Tool Time: 2010 Edition

It was just a couple of months ago while I was out with some friends, I reminisced at how awesome the 4th of July was last year for a few of us. It all started with no real plans but things just all fell into place and it turned into an extremely fun time. It all started with a buddy coming from out of town to see Les Claypool, so I and a few others decided to get tickets and go as well. The show was awesome and after the show, while enjoying beers in the bar, we decided we would drive to Bismarck and go hang on the Missouri river on the 4th of July. That too was just an extraordinarily great time...the weather was fantastic, the beer was cold...we ended up watching fireworks and partying until dawn.

As I was saying to my friends, I am not sure why last year's Fourth of July seemed so awesome but I do know going to a concert seemed like a perfect way to kick the holiday weekend off, but at the time there was no concert worth seeing anywhere near where I am at...that was until May. In May it was announced that TOOL would be playing at the Xcel Center in St. Paul this Thursday, July 1st. This couldn't be any better! Tool, one of my all-time favorite bands...one I have seen live 9 other times, is coming to the Xcel just prior to the Fourth of July weekend? To say I am excited to go to this show is an understatement. Tickets and hotel rooms have already been obtained ... now all that is left is to make the pilgrimage to St. Paul and see one of the greatest live bands put on another awesome show, which should then hopefully kick off another awesome 4th of July weekend!

Reason Number 1,324 Why Americans Don't Like Soccer

Every 4 years ESPN and ABC relentlessly promote the World Cup Soccer tournament. Every 4 years American sports fans are "coddled" and coaxed to tune into the World Cup...the most watched sporting event in the WORLD. Every 4 years Americans are told Team USA likely won't win the entire tournament but should do well and be competitive. Then every 4 years Team USA disappoints...but not this year... No, this year the American sports fans that are tuning into the World Cup got treated to something every sport is plagued with ... poor officiating.

Soccer is no different than the NBA ... when a player goes in for a layup and there is contact the ref just blows his whistle and calls a foul... no matter what. The same goes with soccer...players flop and make exaggerated gyrations and whether or not there was an actual infraction or not, a whistle is blown and a foul called. Of course Team USA got screwed on an offside call..which is kind of funny, there are so many angles of the play with images of at least 2 American players being held...which apparently isn't a foul?...and then the Americans, of course, no offsides at all.

So in four years when ESPN/ABC are trying to sell the World Cup to American viewers again, they can say "Remember Oh-Ten when America got screwed? They are back for revenge this time!" The end result, though, is the same... soccer is boring. Trying to sell Americans a boring sport and then throw in some shady officiating...yeah, that will catch on like wild-fire....NOT!

VJ and McNeill: Holdouts

Yesterday was the deadline day given to Charger players Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeil to sign their 1 year contract tenders or else have them reduced. Both Jackson and McNeil had stated they were prepared to hold out the entire season, if needed, until they got a new contract deal with the Chargers so neither signed their tenders.

Vincent Jackson is coming off a career year, but also is likely to be suspended for four games for his most recent DUI conviction. Jackson was also cited for driving under suspension the morning of the AFC Playoff game against the Jets...in which the Chargers lost.

McNeil, like Jackson, has spent his entire career with the Chargers. McNeil had been fairly impressive in his first few years with the Chargrs but like much of the offensive line last year, didn't seem impressive last season.

I think both these players have more to lose by having an extended holdout with the Chargers ... I do think that both will get signed by the first game of the season...hopefully the talks don't get to contentious so that the players will want to be committed to the team.

LT's New Tattoo

LaDainian Tomlinson got a Jets tattoo on his calf...he does have a lightning bolt on the other one...but you haven't even played a down for the Jets and you are getting a tattoo already?

LT, continues to do his best to peeve Charger fans...he should realize it wasn't the Charger fans that cut him and by continuing to do these type of things just goes to show that he may be appropriately labeled as a whiner...something I never wanted to previously admit...

Charger OTA's Underway, Ellison Busted

The draft, to many, signals the beginning of a new NFL season...for me, it's when the summer organized team activities begin. Now is when you get to see how some players are prioritizing their offseason. If a player is not at the OTA's I don't instantly hold that against them...players like Antonio Gates that have missed so far, was due to getting his foot checked out and is expected to be back with the team shortly, I have no problem with that. On the other side of that coin is Kevin Ellison, who has been told to stay away from team activities after getting busted with 100 Vicodin pills, that doesn't sit as well with me, nor does it appear to sit well with the Charger brass. Ellison may soon be out of a job.

Favre: Right On Schedule For Return

I officially fired up Favre Watch: 2010 in February and had already determined Favre was returning to play football and it looks as if all indications are that my (not so) bold prediction is likely. First Favre makes a wager with his old college, Southern Miss, if they make the college World Series he'll come back and play football this year. And then we hear he had surgery on his ankle, which would be needed if he was to play this year. And of course the timing of the ankle surgery is the most convenient for Favre as it will prevent him from participating in any sort of 'mini-camp' activity.

I think it may be tougher for Favre to deny that he hasn't made up his mind this year to play or not while training camp fires up, but I am willing to bet that Favre will not show up to training camp for the first few weeks...in fact, he will probably arrive about 2 weeks prior to their first preseason game...which is when he showed up last year and a little earlier than what I had guessed, but I did have him pegged as not being retired...no duh!

I am going to have to find a new annual off season activity once Favre actually does hang it up...but I figure I have at least 5 more years before I really need to worry about that...

Landis Admits Doping

Well, well, well... Floyd Landis came out and admitted to using steroids now...

I had followed the whole Landis steroid case (You can type Landis in the search box or just click the 'Steroids in Sports' tag to the left to follow my reaction at the time) and when his case was tried, twice, and Landis lost in both cases I had already been swayed to know he was juicing.

So why is Landis coming out now and admitting he was cheating? Well, I'm guessing Landis is looking for some dough...a book deal or interview fees...why do I think this? Well of course Landis isn't going to go down alone...he is taking everyone down with him and of course America's biggest name in cycling, Lance Armstrong. Landis details his team's, which included Armstrong, blood doping routine for the 2003 Tour de France...he also details his extensive use of many steroids including HGH.

I have given Armstrong the benefit of the doubt...and continue to do so, for the most part, but when every other member on his US Postal team has been busted for cheating at some point in their career...I have begun to let doubt creep in and would not be surprised if Armstrong, at some point, eventually does admit or some actual tangible evidence is produced to prove his usage. But as I have said in the past, cycling was probably as bad, if not worse, for cheating than MLB during a period of time...we find out now that most of baseball's biggest stars were all cheating during the period of juicing in baseball, including the best pitcher (Clemens) and the best homerun hitters (Bonds, McGwire, Sosa). Anyone juicing during the roid era in baseball was untouchable...Lance Armstrong won every Tour de France during the roid era of cycling...I don't know how anyone could legitimately win against a field of cheaters...unless, of course, you were cheating as well...

You Know Who's Lame? Uber-Gamers In RL

Video games in America have successfully integrated themselves as a component to the American society. Now, more than ever, do kids have access to video games...in almost every form...consoles, handheld, pc, plug-and-play type, etc. and as a result a person can begin to get a glimpse at the video game culture that it is breeding.

Let me begin my analysis with what I like to do when I begin to cast judgment upon something and that is display my credentials because the first thing I think whenever reading something, especially a blog post, is how can this guy be saying this? I am first, a video gamer myself. I present exhibit A (Click the Entire game History for fun). This only details some of the activity that was on my one computer for the past 5 years, does not include the same time on the Playstation or Wii machines. In addition to that small sample, I have been a 'gamer' since I was young....I had about 20 of the handheld single player games, original Pong, an Atari 2600, a Commodore 64, SNES and more ... I have been a 'gamer' for over 30 years now and I still play games to this day... I love them. Ok, enough with that now back to the story...

I was out a while ago with some buddies that happen to be bartenders so throughout the evening people would stop by our group to say hi to one of my friends because they are recognized...some of those people would linger around and have a drink with us, others would just move along. So this young married couple happens to swing by and knows one of my buddies, they say hi and are going to hang around for a bit...so they introduce themselves to me... the guy's name is unimportant but the girl says "Hi, I'm Crispy. That's my gamer-tag so all my friends just call me that." Right there I wanted to put the entire conversation to a screeching halt and just unload on the idiocy that this young, dumb girl just said to me. You see, by being a gamer, myself, I had quickly dissected that sentence and understood the idiocy of it. So, you're a gamer...obviously because you have a gamer-tag. Ok, fair enough so far and then you say all your friends call you by your gamer-tag ... um are all your friends gamers and you call them their gamer-tag too because you are gaming all the time? Of course... and then finally, who gave you your gamer-tag in the first place? Ah...that's right, you had to enter it...so in reality, you just want everyone to call you by your gamer-tag because that's what all your gamer friends do...call you by the name you chose for yourself.

Well, as much as I profess to be a gamer, I can't think of how LAME it is to go around and ask people to call you by your gamer-tag....Hey what's up pwner666? Have you seen HarryDick23 lately? I best change my gamer-tag or else people will refer to me as SayOw in public...which, incidentally many people think is a sexual reference and are almost upset when I tell them it is in reference to one of my favorite football players.

For the Uber-Gamer, which I am fairly certain this chick is, me seeing her actually outside of the house and not online gaming is probably something her family only dreams of. If I was a betting man, I would have guessed they were just killing time until the midnight sale for the new C.O.D. (Call Of Duty for you non-gamers) so they could rush home and play non-stop for 5 days...then they would only leave to get some more Mountain Dew.

Merriman Switches Agent .... Hastens Trade?

Shawne Merriman switched agents which has people speculating that it is a move that will better facilitate a trade out of San Diego.

AJ Smith, the GM for the Chargers, is often blasted for being a hard-ass and a stickler when it comes to negotiations ... and in some cases I can see how he gets that reputation and in other cases, such as this one, I think he has played his hand with Merriman fairly well...

This is Merriman's last year under contract with the Chargers, next year, as most 'experts' are predicting an uncapped season and then probably a lockout if no CBA agreement is reached. So you can see where Merriman would love to sign a big contract right now that would have him locked in until at least the 2013 season so he would have a job after a potential lockout. His problem, though, is that he hasn't really been an effective player for the Chargers since his steroid bust. His value with the Chargers, and other teams, is quickly dropping and what Merriman would, I think, ideally like is to be traded before this season starts (or shortly there after) and get a new contract with a new team...otherwise his future could be in some doubt...

If he ends up on the Charger roster for the entire season and under performs as he has the past 2 1/2 seasons, his value will surely be nominal...so it only behooves Merriman to go all out this season with the Chargers...then, after the season, the Chargers could re-evaluate their position with Merriman. But to be brutally honest, I think Merriman's salad days are over. He has a lifestyle that is bigger than his game. If Merriman could back his on field play with his off field drama, he may be worth the baggage but all Shawne has done, since his steroid suspension is party with Tila Tequilla, be hurt and ineffective.

It would be great for the Chargers if someone was willing to pony up and take Merriman because I don't think he is worth the money or the hassle anymore...

Some Man Advice

I've mentioned it many times ... I'm getting old. Most of the time half-jokingly but yet, aware that it is slowly becoming more of a reality than a joke. I don't get carded at bars anymore...unless I go to one of those places that literally card everyone because it is filled with mostly 21-25 year old people and every minor in the county tries to get in. Not getting carded is really the first step towards officially being old.

Now, I'm not bitter about getting old because I also have discovered that I have become fairly wise, relatively speaking. I can not tell you how many times I have been hanging out with some guys and their would be someone who is pre-30 that would tell a tale of some sort and after hearing this tale us old men would chuckle and point out to the youngin' where he went wrong...it is all common sense we say.

So, as a public service to every man in America, I am going to dispense some invaluable advice exclusively for men. I am by no means a professional consultant or am certified to help anyone in any way shape or form. I am merely a man that likes sports, women, rock music and beer (in no particular order). And some of the things I am about to point out you will exclaim, well of course, that's just common sense...of course it is, but you would be surprised at how many times these instances happen. That really is my goal here...is to inform those that don't know yet. And finally, this isn't like any magazine "10 Ways To Get The Girl You Want" type of advice...this, again, should just be common sense type of advice that not all men seem to know. I am not claiming to break any new ground here.

So let's get's this thing rolling:

Never ask a woman if they are pregnant. Right off the bat, seems like common sense, yet I have seen more then one man make this gaffe. Now of course if your intent is to offend and/or ridicule the woman you inquired, you probably can't get much meaner. I do not care if you see a girl that you knew was 125 lbs just last month and now looks like she is trying to hide a blanket under her shirt, wearing sweat pants and almost 200 lbs ... you should never utter that phrase to any woman. EVER.

Always compliment a woman's hair, especially if she changed it. Now this one seems pretty straight forward but it is one a man forgets and I also say it is something that a man should do to any female acquaintance and will instantly gain favor amongst all the women you interact with. For some reason women, throughout their life, feel the need to change things up and will either cut their hair really short or let it grow really long or hilight it or tint it or whatever...no matter who this woman is in your life, your mom, your sister, neighbor, whoever...by simply noticing it and merely say "I like what you've done to your hair," you are set. Even if the woman, herself, does not like what she did to her hair, most women will then proceed to thank you and explain either why or why not they will keep that hairstyle...either way, you don't lose and most likely don't have to say another word. What also makes the woman more endearing towards you is that most men won't say anything to a woman about her hair ... maybe their spouse or girlfriend, but men, in general, don't usually comment on a woman's hairstyle directly to the woman. That's why by doing so, you will seem so more 'in tune' than the other men that the woman deals with. This tip alone is worth it's price in ... uh.... something....trust me. Start complimenting a woman's hairstyle ...only when she changes it mind you...and you will not be disappointed. Treats will be left on your doorstep, help with your house cleaning...all kinds of favors are magically offered for no apparent reason.

Never buy clothes for a woman. Again, should be a no-brainer here, but you wouldn't believe how many men fail at this. First, they think well I won't buy anything like a shirt or a dress or anything like that...I'll get her some gloves...NO! Don't do it. Not a scarf, no gloves, hat or anything apparel related...the only exception might be diamond or gold jewelry, but even then you are taking a gamble. Unless the woman has given you the precise specifications of the item she wants, which would include no less then the following information: the brand, style, color, country manufactured in and the exact spot within the only store it can be found ... you might be able to get away with this...but it is still extremely risky.

Women are always hungry. I theorized about this quite some time ago and have been able to almost confirm this assertion as fact. Ok, you say, we know women are hungry, how does that help a man? Well easy...anytime anything with a woman is awry, food is a very good pacifier...especially if you know what the woman loves to eat...if you don't know for sure, always start out with a cake, usually can't go wrong there. And let's say that if you are with a woman and you ask if she is hungry and she replies no, she is not hungry, continue to try to obtain food anyways...I'm willing to bet that 8 out of 10 times the woman eats after initially declining...they just decline to not appear like a pig. Here's the scenario... "Hey Julie, want something to eat?" you ask. "No thanks, I'm not hungry" Julie replies. "Ok," you say, "I'm kind of hungry so I'm just going to grab something to eat if you don't mind." Julie will pause and then say, "Well, if you wanted to share something, I might have a little something." Bam...it's that easy.

Never be a stalker. Pretty straightforward here...don't be the guy who has stalker like qualities...calling and texting a girl about her where-abouts, what she is doing, who she is with, etc. You want to start creeping a girl out and probably drive her towards the paranoia you have, this is the way to do that. I know men often feel desperate and that the one girl they are actually getting something off of is the only girl in the world what would do so become very protective and possessive, but women will eventually want to break free from your overbearing personality.

Five quick tips that if men adhered too would, at the very least, not give them too many negative points when trying to deal with women and not necessarily in just an intimate relationship, but with all the women you deal with on a daily basis. Friends, co-workers, family and whatever female acquaintances may have you have, many of the above tips will help you out.

Fantasy Owners Beware: Brees On Madden '11

Drew Brees was selected by the fans to be on the cover of the next EA Sports Madden NFL 11 game.

Of course most all football fans know of the Madden curse that has effected almost every player that has graced the cover of the latest Madden NFL game since 2002 and Dante Culpepper.

Last year Madden had 2 players on the cover, Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald...Fitzgerald made it the entire season without injury and did perform at a respectable level... Polamalu, on the other hand, was injured a few times this past season...so not how the 'curse' selected its victim last year, but this year the curse can focus squarely on Brees...

2010 Charger Schedule Released

The NFL released the schedule for next year and usually I have a complaint about the schedule and how, by appearances, the Chargers seemed to get screwed on a few games, have an early bye or whatever. But it hasn't really mattered like last year, the Chargers have seemed to overcome any schedule handicaps in the past and have had fairly good success in the regular season. So what about this year? At first glance, the schedule seems very 'kind' for the Chargers...

What seems almost like a tradition now, the Chargers will open the season as the 2nd game on Monday Night Football, this time against the Chiefs...and in Kansas City. Not sure if the NFL knows this or not, but KC is in the central time zone, so that game will start at 9:00 PM local time ... not really a 'fan friendly' start time...why wouldn't the NFL have the Chargers or any other California/west coast team host that game so it would start at a respectable time for the locals?

The Chargers have 5 'prime time' games ... along with the above mentioned Monday night game, they play one other Monday night game against the Broncos on November 22nd. They have 2 Sunday night games, November 28th vs the Colts and then against the Bengals on December 26th. The other game against the 49ers, which is a Thursday night game on the NFL Network.

Unlike last year, when the Chargers didn't play a division rival after Thanksgiving, play 4 divisional games in their last 7 games... The Chargers play the NFC West, which many think is as weak as the AFC West...

So I think the Chargers could very likely mimic last season...have a fantastic regular season...but of course I have lost all faith in the Chargers and am fully expecting a playoff disappointment to conclude their season, as usual.

Sometimes You Can't Win

You know there are sometimes there is something a person tries and no matter how simple or quick and easy this task might be, it just seems destined to not go that way for whatever reason...yesterday, I had one such experience...

So my son is in Cub Scouts and one of his projects that he needs to complete for some badge is to make a scrapbook. I, as luck would have it, had taken our digital camera with to all of his previous scout functions and have a fair amount of pictures...so, for the first step of this project, I was going to get prints of several of the photos and to put them into a scrap book. I wasn't in any hurry for these, but at the same time wanted to do something that was convenient...so there is a pharmacy, literally, right across the street from where I work that has a 1-hour photo and to add to my good fortune, has internet ordering available...so I can simply upload my photos, have them processed and after work simply pick up the photos and be on my way...sounds like a great plan to me... well, I only wanted a dozen pictures printed and the order was less than $2...awesome, I think, until I see the final charge(s) where $1.50 was added to my order because it was less than $5...well screw that I think, I'm not going to pay almost double what I should be paying just because I don't want $5 in pictures printed up right now. I also know they have a picture printing station available right inside their door... I will simply go there after work, insert my SD Card and in about 3 minutes have my prints and be on my way...like I've done before. I go to the store, stick my memory card in, select my photos and wait for them to print out for me...after the 2nd print, sure enough an error message comes up "Printer out of paper/ink get store rep to fix." Great...now I got to go find someone to fix the machine...and of course it can't be a quick, easy process...and then...finally, I get my 10 or so pictures.

As I mentioned above, I wasn't in any hurry, so I wasn't getting steamed or mad about anything...but what I had initially thought would be a less then 3 minute stop across the street after work turned into over a half hour adventure...no matter how hard I tried for it not to be!

Roethlisberger Gets Away With Rape

Off-duty cops, acting as Roethlisberger's bodyguards, helped facilitate Roethlisberger raping a girl...

There's obviously a lot more to this story because with the details that was released to the press, how could the DA not press charges? Is it the fact, that first the girl is only 20 years old and 'clubbing' all night with Ben? Or is it the fact that off-duty police officers essentially 'assisted' Ben in the raping by first, leading the girl to a back hallway and then preventing her friends from going to her?

Either way, Ben was drunk, pulling out his dick and then raping some girl he fed shots too all night long... I just don't get it... you could probably find plenty of willing girls to have sex with, yet you got a rise out of the one that told you no...and now are going to essentially get away with it...

I would be willing to bet that Ben wrote a nice check to the girl and/or parents as an apology for his 'poor judgement' and she decided to not testify against him or some other back room deal...

LT Continues Bashing Chargers

Since LaDainian Tomlinson was signed by the New York Jets he has not stopped talking about how horrible the Chargers were to him...bashing the team, the play calling and most anything he can think of.

I have tried to ignore most of it but LT continues his tirade making it almost unignorable now...I have defended LT his entire career, he has always been a 'class act', in my opinion...but now, I am beginning to rethink of what my impression of him is...

Before the playoffs this past season LT said he was happy with his role with the team and felt the team was united to make a playoff push...since then, he has said the team set him up to fail and there was dissension in the locker room. He was happy when the Chargers were winning but the second they were out of the playoffs LT turned bitter and sour...and in a hurry.

Sure, if he had taken a couple of light jabs at the Chargers, fine, so be it...they were the team that cut you and you want to leave them knowing you didn't like that...but then LT continues on and pretty much blames everyone else as to why his production hasn't been what it once was...it almost seems like he is more than willing to bash the Chargers any chance he can get right now...

Ok, LT, we get it, you are bitter...but there are tons of Charger fans that hold you to be one of the greatest Chargers of all-time, which I am one of...but you are also quickly moving into the ranks as to being one of the biggest whiners of all-time.

Fighting Sioux Name To Be Retired

It appears as if the UND Fighting Sioux will be no more. After a few years of legal wrangling the pc crowd and the NCAA will come out victorious and the University of North Dakota will have to get rid of their nickname and mascot, the Fighting Sioux.

A state supreme court decision came down yesterday stating the the nickname can be retired at any time...whereas, supporters of the nickname wanted to have the name remain intact until the absolute last date...November 30th of this year.

In this world of political correctness, the verdict was probably inevitable...the supporters of the UND nickname had plenty of money to delay the change for as long as they could but in the end, they can not stop political correctness in today's America.

The best part of this, is that the late Ralph Engelstad knew that the nickname and logo would be under attack...so he made sure that neither would be forgotten if and when they would be banished...so he made sure that the Sioux logo is literally EVERYWHERE in one of the world's premiere hockey facilities, the Ralph Engelstad arena...stitched onto EVERY leather chair, logo is made of Italian marble etched throughout the concourse, holographic Sioux logos in the railings...it is everywhere and there is no way, without totally destroying the building, that those logos can or will be removed.

I know I have already begun to collect as much Fighting Sioux attire as I can...

McNabb Traded To Redskins

Wow...that's about all I could say after I read that Donovan McNabb was traded to the Washington Redskins...

And Philadelphia fans...I don't think you realized what you just did...oh sure, you got what you wanted, but I'm guessing this move is a move that could very well come back to haunt you...

Here's my opinion...and granted, I am a Charger fan but my two cents anyways...

What had me perplexed about this entire episode, was why Philadelphia (and their fans) had such a desire to get rid of McNabb...like he was a totally worthless quarterback, which he is absolutely not. Next, why Philly (and their fans) have such high praise from Kolb, who most assume will be the starter now that McNabb is gone, when Kolb really hasn't played that much or done anything that I have noticed that has made him better than McNabb...

And then, to top things off, not only do the Eagles trade McNabb but they trade him to a division rival? Are you really kidding me? The Eagles must have some inside knowledge or are just completely clueless, because McNabb, even to the harshest critics, can't be that washed up where you think trading him to a division rival will hurt them more then help them. The only instance that I can recall would be when Drew Bledsoe was traded from the Patriots to the Bills, I at first thought he was insane, Bledsoe was a young and relatively unproven quarterback but showed signs of being good, how could a team trade him and then to a division rival? Of course Bledsoe sucked and the Patriots had a guy named Tom Brady and a person doesn't have to try to hard to decipher the paths that the Bills and Patriots have taken since that trade....and the Patriots looked like they knew exactly what they were trading away...maybe the same here?

I know McNabb can be a bit streaky, but it always seemed to me that McNabb wouldn't be the reason the Eagles lost a big game. What I think, unfortunately, for McNabb is, is that he is going to Washington...a team where the owner knows no limits to signing big checks for players but also seems to meddle with the team on a way too frequent basis, which has the Redskins appear as a team with all the talent in the world but totally dysfunctional together...

Sioux Win WCHA, ESPN and NCAA Both Suck

What a weekend for the UND Fighting Sioux hockey team at the WCHA Final Five...

They had to play last Sunday the 3rd (of a best of 3) game against the Minnesota Gophers to advance to the Final Five...which they won. That meant if UND wanted to win the WCHA Tournament they would have to play (and win) Thursday night, then against the #1 team, Denver, on Friday and then again on Saturday. They beat Duluth Thursday night, played a great game against Denver on Friday night and then fell down 2-0 in the first minute of play against St. Cloud on Saturday but the Sioux ended the first period tied at 2 and went on to win 5-3 to secure the championship.

So many folks thought that UND might garner a #1 seed in the Frozen Four, or, at the very least, be within driving distance of their fans...but like usual, the NCAA hates UND (probably their nickname more than anything) and put UND in the Northeast region, which is in Massachusetts, and of course make sure Boston College is in the same region as well...essentially securing home ice advantage for B.C. In the meantime, not 1 single WCHA team in the Frozen four is even in the west region playing at the Xcel Center. Are you kidding me? Alabama-Huntsville is in the Midwest region but UND isn't, which sure isn't the Xcel Center but it's at least Indiana. Don't have to look to hard as to who the NCAA is favoring and who they are not...it isn't much more blatant than that...

Then let's go to ESPN's fine coverage...instead of showing the UND game live they are going to tape delay it until Sunday...so what's on the ESPN channels while UND will be playing hockey, here's your lineup: ESPN: Sportscenter and then WSOP reruns, ESPN2: 30 for 30 rerun and then drag racing and finally ESPNU: the one station they are airing hockey games...but of course only one region and of course not the Sioux game.

The NCAA and ESPN have done their best to make sure no one can follow or care about this hockey tournament at all...and I am amazed that WSOP reruns would get better ratings then tournament hockey...

Chargers Trade Whitehurst To Seattle

The Chargers traded their third string quarterback, Charlie Whitehurst, to Seattle yesterday. Seattle must see a lot of upside in Whitehurst, swapping 2nd round picks this year with the Chargers and giving them a 3rd round next year. Next year the Chargers have garnered 2 additional 3rd round picks (1 possibly a 2nd rounder pending Cromartie's play with the Jets) which can give the Chargers some leverage if they wish to seek out a player to work a trade for...or, worse case is that the Chargers will use the picks and bolster their squad up.

Whitehurst is a player that has been in the NFL for some time now but just hasn't had the opportunity to play in the regular season because he is behind Rivers and Volek. He has virtually no wear and tear on his body and what NFL teams typically do to young quarterbacks...let them sit on the bench for a few years to get the hang of the NFL and then give them a chance to start.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I'm not Irish, I won't be going out and getting drunk tonight but since I haven't had an entry in a while I figured I might as well wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day.