The Good...The Bad...The Ugly of the Week...
The Good
It was between Patriot linebacker Tedy Bruschi being selected as the recipient of the Make-A-Wish Foundation's 'Wish Hero Award' or a judge's ruling against O.J. Simpson that came yesterday. Any ruling that hurts Simpson wins. The ruling by LA Superior Court Judge Gerald Rosenberg states that Simpson's income from past work in movies, television and commercials will go directly to the family of murder victim Ron Goldman but he rejected the family's bid to collect future earnings. There will be a hearing on the matter of the blood money Simpson received for the book and aborted TV show, "If I Did It" on March 13 however. Goldman attorney David J. Cook said the ruling on past royalties was a step in the right direction. The Simpson attorney naturally said Simpson's royalties amount to almost nothing...
The Bad
There were lots of candidates for this award including Suspended Gonzaga center Josh Heytvelt being charged for felony possession of a controlled substance when police found hallucinogenic mushrooms (far out, man) in his car, Illinois basketball player Jamar Smith was charged with drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident in which he thought his teammate in the passenger seat was dead. And then there was Indianapolis Colts running back (and now free agent) Dominic Rhodes' DUI, Atlanta Falcons' lineman Jonathan Babineaux charged with animal abuse (huh?) with no further details announced and the Reid boys, Andy's sons with one (Garrett) entering drug rehab and the other one (Britt) waving a hearing over an encounter in which he allegedly pointed a gun at another motorist. The Reid brothers win this award easily...
The Ugly
There were only 2 candidates but they were both doozies. First we have Mickey Meyer (great name) the USC hockey goalie who rode his stick like a horse, dropped his pants and slapped his bum during a game against BYU in protest to officials calls. Rink manager Floyd Naegle said "we don't treat this as a funny incident." Meyer was charged with lewdness and a misdemeanor. It's up to the North Logan (UT) prosecutors whether to pursue a case against Meyer. But the winner is: Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy who didn't exactly help solve the problem of soccer violence when he attacked a teammate. The Wales forward allegedly hit John Arne Riise in a the legs with a golf club during training camp. Bellamy now faces a fine of $155,000 (converted to U.S. greenbacks) and an uncertain future with the 18-time English league champions. Oh - the fight was over a karaoke competition which apparently followed a night out in the pubs...
We have two video links today. The first one will be found in our Grammy Gold timeline from 2001. The second one follows in my Commentary...
Timeline Memories...
"Happy Trails": 1982] Murray the K (Kaufman) is a victim of cancer at the age of 60...2006] It was a year ago yesterday (Feb. 20) that we heard the news of the legendary Curt Gowdy's death from leukemia. Curt was 86...
Winter Gold: 1992] Kristi Yamaguchi completes a yearlong leap from runner up U.S. national champion in 1991 to win a gold medal at the Alberville, France games. She's the 1st American since Dorothy Hamill in 1976 to win the women's Olympic figure skating title...2002] 16-year old Great Neck North High School student Sarah Hughes shocks the world by winning the women's figure skating gold medal at the Salt Lake City games...
Wired: 1858] The 1st electric burglar alarm is installed in Boston...
"Let your fingers do the walking": 1878] The 1st telephone directory is distributed by the District Telephone Company of New Haven (CT). It was on one page and contained 50 names...
#1 on this date: 1965] "This Diamond Ring" - Gary Lewis & the Playboys...1975] "Pick Up The Pieces" - Average White Band...
Grammy Gold: 2001] Faith Hill, Steely Dan, U2 and Eminem each win 3 awards. Video link#1 is Faith Hill singing "Breathe" live from the Grammies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwd5eIc2hL8 ...
Debuted on this date: 1925] "The New Yorker" is published...1931] Alka Seltzer is introduced with a "plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is"...1947] Edwin Land demonstrates the Polaroid Land Camera to the Optical Society of America in New York City. It's the 1st camera to take, develop and print a black and white photo in 60 seconds. The camera goes on sale the following year...1970] The Jackson Five make their 'American Bandstand' debut...
"In Cold Blood": 1965] Malcolm X is assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan at the age of 39. 3 Black Muslims were charged and jailed for the murder...2002] The State Department declares Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl dead, a month after he'd been abducted by Islamic extremists in Pakistan...
Historical: 1972] Richard M. Nixon begins his historic visit to China...
"Guilty as Charged": 1975] Former Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman are sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up...
"Tears on My Pillow": 1988] TV evangelist Jimmy Swaggart tearfully confesses to his congregation in Baton Rouge (LA) that he was guilty of an "unspecified sin" and temporarily leaves the pulpit. Reports that he had taken up with a prostitute are later confirmed by him...
"Up, Up and Away": 1995] Chicago stockbroker Steve Fossett becomes the 1st person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean. He lands in Canada...
Off the disabled list: 2000] David Letterman returns to his Late Night Show about 5 weeks after having emergency quintuple bypass heart surgery...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
Here's an update on the mistrial in the Charlie Weis case. The mistrial was caused by a juror who collapsed during testimony in the defense of the Mass General surgeons who performed the gastric bypass. The case was expected to go to the jury today. Late word from a Weis attorney: "Mr. Weis is committed for this case to be tried to a conclusion". Look for a another trial...Paul Power alerted me to this item about Gary Lapierre who clocked over 40 years as a news anchor at WBZ Radio. On Friday, WBZ unveiled their new WBZ Hall of Fame with Gary being the recipient of the 1st plaque on the outside wall of the BZ building on Soldiers Field Road in Boston. I love the idea and congratulate BZ on coming up with it and who's more deserving to receive the first award than the guy who woke people up for over 4 decades: Gary Lapierre...Video link#2: http://wbz.com/pages/235948.php?contentType=4&contentId=327613
Thanks to Barbara Trembley who sent this e-mail: "Your blog states that Iva Toguri A'quino (a.k.a. "Tokyo Rose") was pardoned by President Gerald Ford in February, 1977 -- the correct date is January 19, 1977 - President Ford's last day in office...noted and corrected...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Charlotte Church (21), Jennifer Love Hewitt (28), Billy Baldwin (44), Kelsey Grammer (52), William (CSI) Petersen (54), Tricia Nixon Cox (61), Tyne Daly (61), David Geffen (64) and Rue (Golden Girls) McClanahan (72)...
Timeline Countdown: 28 days until spring and 39 days until Opening Day...
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