Makes Me Sick

Incase you haven't heard Michael Jackson died.  Yep the "King of Pop" is gone but it's obvious that he won't be forgotten.  I however can't understand why we are remembering him for what we are remembering him for.  I don't see how everyone is forgetting about Michael's legal issues that he managed to OJ Simpson his was out of. 

No matter how great you think Michael Jackson was you cannot honestly believe that he was innocent on his child molestation charges.  In 1993 he was accused of molesting a 13 year old young man.  Michael got out these charges when an undisclosed amount of money that was estimated to be somewhere between 15 to 20 million was given to the boy and his family.  After the settlement the boy refused to testify of any criminal charges and Michael.  If he's innocent then why in the world to he pay a settlement to this boy and his family?  I'm no expert but most would try to avoid a settlement if they're innocent.  15 to 20 million is a ton of cash and I wouldn't think that you would pay someone this much if you hadn't done anything wrong but this amount of money could also make someone forget a lot of bad things.

In 2005 Michael was tried on his second charges of child molestation and was acquitted on all charges.  I've heard people say that he was never convicted of being a child molester so you can't say he ever did it.  Well of course they found him innocent the people on the jury are these same people that found OJ Simpson innocent.  This was the typical stupid people putting celebrities above the law.  Rather then listening to what happened in the case they were focused on clearing the name of their perverted child hood hero.  In December of 2004 in an interview with CBS Ed Bradley Michael said that even though he had these charges pending against him he still thought it was ok to sleep in the same bed with a child.  Again I'm not sure how dumb people are but what grown man in his right mind would think it was ok to sleep in the same bed as a child.  

Now that Michael has past away he has left Los Angeles with a debt of $1.4 million.  Why in the world do they have this huge unexpected new debt?  Well because we as Americans worship the ground this pedophile walked on.  All these people crying and everything of someone they have never even met.  I don't understand it at all.  At the funeral several celebrities stood up and told how Michael impacted them.  Magic Johnson whom I have always like but he said "Michael made me a better point guard."  I'm no professional athlete but how in the world did Michael Jackson make one of the all time great basketball players ever a better player.  Magic I'm sure you could have come up with a better compliment then he made me a better basketball player.  Then Kobe gets up saying how much Michael impacted him.  Don't know if you know this but Kobe is 30 and that means he would have been like 8 or 9 when Michael was in his prime.  So Kobe he didn't motivate you to do anything so shut up.  Miley Cyrus said Michael was a huge motivator for her success.  Miley is 16 she wasn't even born in Michael's prime.  

I say that the only right thing that Michael Jackson's family could is take his money and pay for this ridiculous funeral.  Michael's net worth is over $200 million so they will have plenty of money left over to donate to a charity that helps children who have been sexually abused.  That's the only thing that would be right to do with some one's money who has obviously hurt some many children at his Neverland Ranch.   I'm truly embarrassed that Americans have put this much trouble into celebrating a child molester.  Instead of saying how great he is just thank the lord he was never around your child.  

I'm sure this will offend someone but you might be one of these people who should be thankful that your child was never in the position that these other children were, and I hope and pray that this will never happen to you or anyone you know.  

I still got it

So it's been a while since my last post, sorry I know how much everyone loves it.  Kinda busy with little miss Landri, work, vacation, and my tennis comeback.  Landri is doing great incase you were wondering.  But today we are going to focus on my tennis comeback.

  I've been back playing for about a year and half now I think.  Everything has been going fine just getting out and getting some exercise and having a good time like I should be.  I decided that after playing in a few tournaments here and there that I was having a good time playing again and joined a men's 4.0 team that played out of Huntington Tennis Club. When this team got put together we thought that we had a very good team that could probably compete at a very high level.  In our area we had to beat Chillicothe, Oh, and Ashland, KY, which we did.  So since we won our section we qualified to play in Louisville the last weekend in June.  Again up until now I'm still having a good time and enjoying the friendly competition.  

Once we got to Louisville and I stepped on the court in our first match it was like my overly competitive side from juniors and college came out.  If you have seen this side of me it's rather interesting, lots of screaming and a bunch of flying objects (rackets, water bottles, and anything else I could get my hands on).  I played doubles in my first match and after lots of yelling and nothing being thrown we won.  I did however disturb half of Louisville with some loud yelling at myself.  Brooke went and was walking Landri around this park and from very far away was able to hear my "battle cry".  She then came over and asked if that was me and when they told her it was she just shook her head and probably asked herself how she ended up with this whack job of a husband.  

The second match we played in was against Lexington, who we had some problems with earlier in our season.  They filed a grievance against me saying I cheated by self rating myself as a 4.0.  I got cleared of all charges because I worked the system.  So in this match we won 5-0 and of course I had to make sure that I knew that they filed the grievance against me.  When shaking hands at the end of the match I told the guy who filed the grievance against me "Hey buddy how bout you file a grievance against me now!"  This completely caught him off guard because he obviously hadn't heard of how big of a jerk I can be.  He then asked me if I wanted the ball to turn back into the official's desk and I politely informed him that he should keep the ball and let everyone know that he met me and he could keep it as a souvenir.  

We then went on to win our semifinal match and again got a little chippy with the guys we were playing against.  For some reason they felt the need to mock some of my screaming.  I didn't appreciate this so we beat the heck out of them 5-0 too.  I didn't get to play in the finals because we had to fly to the beach for family vacation the next day but we won and now go to Birmingham, Alabama to play in the Southerns, if we win there we go to nationals in Las Vegas.

But this all leads me to the question of when if ever will I not be crazy competitive.  I think some people enjoy my antics but I think most people find me very annoying.  I don't mind annoying people though.  I some what enjoy it really.  I have however decided during my comeback that I'm going to have to find something else to throw because it doesn't appear that rackets are made like they used to be.  Right before we left for Louisville while practicing I managed to throw a racket from the service line to the fence in the air and broke a racket.  Breaking rackets sucks when you have to pay for them yourself.  My temper tantrums were more fun on Mom and Dad's dime.

Boy Band

I know everyone hates an annoying boy band, myself being one of those people.  They get on everyone's nerves and then disappear after a few gay songs breaking thousands of little teenage hearts.  I think I have found a new group of flamers who would make a great boy band who have now been together for a couple of years and seem to get along.  This group I've found even has a name and they are in a great town for boy band to originate from.  They are the Los Angeles Lakers. 

 

I don;t know if you've been watching the NBA playoffs but this group of cry babies have the perfect makings of a great boy band.  They got some long haired feminine looking roll players that will drive teenage girls crazy.  Pau Gasol who would make a really good ugly woman with his fruit cake hair cut.  Sasha Vujacic rocks the little rubber band head band to keep his hair out of his eyes will crying over missed shots.  Luke Walton, easy target here he's a great candidate for a boy band with the curly hair and with his dad being hippy Bill Walton.  Last but not least the lead singer Kobe Bryant.  Kobe is a great lead singer for a boy band because he wants everyone to think he's really cool even tough he's a giant tool.   You might think Kobe would be a better rapper with his past rape allegations, but if you look closer into this he makes a better boy band member.  The great tattoo for his wife telling her how much he loves her trying to get back in so she wouldn't take everything in a divorce stemming from the rape allegations.  These  allegations of rape were accused by a nice up standing white girl from Colorado just trying to make an honest living working at a country only to be taken advantage of by a lead singer in a band.  While all this is going on Kobe does what any boy bander would do, he tries to take down someone with him.  He broke guy code and went after Shaq saying that Shaq cheats on his wife but just pays the girls enough to keep their mouths shut.  This is wrong on so many levels, first you try and take down Shaq who has made you famous carrying you on his back to win World Championships, secondly implying that a good family man like Shaq would cheat on his wife, and thirdly stating that if Shaq did cheat on his wife that he would have to pay for it.  Shaq would never have to do something of this nature to feel better about himself like Kobe.  I also believe that Kobe has some of the best crying skills that one would need to lead a group of fruit loops in some bad song and dance.  

 

This Laker team puts on this big show showing how tough they are and then you watch them and they look like a bunch of preschoolers.  I've never seen anything like it they miss a shot and then look around like we owe them a call because they missed.  I don't think that if someone is within 10ft of you when you miss a shot its possible for them to foul you.  I really like when Kobe fouls someone and then looks at the referee with a look of confusion every time.  Kobe is the only guy to ever play to never commit a foul while being fouled every time he touches the ball.  I would greatly appreciate it if the Nuggets would beat the Lakers so that they can stay home and perform at the MTV Music awards.

American Automakers

I'm sure everyone knows of the troubles of the American Automakers, if you don't its probably because you have been living in a cave for the past several months.  Just in case you don't know here's where we stand, for the past several years the Americans have let the Japanese automakers destroy them in everything.  So the American automakers sat around and watched and then decided they should start building a better car and they had better do it fast. Well they did build the better cars but was it too late?  It appears that it may very well be too late.  The Chevy Malibu is a better car then a Camry, Accord and Altima, in my opinion.  The downside to this great car is that Chevy built a really bad car for several years and made everyone who had one go buy something Japanese.  The claim I make about the Malibu is a big one because I am a huge fan of Toyota, Nissan.  I'd probably be a bigger Honda fan but I don't sell them.  

Despite the poor quality in the American cars I blame the unions for the down fall of Chevy, Chrysler and Ford.  Is it really necessary to pay a janitor $80 to $90 an hour with benefits and retirement.  I don't think so.  I'm not knocking this profession by any means but I don't think its a $80 to $90 an hour job.  General Motors is the only company in the world that pays more people retirement the active employees.  Who was a sleep at the wheel when the contracts were negotiated?  Toyota has a plant in WV with the highest paid employees making under $20 an hour.  Yes there is a big difference but so is the job security that they have.  They know when they go to work their job is going to be there, so that's worth something.  Now due to the unions we will more then likely see GM follow Chrysler and file bankruptcy.  I think the main reason for this move will to be to break the union and renegotiate contracts.  

Obama has managed to step in and do nothing to help this cause as well.  I don't know much about Obama's past as most don't but I don't think he ever had anything to do with the automobile industry.  So why is he coming in and making people resign.  Rick Wagoner was forced to step down by Obama.  Rick Wagoner had only been in charge for 3 years and I realized that he had lost money all 3 years but it was bad before he ever got there.  He just took the fall for several years of very poor decisions.  Now they have a career number 2 running the company.  Way to go Obama.  Here's an idea for you, just keep on campaigning.  Call the White Sox up again and have them take another tour of the White House for not accomplishing anything, just because they are from Chicago like you.  Leave the cars to car people and go play H-O-R-S-E with someone who cares.

Another down fall to the American automakers is the small car.  I understand everyone is worried about global warming but I think we can do something to help this other then driving golf carts every where.  Americans like big cars, SUVs and trucks.  How many families of five and six riding around in a Yaris.  I think they are wasting way too much money on electric, hybrid, and hydrogen cell cars.  The government is forcing this on them even though it's not what Americans want.

I think the American Automakers will pull through this because if not then American will be in a huge mess.  There are way too many jobs a stake if we fail at this.  Several people only think about the factories that build the cars and forget about everyone that supplies a product that goes into the making of them.  So next time you go out look at a domestic car next time you shop you might be surprised.  

Annoying People

This is probably one of the worst things that happens in a persons life.  You are sitting somewhere that you can't get away from and here comes one of those people that you want to run when you see heading you way.  You stomach drops around your ankles and you realize that your day has just hit rock bottom.  It happens to everyone it's the one part of your life that cannot be avoided in any way shape or form.

Just the other day I was sitting in my office and in walks someone that I would have like to have walked out the back door seeing them coming and I couldn't get away.  Then this person just sits down and there you are no where to go at all.  Then starts this great conversation, "how's everything going with you?"  You give and answer and then you have to act like you really want to know what they have been up to and how they are doing.  But you really don't care.  So you just start looking around while the conversation is going on wondering if something or someone is going to save you.  One great thing about this is the awkward silence that comes between the insincere questioning.  Sometimes I think people know that you don't really want to talk to them but they come in and trap you just to torture you.  

The best thing about being out and mobile and seeing someone that you would like to avoid you get the opportunity to run and hide.  I know that everyone has been in a grocery store and seen this annoying person down aisle and you turn and go the other way as fast as you can.  I personally have quit grocery shopping to avoid having to talk to someone.  Or maybe you have pulled into a parking lot and seen this persons car and not gone into that place.  I know you have because I know I have.  

I got one friend that has the ability to run into these people when he goes out of town.  It doesn't matter how far away he travels from his home these people find him.  He goes to Charlotte and runs into people from college that you hoped to never see again.  How in the world do you hope to never see someone again and then manage to run into them years later in random places.  Being out of town and running into these people is the worst because now you are in uncharted territory and you don't know your way out.  Nothing sucks more then try to run and not knowing where to run to.  This is when you turn to run and realize you don't know where to run. So all you can do at this point is turn and face these heart felt generic questions.

My advice for this is make a template on your cell phone that you can text someone simply saying "call me."  Then your out is "oh, I really have to take this call."  You take the call and just begin to ramble and hope that the annoying person loses interest in you or has to get somewhere and you have created your freedom.  If you are of these annoying people and you notice awkward silence with someone and find them looking around like they are trying to find an escape route, do us all a favor and take a hint and say " well it was so nice to see you I got to run."  Trust me this would do us all a huge service.  Oh and incase you are wondering if you are one of these people the answer to that is yes.  We are all someone's annoying person, you just might not realize that you could be that annoying person.  

I Love Attention

What if Brett Farve wanted to come out of retirement again?  Oh wait he does or at least maybe he's just thinking he wants to because he is so in love with himself that he likes hearing his name on TV.  Or maybe he wants to come back and loves hearing his name on TV so thats why he feels the need to drag it on for what seems like forever.  Maybe he's trying to start a tradition the second or is this the third or fourth annual "Brett Farve might retire, might want to play again media frenzy."  This could be a marketing chance for those who care, they can make t-shirts, hats and cover it every 2 minutes on ESPN.  

I can understand at the end of one season if you thought you might be at the end of your career then ok I'll let you have that and you can go home and think about it and drag it on all you want before you decide.  Remember when Magic Johnson retired the first time?  He went home in the middle of his great career after being diagnosed with HIV.  After four and a half seasons in retirement no HIV was found in his blood anymore so he tried to make a comeback.  Magic played in 32 regular season games and four playoff games during the '95-'96 season and at the end of that season realized that he wasn't the player he needed to be.  So what did he do?  That's right he packed his stuff and went home for good.  He didn't go home and keep threatening to come back he just stayed home.  Maybe Brett Farve doesn't like his home.

I find it hard to believe that people enjoy following this chaos year after year.  I haven't talked to one person who cares about this as much as ESPN.  ESPN has turned this into a joke the past few years.  You turn on Sportscenter and on the left side of the screen right after the NBA Playoff scores you see the name Brett Farve.  Then we go straight to John Clayton and he tells us yeah Brett Farve is thinking about coming back even though he said he didn't want to play last week.  Today we got to see a Brett Farve, New York Jets time line.  We got to see him have his press conference then when they beat the Titans and the time line ended with Brett Farve saying I think I'm done.  If this was the real world I think we would call him a liar.  But in Brett Farve land he can annoy all of us everyday and for some reason we can't get away from him.  

Farve ended the 2007 season with a great run into the playoffs and we all thought what a great way to end a great career.  No thats not good enough I better come back and play like an old man for the Jets.  The question now is how do we remember Brett Farve.  I'll remember him now as the guy who wouldn't go away even though he got old.  Farve set every record you could think of while in Green Bay and when they didn't want to have him jack the organization around he got mad and demanded a trade.  Not only did he make all of the people that idolized him mad he went to the Jets and had no chemistry with his teammates.  At the end of the season the once great leader was called selfish and wasn't a team player.  How can you go to a new team and not have to work out with your new teammates.   If he goes to the Vikings I hope they lose 16 games and I hope that they are all Farve's fault.  He's wanting to play for this new team and not be part of the team because of what he has accomplished in his career in Green Bay.  

My thoughts on this are Brett Farve used to be a great quaterback and now all he is, is a washed up hack as far as I'm concerned.  Brett do all of us a favor and GO HOME leave us alone.  I only want to see Brett Farve 2 more times, once for when they retire his jersey in Green Bay, and then when he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame wearing a Packers or Jets or Vikings, or maybe we will get to go through all this again and he might wear someone else's jersey.  Again GO HOME... 

Super Kids

As I begin my life into fatherhood and watch Landri roll around and stretch it reminds me of something that drives me nuts about parents.  I'm not a fan of parents who make stuff up about their children to make us all feel like our kids are inferior to theirs.  I know that everyone is proud of their child and they should be but when telling a story about your child you need to realize that everyone knows that it is impossible for a child to talk at 5 to 6 months.  I don't mind hearing people talk about their children as long as the stories are believable.  

One story that I love to tell people that I had a Dad tell me one time is about his son who may or may not even exist.  I worked with this guy who will remain nameless and never saw a picture or anything of his son, so you can understand my doubt in this story.  I'm not saying that if the parents are not athletic that the child has no shot of being athletic, but this guy couldn't even walk across the road without getting tired.  But that's neither here nor there.  The story he told was that his 12 year old son hit a baseball 450 ft and broke an aluminum bat while doing so.  Are you kidding me?  Major league baseball players rarely hit it 450 ft, and this guy wants me to believe that his 12 year old son did it.  I don't think anyone is buying what this guy was trying to sell. 

I have had people tell me that they think their child said their name at 5 months of age.  5 months, really don't think this is even possible.  When telling this story do they think that people believe this child is the most gifted child ever born?  Maybe the child had just started making noises is what they meant to say and something was might have sounded like their name.  But even at that we are grasping for straws.  

I had a friend growing up that I played tennis with and his mom for some reason thought he was nationally ranked and had sponsors that would send him rackets and clothes.  Well first things first he wasn't nationally ranked, and the only sponsor he had getting him clothes and rackets was his mom.  I wasn't even close to being nationally and this guy couldn't even beat me.  He was a good player but don't go trying to impress everyone by bold face lying.  

The last of these great my child is better then your child stories may very well be the best.  Again another guy I worked with who again will remain nameless says his child could eat solid at 6 months of age.  Is this even possible, I don't think it is.  Why would you even think that anyone would even care that their child was doing this and did he really think we were buying it?  I have no clue where people come up with this stuff. 

I am a huge fan of parents who are proud of their children.  I'm sure once Landri starts doing stuff other then just rolling around and waving her arms I will love to tell everyone about how great she is.  But my goal in life is to in no way blow her accomplishments out of proportion.  I think that a parent should be a child's number one fan but don't lie about what they are doing.  People aren't stupid, they no when you're lying so stop fooling yourself.   If you feel the need to make stuff up about your kid to impress everyone just sit down for just one second and think about your lie before you start it.  Just think to yourself, would I believe this lie coming from someone else?  If you pass this test then proceed in your lie that your kid won't be able to live up to.