being called "Sonny" at the track, so I wish that the people who took time to write Barbaro a letter, or sent him an e-mail, go to the track this year. Go and see how much fun it can be or, at the very least, realize there are races besides the Kentucky Derby that are on TV. And, by God, you can wager on them, too.

Meal of Links

Hey, "Ed" the "Love Monkey" gets a new show. It's about stuff at the Smithsonian.

Of course, we Google things to death. Here are some alternative search engines to check out.

I think we "saved the cheerleader", didn't we? So, your next assignment, if you choose to accept it, is to "Find Satoshi".

Exercise Yard

Darren Rovell researches the Super Bowl prop bet that Billy Joel will sing the National Anthem in 1:44. He says, "Take the under".

Visitor

9 Down: Welles of "Citizen Kane" (5 letters) Answer: Orson

It appears there is snow shoveling in my future.

I have never been to a Costco and am not a member of any of the other warehouse stores. The closest I get is a rare trip to a GFS. I'm afraid of buying crap I don't particularly need or want, kinda like Kramer and that giant can of tuna. And those olives! "Lindsay, Jerry, Lindsay!" Here's an update on what goes on there.

Meal of Links

10 really bad Super Bowl ads. Herb from BK makes an appearance. Herb! Oh, he was hated. Probably as much as that "unofficial spokesman" from Wendy's was a few years back.

A lengthy article from the NYTimes Magazine on what to eat.

Foods that will help you get a good night's sleep. Drinking seems to to do the trick, as well. Unfortunately for my beauty sleep, I should have been asleep since yesterday.

Exercise Yard

After today's game, the Cavs try to match a Prince with the King:











The Cavs have to make a major trade to be competitive for the title this year. A point guard, maybe Brevin Knight, is a must. More importantly a Scottie Pippen-type is needed on this team. Who that is, I have no idea, because we have nothing to trade, which would be necessary to get someone like a Pau Gasol. Until then, we'll get games like today's.

Visitor

None, it's the first non-football Sunday in a long time.

I started my trek viewing the Oscar nominees by taking in two movies the easy route, via PPV. The first was "Little Miss Sunshine", which I thought was terrific. Excellent cast with Abigail Breslin as the little kid, Olive, and Alan Arkin as the heroin-snorting Grandpa getting nominations, and it also got a "Best Picture" nod. This hooked me immediately. Well acted as everyone had their moments. Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, and Steve Carell (who I'm beginning to like in everything) all had the individual spotlight at different times. A hilarious and kind of frightening post-Jon Benet look at these beauty pageants for kids. Skewering of the self-help and healthcare industries were added for good measure. And the journey to get to the pageant crammed in enough surprises to make it a wonderful trip. Nice soundtrack, too, with Sufjan Stevens contributing "Chicago" and the closing song "No Man's Land" and Rick James with "Superfreak" as Olive's dance music at the show. I liked this one very much.

I also saw "The Devil Wears Prada" with Meryl Streep getting a nomination in this one. Of course, this role was right in her wheelhouse and she smacked it out of the park. But it is a comedy and I wonder about her chances of winning. Anne Hathaway (great body, but does she have "Runaway Bride" eyes?) did pretty good work as the girl who needs a job, knows nothing about fashion, gets sucked in by it, then rediscovers what was really important in her life. That seems like a tired formula and it probably is. But they did a decent job with it, I guess. I actually liked Emily Blunt the best in this one, as the number one assistant. "Entourage" guy played Hathaway's boyfriend and the always reliable Stanley Tucci played the Hector Elizondo-type role from "Pretty Woman". Probably rates as a pleasant enough diversion from your cable or satellite provider.

Meal of Links

The Smokey Bones chain is having some troubles outside of their core regions. And it's not a favorite with women, apparently. But I was there last night and I'm not sure why that is the case, unless there are just way too many chains to choose from. Not a huge bar, decent enough. Flat-screen TVs all around, that's a plus. And I had a barbecue chicken and shrimp dinner that was pretty good. And, of course, donuts. Mmmmm...donuts. Not bad.

ABC punts. Yes, "Knights of Prosperity" moves to 8:30 in a last ditch effort to get viewers.

Chris Matthews is a Miss America judge. I wonder if he interrupts the contestants during questioning or plays "Hardball" with them.

Exercise Yard

Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik, a middleweight from Y-Town, had a really good debut on HBO's "Boxing After Dark". The opponent, Juan Luis Zertuche. Pavlik completely dominated in a very enjoyable fight. Lots of action, virtually no holding, and very infrequent interruptions by the ref.

Pavlik delivered a knockdown with a huge right hand near the end of the 6th. Zertuche had trouble finding his corner after the bell. Pavlik then took his time and delivered a beauty of a right hand in the 8th, set up by the jab, which put Zertuche far into next week. Actually, into next month. With Zertuche out on his feet, he delivered another right to a defenseless Zertuche that damn near killed him. Pavlik is now 30-0 and talking up the usual suspects, with the most intriguing matchup being Edison Miranda. That would be one to watch.

Visitor

52 Down: Celtic hero (4 letters) Answer: Bird

Last night, I think I may have been one of perhaps 10 people who got the Ron Turcotte joke on "Knights of Prosperity". A guy was looking excitedly for tools, when Donal Logue said, "Don't gallop so fast there, Ron Turcotte!". Turcotte was Secretariat's jockey. Logue is Canadian, as is Turcotte. Beautiful. The show, however, is getting murdered in the ratings (maybe because of jokes like that), especially with that little show "A.I." as competition. Oh well, it's another one in a long line of my favorites that the networks couldn't handle properly.

Speaking of "A.I.", I saw the commercials this week and could not understand why Joan Collins was a judge. Seriously, I didn't see Simon and thought maybe she was the only Brit they could find. Today, I found out it wasn't Joan, but Carole Bayer Sager who was sitting in. I had some sound troubles with the cable earlier this week, thank God the picture is still clear, eh?

Meal of Links

"PC Guy" solves six mysteries of the universe. Before his operation next week.

Did this even make the news locally? Two Cleveland elections officials were convicted of felonies for rigging the 2004 election. I believe they avoided a recount by preselecting ballots so that the results were a percentage that avoided mandating that recount.

If you want to be clued in to what the Oscars are really about, read Nikki Finke. She has her annual preview up.

Exercise Yard

I was thinking of Jeff Garcia's tenure as Browns QB and was wondering was it as bad as we thought it was, or was it a guy who could not fit into the system here? Remember, that was Terry Robiskie's vaunted offensive system, his last year as O.C., BTW. What I remember, because it was a blur, was a guy running around in the backfield, because the rush was all over him, before he could throw. And he had no arm strength, either. So, let's look back.

Started off with a win against the Ravens, and had Rex Grossman-like numbers in game 2 against Dallas. You know, the game where Winslow got hurt. On special teams. Basically had Charlie Frye numbers against the Giants, a loss. Ditto for a win against the Redskins. So, they were 2-2. Decent numbers in a Steeler loss, followed by great stats in a Cincy win. Then came the memorable OT loss against the Eagles.

Into the bye week, the record was 3-4. Garcia threw 9 TDs and 7 INTs up to that point. He was 104 out of 182 for 1382 yards. I don't have sack numbers, although I recall that was a problem. After the bye, was the Sunday night Jamal Lewis "feet" game, a loss. Then the bottom fell out. I believe there was an injury and not much playing time the rest of the way. Eventually, Butch Davis got canned and then we needed to find out if Holcomb or McCown was the future. Did I just write that? BTW, his Philly numbers this year, in the last 7 games were: 116 out of 188 for 1309 yards, 10 TDs and 2 INTs and sacked 6 times.

I took a look at Charlie Frye's numbers through the first 7 games this year. He was 139 out of 223 for 1329 yards. He threw 7 TDs and 11 INTs. He was sacked 24 times. The Browns record was 2-5 through the first 7 games.

Not sure what the numbers mean and not trying to do revisionist history. I guess when we look at any internal spin on Frye by the Browns, he compares favorably to a widely perceived as awful Jeff Garcia.

Visitor

53 Down: Oater actor Jack (4 letters) Answer: Elam

I have a 1978 Elvis Costello Winterland concert from Wolfgang's Vault playing right now. "Welcome to the Last Foxtrot!"...that's a funny man.

BTW, "Guitar World" recently came up with the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos. Here are videos of the Top 20. I particularly liked the "Highway Star" clip. Every time I hear Wolfmother these days, I think of these guys.

Meal of Links

It's relatively new, but I find The Politico has some promise for Capitol Hill coverage. BTW, Senator Biden had a very funny line during the Foreign Relations Committee hearings today. Senator Boxer misspoke and called him "Mr. President" instead of "Mr. Chairman". She apologized then said, "I'd thought you'd like that." Biden replied, "Did you notice 9 heads turned when you said that?"

They had a Paul Reubens tribute the other night. You gotta admit, "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" was a pretty cool show.

Kitchen tips. Neat things you'll forget to do.

Exercise Yard

The NHL had their All-Star Game tonight. First time in three years. I found this out, I think, yesterday. Never a big deal, but at least you knew when it was coming up.

Visitor

37 Across: Ed Harris's "Nixon" role (11 letters) Answer: E. Howard Hunt (That's timing!)

The President came out for another of those time-honored traditions, the State of the Union. It was not a bad speech, especially as speeches by Bush go, and especially by someone hated so much. And that son of a gun had a gracious tip of the hat to the Madame Speaker at the beginning. Seriously, he didn't have to do that.

A couple of things intrigued me, insurance and immigration reform. The "I-I-I Guy" must have been happy. But do these things ever get done? I wish someone has tracked these things. As the speech continued, however, the applause got less and less, and more partisan.

The turd in the punchbowl was obviously Iraq. And even though he did a commendable job of explaining what's going on, the sentiment is so against him, he may have done nothing more than to buy some time. And very little of it.

Meal of Links

I live in a Cleveland neighborhood described as "stable". Isn't that one step above "critical"? Mayor Jackson reveals his plan for the future of all of the neighborhoods. Great, we get greenspace by some landfill I never heard of. Disappointed in "corporate business park" for Burke Airport. Bulldoze that damn thing already! You know, for the kids.

Boy, it's been a rough go for ESPN's Sean Salisbury. Last week, it was pictures of his penis on his cellphone. This week, he apparently said the word "Jew" in describing Peyton Manning's game on Sunday. ESPN says he said, "Chew". Context doesn't make sense either. Unless, of course, he used the phrase "nickel-and-dime" later on. Oh, he did? Peyton said, "He didn't say Jew, he's saying mooooo-vers."

The Academy Award nominations came out today. Crap, I gotta see "Dreamgirls". Need a female accomplice for that one.

Exercise Yard

Sonny Vaccaro leaves Reebok, Outside of Michael Jordan, probably the biggest name in developing the culture of shoes.

Visitor

12 Across: Jennifer of "The Wedding Planner" (5 letters) Answer: Lopez

DirecTV is quickly becoming the devil. Each time you think the NFL Sunday Ticket may go to cable, they lock that up for more years. Now they get an exclusive for MLB Extra Innings for seven years. I understand the NFL, in a way. But baseball?

I've never seen a sport that makes it difficult for fans to watch. Simultaneous start times for playoff games, offloading playoff games to odd outlets like F/X and ABC Family, starting games so late the next generation of fans can't watch. Idiots.

Meal of Links

You can use your microwave for other things than cooking food or exploding the family cat. It's also a sterilizer. "Don't watch the food cook."

Getting closer to spring, because many Coachella bands were announced today. Including Rage Against The Machine (the reunion!), the Chili Peppers, and Bjork as headliners. Looks like a fantastic lineup.

Even Sanjay Gupta has an ad. All the ads that are currently up on Times Square.

Video of the Week

This is a clip from "Urgh! A Music War" featuring a young Joan Jett, Live from New York. I've been playing this song a lot lately, so I thought I'd pop it up here. She probably went way too commercial for some tastes in the early '80s, but still does live shows today. Not much to look for, just a really good hard rock anthem. A little out of sync, but give it a peek.

Joan Jett-"Bad Reputation"



Exercise Yard

The Browns lost their special teams coach. Looks like the o-line coach and quarterback coach are gone, too. Plus the guys we fired a couple of weeks ago. Seriously, who would come here, with Crennel being the lamest duck ever?

Maybe other guys like the new O.C. Not the TV show, but the inexperienced offensive coordinator, who got a three-year deal. So, I guess he stays when Crennel leaves.

Visitor

17 Across: Lieutenant Kojak, to friends (4 letters) Answer: Theo

While waiting for David Spade to shimmy and finish watching Arsenal steal one from Man U. at the Emirates (Thierry Henry in the 93rd minute for the Gunners!):

My brother and I attended a show during the first week of the Lyle Lovett/John Hiatt/Joe Ely/Guy Clark show, the "Songwriters Tour", at the State last night. It was a great night to listen to these American songwriters, some would think of it as a Mount Rushmore. I describe them this way: Clark is a bit older and tells stories in the Townes Van Zandt mode. Ely is more of a rebel, even at 60. Hiatt tells powerful relationship stories, sometimes with a wink and a nod, and Lovett tends to be the more studious of the bunch.

The venue: You gotta love the State. It really is a beautiful place to watch a show. Ranging from the White Stripes to Spam-A-Lot, it's multifunctional to a high degree.

The Seats: We were in the lowers. We were in row L, on the left, on the aisle. A little worried that someone needed a booster seat in our row (not me), but the kid was quiet throughout.

The Crowd: The average age of this crowd was probably the highest of any show I've seen in a long, long time. Jane Scott was there, in case anyone is tracking her Dead Pool status. Lyle Lovett offered very kind words in her direction in a sweet tribute. Did not like people shouting requests though. In the rotation, each could only play maybe 6 or 7 tunes.

The Stage: Well, you have four guys and their acoustic guitars. They sat on chairs from left to right: Lovett, Hiatt, Ely, Clark. They rotated songs amongst themselves, starting with Clark. Clark said, "We have no agenda, no setlist, and we have no clue...but we have no fear." as to what they would play. Then the others would sit and listen, while one guy would sing. Occasionally, one of the others would join on guitar or a backup vocal. Some storytelling, a la VH-1, but not much.

The Music: Hard to determine what was played, because this was not a pop music show, but I'll give it a go.

Lovett: A really beautiful Clark tune, "Step Inside This House", "My Baby Don't Tolerate", "What Do You Do", "If I Had a Boat".

Hiatt: The class clown of the bunch, but an unbelievable writer. Just beautiful stuff like "Crossing Muddy Waters" and "Have a Little Faith in Me". Also, "Memphis in the Meantime".

Ely: "I'm Gonna Strangle You, Shorty". Joe will be out with The Flatlanders in the spring, as well. And, of course, he says the line of living in West Texas. "It's so flat, you can look for 50 miles in every direction. Stand on a tuna fish can, you can see for a 100 miles."

Clark: "L.A. Freeway", "Things That Work", "Homegrown Tomatoes"

All: "White Freightliner Blues" by Townes Van Zandt. And "The Brand New Tennesee Waltz" by Jesse Winchester. One of those was described as a song "we all wish we had written".

2 hours and twenty of great stuff.

Meal of Links

How can Sam Brownback be taken seriously as a presidential candidate, when he displays the worst timing ever to announce? Hillary is in. It's not too early, as we still have a couple of states jockeying for the first primary and we may have caucuses in December of 2007. Time is a wastin'.

Just so you know. James Brown has not been buried yet.

Why not have your e-mails sung to your friends? It's kinda funny.

Exercise Yard

HBO darling, but not a favorite of mine, Ricky Hatton fought last night. I got home from the concert in time for the intros. His opponent was the WBO champ at 140, Juan Urango. This reflected the time-honored tradition of boxing to seek out an inexperienced champ to obtain a title, which can be used either as leverage to force a fight or tossed in the garbage to seek a bigger payday with someone else.

In other words, an OK fight, but nothing great.

Hatton clearly outworked his opponent for 12 rounds. As a matter of fact, he almost tossed a shutout as Urango won only the fifth on all the scorecards. No knockdowns, good technical stuff from Hatton early, but lots, I mean, lots of holding late. So, it was really a dance to the final bell from around the 9th round or so.

It looks like Hatton-Castillo on PPV in June. I wouldn't toss a nickel at that one, as Castillo, after a layoff, looked less than stellar in the opener last night. Hatton actually said Mayweather-De La Hoya will be dull, but his next bout will be a war. Must have had many pints right after the fight.

Visitor

None, it's another football Sunday.

Being single, there are times you wish you had a mate, mainly for the simple things of life. For instance, while watching TV, it's difficult to make witty comments when no one else is around. Oh, I'll do it, but I don't get any sort of a response back. Good thing is, unless you're Sybil, you get to watch what you want, when you want.

But there is something on CBS right now, that absolutely infuriates me. It's the damn clip they show for the new sitcom, "Rules of Engagement". It stars Puddy from "Seinfeld" and David Spade and a third guy. If you've watched playoff football on CBS the past two weekends, you realize this show is debuting soon. I think the premise is Puddy is married and the other two guys, including Spade, are wild and crazy singles.

Let me digress for a second. You know that the networks advertise other shows during the show you're watching. Typically, you are into a program when, all of a sudden, someone appears in the lower corner of the screen and they walk to a mark, where the show logo and broadcast times appear. The star usually walks out, folds their arms in a Carl Monday pose, and you find out what the show is. TNT, in particular, has a strange one where a tiny Kyra Sedgwick appears and then walks toward the camera, seemingly growing larger, and the words "The Closer" show up. It is startling to see during a basketball game.

Anyhow, during the CBS games, they may show a clip of "Rules of Engagement" or Jim Nantz will read the promo. But it always ends up with a posed shot of the three stars and David Spade is shimmying. I'm telling you, this must stop. It's not that he shimmies, although it might be, it's the way he shimmies. It may be shot at a slower speed even. But he steps in front of the other two guys and starts his dance. Sort of a shoulder and arm shimmy that is idiotic. It angers me unlike anything else these days. Especially during a football game. Honestly, I can't take it.

You can see it at the end of this clip:



Meal of Links

This guy loves "Eraserhead". There was a guy in college with hair like that. We called him, oddly enough, "Eraserhead".

Went to Johnny Mango last night. I had the dreaded El Diablo drink. Today, I have the dreaded curse of El Diablo.

Anthony Bourdain brings "No Reservations" to town. And he hits two of my favorites, Sokolowski's and the Sausage Shoppe

Exercise Yard

Tomorrow's NFL conference championship games look really good on paper. They start at 3:00.

Saints/Bears

I think the ability of the Saints to throw deep will determine the outcome here. They have a solid run game which may open up the pass, and Drew Brees has taken over from Mark Brunnell as the one who throws the best deep ball in the game. I wish I could be more confident with Rex Grossman at QB for the Bears. It's at home, which helps, but he has potential to lay a really big egg. I look for the Bears defense to play OK, but they have a tendency to give large chunks through the air. The Bears probably need 28 points to win. I don't think they will get it. Five months ago, I would have never said the following, I pick the Saints to win.

Patriots/Colts

An insanely fascinating matchup. Peyton Manning can finally beat the large, white whale of his career. Tony Dungy may finally get some validation as a head coach. Tom Brady, with new girlfriend in tow, can get to a 4th Super Bowl. Bill Belichick can again prove what a genius he is. Great stuff.

The last two times they've played, the Colts have won. But they were not playoff games. The Colts have shut down the run in the playoffs, and that performance has come from nowhere, as they were one of the worst run defenses ever. The Patriots have struggled in their two playoff games, but beat a really good Charger team last week, on the road. I think it shapes up as a great game.

I believe the Pats will spread out and try and run the ball early to see if that Colt defense is for real. If they have success, they may control the game. However, with this game in Indy, the Colts will prevail. I don't think the Patriots are what they used to be in the secondary, and I think the Colts can take advantage.

Visitor

1 Across: "Are you gellin'?" sloganeer (9 letters) Answer: Dr. Scholl's

Here's what I've been listening to lately:

"Ghost of a Chance"/Rush
"Dope Nose"/Weezer
"Johnny B. Goode"/Johnny Winter
"Dashboard"/Modest Mouse
"Skin and Bones"/Foo Fighters
"Jacksonville"/Sufjan Stevens
"Tulsa Time"/Eric Clapton
"No Control"/Pepper
"Bad Reputation"/Joan Jett
"Hang Me Up To Dry"/Cold War Kids
"Telegram Sam"/Bauhaus
"Buckets of Rain"(Live)/Neko Case
"Are You Alright?"/Lucinda Williams
"Ripple"/Grateful Dead
"Clash City Rockers"/Clash
"Le Disko"/Shiny Toy Guns
"Anna Molly"/Incubus
"O Valencia"(Live)/The Decemberists
"Guns of Brixton"/Calexico
"Any Major Dude Will Tell You"/Steely Dan

Meal of Links

Lindsay Lohan goes to rehab. Could not figure out her statements lately. "I haven't had a drink in, like, seven days." when she allegedly was in AA for a year. "I stay home and drink with my friends" when it's obvious she was bombed at Prince's Golden Globes after-party. We put the over/under on how many people stepped over her to leave that party at 7. Then, finally, someone poked her and said, "How about rehab? I know a place."

I didn't watch "American Idol" this week. But what traveling freak show set up shop in Seattle years ago to produce that bunch? Monkeyboy and Load Pants. "Don't sing it, just bring it." Sheesh.

Ben Bradlee hosts a chat about Art Buchwald. Buchwald died today at 81.

Exercise Yard

My Dad and I went to the CSU-Wright State game tonight. Of course, CSU lost, 78-67. Wright State only shot 61% in the second half, that's tough to beat.

The odd sight though, was an adult male in a LeBron SVSM jersey with a green and white Mickey Mouse-type hand who was cheering along with the cheerleaders with that hand. Look for him on "A.I."

Visitor

62 Across: He played Rowdy in TV's "Rawhide" (5 letters) Answer: Clint

I confess, I don't know much about the grocery business. I stumble in there, grab a cart, put stuff in the cart, and then pay for the stuff and leave. Oh, there's many annoyances during those tasks, but that's pretty much the process. So, I read today that California citrus prices are probably going to double or triple this week, because of the freeze out there. Hell, even Malibu froze.

But I said to myself, "Self, what about Florida citrus?" Then I come to find out most of the oranges in Florida go to the orange juice trade, and conveniently enough, Florida had a shortage this year, so they can't help. I like oranges, but I'm not gonna pay $1.50 per orange or some outrageous price. And I just started buying them a couple weeks ago.

I may have to rob Fran Drescher. You know, she has that "Nanny" money.

Meal of Links

Don't know if this is good news, but Lamps get to call the boxing this weekend. You may remember he hit his girlfriend while high during the holidays. Publicist says he doesn't fight, he calls fights. Here we go.

It's an interview with Steve Buscemi. "The words "too fucking busy" shouldn't be in a waitress's vocabulary."

Could this be the cure for cancer? Big Pharma can't make money off it, so probably not.

Exercise Yard

The Sports Guy verbally fellates the Phoenix Suns. It's a good read, because if you watch one NBA Game this year, make it a Pahonix game.

Visitor

3 Down: Astrologer Sydney (5 letters) Answer: Omarr

I watched a good deal of the Golden Globes last night. Forest Whitaker is a helluva actor, but somebody write him a goddamn speech. I hear that's the THIRD time he's stumbled through an acceptance speech in the last month. The "Dreamgirls" Idol chick was fairly calculated in her acceptance, as well. Again, that was not her first award on this year's circuit.

Hugh Laurie, very funny. Sacha Baron Cohen, really funny. Eddie Murphy, rather reserved.

Does Dustin Hoffman now have to act drunk after he was drunk that one time?

Prince gets stuck in traffic? Lets hope he makes it to the Super Bowl.

Salma and her Hayeks were there, so was Penelope Cruz, but Jessica Biel and Katherine Heigl deserve a huge, "Hey, now!".



















Alec Baldwin made a funny face when they introduced Ahnold. Hah!

Meal of Links

There is something about getting a daily newspaper delivered to your door. But it's gonna go the way of the milkman soon.

A pretty neat album cover quiz. Yes, these are albums. And I did get Blue Oyster Cult. Lots of British bands here. I gave up pretty quickly. Damn that King Crimson title.

Jenna Jameson wants Scarlett Johansson to play her in the movies. No complaints here.

Exercise Yard

Tom Brady breaks up with one hot chick and now Gisele Bundchen is in the mix.

Every time I hear about Brady, I think of "Lucky Guy" by Todd Rundgren:

"Some people don't seem real at all
Unafraid of any mountain
Sure that the gods won't let him fall
Should he fall, he will always get up again

If he's hurt, he never shows it
If he's wrong, nobody knows it
Seems like he never has to try
He just must be a lucky guy

And when there's pain, he never minds it
When it's lost, he always finds it
Nobody really knows just why
He just must be a lucky guy
I wish I was that lucky guy"

Visitor

26 Down: Hackman of Hollywood (4 letters) Answer: Gene

The verdict is in on the crosswords. I'm not sure what to make of the vote, but the LA Times won over the NYTimes. I understand there is a rhythm and nuance to the same crosswords from a syndicate over the years. But I am amazed the NYTimes lost out. I'm not sure it's because it's tough, because as a town, we basically our admitting our stupidity. I did 11 of the 12 that were offered, with last Saturday's a true monster. It's something else.

I'd like to think it's because if you've liked the NYTimes puzzles, you've probably sought them all along from different sources, including the Times itself or online. And that's the problem with the NYTimes Syndicate. The Sunday puzzles are a week behind, the dailies are 6 weeks behind. For instance our January 13th puzzle was in the NYTimes on December 2. So, there is a lag time if you actually had a copy of the Times.

Needless to say, today's was really easy by comparison.

Meal of Links

I am so glad the Kinsale Tavern is not even close to where I live. I fear I would never leave.

Leo Sayer goes berserk on "Celebrity Big Brother". Over underwear. Yes, underwear.

Looks like the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest was awash with bad results. Water, a killer! Who knew?

Exercise Yard

Tennis hooligans. Serbs against Croats. That's novel. Say, Let's hope Marcos Baghdatis goes far this year. His fans are nuts.

Visitor

42 Across: Queen of Soul Aretha (6 letters) Answer: Franklin

Wasn't "Kristy Yamaguchi and Friends" a terrific show today? Bah, who would watch that when football was on? What a great day of football on two continents.

First, in the EPL, Tottenham Hotspur was beaten by Newcastle, 3-2. Watching the Spurs on their home field is like watching the Phoenix Suns play, lots of end-to-end action, while Newcastle's home jerseys make it look like you're playing the guys from Foot Locker. Their roadies are much better looking. There was even a scuffle in the tunnel at halftime, but I don't think Bernie threw a punch. BTW, Nicky Butt (not an alias) had the game winner for the Magpies. Great match for a Big Breakfast with Bloodies.

And Stallone was at the Everton match today. Or, as my brother said, an impostor of Stallone was at the Everton match today.











Then it was the National Football League. Seattle hung in there much longer than expected and lost in OT to the Bears. I thought the Seahawks had some chances in this one, but the Bears had a big pass play in the extra session that set up the game winner. The Saints go to the Windy City next week.

Well, Marty's team lost another one and it would be hard to pin the blame on him, although I'm sure his days are numbered now. The Chargers had two real bad turnovers. One, on the same play they picked off a Tom Brady pass with a fumble. The other, on a screen pass interception. A really dumb San Diego unsportsmanlike penalty also kept a drive alive for the Patriots. The thing I noticed in the late going was how calm Tom Brady looked on the bench. He's the once and future King, it seems to me. They get to face their old rivals, the Colts, in the late game next week. Everyone will be watching that one.

Meal of Links

New York Fashion Week is coming up soon. They want actual models this year, not skeletons. Stallone seen lurking about.

This guy thinks Ricky Gervais is not very funny these days. "Extras" starts tonight on HBO.

Arnold is a lot less Republican these days. He has post-partisan syndrome.

Exercise Yard

Michael Strahan's wife, Jean, gets half of his net worth in their divorce. If you think $15 million from a possible $23 million is half.

Visitor

None, it's a football Sunday.

If you can leave your home at 5:09 for a 5:30 Downtown event and arrive to take your seat on time, that can mean only one thing...CSU basketball! The Vikings could only dress nine, as two guys were declared ineligible on academics. Might not be permanent, but we'll see.

But the band of 9 (well, only 8 played) won! Yes, they beat Detroit, 63-61. Typical CSU game where they jump out to a huge lead, this time by 18 points, only to see that get cut to 2 in the second half. It helped that they hit 11 three-pointers. The key was they never relinquished the lead, even though they were perilously close to doing so, and they did not have many turnovers. I think the Devil is richer today, because Bahaad Russell, who had scored only 23 points in his career, had 21 for CSU today. A 10% shooter on threes, he had 5 of 9 today.

On a personal note, I think I may get a balloon hat at one of these Saturday games.

Meal of Links

If it hadn't been so cloudy lately, we might have seen this comet. Apparently, the brightest one in a while.

I couldn't believe it when they found those two kidnapped boys in Missouri. And the one had been gone for 4 years. That's so incredible, though you have to wonder about his state of mind.

The Comics Curmudgeon always makes me laugh. Unlike the actual comics themselves. BTW, Mary Worth is going to Vietnam.

Exercise Yard

Last week, I had a pretty good week picking the NFL Playoffs, so let's see what happens this week.

I thought the Ravens would beat the Colts. Doh!

Eagles/Saints

Should be entertaining, but the Saints are pretty good on both sides of the ball. I think the Jeff Garcia bandwagon stops here.

Bears/Seahawks

You cannot bet the Seahawks on the road. Not even against Rex Grossman. Bears roll.

Patriots/Chargers

Take the Pats with the points. They may not win, as San Diego is the better team here. But with Belichick on one side and Marty on the other (and I love Marty), it's going New England's way.

Visitor

36 Down: Author of the memoir "One Soldier's Story" (7 letters) Answer: Bob Dole

Becks is coming to LA! They certainly aren't paying for his footy skills, but they are paying for this kind of publicity:




















David Beckham is apparently getting $250 million for five years to play soccer in LA. Obviously paying for Beckham the Brand, because today in 2007, there has to be at least a hundred players better than him. Still, he is the most recognizable player in the world, and the kids seem to love the guy.

So, for him, it's a great move. Can he save US Soccer? Doubtful, but he can certainly raise its profile. He enters a situation with no on-field pressure, gets to go out on the town with Posh and will surpass the ink wasted on Paris Hilton in no time. I mean, they are friends with the Cruises. And Posh will be bored enough to go on "Dancing with the Stars" and make some "American Idol" appearances. And she can find some new soccer WAGS and hit Rodeo Drive often.

And if you can add a few more soccer fans in the process, what the hell? I'm not payin' him.

Meal of Links

Need to get rid of stuff? This site can help.

Steve Martin is writing a memoir. A chronicle of the early days should be a big hit.

Folks argue about lots of things. Sometimes while brandishing guns. It happened again. This time, over James Brown's height. I thought it was clear he was....here it comes...wait for it...six-feet under. OK, I stole that, but it's go-o-o-od.

Video of the Week

This is a Beck song that I've been hearing a lot of lately, and I like it very much. It's an unusually straightforward lyric from him. Probably have to turn the volume up here, too. Things to look for: Is that Gene Gene the Dancing Machine, Version 2007, in the back? He lip syncs some vocals near the end. I like the cool lyric "Whispering hello through a smoke ring smile." There seems to be off-camera stuff going on, especially at the start and with the "doo doo doo" part and when he talks about the photo booth pictures. And when he has the money from a shoebox lyric, I sense about $22. We got guys dressed like chicks and what's with the smoker? We also have chicks dressed like chicks, except they have fake hair. A neat video.

Beck-"Think I'm In Love"



Exercise Yard

Last night, S. and I wandered over to the Bart to watch CSU lose again. Now 0-5 in the league, they lost to Milwaukee, and that wasn't your father's UW-Milwaukee team they were playing either.

It's the point in the season where the post-game eats, this time at the West End Tavern, are becoming the highlight. And the scheduling is strange, as CSU has three home games lumped together this week for their only January home appearances and repeat the process once more, in a few weeks. I like it. Torture in quick doses.

Visitor

15 Across: Celebrated smiler (8 letters) Answer: Mona Lisa

Asking the musical question, "Our President's crazy...Did you hear what he said?"

Boy, that speech had a "too little, too late" ring to it, didn't it? Politics aside, a surge in troops is probably needed, but no one supports that. So, the troop surge is more like a trickle. It appears we have a really good General at the helm, but I'm not sure he has the manpower to accomplish this mission.

Not a Hail Mary attempt at saving the war, but probably more like a deep out at this juncture. If this fails, everyone splits out wide to the left.

Meal of Links

OK, German tourist in London spots this guy on the Tube. Now, back in Germany, she decides she wants to meet him. Ain't stalking grand.

I rather like IFC. But the "F" stands for film. So, why all this shit? I guess attention spans are not what they used to be.

The Golden Globes say, "No goody bag for you!" I never got that trend anyhow.

Exercise Yard

It's the Pillow Fight League. Yeah, chicks only! OK, this looks pretty harmless. I like the names, especially "Vic Payback". And I like the rule that you can't block your opponent's pillow with your own pillow. That makes for plenty of swinging. Whoa, tickets in NYC are $15 in advance.

Visitor

41 Across: Matthew of "Full Metal Jacket" (6 letters) Answer: Modine

I think the surveys must be in at the Ohio Turnpike Commission. Since the calendar has turned, the toll-booth workers are downright pleasant. From a "Hey there!" to a "Hey!" to "Have a safe evening!"to "Thank you, sir!". To be fair, most of them are already friendly, they just seem more conversational these days. Maybe they need the $100 "Say Hello" Contest.

Meal of Links

With all of the hype that preceded the announcement, Apple comes out with AppleTV and an iPhone. Gotta see the reviews, but I am curious to see where this goes. AppleTV is 40GB, my iPod is 60GB, so that's the sort of stuff you have to slug through when considering a purchase.

Four Republican candidates for President. The only one who has had one wife is the Mormon.

15 foods you gotta have. Difficult to imagine liking all of them.

Exercise Yard

I admit, a wee part of me watched that Ohio State game last evening rather gleefully. But I never thought they would get rolled over like that. And was Ted Ginn's injury serious or was that his NFL Combine showcase on the kick return and he shut it down?

Meanwhile, the Buckeyes should be glad they are not coached by this guy.

Visitor

26 Across: So-called "King of Vibes" (13 letters) Answer: Lionel Hampton

During a weekend of trying to get out of a funk, staving off a cold, and watching a shitload of English and American football, I was reminded that this week is the week of the Consumer Electronics Show and Macworld. I'm curious to see what Apple is coming out with tomorrow with rumors about a phone, iTV, and a new video iPod, which I've been craving. But I am also intrigued by Sharp's 108-in. TV. Whoo-hoo.

I can now go camping, as well.

Meal of Links

The Rock Hall inductees were announced today. I think the only surprise for me was The Ronettes over Iggy Pop. That baffles me. BTW, today is David Bowie's 60th birthday, and here are 60 Bowie facts. I really dig #37, for some reason. And, he does dig Arcade Fire.

Bad Tigger? Come on, he barely pawed that kid, but check out the kid. He appears to be grabbing Tigger's neck, and I can't believe I'm this concerned about it.

I was elated when I saw Bruce Campbell in the new Old Spice commercial. If you don't know him...well, you should.

Exercise Yard

Stephen Hawking wants to go to space. No laughing.

Visitor

28 Down: Vladimir of the Kremlin (5 letters) Answer: Putin

Is anyone else as riveted as I am, about the OSU kids taking their trip to the BCS game? Why this is front page news, I'll never know. At first, we heard how they were going to "The Price is Right" and Tijuana. They did neither. How exciting. Whoever greenlit this should be forced to do a front page series on their next personal vacation.

Meanwhile, at the beginning of each year, I vow that I will clip coupons to become a better shopper. This usually gets boring by the Super Bowl, but the first foray to Giant Eagle in 2007, resulted in a few coupons for things I actually buy. Mostly on the meds side. You know, Tussin and the like. The idea of coupons is good until you find yourself with several containers of unused Country Time Pink Lemonade sitting around.

While gathering items for today's Big Breakfast, I picked up a Jimmy Dean Skillet that was on sale. With the new flavor of bacon. Mmmm...bacon. Anyhow, when I actually dumped this product into a skillet, I got the sense it was a smaller package. Indeed, having a package laying around from the previous sale, I noticed the price is the same, but the size is now 18 oz., instead of the regular 20. Pretty scandalous, I say. Especially for breakfast. If anything, it should be larger.

Meal of Links

During Christmas, I was really struggling with the idea of gift cards as presents. I'm still under the hood on them, because I don't mind getting them and I do give them out, but it seems the art of gift giving is dying. Here's more.

You, yes you, can "attend" Berkeley. For free via iTunes.

Malcolm Gladwell has an interesting New Yorker piece about Enron. Was it a puzzle or a mystery?

Exercise Yard

Showtime had last night's boxing card and I thought it kinda lame to kick off the new year. Good to see Steve Albert calling him the "Classy" Jimmy Lennon, Jr. again. And James Brown's band played the National Anthem, so life as a band goes on, it seems. I wonder if they have any singing or if it's all instrumentals now.

The bouts were Jose Antonio Rivera vs. Travis Simms for a belt at 154, and Samuel Peter against James "Lights Out" Toney in a heavyweight eliminator. Simple recaps: Simms whipped Rivera, making him a bloody mess throughout, finally taking him out in the 9th.

Peter almost threw a shutout at Toney. Toney allegedly trained with Billy Blanks of Tae-Bo fame for this match, even though he still weighed in at 234. Not exactly, a ringing endorsement. Blanks was actually in the corner, offering advice once. If I were trainer Freddie Roach, that would bother me. But it didn't matter, as Peter dominated and got a unanimous decision. Hard to believe I stayed awake.

Visitor

None, it's Sunday.

Friday, check. Monsoon, check. Pizza crave, check. When those things align, it's Map Room on the docket! I really like the Map Room, so Gale and I had our chaperone hats at the ready and went down there. If you get there early, there is some, yet minimal, competition for the hat-wearing. After about 8:00, we so own that privilege.

As I've said, this joint is the most normal of any Warehouse District watering holes. They have XM's Lucy channel playing early, then some recorded efforts later, including Mr. Johnny Cash. And the menu, while not extensive, by any means, is pretty good. Hot dogs are yummy, pizza is out-of-control good, although I have yet to see anyone eating a sub there. I think we counted 60 bottles of Vodka there, with all the flavors. And the beer is cheap. And they have plasma TVs, where you can read the closed captioning on the Cavs game. Step-away flushes on the urinals, for that turnpike feeling, as well.

Meal of Links

Well, the first week of the NYTimes crosswords is over and I'm happy to say I nailed them. Friday's was harder than Saturday's. As I said, these make you think, they're punny, and there are NYC references you need to be aware of. And to channel Jon Stewart in "Wordplay", "Shortz, I see you working!". These clues from Saturday show the main difference between the LA Times and the NYTimes:

Across:

1 See people (7) I think "Goes out" or something like that. Wrong! Bishops.
16 Either of two track stars (7) Track & field same names? Duh. Nope. Al Unser!
28 Code on some NYC-bound luggage (3) LA: guaranteed JFK. NY: Nah. LGA!
30 It may be fit for a queen (8) I'm thinking some headgear. Er...Bedsheet!

46 Actress Lords (5) Thanks for this easy one. Traci!

Down:

41 Pitching stats? (7) LA: Definitely baseball. NY: Think sales. Yup. Ad rates!
51 "The Wizard ___" (4) LA: Most definitely "of Oz". NY: Come on. Right. "of Id"!

Heidi, I know you can't read, but put this on your shopping list. Perhaps, those Christmas presents will fit now.

I noticed there has been a new ad from Home Depot running lately. I swear the Mom/Wife in the ad is the attorney from "Sagman, Bennett, Robbins, Oppenheim, Taft" from "Seinfeld".

Exercise Yard

The start of the NFL Playoffs today and well, I am gonna watch a lot of football soon.

Colts/Chiefs

Take the Colts to beat the spread. People have forgotten the Browns shredded the Chief defense. Yes, the Browns. Amazing how many jumped to the Chiefs this week. Go the other way.

Cowboys/Seahawks

Take the Cowboys. I can't figure out either team, but I think the Cowboys will be OK. If not, we'll hear how Pro-Bowler Tony Romo is a young QB, still learning the game.

Eagles/Giants

Eagles should win, even with Jeff Garcia, because the G-Men have Manning the Lesser. Take the points, however, with the Giants.

Patriots/Jets

Patriots will romp. Mangenius did a great job getting the Jets here. I think the Pats are ready for a run.

Visitor

35 Across: Faux family name in rock and roll (6 letters) Answer: Ramone

I can't help it. Jim Cramer makes me laugh. Out loud. "Third time, long time." Ha!

OK, I did my duty last night and set the DVR to watch "The Knights of Prosperity". After watching "The Natural" once more ("Pick me out a winner, Bobby.") and that ugly Sugar Bowl, it made for a late night, but I got to view it. Two words about the Sugar Bowl and JaMarcus Russell's performance...Rohan Davey.

Back to the "Knights", I liked it. And Mick Jagger was actually in it and he made me laugh. Especially his "Hat Room" which stays at 62 degrees. And when he was kicking soccer balls at his houseman. I liked that he also had a pool in his apartment, but doesn't like to get wet, so he lets his dogs swim around. I've been a Donal Logue fan for a while, from the old MTV "Jimmy the Cab Driver" through "The Tao of Steve", and this may be the breakthrough he deserves.

Here's Donal:



The "Kenickie" joke was a classic. And Sofia carries her Vergaras around nicely, so it's got that going, as well. It hooked me...for now. Let's see where they take it.

Meal of Links

How to travel cheap. Aggregators and traditional booking engines and airline websites. Oh, my.

Griss leaves "CSI" for a while. Channels Jim Thome by calling an underling "...his rock."

The Police may stage a reunion. This intrigues me and bring back Gang of Four or some other band of that era to open.

Exercise Yard

Note to self: The Golf Channel is showing the first two rounds of each PGA event this year. Must have passport to re-enter the country, even from Mexico or Canada, in three weeks. Today is "World Hypnotism Day". Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z...

I'm back now.

Jimi Hendrix. USC fan.



Visitor

27 Down: "ER" actor LaSalle (4 letters) Answer: Eriq

What a terrific winter sky this evening. The moon was in the sky like a pizza pie, you could actually see stars above the city lights, and you could see for miles, it seemed. The full moon or close to it, allows you to still see Christmas lights. Only three days remain for the hanging of such lights to remain socially acceptable.

If you put them up around Thanksgiving, they need to be off already. But if they were hung in December, they can remain in place til January 6, Epiphany. Then it's over. And those inflatables, which should never be blown up in the first place, need to scram, as well.

Meal of Links

"Extras" starts up again in two Sundays. Bowie's episode is on the 21st.

A David Lynch interview. OK, a really long David Lynch interview. But, it's a David Lynch interview.

I found this list of band cameos in movies to be sort of lame. But anything that includes Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in "Wings of Desire" should be acknowledged. Not a fan of the "Carny", but "From Her To Eternity" is one of those bizarro tunes that needs to be cranked.

Over the break, I happened to see "Don't Knock The Twist" with Chubby Checker on Turner. Omigod, was that bad. I turned it off after The Dovells did the "Bristol Stomp". The lead singer cracked me up. And wasn't life easier when you finger-snapped your way through the day.

See for yourself:



Exercise Yard

So, Nick Saban is a liar. Could not believe how much of an apologist Chris Mortensen of ESPN was today. Mort used the old "Nick never spoke with Alabama". Uh, that's why we have agents. I think Saban effectively closed out any future NFL jobs with his actions.

I understand the guy likes coaching college football, but only sticking with the Dolphins for two years has the taint of "cut and run" to it. I really like him as a coach, too, but I kinda hope Alabama gets hosed on the deal. Should have been handled much better.

Visitor

58 Down: Politico Gingrich (4 letters) Answer: Newt

Odds and Ends:

Ah, January 2. The best day for lunch at a fast-food joint. Why? No lines, as everyone started their diet today. Should be back to normal by, say, MLK Day.

It appears the drive-thru booze joint in my neighborhood may have closed. Another landmark gone.

I see Burger King is now offering a Texas Double Whopper, for the person who says when eating a normal Double Whopper, "Boy, there's something missing here."

Terrific "Austin City Limits" this week. The Raconteurs and Cat Power.

Michigan absolutely spit the bit in the second half of the Rose Bowl. Without a doubt, the highlight was this USC Song Girl that has hit the Internets. God bless Tivo:













I can hear Al Pacino from "Heat": "Cause she's got a great ass."

The Plain Dealer is committing the cardinal sin of publishing: "Don't fuck with the puzzle page." But this time, it may be a good thing. The LA Times syndicate is on hiatus for two weeks while the Magilla of puzzles, from the daily NYTimes, gets a tryout.

Meal of Links

The sort of offbeat thing I like. Some really good opening credit sequences. Not sure if they are the best, but they are better than the norm. BTW, "Run, Lola, Run" was on the HD channel tonight. Here's the trailer:





Rock Star Supernova was underwhelming in their New Years Eve debut. I can't say I'm surprised.

TV has run out of ideas. ABC greenlights "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". OK, how can ABC screw this up? You know Pitt and Jolie won't be in it. If you saw Jennifer Garner in her football jersey over the weekend, she needs to be in this show. As for the guy, I have no idea. Probably needs to be out-of-work TV guy who is popular.

Exercise Yard

Of course, I turned off the Boise State game last night when it was 28-10. Reminds me of another Monday night game from Arizona I turned off a couple of months back. Anyhow, if you call the Boise State play the "Hook and Lateral", you are a dork. It'll always be the "Hook and Ladder" to me. I've now seen this play run successfully three times in important games.

First was Browns-Vikings, 1980. The play before the Ahmad Rashad Hail Mary from Tommy Kramer. Joe Senser was involved and got to the 50.

Second, the AFC playoff game between the Chargers and Dolphins. Dolphins getting waxed until Don Strock comes in. Before the half, Strock to Duriel Harris with a flip to Tony Nathan for a TD.

Then last night:



Visitor

43 Across: Rusty Staub or Daryl Strawberry (5 letters) Answer: Ex-Met (Is that New Yorkie enough for the puzzle?)

Happy New Year to all!