Two things...

First of all, what Jim said. I'm finally excited about the 2008 election, and America, after eight years of disappointment.

Secondly, I had a brainstorm today, vis a vis how to make this blog alive again. So here's what I'm thinking. I will, on as regular a schedule as I can, watch each and every one of my DVD's, in alphabetical order, and post a review here. There are some TV series in my collection, so I don't know exactly what to do there yet, but I'm open to suggestions. The first DVD would be the first 3 Games to Glory DVD, chronicling the Patriots' 2001 playoff run. That will likely be a short review, because, c'mon. But stay tuned.

We're back, with (ugh) Pats stuff

Hi. I'm back. In more ways than one. And with the new gig I'm a-workin', you might just see a little more here on this particular site.

Not surprisingly, Jackie MacMullan has entered my brain and sucked out all the good stuff, writing exactly how I feel about VideoGate in today's Globe. I'd been thinking about getting a Vince Young jersey lately. Now I'm sure I will. I'm not quite at the point of doing this, but when does it become OK to start cheating on your team? First, there was Rodney. OK, one player screwed up, and has been punished. Then, there were the initial video allegations. Then more stuff about the Pats wandering onto the Jets' coaching radio signal. And then, in what I personally feel is the most egregious violation (if true), Jack Del Rio says the Pats might have actually SCRAMBLED the Jaguars' radio transmissions during a playoff game two years ago. Now, there's no proof of that one (at least not yet), and for all we know it's just a losing coach mentioning something peculiar that happened in a loss. But seriously, if more digging uncovers the fact that the team has done these things, doesn't it get to the point where you can get a little extra on the side as a fan, without any repercussions if you decide to one day return to your old team once it cleans up its act? I think so. We'll see.

No matter what, there are no heroes here, and for the element of sports fans who think that the Jets should receive compensation for what happened on Sunday, I'm merely going to lay out the following: Eric Mangini was a trusted member of the Patriots' inner circle for several years. Eric Mangini then went to a division rival. The Patriots were caught doing something that only a coach on the sideline could notice, and something that would have to be backed up by some pretty legitimate claims. The Patriots were caught doing this in a game against the team Eric Mangini is now coaching. If you can't see the problem with making the Jets the victim here, then just return to watching football on Sundays and assuming the players who haven't been caught aren't using HGH.

Good ol' fashioned atrocity

I'm not under any false presumptions about the readership of this blog being at all representative of America. But, if by any chance you're on the fence on this whole Michael Vick thing, if by any chance you're still sort of rooting for him to escape this little legal blitz like it's coming from the Houston Texans instead of the Federal Government, let's see if this changes your mind.

The Through the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Drew Jubera, an undercover investigator from the American Humane Society (yes, apparently there are such things) gives an eyewitness account of your ostensibly typical dogfight.

It's sickening, though not as graphic as you might expect (not even as bad as the indictment handed down on Vick), and as far as I'm concerned, it puts dogfighters about a half-step above child molesters on the food chain of disgusting and immoral criminals. As I said to my buddy, "Mr. Vick, I am officially done with you."

--------------------------------------------------------------

As an aside, I was at CVS last night. Pulled up to the counter. Looked, as ya do, at the various tabloidy-type magazines there (which now includes US Weekly. Too bad, I remember when US Weekly was basically like Entertainment Weekly). Now, you've seen this kind of cover before. It's the one where some now-gorgeous actress is in a skimpy bathing suit, showing off her gleaming abs and fantastic figure. And in big bold type, there's a headline like, "HOW SHE DID IT!!!" or, "SUZY ACTRESS'S GREAT NEW DIET PLAN!!!" And usually, there's an accompanying "Before" photo, with the actress lookin' all tubby and gross and ugly. So, on one of these magazines, they've got that cover goin'. Y'know, summer time and all, time for all the women of the world to cut down to 500 calories a week so they can "look good" at the beach. And who's the actress? Oh, you know, that one who got REALLY huge a while back...



That's right, Hilary Duff.
If it weren't as late in the evening as it was, I'd have called my girlfriend right then and there just to tell her how much I appreciate her. Seriously, this is what women have to deal with. Hilary Duff is getting too fat. Good Lord.

A blog about a blog...

Not much to give you right now, but I thought I'd direct y'all over to the Eagle's sports blog, The Sports Squawk. I weaseled my way into getting involved with it, so hopefully you'll get a combination of myself and my coworker posting on it. Enjoy, even if you don't really give a damn about Berkshire County.

Your attention, please...

Curt Schilling has a blog.

That is all.

Just a quick one

At some point I might try to throw together a "best sports movies"-type post, but for now I just wanted to share this link, from ESPN.com's Andy Katz, who followed Kevin Durant around for Texas' thrilling double-overtime win over Texas A&M on Wednesday. It's a nice, quick look at how a true Big Man on Campus goes through his day. Enjoy.

Um, ouch

Let's see: During the Ice Dance, let's have a 105-pound girl lift her 170-pound partner like so...


And I'm sure it'll work, right? Nothing bad could...oh...uhhhh....