whats the buzz?

Welcome to Casa Calamari......please watch your step ! ! !

The Jets...

The problem as i see it....and this won't play well in Hempstead, is none other than Joe Willie Namath......take a moment and think about it......for 40 years his enormous shadow has loomed over this team, and for 40 years newcomers to gang green try to emulate his legacy....NO TEAM in the history of any sport has talked as much nonsense without winning anything as this franchise....nobody....Hockey, baseball basketball, nothing comes close.....they have played in as many Superbowls as the Detroit Lions over the past 4 decades....could you imagine if every two or three years since the early 70's some new group of Lion Players were boasting about "Their" year, destiny, the team to beat, guarenteeing victory....it's laughable....and it all comes back to Joe.....everyone wants to be the next Namath, the Fans still were his jersey and parade his drunk ass onto the field on big occasions....it has to stop , but it probably won't until he dies....this organization should have moved to Los Angeles 10 years ao and started fresh, the could have built a legitimate contender by now.....and I hate to bring reality into the conversation, but THIS team? they won't even make the playoffs next year.......sound crazy? look at the facts honestly....they were 4-6 when suddenly the schedule and the breaks went there way....it happens, but rarely two years in a row....first off, next year they will be playing in prime time, on Monday-Sunday or Thursday Night Football, no more sneaking up on teams, every team will take them seriously and circle that game on their schedule.....this year they snuck in as wild card, but realistically if the schedule makers had them play Indy and Cincy in October or November when the games still mattered they probably loose both and miss the playoffs.......secondly , while they were running their mouths in San Diego and indy , the Steelers, Titans, Broncos, Dolphins and Pats were back at the drawing board....examining what went wrong and adressing it....I expect all of these teams to get in the playoffs ahead of the Jets next year....entitlement, the Jets always feel it, but never deserve it.....Rex already has them playing the Colts in the AFC title game at home next year, but History tells us....if we dare pay attention, that most teams that enjoy a tatse of success like the Jets just did, take a step back the following year....the Jets ALWAYS do......remember Herms first year, and Mangenius......Jet Nation was sold on those guys....Their Moses had arrived to take them to the promise land......and now these players want to be paid like Champions and that's always bad.....tough payroll decisions, prima donnas like Braylon Edwards, it all leads to downfall.......just remember it all goes bac to Namath and you heard it here first....the reason the Jints were able to sneak up on the world two years ago was because they did not tell EVERYONE they were coming....

so dam close

it was 14-6 gangrene......the colts had just coughed the ball up on their own 25, less than 5 minutes to go in the half, and with the Jets set to receive the 2nd half kickoff this game was on the verge of being salted away......run the ball down their throats, kill the clock and add 7 to the deficit, get the kickoff and then kill the better part of the 3rd quarter with a time consuming run oriented drive of a champion.....it worked for the Jints against the offensive juggernaut Bills that year....keep the best QB in football on the sidelines idling......but suddenly phones began to buzz.....a congratulatory text was sent out to all those jets fans, see you in Miami, the rout is on....itz over.......and just as suddenly they settled for a field goal and more importantly, they left Mr Manning enough times to cruise the field in 58 seconds, 80 yards against the BEST DEFENSE in the NFL.....the rest as they say is history.

but it was nice while it lasted, and good for the economy, who knew that so many JET jerseys where even in existence, WOW, they crawled out from under rocks for this game, even casual fans were buzzing, making plans, and joining the hoopla....they should have no problem selling out that big stadium next year, now that a superbowl title is eminent......a new generation of suffering has just begun, the curse of Richard Todd lives forever.

the streak

Cal Ripken, Roll and Mac better start sweatin....I have not had a brew since beantown....that's 15 days and 13 pounds ago, I'm wasting down to nothin......the streak may die today, time will tell, time will tell........best part of being sober, I haven't used in ATM since Boston Either.....I geuss I know where my money goes.

my predictions.......Colts pull away in 2nd Half and cruise 34-17.
Saints win a nail biter by a filed goal at the buzzer 38-35.....but I have been wrong before.

Teddy saves the world

Can't you feel that sun a-shinin'?
Ground hog runnin' by the country stream
This must be the day that all of my dreams come true
So happy just to be alive
Underneath the sky of blue
On this new morning, new morning
On this new morning with you.

in death, Teddy Kennedy did more for this nation that he ever could do alive, Bob Dylan is right, this is a New Morning in America, the people of the great Bay State have spoken, even slimey democrats like anthony weiner now admit out of self preservation fear, that it is time for a "timeout" on healthcare.....you simply can't buyout everyone ( see Nebraska and the AFLCIO) just to get their votes....if everyone is exempt that beggs the question of just whom does this legislation apply to?......you had a nice run barry....365 days exactly, now hit the brix and go get your shinebox,

if your just waking up and have not heard the joyous news, in a state where registered democrats outnumber registered republicans by 3 to 1 , a REPUBLICAN has won the seat vacated by the hell confined Teddy Kennedy........EVEN after barry hussein personally stumped for the democrat candidate as recently as this past Sunday.....now THIS is change even I can believe in......

just deserts

well it would be sweet justice for the Colts, the team that laid down like dogs in week 15 and let the Jets up off the canvas, to get their ass whooped by said team......The colts could have driven the final nail into the 2009 Jets, but choose to take the foot off the gas.......how ironic that the same team comes to Indy now....on a side note, you know the networks are loving this....in the NFC they have #1 vs #2 matchup and a side order of Brett Favre......and in the AFC they have a #1 vs NY ...ratings should be an all time high for the Championship Sunday...and if you look at the 4 possible Superbowl matchups there is not a clunker in the group.......we already that Karma is coming to play a visit to the colts, is it possible the Jets and Brett have a Karma matchup in February down in Miami , site of Superbowl 3 ........sweet biscuits they whole world is watching now.

2010 Olympics Team USA Schedule

it's never to early to stat planning a sick day or alert the boss to a phantom doctors appointment etc etc......below is the schedule for team USA...the most important thing to note is that when we advance to the semifinals we are slated for the early game....3:00 NY Time on the precipice of Sweater Nite , all hail the Algonquin Chieftans , we shall drink like savage injuns that day.

it goes without saying there will be a very special viewing of the Gold Medal Game on Sunday in Club Gato.


2010 Olympic Winter Games U.S. Men's Schedule

Date Opponent Time (Local/EST)

Tues., Feb. 16 Switzerland 12 p.m./3 p.m. this game will be played in the NEUTRAL zone

Thurs., Feb. 18 Norway 12 p.m./3 p.m. atta boy Ronnie

Sun., Feb. 21 Canada 4:40 p.m./7:40 p.m. i say bomb em if we loose

Tues., Feb. 23 Qualification Games+ 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 24 Quarterfinals+ 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 26 Semifinals+ 12 p.m./3 p.m. SWEATER NITE
Sat., Feb. 27 Bronze-Medal Game 7 p.m./10 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 28 Gold-Medal Game 12:15 p.m./3:15 p.m. Sweater nite Recap Club Gato



+game time listed is when USA will play if qualified for game

from CBS news :
A desperate citizenry combined with an absence of police forces has led to increased looting in Port-au-Prince in the wake of a massive earthquake that is estimated to have killed tens of thousands.



As Jackson Browne would say....."someones gonna have to explain it to moe, i'm not sure i understand"

so the president acted swiftly, promising aid to Haiti, sending in the US Navy IMMEDIATELY , pledging billions in food, medical services and financial aid, there were no reports of US troops dynamiting hospitals or levees or wanting to use a crisis to takeover a country for natural resources.......and yet there is looting in the streets....obviously this must be the lingering effects of resentment towards the previous administration.....oR...dare I ask, is nature running it's course?
Good to see there was no sign of the Haitian Police who no doubt took an oath to serve at all times....not just sunny days....similar to New Orleans, where those who are paid to protect the citizenry , up and ran out of town....May God be their Judge when they burn down in hell.


Video footage from the city showed bands of Haitian youths armed with machetes wandering the streets looting, as the local police were largely invisible.

Again if I may steer worthy donations to the one group you can Trust, no agendas, no politics, just help.

You can send in a donation via the mail. Mail your check to: Catholic Relief Services P.O. Box 17090 Baltimore, MD 21203-7090

wake up to the sound of music

so my alarm blasts off at 3:30 like always ( 1/2 an hour ago) and I am battling a Fenway Park induced cold, so i am slightly whacked out on over the counter meds , and what song does my ipod alarm pick to wake me this day ? 8 miles high ....as i lie and listen I became intrigued with the lyrics......safe to say Mcguinn et al may have been 8 miles high when they scribed this one:

Eight miles high and when you touch down
You’ll find that it’s stranger than known
Signs in the street that say where you’re going
Are somewhere just being their own

Nowhere is there warmth to be found
Among those afraid of losing their ground
Rain gray town known for it’s sound
In places small faces unbound

Round the squares huddled in storms
Some laughing some just shapeless forms
Sidewalk scenes and black limousines
Some living some standing alone

Tragedy in Haiti

by all means give whatever you can to the relief effort, but give not an Ethiopian dime to the Red Cross......lest we forget, in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, the Red Cross decided to "Cap" how much money would go to the relief efforts in NY and DC and then steered overflow funds back into the Red Cross war chest....for future use.......that's right, sally straw-jones from Wichita who wrote a check for $50.00 to help the helpless in NYC had her funds steered elsewhere...maybe even to the some moslems in the red crescent in darfur.......google it if you don't believe or remember...i of course forget nothing......give your donations to the Catholic Charities Relief efforts.....at least you know your hard earned cash is going to actually help those who need it....and not the red crescent.

so sharpton, patterson and weiner held a press conference to scream that something must be done......give it 3 months and they'l be demanding that baseball play the world series in Haiti or sprigsten hold a relief concert with bend ovi and Wyclef jean.....good lord.

Thankfully Steve Mac beat Eddie Sarkis to the Haitan Relief Effort "Angle" on Facebook....sometimes it pays to work graveyard shift.....but fear not because Eddie Sarkis is hosting a Benefit for Haiti Pay Per View concert for facebookers at Rinzy's steak House on 5th ave , he'll dedicate every other song to Poppa Doc and have a raffle........Mac is just waiting for that call from Toussaint to tell him he's been promoted....

much to talk about at arthurs , much to talk about....

KDM race

lost in the shuffle of blowhards and braggarts and the plethora of other "worthier" causes, there is a nice little race for a local guy that lost his life in the World Trade Center, a regular in Brannigans and D-Reef, it could easily have been one of us they race to remember.

The KDM Foundation is proud to announce the 9th Annual Keith McHeffey 3 Mile Fun Run will take place on Sunday, March 14, 2010. The application is attached, but please use the on-line submission form (if possible) from the Metro Race Forum. www.RaceForum.com/KDM The Mad Hatter has (once again) graciously offered to host the after race festivities. Please come out to participate in a fun race that supports a worthwhile mission.



We look forward to see all of you in Sea Bright, NJ on Sunday, March 14th.



KDM Foundation Trustees

Happy birthday

Birthday Greetings this Day to Chazzy, My Head Linesmen for 9 of the previous 11 Sweater Nites.....and oh yes...i do take attendance.

sports updates

well well well.....now it's all clear...Pete Carroll is leaving USC because he "loves a challenge".....nothing to do with $$ or a pending investigation at USC...I geuss Seattle was the first team in 6 years to actually "challenge" good ol Pete with an offer....who knew that's all it would take....i bet a lot of other GM's and AD's around the country have egg on their face now....Seattle better hope nobody else challenges Pete....because he loves a challenge.

Bud Selig says that Big Macs admission was a footnote from the steroid era which thankfully is in the past....maybe he was on vacation six months ago when Manny was suspended , A-Rod Confessed , and Big Pappy almost confessed.........it's all or none for baseball as far as the Hall of Fam , or at least in should be.....if you penalize a guy who used steroids in the 90's ( baseball did not offcially adopt a drug policy towards PEDs until 2002 and did not begin testing until 2005) the certainly you have to levy that same punishment against those who used a ban substance since then....all or none.

on the bright side of sports.....we are officially into Derby Season 2010 , and since I will be going this year I will add extended coverage leading up on thsi blog....this weekend starts some of the early PREPs. here is an excerpt from ESPNs coverage of the road to derby 2010.

Four of the first five races on Saturday's Gulfstream Park card are for
the 3-year-old boys, headed by the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes at
six furlongs. We'll give the main event its just due after a look at the
undercard lead-ins.
Race 1 is a turf sprint where the Frank Calabrese-Wesley Ward filly
CRIMSON GLORY, impeccably bred by Ghostzapper out of Buy The Sport,
appears the most intriguing entrant regardless of sex. Race 2 is a weak
entry-level allowance by early season Gulfstream standards, and one that
highly regarded MISSION IMPAZIBLE should handle if he's as good as I
think he is. The half-brother to Forest Camp was gawky and in need of
distance last spring for Todd Pletcher. The TAP barn also sends out
THREE DAY RUSH, fifth in the G3 Iroquois.
Gulfstream's Race 4 Saturday is for maiden special weight milers, and it
grades out only so-so on paper, but big on pedigree potential. Of those
with racing success, SYSTEMIC RISK has paired back-to-back fourth-place
finishes in stakes, including the G2 Nashua. But it's the bloodlines
that intrigue here. READY TO DAZZLE (Mark Hennig) is out of Eye Dazzler,
runner-up in the G2 Davona Dale over this track, and showed some life in
two New York starts last fall; MARCHING TUNE (Chad Brown) showed little
at Aqueduct in the debut, but hails from the female family that produced
Flanders, Surfside and My Boston Gal; KEROUAC (Nick Zito) debuts, and is
by Rock Hard Ten out of a half-sister to 1993 Kentucky Derby champion
Sea Hero. Meanwhile, second-timer DESERT LORD (Kiaran McLaughlin) is a
half-brother to G1 Matron winner Marylbone and from the same female
family as Came Home. MOE MAN (Ian Wilkes) is half-brother to Al Khali, a
graded turf stakes-winning sophomore of 2009.

Frozen Fenway

these shots are from the BU Morning skate at Fenway Park the day of thegame against BC....temps were in the single digits by faceoff with howling winds and driving snow....thankfully the beer vendors stayed open......coldest beer i've ever been served in the ol ballyard.

Fenway Park on Ice

beantown

19 and snowing....yikes

Pronunciamento.!

Sweater Nite Twelve is etched in Stone.

Friday February 26th......PC's Bar and GRILLless

Live Hockey Olympic Semifinals......

Bring your thirst.

Winter Classic Part II

Well the NHL may have held their Winter classic yesterday in the warmth of the midday sun, but the real Winter Classic is this Friday Night at Fenway, under the Lights and frigid snowfall, the Terriers of Boston University and the Eagles of Boston College drop the puck at 2nd base.....Yours Truly and Navy ACE Jack Duffy will be there in the right field bleachers. reporting live on behalf os Sweater Night 12......Jimmy Jools Holland offered up a connection in the Boston Marriot but we prefer the cozy confines of HOJO on Lansdowne....where the real skaters stay.....thw Broadway blue shirts are also in Beantwon for a saturday mattinee and with a little luck the Gangrene Jets could be in Foxboro Saturday night for a wild card showdown......start it off with a Thursday National Championship Game from the Black Rose in Fannuel Hall and we have the recipe for disaster....86 hours of insanity.....will upload photos next Sunday if we survive....

alarming reports from kettle black

well well well.....not even 6 months of sobriety can tame some animals....our favorite little sober~drunk unleashed a tirade against some Gay Ol Chap in the kettle last Sunday ( so close to Christmas?) ....funny how the guys that put on the charade of tolorence when sober espew the most venom towards negros and gays when the have a few in em......distress calls for HELP were quickly sent out to any and all to stop the insanity, it seems his new best friends had never witnessed this tired old act , won't be long before he crawls back to PC's for a hand up and a hand out........loepards seldom change their spots.

We Are the Young Americans

Vancouver or bust , or both......we now know the lucky few that will "donn" a USA Sweater and represent our great nation in Vancouver next month. at first gander of the squad below I think we have a strong shot at playing in one of the two semifinal matches that will be viewed live by the Sweater Night twelve gang on Friday FeBREWary 26th....let's just Mr Drury finds his game by then.

BOSTON -- At long last, the 2010 U.S. Olympic team headed to Vancouver in February has been finalized and there are plenty of fresh faces taking vital roles.

In the wake of yet another stunning spectacle that was the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park, Team USA General Manager Brian Burke formally announced the players who would make up his 23-man squad gunning for the country's first Olympic gold since 1980 in Lake Placid. And to coin a line from legendary English musician David Bowie -- "These are the young Americans."

Highlighting the team that Burke still feels is a considerable underdog entering the tournament are goalies Ryan Miller and Tim Thomas, defenseman Brian Rafalski and forwards Zach Parise and Patrick Kane.

"Making this team has definitely been in the back of my mind because it's something you want to be a part of," Parise told NHL.com last month. "You're seeing more commercials for it and you do get more excited."

Joining Parise, Patrick Kane, Jamie Langenbrunner, Chris Drury and Joe Pavelski up front will be Paul Stastny, Ryan Malone, Phil Kessel, Dustin Brown, Ryan Kesler, Ryan Callahan, David Backes and Bobby Ryan.

Brian Rafalski will be joined on the back end by Paul Martin, Ryan Suter, Mike Komisarek, Erik Johnson, Jack Johnson and Brooks Orpik.

Thomas and Miller will be joined in goal by Jonathan Quick. All three goalies were invited to orientation camp over the summer.

"We've been watching these kids," Burke said. "I think we have a good base. We tried to pick the team based on a body of work, rather than how a player has played at this particular time. A player who had a slow start should not be penalized if he's done good things in the past.

"We stressed character when we were putting this team together and wanted to identify people who would rise to the occasion," Burke said. "We've put together high hockey IQ's and versatile players and players with good foot speed.

"We want to play a fast, aggressive, forechecking style that tries to get the puck and control the puck all the time," Team USA coach Ron Wilson said earlier last month. "We hope, in the few days we have with the team before the Games, we're able to solidify that style of play and execute it on the ice."

There are 17 players on the roster yet to reach their 30th birthday and 13 are 25-or-younger. Like it or not, it's precisely what Burke envisioned when he began pinpointing players with Associate GM David Poile and Assistant Executive Director of Hockey Operations Jim Johannson during last summer's 34-player, three-day orientation camp in Chicago.

Just three players on the squad have previous Olympic experience, including forwards Langenbrunner and Drury and defenseman Rafalski. Drury and Rafalski played for the 2002 Team that won silver in Salt Lake City -- the year Canada won gold and Russia bronze. Those two clubs are the popular favorites yet again.

The fact so few veteran players were named to the roster isn't too surprising as Burke intended all along to give this team a distinct, fresh feel, unlike previous National Teams that relied heavily on veteran savvy.

"As I've said before, no bold predictions, no bulletin board material, we're there to win."

"We don't have the big-name recognition like we did at the 1996 World Cup, but we do have what we feel is a deeper and broader pool than ever before," Burke said.

One notable absence is Montreal's Scott Gomez, who produced 5 points in six games for Team USA during the 2006 Games in Torino. Burke also passed on three-time Olympian Mike Modano.

Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson is Team USA's head coach and will be assisted by New York Rangers coach John Tortorella and Islanders coach Scott Gordon.

On defense, it remains to be seen if Paul Martin will be able to give it a go. The Devils' defenseman has been sidelined the last 29 games with a broken arm. If he cannot join the team, it's possible Burke could reach out to either Atlanta's Ron Hainsey or Zach Bogosian, Anaheim's Ryan Whitney or maybe even Florida's Keith Ballard. He'd have to make a decision by Feb. 15.

"It's going to be difficult considering we'll probably have just one practice before we begin play, but my job is to communicate the best I can with every player what we're going to try," Wilson said. "We'll hand out a video playbook that will highlight different things we expect (and attempted in) prior World Championships. But, even more, it'll show the forechecking, neutral and defensive-zone situations from our own games, in order to give the guys a general idea."

Burke says goaltending will be Team USA's ace in the hole.

"Right now, in my opinion, Ryan Miller is the best goaltender in the NHL this season," Burke said. "And Tim Thomas right now is probably playing just as well even though he struggled early. It's going to be a coaching decision who starts. The schedule lends itself early to a one-goalie tournament. We're playing every other night, no back-to-backs initially, so it screams for a one-goalie system. But it'll be up to the coaches to decide."