The NFL has reached an agreement with CBS and NBC to broadcast the Saturday night game between the so-far perfect New England Patriots and the somewhat less perfect (that's an understatement) New York Giants. In addition, the NFL Network will run the game.
Let's face it, this is the dull conclusion to a boring season. It is assumed, most likely correctly so, that the Pats will win. Some will watch to see that happen, thereby making football history with the only perfect 16 game season. Others will watch to see if the Giants can pull off the upset of the century. Win, lose or draw, this is good advertising for the fledgling NFL Network, now available in fewer than 40 percent of the nation's homes with TVs, due mostly to monetary disagreements with cable and satellite providers. The NFL hopes this game will turn the tide in their direction.
Too bad it's going to be a boring game. The NFL used to be fun, there used to be color and personality and character. No longer. The NFL used to be Ditka, now it's Dungy. There's a part of me that wants the Patriots to be perfect, so I don't have to hear those geezers from the '72 Dolphins gloat. There's another part of me that wants the Giants to crush Pretty Boy Tom and his partner in boredom, Randy Moss. Most of me just doesn't care though. I won't be watching, I won't be caring and I think that's a sad statement on the NFL today.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
The Gift That Will Keep on Sucking
I always get good, sometimes great, Christmas gifts. It's nice to get anything at all; it warms the cockles of one's heart (I feel them heating up as I write this) to know that someone thought enough of me to get me anything at all, much less a thoughtful, interesting gift. This year was no exception.
My father-in-law passed on some cuff links that I consider treasured heirlooms; my cousin gave me Bob Dylan and Cheap Trick DVDs; a friend gave me a harmonica with a how-to booklet! I'm leaving out many wonderful things but I did want to mention the Christmas gift I received that sucks.
I write, of course, about a brand spanking new Eureka vacuum cleaner, given to my wife and I by my wife's sister and her husband. (I think of it as mine though, as I do the vacuuming, and most of the housecleaning. It's mine, I tell you, all mine!) Done up in glittery ruby red paint, this does not look like the gun-metal gray Electrolux of my mother's day. This is a carpet dirt killing machine. And I love it, even though I haven't even used it yet; I just like looking at it. I didn't think a vacuum could look so cool, like a new Mustang or something. So there it sits, waiting for the right vacuuming experience. I want the first time to be special.
I don't really know what's wrong with me. I enjoy doing the laundry as well, and ironing the clothes. Ironing is a bit of a chore, but still, there is satisfaction to be gained, a sense of fulfillment. A woman I used to work with once told me I enjoyed doing the laundry because it was a simple, necessary task, one in which I could readily see the fruits of my labor, in this case, clean, ironed clothes, thereby easily achieving a sense of accomplishment that I didn't get from my gainful employment. While perhaps a tad overly psychoanalytic, she did have a point about my employment; I felt nothing while working in the insurance industry, nothing other than the sense of time passing me by.
But I digress. I have had a wonderful Christmas season, filled with the numerous pleasures of family and friends and food and enough booze to float a battleship. I'll rev up the vacuum one day soon and let you know how it goes.
My father-in-law passed on some cuff links that I consider treasured heirlooms; my cousin gave me Bob Dylan and Cheap Trick DVDs; a friend gave me a harmonica with a how-to booklet! I'm leaving out many wonderful things but I did want to mention the Christmas gift I received that sucks.
I write, of course, about a brand spanking new Eureka vacuum cleaner, given to my wife and I by my wife's sister and her husband. (I think of it as mine though, as I do the vacuuming, and most of the housecleaning. It's mine, I tell you, all mine!) Done up in glittery ruby red paint, this does not look like the gun-metal gray Electrolux of my mother's day. This is a carpet dirt killing machine. And I love it, even though I haven't even used it yet; I just like looking at it. I didn't think a vacuum could look so cool, like a new Mustang or something. So there it sits, waiting for the right vacuuming experience. I want the first time to be special.
I don't really know what's wrong with me. I enjoy doing the laundry as well, and ironing the clothes. Ironing is a bit of a chore, but still, there is satisfaction to be gained, a sense of fulfillment. A woman I used to work with once told me I enjoyed doing the laundry because it was a simple, necessary task, one in which I could readily see the fruits of my labor, in this case, clean, ironed clothes, thereby easily achieving a sense of accomplishment that I didn't get from my gainful employment. While perhaps a tad overly psychoanalytic, she did have a point about my employment; I felt nothing while working in the insurance industry, nothing other than the sense of time passing me by.
But I digress. I have had a wonderful Christmas season, filled with the numerous pleasures of family and friends and food and enough booze to float a battleship. I'll rev up the vacuum one day soon and let you know how it goes.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
A Merry Jingle for the Holiday Season
What do you get when you team up Thin Lizzy, the greatest Irish rock band ever (sorry U2), and two members of the Sex Pistols? You get the Greedies performing "A Merry Jingle."
And why do I bring you this? Well, the song is certainly in keeping with the holiday spirit. And it does wish everyone a happy new year, New Year's Eve being right around the corner. So that's all good. But also, I couldn't find a video of Ella Fitzgerald singing "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" Great song by the greatest pop standard singer of the 20th century (sorry Frank; I hope he can't send an order from the grave to have me whacked). Lots of Ella videos, just not the one I was looking for.
Oh well, this will have to do. And it does.
And why do I bring you this? Well, the song is certainly in keeping with the holiday spirit. And it does wish everyone a happy new year, New Year's Eve being right around the corner. So that's all good. But also, I couldn't find a video of Ella Fitzgerald singing "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" Great song by the greatest pop standard singer of the 20th century (sorry Frank; I hope he can't send an order from the grave to have me whacked). Lots of Ella videos, just not the one I was looking for.
Oh well, this will have to do. And it does.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Christmas Countdown December 24 Lights, please
My favorite scene from my favorite Christmas special.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Christmas Countdown December 23 Silent Night? Hah!
Christmas Eve is but a day away, and it is rarely a silent night in this house. However, the song "Silent Night" is one of my Christmas favorites, going to back to my childhood. I was looking for a good version of this hymn to share with you, and I think I found it.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Christmas Countdown December 22 Christmas Baby (Please Come Home)
I am a fan of David Letterman. And David Letterman is a fan of Darlene Love. Every year at the holidays Letterman has Ms. Love on to sing "Christmas Baby (Please Come Home)" and it's always great. Every year we look forward to seeing this on "The Late Show" and watching it has become an annual tradition.
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