Hollywood Park Another Horse Racing Casualty

         It’s been a tough year for Los Angeles area landmarks.  The Santa Monica Civic is closing for good this summer.  The Gibson (formerly Universal) Amphitheater is set to be demolished at the end of the year.  Now comes the not so stunning news that Hollywood Park will hold their last horse races in December.  Its going to be razed for the dreaded “mixed use residential and commercial development.”  There’s plenty of empty homes and storefronts in Inglewood right now.  I don’t think this will help the economy in that troubled area.

         I know the sport of kings is on a death watch.  Horse racing in general is facing increased scrutiny for untimely deaths on the tracks and illegal steroids in the barns.  Owners have been desperate to have a Triple Crown winner since 1978. The gambling take has been hurt by the proliferation of nearby Indian casinos.  Even those who play the ponies regularly can do so from home with internet sites and TV broadcasts.  Attendance is down at most tracks, especially ones in areas like Inglewood, which isn’t exactly a garden spot.

         Yet Hollywood Park is still a special place, if only for its history.  Built in 1938 by a consortium of Hollywood moguls, it used to be the place to be for celebrities as well as “rail birds” who visited every day.  Citation won the Hollywood Gold Cup there in his final start in 1951.  Laffit Pincay, Bill Shoemaker and current hot-shot jockey Rafael Bejarano have all raced there.  It’s a shame it has to close.

         What’s also a shame is that horse racing as a sport has been left out of the gambling equation in general.  One of my favorite things to do in Las Vegas is place a couple of bets on the ponies and then play video poker in-between the races.  I’ve even done this at Fantasy Springs Casino in the Palm Springs area.  My favorite Indian casino also has off-track betting.  For just a few bucks I have a chance at winning some decent money between the racing and video poker.  Its an exciting way to spend a couple of hours even if I come out empty-handed.

         Despite efforts by track owners to pass some laws, slot machines and video poker are not allowed at the racetracks in California.  That’s why I expect more tracks to be shutting down.  Sure, the beautiful places like Del Mar will continue to operate, if only for their tourist appeal.  Horse racing as a way of life in general is definitely on the way out.

         The downward spiral that’s affected Hollywood Park will continue if they continue to ban other forms of gaming at the parks.

         I have to admit a certain selfish desire to keep Hollywood Park open.  Its just down the road from where I live, a straight shot drive from the beach to Inglewood and I don’t have to get on a freeway to get there.  I saw the Gin Blossoms play a free show on Memorial Day after the races and went to one of the best bachelor parties ever at Hollywood Park.  I’m on the mailing list that often sends out free admission coupons.  I usually bet $2 exacta boxes (two horses on one bet) and sometimes I’ve won major bucks.  Like all forms of gambling, if I stay within my budget, I don’t mind losing because its still a fun way to spend the day.

         Sadly, those days are about to end.  Not just for Hollywood Park but probably horse racing in general.  The solution is obvious.  Allow other forms of gambling.  I don’t think that’s going to happen.

 

   

Dodgers & NFL Do The Stadium Dance

          Here we go again. The Dodgers are getting ready to start a new season at Chavez Ravine, their home for over 50 years.  Everyone’s minds should be on baseball, but lots of people are talking about football, including building an NFL stadium next to Dodger Stadium.

We’ve been down this road before and its not an easy one to travel. In 1996, Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley met with NFL officials to discuss the possible construction of a football-only stadium on Dodger-owned property surrounding Dodger Stadium. His plan offered solutions to a number of problems faced by the NFL in locating a team in Los Angeles, following the departure of both the Rams and the Raiders.

          First, it provided for scarce, centrally-located land. Second, the proposal came attached to highly-regarded, established sports franchise management via the O'Malley involvement. Third, like Dodger Stadium, the new facility would be privately financed, and thus not entangled in lengthy municipal funding debates. Fourth, the plan called for alignment with an expansion team, meaning that no existing franchise would have to be moved.

Published reports indicated that O'Malley spent upwards of $1 million on an initial round of architectural renderings, land use studies and environmental impact research, and quickly garnered substantial support among NFL owners who would have to vote their approval. As meetings continued over the next year, O'Malley received a call from Mayor Richard Riordan, asking him to cease pursuit of the NFL franchise. The city had decided that the team should play in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, already over 70 years old, and absent any of the considerable amenities now standard in NFL stadiums.

          O'Malley reluctantly shelved his work and withdrew, noting that while he believed strongly in the viability of his proposal, "you can't fight City Hall."   His disappointment prompted him to sell the Dodgers to FOX and the team has not been to the World Series since.  Instead of having a gleaming new stadium with an NFL team, Los Angeles has neither.  All because of one phone call from a myopic mayor.

That phone call essentially ruined two franchises: the future NFL team in L.A. and the Dodgers. 

(Top) The "ravine" right of the scoreboard behind Dodger Stadium, (below) the view looking down at the imaginary football field

Over a decade later Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) came up with Farmers Field, a proposed football stadium in Downtown Los Angeles intended to attract an NFL team to the city.  They sought approval to begin construction of Farmers Field in 2013 for a 2016 completion which was in the process of being finalized at the time that AEG's president Tim Leiweke announced his resignation.  That’s right.  The guy behind the corporation with the best chance of bringing pro football back surprised everyone by abandoning the ship!  Once again the future of the NFL in L.A. is cloudy at best. 

Yet its quite clear if one goes to Dodger Stadium and sits in the upper deck behind home plate.  From there you can see a small valley (or ravine) in the hills behind left field.

Upon closer inspection this ravine surrounds lot 15, used for over-flow parking at sold-out games.  Standing in the middle of the lot and looking up at the sloped hillsides its easy to imagine a football field surrounded by roaring fans.  Its such a perfect fit that hardly any earth would have to be moved to make it happen.  It could have happened fifteen years ago and the NFL could be playing there right now.

The Dodgers were bought by Guggenheim Partners who have a ton of money to spend and are interested in building a football stadium.  Let's just hope they screen their phone calls. 

View from the "field" looking north and then south toward Dodger Stadium

 

   

This One's Not Going To The Dogs

       The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is coming up and I can never figure out why its covered in the sports pages of America. If you can't beat 'em, then join 'em.  Or in my case, infiltrate.

            If you are reading this you probably own a dog. Everyone around me owns a dog. 99.5% of the world population either owns or wants to own a dog. Guess who’s part of the other .5%? Me. One of the few people out of billions who’ve been kept awake countless nights by endless barking. The only guy who has been nipped at while minding his own business, the only person who ever stepped in dog poop.

            They say dogs provide unconditional love. The only person I expect that from is my mom.  Otherwise I think love, like anything else worthwhile, needs to be earned. I know I’ll never get a cat to love me.  The best I can hope for is to earn their tolerance and maybe a brief minute to pet them.  Five minutes on my lap.  Those are special times.  Knowing anyone, person or pet, was waiting for me at the door everyday  slobbering and panting would just get tiresome after awhile.

            They say there are no bad dogs, only bad owners.   Didn’t they see “Cujo?”  Seriously, dog owners do come up with some lame excuses.  “He only barks at people, that’s what dogs do.  Guard the house.”  Fine, except when you’re throwing a Christmas bash and the dog barks at every single partier who approaches the front door.  Such a nice greeting when you’re visiting someone and you’re treated like a midnight burglar. How about putting the dog in a back room? Or using a muzzle or bark collar?

            Bark collars.  Controversial devices.  Here’s a wacky idea.  If you buy a pet and you need an electronic device to keep them quiet by causing them pain you may not want that pet.  Just a thought.

            “He only barks at other dogs” is my all-time favorite.  So what?  The only thing your neighbor hears is a dog barking during prime time walking hours.

Which apparently begin at 6am in my neighborhood.  Rain or shine, cold or hot,

dog walkers are out there.  I only wish my post man was so dedicated.

            Which brings up professional “dog-walkers.” I know times are hard and if someone wants to spend all day picking up lots of dog poop that’s their prerogative.  “It’s the equivalent of a working mother having day-care,” is what they tell me.  Except the baby is a human being, not an animal.  Hopefully the mom would rather be with her children than having to grind out a paycheck.

Most of the time the mother has no choice.  Dog owners have a choice.  Don’t own one until you have the time to take care of it.

            That’s what my parents taught me. I wanted a puppy and they said you have to take care of it.  The puppy required lots of attention.  Seemed like lots of work just for a few licks on the face.  I realized I’d rather pay attention to girls who smelled like strawberries and guys who taught me how to play guitar.  So my parents gave the dog to one of their friends.  I was relieved and I learned an important lesson.  Its not a sin to admit you made a mistake.

            Yet its against the law to walk your dog without a leash.  If that law was enforced and people were thrown in jail then I would live in an empty neighborhood.  I’m pretty sure these are the same ones who use a cell phone while driving, everyone above the law like Steven Seagal.  I was feeling more like Woody Allen the other day  when an unleashed dog herded my soccer ball into the duck pond.  When I looked for the owner she was leaning against a signpost reading “all dogs must be leashed.”  I could not ask for a better way to end this story.  I only wish I’d made it up. 

             

Bruins In Holiday Bowl Bring Holiday Cheer

My first Holiday Bowl 1998 AZ upsets Nebraska 23-20

The Big Bay Balloon Parade

            Do you ever get the Christmas blues the week after the big day?  All the presents have been opened, most of the family has gone home and you’re left to clean up the mess.  In 1998 I discovered a cure for the Yuletide hangover.  Its called the Holiday Bowl and this year its happening in San Diego on December 27^th.

            I’ve been to ten games since then but this one is going to be special.  Although the match up traditionally features teams from the Pac 12 and Big 12 conferences, I’ve never seen UCLA play at Qualcomm Stadium.  They’ve finally made it and the Bruins will face the Bears from Baylor University in what promises to be a high-scoring shootout.  The Holiday Bowl has a reputation for lots of points and thrilling finishes.  Back in 1998 I saw Arizona upset Nebraska 23-20 after a furious second half and I was hooked.  Since then I’ve watched future NFL stars like Aaron Rodgers, Dez Bryant and Marshawn Lynch perform in front of roaring crowds and rocking bands.

            The game itself is just a part of the festive atmosphere that permeates the Holiday Bowl experience. The day starts at 10am with “The Big Bay Balloon Parade” held at the Port of San Diego. You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the giant cartoon figures floating

above while marching bands provide the soundtrack below.  Unlike going to the Rose Parade, this is a stress-free affair where you can show up whenever you want as long as you take the San Diego Trolley to get there.

            The Trolley also makes it easy to get to the game.  The $5.00 pass that took you to the parade can be used all day long!  I like to spend the afternoon in the hotel pool and Jacuzzi before heading over to the stadium.  Once there, I’m treated to a bowlful of holiday cheer highlighted by a terrific halftime show with fireworks and the usual college pageantry.

            If you choose to drive to the game you will park in one of the best tailgating lots in the country.  Barbecue smoke fills the air and more importantly, porta-potties are everywhere.  I’ve strolled down aisles where fans have offered me hot dogs and beers and even free tickets.

            In 2001 I walked over to the game from the nearby Ramada Inn, hoping to buy a cheap ticket in the parking lot.  I brought food and drink with me for a pre-game meal.  The only thing I didn’t bring was my wallet.  When I realized I’d left it back at the hotel, I had a decision to make.  The Navy jets did their usual fly-over and I knew I had only a few minutes until kickoff.  If I walked back to the Ramada to get some money the round-trip would take about half an hour.

            Then I saw a guy in a Santa hat passing out a handful of tickets to a group of friends near the stadium entrance.  I walked over and told him my story.  He had free tickets given to him by his employer and ended up with an extra one.  He handed it to me and said “Merry Christmas.”  I thanked him and hugged him and danced inside where I saw one of the best Holiday Bowls ever.  Texas and Washington scored 90 points in the last three quarters with the Longhorns finally winning 47-43.  Total cost to me: zero.  Thanks to the kindness of a stranger.

            That’s what I love about the Holiday Bowl.  It has big-name college teams and big-time entertainment.  What it doesn’t have is the stress and cost of a big game.  The perfect cure for the holiday hangover.

             

My buddy John enjoying Holiday cheer in 2009

After the parade and before the game its pool time!

UCLA and FOX Off To Winning Start!

Gus Johnson Makes Any Game Exciting

Erin Andrews Gets Everyone Excited!

Brett Hundley: Finally The Bruins Found Their QB!

Johnathan Franklin Is A Running/Receiving Double Threat

    Did you see the UCLA Bruins beat Nebraska 36-30 at the Rose Bowl? If you watched the FOX broadcast it was hard to tell what was more exciting: the new-look, new-attitude Bruins or the TV announcer Gus Johnson.  The latter was best known for his enthusiastic play-by-play calling on the CBS March Madness NCAA basketball tournament.  That network foolishly let him go to FOX who's given him the Saturday showcase NCAA football game and Johnson is already a huge success after two games.  This guy can talk about paint drying and make it sound like the Super Bowl.  Sometimes he goes overboard but that's fine because he keeps his focus on the action.  I'm looking forward to watching all the Saturday games no matter who is playing as long as Johnson is behind the mike.
    The other big hire by FOX was former ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews.  I've never known what to think about this blond bombshell who first turned up at TBS in 2002.  I remember watching her during a Braves game and thinking she would soon be moving on to a national network.  At ESPN she looked much too glamorous to be roaming the sidelines.  I think she's found a perfect spot in the FOX College Football studio doing interviews and half-time updates.  She's still gorgeous but she's not as distracting as she was on the field in high-heels and skirts.  Congrats to FOX on two big hirings that's given their college football telecasts immediate impact and popularity.
    After their second win of the season UCLA has finally cracked the AP Top 25 poll with a #22 ranking.  It's been a long time since the Bruins have been relevant.  It's been even longer since the Bruins fans have had anything to get excited about and it all starts with new coach Jim Mora.  He raised eyebrows by moving his summer drills to hot and smoggy San Bernardino during one of the worst heat waves in memory.  He now looks like a genius after UCLA beat Rice 49-24 in hot and humid Houston and then the big win over Nebraska.  For the last few seasons the Bruins have been plagued by a lack of leadership, especially at quarterback.  That's been resolved by Freshman QB Brett Hundley who scored on a 72-yard rushing touchdown on his very first play from scrimmage.  Since then he's gone on to throw for over 500 yards and score 6 TDS.  Instant Heisman candidate running back Johnathan Franklin has rushed for over 400 yards and scored 4 TDS, giving the Bruins the one-two punch they've been lacking for a decade.
    Another thing caught my eye during the FOX broadcast: UCLA's new uniforms.  For their first home game the Bruins ditched the traditional powder-blue for the traditional darker blue worn by most UC schools.  I know some of the fans grumbled about the change but as long as they keep winning, they sure looked good to me!       

Packers In San Diego Is Quite A Deal!

A $260 ticket for $20! Are you kidding me?

Club level seats give you a great view. Is it worth $260? For any game?

Waiting for the Trolley which makes going to Charger games so easy!

    Sometimes you just have to go on a road trip. Even if it means budgeting your gas money down to the final penny and making sandwiches for your hotel room.  Or should I say "motel room" as in what I affectionately call the Chateau Seis.
    A couple weeks ago I drank my morning coffee and suddenly realized it was August. Which meant the NFL preseason was about to start.  I looked in the paper and saw The Packers were coming to San Diego for a Thursday night ESPN tilt.  I hadn't been to a Packer game in 10 years.  They rarely play on the West Coast and when they do its always a tough ticket. So I figured a 5pm kickoff on a weeknight in August would be my best chance to see my favorite team.
    It turned out to be a wise decision.  I spent three hours in the motel pool on a hot summer day before taking the San Diego Trolley to the stadium which I still call "The Murph."  The Trolley makes Charger games so easy to get to and saved me at least $20 in parking fees.  That $20 was given to a scalper in the parking lot for a killer seat on the Club Level! I arrived just in time to see the Navy Jet fly over.  Then Ryan Matthews of San Diego broke his clavicle on the first play!  The Chargers always seem to have the worst luck in football.  They ended up winning the game 21-13 but losing their top running back for at least six weeks.
    In the first quarter Aaron Rodgers of the Packers threw a rare interception. It reminded me of the last time I saw him play in San Diego.  At the Holiday Bowl in 2004 Rodgers looked shaky as his Cal Bears lost to Texas Tech 45-31.  This time it was a meaningless game but Rodgers still seemed irritated by the pick.  The Charger fans on the Trolley after the game could only talk about the injury to Matthews.  So it goes for the pre-season. Injuries count more than touchdowns.
    Still, the NFL is the damn NFL!  I enjoyed the action and especially my club level seat. When I made it back to my room I looked at my ticket.  The face value on it: $260!  I paid $20 making it "the greatest bargain in sports history!"  That was the face value of the Super Bowl game I attended at the same stadium 15 years ago! Of course, its ridiculous that the NFL makes season ticket holders pay full price for pre-season games.  Then again, $260 for a regular season game is also absurd.  $12 beers, $10 hot dogs, I mean who can afford the NFL? For one night I could!      

Staples Center Hosts Three Playoff Series, Unfortunately

Lakers will host OK City Thunder in Round 2

Clippers and Grizzlies Battle At Staples

Last row for a Kings playoff game, is it worth going?

I hate the Staples Center.  It should be called the Stupor Center, or Soulless Center.  It has the aura of a private golf club where only the wealthy are entertained.  The Occupy Wall Street slackers picked the wrong place to stage their protest against the wealthy.  At a typical Staples Center event 99% of the crowd are the 1 percenters everyone hates.  The other 1% of the crowd probably won their tickets on the radio.  If that happened to me I wouldn't go, not even with free tickets.  They are going to be in the upper deck, perhaps the worst seats in any arena in the USA.  You are so far away you need a telescope, forget the binoculars.  The upper level is so high each seat comes with an oxygen mask.  The pay phones in the top level have a different area code than the ones on the bottom.

I've been to this big barn and had some good times to be sure.  I was there opening night Oct. 17, 1999 for the ribbon-cutting Bruce Springsteen show.  The one where he had to ask people to come out of their luxury boxes to watch the show.  Since that engagement Bruce has never returned, opting to play the decrepit Sports Arena just a few miles away in the bad part of town.  I had comp tickets in the upper level, so far away I needed someone to show me where to find the stage.  I snuck down to the floor which was the only way I could enjoy the Boss and the E Street Band.  Since then I've turned down free seats in the top level.  its just not worth going.  The reason is those damn luxury boxes.  I understand the need for a row of them to generate extra revenue, but the three tiers of luxury suites is unprecedented in American sports arenas.

I am not whining about the rich people who sit in those boxes.  I've sat there a few times and its nice to be pampered.  Its just that their presence creates such a huge divide between the "lower bowl" seats and the upper deck that it reminds me of ancient Rome.  There's no middle ground at the Staples Center.  You either have great seats or crappy ones.  The escalator taking you to the top level doesn't even stop at the lower levels.  You rise past glimpses of sumptuous buffets and silver dessert carts that you'll never taste or even smell.  In the past such extravagance was behind closed doors.  Now its thrust in your face before the escalator dumps you above the ozone layer in the top deck.

The Pac 12 basketball tournament is moving from Staples Center to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas where there's truly not a bad seat in the house.  I will make the 300 mile drive to root for UCLA.  I live 20 miles from the Staples Center but have never been to the tournament at Staples.  That place is the antithesis of what college basketball is all about.  Judging by the empty seats for most of the games there are others who agree with me.

So the fact that the Lakers, Clippers and Kings are in the playoffs at the same time leaves me with mixed feelings.  There will be six games played at Staples Center in four days.  Obviously a good thing for the people who work there and the businesses in downtown L.A.  The building will be filled with people who have enough money to afford expensive playoff tickets.  Even the upper deck will be filled.  I don't know why.

Dodgers Look For Magic, Marlins Find It In Miami!

I read the news today, oh boy! The Dodgers were sold to a consortium fronted by Magic Johnson. For two freaking billion dollars! I'm not exaggerating! Frank McCourt took the money so he could pay off his divorce settlement. Good riddance! Because of McCourt I have gone two years without seeing a game at Dodger Stadium. A place I've been visiting since 1965, maybe a 1000 times overall. I missed the experience but promised myself not to give that guy a dollar, even if the tickets were free! So now what?

It seems too good to be true. After all I share a memory of note with Magic Johnson. We were both at the last World Series game played at Dodger Stadium. Game 2 in 1988 when Orel Hersheiser shut out Oakland with his arm and his bat! I was waiting in a beer line on the field level when I heard a rustle of commotion and turned to see a towering figure heading to his seat. People were applauding and giving Magic high-fives. It was such a sweet time in Los Angeles, both the Lakers and Dodgers winning championships in 1988. It seems so long ago.

My happiness about the sale is tempered by the news that McCourt has a partial stake in the land surrounding Dodger Stadium. If it's developed (see my last piece about an NFL stadium site) he will make even more money. Are you kidding me? That's like getting married and your wife says: "Oh yeah, my ex-husband lives next door. Don't worry, he won't bother you." Anytime McCourt's named is mentioned, its going to bother me.

Meanwhile across the country something truly wonderful is happening. The Florida Marlins have become the Miami Marlins (nice ring to that!) with new uniforms and a new retractable roof ballpark that makes me want to get on a plane and check it out. No more rain outs for the franchise that won the World Series in 1997 and 2003. That's right, a team that began in 2003 has won two championships in the same time the Dodgers have won zero. I've always liked the Marlins, who won a dramatic Game 7 in extra innings to beat Cleveland in 1997 and vanquished the mighty Yankees in 2003, becoming the last team to win the Series at old Yankee Stadium. Those playoffs included the infamous Steve Bartman inning vs The Cubs, one of the wildest baseball games ever played.

Miami's new stadium looks incredible, like something out of Star Trek and the new uniform looks great on their big free agent signing Jose' Reyes and new manager Ozzie Guillen. I'd like to think this is the year for the Dodgers, but the McCourt hangover is going to last until Magic and his partners completely take control. Until then, I think a team doing all the right things should win it all, and that team is the Miami Marlins.

McCourt's Parking Plans Leave Dodgers Idling

"Ding dong the witch is dead!" was the triumphant cry of the Munchkins when the Wicked Witch was killed by Dorothy's falling farmhouse. Yet their worries were not over because another Wicked Witch would seek revenge. That's the way I feel right now about the Dodgers and their upcoming sale. The wicked Frank McCourt has been forced by Bud Selig's falling fist to sell the Dodgers and that's cause for great celebration. However, McCourt somehow figured out how to keep the Dodger Stadium parking lots separate from the sale of the team. Whoever buys The Dodgers will have to lease the lots from McCourt. Somehow this wicked witch has cast an evil spell on the Dodgers which will outlast his ownership!

I've been going to the stadium I once loved since 1965. I've probably attended 1000 events there. Yet McCourt's mismanagement of the team and their resources have kept me away for the past two seasons. I have turned down free tickets simply because I don't want even a dime of beer money to go to McCourt. Many other Dodger fans feel the same and in 2011 the team failed to draw at least 3 million fans for the first time since 1992.

My biggest concern is that McCourt might try to use the parking lots to attract an NFL team to Dodger Stadium. There's a perfect spot to build a football stadium behind center field. Its called Lot 5 and it sits in the original Chavez Ravine, surrounded on three sides by steep hills that lead to a flat surface almost exactly the size of a football field. Looking at the spot its easy to imagine a football stadium nestled into those hillsides. With all the talk of building a new stadium downtown (where there's no parking at all) or out in the City of Industry (really?), this has always seemed to be the perfect spot.

Peter O'Malley wanted to build a football stadium there in 1996 before Mayor Richard Riordan asked O'Malley not to pursue an NFL team. He wanted to concentrate on bringing a team to the historic LA Coliseum. Historic, yes but also an aging dump with notoriously bad parking. O'Malley was so disappointed he ended up selling The Dodgers and since then the team's fortunes have gone downhill.

Just when I thought it was safe to go back to Dodger Stadium, it may be even worse. McCourt has already ruined the Dodgers. The thought of him ruining a chance to bring NFL football back to L.A. is too much to handle. The thought of him owning the new football stadium makes me sick!

Tim Tebow's Positive Energy Beats My Negative Vibes

Yesterday I stuffed envelopes with my holiday cards while watching NFL football. That's when I witnessed a Christmas miracle. Since the Packers were destroying the Raiders I turned my attention to the Broncos vs Bears match up. After all, Tim Tebow has everyone talking about Denver and their big turnaround since he took over as quarterback. They'd won 5-in-a-row and many of them in thrilling fashion. So when I saw The Bears leading 10-0 with five minutes left in the game I stopped everything and focused on the action.

What I saw cannot be described with mere words. The Bears went to their prevent defense which gave Tebow plenty of time to pass the ball. The guy had completed only 8 out of 23 passes until then but suddenly completed seven in a row including a touchdown pass to make it 10-7 Bears. Divine intervention? No, bad idea to change from an aggressive defense to a conservative one.
Now it was starting to look like a Hollywood movie and I knew how it would end. The Bears would run out the clock because Denver had no more time outs left. Instead, Chicago running back Marion Barber ran out of bounds to stop the clock. Inexcusable since he would have won the game by sitting down and letting time expire! Tebow gained enough yards to put kicker Matt Prater in line for a 59 yard field goal and he made it to send the game to overtime.

Divine intervention? No, just perfect conditions in the thin air of Denver to boom one through the uprights. So the Bears get the ball and only need a field goal to win in sudden death overtime. Except the mistake-prone Barber fumbles the ball and Denver recovers it! Almost looked like Marion was throwing the game on purpose! Tebow made a couple of plays before Prater drilled a 51 yard field goal to win the game for the Broncos 13-10. Even the Packers helped out by beating the Raiders and putting the Broncos in first place in the AFC West.

Divine intervention? Maybe! I cannot explain why Tim Tebow looks like Clark Kent for 55 minutes and suddenly transforms into Superman seizing victory when defeat seems so certain. Someone said he is in such great physical shape he gets stronger while opponents get weaker. Teammate Eric Decker says Tebow radiates positive energy. That doesn't explain why Denver's defense has stepped it up or why the offensive line gives Tebow consistent protection. No one on TV knows the answer and neither do I.

I just know I'll be watching next Sunday...when there's five minutes left in the game.

The Greatest Night In Baseball History

I went to my first baseball game in 1965. For nearly fifty years I've been a fan of the game. I've never seen anything like the night of September 28, 2011, the greatest single evening in baseball history. Eight teams playing four games with two playoff berths on the line on the last day of the regular season with two of the match-ups going extra-innings. It was something I'll never forget.
One month ago I was like most fans. Bemoaning the lack of a close pennant race as the Yankees and Phillies dominated their respective leagues. Even the wild card playoff berths seemed pre-destined. The Atlanta Braves had a 8 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals, while the Boston Red Sox claimed a 9 game margin over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. But the month of September was cruel to Boston and Atlanta who found themselves tied for the two wild card spots with the teams who finally chased them down..
My TV clicker almost blew up as I went back and forth between the four games on two ESPN channels. The Red Sox took an early lead over the Orioles and the Yankees had a 7-0 lead over the Devil Rays. If the Red Sox held on they were going to the playoffs and Tampa was going home. Then it started raining in Baltimore (as if the night needed any more drama) and Tampa rallied to make it 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs they sent to the plate a guy named Dan Johnson with a .108 batting average. In the type of pressure situation every kid dreams about he knocked out a solo home run to send the game into extra innings.
Meanwhile the Red Sox game resumed and they quickly wished the rain had never stopped. Baltimore, a team with nothing to play for but pride, scored two runs in the 9th to win the game 4-3. Now the Red Sox had to root for their fierce rivals to beat Tampa. The Yankees had clinched top seed in the playoffs a week earlier so they also had nothing to play for and I'm sure they did not want to play extra innings. They held on until the 12th when Evan Longoria hit his second homer of the game, winning the wild card for Tampa and completing the epic collapse of Boston.
While all of this was going on there were two important games being played in the National League. One of them had St. Louis romping over Houston 8-0 . Then the Cards turned their attention to the Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies marathon. The Phils, like the Yanks, already had the best record in the National League and thus had nothing on the line. I'm sure they were not happy to go extra innings but they kept their best players in the line up until finally beating the Braves 4-3 in the 13th. That sent the Cardinals to the playoffs and the Braves into the record books for their historic choke job.
The Red Sox and Braves are two of baseball's heritage teams. When September started they looked like wild card winners. But the Sox won only seven games and the Braves won only nine while the Devil Rays and Cards never gave up hope. It took the greatest night in baseball to decide the ultimate winners and losers. Now its time for the playoffs to see who wins it all. It'll be a tough act to follow.

Champions League Final Brings Back Memories!

There's something in the air, can you feel it? Do you smell the fresh cut grass and hear the kids cheering on their teammates? Its spring time and that means balls are flying through the air down at the local...soccer field? That's right, I'm talking about that funny little game that most American adults claim to dislike yet somehow all their kids are playing nearly every day. I used to be one of those haters, turning up my nose at the mere thought of watching a match and clinging to my love of a real sport, like baseball. Now the Dodgers are a disgrace and I'm embracing my love for football, the kind that's really played with the feet, not the kind with helmets and bone-jarring tackles.

It took a long time for me to see the light. Back in 1994 when the World Cup final came to the Rose Bowl, I joined up with some fellow skeptics to watch the match between Italy and Brazil at a local pub. The game ended 0-0 and Brazil won the title on penalty kicks. In other words, the perfect example of why most Americans don't like soccer. Low scores, deliberate play and lots of flopping around on the field. It would be ten years before I watched another match.

By then I had a new job and a new co-worker named Kelly. Her love for soccer rivaled my once-passionate affection for the Dodgers. She had discovered the game late in life and was determined to watch and play as much soccer as possible. In 2004 she and her husband invited me over to watch the Euro Cup final between Portugal and Greece. It was another low-scoring game but something was different about this match.

Portugal was heavily favored to win on its home pitch and I became familiar with the names of such greats as Luis Figo, Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite the star-power of the host team, Greece kept the game close thanks to the goal keeping of Antonios Nikopolidis. In a few months, Greece was going to play host to the Olympics, and they looked woefully unprepared for the task. When their team won the Euro Cup 1-0 it seemed to energize the country who ended up staging a wonderful Olympics.

Like any sport, it helps to know the players and the more I learned the more I realized I needed a favorite team to sustain my interest in soccer.
In 2005 Kelly and I watched the Champions League Final between Liverpool and AC Milan. I'd been to Liverpool before and toured all the landmarks associated with my beloved Beatles. It looked bad for "The Reds" who were down 3-0 at the half but they staged a furious comeback to tie the match 3-3. Its been called one of the greatest comebacks in sports history and when Liverpool won the title on penalty kicks I was hooked. Liverpool was my team and I was now a genuine soccer fan.

When I discover something new I tend to get a little crazy with my passions. I started out buying soccer movies to whet my new appetite for the game. The one every knows is "Victory" (1981) with Sly Stallone and Michael Caine. Its a fun movie with marvelous footage of soccer great Pele' in his prime. Then came the little known "A Shot At Glory" with Robert Duvall and soccer star Ally McCoist. This one takes place in the Scottish league and I learned a lot just by watching the opening credits. Later I discovered "The Longest Yard" was remade into a soccer movie called "Mean Machine" with former player Vinnie Jones. My favorite turned out to be "Fever Pitch," the original film version of Nick Hornby's book about growing up in England as an Arsenal fan.

One of the things I love about soccer is the brevity of the game. Most matches take only two hours to watch and except for half-time its non-stop action. I read once that an average NFL game features around 12 minutes of actual playing time and it takes over 3 hours to complete! So even if the soccer match turns out to be a boring "prawn sandwich" it doesn't take up an entire afternoon. My favorite time is the 8am Sunday telecast of the English Premier League. In my bed with coffee in hand I cheer for my favorite player, Steven Gerrard, and root against such powerhouses as Chelsea and Arsenal. I'm already looking forward to watching the Champions League final taking place in London on May 28th. This is a rematch of 2009 when Barcelona won the title behind the magnificence of Lionel Messi, perhaps the best player in the world. They beat Manchester United and Ryan Giggs, perhaps the most beloved player in the world, and the Red Devils will be ready for revenge at Wembley Stadium. It should be a helluva match!

More Sunlight For March Madness!

Daylight Savings Time is here. In the nick of time if you ask me. With so much trouble all over the world its nice to have more hours of sunlight. Last Sunday was my favorite day of the year. Our politicians screw up many things but moving up daylight savings time was their shining moment. Especially when it comes to the All-American tradition of Spring Break.

I know it sounds funny for a baby boomer to talk about spring break which to many conjures up images of Connie Francis and Fort Lauderdale. In Southern California spring break is redundant. Who needs a break from 72 degrees and hazy sunshine? The people who need a break are those freezing souls east of the Rockies. This has to be their worst winter in decades.
I lived on the Great Lakes for three winters and came home with my California soul craving sunshine. Even in a mlld winter you could go a month without seeing the sun. That was the hardest part for me. I made the drive every March down to Daytona Beach just to see the sun and it was worth every one of the 21 hours it took to get there. In Florida there were college girls and spring training baseball games. Disney World without the humidity or the long lines. Lots of happy people grateful for the sun, watching March Madness basketball games in palapa bars from St Pete to Vero Beach.

I saw the Dodgers play in the latter city and loved the whole Dodgertown vibe. Tom Lasorda driving a golf cart along side a group of fans heading to the ballpark. Sitting on the grassy knoll with served as the outfield barrier before they installed fences. My friend sleeping one off under a tree in the adjacent park and getting hit by a foul ball. Driving back to Daytona and hoping an old friend wouldn't mind if we crashed on his floor. A free MTV concert at the historic bandshell on the beach. Florida in March will always be the epitome of Spring Break.

Back then the only problem was Daylight Savings Time arriving in April, too late for most vacationers. This year it arrived on March 13th, right before the fun starts. St. Patrick's Day, March Madness and of course, Spring Break. Kind of a holy trinity for party people. Unless you gave up partying for Lent. If so, good luck.

I have no such reservations. Upon returning to California twenty years ago, I have kept the spring break tradition alive. Even if its just a three day weekend to get away from the foggy coast, I go somewhere and its always a blast.

Now that flying is such a hassle, I'd rather drive which means I can bring everything I need to have a good time. Beach chair, boombox, food and drink. Minimalism for maximum fun.
Last year I did spring training in Arizona. The new Dodgers ballpark is nice but lacks the funky vibe of Vero Beach. Its way out in the boring suburb of Glendale. I preferred riding the Metro trolley to the A's ballpark in Phoenix and getting in 9 holes at Rolling Hills Golf Course! Right across the street from the stadium. Something I couldn't do in Florida when it was still standard time.

This year I'm going to Las Vegas. There won't be any baseball games but there will concerts, hot tubs and girls. Did I forget March Madness? The greatest thing about this wonderful month? That's why I'm going to Sin City, to watch the action in the sports book and make some money betting on the games. This year is special because my alma mater made it to the Big Dance. That's right, the UCSB Gauchos take on mighty Florida in the first round. Chances are they won't be playing by the time I get to Vegas, but its spring time, and hope springs eternal!

Packers Win Brings Bittersweet Memories

The Packers beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV to win their 4th Vince Lombardi trophy.
I couldn't make it to Dallas but I enjoyed the game surrounded by friends, beer and bratwurst.
It brought back memories of the big game I saw in 1998 when the Packers played the Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The great thing about going to a Super Bowl is the fact you will see a national champion crowned. I've been to the World Series, The Rose Bowl and NBA playoffs but until Super Bowl XXXII I'd never seen a title game in person. It was everything I thought it would be except for one little thing: the wrong team won!

I became a Packer fan in 1965 when Don Chandler kicked a game winning field goal to beat the Colts in a sudden-death playoff game.

I was eight years-old and I'd never heard of "sudden-death" before and I could only imagine the pressure felt by Chandler. Growing up in Orange County you would think I’d have rooted for the Rams, who held training camp at nearby Fullerton State College. I even have pictures of me posing with legends like Merlin Olsen and Deacon Jones. That didn't keep me from worshiping Bart Starr and Jim Taylor who ended up leading the Packers to victory at the very first Super Bowl in 1967.
As a kid I always dreamed about seeing a game at legendary Lambeau Field, site of the famous "Ice Bowl" in 1967 where the Packers beat the Cowboys in below freezing temperatures. Sometimes those childhood dreams come true and in December 1990 I went to my first game in Green Bay. Unfortunately for me it was the second coldest game in Lambeau history with the wind chill dropping as low as minus-35. Being a California kid whose only experience with winter came from skiing at Mammoth Mountain I was ill-prepared for the elements. When my friends noticed my windbreaker and tennis shoes they thought I was nuts.

"When I go skiing I dress in layers like this," I explained. "Well you're not going to be working up a sweat like you do on a mountain," said my buddy Stuart. "You are going to be sitting on a metal bench for three hours and you are going to need the heaviest jacket and boots you can find."

They actually borrowed clothing from strangers in the parking lot which included a pair of lady's ear muffs and fur lined Sorel boots. It was so cold my beer froze by the time I made it back to my seat! To add to my misery the Packers lost to the Barry Sanders-led Lions but thanks to my friends I avoided getting frostbite.

I was able to go to that game because I was actually living in Wisconsin at the time. For some reason I still don't understand I left sunny SoCal and ended up living on the beautiful Door County peninsula for three years. In 1992 I was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. Working for a small radio station I was assigned to cover the Packers for the upcoming season. That meant not only going to the games but actually getting access to the hallowed locker rooms at Lambeau. It turned out to be a quite a year which began with the hiring of coach Mike Holmgren and the acquisition of an unknown quarterback named Brett Favre.

The Packers missed the playoffs by one game but I knew great things were in store and I was right. They won the Super Bowl in 1997 and were huge favorites to beat the Broncos in 1998. By then I’d landed in Playa Del Rey and still had connections back in Green Bay, including a former girlfriend who scored me a precious ticket. I happily paid the $275, still the most I've ever spent for any event, and drove down to San Diego with high hopes. The night before the game my friends and I rode the trolley to various NFL sponsored parties and heard bands like Smash Mouth and Kool and the Gang. I was out late but still managed to get to the stadium by nine the next morning.
For the next six hours I treated my friends to bratwurst for breakfast and grilled chicken for lunch. (I remember it cost $10 to park back then, now its $100 just to stand in the parking lot!) Once inside I could feel the energy flowing throughout the stadium. The anticipation was nothing I’d felt before and by the time Jewel finished singing the national anthem I was ready to explode from the excitement. When the game finally began the action on the field had me riveted. Players always talk about the atmosphere at the Super Bowl. To call it “electric” would be an understatement.

Especially this game, a back and forth battle between quarterbacks Favre and John Elway, whose Broncos led at halftime 17-14. I hadn’t left my seat the entire time and was ready for a cold beer since it was an unusually hot day. Little did I know that the ushers would be stomping down the aisles, issuing instructions to everyone for the upcoming half time show.

I should have known it was coming since I’d been handed a seat cushion with a pocket full of goodies when I arrived. Now they were yelling at all of us to be prepared for the big production. I couldn’t believe how quickly a stage was set up and it looked liked hundreds of people had flooded the field. I was told to use a flashlight and then hold up a banner while Smokey Robinson and The Four Tops belted out a tribute to Motown. I loved the music and only later found out we were creating the illusion of a record album spinning around the stadium.

The second half action was even better than the first. John Elway scrambled for a first down and landed right in front of me after spinning around like a helicopter. Eventual game MVP Terrell Davis scored to make it 31-24 Broncos with 1:45 on the clock. The Packers made a desperate drive down the field but when time ran out the Broncos were Super Bowl champions.

I knew I’d just seen one of the greatest NFL games ever played. I knew I’d been part of history. There was just one problem. The wrong team won!

Good Luck Makes for Good Football Trip

The rain is falling again on Playa Del Rey as I write this while watching the last NFL game of the regular season. On my TV its the Rams vs Seahawks for the division title. Or maybe its a replay of the Rose Bowl. It seems like I've seen a year's worth of football in the last ten days so I'm a little fuzzy on the details. I've just come home from a 1400 mile road trip during the holiday break and I'm the most grateful person in the world. I did not hit a single traffic jam during my journey which took me through three states. While miserable travelers were stranded in airports due to the east coast blizzard, I avoided three major traffic jams by pure luck! They say luck and preparation are the makings of success. This journey proved it.

For the past twenty years I've tried to make a trip to see a college bowl game at the end of the year. The games are full of blaring bands and rabid fans and great half time shows with fireworks better than the 4th of July. A couple of times that meant a short trip to the Rose Bowl before ticket prices became absurd. This time I planned to go to the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona and the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Two games, two days and 350 miles apart. A perfect storm of football mania.

Then another storm of the rainy kind hit the southland and flooded my hotel in San Diego. The Days Inn sent me an email and promised to rebook me but all the rooms near the Holiday Bowl were sold out. Fans from icy Nebraska and rainy Washington were coming south to bask in the sun and I had to change my plans. If I couldn't go the Holiday Bowl I would go to a place where I could bet on the game: Las Vegas. I booked my room for the following week and with my plans finalized, I was ready to hit the road. On a sunny Christmas Eve morning, I headed north to my first stop, Santa Maria, where most of my family lives.

Highway 101 was clear and beautiful all the way up the coast before I turned inland to take the San Marcos pass through the Santa Ynez valley. I stopped at a turn out overlooking Lake Cachuma and took a couple pictures.

I used to live in Santa Barbara and drove this route countless times but never stopped to"smell the roses." This time I dropped by the Chumash Casino and won $20 from a video poker machine. Not a bad way to start a vacation.

I had the usual fun with my family playing card games like UNO and catching up with my sisters and their husbands. On Christmas Day it rained hard and I was glad I wasn't going anywhere. The next day I drove back to Playa Del Rey under clear skies and pondered taking PCH once I hit Oxnard. Fortunately I turned the radio to KNX and found out Highway One was closed due to a mudslide. I stayed on 101 and avoided the first major traffic snarl of my trip.

I had one night at home to pack and prepare for my 400 mile drive to Tempe. When I was younger I would sleep late before starting a road trip. Now I know I better. When there's less cars on the road there's less chance of a major accident so I was on the freeway by 6am. The weather was fine and the road was clear for all of us heading east but for anyone heading back to L.A. the scene was quite different. Major highway construction had reduced I-10 to one lane in each direction about 50 miles outside of Tempe. For some reason I skated through the area while cars heading west found themselves in a five mile backup! I don't know know why more people were going that way on a Monday at noon but it looked like a nightmare. I counted my blessings and filled up on gas which was about twenty cents cheaper per gallon than back home. That's why I always buy gas after I cross the state line.

Before I checked into my Days Inn on Apache Blvd. near Arizona State University I did a quick check of the pool area. I'd stayed there in the spring and knew they had a nice jacuzzi which is my number one requirement of a budget motel. I was dismayed to find the pool gate locked so I asked the woman behind the desk about the situation. She said they were remodeling some rooms by the pool and were worried about debris and dust but it looked clean to me. I told them I would have to cancel my reservation when one of the managers came by and said he would open the pool just for me! Another lucky break and the reason I like small motels.

This Days Inn is next to the light rail which I rode to Sun Devil Stadium for the exciting Insight Bowl between Missouri and Iowa. After spending all day in my car I appreciated public transit and the fact I didn't have to pay $20 for parking. The weather was sunny and mild for my two days in Arizona. This allowed me to get in 9 holes of golf and some serious pool time. On the last Wednesday of the year I said goodbye to my favorite college town and took off for Las Vegas under ominous dark clouds.
The Phoenix area and Las Vegas are two of the nation’s largest cities not connected by an interstate. That leaves Highway 93 as the most direct route. In the past that meant driving over the Hoover Dam which was usually congested. I’d heard about a brand new bridge over the Colorado River which was expected to shave twenty minutes off the 300 mile drive. I was halfway through the trip when a light and steady rain started to fall but once again I counted my blessings. I’d rather have it rain on a lonely desert highway than a crowded city freeway.
The rain let up when I reached the border and crossed the bridge. There wasn’t much to see from the road but people were out there, braving cold winds to take pictures of the bridge, supposedly a great engineering feat. Then things turned ugly. Apparently no one thought about the effect of re-routing traffic through tiny Boulder City after the bridge opened in October. As I headed north I noticed cars driving south were backed up for miles. Once again I was going in the right direction while others were stuck in a major traffic jam. I only hoped my luck would hold in Las Vegas.
I checked into the Super 8 next to the Ellis Island Casino and immediately went to the jacuzzi. It was about thirty degrees outside and would get much colder but I was feeling fine. The next day I heard about snow falling on Highway 93 and stranding travelers throughout Arizona. Once again I’d dodged the traffic bullet. After two fun days betting football and playing video poker I was ready to go home.
The highway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas is a crap shoot at best. I knew most of the traffic on New Year’s Eve morning would be heading north and once again I enjoyed a 300 mile drive without a single traffic problem. Sure, I left earlier than I usually do and of course my car was filled up with cheap Nevada gas. So I was prepared for the drive home. Yet I know it took a whole lot of luck to make this holiday road trip one I’ll never forget.

Kobe v Lebron Is Perfect XMAS gift

The picture you see to the right was something I tore from the newspaper last summer and scanned earlier today. After all the hoopla and angst about Lebron James leaving Cleveland what was lost in the public relations debris was the fact that the Miami Heat were going to play in L.A. on Christmas Day. Now its just a few days away and I am actually looking forward to it. (And I make a point of ignoring the Lakers on their annual XMAS tilts just out of principle). I'm guessing by 2pm this Saturday I will need a break from my family's card games and football tosses. So all I will want is to curl up on a couch with a holiday quaff and a Christmas brownie and watch what
is going to be a tremendous game featuring the very best basketball players on the planet. Then I'll eat dinner, help with dishes and end up tossing the football around in the chilly winter night until we go inside to play some more games. I guess what I'm trying to say is Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!

Hey Dodgers! I Want A Divorce!

In 1994 I was at Dodger Stadium when Larry Walker of the Expos made one of the most infamous plays in Dodger Stadium history. You've probably seen the clip where he makes a catch and hands the ball to a fan, only to discover it's the second out of the inning and not the third. His frantic attempt to retrieve the ball while Jose Offerman runs the bases is part of baseball lore. I actually saw the whole thing on TV, standing next to Kings owner Bruce McNall while waiting for drinks at the Outfield Bar.

I didn't know it at the time but both McNall (on the verge of bankruptcy and prison) and Dodger Stadium (a few years from being sold by Peter O' Malley to the Fox News Corp.) were headed for big changes. One of them was the Outfield Bar, up on the club level but open to the public. The one place the average fan could get a cocktail and freshly popped popcorn. Served up by bartenders straight out of "The Shining." It sat next to the cafeteria, where a big chef in a big hat would carve out a roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes and vegetables on the side. All for $8.00, or about the current price of a beer. In 2000, Fox installed private luxury suites on the club level and razed both the cafeteria and the bar. So long average guy, hello big spender.

The 21st century brought more changes, and none of them worthwhile. How about the blanket fiasco, where fans were given a nice bit of fleece saluting the championship teams of 1962 and 1966, even though the Dodgers won in '63 and '65? This was the start of the Frank McCourt era, and hopefully it will end soon.

This carpet bagger raised the price of parking to $15.00 and raised ticket prices so high that many season ticket holders relinquished seats they’d had since 1962. He instituted a police state where cars are directed to specific spots by stern-faced attendants and fans are searched upon entry. Its like going to the airport but not quite as fun! Whatever joy I felt when going to Dodger Stadium has been completely drained by McCourt’s actions, and of course, the public embarrassment of his divorce trial. Now we know Frank and his wife were just using the Dodgers as a personal ATM machine to buy expensive homes instead of expensive players.
This year on fan appreciation day only 20,000 fans showed up and most of them ending up
booing any mention of the McCourts. Its a sad situation.

It’s a crazy world when the Oakland Raiders allow tailgating but the Dodger security force will order you to leave your car immediately. Don’t even think about having a quick beer before going inside. I have traveled all over the country for sports and concerts and never been treated this way! Thank goodness for Vin Scully, the only reason to remain a Dodger fan. When I was growing up, everyone I knew listened to him. At the beach, at home or at the stadium, Scully's voice was synonymous with summer. Now Vinny only does three innings of radio and I’m not sure who the other announcers are, but I know they don’t hold a candle to Ross Porter, who was fired a few years ago for no reason.

Since my first game in 1965 I have been to Dodger Stadium at least 500 times. This year I’ve been once. I will never go again as long as McCourt owns the team.

Favre Is At It Again!

Except this time he's borrowed a page from Lebron James and is holding an entire city hostage!
Will he play or won't he? Its driving sports talk radio guys crazy and same with me! No reason to say anything more. Read my piece from 8/20/09...same exact story a year later!

World Cup Is Hard On The Nerves!

Watching the World Cup while drinking your morning coffee can be hazardous to your health. I realized this last Friday when the USA tied Slovenia 2-2 after trailing by two goals at the half. Watching the match at 8am PDT had my heart racing as I downed my usual get-me-going cups of java. I should have been drinking beer or anything else without caffeine because the tension kept building throughout the final minutes when the USA was robbed of the game-winning goal by a horrendous call. The match against Slovenia will be remembered for the Maurice Edu goal that referee Koman Coulibaly of Mali inexplicably waved off in the 85th minute. I was hollering at the TV (and so were others in my neighborhood) and I was still in bed! The game ended in a 2-2 draw.

In the following days the complaints of "we were robbed" were replaced by "we only need to beat lowly Algeria." A win by the USA in the final match of pool play would guarantee advancing to the sweet 16 of the World Cup, something the Americans have rarely done. In a delightful twist, the USA's main concern on Wednesday would not be Algeria but England! If England could beat Slovenia while the USA lost then England would advance and the Americans would go home. Of course, both matches would be played on the same day at the same time: 7am PDT.

If it was the weekend I would have started out with screwdrivers instead of coffee, but since it was a workday I drank my coffee with extra cream to try and cut the caffeine buzz. I switched back and forth between the two games, keeping an eye on Steven Gerrard of England, my favorite soccer player. When his Three Lions scored an early goal I went back to the USA game, and once again found myself yelling at the TV set. American Herculez Gomez got off two shots, the second of which rebounded to an unmarked Clint Dempsey at the far post, who knocked the ball into the empty net.

But the play was ruled offside, the USA once again appearing to lose a goal to an official's decision. "What next?" I barked. By half-time I knew I was done with the coffee. The tension was unbearable so I switched to a diet 7-up. Better for the stomach and my nerves. Eating was out of the question, not for another 45 minutes at least. That's my favorite thing about soccer: it doesn't take two hours to play 45 minutes. The clock never stops and neither does the action. Even if its a boring game, in the end it takes two hours to play 90 minutes and there's no commercials during play. 60 minutes of NFL football takes three hours to play yet there's only an average of eleven minutes of actual playing time!

Again and again the Americans came close to scoring but it was still a 0-0 tie with a few minutes of stoppage time to play. Two minutes away from going home, Landon Donovan came out of nowhere to score the unbelievable winning goal for the USA and all hell broke loose. I heard a loud barrage of cheers emanating from the bar down the street. I saw Landon do a face-first victory slide before getting mobbed by his joyous teammates. I jumped out of bed and jumped around while my neighbors made their own noise. All of this at 9am! A great day for me since I was also rooting for England to move on and they did with a 1-0 victory.

The most amazing thing of all is I'm listening to the Jim Rome radio show right now and he's been talking about the match for two hours, calling it amazing and a "huge win" for the USA. He's interviewed two reporters from South Africa and taking calls from USA soccer fans. Now if you've ever listened to Rome you know HE HATES SOCCER! Bashes it every chance he gets but even the king of sports talk radio said he didn't want to be a "buzz kill." Believe me, after watching the USA beat Algeria 1-0, I was certainly buzzed, with or without the caffeine!

NBA and LeBron JaMEs are Ruining The Game!

After seven long weeks of interminable playoffs the NBA finals have finally arrived. As a long time Laker fan I should be excited but I'm just exhausted. Instead of building up momentum to the championship series, the NBA's policy of stretching out each playoff round has resulted in tedium and boredom. How come the NHL can play games every other day when the NBA's convoluted schedule has resulted in several days off between games? The Lakers clinched the Western Division last Saturday and the first game against the Celtics is set for Thursday? Game 2 is Sunday, two full days off and the teams don't even have to travel between games! It's frustrating and downright ridiculous. It was even worse in the earlier rounds.

Any sport that takes nearly two months to complete the playoffs is in serious need of revision. The Olympics combine hundreds of athletes from dozens of countries and somehow get it done in two weeks. Look at the NBA Finals schedule: Game 1 set for June 3, the seventh game set for June 17th. Why? Of course the answer is television and the big bucks the networks pay to air the games. So ABC and TNT make the scheduling decisions while commissioner David Stern counts his money and the fans succumb to apathy even if they love the sport. What should be a thrilling month of action is now a drawn out ordeal where the players get rusty and the fans get angry. There's got to be a better way.

I applaud the radio hosts Petros and Money on Fox radio for continuing to bash the NBA for ruining what was once an exciting product. Now its just a war of attrition that goes from November to June. Even in the regular season teams get as much as 5 days off at a time and you can't blame TV for that.

Even worse than all the delays is the eminent free agency of a certain Lebron JaMEs. Yes, the narcissist from Cleveland can go to the highest bidder when the playoffs are done. Every single human being should know this by now because that's the only thing this guy has talked about all season long. He's barely mentioned his team, a talented group of guys with whom LeBron has led to exactly zero championships. After his last loss LeBron did mention that his "team" had some big decisions to make, but he was referring to his posse of sycophants and toadies who surround him when he's off the court. These parasites are more important to JaMEs than the Cavaliers and they've been giving him bad advice from the get-go.

JaMEs has scheduled an interview with Larry King to air during the NBA finals, making sure he steals the spotlight from the players who've actually earned it. JaMEs has called for a "summit" meeting of other free agents like Dwayne Wade to discuss which teams are worthy of their talents. JaMEs is the same guy who did nothing but celebrate himself during the Bejing Olympics while Kobe Bryant mingled with the fans and conducted free clinics. JaMEs is the guy who believes there is an "I" in the word team just like there's a ME in his last name.

He'll get his millions but hopefully he'll never get his championship. Even if he does, the NBA playoff schedule will make sure he'll have to wait a long time to get it.