Life Is a Song Worth Singing

Teddy Pendergrass is dead at the age of 59 years old. To many this is just another passing of a member of our popular culture. To me it is a tragic loss that I feel very deeply.
I think all of us have a songbook that we carry with us throughout our lives adding new songs all along the way. In my songbook Teddy holds a very special place partly because he was so prolific a hitmaker and partly because those very hits took place at a time I recall with such fondness. As a young man in my 20's it was almost as if he were singing my songs instead of me singing my own.
From his start as a member of Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes to his solo career he was a major force in what is now known as "The Philadelphia Sound". From the time I first heard "Wake Up Everybody" and his lead for the Bluenotes I was sold. Not only did that voice become so recognizeable it brought me to a place that felt like home wherever I was.
For the time in my life I lived and worked in Lake Tahoe I saw Teddy live on several occasions everytime he appeared in a local showroom. I own to this day every vinyl album he ever produced as well as a few CD's that are still among my favorites to give a listen. As a recording artist and a performer he has few challengers from his contemporaries. A career, that was side tracked by an auto accident that left him paralyzed in 1982, was one that we probably have no idea how incredible it was destined to be otherwise.
We lost a great performer and man today and I lost a part of myself. My songbook will never be the same and my subconscience feelings whenever I hear Teddy singing will not be bringing me home anymore. Rest in peace Teddy Pendergrass and thank you.

Whose Fault is it Anyway?

With all of society's ills we have some of the best minds constantly involved toward coming up with the solutions to make it all better. The human condition is to look for the ones to blame. Famine, war, economic depression, disease, bigotry, religious persecution and all of the problems that plague humanity are only problems caused by someone else right? If we could eliminate those at fault all would be healed and the world would be right again.
Well, I know who it is. It is "THEM". Also known as "THEY". "THEY" are easy to find. "THOSE" people should be weeded out and made to pay for all the bad things "THEY" cause.
But wait...... "THEY" do all the good in the world as well, don't "THEY".
The truth of the matter is that we can all look in the mirror to find the real culprit. Yep, "THEM" and "THEY" are "US". Each and every one of us is responsible for all of it. All of the bad and all of the good. When we, as human beings, begin to cherish what is different about one another and stop the hatred of everyone different from "US" all of these problems will soon cease to exist entirely and they will become laughable as we can hardly imagine being so rediculous in the first place.
Imagine for a moment how bland this existance would be if everyone was the same. I, for one, would rather not exist at all under that awful set of circumstances.
Catholics shouldn't hate protestants. Whites shouldn't fear blacks. Jews shouldn't look at muslims as an enemy. Every group should wonder at the spice that every other group brings to our worldwide party. Soon the only group of "THEM" left would be "US". Human beings, happy to stand side by side reveling in all of "OUR" wonderous varieties.
Ok this has been a message from my conscience and this blog will return with the frivolities of pastimes and games next time you come back to see it.
Take care and thanks for reading!

Baseball in January?

There is a strange feeling that comes over you after the New Year. Christmas has come and gone, the college and NFL football seasons have all but come to a close and the parties have all gone quiet as we ring in another year. I hope everyone is healthy and safe and that your baseball souls are not in too much pain as we wait now for spring.
For now, it is Hot Stove trade talk, MLB Network giving us our fix of classic baseball and the memories we have of the season just past. All the while we can't help but daydream about the Spring just ahead. The sunny skies over Florida and Arizona. Grapefruit and Cactus are in our thoughts whether we even realize what our subconscious is longing for.
I was excited a couple of weeks ago as I signed my son up for his second season in Little League. Driving home from the sign-up session melancholy took over as I realized just how long we will have to wait for the tryouts to arrive.
Yes it will be awhile but at least we can console ourselves with MLB.com, Classic games on television, ESPN mutterings telling us where our favorite players will be suiting up in 2010 and reading baseball blogs like this one. Yes, it will be awhile but we have one another. Anyone want to take a trip to Mexico to see some winter baseball south of the border? It might just get us by until we here those magical words, "Pitchers and Catchers reported to camp today".

My Photography

It's Just a Joke

Former President George W. Bush and his VP Dick Cheney are sitting in a bar. A guy walks in and asks the bartender, 'Isn't that Bush and Cheney sitting over there?'
The bartender says, 'Yep, that's them.'
Excited, the guy walks over and says, 'Wow, this is a real honor! What are you guys doing in here?'
Bush says, 'We're planning WW III.'
The guy says, 'Really? What's going to happen?'
Cheney says, 'Well, we're going to kill 140 million Muslims and one blonde with big breasts.'
Confused, the guy exclaimed, 'A blonde with big breasts? Why kill a blonde with big tits?'
Cheney turns to Bush and says, 'See, I told you, no one gives a shit about the 140 million Muslims.

When is Enough Enough?

I want to let everyone know that I am a huge sports fan first. In most cases my teams come second. With this being said I am a football fan. I love watching the NFL whenever it is on with zero regard to which teams are competing that day on the field. A game being on television on Thursday nights is a bonus I'd find difficult to criticize and can barely consider what catastrophic event could possibly keep me from watching.
Well, it has come to me. It is tantamount to chinese water torture brought to us in the form of Matt Millen. What deranged executive made this hire for the NFL Network? With unemployment in this country at all time highs and our schools in crises there just has to be plenty of unemployed morons to choose from. Come on already, do we really have to be clubbed over the head like baby harp seals by Millen's monotone stupidity over and over again every single week?
I will give it to him, he was a better than average linebacker in his day and held up his end on some real good defenses with the Raiders, Redskins and 49'ers but I'm sorry, this does not translate into either an executive position or as a color commentator. When you do everything you can to create the worst front office decisions of all time and destroying a franchise in the process how in the world does that qualify you to lend your wisdom, or lack thereof, to a football watching nation?
Doubt the validity of this question? As a viewer have you missed the moronic display provided on a platter as you watch? Here are a few little quotes that may serve to enlighten:

"We have the same philosophy in terms of the kind of people we like, the kind of team we want to build." -- Feb. 3, 2001, after hiring Bill Tobin as his personnel chief.
"I made it for philosophic reasons. That would probably be the best way to put it." -- after firing Tobin.

"I have known Steve since he got into the NFL as an assistant. ... His offensive system is one that we already have in place, which certainly is a plus for our football team in general and some of our young offensive players in particular." -- after hiring Steve Mariucci.

"I believe we have underachieved as a football team. I also believe that we have not developed our younger players, and that is bothersome." -- after firing Mariucci.

"My initial thought was this: If you can't get it done in five years, get out. And I still think that, but actually, I understand how things are now and when I say, 'Can't get it done,' I mean win a Super Bowl. I don't mean get to 10-6.

"I believe that we have as much talent on this football team as any other team in the league." -- before the 2004 season; the Lions finished 6-10.

"The opportunity sits before us and, you know what? The timing couldn't be better." -- before the 2005 season; the Lions finished 5-11.

"Is it the perfect group? No. But we believe it's as good as it's going to be, and we're going to get better." -- speaking about the roster before the 2005 season. (Did I mention that the Lions are 7-24 since then?)

These came out of William Clay Ford's mouth the day he hired Matt Millen. The Lions had finished 8-8 and 9-7 in the previous two years and had made the postseason five times in seven years, but failed to win a playoff game during that span."We've been pretty much stuck on dead center for quite a few years," William Clay Ford Sr. said that day. "Matt offers us an opportunity to move ahead."

Last night with the Steelers down to the Cleveland Browns 13-6 and only 1:47 left on the clock Pittsburgh lined up on a 4'th down play needing a 1'st down conversion or the game goes to the Browns. Roethlisberger's pass was deflected away and the Browns took over. Game, set, match! Cleveland wins. What does Matt have to say? "That ball should have been picked". Who cares? The ball and the game belong to the Browns regardless!

Well that's all I can muster right now other than a plea to the good folks at NFL network. If another unemployed moron can't be found, just go with crowd noise and let us watch a great sport in peace.

This Is It Really Was

My family and I went to see the new film dedicated to Michael Jackson using archive footage taken during rehearsals for the "This is It" show in London. Regardless of whether someone loved, hated or could simply care less about Michael Jackson the man this is a must see film.
Personally I have always been a fan of Jacksons music since i first heard him back in 1969. I can still remember rushing home that Sunday night to watch the Jackson 5 perform "I Want You Back" on the Ed Sullivan Show. In the last years he became more of a cartoon of his former self and was identified more by what the press and tabloids had to say than by his work. This movie takes it's audience back stage with a seldom seen perspective and slams you head on with the realization and memories of what Michael Jackson was and has always been, a phenomenon.
One of those once in a lifetime shooting star that trancends all boundries and comparisons to others. In fact, my wife Dannielle and I, upon leaving the theatre bounced other entertainment super stars off of one another. We came up with Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis and all of the extremely talented contemporaries of today. The closest I could think of was Elvis. He had Michael's charisma. He had a voice so unique he could sing upbeat rock & roll while still having the ability to break out the emotional soul filled ballad. Unfortunately for the fans Elvis sang other writers song while Michael wrote almost all of his himself. While Elvis had his gyrating hips Michael Jackson could dance with the greatest dancer not only of his own time but with the best ever. And that barely scratches the surface of his incredible talents as a composer, songwriter and choreographer.
Simply put Michael has been an entertainment super nova for all of us lucky enough to have been born in his time. "This is It" as a film and as a tribute to that talent hits the mark like now other movie of its kind ever has before. It brings up raw emotion as its audience literally applauds as if Michael were there in front of them in a live concert. My wife pointed out, very adeptly, that it was the first time she had ever been to a movie where the entire audience sat in still attention through the entire credits as it came to a close. Seriously not a soul moved. It was as if everyone was transfixed by what they had just witnessed.
I literally felt my emotions for a good half hour after we had left the theatre. If a person likes music and has a couple of hours free he, or she, would be doing themselves an immense diservice not seeing "This is It" in the theatre. Trust me you will be swept away.