Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

The Good...The Bad...The Ugly... of The Month...

The Good

The candidates: Kathryn Gemme the life-long Red Sox fan who died at 112, Urban Meyer, coach of the #1 Florida Gators, Saints coach Sean Payton, mountain climber Sir Edmund Hillary and a newcomer: Barbaro, the great thoroughbred who suffered for 9 months before being put down this week. And the winner is: Barbaro...

The Bad

The candidates: Detroit Lions GM Matt Millen, new Miami Hurricanes coach Nick Saban who stiffed the Dolphins, Barry Bonds who threw teammate Mark Sweeny under the bus, felon Tank Johnson of the Chicago Bears who is playing in the Super Bowl thanks to a liberal judge plus newcomers: Reggie Bush who was fined for showing up the Bears in a playoff game, Chris Henry, the 9th Cincinnati Bengal arrested this year (by the way, the San Diego Chargers are catching up. Terrence Kiel, cited for public urination, makes it 8 law violations for the team this season), Kelvin Cato's (Knicks center) wife who abandoned his 6-year old son, Al Unser Jr., a DUI leaving an accident scene, Latrell Sprewell who's being sued by his ex-wife to the tune of $200 million for roughing her up and being a dead-beat dad, Kobe Bryant for hitting a player in a game (whew) and one more: newcomer Tyrone Braxton, former Denver Bronco who pleaded guilty to cocaine and marijuana possession. And the winner is: Tank Johnson, a human arsenal who just could kill someone before his playing days are through, which would qualify him for "The Ugly award of the Year"...

The Ugly

Candidates: the killer of 23-year old Darrent Williams of the Denver Broncos, the apparently accidental death of USC kicker Mario Danelo, Duke lacrosse attorney Mike Nifong who shouldn't have a license for practicing law, and former Penn State player La Von Chisley, arrested for killing a PSU student. Nothing is worse than taking someones life. For that reason and if proven guilty, the winner is: La Von Chisley who apparently knew the victim...

On this date in 1965, the Righteous Brothers were #1 and that song is today's video link. You'll find it in our #1 timeline...

Timeline Memories...

Super Bowl Sunday: 1988] Herb Alpert plays our national anthem on trumpet and then the Washington Redskins led by the 1st black quarterback in SB history, Doug Williams, rout the Denver Broncos 42-10...1993] The Dallas Cowboys win the 1st of 3 SB titles in the 90's, crushing the Buffalo Bills 52-17...1999] Cher sings our national anthem prior to the Denver Broncos 2nd consecutive SB title. They beat Atlanta 34-19 as John Elway stars...

"Free at Last": 1865] Slavery is abolished with the ratification of the 13th amendment...

"A Little Bit of Soap": 1949] The 1st daytime soap, "These Are My Children" airs on Chicago's NBC-TV affiliate. The 15-minute show runs on weekdays in January and February...

Outer Limits: 1958] The U.S. enters the "Space Age" by launching its 1st satellite into orbit - Explorer I...

Recorded on this date: 1963] "Surfin' U.S.A./Shutdown" - Beach Boys...

Hitting the Road: 1979] The Clash start their 1st U.S. tour with Bo Diddley as their opening act...

"Beats It": 2005] Jury selection begins in Santa Monica (CA) for Michael Jackson's child molestation trial. Jackson will be acquitted...

#1 on this date: 1965] "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" - Righteous Brothers (today's video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7827EMkm5ko )...1974] "The Way We Were" - Barbra Streisand...1978] "Love Rollercoaster" - Ohio Players...1981] "The Tide is High" - Blondie...1984] "Karma Chameleon" - Culture Club...

Record Breaker: 1970] LSU's Pistol Pete Maravich breaks Oscar Robertson's college scoring record with a career total of 2,974 points by scoring 53 against Mississippi...

"Fly Me To The Moon": 1971] Astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell and Stuart A. Roosa blast off for the moon on Apollo 14...

Mickey Dee Padre: 1974] McDonald's founder Ray Kroc buys the San Diego Padres...

Mickey Dee Comrade: 1990] McDonald's opens its 1st restaurant in Moscow...

The Final Curtain: 1984] Edwin Newman retires from NBC News after 35 years at the network...

Premiered on this date: 1986] "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" premieres with Nick Nolte, Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss and Little Richard...

Off his rocker: 2000] Atlanta Braves problem child John Rocker is suspended by baseball commissioner Bud Selig for his disparaging racial remarks, mostly about the straphangers on the #7 to Shea Stadium. He makes the statements in a Sports Illustrated article (the good news is that Rocker is out of baseball now)...

Wedding Bells: 2005] SBC Communications Inc. announces it was acquiring AT&T Corp. for $16 billion...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

These are the books he wrote: "Rage of Angels", "The Other Side of Midnight", "Master of the Game", "If Tomorrow Comes" and "The Naked Face" - all best sellers - all great titles. Oh, he also produced "The Patty Duke Show" and created and produced "I Dream of Jeannie". Most people would settle for one of these credits but Sidney Shelton owned all of them. The author died yesterday of complications from pneumonia. "Happy Trails" to Sidney Shelton who was 89...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Justin Timberlake (26), Portia de Rossi (34), Minnie Driver (36), Anthony ("Without A Trace") La Paglia (48), Johnny Lydon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten (51), Harry Wayne (KC) Casey (56), Nolan Ryan (60), Jessica Walter (63), Suzanne Pleshette (70), Ernie ("let's play two") Banks (76), Jean Simmons (78), Norman Mailer (84) and Carol ("Hello Dolly") Channing (86)...

Timeline Countdown: 4 days until Super Bowl XLI, 15 days until 'pitchers and catchers' and 49 days until Spring...

...

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

The People's Champion...

Why did Barbaro capture the hearts of so many people? There are those that are moved more by an animal's passing than a human inhabitant of this planet. Such was the case with the love affair with this handsome four-year old bay colt that had battled for his life since breaking down in the Preakness Stakes last May. "Grief is the price we all pay for love" is the way Gretchen Jackson put it. Gretchen and husband Roy were the owners of Barbaro. Barbaro fought hard since losing his only race after winning his 6th and biggest - the Kentucky Derby. When that dangling right hind hoof was seen by millions in his attempt to win the second leg of racing's "Triple Crown", the love affair began but so did the pain and heartache. Nine months of therapy followed and everyone watched, hoping and praying for Barbaro to survive. A flare-up of the painful hoof disease laminitis put an end to the prayers and the Jacksons in consultation with chief veterinarian surgeon Dr. Dean Richardson decided to end Barbaro's painful battle to survive yesterday...

What followed was an outpouring of grief and more e-mails, cards, flowers and religious items to add to the already thousands received since last May. Barbaro co-owner Roy Jackson said "I just can't explain why everyone is so caught up with this horse. Everything is so negative now in the world, people love animals and I think they just happened to latch on to him". While final plans haven't been made yet, Barbaro will probably be buried on the Jackson farm in Pennsylvania...

Barbaro earned $2,302,200 with his 6 wins in 7 starts. We've linked his Kentucky Derby win so we can all take a look, not at that dangling hoof but of Barbaro's biggest win: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6PacUirYuQ

Timeline Memories...

The Final Curtain: 1969] For the last time anywhere, the Beatles perform their infamous rooftop concert in London doing "Get Back". John Lennon closes the performance by saying "I'd like to thank you very much on behalf of the group and myself and I hope we passed the audition". The so-called "audition" is filmed for the movie "Let It Be"...

"Hi-yo Silver - Away": 1933] "The Lone Ranger" is heard on Radio for the 1st time and will air for 2,956 episodes, ending in 1955 (and beyond that in films and specials)...

"Sunday, Bloody Sunday": 1972] British soldiers shoot and kill 13 Roman Catholic civil rights marchers in Northern Ireland. The day is known as "Bloody Sunday" and U2 will memorialize it in their hit...

"In Cold Blood": 1948] Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi is murdered by a Hindu extremist...

"Debuted on this date": 1950] "Robert Montgomery Presents", a drama series debuts on NBC-TV where it will be seen for 7 seasons, ending in the summer of 1957 (Robert Montgomery was the father of Elizabeth Montgomery of "Bewitched")...

"Recorded on this date": 1956] Elvis Presley records his version of "Blue Suede Shoes"...1968] Bobby Goldsboro records "Honey" in a studio filled with wall-to-wall Kleenex boxes...

#1 on this date: 1985] "I Want To Know What Love Is" - Foreigner...

"High flying tragedy": 1962] Two members of the "Flying Wallendas" high-wire act are killed when their 7-person pyramid collapses during a performance in Detroit...

"Kiss me, I'm Gene Simmons": 1973] Kiss debuts their live act at the Coventry Club in Queens...

Super Bowl Sunday: 1983] The Washington Redskins beat the Miami Dolphins 21-17 in Super Bowl XVII as RB John Riggins picks up 166 yards on 38 carries...1994] Natalie Cole sings the national anthem before Super Bowl XXVIII and then Dallas beats Buffalo 30-13...2000] Kurt Warner hits Isaac Bruce for the winning touchdown with 2 minutes remaining as the St. Louis Rams pull off a 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV...

"Knight time is the right time": 1998] Elton John receives a knighthood in British Prime Minister Tony Blair's 1st New Year's Eve Honours List...

Going to Hall: 1999] Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor is elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the 1st ballot...

"Guilty as Charged": 2003] Richard Reid, the British citizen and al-Qaida follower who had a bomb in his shoe on a trans-Atlantic flight is sentenced in Boston to life in prison...

"Vote for Me": 2005] Iraqi's vote in their country's first free election in a half-century...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

"Happy Trails" to the controversial Reverend Robert Drinan who passed away on Sunday from pneumonia and congestive heart failure at 86. A vocal activist for various causes, Drinan was the first Roman Catholic priest to serve as a voting member of Congress, having been elected to the House of Representatives in 1971 and re-elected four times, serving until 1981. He was a member of the House from Massachusetts 3rd district and for many years was a fixture in Boston politics...

And "Happy Trails" to former Yankee pitching coach and drinking buddy of Billy Martin, Art Fowler who died at his home yesterday at 84. Fowler who never stayed in shape had this to say about running when coaches asked him to: "If running is so important, Jesse Owens would be a twenty-game winner. The only reason I don't like to run is that it makes me tired"...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Wilmer Valderrama (27), comedienne Brett Butler (49), Phil Collins (56), Jefferson Airplane's Marty Balin (65), Dick Cheney (66), Vanessa Redgrave (70), Tammy Grimes (73), Gene Hackman (77), Hal Prince (79), Dorothy Malone (82) and Laugh-In co-host Dick Martin (85)...

Timeline Countdown: 5 days until Super Bowl XLI, 16 days until 'pitchers and catchers' and 50 days until spring...
...

Monday, January 29, 2007

Monday, January 29, 2007

Another slap on the wrist???

Considering that we haven't seen any major punishment in the form of firings, hefty fines, jail terms and the like for those guilty of giving or taking payola since the FCC instituted The Communications Act and rules against payola in 1960, I think it's safe to say that any details of recent payola that might come from FCC chairman Kevin Martin when he appears before the Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday, February 1st will be another slap on the wrist. When then New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer prosecuted payola-related crimes his office settled out of court with Sony BMG, Warner and Universal for $10, $5 and $12 million respectively for distribution to non-profit organizations. Together those fines can't even sign a CEO at any of those labels, no less make a dent in the finances of the companies named. And since Spitzer became governor he's got state agencies to investigate and he's already begun his campaign at that level, effectively taking him out of investigating further payola charges in the entertainment business...

So in nearly 50 years only disc jockey Alan Freed paid dearly for taking payola and if he wasn't so honest would today have a wing named after him in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although Freed admitted taking payola, there was no law prohibiting it prior to 1960. The FCC had to make an example of Freed as a warning to disc jockey and record company alike - this is what happens to those who take payola. Freed couldn't find a job and drank himself to death...

Don't expect any fireworks coming out of Washington on Thursday. No major fines or firings, no arrests. Do expect another slap on the wrist. Update to follow. In the meantime there's another major concern about another form of payola - paid for blog posts. I guess I'll have to start adding a disclaimer, something like "the preceding posting was not paid for but is approved by Mel Phillips"...

You'll find today's video link in the 1966 timeline...

Timeline Memories...
"Happy Trails": 1980] Legendary comedian Jimmy Durante says "good night Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are". Durante was 86 when he passed away from pneumonia...

"Quoth the raven, 'nevermore': 1845] Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is published for the 1st time in the New York Evening Mirror...

A junior graduates: 1900] The American Baseball League is organized in Philadelphia with 8 teams (Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee and Washington, D.C.)...

Going to Hall: 1936] The Baseball Hall of Fame holds its 1st induction. Elected are: Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson...

Wedding Bells: 1958] Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward tie the knot (their 50th anniversary is one year away)...

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered": 1962] Warner Brothers signs Peter, Paul and Mary...

Released on this date: 1966] "I Fought The Law" - Bobby Fuller Four...Today's video link. This is a "Hullabaloo" appearance by the group in glorious black & white and is worth viewing for the Hullabaloo dancers alone. As the late Jocko Henderson used to say, "They're doing the Bop, Slop and Whatnot". It's groovy man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-xucRvYCOU

The Final Curtain: 1972] Smokey Robinson leaves The Miracles for a solo career...

Debuted on this date: 1969] "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" debuts on CBS-TV and runs until June of 1972...

"D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1979] Emerson, Lake and Palmer split up after a 10-year career together...

Premiered on this date: 1964] Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove (or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb) starring Peter Sellers opens...

Commuter Special: 1979] Jimmy Carter commutes Patricia Hearst's 7-year sentence to 2 years...

"Guilty as Charged": 1990] Joseph Hazlewood, former skipper of the Exxon Valdez goes on trial in Anchorage (AK) for his role in America's worst oil spill. He will be acquitted of all charges except a misdemeanor...1999] The U.S. Senate delivers subpoenas for Monica Lewinsky and 2 presidential advisers for private videotaped testimony in President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial...

A Super 1st: 1995] The San Francisco 49ers become the 1st team in the NFL to win 5 Super Bowls by beating San Diego 49-26 behind Steve Young's 6 touchdown passes (breaking Joe Montana's previous record of 5...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

"Happy Trails" to: Hall of Fame goalie Gump Worsley, who didn't wear a mask until the final season of his great 21-year career. His given name was Lorne John Worsley and he picked up the nickname "Gump" as a child because his hair stuck up like Andy Gump of comic strip fame. Worsley died at 77 over the weekend in his native Canada following a heart attack last Monday...Bing Devine, the former St. Louis GM who helped build the Cardinals to 3 National League pennants and 2 World Series titles in the 60's. Bing was in failing health since Christmas and died over the weekend at 90. Bing's given name: Vaughan P. Devine...

We also had a "premiered on this date" on January 27th as Rebecca Jayne Vettor came into this world. Rebecca is the daughter of my nephew Michael. Mother T.J. and baby are doing fine. Congratulations to Michael and T.J...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Greg Louganis (47), Ann Jillian (52), Oprah Winfrey (53), Tommy Ederly a.k.a. Tommy Ramone (55), Tom Selleck (62), Katherine Ross (67), John Forsythe (89) and Professor Irwin Corey (93)...

Timeline Countdown: 6 days until Super Bowl XLI, 17 days until 'pitchers and catchers' and 51 days until spring...
...

Friday, January 26, 2007

Friday-Sunday, January 26-28, 2007

The King of Super Bowl Ads...

In a timeline yesterday on the Super Bowl of 1987, in addition to the results of the game (The Giants beating Denver 39-20) I mentioned the cost of one 30-second TV spot being $60,000. Today a 30-second ad will set advertisers back $85,000 come Super Bowl Sunday, February 4th. Most advertisers will pass because the risk of results (or what we used to call your "bang for buck") is far greater than its payout reward. Most experts agree that ads for beers, pizza or anything else consumed during the game may see an immediate sales boost...

This year, Super Bowl XLI on CBS-TV is expected to draw about 90 million viewers but how many advertisers are willing to pay up to $2.6 million for a 30-second spot? The answer is more than 25 and talks are continuing to add more commercial time during the game. Among those 25 sponsors, one stands out as the "King". "The King of Beers" is also the king of Super Bowl sponsors: Anheuser-Busch which has bought 5 minutes of ads (you do the math) for its Budweiser and Bud Light brands...

In those 10 Bud spots you'll see the usual stable of Clydesdale's, a tie-in with the horror film "The Hitcher", a gang of red crabs (huh?), Dale Earnhardt Jr. being chased and Comedy Central comedian Carlos Mencia. What you won't see is an ad that was banned from last year's Super Bowl. You won't see it during the game but you will see it by linking to our video clip of it. Here's the Bud Light you didn't see last year: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1985781287441898184 ...

Timeline Memories...

"Happy Trails": 1979] Former Vice President and New York Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller dies of a heart attack at 70. At first report he was alone in his office but it was later determined that he was at home in the presence of his 25-year old female aide who had a Daily News reporter friend call 911 an hour after he had died leading to speculation about the cause the heart attack (you do the math)...1983] Legendary football coach Bear Bryant dies of a heart attack at 69 just 41 days after his retirement...

"It's Showtime at the Apollo": 1934] The Apollo Theater opens in Harlem (125th St. & 7th Ave.)...

"Take a Letter Maria": 1784] Benjamin Franklin sends a letter to his daughter expressing his unhappiness over the eagle being selected over the turkey as the symbol of America (we can only guess what his daughter's reaction was but it was probably something like, "Are you nuts Dad?")...

Drilled to meet you: 1875] George F. Green patents the electric drill (it hurts just writing that)...

The real Commish: 1960] 33-year old L.A. Rams GM is elected commissioner of the NFL succeeding Bert Bell...

Written and Recorded on this date: 1970] "Instant Karma" - John Lennon...

#1 on this date: 1961] "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" - Elvis Presley...

"Put your Dukes up": 1979] "The Dukes of Hazzard" premieres and will run until the summer of '85 on CBS-TV...

"A Hunk-a Hunk-a Burning Love": 1984] Michael Jackson's hair catches on fire while filming a Pepsi commercial...

"(I Wanna) Testify": 1996] First-lady Hillary Rodham Clinton testifies before a grand jury connected to the Whitewater probe (her nose is noticeably longer leaving the court room)...

"Who's That Lady?": 1998] Bill Clinton makes his famous "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky" speech (the President's nose is noticeably longer after his statement)...

Not so Super: 1997] The Green Bay Packers crush the Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI (but Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX produce different results)...

Flying on Empty: 1999] The NTSB concludes that John Denver's 1997 fatal light-plane crash was caused by too little fuel in the tank at takeoff...

Crash Landing: 2003] Billy Joel is hospitalized after crashing his car into a tree in Sag Harbor ("how'd that tree get there?")...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

"Happy Trails" to Jack Lang who died following an extended period of various ailments. Jack was a Hall of Fame baseball writer who had the pleasant assignment of phoning players selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with the news of their selection. Jack covered the Dodgers, Yankees and Mets for various papers in New York and was also a correspondent for the Sporting News. Jack was 85...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Vince Carter (30), Wayne Gretzky (46), Ellen DeGeneres (49), Eddie Van Halen (50), David Strathairn (59), Jean Knight (64), Bob Uecker (72), Huey "Piano" Smith (73), Paul Newman (82) and Anne Jeffreys (84)...

Saturday, January 27, 2007...

Timeline Memories...

"A fiery death": 1967] A flash fire aboard Apollo I during a test kills astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee...

"Gotta light?": 1880] Thomas Edison patents the electric incandescent lamp...

Radio with pictures: 1926] John Baird, a Scottish inventor, demonstrates a pictorial transmission machine called television...

Networking: 1927] United Independent Broadcasters, Inc. starts a radio network of 16 stations. The company would later be named the Columbia Broadcasting System or CBS...

Wired: 1948] The Wire Recording Corporation of America announces the 1st magnetic tape recorder. The "Wireway" machine with a built in oscillator selling for $149.50 (did anyone ever have one of these?)...

Dropping A Bomb: 1951] Atomic testing begins in the Nevada desert when an Air Force plane drops a one-kiloton bomb on Frenchman Flats...

Released on this date: 1956] "Heartbreak Hotel" - Elvis Presley (by April 21st it's #1)...1968] "(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay" - Otis Redding (released 6 weeks after his tragic death)...

Debuted on this date: 1968] The Bee Gees make their U.S. debut with a concert at the Anaheim (CA) Convention Center...

"Welcome Back": 1981] Ronald Reagan welcomes the 52 former Iranian hostages to the White House...

"Boogity, Boogity": 1984] Wayne Gretzky sets an NHL record for consecutive game scoring with 51 games (and the streak ends there)...

Twice as Super: 1991] Whitney Houston sings the definitive version of our national anthem at Super Bowl XXV and Scott "wide right" Norwood becomes famous for missing a field goal that would have won it for Buffalo. The Giants win instead, 20-19...

"A right-wing conspiracy": 1998] First lady Hillary Clinton blames a "vast right-wing conspiracy" on her husband's personal (Monica Lewinsky) personal problems on "The Today Show"...

"The winner and not Champion": 2004] John Kerry wins the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary (we won't have John Kerry to kick around anymore in 2008. Pity)...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Bridget Fonda (43), Cris Collinsworth (48), Mimi Rogers (51), Mikhail Baryshnikov (59), Nedra ("Ronettes") Talley (61) and Bobby "Blue" Bland (77)...

Sunday, January 28, 2007...

Timeline Memories...

Liftoff disaster: 1986] The Challenger Seven explodes taking the lives of 7 astronauts (Smith, Scobee, Resnik, McNair, Onizuka, Jarvis and McAuliffe) as the world watches with mouths open...

"Number puh-lease": 1878] The 1st telephone switchboard is installed in New Haven (CT)...

"Read All About It": 1879] "The Yale News" is published becoming the 1st daily college newspaper in the U.S...

"On Guard": 1915] The U.S. Coast Guard is created by an act of Congress...

Supreme pick: 1916] Louis D. Brandeis is appointed to the Supreme Court, becoming the 1st Jewish judge on the panel...

"Da Bearsssss": 1922] The Decatur (IL) NFL franchise moves to Chicago and takes the name, Chicago Bearsssss....

A tow hold: 1938] The 1st ski tow (using rope) starts operation in Woodstock, Vermont...

Mugging it up: 1953] J.Fred Muggs (a chimp) joins NBC-TV's "Today Show"...

Debuted on this date: 1956] Elvis Presley makes his 1st network TV appearance singing "Heartbreak Hotel" on the "Dorsey Brothers Stage Show"...

Recorded on this date: 1985] "We Are The World" - more than 40 artists (with proceeds going to worldwide hunger prevention)...

Premiered on this date: 1973] "Barnaby Jones" starring Buddy Ebsen which runs until the fall of 1980...

"The plane...the plane": 1978] "Fantasy Island" starring Ricardo Montalban and Herve Villechaize premieres on ABC-TV and runs until the summer of 1984 and then goes into syndication until life itself as we know it ends...

"Tonight, Tonight": 1957] "Tonight America After Dark" premieres on NBC-TV with co-hosts Jack Lescoulie and Al (Jazzbo) Collins. The show runs between Steve Allen and Jack Paar and becomes "The Jack Paar Show" on July 29th...

Campy: 1958] Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella is paralyzed below the waist when his car overturns on an icy road in Glen Cove (LI). Campanella will never play again and is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969...

InVinceable: 1959] Vince Lombardi is named coach of the Green Bay Packers. He will win 5 titles in his 9 years in Green Bay...

Super Bowled: 2004] Ray Lewis leads the Baltimore Ravens to a 34-7 beating of the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV...

"It's a Ford": 1999] Ford buys Sweden's Volvo for $6.45 billion (right now they'd like to have that money back)...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Elijah Wood (38), Kathryn ("Cold Case") Morris (38), Sarah McLachlan (39), Barbi Benton (57), Alan Alda (71) and (Mr.) Acker Bilk (78)...

Timeline Countdown (as of Jan. 28): 7 days until Super Bowl XLI, 18 days until 'pitchers and catchers' and 52 days until spring...

...


Thursday, January 25, 2007

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Feel Good Stories...

As a follow up to yesterday's MPR featuring "The Good...The Bad...The Ugly", today we focus on stories that are all good:

Feel Good Story #1

The Mets reward manager Willie Randolph with a new 3-year contract with a team option for the 4th year. The package could be worth more than $8 million over 4 years. The new contract starts immediately and will double Randolph's current $700,000 contract. Willie is being rewarded for turning the team around and taking them to their 1st division title since 1988 and one swing of the bat away from the World Series. Willie who was raised on discipline growing up in Brooklyn, instills that discipline with his players for every pitch, at-bat and game. No one is more deserving of a raise. Congratulations Willie...

Feel Good Story #2

The NFL will be instituting more extensive testing for the blood-boosting substance EPO to its list of banned substances. For the first time, players suspended after testing positive will forfeit a portion of their signing bonuses in addition to the salary they will lose during their time away. Anything that punishes players more for illegal drug use should be applauded but all professional sports must be more thorough in their background checks before drafting and/or signing new players. Make the team more responsible for the character of the players they sign. Having 9 players arrested in one year as the Cincinnati Bengals had, cannot be accepted nor tolerated. It's time to start fining the teams too...

Feel Good Story #3

After talking with a co-owner of the Penguins, Governor Ed Rendell is optimistic that a new arena agreement can be reached to keep the team in Pittsburgh. Rendell and co-owner Ron Burkle discussed some of the arena issues that needed to be clarified and agreed to work on them. Let's hope Pittsburgh keeps its hockey team, in business since awarded an NHL franchise 40 years ago...

Feed Good Story #4

On this past Tuesday night "American Idol" aired their Memphis auditions and one of the contestants who was accepted for the shows tryouts in Hollywood was the son of Roy Head whose "Treat Her Right" went to #2 on the Billboard charts in 1965. Jason Sundance Head sounds like a sure finalist for the competition and his performance is today's video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJoqpQVsqw0 ...

Timeline Memories...

"Happy Trails": 1947] Gangster Al Capone dies at 48 of cardiac arrest possibly associated with 3rd stage syphilis...1997] Astrologer Jeane Dixon passes away at 93 of cardiopulmonary arrest...

Super Wins: 1987] The Giants win their 1st Super Bowl, over Denver 39-20. QB Phil Simms is the games' MVP. Neil Diamond sings the national anthem and the Beach Boys are featured in a halftime salute to Hollywood's 100th anniversary. Thirty-second commercials sold for $60,000...1998] After a career of trying, John Elway leads Denver to the 1st of 2 consecutive Super Bowl wins with a 31-24 victory over Green Bay...

"Can you hear me now?": 1915] In New York, Alexander Graham Bell speaks to an assistant in San Francisco inaugurating the 1st transcontinental phone service. Long distance is born...

There's gold in the Alps: 1924] The 1st Winter Olympics are held in Chamonix in the French Alps...

Wedding Bells: 1927] Jack Benny marries Sadye Marks who changes her name to Mary Livingstone. The famous comedy couple will be married 47 years, until Benny's death...

Soap Survivor: 1937] NBC Radio presents the 1st broadcast of "The Guiding Light". The soap stays on radio until 1956 when it moves to CBS-TV in 1952. The show celebrates its 70th year on the air...

Boeing, Boeing, Gone: 1959] American Airlines flies the 1st scheduled transcontinental flight of a Boeing 707...

"Live from Washington": 1961] John F. Kennedy presents the 1st live presidential news conference from Washington (D.C.). Coverage includes Radio and TV...

Released on this date: 1962] "Twistin' The Night Away" - Sam Cooke...

#1 on this date: 1973] "Superstition" - Stevie Wonder...1982] "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" - Hall & Oates...

"Guilty as Charged": 1971] Charles Manson and 3 female "family" members are sentenced to life in prison for their brutal 1969 murders of 7, including actress Sharon Tate...

"Free At Last": 1981] The 52 Americans held hostage in Iran for 444 days arrive in the U.S. to reunite with their families...

"Out of Court": 1994] Michael Jackson settles a child molestation lawsuit out of court. One source puts the settlement at $10 million...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

Rich Appel (Hz So Good) comments on our video link of "Sweet Caroline" at Fenway: "Boy do I feel old watching that clip. I haven't been to "Friendly" since the days of John Kiley and Sherm Feller. Still have my popcorn megaphones (please tell me they still make those). I worked at WITS when it was the flagship and the studios/offices were in the building attached to Fenway. The night staff showed me the secret passageway that led right to the bleachers. That was 1982. Sure wish it could've been '86. Great stuff as always. Oh, and I still love Neil Diamond. He's 66 and "I'm a Believer" is 40". I'm not sure Rich wanted it known that he likes Neil or not but does anyone know if they still sell the popcorn megaphones???

There's another update on the KDND story that's picking up steam. FCC chairman Kevin Martin has announced that the Commission will be launching its own investigation into the events that led to the death of Jennifer Strange. The Sacramento Bee reports early this morning that the probe comes about as a result of a letter sent by attorney Roger Dreyer earlier this week that called for the termination of the station's license. Dreyer is expected to officially file a wrongful death lawsuit against the station later today. Stand by for further updates on this case...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Alicia Keys (26), Etta James (69), Corazon "Shoes" Aquino (76), Dean Jones (76), Edwin Newman (88) and Ernie Harwell (89)...

Timeline Countdown: 10 days until Super Bowl XLI, 21 days until 'pitchers and catchers' and 55 days until spring...
...




Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

The Good...The Bad...The Ugly...

The Good

This was a contest between the eventual "good guy" and former U.S. Senator George Mitchell who has no real power in the ongoing doping investigation in baseball but can threaten the real "dopes" (player and owner alike) in the sport with calling in the dogs for a congressional intervention if they don't play ball. That gives him power in itself. This is a good thing. But this week's "good guy" is 87-year old Sir Edmund Hillary who returned to Antarctica on Saturday to mark the anniversary of his drive to the South Pole in 1955 using a modified farm tractor. He was the first person to drive to the pole. The trip came two years after Hillary and Sherpa guideTenzing Norgay (one of the all-time, truly great names) became the first people to scale Mount Everest, the world's tallest peak. Congratulations Sir Hillary...

The Bad

As always there were a few candidates for this award, among them were: Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph (the old radio rule applies here - never trust anyone with two first names) who had the distinction of becoming the 9th Bengal arrested in the last 9 months. He was charged with marijuana possession over the weekend. There was Hawks forward Josh Smith who was fined $25,000 for flipping the crowd in Charlotte with the middle finger of both hands, Mike Tyson who pleaded "not guilty" in his drug possession and DUI charge and then there was former cycling world champion Johan Museeuw (who is looking for more consonants) who admitted he resorted to doping during the last year of his career but the award goes to: Chicago Bears DT Tank Johnson who was given court approval to play in the Super Bowl despite 10 counts of possession of firearms without a state gun-owner ID card. Oh yes, Johnson was also arrested 3 times in 18 months and was present when his bodyguard was shot and killed during an early morning fight at a nightclub yet he is under no special restrictions or court supervision when he travels to Miami and plays in the Super Bowl. Life is good, right Tank???

The Ugly

It was between the late Andre Waters, ex-NFL defensive back who committed suicide in November and the eventual winner. A ruling from a forensic pathologist who studied Waters' brain tissue is that brain damage caused on the football field ultimately led to his suicide. Bennet Omalu of the University of Pittsburgh said that "Waters' brain resembled that of an 85-year old man and there were characteristics of early stage Alzheimer's", a very sad tale but the winner is: Former Penn State defensive lineman, LaVon Chisley. The 23-year old was arrested in the killing of a student who was stabbed 93 times last spring. Chisley was arraigned on charges of 1st and 3rd degree murder in the death of Langston Carraway who was booted off the football team before the 2005 season because of poor grades. Apparently Chisley knew Carraway...And that's this week's edition of TGTBTU...

Our video link belongs to Birthday Boy Neil Diamond who turns 66 today. It's a video of the Fenway Park crowd singing along to the song that's become an 8th inning ritual at all home games : "Sweet Caroline". With the Patriots season over and Boston being a 2-season sports city over the last several years, enjoy a hint of what this summer will bring and lift your voices loud and clear: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X_YplqwbLQ&mode=related&search=

Timeline Memories...

"Happy Trails": 1965] Winston Churchill passes away in London, the results of an earlier stroke. Churchill was 90...1993] Retired Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall dies of heart failure at 84...

"Krafty move": 1994] New England businessman Robert Kraft buys the Patriots for $172 million (during his ownership tenure the Pats have won 3 Super Bowls after having won less than half of their games)...

"Musical Chairs": 1980] Original Mets owner Joan Whitney Payson sells the team to Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon for a reported $21.1 million, the most ever paid for a major league franchise at the time. In 2002 Wilpon will get full control of the team, buying Doubleday's shares...

"There's gold in them thar hills": 1848] James W. Marshall discovers a gold nugget at Sutter's Mill in northern California. The discovery leads to the gold rush of '49...

"Tie a Yellow Ribbon": 1888] The typewriter ribbon is patented by Jacob L. Wortman (I hope the typewriter has been invented)...

"Step on it": 1899] Humphrey O'Sullivan patents the rubber heel (a heeluva discovery)...

"You scream, I scream, we all scream":..1922] Iowan Christian K. Nelson patents the Eskimo Pie (he decides to change corn, the original ingredient, to ice cream)...

Recorded on this date: 1957] "Teddy Bear" - Elvis Presley...

#1 on this date: 1974] "You're Sixteen" - Ringo Starr (with brief solo by Paul McCartney)...

"Take my word for it": 1962] Brian Epstein becomes the Beatles' manager (although he has the Beatles sign a contract which he does not sign). He cleans up their image, dressing them in matching suits...

Gunned Down: 1970] James "Shep" Sheppard (The Heartbeats and Shep and The Limelites) is found murdered in his car on the Long Island Expressway...

"Bye-bye, so long, farewell": 1989] Confessed serial killer Ted Bundy is put to death in Florida's electric chair for the 1978 kidnapping and killing of 12-year old Kimberly Leach...

"Marcia, Marcia, Marcia": 1995] The prosecution gives its opening statement at the O.J. Simpson murder trial...

Red Light, Green Light (and everything in between): 2003] The Department of Homeland Security begins operations under Tom Ridge...

Going to Hall: 2003] Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" and Peter, Paul and Mary's "Blowin' In The Wind" are among 21 new additions to the Grammy Hall of Fame...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

Yesterday we gave you an update of the ongoing KDND "death by water intoxication" controversy and recently Harvey Mednick, one of the brightest and most creative promotion executive minds in the business offered his comments on the subject: "I agree with the suggestion that the station/owners be fined mightily and the proceeds given to the widower/kids of the victim. As you well know, promotions should be vetted for danger by some management entity to prevent exactly what happened with any hint, no matter how remote, of a physical challenge as the immediate disqualifier. They're supposed to be fun, as you and I both know from the years we spent creating them, with a pay-off that's really for the benefit of the listeners who do not participate---not a life threatening situation to those who do. Too sad, and stupid". No further comment necessary from me...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Mischa Barton (21), Mary Lou Retton (39), Yakov Smirnoff (56), Aaron Neville (66), Neil Diamond (66), Ray Stevens (68), Oral Roberts (79), Marvin ("Alice") Kaplan (80) and Ernest Borgnine (80)...

Timeline Countdown: 11 days until Super Bowl XLI, 22 days until 'pitchers and catchers' and 56 days until spring...

...

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

A Nickel For Your Thoughts...

While scientists and biologists disagree about the number of thoughts a person is capable of having, the number is likely to be infinite. At any particular moment if you're sports minded you might be thinking about the NFL coaches carousel that continues to spin with new coaches being added in Pittsburgh where the Steelers will be Miked (as in Tomlin), the Raiduhs picked a Lane (as in Kiffin) in Oakland and the Cowboys need a new coach in Dallas as the Big Tuna became more like a beached whale. Thinking of TV? Your thoughts might run toward the discussion about "American Idol" and whether or not the judges are being too mean in ridiculing people that don't need to be ridiculed. There might be things of a more personal nature on your mind at any given microsecond of thought. Whatever it might be, your thoughts might soon be worth a nickel instead of a penny...

A potential shortage of coins could mean that pennies become nickels according to an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Sharply rising prices of metals like copper and nickel make the face value of pennies and nickels worth less than the material that they are made of. For that reason the U.S. mint has issued regulations limiting melting and exporting of the coins. Francois Velde of the Chicago Fed says the best solution would be to "rebase" (hopefully it won't be"free" rebased?) the penny by making it worth five cents. "History shows that when coins are worth melting, they disappear" says Velde...

No time table has been set by the Fed but Velde says it will happen "sooner or later". Stand by...

There's an update on the "death by water intoxication" story at KDND in my Commentary and today's video link can be found in one of the timelines...

Timeline Memories...

"Happy Trails": 1989] Salvador Dali dies of heart failure in his native Spain at 84...1997] Richard Berry, writer of "Louie Louie" and an R&B performer and song writer dies in his sleep at 61...2004] Bob Keeshan a.k.a. "Captain Kangaroo" dies at 76 after a long illness...2005] Former "Tonight Show" host Johnny Carson passes away from respiratory arrest at the age of 79...

Lead poisoning: 1978] Chicago's Terry Kath accidentally shoots himself in the head with a pistol he didn't know was loaded. Kath was just 32...

Ratings buster: 1977] "Roots" debuts as a mini-series and almost half of the country (85% of all television homes saw all or part of each of the 7 episodes and a whopping 100 million watch the 8th and final two-hour episode)...

"Pick a number, any number": 1929] Jacob Rupert, co-owner of the Yankees announces that in the upcoming season the team will have uniform numbers to help identify the players. The team will base those numbers on their batting order: #3 for Ruth, #4 for Gehrig, etc...

Going to Hall: 1962] Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson are elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame...1975] Ralph Kiner has a date with Cooperstown and immortality...1979] Willie Mays is elected on the first ballot...

Going to Hell: 1985] O.J. Simpson becomes the 1st Heisman Trophy winner elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame...

A Hall of a time: 1986] The 1st annual induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is held at the Waldorf Astoria. Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley are inducted with Norm N. Nite and yours truly in attendance...

Seizure at Sea: 1968] North Korea seizes the U.S. Navy ship Pueblo holding the crew for 11 months on suspicion of spying...

#1 on this date: 1968] "Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)" - John Fred and his Playboy Band...1988] "The Way You Make Me Feel" - Michael Jackson...

"The Streak (boogity, boogity)": 1971] UCLA loses to Notre Dame and then wins 88 games in a row only to lose to? Right you are: Notre Dame...

"War is over, if you want it": 1973] Richard Nixon announces an accord ending the Vietnam War...

"J-E-T-S N-O": 1983] The Jets 14-year wait for another AFC championship ends in defeat when quarterback Richard Todd is intercepted 5 times in a 14-0 loss to Miami (the Dolphins advance to the Super Bowl against Washington but lose)...

"Bye-bye, so long, farewell": 2002] EMI gives Mariah Carey a $28 million pay-out to end their association which was supposed to last for several albums estimated at $100 million. Mariah survives (boy does she ever). Here's Mariah singing "We Belong Together" at the Live-8 benefit concert in the summer of 2005: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6Xwjf5yPQs&mode=related&search=

Soopuh: 2005] The Patriots win the AFC championship with a convincing 41-27 bashing of the Pittsburgh Steelers, sending New England to Super Bowl XXXIX where they beat Philadelphia...

Debuted on this date: 1975] "Barney Miller" debuts on ABC-TV and runs for 7 seasons...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

The family of Jennifer Strange, the housewife who died from "water intoxication" in that dumb and irresponsible KDND Nintendo Wii contest has sent a letter to the FCC asking that the station's license be revoked. The family is also expected to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the station in Sacramento (CA). We'll continue to follow events in this case and will provide updates...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Mariska Hargitay (43), Anita Baker (49), Monaco's Princess Caroline (50), Cheap Trick's Robin Zander (55), Anita Pointer and Chita Rivera (74)...

Timeline Countdown: 12 days until Super Bowl XLI, 23 days until 'pitchers and catchers' and 57 days until spring...

...


Monday, January 22, 2007

Monday, January 22, 2007

Peyton is one step away from leaving A-Rod in the dust...

Just one thing remains for Peyton Manning to escape Alex Rodriguez' neighborhood and he should accomplish that by beating the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI in 2 weeks. That will leave A-Rod the lone, active, over-achieving regular season player who under-achieves in the post-season...

No sour-grapes, no post-mortem, no-woulda, coulda, shoulda's from this Patriot fan. Manning came up big when he had to. His team won and now they're on to the Super Bowl for a February 4th meeting with the Chicago Bears. Congratulations to both teams. Now let's move on...

I do however have a comment on Patriot receiver Reche Caldwell who not only looked like Marty Feldman but dropped passes that the late comedian would've caught easily. That's without ever seeing Marty play football. Don't need to - I saw Reche Caldwell. Let's see now...I wonder who will be the first receiver Belichick will drop before next season, hmmm. I can see it now, Belichick invites Kim Carnes to the going away party for Reche. I can even hear her singing, "He's got Marty Feldman eyes"...

There's lots to cover today so let's get started. I have 2 video links today and you'll find one in the timeline and another in my Commentary. Stand by...

Timeline Memories...

"Happy Trails": 1973] Former President Lyndon Baines Johnson dies of a heart attack at 64...1995] Kennedy Matriarch Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy who had a paralyzing stroke 20 years earlier dies at the Hyannis Port Compound at 104...

"Guilty as Charged": This was a bad day for bombers...1957] George Metesky a.k.a. "The Mad Bomber" is arrested in Waterbury (CT) and accused of planting more than 30 explosive devices over a 15 year period in the New York Metropolitan area. Deemed insane, Metesky will be at a state institution until being released in 1973 when he would return home to Waterbury and live until he was 90...1998] Theodore Kaczynski a.k.a. "The Unabomber" pleads guilty in return for a life sentence (which he is serving) without parole...2001] Former NFL player Rae Carruth is sentenced to a minimum of 18 years and 11 months in prison for his role in the 1999 murder of his pregnant girlfriend (the baby survives and is being raised by the victim's mother)...

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered": 1960] Sam Cooke signs with RCA Records...

Recorded on this date: 1963] "On Broadway" - Drifters...1966] "Wouldn't It Be Nice" - Beach Boys...1971] "Power To The People" - John & Yoko...

Debuted on this date: 1962] Gene Chandler ("The Duke of Earl") makes his TV debut on "American Bandstand"...

"Sock It To Me": 1968] "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" debuts on NBC-TV (video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPxfIVutWMI&mode=related&search=

King George: 1973] George Foreman wins the heavyweight title with a 2nd round KO of Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica...

The Supremes Rule: 1973] Roe vs. Wade is born, legalizing abortion after the Supreme Court strikes down state laws prohibiting abortion...

Big Apple: 1984] Apple introduces the Macintosh...

Soopuh: 1984] Barry Manilow sings the national anthem and then the Los Angeles Raiduhs rip the Washington Redskins 38-9 in Super Bowl XVIII...1989] Joe Montana leads the 49ers on an 11-play, 92 yard touchdown drive with 34 seconds left to lift San Francisco to a 20-16 win over Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII (it's the 3rd title for the 49ers)...

Madam Secretary: 1997] The Senate confirms Madeleine Albright as the nation's 1st female secretary of state...

"So sue me": 2002] AOL Time Warner files suit against Microsoft seeking damages for harm done to AOL's Netscape Internet Browser when Microsoft gives away a competing browser...

Chapter 11: 2002] Kmart files for chapter 11 bankruptcy...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

It was sad hearing that Denny Doherty had passed away over the weekend at 66, leaving Michelle Phillips as the sole surviving member of The Mamas and The Papas. Denny had suffered an aneurysm in his abdomen in mid-December and was placed on dialysis. He had been released by a hospital in Canada, was in weakened condition and died in his sleep on Friday, January 19th. As a tribute to Denny, here's a video link to Denny and John sharing lead vocals on the group's 1st hit, "California Dreaming": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGjCt1LT_CM&mode=related&search= ...

We also lost a veteran actor from "Barney Miller" - Ron Carey (Officer Carl Levitt) who suffered a fatal stroke last Tuesday. Ron Carey was 71...Former Mets pitching coach Vern Ruhle, 55, (also with Houston, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, California and Cincinnati as pitcher and pitching coach) passed away on Saturday after a year long battle with cancer of the bone (multiple myeloma)...R.I.P. Denny Doherty, Ron Carey and Vern Ruhle...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Diane Lane (42), Linda Blair (48), Islander Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Bossy (53), John Hurt (67), Joseph Wambaugh (70), Piper Laurie (75) and Birch Bayh (79)...

Timeline Countdown: 13 days until Super Bowl XLI, 24 days until 'pitchers and catchers' and 58 days from Spring...
...

Friday, January 19, 2007

Friday-Sunday, January 19-21, 2007

Brady vs. Manning (Round 9) Winner Take All...

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have faced each other 8 times. Sunday's game between the Patriots and Colts makes it #9 since Brady became the Pats quarterback in 2001. Here are the records of the quarterbacks in those 8 meetings:

Regular Season: Brady: 4 wins, Manning: 2...Playoffs: Brady: 2 wins, Manning: 0...Edge: Brady...

Overall Post Season Record: Brady: 12-1, Manning: 5-6...Edge: Brady...

Superbowl wins: Brady: 3, Manning 0...Edge: Brady...

This is not to suggest that Peyton's team can't beat Brady's team but they haven't been able to so far in the playoffs. Peyton gets the edge in statistics every year during the regular season. Peyton Manning is one of the great regular-season quarterbacks of all time. Brady is the best playoff quarterback of his era with his 12-1 record. The Indianapolis Colts are 3 point favorites because the game will be played in their dome. Now let's look at the coaches regular season and post-season records...

Regular Season: Dungy: 114-62, Belichick: 111-81...Edge: Dungy...Post-Season: Belichick 12-2, Dungy: 6-8...Edge: Belichick...

Super Bowl Wins: Belichick: 3-0, Dungy: 0...

Okay now throw all those records aside for Sunday's game because it will come down to this quote by Tom Brady: "The team that's most prepared and goes out and executes the best this weekend will be the team that moves on (to the Super Bowl) and represents the conference"...

Oh, there is another game by the way. In the early game, the surprising New Orleans Saints travel up to frigid Chicago to take on the Bears for the right to represent the other (NFC) conference...

Our video link for the weekend is posted in a timeline for Friday, January 19th which follows...

Timeline Memories...

"Happy Trails": 1998] The legendary Carl Perkins dies at 65 from complications caused by several strokes...2006] Wilson Pickett, 64, passed away after suffering a heart attack...

"Irish Wake the Bruins":: 1974] Notre Dame stops UCLA's remarkable 88-game winning streak 71-70. The Irish move up in the polls from 2 to 1, replacing the Bruins. It marks the 1st time UCLA wasn't #1 since the 1968 NCAA championship tournament...

"Coffee, tea or tissues boxes": 1937] Howard Hughes sets a transcontinental air record, flying from Los Angeles to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds...

Cha-Ching: 1949] The President's salary is increased from $75,000 to $100,000 with an additional $50,000 expense allowance for each year...

"The Name Game": 1952] The NFL buys the New York Yankees, then awards the franchise to a group in Dallas. The Dallas Texans will move to Kansas City where they become the Chiefs (are you following all this?)...

"Splain it to me Lucy": 1953] A whopping 68% of all TV sets are tuned to "I Love Lucy" as Lucy Ricardo gives birth to a baby boy and here's a piece of that show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Z6njr6_So&mode=related&search= ...

Who hit the mute button?: 1957] Ernie Kovacs does a half-hour TV show in Philadelphia without saying a single word...

Having a Ball: 1957] Pat Boone sings at Ike's presidential inauguration...1977] Charlie Daniels and Marshall Tucker play at Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Aretha Franklin sings "God, Bless America"...1981] Frank Sinatra, Donny & Marie Osmond and Dean Martin perform at Ronald Reagan's inauguration...1993] Fleetwood Mac reunites to perform "Don't Stop" at Bill Clinton's inauguration...

Meow: 1967] Lesley Gore appears on "Batman" as Pussycat, the Catwoman's sidekick...

Going to Hall: 1972] Sandy Koufax, Yogi Berra and Early Wynn are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame...

"Free as a Bird": 1979] Former Attorney General John Mitchell is released on parole after serving 19 months in federal prison for Watergate-related crimes...

"Guilty as Charged": 2000] Robert F. Kennedy nephew Michael Skakel surrenders to Greenwich (CT) police to face charges in the 1975 death of Martha Moxley. He is later convicted of the crime and is serving time in prison...

"Schaefer is the one beer to have": 2002] The Patriots win their last game at Schaefer Stadium, defeating Oakland in overtime 16-13 in an AFC Divisional Playoff game in a snowstorm. The game features the infamous "tuck rule" used to protect Tom Brady and an Adam Vinatieri field goal to win...

"Strange Bedfellows": 2004] John Kerry wins Iowa's Democratic presidential caucus and Howard Dean who finishes 3rd delivers his famous fist-pumping, over the top speech that will bury him as a serious candidate...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

"Happy Trails" to columnist and author Art Buchwald who died yesterday at 81. Buchwald had refused kidney dialysis treatment for his failing kidneys one year ago and was expected to die soon after but his strong will and sense of humor kept him alive until yesterday. Buchwald said of his pending death, "I'm having a swell time. The best time of my life". The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author, born in Mount Vernon (NY) had a summer home on Martha's Vineyard and will be buried there. R.I.P. Art Buchwald...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Katey Sagal (53), Desi Arnaz Jr. (54), America's Dewey Bunnell (55), Dolly Parton (61), Shelley Fabares (63), Michael Crawford (65), Phil Everly (68), Robert MacNeil (76), Tippi Hedren (76), Fritz Weaver (81) and Jean Stapleton (84)...

Saturday, January 20, 2007...

Timeline Memories...

"Happy Trails": 1965] Fans mourn the death of Alan Freed who passed away from uremic poisoning at 43...1993] Audrey Hepburn dies from abdominal cancer at 63...2003] Caricaturist Al Hirschfeld dies in his sleep at 99...

Rock and Roll: 1885] The roller coaster is patented by L.A. Thompson...

Jump it Up: 1892] The 1st official basketball game is played at a YMCA court in Springfield (MA). The game was played using peach baskets with 9 players on each side. The game was invented by Dr. James Naismith, a phys-ed teacher at Springfield College...1968] In one of college basketball's classic match ups, Elvin Hayes and Lew Alcindor face off as #2 ranked Houston beats #1 UCLA 71-69. Hayes scores 39 for the winning Cougars...

Recorded on this date: 1965] The Byrds record Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man"...1967] Arthur Conley records "Sweet Soul Music"...1969] Elvis Presley records "In The Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds" in Memphis (the 1st time in 13 years Elvis recorded in Memphis)...

Released on this date: 1958] "Get A Job" - Silhouettes...1964] "Meet The Beatles" LP - Beatles...

#1 on this date: 1977] "I Wish" - Stevie Wonder...1987] "At This Moment" (featured on "Family Ties") - Billy Vera & the Beaters...

"Sworn In": 1961] John F. Kennedy...1989] George H.W. Bush (#41)...1993] Bill Clinton and 2001] George W. Bush (#43)...

"D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1961] Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller (they were married in June of 1956)...

"Free at Last": 1981] Iran releases 52 American hostages held for 444 days. This happened minutes after Ronald Reagan is sworn in...

Kidnapped: 1987] Anglican Church envoy Terry Waite disappears in Beirut while attempting to negotiate the release of western hostages (he will be released in 1991)...

Soopuh: 1985] The 49ers beat Miami 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX. For the first time TV commercials sell for a million a minute....

Going to Hall: 1988] Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The Beach Boys, Beatles, Drifters, Bob Dylan and The Supremes...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Melissa Rivers (39), James ("Desperate Housewives") Denton (44), Lorenzo Lamas (49), Bill Maher (51), Paul Stanley (57), Buzz Aldrin (77), Arte Johnson (78), Patricia Neal (81) and Slim Whitman (83)...

Sunday, January 21, 2007...

Timeline Memories...

"Happy Trails": 1984] Jackie Wilson dies at 49 after being in a coma for 8 years (he suffered a heart attack on stage, Sept. 25, 1975 while singing "Lonely Teardrops")...1998] Jack Lord of "Hawaii Five-O" dies of congestive heart failure in Honolulu at 77...

Recorded on this date: 1957] "School Day" - Chuck Berry...

Released on this date: 1789] The 1st American novel is published. William H. Brown's "The Power of Sympathy", an account of the seduction and suicide of a young woman...

Debuted on this date: 1946] "The Fat Man" debuts on ABC Radio and will run for 4 years. Although it would become a film, this detective series never makes it on TV...1957] Patsy Cline appears on Arthur Godfrey's nighttime TV show singing "Walking After Midnight"...

The Holy Cross Comet: 1954] Celtic's great Bob Cousy steals the show in one of the most exciting NBA All-Star games in history scoring 10 of the East team's 14 points in overtime and then icing the game with his dribbling in a 98-93 victory...

Champagne Shower: 1954] The Nautilus is launched in Groton (CT). The 1st atomic powered submarine is christened by first lady Mamie Eisenhower...

Gunned Down: 1959] Carl Switzer a.k.a. Alfalfa from "Our Gang" is shot fatally in Northern California over a $50 debt owed him. The murder is ruled "justifiable homicide". Alfalfa was just 31...

Wedding Bells: 1966] George Harrison and Patty Boyd rock down the aisle. The couple will divorce in 1977 when Patty takes Eric Clapton as her next husband...

"I beg your pardon": 1977] Jimmy Carter pardons almost all Vietnam War draft evaders...

Soopuh: 1979] Terry Bradshaw's 4 touchdown passes leads Pittsburgh to its 3rd Super Bowl win, a 35-31 victory over Dallas in Super Bowl XII...

Going to Hall: 1987] Aretha Franklin gets into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...

"Unplugged": 1990] The Squeeze become the first MTV act on "MTV Unplugged"...

Captured: 1991] CBS correspondent Bob Simon is captured by Iraqis in the Persian Gulf. He's imprisoned for 40 days before being released...

"Drop the Knife": 1994] A jury in Manassas (VA) acquits Lorena Bobbitt (by reason of insanity) for her "slice and dice" job on husband John's private parts...

"So sue me": 2004] The recording industry sues 532 computer users it said were illegally distributing songs over the Internet...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Geena Davis (51), Robbie Benson (51), Billy Ocean (57), Jill Eikenberry (60), Mac Davis (65), Placido Domingo (66), Richie Havens (66) and Jack Nicklaus (67)...

Timeline Countdown: 14 days until Super Bowl XLI and 25 days until 'pitchers & catchers' as of January 21, 2007...

...


Thursday, January 18, 2007

Thursday, January 18, 2007

The Big Bopper...Can You Dig It???

This is truly one of the most bizarre stories of the year. The son of "The Big Bopper" a.k.a. J.P. Richardson, Jay Richardson a.k.a. "The Big Bopper Jr." has hired a forensic anthropologist to find out how his father died in the infamous 1959 plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and "The Big Bopper"...

Born shortly after the crash, Richardson never knew his father but he would like to dispel rumors of a gun being fired on board the plane just before it crashed. Would Richardson Sr. have survived the crash and did he die trying to go for help? His body was found 40 feet away from the wreckage while Holly, Valens and the pilot died at the site of the plane's wreckage. An autopsy was performed on the pilot's body but not on the others...

Dr. Bill Bass, nicknamed "The Body Farm" plans to study the remains in March. The University of Tennessee research facility founder is an expert in determining identities and causes of death. X-rays of the bones should be able to show if "The Big Bopper" was hit by a bullet because the lead in the bullet would leave debris. The cause of the crash was officially logged as "pilot error" but the owner of the flying service insists his pilot was not at fault but may have been "incapacitated". A gun, believed to belong to Buddy Holly was found by a local farmer two months after the crash. "Bopper Jr." doesn't believe his father was shot and doesn't buy the rumors, "That's what I hope it comes to". We'll find out in March. Stay tuned...

Our video link is a live performance of "The Big Bopper" singing "Chantilly Lace" on the "Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show". Unlike "American Bandstand" which had artists lip-sync their hits, some of the acts on the Saturday night show sang live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLrOTMSpC-Q Watch this video to the end and notice the "IFIC" buttons in the audience...

Happy Trails to a legendary early Rock and Roll voice that's been stilled, follows - in my Commentary...

Timeline Memories...

"Round and round she goes and where she stops nobody knows": 1948] The precursor of "American Idol", "The Original Amateur Hour" hosted by Ted Mack moves from radio to television where it will run until 1960...

"Under Cooked": 1778] English navigator Captain James Cook discovers the Hawaiian Islands but taking a page from the Earl of Sandwich, calls it the "Sandwich Islands" (but then again the Captain hadn't eaten in months. He'll make up for it by naming the real Sandwich Islands - Hawaii)...

"Ice, Ice baby": 1958] Boston Bruin Willie O'Ree becomes the 1st black NHL player...

Chart Debut: 1964] "I Want To Hold Your Hand" - Beatles...

#1 on this date: 1961] "Wonderland By Night" - Bert Kaempfert...1971] "Knock Three Times" - Dawn...1980] "The Wall" - Pink Floyd...1986] "That's What Friends Are For" - Dionne Warwick & Friends (Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Elton John). All proceeds go to the "American Foundation for AIDS Research"...

"Guilty as Charged": 1967] Self-proclaimed "Boston Strangler", Albert DeSalvo is convicted in Cambridge (MA) of armed robbery, assault and sex offense charges and is sentenced to life in prison (DeSalvo is killed by a fellow inmate in 1973)...1980] Studio 54 owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager are sentenced to 3 years in prison for tax evasion and fined $20,000...1990] Washington (DC) Mayor Marion Barry is arrested for drug possession in an FBI sting (Barry is later convicted of a misdemeanor)...

"Happy Days are Here Again": 1965] Barbra Streisand and Bobby Darin perform at LBJ's presidential inauguration...

"So Sue Me": 1969] Ex-Beatle Pete Best wins his defamation suit against the Beatles. Asking for $8 million, he settles for considerably less (a Beatle library and Ringo Starr's drum case)...

"Spin-Off": 1975] "The Jeffersons" debuts. You may remember that George Jefferson was Archie Bunker's neighbor. The series runs 11 seasons...

"Soopuh": 1976] The Pittsburgh Steelers win their 2nd Super Bowl in a row, an exciting Super Bowl that goes down to the last play. The Steelers beat Dallas 21-17...2004] The Patriots beat the Colts 24-14 to win the AFC championship and advance for a date with Carolina in Super Bowl XXXVIII (and your blogger was in Houston to celebrate the SB win for the Pats)...

Chapter 11: 1980] Capricorn Records, home of Southern rock acts, files for bankruptcy...

"Going to Hall": 1989] Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Dion, the Rolling Stones, Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder...

The Final Curtain: 1991] Eastern Airlines shuts down after 62 years in business due to financial problems...

"Life's a Holiday": 1993] The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is observed in all 50 states (even Arizona) for the 1st time...

"D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1996] Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson after 20 months of marriage (and somewhere Elvis is smiling)...

"Hail To The Chief": 1998] The Boston Celtics retire Robert Parrish's #00 jersey...

"Love Child": 2001] Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson reveals an extramarital affair that results in the birth of a daughter...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

"Happy Trails" to Thornton James Hudson a.k.a. "Pookie Hudson" who passed away on January 16th from cancer. Pookie was the great and hauntingly distinctive lead singer of the 50's early Rock and Roll group, The Spaniels who scored with such R&B hits as "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" (written by Hudson) "Stormy Weather", "Zing" and my favorite, "You Painted Pictures". They also went top 10 (R&B) with "Baby It's You". "Sweetheart" was their biggest pop chart hit, getting as high as #24 before the McGuire Sisters covered the song and had the pop hit but the tune was top 5 at R&B. An entire new generation discovered Pookie and The Spaniels when the song was featured in "American Graffiti" in 1973. In October Pookie Hudson recorded a new CD called "Uncloudy Christmas" which will be released this fall...R.I.P. Pookie Hudson...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

"Law & Order's" Jesse L. Martin (38), Mark Messier (46), Kevin Costner (52), Bobby Goldsboro (66) and Ray Dolby (inventor of the noise reduction system)(74)...

Timeline Countdown: 3 days until NFL Conference playoffs, 17 days until Super Bowl XLI and 28 days until 'pitchers and catchers'...

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Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

A Deadly Radio Contest...

KDND in Sacramento (CA), appropriately known as "The End" ran an on-air contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii". The person who drank the most water without urinating would win a video game system. Jennifer Lea Strange, a 28-year old mother of three got as far as two gallons of water before dying from what the coroner ruled was "death consistent with water intoxication". Yesterday the station fired all 5 disc jockeys on "The Morning Rave" show along with 5 other employees who took part in the contest. According to a report in the Sacramento Bee, "an audio recording indicates at least one disc jockey knew there was some danger". "Can't you get water poisoning and like die?" Trish of the morning show said about a quarter of an hour into the show...

The Sacramento County Sheriff (John McGinness) said there does not appear to be grounds for a criminal investigation and the FCC said they could not discuss specifics of the incident but come on people, firing station personnel won't bring back Jennifer Lea Strange nor compensate her family will it? This is not the first case of death by radio station contest or promotion, it's happened before. It happened here in New York in 2000 in a Britney Spears promotion in a parking lot. The victim's family lost a civil suit in that case. In 1975, KHJ in Los Angeles called on listeners to track down "The Real Don Steele" driving a red car and giving out cash. A driver died trying to find Steele and his widow won a civil judgment against the station...

Steve Cottingim who runs the 6 CBS Radio stations in Sacramento said contest rules are approved at the corporate level. In one case, serving bratwurst was nixed because lawyers were worried about food poisoning. "That's how strict it is", Cottingim said. Not hardly strict enough Steve. If none of the local or county authorities do anything then it's up to the FCC to step in and here's my message to them: It's not just about censoring radio stations. If a radio station fails to be responsible for holding a promotion, contest or any event that has a danger of injuring or killing someone, as in this case, then what you need to do if fine the damn station a hefty sum in the millions and award the money to the family of Jennifer Lea Strange so that her three daughters never want for anything the rest of their lives. That's the least you can do...

Our video link of the day is the #1 hit on this date in 1974, "Show and Tell" by Al Wilson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4pOF-AopkY&mode=related&search=

Timeline Memories...

"Happy Trails": 1970] Billy Stewart and 3 band members are killed when their car goes out of control and off a bridge in North Carolina. Stewart was 32...

"Beetlemania": 1949] America welcomes the 1st VW Beetle to our shores. VW is now 20% owned by Porsche...

"A Penney for your thoughts": 1913] All 36 Golden Rule stores in Utah are consolidated into one company. The new corporation will be called The J.C. Penney Company...

The Joke's on us: 1916] The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) is formed in New York City and about 5 gazillion un-funny golf jokes are hatched...

Ultimate Spinach: 1929] Popeye makes his 1st appearance in the comic strip "Thimble Theater"...

Released on this date: 1969] Led Zeppelin's self-titled debut album...

#1 on this date: 1964] "There! I've Said It Again" - Bobby Vinton (it's considered the last #1 song before the British Invasion. In 4 weeks, The Beatles replace Vinton at the top of the charts with "I Want To Hold Your Hand")...1974] "Show and Tell" - Al Wilson...1984] "Owner of a Lonely Heart" - Yes...

"I Get a Kick Out Of You": 1971] The Colts' Jim O'Brien boots a 32-yard field goal with 5 seconds left to give Baltimore a win over Dallas 16-13 in Super Bowl V (considered the sloppiest SB of all with a record 11 turnovers)...

The Final Curtain: 1977] Convicted murderer Gary Gilmore, 36, is shot by a firing squad at Utah State Prison in the 1st U.S. execution in a decade...

The Supremes Rule: 1984] The U.S. Supreme Court rules 5-4 to allow private use of home video cassette recorders to tape TV shows (YES!!!)...

"Going To Hall": 1990] Bobby Darin, The Who, Simon & Garfunkel, 4 Seasons, 4 Tops, Hank Ballard, Platters & Kinks are all inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame...

Rock and Roll: 1994] The Northridge (CA) earthquake rocks Los Angeles, registering a 6.7 on the Richter Scale. At least 61 are killed with damage estimated at $20 billion...1995] A magnitude 7.2 earthquake devastates the city of Kobe, Japan with more than 6,000 killed...

"Apple Turnover": 1999] Up by 10 points early in the game, the Jets commit 6 turnovers, including 4 fumbles and lose the AFC championship game to Denver 23-10 at Mile High Stadium (the closest to the Super Bowl Bill Parcells will get in his 3 seasons as coach of the Jets)...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

I hate those e-mails with all those cute throw-back memories in an attempt to make people feel older than they really are. That would include what prices were, our favorite TV shows, slang, etc. etc. There might be a clue there if you're thinking of sending me one. I just delete them right away so if you're thinking of sending me one, forget it. And now comes the "But". But Muhammad Ali turns 65 today. Whatever you think of Ali, you immediately picture this self-assured and special champion who could "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee". 65 today but his face is distorted by Parkinson's making him look older. His voice is a whisper and he communicates mostly with facial expressions. He tires easily although his mind remains sharp and clear and his passion for people hasn't faded with age. But don't feel sorry for "The Champ" says daughter Hana. "People naturally are going to be sad to see the effects of his disease but if they could really see him in the calm of his everyday life, they would not be sorry for him. He's at complete peace and he's here learning a greater lesson". Happy Birthday Champ...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Kid Rock (36), Jim Carrey (45), Susanna (The Bangles) Hoff (48), Paul ("Everytime You Go Away") Young (51), Muhammad Ali (65), Maury Povich (68), James Earl Jones (76), Eartha Kitt (80) and Betty White (85)...

Timeline Countdown: 4 days until NFL Conference playoffs, 18 days until Super Bowl XLI and 29 days until 'pitchers and catchers'...

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