Author: fasted86

Briefly.

Police officer at a guy’s front door: “I’m sorry sir, but it looks like your wife got hit by a truck.”
Guy: “I know, but she’s got a great personality.”
Police officer: “What?”

Trivia #1: What is the biggest union in America today, in terms of members (including inactive and lifetime members)? – Int’l Brotherhood of Teamsters, Service Employees International Union, Education Association of the U.S., United Auto Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Trivia #2: Who is Einar Gustafson?
Trivia #3: Which MLB pitcher is NOT in the top 10 for career strikeouts? – Steve Carlton, Phil Niekro, Bert Blyleven, Don Sutton, Greg Maddox

Go away, Tom Brady. (Hold on, Tom Brady! Yes. He doesn’t play for my team any longer and I don’t give a rat’s ass whether he is at camp in Tampa or on a beach in the Bahamas. Let’s just play some football already!)

Life really is like a box of chocolates.

The Patriots took a knee to end last Friday’s preseason game. It’s the preseason! Don’t you have at least some sort of play to work on rather than taking a freaking knee?!

Article I’ll skip: Sylvester Stallone is going through a divorce, but he’s a superhero in his new movie ‘Samaritan’.

Incredible stats, I think. J.D. Martinez, despite his long slump that has seen his batting average drop to .275, is still 2^nd in the AL and 4^th in all of baseball, in doubles. Even so, he is 5^th on the Red Sox in RBIs.

Maybe it’s because I haven’t tried it but I doubt it. I like to do a lot of stuff when I drink, but throwing axes is not something I’m eager to try.

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: ANY preseason NFL statistic.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Youth basketball participants in Los Angeles are still being required to wear masks while they are on the court. (What is actually hysterical is that I read this and saw a picture of a game in progress supposedly proving this policy. The problem is, in the picture the kids’ faces are blurred for obvious reasons but you can’t see the masks either!)

Meanwhile, a boutique in Beverly Hills is banning customers from wearing masks, citing a recent wave of robberies wear employees were unable to identify thieves because they were masked. It’s madness, I tell you!

I’m somewhat of a traditionalist, don’t rock my boat. The Red Sox, as with every other MLB team, play ALL teams next season based on the new MLB schedule. I’m struggling with this however, the Sox do have a pretty cool road trip next May to San Dingo, LA (Angels) and Arizona. And the Dodgers are coming to Fenway in August, if you’re into that…

“I told you to put the seat down!!!” Udele Burno of Maryland has been charged with mowing down, and killing, her boyfriend with her car.

The WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Telethon was held this past Tuesday/Wednesday. I hope you caught some of it. The Jimmy Fund has been the official charity of the Boston Red Sox since 1953, making it the nation’s longest philanthropic partnership with a professional sports team. Back in 1948 it was then future Patriots’ owner Billy Sullivan who arranged a visit to “Jimmy” by star players from the Boston Braves.

DYK: 89 cents of every dollar donated benefits the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s lifesaving mission. In the grand scheme of things, that’s pretty good.

The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that the student debt relief plan will cost taxpayers between $440B-$600B over 10 years. Just to be clear, there is no plan to eliminate student debt. There is a plan to transfer that debt to those who don’t owe it.

Quote for the week: “If you see what is right and fail to act on it, you lack courage.” – Confucius

Funny how the night moves, with autumn closing in.

Trivia #1 answer: What is the biggest union in America today, in terms of members (including inactive and lifetime members)? – Int’l Brotherhood of Teamsters, Service Employees International Union, Education Association of the U.S., United Auto Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – The Education Association of the U.S.
Trivia #2 answer: Who is Einar Gustafson? – A cancer patient who, in 1948, had the “Jimmy Fund” named after him. The name ‘Jimmy’ was used to protect his identity. His identity was finally revealed in 1998.
Trivia #3 answer: Which MLB pitcher is NOT in the top 10 for career strikeouts? – Steve Carlton, Phil Niekro, Bert Blyleven, Don Sutton, Greg Maddox – Phil Niekro (#11 with 3,342 K’s)

I so good at forgetting shit I don’t even know where I was going with this.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Cherry Popsicle Day!

“I woke up in a Soho doorway
A policeman to my name
He said, ‘You can go sleep at home tonight
If you can get up and walk away.’

I staggered back to the underground
And the breeze blew back my hir
I remember throwing punches around
And preachin’ from my chair

Well, who are you?”

Briefly.

Why is everyone at the gym asking me why I’m sitting on the stationary bike? I’m going downhill, dude, mind your business.

Trivia #1: Which teams won their respective championship in 2018 in the NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB? Note; the championship game was played in 2018. One point for each, knowing that points here are meaningless.
Trivia #2: Who is Joel Pritchard?
Trivia #3: Name the manager of the Baltimore Orioles

Go away, Will Smith

The Red Sox scored their 8^th run Wednesday night, ending their streak of 31-games scoring fewer than 7 runs, their longest streak in 30 years.

Boy, what a turn the housing market has taken. The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to 5.22% compared to one year ago where it was at 2.86%. Of homes that went into contract in July, 16% were cancelled compared to 12.5% one year ago. Those two facts, coupled with recession fears, have also caused builders to become skittish on building new homes. A mess.

Article I’ll skip: Celeb fitness trainers reveal Hollywood’s workout secrets

We all have our teams, don’t we? I am a hopeless Red Sox fan.

Just file it under “better late than never.” Bob Jablonski of Jersey City, N.J., was only 14 in 1947 when he checked out the book “Hitler,” by Oden Rudolph, from the James J. Ferris High School branch of the Jersey City Free Public Library.  Jablonski recently returned the book to the library 75 years later — at age 89, to be exact. As it turns out, the Jersey City Free Public Library eliminated overdue fines over a year ago, in Feb. 2021.

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: The world’s largest fine for an overdue library book to date is $345.14, according to The Guinness Book of World Records website.

So long, James White who announced his retirement from the New England Patriots. You might recall, especially you Falcons fans, that White scored one of the most memorable touchdowns in Patriots’ history in overtime to win Super Bowl LI.

Motorcyclist who identifies as a bicyclist sets world record.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday that it will no longer recommend schools or daycares quarantine students or run test-to-stay programs if students are exposed to COVID-19. The agency also said it is no longer recommending unvaccinated people quarantine after exposure, saying around 95% of the U.S. population has either been vaccinated or had COVID-19 already, or both. – Ya, whatever

Trivia #1 answer: Which teams won their respective championship in 2018 in the NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB? Note; the championship game was played in 2018. One point for each, knowing that points here are meaningless. – NBA (Golden State Warriors), NHL (Washington Capitals), NFL (Philadelphia Eagles), MLB (Boston Red Sox)
Trivia #2 answer: Who is Joel Pritchard? – A World War II army veteran, is credited with inventing Pickleball.
Trivia #3 answer: Name the manager of the Baltimore Orioles – Brandon Hyde

The tiger and the lion may be more powerful, but the wolf doesn’t perform in the circus.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Potato Day!

“Lonely feeling deep inside
Find a corner where I can hide
Silent footsteps crowding me
Sudden darkness but I can see

No sugar tonight in my coffee
No sugar tonight in my tea
No sugar to stand beside me
No sugar to run with me”

– The Guess Who

Briefly.

Knowing my luck, I’ll be reincarnated as me again.

Trivia #1: What is the mascot of Colby College?
Trivia #2: What is the full name of Colorado’s Triple A affiliate playing out of Hartford, CT in the Eastern League?
Trivia #3: Who is Gregory Foster?
Trivia #4: On Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani joined Babe Ruth as the only two players in MLB history with 10 or more wins (pitching) and 10 or more homeruns (batting) in a season. What was Babe Ruth’s career season high for wins? – 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 27, 31

Go away, Marshawn Lynch

I paid $3.97 for regular, unleaded gas the other day. No, that is not good. It sucks. Some might think it’s “good” because it’s not $5.00+ but $3.97 is still outrageous. Come on, people!

Until death do us part – A California radiologist says he has video evidence of his wife, a dermatologist, spiking his drinks with dangerous household chemicals (Draino) on multiple occasions – after he developed internal injuries and hid cameras in their kitchen.

The yankees recently shipped outfielder Joey Gallo to the Dodgers. Gallo was “hitting” .159 in 82 games with 106 strikeouts. Since switching teams, he has held true to form hitting .267 with eight strikeouts in 6 games.

Article I’ll skip: Are corn flakes good for you? The history of the popular Kelloggs’ breakfast cereal

I watched football last night. How cool is that!

Fire is the devil’s only friend.

They said it: “I want to signal a crisis.” – National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Patrick Yotes during the third annual Faith & Blue conference in Washington, D.C. Yotes was referring to the fact that law enforcement officers are leaving their jobs “at a rate we’ve never seen before,” with some departments seeing decreases by as many as hundreds of members compared to the same time last year.

When you realize 2022 and 1963 are as far apart as 1963 and 1904… I’m just going to need a minute…

People often ask me, never in my life, “Ed, what has Tim Tebow been up to lately?” Well, ahead of his 35^th birthday, Tim has been laser focused on building a new Tim Tebow Foundation (TTF) Protection Center in Thailand for 40 girls at a time in his effort to stop human trafficking. Atta boy, Tim!

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: AgeSpan’s Robotic Pets Program helps individuals with dementia achieve the comfort, companionship and loyalty of their own pet with battery-driven robotic pets. Pets offered include a golden retriever, a tuxedo cat and a tabby cat. (I put this here as a sign of the apocalypse, but think about it. The robotic pets make sounds, respond to petting AND when you have had enough of them, you just shut them off! No cleaning up after them, no taking them for a walk, etc. Heck, I might get one!)

This week’s sign of the apocalypse, part deux: California Department of Education advocates books promoting gender transitions to kindergarteners

R.I.P. Olivia Newton-John (73) – Grammy Award-winning Australian singer and one of the biggest pop stars of the 70’s, also starred in the American classic film “Grease.” She battled breast cancer for nearly 30 years.
R.I.P. Bruce Shwoegler (80) – Local, former WBZ-TV meteorologist for 33 years. A Navy veteran, author and teacher, he won New England’s first Emmy Award for Outstanding Meteorologist and is in the Massachusetts Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame. He worked 5 days in a row during the Blizzard of ’78 because “the others guys couldn’t get in.”

Trivia #1 answer: What is the mascot of Colby College? – The Mules
Trivia #2 answer: What is the full name of Colorado’s Triple A affiliate playing out of Hartford, CT in the Eastern League? – The Hartford Yard Goats
Trivia #3 answer: Who is Gregory Foster? – On Monday, Foster was recognized by Guinness World Records for eating 17 ghost peppers – also known as bhut jolokia – in 60 seconds. (DYK: Ghost peppers can register 1 million or more Scoville Heat Units (SHU), while a jalapeno pepper registers between 2,500 and 8,000 SHU)
Trivia #4: On Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani joined Babe Ruth as the only two players in MLB history with 10 or more wins (pitching) and 10 or more homeruns (batting) in a season. What was Babe Ruth’s career season high for wins? – 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 27, 31 – 24 wins in 1917 with your Boston Red Sox.

Life gets mighty precious when there’s less of it to waste.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Vinyl Record Day! (Rock on!)

“Everybody, listen to me
And return me to my ship
I’m your captain, I’m your captain
Though I’m feeling mighty sick

I’ve been lost now for days uncounted
And it’s months since I’ve seen home
Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
Or am I all alone?”

– Grand Funk Railroad

Briefly.

Why does my wife always wait until I’m at the opposite end of the house before asking me to ‘Merm frner mernferr brnerfer!’?

Trivia #1: Who is the only player in the Patriots era with 40 sacks, 40 QB hits and 40 tackles for a loss? – Richard Seymour, Teddy Bruschi, Rob Ninkovich, Ted Johnson, Mike Vrabel, Jamie Collins
Trivia #2: NBA/Celtics great Bill Russell won 11 NBA titles. He is tied with whom for the most championships in a major sport?
Trivia #3: What does MSWA stand for?
Trivia #4: With a win on July 31, last week, the Red Sox avoided being just the 3^rd team in MLB history to go a full calendar month without a victory for a starting pitcher. What two teams have accomplished this feat?

Go away, Phil Mickelson.

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: Bryson DeChambeau admits to losing touch with Tiger Woods after joining LIV golf

Article I’ll skip: How A-list Hollywood celebrities build relationships after romance

They said it: “This is just weird.” – Christian Vasquez to Kevin Plawecki as he went to bat for the first time against his former Red Sox teammates.

They said it, part deux: “A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. What a marvelous moment for baseball.” – Vin Scully when Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run to break Babe Ruth’s record in 1974, against the Dodgers.

They said it, part trois (hey, I’m on a roll) – “Don’t be sad because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” – Vin Scully during his final broadcast in 2016.

Tim Daniel, of Granby, Colorado, caught a 7.84-pound brook trout in Monarch Lake back in May breaking a 75-year-old state record.

I guess the Red Sox finally had enough of JBJ’s .200-.230 batting average. (.228 career)

People used to ask me, “Ed, what is going on with Noah Vonleh?” – Noah just signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Celtics and will vie for a roster spot. Haverhill MA’s Vonleh spent the previous year in China playing for the Shanghai Sharks.

Your directional first, THEN your brakes! It’s not all that complicated.

The Las Vegas Raiders beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-11 last night. That’s right, football!

And this is why I will never live in the south year-round.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: I honestly don’t know where to start…

R.I.P. Bill Russell – The ultimate champion. 2 time CA High School State Champion at McClymonds HS in Oakland, 2 time NCAA Champion at University of San Francisco, 1956 Olympic Gold Medalist, 11 time NBA Champion, 5 time NBA MVP, 12 time All Star, first black coach in any major sport, 1975 Hall of Fame Inductee as a Player, 2019 HOF inductee as a coach, 1980 – Voted “Greatest NBA Player of All Time” by the Basketball Writers Association, 21-0 in Game 7’s, 21,620 rebounds (22.5 per game average for his entire career), Presidential Medal of Freedom Winner
R.I.P. Vin Scully (94) – Iconic, legendary voice of the Brooklyn/LA Dodgers for 67 years. Scully was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that year and had the stadium’s press box named for him in 2001. The street leading to Dodger Stadium’s main gate was named in his honor in 2016. That same year, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Trivia #1 answer: Who is the only player in the Patriots era with 40 sacks, 40 QB hits and 40 tackles for a loss? – Richard Seymour, Teddy Bruschi, Rob Ninkovich, Ted Johnson, Mike Vrabel, Jamie Collins – Rob Ninkovich
Trivia #2 answer: NBA/Celtics great Bill Russell won 11 NBA titles. He is tied with whom for the most championships in a major sport? – Henri “Rocket” Richard
Trivia #3 answer: What does MSWA stand for? – The Massachusetts Sports Wagering Act
Trivia #4 answer: With a win on July 31, last week, the Red Sox avoided being just the 3^rd team in MLB history to go a full calendar month without a victory for a starting pitcher. What two teams have accomplished this feat? – The 1996 Detroit Tigers and the 2022 Pittsburgh Pirates

Do Transformers have car insurance or life insurance?

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Underwear Day! (And, Happy International Beer Day!)

“When it’s not always raining there’ll be days like this
When there’s no one complaining there’ll be days like this
When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch
Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this”

– Van Morrison

Briefly. (Not after last week!)

I’m kinda glad dinosaurs are extinct because I’m pretty sure I’d try to ride one after a few drinks.

And there it is, another personal record for consecutive days alive!

Trivia #1: Who was the main antagonist of the cartoon Underdog?
Trivia #2: Who is Elisjsha Dickens?
Trivia #3: What is the PGA record for most career aces? – 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 – Bonus: Who holds the record?

I’ve expressed my disgust in the past of how bills come out of the ATM facing different directions, but the other day my bills were not only facing different directions, some of the corners were folded! Pisses me off!

Speaking of being pissed off… it amazes me how one can walk through the woods at a particular pace and a mosquito buzzes in your ear at the same pace. Argh! Hey, did you ever sleep out in a tent as a kid and there was always that one mosquito??? Drove you nuts, didn’t it?

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: The Red Sox’ Alex Verdugo has played more games in left field this season than anyone in MLB.

Great stuff about Big Papi and his HOF induction last Sunday. As was voiced on the radio Sunday afternoon, shame on the Red Sox and MLB for scheduling a Sox home game in the afternoon during his induction.

Article I’ll skip: ‘Scariest Celebrity Shark Encounters’ or… ‘Meghan Markle denies she lied to Oprah amid lawsuit’

They said it: “Paulie might have moved slow, but it was only because Paulie didn’t have to move for anybody.” – Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) speaking of Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino) in the movie Goodfellas.

BIG 3-run jack by Xander Bogaerts last night! Ya gotta keep him!

Republicans shut out the Democrats 10-0 yesterday in the annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity at Nationals Park in D.C.

I don’t care how old or oft-injured Julio Jones is, he is just another weapon for Tom Brady. And look at the Pats…

Damn, it’s been hot lately, huh? I do feel for people without AC or at least some sort of temporary relief.

Today’s music ain’t got the same soul, I like that old-time rock ‘n roll.

Speaking of the Patriots, what is wrong with our Boston Red Sox? They had a nice run back in June but both pitching and hitting have been at issue all season. Injuries are now playing a part but they are just not that good. I think you have to give Cora a pass this season. I hope he’s not the scapegoat.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: The Red Sox are behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East standings.

Maybe because I haven’t watched a lot of ESPN lately (or any TV for that matter), but I haven’t seen Chris Berman in a while.

Are you playing Mega Millions tonight? DYK: The odds of being struck by lightning are 20,000 higher than hitting the jackpot. Chew on that for a minute.

It’s raining in Vegas!

R.I.P. Mickey Rooney Jr. (77) – Eldest son of Mickey Rooney, was an original Mouseketeer. He, his brother and another were thrown off the show before the end of the first season.
R.I.P. Paul Sorvino (83) – American actor, opera singer, businessman, writer and sculptor, starred in Martin Scorses’s Goodfellas, the series Law & Order and other roles.
R.I.P. Tony Dow (77) – Known as big brother Wally Cleaver to all, said his daughter-in-law, “I’ve never heard Tony say a bad or negative thing about anyone.”
R.I.P. – Charles Johnson (50) – 1994 first-round pick by the Steelers, later Super Bowl XXXVI champ with the Patriots. The wide receiver was found dead in a hotel and the cause of death was not revealed.

Trivia #1 answer: Who was the main antagonist of the cartoon Underdog? – Simon Bar Sinister
Trivia #2 answer: Who is Elisjsha Dickens? – The 22-year-old, legally armed gunman who, by all accounts, saved dozens of lives by taking down a gunman at a shopping mall in Greenwood, Indiana who had opened fired on innocent people. Too bad we haven’t heard more about this hero.
Trivia #3 answer: What is the PGA record for most career aces? – 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 – Bonus: Who holds the record? – 10 – Hal Sutton and Robert Allenby

People are so judgmental. I can tell just by looking at them.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Waterpark Day!

“Oh war, I despise
‘Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears to thousands of mothers’ eyes
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives

I said, war, huh, good God, y’all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again”

– Edwin Starr

Taking a week off, y’all. Hope to see you all next Friday.

I’ll leave you with this:

Briefly. (Vacation, ya know?)

Welcome back to Plastic Surgery Anonymous. I see a lot of new faces today!

Trivia #1: Which players are not in the top 4 of tennis Grand Slam title wins? – Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Jimmy Connors
Trivia #2: What year did the sitcom “F Troop” go off the air? – 1959, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970
Trivia #3: What do the following golfers all have in common? – Ted Ray, Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Henry Cotton, Tom Weiskopf, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy

Article I’ll skip: Ivana Trump’s love life: A look back at her romances over the years

“The Shift” – In baseball, what’s wrong with it? These guys are professionals. If you can’t hit the ball the other way, shame on you. Get out.

They said it: “He’s a tremendous driver of the golf ball.” – Paige Mackenzie, Golf Channel – Puh-lease! OK, he can hit the f*n golf ball, just say it!

Now, about my not getting out often. DYK: Deandre Ayton just signed a 4-year, $133M contract with the Phoenix Suns after Phoenix matched the same offer made by the Indiana Pacers? I never heard of the guy.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Mermaiding, the artistic swimming activity in which people wear mermaid fins and tails, is growing in popularity around the world.

River keeps on flowing, never worried ‘bout where it’s going.

R.I.P. Larry Storch (99) – Comedian, actor whose acting career lasted six decades. Navy veteran. Cpl. Randolph Adarn, appeared in all 65 episodes of the sitcom, F-Troop. He appeared in, amongst others, All in the Family, Trapper John, M.D., Married with Children.

Say perhaps to drugs.

Trivia #1 answer: Which players are not in the top 4 of tennis Grand Slam title wins? – Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic – Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors
Trivia #2 answer: What year did the sitcom “F Troop” go off the air? – 1959, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970 – 1967
Trivia #3: What do the following golfers all have in common? – Ted Ray, Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Henry Cotton, Tom Weiskopf, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy – They were all wire-to-wire winners of the Open Championship

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Gummi Worm Day!

“It was the third of September
That day I’ll always remember,
Yes, I will
‘Cause that was the day that my daddy died
I never got the chance to see him
Never heard nothin’ but bad things about him
Mama, I’m depending on you
To tell me the truth
Mama just hung her head and said, “Son,..

Papa was a rolling stone.
Where he laid his hat was his home.
And when he died, all he left us was alone.
Papa was a rolling stone.
Where he laid his hat was his home.
And when he died, all he left us was alone.”

– The Temptations

Briefly. (maybe next week)

Gas prices are so high the mailman is working from home. He called me yesterday to read my bills to me.

So, when I was doing that ‘work thing’, I got these posts out pretty early in the morning. Now, I find myself racing to do the same. Hence, numerous typos and erroneous factoids. I’ve got to clean it up so, if the posts aren’t as early as in the past…

Having said that, from last week’s post, 7% of high school athletes go on to play in college, only 1-2% play for D1 schools. And for you locals, Uncle Billy O’Brien did not play for the Amesbury Maples (I should have done the math), but his father did.

Trivia #1: Who is Scooby Wright?
Trivia #2: Who I Miki Suto?
Trivia #3: Over this past weekend, what was 5^th on the list of most popular bets for online customers behind baseball, tennis (Wimbledon), basketball and soccer?
Trivia #4: Baker Mayfield is 4^th for the Cleveland Browns in all-time passing yardage. Who are the first three? – Vinny Testaverde, Bernie Kosar, Otto Graham, Brian Hoyer, Tim Couch, Brian Sipe, Frank Ryan

Article I’ll skip: Aaron Rodgers gets first ‘deep and meaningful’ tattoo with astronomical elements

They said it: “The Pac-12 without USC and UCLA is like the American League of baseball without the Yankees and the Red Sox” – Bob Hertzel of The Times (West Virginia)

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: If you did put a little action on this year’s Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest and you took Joey Chestnut’s over at 74.5 (he ate 63), help is on the way. Some sportsbooks are issuing refunds to ‘over’ bettors due to a protester who rushed the stage and was subsequently roughed up by Chestnut. The assumption here is that the interaction, albeit brief, potentially impacted the results.

The Sox are in the midst of 14 games vs Tampa Bay and the yankees, leading up to the all-star break. The Red Sox play 40% of their remaining games against the AL East. Wow!

This week’s sign of the apocalypse, part deux: Megan Hess ran the Sunset Mesa funeral home and a human body parts business called Donor Services from the same building in Colorado. She admitted in federal court on Tuesday to defrauding at least a dozen families who wished for their loved ones to be cremated. Court records show her body dealer firm harvested heads, spines, legs and arms, and then sold them – mostly for surgical and educational purposes.

The Browns’ Baker Mayfield has been shipped to the Panthers. Who do the Panthers open the season against? You guessed it, the Browns.

I’m going to miss the Baker Mayfield commercials.

Let it be.

Just a little politics… The Justice Department is suing Arizona over a law that is slated to take effect next year that would require voters to provide proof of American citizenship to cast ballots in federal elections. Said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; “Arizona has passed a law that turns the clock back on progress by imposing unlawful and unnecessary requirements that would block eligible voters…” Help me out here, why is requiring proof of American citizenship an “unnecessary requirement?”

I don’t care how many times you’ve been there, imagine playing your way into the Wimbledon semi-final only to pull out with an abdominal tear? Rafael Nadal, you’re bummin’.

Guy #1: I’m addicted to buying old Beatles records.
Guys #2: Sounds like you need help.
Guy #1: No, I already have that one.

The USFL has an interesting alternative to the onside kick. The team that scored can, instead of kicking off, choose to try to convert a fourth-and-12 from their own 33-yard-line. If they convert, they keep the ball. If they don’t, the other team gets the ball at the spot of the play. I like it!

R.I.P. James Caan (82) – One of the signature stars of 1970’s Hollywood starring as Santino “Sonny” Corleone in The Godfather. The American actor/director starred in numerous films during a career that lasted from 1963-2021. DYK: During the peak years of his stardom, this actor had rejected a series of starring roles in movies that went on to become big hits for other actors. Some of these films were ‘The French Connection’, ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’, and ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.’

R.I.P. Bradford Freeman (97) – The last of the “Band of Brothers”, East Company, 101^st Airborne. He jumped into Normandy on D-Day at age 19 and participated in every major battle with his unit. He was portrayed in the mini-series as James Farmer.

Trivia #1 answer: Who is Scooby Wright? – Linebacker for the Birmingham Stallions who had a late pick-six to ensure the Stallions victory over the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL Championship game.
Trivia #2 answer: Who I Miki Suto? – The female winner of Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. She ate 40 dogs for the win.
Trivia #3 answer: Over this past weekend, what was 5^th on the list of most popular bets for online customers behind baseball, tennis (Wimbledon), basketball and soccer? – Bets on Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest
Trivia #4 answer: Baker Mayfield is 4^th for the Cleveland Browns in all-time passing yardage. Who are the first three? – Vinny Testaverde, Bernie Kosar, Otto Graham, Brian Hoyer, Tim Couch, Brian Sipe, Frank Ryan – Brian Sipe, Otto Graham and Bernie Kosar are 1 thru 3.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Day!

Responding to a request, I am providing a link to the song below and will do this weekly. I hope you enjoy.

“Hello there, my old friend
Not so long ago it was til the end
We played outside in the pouring rain
On our way up the road we started over again

You’re living our dream oh you on top
My mind is aching, Lord it won’t stop
That’s how it happens living life by the drop”

– Stevie Ray Vaughn

Briefly.

I put the sexy in dyslexic!

Come on folks, don’t be shy. Call me out when justified. Last week I asked a trivia question without providing the answer. Either you’re not reading or you don’t care. Regardless, I’ve asked the question again below (#1) while actually providing the answer below. You’re welcome.

Trivia #1: Which is the oldest amateur hockey team in the US, starting in 1924? – Newburyport Clippers, Exeter Sextet, Amesbury Maples, Rhode Island Scarlets, Concord Crusaders
Trivia #2: Since 1950, the average bear market has taken about how many months to mark its low? – 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14
Trivia #3: What percent of high school athletes go on to play sports at Division 1 schools? – 4%, 7%, 9%, 10%, 12%, 16%
Trivia #4: In what year did the 4^th of July become a national holiday? – 1776, 1777, 1870, 1876, 1901, 1945

If I could stick my hand in my heart, I’d spill it all over the stage.

Article I’ll skip: Howard Stern chooses his potential presidential running mate

The Celtics got off to a terrible start this past season and went on to the NBA Finals. The Red Sox got off to a terrible start this season and are playing much better after posting their best-ever month of June. I’m just sayin’.

Why do you pay more when going through a highway toll based on how many axels the vehicle has. That makes no sense to me.

I’m pretty sure I comment on this every summer but so far there have been 8 incidents in the U.S. where children have died after being left in vehicles in the heat for extensive time. Recently a father shot himself after realizing he left his 18-month-old in his car. So terrible.

Don Blair, athletic director at local Northern Essex Community College (literally less than a mile from me), received the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Cushman and Wakefield Athletic Director of the Year Award at their annual convention in Las Vegas. What an honor!

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: A bust of President Abraham Lincoln and a plaque of the Gettysburg Address have been removed from a Cornell University library because “someone complained.”

I’m in big trouble if people find out I don’t really have Tourette’s.

The Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

Worried about the stock market as of late? The average bear market takes about 19 months to get back all of its losses, but shallower bears—those when the S&P 500 falls less than 25%— bounce back faster. Stocks have recently recovered much more quickly, at only four and five months to recover losses from the last three bear markets.

Trivia #1 answer: Which is the oldest amateur hockey team in the US, starting in 1924? – Newburyport Clippers, Exeter Sextet, Amesbury Maples, Rhode Island Scarlets, Concord Crusaders – The Amesbury Maples (For you locals, kudos to the late/great Uncle Billy O’Brien, who played for the Maples)
Trivia #2 answer: Since 1950, the average bear market has taken about how many months to mark its low? – 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14 – 11 months
Trivia #3 answer: What percent of high school athletes go on to play sports at Division 1 schools? – 4%, 7%, 9%, 10%, 12%, 16% – 7 percent. (Kudos to my wife who was the captain of her college volleyball team!)
Trivia #4 answer: In what year did the 4^th of July become a national holiday? – 1776, 1777, 1870, 1876, 1901, 1945 – 1870

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Take Your Dog to Work Day!

And of course, Happy 4^th of July!

“Living in America
Eye to eye, station to station
Living in America
Hand to hand, across the nation
Living in America
Got to have a celebration”

– James Brown

Briefly.

Elvis Costello and Abba are touring together this summer but they haven’t figured out who the headliner will be. So, watch for Abba and Costello to find out who’s on first.

Trivia #1: Which is the oldest amateur hockey team in the US, starting in 1924? – Newburyport Clippers, Exeter Sextet, Amesbury Maples, Rhode Island Scarlets, Concord Crusaders
Trivia #2: What teams competed in the 2001 Super Bowl and who won?
Trivia #3: What team has lost the most Stanley Cup Finals series?

Trivia #4: Who is KaVontae Turpin?

The Red Sox have had their best winning percentage in the month of June in team history (16-4, .800)

I went to the liquor store the other day, shocking I know, and was given my receipt upon payment. Several comments on the receipt. First, it was about two feet long. Second, the bottom 2/3 pertained to the 6-step return policy. 6 steps to return an item?! Lastly, who in the history of mankind, has returned booze?

Tune in tonight as the Colorado Avalanche try to close out the Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Article I’ll skip: THE WAIT IS OVER: Arch Manning reveals where he will play college football – OR – Tom Hanks shares why he loves crashing wedding photos

Shohei Ohtani excites me, well established. On Tuesday he hit two homeruns and had a career-high 8 RBI. The next night he struck out a career-high 13 batters. He retired 23 of the final 24 batters he faced. Stud!

Ohtani’s all-world teammate, Mike Trout, also just became the first player in MLB history to hit four game-winning homeruns in a single series. The Angels are 34-38 – DOH!

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: The PGA vs LIV. Rocking the world of golf as nothing before. I don’t blame anyone, I just think it sucks for the fans. Or does it???

They said it: “Golf is the only sport where you can destroy private property while intoxicated without getting arrested.” – ESPN College Basketball Analyst, Jay Bilas

So, Gronk is retiring again. DYK: While playing together as Patriots, during the regular season, vs the AFC, he and Tom Brady were 44-1. That’s crazy stupid.

I’ll tell you want I need. I need more cowbell!

In his first 403 games, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero hit 87 homeruns. Through his first 403 games, his son Vlad Jr. hit 87 homeruns.

R.I.P. Tony “Goose” Siragusa (55) – Former defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens, where he won a Super Bowl in 2001. After his retirement from football, Siragusa became a sideline reporter for Fox Sports and appeared in the Sopranos.

Trivia #1 answer: Which is the oldest amateur hockey team in the US, starting in 1924? – Newburyport Clippers, Exeter Sextet, Amesbury Maples, Rhode Island Scarlets, Concord Crusaders
Trivia #2 answer: What teams competed in the 2001 Super Bowl and who won? – Baltimore defeated the NY Giants
Trivia #3 answer: What team has lost the most Stanley Cup Finals series? – The Boston Bruins (14)

Trivia #4 answer: Who is KaVo Tae Turpin? – The USFL’s New Jersey Generals’ season MVP wide receiver.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

We all have the power to change at least one thing a day… please make it your underwear

Happy National Take Your Dog to Work Day!

And a big Happy Birthday to my wife, Kathy! She’s the greatest!

“Is that you
Your eyes slowly fading?
Is that you
Your mind full of tears?
Is that you
Searching for a good time?
Is that you
Waitin’ for all these years?

And I hope you’re feelin’ better
Yes I hope you’re feelin’ good
Yes I hope you’re feelin’ better”

– Santana