Blog

Briefly.

Trivia #1: In 1957, the Montreal Canadians’ Maurice Richard was suspended for the remainder of the season for what? – Striking an official, striking another player in the head with his stick, throwing a puck at a fan, stepping on an opponent with his skate.

Trivia #2: Phil Mickelson won his first major Championship in 2004. Where was this tournament held? Bonus: Who did he beat?

Trivia #3: In the U.S., as of May 1^st, how many people under age 35 reportedly died from COVID-19? – 11, 329, 527, 920, 1,502, 21,011? 

The PGA is back! We’re getting there. Be positive. 

65-year old Jean Van Landeghem of Turnhout, Belgium has been receiving mysterious pizza deliveries that he never ordered for more than  decade.  He has no idea why. One day, Landeghem reportedly had 10 different delivery drivers come to his place on the same day. One of the deliveries was for 14 pizzas! 

I can’t possibly get into what the major sports leagues are trying to do to get their teams playing again. So complicated. You can argue with all of it, but it is merely a case of trying to address unprecedented circumstances. Good luck to all.

I attended a funeral service the other day. “Surreal” is such an understated description. Masks, social distancing, rules, etc. Really disheartening. 

Either two inches is huge, or murder hornets are small; make up your mind women!

Be careful out there.

Be careful out there, part deux: From January 1^st through April 15, 18,235 Covid-19 scams were reported by Americans to the Federal Trade Commission with losses of $13.44 million. 

The cheers of the crowd will resound in New Zealand sports stadiums for the first time since March with more than 50,000 people expected to attend two matches this weekend in the opening round of Super Rugby Aotearoa.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Seattle 

Making a big life change is pretty scary. But, you know what’s even scarier? Regret. 

R.I.P. Ed Bradley (65) from chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Bradley was a fixture in American living rooms on Sunday nights for a quarter century as a correspondent on “60 Minutes” and one of the first black journalists prominently featured on network television.

R.I.P. Robert “Uncle Bob” Rorke (81) – My uncle, a true Renaissance man, linguist, writer, philosopher, Master Chef, and gardener.  

Trivia #1 answer: In 1957, the Montreal Canadians’ Maurice Richard was suspended for the remainder of the season for what? – Striking an official, striking another player in the head with his stick, throwing a puck at a fan, stepping on an opponent with his skate. – Striking an official

Trivia #2 answer: Phil Mickelson won his first major Championship in 2004. Where was this tournament held? Bonus: Who did he beat? – Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia. Mickelson beat Ernie Els by a single stroke to win the Masters.

Trivia #3 answer: In the U.S., as of May 1^st, how many people under age 35 reportedly died from COVID-19? – 11, 329, 527, 920, 1,502, 21,011? – 329

“In violent times
You shouldn’t have to sell your soul
In black and white
They really-really ought to know

Shout, shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on, I’m talking to you
Come on” 

– Tears for Fears

Briefly.

Trivia #1: Name the only two NBA players to have been named Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season.

Trivia #2: In 1973, the NBA Baltimore Bullets moved to Washington. Before they took the name Washington Bullets, what was the name of the team? Bonus: The franchise was established in 1961 as what team name?

Trivia #3: In chemistry, what does “pH” stand for? 

Little girl: “Mum, did you want a daughter or a son?” Mum: “I wanted a back rub.” 

I can’t string two notes together but I know a good tune when I hear it. 

Speaking of the NBA, the season is beginning on July 31 with the top 22 ranked teams from earlier in the year. All games will be played at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: 

A study published in the journal ‘Integrative Organismal Biology’ shows that beards may have evolved to help fight-hungry humans better absorb blows to the head. Ahhhh, or they “evolved” before razors were invented??? 

We have a few hummingbird feeders in the backyard. Very active. These birds are cool. Most range from 3-5 inches in length and their wings flap as many as 80 times per second! They can fly as fast as 34 MPH and dive at up to 49 MPH. 

I was watching the ESPN 30 for 30 series on Lance Armstrong. Amongst several things about him that turned my stomach, he was addressing the Rice University football team that his son was playing on. He made reference to his son and stated how much he rooted for “number 48” and looked over at his son. After the talk, he was talking with his son and a couple of players when his son said (paraphrased) “that was great Dad, but I’m number 35.” What a dink. 

Do you say “cut the grass” or “mow the lawn?” I find myself saying both. 

Tomorrow, June 6, will be the loneliest remembrance  of D-Day ever as almost everyone – from government leaders to frail veterans who might not get another chance for a final farewell to their unlucky comrades. Of course it is the coronavirus pandemic that is keeping everyone away. What a shame. 

A watched pot of water doesn’t boil. 

R.I.P. Wes Unseld (74) – I remember the guy. What a beast! He was a former NBA Rookie of the Year and MVP. He was a Finals series MVP and had a career average of 14 rebounds per game over 13 seasons.

R.I.P. Steve Priest (72) – Founding member, bassist and vocalist for the legendary UK glam rock band Sweet. 

Trivia #1 answer: Name the only two NBA players to have been named Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season. – Wilt Chamberlain (1960) and Wes Unseld (1969)

Trivia #2 answer: In 1973, the NBA Baltimore Bullets moved to Washington. Before they took the name Washington Bullets, what was the name of the team? Bonus: The franchise was established in 1961 as what team name? – They were briefly the Capital Bullets and in 1961 established as the Chicago Packers.               

Trivia #3 answer: In chemistry, what does “pH” stand for? – pH stands for the Power of Hydrogen and is a scale to specify how acidic or basic a water-based solution is. 

“I don’t wanna know your name
‘Cause you don’t look the same
The way you did before
O.K. you think you got a pretty face
But the rest of you is out of place
You looked alright before 

Fox on the run” 

– Sweet

Briefly.

 Trivia #1: A flock of seagulls, a herd of cows… What is a group of mosquitos called?

Trivia #2: Tiger Woods was ranked No. ? in the world when he won The Masters in 2019 – 7, 12, 20, 31, 61 or 123?

Trivia #3: College basketball coach Eddie Sutton passed away on May 23. He is the only coach to take four schools to the NCAA tournament. Name those four schools. Bonus: He went to the Final Four three times, with which of the schools?

 I watched some of the Mickelson/Brady vs. Tiger/Manning match last weekend. Pretty good theater. Peyton Manning looks more and more like an alien every time I see him.

 Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Mahomes Foundation announced this past Monday, Memorial Day, it will provide 15 scholarships for the children of U.S. Navy SEALs. Nice.

 SapceX and Nasa’s historic launch was scrubbed Wednesday as a result of weather conditions. The launch would have been the first time a private company, other than a national government, sent astronauts into orbit. It also would have been the first time that astronauts have launched from U.S. soil since the final Space Shuttle mission in 2011. The next launch is set for Saturday.

 This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Brazilian Sex Hotel Opens MMA Themed Room Complete With An Octagon For Couples

Clint Eastwood turns 90 on Sunday. His son Scott said “We’re going to do just a family thing. Very, very calm, very mellow. He really doesn’t like birthdays.” Hmmm, shocking? Not.

You know when you enter an online password and are then asked whether you want the password saved, your choices are typically “Always” or “Never?” Why is it if you choose “Never” you are always asked the next time? What does “Never” really mean??

I watched the movie “Miracle” again the other night. That story/game is just so incredible.

Krispy Kreme is extending National Doughnut Day to a five-day celebration June 1-5.

Golf clubs: Weapons of Grass Destruction

Two horses from the barn of two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer Bobby Baffert have tested positive for a banned substance. Cheater!

Mortgage rates dropped to a new all-time low Thursday to an average 3.15 percent for a 30-year fixed-rate and 2.62 percent for a 15-year fixed-rate. Just sayin’.

Michael Jordan, please go away.

 Me: “I must be out of my mind”. Me: “You and me both.”

 Quote of the week: “… but, I obviously still believe I’m a starting quarterback.” – 35-year old Jets’ quarterback Joe Flacco who is set to be the backup to Sam Darnold. Ya Joe, OK.

 Trivia #1 answer: A flock of seagulls, a herd of cows… What is a group of mosquitos called? – A scourge of mosquitos

Trivia #2 answer: Tiger Woods was ranked No. ? in the world when he won The Masters in 2019 – 7, 12, 20, 31, 61 or 123? – No. 12

Trivia #3 answer: College basketball coach Eddie Sutton passed away on May 23. He is the only coach to take four schools to the NCAA tournament. Name those four schools. Bonus: He went to the Final Four three times, with which of the schools? – Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State. He went to the Final Four with Arkansas (’78) and Oklahoma State (’95 and ’04)

Hang in there everyone.

 “Dear Mr. Fantasy, play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything, take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar, make it snappy”

 – Traffic

Briefly.

Trivia #1: Name in order the top five NFL rushers in terms of career yardage.

Trivia #2: From the television show ‘Leave it to Beaver’, name 5 of Beaver’s friend

A pair of 1985, autographed Michael Jordan shoes ‘Air Jordan 1’ broke an auction record the other day by selling for $560,000.

In 2019, about 3.75 million babies were born in the U.S. – down 1 percent from the previous year. In addition, the general fertility rate fell 2 percent to 58.2 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. It is the lowest level since the government began tracking the figure in 1909. 

How is it that time can fly by and drag on at the same time?

So MLB players can’t spit, really? I can’t mow my lawn or play a round of golf without spitting. You can’t chew sunflower seeds without spitting. Stupid!

Another new MLB rule: Personnel who rub baseballs with mud for pitchers must wear gloves. Imagine sitting down and coming up with crap like this? 

Someone just used my driveway to turn around and now I’m standing outside with two beers and a lonely face. 

Best television commercial going? How about the Geico commercials with the tap dancers in the apartment building? 

I was channel-surfing the other day and came across Halloween 5. 5!!!! When did that happen??

Now entering his 16^th season in the NFL, 37-year old Frank Gore is OK with backing up Le’Veon Bell of the Jets. Ya, I’d be OK too in my 16^th season making a cool $1M as a backup. 

Alcohol: The glue holding this shitshow together.

The NCAA Division 1 Council voted Wednesday to lift a moratorium on voluntary workouts by football and basketball players effective June 1 as a growing number of college leaders expressed confidence that fall sports will be possible in some form despite concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. 

Trivia #1 answer: Name in order the top five NFL rushers in terms of career yardage. – Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Frank Gore, Barry Sanders, Adrian Peterson

Trivia #2 answer: From the television show ‘Leave it to Beaver’, name 5 of Beaver’s friends. – Gilbert, Larry Mondello, Whitey, Gus the fireman, Richard (remember, guys like Eddie Haskell and Lumpy were technically Wally’s friends)

R.I.P. – Ken Osmond (76) – Ken played the “two-faced teenage scoundrel” Eddie Haskell on the show ‘Leave it to Beaver’ from 1957-1963.

R.I.P. – Phyllis George (70) – Former Miss America who became a sports broadcasting pioneer on CBS’s “NFL Today.”

I’ve been meaning to have a talk with my wife. I need more cow bell.

“All our times have come
Here but now there gone
Seasons don’t fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain… we can be like they are
Come on baby… don’t fear the reaper
Baby take my hand… don’t fear the reaper
We’ll be able to fly… don’t fear the reaper
Baby I’m your man…” 

– Blue Oyster Cult

Briefly.

All trivia questions are easy if you know the answer… 

Trivia #1: According to rule 11, how many club lengths behind the tee markers may a player tee the ball and still be within the teeing ground? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5?

Trivia #2: What is considered the “keystone sack” located on a baseball diamond?

Trivia # answer: The 12-inch wide blue lines in  hockey are considered part of what zone?  – 1) None – the line itself is separate from any zone, 2) the end zones, 3) whatever zone the puck is in, 4) no man’s land?

Trivia #4: Which was NOT a nickname for Little Richard – “The Innovator”, “The Originator”, “The Architect of Rock and Roll”, “The Father of Rock and Roll”

It really sucks when you check the obituaries online and have to click “see more” just to get the current ones.

Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland will not be returning to Monday Night Football next season. I was OK with Tessitore but Booger was just that, a booger. Can’t understand how he ever got that job.  

Dad and son on the golf course. Son: “What’s laying up mean, Dad?” Dad: “I don’t know son, I’m not a pussy.” 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: 40% of all U.S. households making less than $40K per year have lost their jobs. 

Quote for the week: “Are you trying to say Jesus can’t hit a curveball?” – Eddie Harris (Chelcie Ross) in the movie Major League.

Mark your calendar. On May 24, Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning will square off against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady with $10 million going to benefit coronavirus relief.           

Goal for the 4^th of July. Kiss my beautiful wife under a sky full of fireworks. Play golf with the boys and get drunk enough to forget my score. 

60-year old Army veteran, Anthony Griggs, used only a putter during his entire round on his way to win the D Flight at Whirlwind Golf Club Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, AZ. He was set to use a Scotty Cameron putter ($400-ish) but broke it while practicing. He then purchased a Wilson Staff putter for $2.99 and used that. Tell me, how many ways are there to “break” a putter??? 

Mhairi-Louise Brennan, of Glasgow, Scotland, had an anxiety-riddled realization Tuesday when she realized that she left a banana inside the desk drawer of her office before the coronavirus pandemic brought work to a halt for her employer. 

My apologies for last week. The Patriots do not play on Thanksgiving Day. Some NFL schedule notes (real ones): The Chiefs kick off the season on a Thursday night against the Texans (weak), the Saints and Vikings will play the first Friday night game since 2009 on Christmas day, the Saints will also play in the first MNF game in Las Vegas in week #2 against the LV Raiders (it hurts typing that).

R.I.P. – Little Richard (87), from bone cancer – A founding father of rock & roll whose fervent shrieks, flamboyant garb, and joyful gender-bending persona embodied the spirit and sound of that new art form.

R.I.P. Jerry Stiller (92) – The comedian, actor, author spent many years as part of the comedy duo Stiller and Meara with his wife, Anne Meara, whom he was married for more than 60 years before her death in 2015. Stiller saw a late-career resurgence starting in 1993 with his role playing George Costanza’s father Frank in the sitcom Seinfeld. Personally, my favorite Stiller scene in Seinfeld, which is one of my favorite Seinfeld scenes period, was when George Steinbrenner went to Frank’s house and told him and his wife that George had died. Frank’s Jay Buhner comment I consider legendary. Google it. 

For those new to this blog, I highly recommend ‘google.com’ as the best site to google things. 

As a public service, tomorrow, the third Saturday in May, is National Whisky Day. Please celebrate accordingly.

Trivia #1 answer: According to rule 11, how many club lengths behind the tee markers may a player tee the ball and still be within the teeing ground? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5? – 2 – The teeing ground is defined as a rectangular area 2 club lengths in depth defined by the outside limits of 2 tee markers.

Trivia #2 answer: What is considered the “keystone sack” located on a baseball diamond? – Second base is considered the “keystone sack” on a baseball diamond because the base is considered “key” or important because it is the halfway point of scoring a run.

Trivia # answer: The 12-inch wide blue lines in hockey are considered part of what zone?  – 1) None – the line itself is separate from any zone, 2) the end zones, 3) whatever zone the puck is in, 4) no man’s land? – Whatever zone the puck is in – in other words, the determining edge of the blue line for the purposes of offside violations is the edge further from the zone in which the puck is located.

Trivia #4: Which was NOT a nickname for Little Richard – “The Innovator”, “The Originator”, “The Architect of Rock and Roll”, “The Father of Rock and Roll” – The Father of Rock and Roll 

“Well, It’s Saturday night and I just got paid,
Fool about my money, don’t try to save,
My heart says go go, have a time,
Saturday night and I’m feelin’ fine” 

– Little Richard

Briefly. (not really)

Another Friday, so I’ve been told. 

See, someone listened – Golf is back! (in all states)

Trivia #1: What are the first names of Crosby, Still & Nash?

Trivia #2: In coach Don Shula’s NFL career, how many of his Miami Dolphins teams finished the regular season under .500? – 0, 2, 3, 4, 6?

Trivia #3: Despite the fact that they both play on Thanksgiving Day this year, what two NFL teams do not have a “prime time” game scheduled this season?

A note from the most recent NFL draft: The Carolina Panthers selected seven (7) defensive players, first time that has happened in the draft. They drafted two defensive tackles, two safeties, two cornerbacks and a defensive end. 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: A weak polar vortex will help usher in record cold air into the eastern half of the country this weekend and could bring significant snowfall.

I’m really not watching as much television as I would have thought but have caught some good stories, like a recent one on ESPN featuring Joe Namath. What a life/career he had. He was a Jet, but I love the guy. (Difficult for me to say in public) 

Ya, I’ll skip that article: “Tim Allen, Brett Michaels, more FOX stars share the shows they’re binging during coronavirus quarantine” 

I waited patiently for Saturday Night Live to start the other night before realizing it was Tuesday. 

Notes regarding the newly released 2020 NFL schedule: Drew Brees hosts the Buccaneers and Tom Brady (new divisional rival) on opening day. Speaking of Brady, he and his Bucs face Brees twice, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan. The Patriots play five prime time games but it is worth noting that four of those occur after week 8, meaning the games can be flexed to off-prime time if the Patriots suck. New coach Mike McCarthy and his Dallas Cowboys have the easiest schedule for any NFC team (based on last year’s records). 

For you/us Pats fans, the Pats play the Rams on Thanksgiving night. Also, former Patriot quarterback Jimmy Garappolo plays in New England in week 7.  

My wife and I have walk our neighborhood repeatedly and notice something different every time. 

Posing for a picture, you’re doing it wrong. Olesia Suspitsina, 31, was out hiking with a friend in Duden Park, located in Antayla, Turkey – following weeks of a shelter-in-place order. She climbed over a  safety fence and posed for a picture on the edge of a cliff in front of its scenic waterfalls, before slipping on some grass and plummeting 115 feet to her death. (don’t people read headlines/articles like this and learn???) 

Hmmm. So it seems this guy is bored. Devon Levesque, a partner in the high-end training facility Performix House in New York City, is training to do the New York City Marathon in a bear crawl where he will “run” on his hands and feet. 

Anheuser-Busch InBev NV reported that revenue from their brands of Budweiser, Stella-Artois and Corona dropped 11% in the first quarter, about twice the rate of decline for the company’s overall portfolio of more than 500 labels. 

Headline of the week: “Portland changes World Naked Bike Ride event due to coronavirus, still encourages people to bike naked” 

A research team led by Northwestern University analyzed data from hospitals and clinics across China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and United States and found that countries with high Covid-19 mortality rates (Italy, Spain and the Unites Kingdom) had lower levels of vitamin D compared to patients in countries that were not nearly as severely affected. So… get out in the sun! (and golf, garden, walk, run, something!) 

The Red Sox are still undefeated and the Yankees are winless. Just sayin’. 

The town of Scarborough, Maine saluted veteran Frank Averill on Cinco de Mayo in honor of his 100^th birthday while observing social distancing measures. Averill served in the Army Air Corp from 1942-1946 and his special request for his birthday was a margarita, which the staff said they were happy to oblige. Coronavirus note: Preparation for the event started last week, with a margarita glass being quarantined for 48 hours… 

Trivia #1 answer: What are the first names of Crosby, Still & Nash? – David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash

Trivia #2 answer: In coach Don Shula’s NFL career, how many of his Miami Dolphins teams finished the regular season under .500? – 0, 2, 3, 4, 6? – 2

Trivia #3: Despite the fact that they both play on Thanksgiving Day this year, what two NFL teams do not have a “prime time” game scheduled this season? – The Detriot Lions (of course) and the Washington Redskins 

Happy Birthday to Daniel Paul James “Tiger” Ruth

R.I.P. Don Shula (90) – Shula’s team won an NFL record 347 games, including playoffs. He of course coached the undefeated (17-0) 1972 Miami Dolphins. He was inducted into the NFL HOF in 1997. 

“Her friends are so jealous
You know how bad girls get
Sometimes it’s not so easy
To be the teacher’s pet
Temptation, frustration
So bad it makes him cry
Wet bus stop, she’s waiting
His car is warm and dry

Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me” 

– The Police

Briefly. (nah)

Let us fish! Let us golf! Let us go to the beach! Let us have a shot at the bar! Damn, this sucks. 

In case you missed it a couple of weeks ago, the Carolina Panthers’ Christian McAffrey became the highest paid NFL running back of all-time at 4-years and $64 million. McAffrey set the NFL record for single season pass receptions by a running back in both 2018 (107) and 2019 (116), had 4,357 all-purpose yards in those two years as well as 32 touchdowns. He also had  career high 403 touches last year. 

Trivia #1: Only five NFL players have had more than two seasons with 400+ touches. Which of the following is not one of them? (the player actually had zero 400+ touch seasons in his career) – Curtis Martin, Barry Sanders, Edgerrin James, LaDanian Tomlinson, Emmitt Smith, Eric Dickerson

Trivia #2: Which of the following was not a nickname for former professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino? – The Italian Legend, The Strongest Man in the World, The Italian Strongman, The Living Legend

Trivia #3: What is the nickname of Lenior-Rhyne University? (alma mater of the New England Patriots’ second round draft pick Kyle Dugger, 37^th overall)

Trivia #4: What is the meaning of the song “25 or 6 to 4” by the band, Chicago? 

I’m not sure I’ll ever get back to my original weight but after all, 8 lbs. 11 oz. is a little unrealistic. 

MLB is making plans. Their current schedule is to begin on July 4 (no fans, of course), 80-100 game season with an expanded postseason held at neutral sites through late November early December. They are also considering realignment, this season, into three 10-team divisions. Teams would only play teams in their own division. For you/us Red Sox fans, the Sox would be play the Orioles, Marlins, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Pirates, Rays, Jays and Nationals. Bring it on! 

OK so, April sucked. 

I really liked the NFL Draft format and the scenes from players’ homes when they were selected. It was many times entertaining and many times very cool and heart warming. 

Speaking of the draft, the Chicago Bears had 9 tight ends on their roster entering the draft before selecting Notre Dame tight end Cole Kmet with their first pick, 43^rd overall. 

Who are these people? “Joe B.” won two $1 million Powerball jackpots on the same day. He purchased the tickets at two different stores on Lake Avenue in Pueblo, CO. He had been playing the same numbers for 30 years. 

Hey, we’re bored, right? Consider holding a Quarantine Olympics. Creative events might include Speed Grocery Sanitizing, Blindfolded Toilet Paper Dodgeball, Guess That Smell, Indoor Sock Slide.  

What happens if you are listening to your music at full volume and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” comes on and you are told to “turn it up?”

Best of luck to Baltimore Oriole’s 23 year-old Trey Mancini who has been diagnosed with stage III colon cancer. Trey is a rising star in MLB. 

Headline of the week: “Mark Cuban pushes back on Elon Musk calling states’ coronavirus lockdowns ‘fascist.’” – Tell me, are these guys supposed to be relevant because they have money???  

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Look, every day there seems to be a sign. Here’s some recent headlines:

City to dump manure  in park to discourage festival gathering
How to trim your pet’s hair and nails
Governor (CA) to close all beaches due to coronavirus
Dozens of bodies found in unrefrigerated U-Haul trucks outside NYC funeral home
Man tattoos himself every day

Good news story: 54 days after their home was destroyed by a tornado that ripped through middle Tennessee in early March, Eric and Faith Johnson were reunited with their dog, Bella. Bella had alerted the couple to the tornado before it flattened their home in Cookeville, killed 18 people and injured 88 others.

Good news story part deux: Have you heard about 100-year old Tom Moore? Yesterday, on his 100^th birthday, the war veteran took time to thank all who have helped him raise more than $37.4M for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) by walking laps in his garden. Said General Mark Carleton-Smith, chief of the general staff of the British Army, “His mature wisdom, no-nonsense attitude and humour in adversity make him an inspirational role model to generations young and old.”

Bill and Melinda Gates have so far donated $250M towards fighting Covid-19. 

Trivia #1 answer: Only five NFL players have had more than two seasons with 400+ touches. Which of the following is not one of them? (the player actually had zero 400+ touch seasons) – Barry Sanders

Trivia #2 answer: Which of the following was not a nickname for former professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino? – The Italian Legend, The Strongest Man in the World, The Italian Strongman, The Living Legend – The Italian Legend

Trivia #3 answer: What is the nickname of Lenior-Rhyne University? (alma mater of the New England Patriots’ second round draft pick Kyle Dugger, 37^th overall) – The Bears

Trivia #4 answer: What is the meaning of the song “25 or 6 to 4” by the band, Chicago? – Robert Lamm was writing the song at night and was looking for words to finish the chorus. The time of day was either 3:35 A.M. (25 minutes til 4:00 A.M.) or 3:34 A.M. 

“Staring blindly into space
Getting up to splash my face
Wanting just to stay awake
Wondering how much I can take
Should I try to do some more
25 or 6 to 4”

 – Chicago

Briefly.

Being a Patriots’ fan on draft night is like being a Jewish kid on Christmas.

Really, is there anything more useless than a mock draft?

Trivia #1: What does the element ‘NO2’ stand for?

Trivia #2: In 2000, the Cleveland Browns selected Courtney Brown with the #1 pick in the NFL draft. Brown is often considered a bust but did have a productive rookie season. Which of the following did he achieve in his first season? – Record five sacks, Forced a fumble, 70 combined tackles, play in all 16 games, ate a hot dog on the bench during a game.

Trivia #3: So the XFL has folded, again. Vince McMahon owned 100% of the league’s Class A shares and 76.5% of the Class B shares. Who owned the remaining 23.5% of the Class B shares?

Trivia #4: In 2006, wide receiver Kevin Mahan was drafted out of the University of Maine by the Oakland Raiders. What was the relevancy of the pick?

Trivia #5: Which of the following three defensive tackles were taken first overall in the NFL Draft?

1. Ndamukong Suh, Steve Entman, Randy White
2. Dan Hampton, Joe Greene, Merlin Olsen
3. Dan Wilkinson, Art Donovan, Ernie Stautner
4. Russell Maryland, Steve Entman, Dan Wilkinson

 

NO2 is a noxious gas emitted by motor vehicles, power plants and industrial facilities. Levels in the northeast United States in March were down 30% from the prior month.

Speaking of the NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers last year had arguably the best defensive line in football. In true Red Auerbach fashion, they drafted the said “best player available” in defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw out of South Carolina. Damn!

Speaking of the NFL draft, Mel Kiper makes my skin crawl. I look forward to Todd McVay who is at least tolerable. McVay was unavailable last night due to his dealing with the coronavirus. Good luck to him!

It’s going to be difficult to get all geared up for the NFL draft tonight like I did last night. My wife told me it’s Friday.

For you Patriots’ fans, are you? Brady is gone, Gronk is gone, Bill still lives. In Bill we trust. Go Pats!

Tommy Boy Brady, welcome to Tampa. First, he was booted from a local park for violating the city’s quarantine orders, then he walked into the home of David Kramer thinking it was the home of Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich who lives next door to Kramer. Brady allegedly apologized profusely.

I think, I think I am, therefore I am, I think.

Quote for the week: “If there is someone you look up to, try to be better than they are. Then, look for someone better than that and build from there. It’s all about being a better person.” – No idea who said that

Quote for the week, part deux: “Trust me, gloves work.” – OJ Simpson

87% of gym members don’t even know their gym is closed.

The Marathon Gas station in Francis Creek, Wisconsin listed regular gas for 86 cents per gallon this past Wednesday. 

Article I just had to read: Can the coronavirus be spread through farts? (Monday’s NY Post, if you are interested) 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: A judge in Harris County, TX on Wednesday ordered residents to start wearing face masks in public for 30 days beginning next week – or possibly face a fine. 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse, part deux: You can now watch Origami on pay per view.

Trivia #1 answer: What does the element ‘NO2’ stand for? – Nitrogen dioxide

Trivia #2 answer: In 2000, the Cleveland Browns selected Courtney Brown with the #1 pick in the NFL draft. Brown is often considered a bust but did have a productive rookie season. Which of the following did he achieve in his first season? – Record five sacks, Forced a fumble, 70 combined tackles, play in all 16 games, ate a hot dog on the bench during a game. – he played in all 16 games

Trivia #3 answer: So the XFL has folded, again. Vince McMahon owned 100% of the league’s Class A shares and 76.5% of the Class B shares. Who owned the remaining 23.5% of the Class B shares? – The WWE

Trivia #4 answer: In 2006, wide receiver Kevin Mahan was drafted out of the University of Maine by the Oakland Raiders. What was the relevancy of the pick? – The ”relevancy” of the pick was that it was the 255^th and final pick in the draft or… Mahan was better known as “Mr. Irrelevant” 

Trivia #5 answer: Which of the following three defensive tackles were taken first overall in the NFL Draft? – #4 Russell Maryland, Steve Entman, Dan Wilkinson

Happy Birthday today to brother Paul! 

“I worked like a slave for years
Sweat so hard just to end my fears
Not to end my life a poor man
But by now, I know I should have run”

– The Moody Blues

Be safe out there

Briefly.

My apologies for last weak. A weak effort I thought. Heck, I’m quarantined. Step it up! Let’s see. 

Trivia #1: Much is made of Tom Brady being selected in the 6^th round of the NFL draft. What Hall of Fame athlete from a major Boston sports team was selected in the 7^th round of its draft in 1976?

Trivia #2: In 1999, the New Orleans Saints traded eight draft picks to the Washington Redskins for the fifth overall pick and selected who?

Yesterday marked the 20^th anniversary of the Patriots drafting Tom Brady in the 6^th round of the 2000 draft. Yesterday was also Bill Belichick’s 68^th birthday. Coincidence? I think not.

Despite everything going on I broke my own record this morning for consecutive days alive! Celebration to follow!

This week’s sign of the apocalypse – sunbathing nudists in the Czech Republic were told they were required to wear facemasks by order of a local ordinance.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse part deux: For $600, would-be criminals can take an online course in identity theft. 

Quote for the week: “God, I love baseball.” – Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford in ‘The Natural’) 

Karma: An Australian man purchased roughly $10K in toilet paper at the earlier stages of the Covid-19 pandemic but was unable to sell it online as planned. He attempted to return the items but the store from which he purchased them told him to go screw. Nice! 

Alcohol delivery app Drisly says it saw sales explode in the last week of March, climbing 537% above the company’s expectations. 42% of those orders came from new accounts. Just sayin’….   

They should make a sequel to the movie “Groundhog Day” and then just name it “Groundhog Day.”

Useless information suppose to fire my imagination: “Patriots trade in most recent mock draft…” 

To much of everything is just enough. 

“Good” coronavirus news? Doctors normally lie patients on their backs whereby the heart applies pressure on the back of their lungs and it closes off the lungs just a little. A technique called “proning” lies the patient on their stomachs whereby the heart falls off the lungs and opens up a little bit of the lung. It has proven to be the difference between life and death for some patients. 

93-year old Olive Veronesi of Seminole, PA Is staying home to help “flatten the curve” on the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to venture out and replenish her supplies she was  pictured on social media with a sign in one hand that read “I NEED MORE BEER!” In her other hand was a can of Coors Light. Coors then delivered 10 cases of beer to Olive’s home! 

R.I.P. – Corey Cave (25) – The former Boston Bruin and current Edmonton Oiler had been complaining of headaches and subsequently had a colloid tumor removed from his head that had been putting pressure on his brain. Due to COVID-19 pandemic concerns his family was not allowed to be with him during his final moments. That, my friends is an example of an indirect coronavirus death. Sad.

R.I.P. Brian Dennehy (81) – Amongst his many movie roles he was Chris Farley’s father in “Tommy Boy” and the sheriff in “Rambo.” 

Trivia #1 answer: Much is made of Tom Brady being selected in the 6^th round of the NFL draft. What Hall of Fame athlete from a major Boston sports team was selected in the 7^th round of its draft in 1976? – The Red Sox’ Wade Boggs

Trivia #2 answer: In 1999, the New Orleans Saints traded eight draft picks to the Washington Redskins for the fifth overall pick and selected who? – Ricky Williams from the University of Texas 

“Well, you wake up in the mornin’, you hear the work bell ring
And they march you to the table to see the same old thing
Ain’t no food on the table, and no pork up in the pan
But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man”

– Credence Clearwater Revival

 

Be careful out there

Briefly.

Until further notice the days of the week are called thisday, thatday, otherday, someday, yesterday, today and nextday.

 Trivia #1: Since Tom Dempsey’s 63-yard field goal in 1970, only 6 kickers have either matched or surpassed that distance. Name the two left-footed kickers to accomplish the feat. (“feat”, get it?)

Trivia #2: Name the Final Four teams in the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament last year. Bonus, who beat who in the final?

Trivia #3: Which band was Eric Clapton never associated with? – Derek and the Dominos, Blind Faith, The Yardbirds, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Cream

 Ford CEO Jim Hackett’s salary fell to $17.4M in 2019 from $17.8M in 2018. The ratio of Hackett’s annual compensation to the median of the annual compensation of all employees was 157 to 1. Dink.

 Just a prediction that two television events coming up are going to be the most watched in quite sometime. The NFL draft, which will be held remotely from each team’s designated facility, and this Sunday’s NBA H-O-R-S-E competition between eight contestants – Chris Paul, Trae Young, Mike Conley Jr., Zach Lavine, WNBA’s Allie Quigley and Tamika Catchings, and Paul Pierce and Chauncey Billups. Should be fun. Reminds me of the old McDonald’s commercial with Bird and Jordan…

 Cops: Come out with your hands washed!

 Maybe it’s me but “essential” is a pretty arbitrary term.

 I can’t wait to go to Fenway Park again.

I’ve watched a lot of commercials lately and let me tell you, there’s some funny, creative, f*ed up people out there.

 Valet Living is actively recruiting for 10,000 positions nationwide over the next several months. The company is mostly recruiting people for “service valet positions.” The role includes duties such as doorstep trash and recycling collection. NOW, is that the most misleading company name you’ve ever heard – “Valet Living” and job title “service valet” you’ve ever heard?

 9 of the world’s top 100 billionaires actually gained money during the past two months, all were Chinese.

 I’m as bored as an Amish electrician.

 My son asked me if the offer to slap him into next year was still on the table.

 R.I.P. Bill Withers (81) – American singer-songwriter and musician. Withers won three Grammys and was nominated for six more. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

R.I.P. Tom Dempsey (73) – Former New Orleans Saints kicker (he only played two seasons) kicked a then-record 63-yard field goal that has since only been surpassed 5 times. The current record is 64 yards and the previous record had been 56 yards! DYK: Dempsey was born not only with no toes on his right foot, but also no fingers on his right hand. He died last Saturday after a bout with coronavirus and since 2013 suffered from Alzheimer’s as well as dementia.

Trivia #1 answer: Since Tom Dempsey’s 63-yard field goal in 1970, only 6 kickers have either matched or surpassed that distance. Name the two left-footed kickers to accomplish the feat. – David Akers (2012) and Sebastian Janikowski (2011)

Trivia #2 answer: Name the Final Four teams in the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament last year. Bonus, who beat who in the final? – Virginia, Auburn, Texas Tech, Michigan St – Virginia beat Texas Tech in the final

Trivia #3 answer: Which band was Eric Clapton never associated with? – Derek and the Dominos, Blind Faith, The Yardbirds, John Mayall & the Bluebreakers, Cream – trick question as he was associated with all of them (though you all guessed John Mayall & the Bluebreakers, didn’t you?)

 Rest at Home is better than Rest in Peace… 6 feet away is better than 6 feet under.

 “If there is a load
You have to bear
That you can’t carry
I’m right up the road
I’ll share your load
If you just call me.

– Bill Withers