The Good...The Bad...The Ugly of the Week...
The Good
Out of all the tragedy that put Virginia Tech in the headlines, Atlanta Falcons quarterback and alum Michael Vick is giving something back to his school. The newly established Vick Foundation is collecting donations from local communities in both Atlanta and Virginia which will then be placed in the United In Caring Fund for Victims of the VA Tech Tragedy and the special fund at the United Way of counties in the Virginia Tech area. Vick is also donating $10,000 to help with funeral expenses, transportation and other support services. For that, Michael Vick gets the 'Good' award of the week. Runner-up is the New York City Council for overriding a mayoral veto of a bill banning aluminum bats in youth leagues and schools. There will be no metal bats used in New York City. This is a very good thing...
The Bad
When the owner of the team you play for, removes your locker nameplate, you know you're not wanted anymore. That's what Celtic co-owner Wyc Grousbeck did yesterday in response to Sebastian Telfair's arrest last week. 21-year old Telfair was stopped for speeding on Friday with a suspended Florida license and oh, what's this? Why it's a loaded .45 caliber Colt semiautomatic handgun. Care to explain Mr. Telfair? Telfair faces a felony charge for possession of a weapon and a misdemeanor charge for not having a current license. He also needs a new place to put that nameplate...Then there are the NHL bad boys Jamie McLennan (5-game suspension for his baseball-swing chop to the midsection of the Detroit Red Wings' Johan Franzen in a playoff game), his Calgary coach Jim Playfair (stiff fines) and the Islanders' Sean Hill (20-game ban) for becoming the first NHL player suspended for using illegal substances. Hey, someone had to be first...Brian Urlacher of the Bears is a candidate for being fined $100,000 by the NFL for wearing a cap during Super Bowl media day that supported a sponsor not authorized by the league. Oh no, not that...But the winner of this week's 'Bad' award is the poster boy for this award - Tour de France champion Floyd Landis for getting nailed for traces of synthetic testosterone showing up in his urine. If doping accusations against Landis are upheld (May 14th arbitration hearing) he faces a two-year ban from competition. Either this testing system is seriously flawed or else Landis is not the sharpest tool in the toolshed...
The Ugly
Well we've got the three players widely regarded as top 10 picks in this weekend's NFL draft (Calvin Johnson, Gaines Adams and Amobi Okoye) admitting to previously using marijuana, not a good admission at this particular time and then there's a category which for labeling purposes I'll call 'Sons of famous sports celebrities' which I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot more of in the future. There's 21-year old Brit Reid (son of Philadelphia Eagle Coach Andy Reid), accused of brandishing a handgun at another motorist, carrying a firearm without a license and misdemeanor charges of assault, drug possession and making terrorist threats. Meanwhile brother Garrett Reid, 24, faces assault, drug possession and for admitting having used heroin the same day. By the way, both have pleaded 'not guilty'. Separate trial dates are pending..But the 'Ugly' award of the week goes to another SOFSC, Troy "T.J." Harrelson, 19 (son of the Mets Buddy Harrelson) who was sentenced to 5 years probation and 420 hours of community service. The charge was hindering prosecution. Here's all T.J. did - drove his friend around after that friend (Zachary Gibian) stabbed his stepfather to death with a sword. He helped his friend stash the bloody sword in a dumpster where detectives found it. His friend is serving 25 to life. T.J. walks away with probation. He's also complying with court-ordered drug treatment...
Video links can be found in the "American hero" and "Happy Birthday...happy birthday" timelines...
Timeline Memories...
"Happy Trails": 1984] David Anthony Kennedy (son of Bobby) is found in a Florida hotel room, a victim of a drug overdose at 28...1995] Howard Cosell dies from a heart embolism at 77...Rock & Roll Tragedy: 2002] Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez, a member of TLC dies in Honduras in a car crash...
Making tracks: 1831] The New York and Harlem Railway is incorporated in New York City. It will become the Metro North, experiencing heavy delays for a change this morning...
Freudian slip: 1886] Sigmund Freud opens his practice in Vienna. Now what comes to mind when you read that???
Redundancy department: 1898] One day after Spain declares war on the U.S., the U.S. gets payback by declaring war on Spain. That'll show them...
You're so vain: 1901] New York becomes the 1st state to require automobile license plates and they're all vanity plates containing your initials...
Integration works: 1961] Robert Noyce is granted a patent for the integrated circuit...
Runaway Bride takes a ride: 2005] Missing Georgia woman Jennifer Wilbanks turns up in New Mexico, originally claiming to have been abducted but then admitting she was a "runaway bride"...
American hero: 1976] Cub outfielder Rick Monday rescues the American flag from 2 fans at Dodger stadium that were about to burn it in centerfield. He snatches it away from them and becomes America's newest hero and here's a clip of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAbmXlZbrSM ...
Recorded on this date: 1967] "All You Need Is Love" - Beatles (Marianne Faithfull is one of the voices in the chorus)...
We don't do windows or benefits: 1968] The Beatles refuse to perform for the Queen of England at a British Olympic Appeal Fund show because: "Our decision would be the same no matter the cause. We don't do benefits"...
No longer Winging it: 1981] Wings breaks up with the departure of Denny Laine...
The NFL Rules: 1974] The NFL adopts 2 new rules: allowing for a 15-minute sudden-death overtime period during regular season games and moving the goal posts to the back of the end zone...
Phillie Phanatic: 1978] The Phillie mascot with a Tommy Lasorda stomach makes his first appearance...
Pioneer spirit: 1983] The Pioneer 10 spacecraft crosses Pluto's path. Pluto is enraged and enlists the support of Mickey, Minnie and Goofy...1990] The Hubble Space Telescope is deployed from the space shuttle Discovery...
Suitable ending: 1991] Sports reporter Lisa Olson brings suit against the New England Patriots for sexual harassment. Lisa is a terrific reporter who does a daily sports column for the New York Daily News...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
The Phil Spector murder trial is not on the Court TV on-line schedule for today. Apparently they haven't completed picking alternates for the jury which they started on Monday...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Renee Zellweger (38), Jason Lee (42), Hank Azaria (43), Talia Shire (61), ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus (62), Creedence Clearwater Revival's Stu Cook (62), Al Pacino (67), Jerry Leiber (74), here's a video clip of Ben E. King singing a hit co-written by Jerry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrx25X3Ixdc&mode=related&search= and Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon (75)...
And a special "Happy Birthday" to Diane...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until the NFL draft, 10 days until the Kentucky Derby and 33 days until Memorial Day...
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