The Air is Getting Hot, The Beer is Getting Flat

Guess who's back
Back again
Tracy's back
Tell a friend
Guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back
guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back..

The Rockets are now 4-1 in games that Yao has missed. The biggest reason is that this team is comprised of professionals who may not be great every night, but they always give their best…….that and despite sounding like he wants to retire sooner rather than later Tracy McGrady can still be Tracy McGrady. Three straight 30+ efforts while dramatically improving his shooting percentages and suddenly this team has no reason to simply be content with trying to go .500 during Yao’s absence. For the love of Cookie Monster, Dikembe Mutombo has had four straight double-digit rebounding games. He hasn’t done that since 1973 when he filled in for an injured Lew Alcindor in Milwaukee. Juwan has been playing bigger and better, Shane contributes in a myriad of ways, Luther knocks down jumper after jumper, Rafer…is a nice guy and Jeff Van Gundy is the perfect coach for a team minus a star because he won’t let you feel sorry for yourself for one second. He’s right when he says this team is good enough to win without Yao. It is and they are. Yeah, wins over the Hawks, Grizzlies and Sonics aren’t necessarily the same as wins against the Spurs, Mavericks and Jazz, but a win is a win is a win.

--Remember when Steve Francis was relevant? He’s 9th, 9th in East guard all-star voting.

Futbol Americano

--The Cowboys were the only NFC team to end up with a winning record (3-1) against the AFC.

--Over the past two years home teams in wild card games are a combined 2-6. Ouch.

--For the 10th straight year at least five teams who didn’t make the previous postseason made it the next. This year seven new faces in the postseason fray with only New England, Indianapolis and Seattle repeating.

--I’ve already said how the Dolphins should have just canned Nick Saban’s butt after he started his Bama flirting again. Let’s hear from Don Shula, “He has run away from the challenge. It's unbelievable. There were four or five direct statements that were blatant lies. That tells you a little bit about the guy. He quit. He left. The guy likes to hear himself talk and then doesn't follow up on what he says.'” Amen. Is there anyone outside of Alabama that wants that weasel to succeed? The classy Bene-nick sent his Dolphins players e-mails to say goodbye.

--The six people who voted Shawne Merriman for defensive player of the year should be smacked. Hello, the guy missed four games for violating the league’s drug and steroid policy. I know he’s a beast, but you can’t give him that award this year.

--I’ll take the Colts to blow out the Chiefs. The Cowboys to sneak past the depleted secondary of the Seahawks. Patriots over the Jets and the Eagles to put an end to Tiki Barber’s career.

--Somebody tell Art Shell he’s fired.

--Don’t you want to know who NFL quarterbacks are married to?

Quick Hitters and Random Thoughts

--The raging debate on “hook and ladder” vs. “hook and lateral” has not surprisingly landed on wikipedia.

--If you like crazy chicks and freaky looking cave dwellers then The Descent if for you. Gotta love it when you want almost every character to die a painful death within 2 minutes of being introduced to them.

--There are more pictures coming from Miss Nevada Katie Rees’ freaky side. That’s promising.

--Aqua Teen Hunger Force is coming to the big screen in March?! Make the homies say ho and the girlies want to scream!!!

--Are we supposed to be surprised that Tara Reid can’t count backwards?


--The Edmonton police have a bit of a problem with gangs and released some of the gang names to build awareness in the public. Among the named gangs were the Crazy Dragons and I’m going to assume their enemies, the Crazy Dragon Killers. No Crazy Dragon Killers Killers, at least not yet.

--The O.C. is O-ver.
She'll survive.

--Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson also over.

--Working off of NaS’ “Hip Hop is Dead” Blender ran down the 10 people most responsible. At 10 we find personal favorite Young MC who, of course, gave us “Bust a Move”, but also the superior “Principal’s Office”.
At 9 the double disc, I couldn’t agree more. Next up the ’85 Bears for obvious reasons. At 5 we get Michael Jordan because he was the first to turn the endorsement thing into crazy money. We get NaS himself at 4 for not following up Illmatic with anything equally as great. At 3 we can all agree with Diddy. White People at 2 for bringing us the likes of Fred Durst and song titles like “Nookie.” The number 1 reason, according to Blender, why hip hop is dead is not hard to figure out….Tupac and Biggie’s murders.

--Tyrese is alleged to have punched his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach twice? Wow, I thought his acting was going to kill his career, didn’t even think about the possibility of punching a pregnant woman.

--Jim Lampley arrested on domestic abuse charges?! Say it ain’t so, say it ain’t so. According to a statement he released Friday, it ain’t so. Lamps wrote, "I'm innocent of the charge of domestic abuse that has been leveled against me and will vigorously defend myself…. I'm confident I will be found not guilty of this charge. I thank my friends and family for their support … and ask for understanding and patience from the media until my situation allows me to discuss this in more depth."
His fiance is Miss California 2003.

--On some site known as RockinTown.com it ran a poll for Best Rock Band of All-Time and Best Rock Album of All-Time. The Best Rock Band of All-Time was Pearl Jam followed by Led Zeppelin and Green Day. U2 finally checks in at 5 right behind Evanescence. Foo Fighters at 7 a couple of spots ahead of The Beatles and we’ll just stop right there.

--Lou Rawls’ son is suing Marvin Gaye’s son?!

--We head to Naugatuck, Connecticut for some DMV fun. It was there that an unnamed woman in her 20s was trying to pass the driving test for about the fifth time. Lucky for her she got Kevin Chagnon as her instructor. She failed the test, but Kevin’s such a good guy that he offered her a passing score if she would just parallel park her clothes next to her seat. She took off some clothes, but not all of them because she’s a lady. Kevin gave her a license and later turned himself into police.

--How awesome does Code Name: The Cleaner look? Cedric, Nicolette Sheridan and Lucy Liu, wait Lucy Liu what are you doing here?

--We had our first 2007 Mother of the Year candidate on Tuesday. Today our first 2007 Father of the Year candidate. He hails from Murrysville, Pennsylvania. 27-year-old John Ray Stewart (ever notice how father of the year candidates always have three names?) had his 3-year-old son with him when he decided to visit Adult Bookstore. John Ray left his son in the van and enjoyed himself inside for at least 40 minutes until construction workers called police after noticing the kid in the van for so long. Yeah, when construction workers have to step in and correct your parenting you’ve got problems. John Ray told police he “has an addiction to these types of stores.” Good luck, John Ray, we’re praying for you.

--Nice Mark Loretta signing by the Astros. Dave Veres is trying to come back with the Rockies at age 40?!

--Tell me two kids haven’t died mimicking Saddam’s hanging.

Questions, comments or if you can’t lay off the off speed stuff on Wii baseball…