My Dad and I took in "Frost/Nixon" at the Cedar-Lee this a.m. I liked it, but if you are not deeply into the subject matter as I am, I suspect there are long stretches of this movie where you would think nothing is happening.

Meal of Links

The Best TV Episodes of 2008. No "Dexter"? Hmmm.

J.D. Salinger remains too old for my Dead Pool. Guaranteed that not many people would have him.

Yeah, my cable company sucks.

Now we're talking. The Top 50 Victoria's Secret Models of all-time. Molly Sims at #10 is a keeper.

40 Unusual Websites you need to bookmark.

Exercise Yard

Good news. The Tribe traded for Mark DeRosa today. And they did not give away any major league talent to get him. The bad news? He is 34 years old and they want to play him at third, instead of second base.

I just realized the Indians home opener is on Good Friday.

Visitor

46 Across: Tarzan player Ron (3 letters) Answer: Ely

The Browns finally cleaned house today and I have a few thoughts:

Randy Lerner: I actually think our owner does care about the team. I mean, he'll cut the big checks (again) to rid us of this mess. But this nagging aversion to audio and video tape must be overcome. Woody Johnson (Jets owner, not porn star) faced the music in NYC today when he fired Eric Mangini, why won't Lerner do the same?

Than he sends Brady Quinn and Joe Thomas out there to answer questions from the media. Where are the adults?

I commend him for at least having a conversation with Bill Cowher. Of course, Cowher said no. Although I do not know what Cowher is doing with that "house in Strongsville he owns". We can now move on from that to the real issue of finding a coach and front office executive. Scott Pioli looks like the frontrunner for GM.

Phil Savage: To get fired on Saturday and then have it announced right as the team is leaving Pittsburgh on Sunday shows how much contempt Lerner had for Savage at the end. It was a rather insulting way to be let go. Three years ago, the city was up in arms when it appeared Savage would be forced out over the holidays in 2005, after year one. How wrong we were to cheer the fact he won out.

Listen, the baseball cap wearin', e-mailin', f-bomb droppin' GM was really wearing out his welcome. No second-day draft starters. 50-50 success on first-rounders. Players like Ken Dorsey on a professional roster. Draft for character (Kamerion Wimbley), not ability. Constantly giving Terry Pluto scouting info on why his guys were good. I love Terry, but c'mon, the selling of Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald at corners was getting to be absurd. Savage once pointed out Daven Holly's injury. WTF? If we are worried about an injury to Daven Holly, well...

Total mismanagement of the Kellen Winslow Affair. Totally inept at media relations. You cannot show up once a month to tell us why things are the way they are. In the NFL, you could go from 3-4 to 4-8 in November (like the Browns did), while Savage fiddled. Mainly with his e-mail.

I won't fault him for some of his free-agent signings like Gary Baxter or LeCharles Bentley. I mean, who knew their fates ahead of time? But Dante Stallworth was a major bust. He did hit on Eric Steinbach, but Kevin Shaffer? Ugh! And that Young guy who was subbing for Shaffer yesterday...ridiculous.

Romeo Crennel: His reign here could only be described as "Panormous". Because he seemed to like eating, but not making good football decisions on Sundays. Time management awful. Field goal and punting decisions well into this dark chasm of a season remained inane. Even yesterday where there have been maybe two successful 50-yard FGs in the history of Heinz Field, he sends in Dawson for a 53-yarder. Of course, he missed. Maybe it was sunny and he thought that would change things. No wonder the Browns went six games without an offensive TD.

Absurd replay challenges, including the one last year where he lost two timeouts. Flipping a coin to determine a starting quarterback.

Unbelievably bad post-game quotes: “When you win, you’re happy. When you lose, you’re sad. And that’s all we can do.” “It’s hard to get the most out of your players every week at this level.” “I can’t tell whether they’re going to show up week to week.” And on and on.

Oh, the players loved the guy. Those who said they played hard for him. You know, the same ones who threw in the towel after the Ravens game. I think the players took advantage of a situation knowing bad on-field performance would never jeopardize playing time.

Aw, hell, I'd keep going, but the "Three Stooges Theme" keeps running through my head.

Meal of Links

Russian professor predicts the USA will break up. Ohio will become part of the Central North-American Republic. And with it, our rivalry with the Steelers will disappear. Oh wait, that went away years ago.

Healthy foods under one dollar. Speaking of cheap, I was at the flagship Marc's in Middleburg this a.m. and, I must say, Monday mornings may be the time to shop here. Their new ads start on Tuesdays or maybe it was the holidays, but there was no one there. Clean, wider aisles, better selection (bottles of RC Cola!), and loud cockatoos in the back.

This week's TV Marathons. Speaking of TV Marathons, this is the time of year when ESPN, and its family of networks, trots out "World's Strongest Man". I saw the final the other day. WTF? How did I not know the 2008 final was filmed in Charleston, WV? Seriously, how did that not come to my attention? All those years of watching these exotic locations and it ends up within driving distance and I am caught unaware? Shame on me. And I just found out it was held in September when I had time off! Aaaaargh! Just kill me.

Exercise Yard

I finally got my first live look at the Cavs last night. Nomar Stalker and I were up in Loudville. Certainly didn't have their best game of the year, but LeBron took over in the 4th quarter and they finally went ahead of a Miami Heat team that had a 10-point lead.

My sense is that all the pieces/parts are there for a title run. Mo Williams was a great addition. Cavs won, 93-86.

Visitor

39 Across: Toon girl who's always traveling (15 letters) Answer: Dora the Explorer

Well, I got through Christmas. Another mystery ailment took me down on Christmas Day. After spending the morning at my Dad's, I was ambushed by something that sent me to bed by mid-afternoon. Throw-up streak was definitely in jeopardy, as I actually had to have a bucket nearby for the first time I could remember in quite a while. Name a flu-related symptom, I had it. Took in the first half of the Cavs game via radio.

Then I caught some "Family Guy". The one where Peter Griffin had a stroke, hopped in his car, then started singing "End of the World as We Know It" by R.E.M. That cheered me up a lot. Let me be clear. Having a stroke is NOT funny. However, Peter Griffin having a stroke IS funny.

Yesterday, I lounged for half a day watching soccer. Randy Lerner's Other Team had a big day, pulling out a late 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

And today, I feel fine.

Meal of Links

Stumbled upon "Quiz Show" for another viewing this evening. Charles van Doren recounted it earlier this summer.

The best indie movies of 2008.

Men's Health lists a bunch of things to say to a naked woman. Here's one: "Hungry? Stay right here. I'll go make you a burrito." Am I reading something into that, that I shouldn't?

Philips has a funny Internet ad for a Body Groomer. The phrase "extra optical-inch..." is a keeper.

"Valkyrie" with Tom Cruise is out now. But these guys did a movie a while ago you may remember: "The Usual Suspects".

Exercise Yard

Another "Friends and Family" game (attendance: 1169) at Cleveland State today, as CSU took on Notre Dame College. I am not sure what the Vikings get out of these Division III opponents, except for a workout. Anyhow, CSU wins, 91-40.

Next up: The beginning of Horizon League play on Tuesday against Wright State.

Visitor

8 Down: Edison portrayer in a 1940 film (6 letters) Answer: Rooney

Merry Christmas to all!

After a tame office coup, we are not scheduled for work today, so...

Never say that Cheap Eats don't exist around here anymore. On our way to the CSU-Kent game last night, we headed over to Lincoln Park Pub for what may be one of the longest-running Taco Tuesdays in the area.

On Tuesdays, you get beef or bean tacos for $1.25 and the combo ones for $2.00. Toss in Mexican beers (They have Bohemia!) for $2.25 and you have yourself quite the frugal, but tasty dinner. Plus, when it's cold, the fireplace is on. The place still holds up well.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas...



(Yes, this one has finally risen to the top of the charts...It's Mr. Heatmiser!)

Meal of Links

Terrible band merchandise. The Kiss Kasket may take the cake.

The most Underrated Christmas specials. This includes the classic ending of the U.K. version of "The Office" and Johnny Cash, believe it or not. And the Mr. Magoo cartoon that scared the crap out of me when I was a kid.

Hurry, the last of the VHS tapes are dwindling. I still have some old ones laying around, including the Jets-Browns playoff game from long ago.

Hotels to stay in before you die. There are some awesome sites listed.

Twitter just can't stay out of the news. Like GPS, I'm having a hard time grasping why I need this.

Is Barenjager new?

Here are all of the upcoming Christmas marathons for your viewing pleasure.

Asian man pulls a Neil Peart



Exercise Yard

My brother and I attended last night's CSU-Kent game, where a season-high 4052 (er...uh...mostly Kent crowd) showed up. One of the best games CSU has played in the Gary Waters era. This one was done early and the lead extended to as many as 28 points in the second half. My personal whipping boy, George Tandy, played the game of his life. Big-time dunk, 7 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks. He was so unconscious, he even delivered a no-look pass in the second half. The fatal flaw for CSU right now is foul shooting. 53.8% for the game. Ouch.

CSU wins, 67-41 to give everyone a Christmas present.

Then we were sent off into an ice storm. Folks, never where tennis shoes with a threat of ice. You fall down and go boom. I'm amazed this one poor guy who we saw didn't break anything.

Visitor

54 Across: Eight-time Grammy winner Turner(4 letters) Answer: Tina

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas...



(The classic.)

On the Tenth Day of Christmas...

Randomness from today's Browns home game:

Special Guest: None. There was absolutely no way I was going to today's game. I used the "pick up the paper" scheme as the deciding factor. If it was really cold, I wouldn't go in. Yes, it was cold.

Today's Opponent: The Cincinnata Bengals. As Forrest Gregg used to say when he coached here, "The Cincinnata Bengals" are a fine football team. Except these days, they are not. The Bengals are one of the few teams actually worse than the Browns this year.

Browns Version 2.3 hasn't scored since the Truman administration. We'll see who plays hard today and who shows up for a paycheck.

Parking: I did go Downtown for some pre-game and first half beers though. Parked on Prospect.

Browns Player on Ticket: Pro-Bowler (yeah, right) Joe Thomas. he may have threatened voters with a bear trap or something.

Pre-Game Festivities: I got my paper and had a banana. Then some beers.

Worst Feature (For Me): "Hang on Sloopy" at the end of the third quarter. I could hear it on the CBS broadcast. They showed fans singing. Braylon may be right.

The Weather: Freakin' cold.

Today's Giveaway: Major headaches and posterior pain for those who watched.

Section 345: On TV, I was amazed at how few people in my section actually showed up. It isn't a section of diehards but it was littered with no-shows, as was the entire park.

Best Browns Play: The Browns won the toss.

Best Bengals Play: Leon Hall's interception for a TD. Picture-perfect jumping of a route by a defender.

Worst Browns Play: Ken Dorsey's throw on that first Leon Hall interception. Baffling throw.

Second Worst Browns Play: The second Leon Hall interception. Horrific route running by Braylon Edwards compounded by a throw into triple coverage by Dorsey.

Worst Bengals Play: T.J. Houshmanzilly looked like he did not want to field any punts today. But he came dangerously close to having the ball touch him on numerous occasions.

Best Line from Me (as the game ended): "At least it was quick."

Best Line from a Random (actually Rich Gannon): "On days like these, the balls are as hard as rocks." I think he was referring to the pigskin.

Oddest Jersey: I actually saw a Bengal fan with a 94 Jumpy Geathers jersey.

Food Items: Beer and pizza.

Best Fan Cam Feature: Some chick had a sign that read, "At least we are not the Lions." Yeah, that'll get you on TV for sure, but that's sort of a sucky attitude.

The Fuckin' Run: Cedric Benson ran for 171 yards and the Bengals overall had 191. If that doesn't scream for help on defense, I don't know what does.

Worst Stat: The average pass play for the Browns gained 2 yards.

2nd Worst Stat: Four interceptions from Browns QBs today. Dorsey's QB rating was 28.2 (he had 28.3 against Philly). Gradkowski's rating was 8.3.

Most Interesting Stat: The Cincinnata Bengals threw the ball once in the second half. One time! This ain't 1958, but their offense looked like it today.

Penalties: The Browns had 9 penalties, with some killers in the first half.

Well, Romeo Crennel's last home game was probably not the farewell game he envisioned. For the second time in three years, the Bengals shut out the Browns at home. The 2006 was one of the worst games ever. This one was pretty bad, as well. The Browns won one home game this year.

No one showed up. Fans, players or coaches. An exercise in futility. Hopefully, all of the empty orange seats sent a message.

Browns are embarrassed, 14-0, by the lowly Bengals.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas...



("What's this, a Twisted Sister pin? On your uniform?")

Meal of Links

Did you use any buzzwords in 2008? In case you forgot, here are the latest ones.

Great band names of 2008. Is the Sisters Fibrosis taken yet?

All about beer goggles. They last longer on women.

Exercise Yard

Now, it's the Titans again as AFC favorites. The Browns lost to the new favorites, and play the old favorites, the Steelers, next week to close it out for 2008.

Visitor

None, it was freakin' cold today.

Finally made it back to Melt after today's CSU game. They are still doing a fine business out there, expansion and all. We had about a 15-minute wait for a table at 3:30. that speaks volumes. I got the BBQ Chicken sandwich I so love. That hits le spot every time. My Dad opted for the one with ham, bacon and swiss and he liked it, too.

So, Melt today and yesterday our Christmas party from work was at Glenmoor. I had a filet that was made just the way I like it. Topped that off with a Creme Brulee. Kind of a normal meal around here for me.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas...



(The Boss with a strange hat he got from Bono that allows him to speak French. And a bonus...Clarence is upright.)

Meal of Links

Time for "It's A Wonderful Life" again. Still holds up really well, I think. "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings."

24 underrated websites. I've used a couple of these, not too bad.

I know The Sun is there, but this story about Amy Winehouse cannot be true. She is addicted to a game show and won't record any new music.

Hitch talks about Rick Warren. Last paragraph sums it up brilliantly.

Weird shit. Bizarre X-rays. Not for the weak.

Exercise Yard

I took my Dad to the CSU-LaRoche game today. LaRoche? Yep, a Division III school from Pittsburgh. They ran out on the court and I immediately predicted a 35-point win for CSU. Well, it was 26 in a glorified workout.

CSU wins, 72-46.

Visitor

2 Down: Remini of "The King of Queens" (4 letters) Answer: Leah

On the Seventh Day of Christmas...



(Check out George's bowtie)

Last night, Drew and I headed out to O’Rielly’s for some drinking. No Po Boys, but a Turkey Burger hit the spot. He mentioned that he had just flown in on first class. Isn’t that a cool thing to get into first class?

My boss once upgraded me. The unfortunate thing was he was also there. Ah, those were the days. He proceeded to bring out his own caviar. He was piling it onto his crackers, like normal folk pile on cheese or peanut butter. What a sight! Then, he stuffs one in his mouth and then immediately asks, or should I say, mumbles loudly three rows back where I was, if I wanted any. I politely replied , “No.” as my thought bubble read, “Do I know you?”

Meal of Links

A look back at ”Reservoir Dogs”. I was a bit late to this party, but I still love it. “Toby Wong?” might be my favorite line. Plus, you get “Little Green Bag”…



The 2008 playoffs have already started. It’s the ”Worst Lyrics of the Year”.

The executive producer of “Dexter” talks about the finale, which I thought was weak. I’m curious to see what gets carried over to Season Four. I thought LaGuerta would have at least looked at the file or even mentioned Doakes in Season Three, and that never happened. Looks like Deb will obviously look into her father’s past though. But I can probably name 5 things I’d be curious about for next year and maybe they’ll be dismissed as well.

Yahoo! compiled the best and worst tech products of 2008. I like Hulu and that Herman Miller chair, Embody, is getting tons of good press. They are right, Blu-Ray discs for $25 suck.

Media errors and corrections for the year. Some of that stuff is funny.

Al Franken might win! I cannot believe they are still counting votes. It’s Christmas.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas…



(Yeah, it’s bad.)

Exercise Yard

Travel to bowl games looks like it’s taking a hit. Check out these Orange Bowl prices. Walk in cheaply and upgrade.

Visitor

21 Down: Diggs of “Rent” and “Cake” (4 letters) Answer: Taye

On the Fifth Day of Christmas...

While I was absorbed by the Browns last night, I realized how behind I was with regard to Christmas and all of its trappings. Like starting to gather gifts for other people. Did some of that a weekend ago online, but realized I still had a bunch more to do, as I had ordered several things for me. Then I looked at the calendar, muttered an expletive and decided I better hop to it.

So, tonight, it was the traditional writing of the out-of-town cards. Using my neighbor's spotlight as the light source, I accomplished that. Tomorrow, it's social time.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...



(What the hell is going on? I swear that is a spazz attack!)

Meal of Links

The police finally close the case of the murder of Adam Walsh. The perpetrator died in prison 12 years ago.

Turner Classic Movies lists the schedule for 31 Days of Oscar. TCM University is the theme. February 16 is a keeper. "The Conversation" is on February 20, mark it down. And check out the Athletic Department on February 28. Not a dog the entire day. Don't call me, because it'll be really dusty over here around Noon that day, when Jack Warden figures it all out in "Heaven Can Wait". Gets me every time.

The Worst Movies of 2008. "Indiana Jones", hah! But "Witless Protection" makes Number One. Or should that be Number Two?

The Detroit Free Press offers big changes. Home delivery only 3 days a week. Newsstand still has an edition every day. Which makes me wonder. When was the last time I actually used a newsstand?

Some dude on "The Price is Right" guesses correctly and wins the Double Showcase with a perfect guess for the first time in 35 or 36 years.



Then how come it sounds like Drew Carey is as excited as he is when he is reading the phonebook? I agree with Leitch, it has to be a re-shoot.

Exercise Yard

Braylon. You just buried yourself, dude. This town will never forgive him. If he wanted out, he could have gone about it a different way.

Visitor

41 Across: 1999 Brendan Fraser film based on a Hanna-Barbera toon (13 letters) Answer: Dudley Do-Right

Hey, great game from Cleveland State tonight. They beat 11th-ranked Syracuse on a 60-foot shot at the buzzer to win 72-69. Just like they draw it up in practice, eh?

As you can tell, that is a fairly long shot:

































On the Third Day of Christmas...



(Yep, just a still photo.)

Meal of Links

Wes Anderson directs Brad Pitt in a Japanese callphone commercial.



Maybe Jack Black can save "The Office". It needs a spark this season.

It's the "Throw Shoes At Bush Game". I heard the Indians signed the actual guy today.

Yawning cools your brain. Mine must have been really hot during the Browns game.

Exercise Yard

At least the Browns lost quickly tonight. Highlight: Browns call timeout with 1:54, losing 30-10, prompting Donovan McNabb to say, "No-o-o-o-o way!".

A dismal affair.

Visitor

33 Across: Pioneer Daniel (5 letters) Answer: Boone

It seemed all I did today was run around town. Part of which was zipping out to the Cedar-Lee to see "Slumdog Millionaire" and then I had to zip right back to this side of town. Anyhow, to paraphrase Jackie Gleason, the Cedar-Lee audiences are supposed to be the best movie-going audiences in Cleveland. Boy, things are slipping.

This was shown in one of the theaters where the seats are contained in maybe 10-12 rows and the aisles are on either side. And it was almost filled. So, look, you really can't sit in the middle of a row and decide to leave during the movie. The rows are not wide enough and everything in your row gets disrupted. Let alone the people behind you are fucked. That happened twice. I was in row last and there now seems to be an obsession with some people to get a head start on leaving, so these people leave their seats late in the movie and watch the ending while standing in the back. WTF? I hate when people hover and I certainly don't like it in the dark. Checking for texts and messages...folks, that's a no-no. That went on. We even had a phone ring today. I don't even wanna start on the guy who sat down and had cold hands. How did I know that? Because he did the cup hands, blow into them and rub them before the start of the movie. At least five times. It was killin' me. You'd think we were in Antarctica. He was rubbing them so much, if they were sticks, I would have had to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater.

As for the movie, it's a gem. The movie is about a kid who is a contestant on "Who Wants To be A Millionaire?" (the Indian version). He is not well-schooled, but a survivor of the slums of Bombay, now Mumbai. Anyhow, it shows how he knows the answers on the show by using flashbacks and how those answers were revealed to him and he cashes in on that knowledge. Pretty unique stuff. Subtle comedy, throughout, absolutely hot Indian chick, Freida Pinto, along for the ride, too. Stars no one you know. You won't find another movie like it. Best I've seen all year.

This past weekend at the movies had some new trailers. Got my first look at "The Wrestler" which looks great. "Revolutionary Road"? Leo in a 1950's suit? After seeing him kick ass in "Blood Diamond", I dunno. "Che" also looks like that may be in two parts. Otherwise, that's 4.5 hours of subtitles in one sitting.

Meal of Links

Speaking of hot chicks, you know what I think of Penelope Cruz. Hot, but don't even try speaking English. Absolutely, ruins it for me. However, I have found the ultimate Spanish substitute. I have stumbled upon this show, don't ask me how, on PBS called, "Spain: On The Road Again". Yeah, Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow and Mark Bittman are on it, but I can fast forward them to listen to Claudia Bossols turn a phrase in Spanish or English. She needs to do more work in the States, pronto.

Oh, great. They are now throwing shoes at the guy. "So what if the guy threw a shoe at me?". Once a Vietnam War dodger, now a shoe dodger.

Changes are coming for "Idol". Haven't they figured out that less bad singers = less ratings.

On the Second Day of Christmas...



Exercise Yard

If you thought the Browns had bad play calling, did you catch the end of the Buffalo-New York Jet game? Really, the Buffalo coaching staff needs to be jettisoned after that bonehead call to lose the game. Haven't seen anything that egregious in a long time. Well, maybe a Browns game or two earlier this year.

Utterly indefensible.

Visitor

None on a rainy Sunday.

From the land of "Yes, my neighbor's Christmas lights are bright..."

There are two docs that are worth looking at, and they are both on TV. The first, which I have seen, is "Dirty Driving: Thundercars of Indiana". If you want an hour or so of redneckery combined with asshatery, this is a can't miss. Probably need to catch it on HBO On Demand, by this point. This is all about the citizenry of Anderson, IN, and how they cope with life and a bad economy. And also how they aspire to "get me one of those six-foot trophies" at Anderson Speedway most every week.

The other was on on ESPN tonight, "The Greatest Game Ever Played". From the same company that colorized the 1960 Masters last year, it's the 1958 Colts-Giants NFL Championship game. The colorization was really cool. This is no Ted Turner crap where everyone has Ronald Reagan Red hair. And the restoration process found every play, except one, through various forms. So, there are lots of reverse angles throughout. Of course, this game has grown into mythic proportions. Seventeen Hall of Famers were associated with both teams and it remains the only championship game to be determined in overtime. I've got portions of this game on an old NFL Films VHS tape around here somewhere. The game is a great slice of NFL history. Final scenes are hilarious. Colt fans running on the field and tearing down the goalposts...in New York at Yankee Stadium!

And "The Miser Brothers" were on tonight, too. I DVR'ed it for future viewing.

Meal of Links

I saw "Milk" today. Deserves all the accolades it is getting. The casting person astoundingly got actors who resembled the main participants. A little bit slow at times and I think some license taken with a few strategically placed phone calls for dramatic effect. Other than that, it'll be on many Top 10 lists. Sean Penn is a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination. One for Best Picture iffy, although Gus Van Sant probably gets a nod for Director.

Here are some down-and-out Christmas tunes. "Fairytale of New York" made the list, so...it's the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.

On the First Day of Christmas...



Bush's "Midnight Regulations". Lots of stuff will be implemented as he walks out the door.

"Dexter" gets some love. The finale is tomorrow. Jimmy Smits was really good in his guest turn this year.

If The Smiths reunite, I'll be there. "Ask me, I won't say no, how could I?". And, yes, I realized last night I still know every word to "Ask".

Clocks.

Exercise Yard

HBO Boxing had the live Klitschko-Rahman fight this afternoon. One word: Terrible. Rahman took the fight on short notice and, boy, did it show. He hardly lifted a finger in this bout, with Klitschko finally dispatching him in the 7th. Well, the ref had finally seen enough. I had thought that way since about the third round. Unbelievably, Riddick Bowe was on the card.

Which leads me to the replay of the Oscar de la Hoya-Manny-Pacquiao reply. Pacquiao actually rearranged Oscar's "beautiful face", as Lamps put it. I'm not kidding, he destroyed Oscar and propelled him into retirement with fury. Oscar should use the $20 million and start his MMA promoting. Like yesterday. Tough to see the great ones go out like that, but it was as one-sided a big fight as I've seen. Great stuff from Pacquiao.

Visitor

45 Across: First right-handed batter to reach 500 home runs (10 letters) Answer: Jimmie Foxx

Crap! Too late to make this card.

























Meal of Links

This language translator is the ginchiest. Dead on for: "Where is Pepe's house?"





















Looks like I'm gonna have to go back under the hood and take another look at Jennifer Aniston. Here's her GQ spread.

It's that time of the year. Best music lists: Here and here.

Heard an interview with Diane Ravitch on Bob Edwards' show today. Fascinating stuff about education in America.

Greg Oden? Not such a fun guy.

I saw a clip of Obama with Governor Strickland the other day. We may need the big guy's help. Our budget deficit sucks.

The approval rating of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich hits 7 percent. Somewhere, President Bush is relieved.

Exercise Yard

The Indians are Putzes. We overpay for Kerry Wood. Cannot believe that 2-year/$20 million deal. Then we have a trade involving J.J. Putz from Seattle, who would have been a great pickup.

Except we don't get him. We get the "well-known" Joe Smith from the Mets (where Putz goes) and some Josh Barfield-like second baseman from Seattle. And we only give up Franklin Gutierrez, to whom I say "Gut Riddance".

Our Hot Stove is still on simmer, I'd say.

Visitor

30 Across: Sports Illustrated's 1984 co-Sportsman of the year (6 letters) Answer: Retton

I finally had a Coke today from Dave's Mercado. Not just any Coke. Nope, this is your father's Coke. You know, the Real Thing. As I visited old Da-veed's last week, I noticed they were stocking Coke in bottles from south of the border. Not Kentucky, but from Mexico. Finally. OK, they charge extortion prices of $1.69 a bottle, but they are so good.

I only bought a couple and have treated them like gold. Waiting for the appropriate time to open them up with my Cleveland Indians bottle opener. Oh, they were good. It's all about the cane sugar, baby. Not that corn syrup crap.

Meal of Links

Time is doing their Top 10 of Everything lists again. The Top 10 Ads are pretty choice. Number One with Dwyane Wade and Charles Barkley is an excellent choice. That Nike ad with Polamulu-LT, I had no idea David Fincher directed that. The Scorsese AT&T movie ad is a killer, too. Politics and Hilary's "3 a.m. Call" are also represented.

Jay Leno stays at NBC. In primetime. That is a very interesting move.

Wanna drive the Wienermobile? They are looking for drivers.

The Merrill Lynch CEO wants his 2008 bonus to be $10 million. His company got saved, Lehman didn't.

Sort of an unfortunate parking experience.

Hey, it's a Betamax Christmas! Use the channel changer on the right. I just saw a Christmas-themed Parkay commercial that was so long, they gave a recipe. Then one for Velveeta and other members of the Kraft family of food products. And Cher dropped in on "Pee-Wee's Playhouse"

I was watching "Family Guy" on Sunday. I guess Laura Bush really did kill a man.

Hitler's maid says he was a good boss. A charming man, if you will.

Exercise Yard

PETA lists the most vegetarian-friendly stadiums. Oakland, Philly, and Green Bay in the Top 5.

Visitor

1 Down: Kevin of "Tin Cup" (7 letters) Answer: Costner

Not much happening, so Tim Goodman charts his favorite Christmas shows.

I am kind of anxious to see what that new Miser Brothers special is all about this coming weekend.

Anyhow, Siskel and Ebert provide a...

"A Christmas Story" Review



Meal of Links

Mario Puzo with behind-the-scenes commentary about "The Godfather". Photos, as well. Great shot of James Caan rigged for death.

WTF? A cold sore virus is linked to Alzheimer's Disease.

Andrew Sullivan declares newspapers are dead. But blogs are probably not the answer either.

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Well, what did you expect with a third-string quarterback? The Browns were terrible today. They gave up 235 yards rushing today. We are in crisis mode.

But we're not the Lions!

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A dismal day in Browns Town.

I hate being ill. Especially when it prevents you from doing things. I think I'm normally a good patient but I get anxious to get things moving in the right direction. So, after feeling shitty starting yesterday afternoon, I had to sit out a birthday party last night and try and get better. It worked, as I was in Operation Shutdown for about 12 hours after taking some meds.

Today, I took it easy and bought some Christmas cards. And declared it Cyber Saturday and shopped for many things while watching some basketball. And on cue, the snow is falling down. Aw, isn't that nice? Yeah, until I have to shovel.

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Mom goes to Whole Foods. It cannot end well.

BTW, the Modells were behind that NFL game on Thursday that was broadcast in 3D. I still say that U2 movie in 3D was unbelievably cool to watch and if our local IMAX or some other theater showed a Super Bowl that way, I'm there.

39 years ago today: Altamont. If you haven't seen "Gimme Shelter" lately, I suggest a revisit.

Exercise Yard

I missed this from earlier in the week, but Dr. Z has some health issues. And with the cuts over at SI, he may not have that job much longer.

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39 Across: Hall of Fame football coach Earle "Greasy" _____ ( letters) Answer: Neale

I participated in my first "whiteout" at the Cleveland State-Butler game. You're supposed to wear white, so it looks good on TV. Since the game started at 8:00, it was a good opportunity to eat at Becky's. Remember the burgers are fresh, never frozen, there. It seemed more crowded there than at the game, as the Coat Chairs were intact. A hugely disappointing crowd of 2604 showed up, probably half the size of last year's game. This shows CSU still has some marketing to do.

Rumor has it Butler came in with the #1 RPI. I have yet to see that, but everyone keeps mentioning it. They have no seniors on their squad and were picked for middle of the pack in the Horizon League. Their freshman play as much as Valpo's, but there is a major difference. Butler's are really good at this point. They played as many as three freshmen during much of crunch time and believe it or not, the ball movement of this team might be the best Butler has ever had. Really impressive.

The second half was the difference. CSU had a pretty decent first half and was up 27-20 at the half. All you need to know is CSU shot 14% in the second half. Yep, 14%! Combine that with 56% foul shooting and, well, there you have it. Butler cut down on the turnovers after halftime and crawled back in it and had a chance to win on a final shot. Zack Hahn hit a three-pointer with no time left to win it for Butler. That was a dagger! The hallmark of Butler teams is they never quit and they still don't, even with a whole new team.

CSU loses, 50-48, in a heartbreaker. Next up: Grab the coonskin cap. It's the Mountaineers and Couch Huggins of West Virginia.

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"The Big Lebowski" returns to the Cedar-Lee on Saturday. So, celebrate with a White Russian.

All about those Hollywood studio logos. I still love that fanfare on those Fox movies.

Roger Ebert has some words for Ben Stein. Uh, he basically hammers him.

Wes Anderson talks about his early films. BTW, "The Darjeeling Limited" is making the rounds on the HBOs this month.

CNN cuts its science/environmental unit. That means no more Miles O'Brien. The Weather Channel dumped their environmental group two weeks ago, as well. And we'll have more cuts locally at Channel 3.

Snub-Nosed Monkey alert!

Exercise Yard

The Knicks are the most valuable NBA franchise. The Cavs are fifth at $477 million. Thanks, LeBron.

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26 Across: Ranting comic _____ Black (5 letters) Answer: Lewis

My brother and I headed down to the Bart last might to take in the Horizon league opener. That's right, the earliest start in CSU's history for league play. Kinda like the Tribe starting in March. The opponents were the Crusaders of Valparaiso. Hey, 1572 showed up, so the Coat Chair was back in full effect.

Let's be honest, it would hard to find something that Valpo did correctly during this game. Sure, the bus driver got them there on time, they tied their shoes, they practiced, but that was about it. Even the coach, Homer Drew, got ejected from this one (first time in his career and he's been around forever), as he walked on the floor to protest a call. He couldn't take it anymore. I'd like to think CSU had a little bit to do with it.

CSU shot 45% as J'Nathan Bullock looks back on track, as he had 29 points. Even my favorite whipping boy, George Tandy, had 10 rebounds, although many of them sort of rolled or bounced to him. He seldom grabs after anything. CSU outrebounded Valpo, but Valpo shot 31%, had 22 turnovers and only 8 assists to CSU's 19. A really bad effort from Valpo, excused because their roster is full of underclassmen. Looks like a long year for them and a good start in the league for the Vikings last night.

CSU wins, 66-42. Next up: Thursday, the big one against the Butler Bulldogs.

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A couple of channels have changed their formats locally. MOJO is no longer. They died. Time Warner Cable HD packages have come up with MGMHD as a sub. But they have yet to kill"Three Sheets"! On terrestrial radio, 92.3 changed formats again. This time, it's Adult Album Alternative with no DJs. I heard Dave Matthews, Silversun Pickups and Linkin Park in limited listening today.

The Bloody Mary turned 75 yesterday. I, for one, will celebrate it.

A mad scientist. He wants to bring back the dead.

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Sean Avery talks about "Sloppy Seconds". Uh-oh. Suspended by the NHL.

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14 Across: Arthur of tennis (4 letters) Answer: Ashe

From personal experience; When eating a meatball sub at work, make sure the final meatball is secure in said bun. Otherwise it may ping pong between your pantlegs several times and you wind up looking like Harris Smith, I mean Plaxico Burress.

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Look through the spin of Black Friday retail sales. This is a simple primer on who to listen to when it comes to these sales forecasts.

A nice story that rewards hard work. But the business was sold and things will change. Trust me when I tell ya.

10 big energy myths. Build those windmills!

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Soccer just can't get away from the racist chants. This time it's directed at Mido, as in "Mido, he's got a bomb, you know." Apparently, people think he's Richard Reid.

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29 Across: Actress Bullock (6 letters) Answer: Sandra