NFL Brief- Week 4

First things first. Is anyone watching the A.L. tiebreaker game right now... This is why there is "Only One October." Two teams grinding out every play, trying as hard as they can, and putting on one hell of a show. Curtis Granderson actually just helped save the Tigers shot as we speak, with a real nice diving catch. This is what we the fans watch 162 games for, why we sit through the dog days of summer, countless nights of watching Baseball Tonight and learning every nuance there is about every player in the league. We do it for October, for the chance that our team will be one of the elite 8 who qualifies for the Fall Dance. For some lonely men, this is a marriage, only they get 4 months off a year... (wait a minute) Now before I talk some pigskin, I'm hoping for the Twins to win tonight for two reasons. First, I've never minded the Twins, a gutsy blue collar team with a good skipper and young quality players. Secondly, I think they are a better match up for the Yankees, a weaker starting rotation (still working on figuring out what theirs is. My hope is this gives the Bombers a chance to get up on them in the first 6 innings and let our bullpen keep it that way... time will tell... and at this rate the game won't be over anytime soon. Go Twinkies!!

Back to the holy league, I mean there is a reason they play on Sundays. The season is 25% over already... we can talk contenders, pretenders, the close but no cigars, the oops I DIDN'T again, and the one team that continues to spend but fails to do any diligence and research. Yes I am referring to the Oakland Raiders. We have 5 unbeaten teams left: Giants, Saints, Vikings, Colts, and the Broncos. Of those, Every team except Denver is a contender, the Broncos well see last weeks article for news about them. San Diego will win that division... just watch.

9:48- The Twins just won!! The Twins just won!! What a Game!!

Anyways, there are teams that have a loss, even two who I would still say are legitimate contenders as well. The Patriots at 3-1, a Tom Brady team can never be written off this soon. The 49ers, their defense keeps them in games, and their division is as weak as Mary Kate or Ashely Olsen's bones. They are the only child TV stars who have maintained the same weight since the age of three... Maybe contestants on The Biggest Loser should stop working out so much and go on a steady diet of Cocaine and purging... I'd put money on that contestant. Any who, The Ravens are right there and we've seen why, they lost a close one to the Pats this weekend, my guess is they were out coached. It took him a few games this year, but Bellicheck has this ship sailing right on course now. It has to be tough for a coach to be this good. He loses his coordinators seemingly every year and somehow finds a way to put such quality together out of players who don't carry the big name ego or price tag. Sure he gives the most boring press conference and he shows as much emotion as a Brit shows good dental Hygiene, but he does produce year in and year out.

Don't write off the following teams- Eagles, Bears, Falcons, San Diego and Green Bay, they are quality teams that could make a run.

Every other team has as much chance at the Lombardi Trophy as Micheal Vick getting with the CEO of PETA, some things just won't happen.

On to this week's power of 5...

1. Giants- next up raiders, so they'll be 5-0 going into week 6's battle with the Saints

2. Saints- have the week off to prepare for the leagues best
3. Vikings- Farve looks best when he's having fun, 3tds on MNF= a good time
4. Colts- Peyton closing in on 1500 yds and 12tds already
5. Patriots- think I'm biased here...nope, best coach in the league has the team ready

NFL Brief- Week 3

Well another week down and the Denver Broncos are still undefeated. I know, I know, one win came off of a tipped pass and was if anything a lucky break, and I know the next win came against a lowly Cleveland Browns team, and yes their 3rd win was against another pre-season cellar pick in the Oakland Raiders, but the fact of the matter remains, the Denver Broncos are one of only seven remaining undefeated teams in the league. So does that put the Broncos in the top 10? Is Josh Mcdaniels team that's only allowed 16 pts in 3 games a true power this year. My guess, Nope! They are this year's version of the girl who blossomed too soon. You know the girl who grew into her bra and britches a little before the rest. The girl who every kid adored from 6-8th grade, until realizing then that everyone else was blossoming too, and their face was actually pretty to boot. The girl who had a line to slow dance with her at the fall and spring dance for two years and hasn't been able to find a date since. If you are looking for or ever wondered what happened to said female, she's probably doing one of 3 things.
1. Cashier at the local supermarket- yes we all that one, still puts on her makeup, only now no one cares
2. 3rd shift cashier at the local gas/ convenience store- this is the girl who thought she still had it all as she went into high school, started doing drugs with all the lonely, white trash boys, and now she has ratty brown hair, yellow-teeth, and sells soft core porno mags to any soul who isn't pumping gas at 2 a.m.
3. Raising three kids- this is the girl who some potentially successful young buc still thought it was the cool thing to do to knock up the girl who everyone "used" to talk about, only not to realize that no one still does think that way anymore. They moved on to things such as "college" While this chick is living in shady acres raising three kids all 10months or less apart from each other.

That's this year's Denver Broncos ladies and gentlemen, so if you are at all happy with the current 3-0 start, be happy... but be prepared for this team to fall right off the map. It's a good thing for them they play in a very weak division, AFC West, they will probably get 1-3 more wins against the Chiefs, Raiders, and the Chiefs again. The thing is I don't see them winning another game outside of that. They will not see the left side of the Win-Loss column until maybe Dec. 6th against KC. They aren't good enough to mount even one win in the next 8. Here's their lineup. Dallas, New England, @ San Diego, @Baltimore, Pitt @ Washington, San Diego, NY Giants. Maybe they squeak one by the Redskins, but I don't see it. They've blossomed too soon, and they will be embarrassed and made fun of the rest of the way, just like we make fun of aforementioned female.

Enough Ranting... on to this week's Power of 5

1. Giants- Dominant, Decisive, Defense- played a bad team, but made Tampa Bay look like a college team
2. Ravens- Second straight game Flacco throws for over 300 yards, and they only allowed 3pts. They are for real, even Derrick Mason had a 100+yards and a TD.
3. Saints- Only behind Baltimore b/c their D isn't as good.
4. Vikings- Brett Favre making noise, and they are blessed by Purple Jesus, a holy team!
5. Colts- everyone is writing off Peyton as past his prime, had 350+yds and 4tds, not bad for someone over the hill.

That's all for this week, thanks for reading! Write some comments get involved

NFL Brief- Week 2

Well week 2 has come and gone, I wouldn't say we have separation yet in the league, but there are a few teams that are definitely establishing themselves as polished teams playing in mid season from through 2 games. Sure there is ton of football left to play, and some teams that have disappointed fans early (ehh hemm Patriots) still have plenty of time to get their act together. I was fortunate enough this week or so I thought to score tickets to the Patriots vs. Jets game from Giants Stadium. Best part was I didn't have to pay for them, and they were 20 rows deep at the 50 yard line. I should have known I was over blessed with the quality of tickets that my team would let me down and play 4 truly uninspiring quarters of football. This was my first ever NFL regular season games. I know shocking, I write a weekly blog about football and follow it like a pedophile follows a child but I had never been to a regular season game. I've been to 30 college games, preseason games, 100+baseball games etc.. you get the hint, but this was a truly virgin experience. A few things:

1. The Jets play in a stadium named for another team, and to my knowledge the new stadium being built will share the same name, Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands. Yes the Giants have had more success and are a better team this year as well, but to suit up every week to play a home game in someone Else's home is truly a shame.
2. The Jets are an improved team this year, but they aren't as good as everyone is making them. Their defense is greatly improved, but I'm not sold on Mark "Dirty"Sanchez yet. Their offense is sluggish and lack that "it" player.
3. Jets fans are intense- I sported my Seymour jersey (retro now) and was heckled probably every down.
4. Jets fans are big tailgaters and boozehounds- Most of those fans didn't make it in until the end of the 1st quarter b/c their respective tailgates were too fun to leave.
5. Jets fans are annoying- Take pt 4 and then watch a game surrounded by them.
6. Jets fans are loud- If I hear the J-E-T-S , JETS JETS JETS chants one more time this week...
7. I hate the Jets more now than I did before... They are the Mets fans of New York Football, the other team, the dirty team, the blue collar team who just likes to constantly bother people, and they lack the normal to good looking Giant fan girls. Female Jet fans are Giant alright, but not in a football context, if the Jets Offensive line couldn't play due to injury, three female beasts in front of me would have sufficed to fill in. Yes they are 2-0 for the first time since 2004, but they will not crack this week's power of 5 and I'd be shocked to see them do anything meaningful with the season.

Game of the week-- Giants beating Jerry Jones and his new $1.2bn Cowboys stadium with a game winning FG. This game made game of the week just for the look on Jerry Jones face after the FG went through the uprights. A few notes about this game. I'm not an Eli fan, but I must say this is the first time he looked real good. He was poised in the pocket, threw good balls, found a few new go to targets in Manningham and Smith. If he plays like that all season, which I'm not sold on yet, the GGGG-Men will be tough to beat. They play the Saints in week 5, and I'm hoping both teams are 5-0 for that game, and we can sort the NFL out a lot better after that game. Speaking of New Orleans football, the Saints crushed the Eagles 48-22, Drew Brees has 9 TDs in 2 games and nearly 1000 yards, if only he found this system 5 years earlier in his career, we'd be mentioning his name with the Peyton Mannings and Tom Brady's of this generation. As of now he still feels like a fad, if he can get his team over the hump and into the Superbowl that stigma will quickly fade.


Power of 5

1. G-Men- they have a great O-line and D-line, Eli playing like a champion...yikes
2. Ravens- Best D in the league, see Ray Lewis' game winning tackle for details. Oh and they have a real offense now.
3. Saints- Easy Breesy for this team, great skill players, defense is the Achilles heel
4. Vikings- Purple Jesus is hard for any team to slow down. Brett Farve isn't the current headline, and its what the team needs
5. Atlanta- Matt Ryan looks good and a strong running game to complement. Real test when they play a team out of their weak division.

NFL Brief- Week 1

Well well well... another season has begun. We've waited months, followed OTA's and minicamps, read blog updates live from training camp, tuned in to at least the first half of every preseason game all for one reason. No, it's not the one day of every week where you aren't supposed to do anything but flick the channels between games, and have your stat-tracker in view at all times. ITS FOOTBALL SEASON!! To me, there is no better time of year, the heat of the subway becomes bearable, girls wear their cute lil football jerseys acting like they're fans, when they really just want to become more marketable to a male fan. (Starting to sound like a discovery channel documentary?) That was a generalization gals, but the reality is only 10% of you who wear apparel care about football , and of that fraction, 2-3% of you are attractive. God bless that small population, the fall foliage of football. I guess the conclusion of this rant is, Men don't like pigs, we like pigskin.

On to the games... Not sure where to being, this week had as many story lines as mistakes Kanye West has made in the last week. Tom Brady's return, The tipped pass that helped the Broncos down the Bengals, or was it Drew Brees throwing for 6 TD's and making fantasy owners salivate and feel good for taking him 6 picks to early, or could it be your a Jets fan and Mark "Dirty" Sanchez showed he could lead a NFL team over what is supposed to be a solid Texans team. If you weren't tired of it already, maybe you put on your Brett Favre jersey and watched "Purple Jesus" Adrian Peterson still the show on his way to a victory sealed by 3 TD's. This weekend just had so much excitement

Game of the week

Pats 25 Bills 24--

Wasn't the blowout everyone expected, and no the Patriots didn't cover the spread in this one, but Tom "terrific" Brady did it again. Down 11 points with 5 minutes left to play he orchestrated 2 drives ending in touchdowns. After throwing a 18 yd strike to Big Ben Watson, the pats trailed 24-19 with two minutes to play. They opted not for the onside kick, but instead to kick it away and trust their defense. They didn't even need to. Leodis Mckelvin provided the bonehead play of the week and ran the ball out of the endzone only to fumble it and give the Patriots the ball back with 1:45 seconds, 3 timeouts and amazing field position. That's all Brady needed, with 50 seconds to play, the same play used for the first TD to Big Ben was called again, and resulted in another game winning TD. The Bills fell apart, and Brady was welcomed back with another come from behind victory. It felt like December! Two small side notes, Ben Watson was almost cut by the Pats for lack of hands in the preseason. A former first round pick proved his worth with clutch play. Secondly, Tom Brady's Monday probably looked a little like this. Wake up, kiss my wife Gisele good morning, probably do a little more than give her a kiss. Have breakfast with a kid that the best QB and best looking model have created. (The only kid I can see being more gifted with both looks and athleticism would be the offspring of Michael Phelps and Megan Fox. No No No, not Seal and Heidi Klum, though if I was their kid I would never want to stop breastfeeding....ever!) Head to the stadium, win a huge game, and then repeat your waking up process before going to bed.

What a great opening week... can't wait for our second go round this weekend.

Power of 5

1. Patriots- best team in football... right now
2. Steelers- defending champs, but running game struggling
3. Packers- Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings are the new Brett Favre and Sterling Sharpe
4. Saints- maybe a great offense is better than a great defense
5. Giants- pains me to say it, but a front 7, o-line and running game

Quote of the Week

It sounds a little sick at first, but after you read the full article, it's a pretty cool quote.

About Shaun Hill:

“'It’s fine to me,' Vernon Davis says. 'Every time he throws a pass, it always comes right to me. I like his balls.'

So does Singletary – in more ways than one."

- Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AiiUOZCxPKEOmZNzeeDbl2c5nYcB?slug=ms-ninerscamp082509&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

It's Been too Long, but The Suite Spot is Back...

I know what your saying, and have been saying, we are members of The Suite Spot faithful, but where have you been? Well we took a small hiatus, but with football season underway and the dog days of summer nearing an end, we are back and look forward to providing you with content that will make you yearning for more, just like last year. Stay tuned later this week for NFL preview and a baseball update. I'm gonna crack open a beer and watch the Yankees finish sweeping the Red Sox... stay tuned and get amped for another year of The Suite Spot. (Sidenote-- great commercial filler tonight is the Hall of Fame Game, the first NFL preseason game. TO in his first game as a Bill vs. Kerry "Tom" Collins and the Titans)

Suite Spot Puzzler

This was in my sink. It used to be some kind of food. Can you guess what?

When it's about the game

I'm a 49ers fan.

This post has nothing to do with that.

Today, Alex Smith made a very uncommon decision for a professional athlete - one that wasn't driven by money. By restructuring his contract with the 49ers, Smith effectively forfeited a substantial sum of money to stay in San Francisco. With plenty of other teams still interested in the 24 year-old and willing to ante up with more green, Smith ultimately made his decision because of the fact that he "just wanted the chance to compete." It wasn't about the money. It wasn't about a hometown discount. It was about the sport.

Say what you will about his first four seasons or his future in the NFL. Say what you will about the 49ers and their upcoming QB controversy. But you've got to love to see an athlete bring his/her heart to a professional sport. It's what makes college sports engaging. It's what makes watching the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series exciting. The teams and athletes with the desire to prove that they can compete at the highest level remind us why their sport continue to captivate.

Kudos to Alex Smith for showing some maturity and some respect for the game. And Kudos to the 49ers for sticking with a guy that hasn't worked out in the past but is ready to fight for a job.

- KLB

A Couple Random Thoughts on a Friday-- 8

It's Friday and I'm Bored...

1. Currently President Obama is addressing the nation, and I have ESPN's Colin Cowherd streaming on radio talking about WR's declining in value at 36 years or older. Sorry TO stats prove that 36 year old WRs just don't cut the mustard, especially for a heavy salary. I wrote about it earlier this year in a football post, and of course, it has come true. Was there really ever any doubt? Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens both released, two of the best WR's of the last 10-13 years cut one after the other. It's actually exciting, even if they land somewhere, they likely won't be the main attraction, even though TO will try to be it just isn't the same. It's kinda like a hot chic who is stuck up or stupid, and in some cases both. You see her from the other end of the bar/room and she is a knockout, someone you must have, and until you finally talk to her, maybe she's easy maybe she's not, but her pure snobbishness and stupidity just decrease her overall value. Sure she's still hot, but that's all she is, hot. She drops back to being just one of the girls, because one day a girl with both looks and personality steps up and becomes that girl, the IT girl. Guys usually don't realize this until they get burned a few times by the said dumb hot girl, and some girls never understand that the tan douchey guy with nothing but daddy's bank account is just that, a loser who hasn't done anything for himself. (Side note- I once heard a kid in college with these traits on the phone with his father and he called him daddy. Almost made me puke in laughter, a complete loser) TO and Harrison are the same thing, sure they'll always be known as one of the greatest WR's of our era, but now they are going to slowly fade to black and become just one of those other WR's. A role player of sorts! Strange when you think about it, but when isthe last time someone talked about Issac Bruce? The whole point of this is that Obama's method of personal speaking is so boring that I'd rather listen to an ESPN radio talk show host than our President. Oh well, I never really was cut out for politics!

2. Last week I mentioned that I was going couples bowling, well that's until I underestimated the popularity of bowling in NYC. Are you kidding me? Let me run down the night for you briefly... Start out at my boo's apt and hosed through a 6-pack of 16ozers, even though I drank one in the cab on the way there. The girls drank wine and the man watched sports-- did someone just mutter UTOPIA, guess I'm just hearing things. Went to our first stop, Lucky Strike, a new trendy bowling alley/lounge/club intended to be a swanky good time. We called ahead and were told that you only needed rezzies if you were getting bottle service. That should have been the red-flag warning we needed not to go there. Place looked amazing, but had a 3-hour wait tagged onto it. A 3-hour wait at a bowling alley that charges exurbanite amount of money to bowl. 5 bucks for shoes, and $15 per person per string. That's absurd! I understand we live in NYC, but that's train-robbery. Where I come from its 2 bucks for shoes and $2.50 per string. Sounds a bit more reasonable. From there we called a few places, they all had 2-hour waits, at this point I'm losing my buzz and just want to bowl and pee can you blame me? We tried one more place that we couldn't get the number for, the lanes at Chelsea Piers. They were full even after I told them I was a famous comedian, and the bouncer kinda believed me... for real. Luckily for us there was a brewery on a pier overlooking the water and we just had some fresh brews and joked around. Whoever thought bowling was so popular... they had me!!

Have a good weekend all--

Herbie

TGIM- (Thank God It's March)

Take a deep breath folks / Suite Spot faithful-- take it in, just like the hippie instructor at a yoga class tells you to. " Breathe in deep through the nose, and out through the mouth. Concentrate on things that make you happy as you take the kind air in, and embrace them as you exhale!" Nutty as that sounds, that's how happy I am as I write this post. MARCH is here, and for any of us who care about sports and beer, this is truly a great month, arguably the best of the year. Yes the weather still sucks, and it may rain as much as an ordinary month in London or Seattle, but we have so much going on. Its almost like a prix-fixed three course dinner menu. First Course- Spring Training, get the bats, gloves, and syringes out folks, the MLB is back for another season. Spring Training is boring to some, exciting for real fans and anyone involved in fantasy baseball. You get to see who's improved and what sleeper you're going to take 4 rounds ahead of where he "belongs." (side note, there is one guy in my fantasy league that without fail always picks the "sleeper" who does that, sleeps all year. Alex Gordon is a prime example of that- picked him 4 rounds and 2 years too early if anything) Either way, Spring Training is like the gateway drug of television. Your real shows are almost ending, but in May when they do, you won't hit that bender, you'll just get numbed by 9 good innings of your team every night. Main Course- March Madness, it almost goes without saying, this is the Mecca of any playoff in any sport. The World Series is great, Super Bowl is even better, but March Madness is 3 weekends of gold-plated television. Upsets galore, people who care more about perezhilton.com than the economy hoping that Duke will lose so they can win money and buy new shoes. Boyfriends actually love their girlfriends for this entire month. We get to fill out their bracket for free and maybe just maybe get a non-monetary kick-back if they win. Fellas you know what I'm getting at, and if you don't then dump her and find someone that does appreciate the finer things in life. March Madness is that much fun, the unthinkable can happen, and if for some reason your team wins, it's something you will never forget. Take it from me, my team, Syracuse, won in 2003! I remember every minute of the game, and every minute of the riot that followed. Inadvertent smoke bomb in the eye, very intentional billy club to the neck, and a random dude hanging from a tree in celebration falling after breaking the branch. That was also the first night I found out how a tongue ring felt. You just don't forget these things! While your chewing on that you have St. Patty's day, a marathon day of drinking to wash these sports down. I don't remember much of any St. Patty's day I've been involved with, except waking up early, Irish music, and seeing more ugly red-heads than usual. That's about it, but it is a solid time. For dessert, the NBA and NHL are both winding down and teams actually play hard with playoff implications with every game. Rejoice faithful March is here. Good luck on those brackets, stay away from Duke!!

The Itch

$42-51 - Las Vegas 4-Diamond Hotel on The Strip:   Monte Carlo

$89-99 - 4-Star Resort w/Spa Admission & More:    Treasure Island

$212 Roundtrip Direct Flight: NYC to LAS

Not only was I receiving tempting promotional offers in my email, but it seemed like everyone and their mother had a Vegas trip planned this February. The same month that marks one year since my last trip to Sin City. Put all of this together and I had myself one hell of an itch.

It's a good thing that Connecticut has two of the largest casinos in the world to help me scratch it. Well, as long as I could find someone else that was willing to partake in a bit of the excitement. Should be easy right? Back in college, all someone had to do was cough something that sounded like "casino" and there would be a car on the road within 30 minutes. But that was years ago. Now my friends are either asleep by 9pm or staying with their girlfriend after a busy day of going to the vet and having a cat spayed.

So there I was. Home on a Saturday evening, staring a night of Hulu in the eyes with my girlfriend out of town at a bachelorette party. Would it really look THAT bad if I headed up to Mohegan Sun by myself? Should I even tell people if I go? Should I lie and say that I went with somebody else? 

I realized that I was asking myself these questions for the wrong reason.  I wasn't uncomfortable with being in a casino alone. Heck, even when I go with a few buddies I typically found myself alone at a table. Instead, I felt uncomfortable with the prospect of what other people would think - especially if I lost. 

After a bit of self reflecting, I realized that I'm a 25 year old rock star (leg guitar) and rock stars don't stay in alone on Saturday nights. So I threw own a shirt, tie, and sports coat, grabbed a few lucky charms, and busted through the casino doors as if it were a Deadwood saloon. Moments later I found myself at a $15 dollar table, throwing back a few JDs, loving life. I must admit, though, that it's a humbling experience when you realize that counting cards isn't as easy as it looks. I wish I had my own Kevin Spacey to practice with. As the night went on my bets got bigger and my blood starting flowing faster. Nothing like an 11 to the dealer's 6 when you've got your largest bet of the evening on the table!

A couple hours later I found myself up a few bucks and had gotten my fix for the evening. But a new itch had surfaced! That extra cash was burning a hole in my pocket. It was time to spend. As soon as I stepped out of the casino I made reservations at my favorite restaurant for my girlfriend and I. After all, what good is a few extra bucks if your can't enjoy it with somebody else?

Gamble responsibly my friends, and remember to always put a 5 spot down on Lou Brown when you're throwing dice.

KLB

A Couple Random Thoughts on a Friday-- 7

It's Friday and I'm bored...

Having your own opinion- I was talking to a client, a slightly older well respected fellow, this week about business, sports,the upcoming weekend, and the usual myriad of topics because after all, who really wants to talk business. During the conversation we had a clear disagreeance on a subject, think it was who the Patriots should draft this year. (yes that is part of my job description) Most times I would try and let the client "always be right" but this was my team and without thinking I abruptly and rather rude said, "I doubt that will ever happen...long pause... a quick stutter... but that's just my opinion." Ready for a lashing and an instant decrease in business I waited for his reply. "That's how the world works baby he said, you have to have an opinion or we all would still be cavemen wearing cloths and holding a club." Laughter followed, and then I realized he's right. It's always good to have your opinion and voice it when necessary, and as long as you have a reasonable basis, then stick to it. Jay Bilas, an ESPN College Basketball Analyst says quite often when someone disagrees with him or vice versa that, "Reasonable minds will disagree, but as long as there is reason, they have every right to." Now if your significant other wants to spend all your money shopping one day, and wants you to go with her to carry the bags-- that is unreasonable. You'll find out where to draw your own line on this, but appreciate the fact that people see things differently than you, it can be humbling, but next time someone disagrees with you, listen why and maybe take something away from it.

That was a little too serious-- I just passed wind under my desk. I call that laying down a bunt... Baseball term I know, but you try to sneak one by and hope the defense doesn't notice. This one appears to be a successful bunt

Going to the Knicks game tonight in baller seats-- not exactly the Celtics, but 10th row-mid court and a few cold brews go a long way

Going couples bowling tomorrow night, better than a couples screening of Revolutionary Road. I can imagine that tag line, "4 couples enter, only 1 will make there way out" If you've "scene" the movie (get it) than that last bit will make sense and maybe provide a laugh, if you haven't "scene" the movie, don't see it with your gf/wife/or other, you will contemplate breaking up with the person before the movie is over. I saw 3 engagement rings thrown at the screen when I was there. Holding my boo's hand was hard to do for the first 10 minutes after leaving.... enough said!

Also, just saw someone take a sip of their coke and put their tongue nearly down the whole bottle... not exactly a great thought to head to the weekend on, but that's all I've got...

Herbie

The Day the Funny Died

If you live in a major West Coast radio market, you're probably familiar with the consistantly funny Adam Carolla Radio Show. The syndicated morning comedy broadcast out of Los Angeles that was slated as the replacement to Howard Stern on West Coast Terrestrial radio has been consistently funny from the start (in stark contrast to the abysmal David Lee Roth Show out of New York). Even if you only know him from his near-legendary stint on Loveline, you know that Adam brings the funny in a big way everyday. Unfortunately, those radio days stopped on Friday as his show was cancelled. 

If you ask me, this cancellation (billed as a format change at the station) is the work of the same type of people that cancelled the hit original Star Trek series back in the 60's. Radio ratings tabulation is a archaic cluster fuck of Arbitron and people meters that just doesn't work. I believe that the show is actually a hit. There is anecdotal evidence of this by Carolla being consistently rated towards the top of the iTunes comedy top 10, but better still is the fact that smart people (foremost among them, me) really think the show is good. As far as I'm concerned, that's all you need. Aim high and the masses will follow in time. 

Fortunately for all, Adam is setting up a new venue for his jags about the minutia of everyday life via a podcast only show on his website.  Still, the fact that such a quality show would get axed when there is so much crap on the air is mind-boggling. The fact that this happened the same day that Conan O'Brien went off the air, is just a one-two combination to the gut of comedy fans everywhere. Personally, Carolla has been a welcome companion for me since I moved to California. I encourage anyone and everyone to support his podcast venture once it gets up and running. I am supremely confident that you'll be glad you did. And while you're at it, check out The Hammer on dvd. Carolla's very funny film only got a limited release last year, but it's a real hoot. 

A Couple Random Thoughts on a Friday-- 6

It's Friday and I'm bored...

1. ESPN's Streak for Cash- I don't know if any of you have done this or are doing this already, but I highly recommend it for any sports fans looking to win a cool million bucks without even spending a penny. The game can be found right off of ESPN's home page. ESPN gives you about 7 or so selections a day. "Who will win this game?" "Which player will score more points?" With a choice of two potential outcomes, Team A or Team B, Player A or Player B. If you can guess 27 consecutive outcomes in a row, you win $1,000,000 risk free. Sounds doable right? WRONG. I've been involved with this for about a month now and am 13-35-1 currently, that's a .271 clip. Pathetic, I know right! But ESPN is tricky, giving you soccer games and golf outcomes that are nearly impossible to choose. Especially when outside of 6 teams, I know nothing of EURO league soccer. You take my .071 soccer score, and my .000 Tennis score, you can understand my pain. My best win streak is 3, College hoops is the only sport where I stay afloat, makes sense as I am a hoops Guru. I pick results that are supposed to happen, they just never do. I have been a burden to any team I pick. The Magic should beat the Bobcats tonight, that is a choice, I know that if I pick the Magic tonight, they will lose. Murphy's law states, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Well, lets just rename Murphy's Law and call it Herbie's Law, sounds better and is much more accurate! Even with my disdain and disgust for this game, check it out!

Unfortunately-- that's all I have today, I have to go take a test so I can keep my license and my job!

Don't be upset faithful who helped us turn 3000 yesterday, we were 10 days quicker to 3000 then we were to 2000. Thanks again all..

Have a good weekend

Herbie

Eastbound and Down

If last week's pilot episode is any indication of future returns, rumors of HBO's demise as the source for the best shows on TV have been greatly exaggerated. Danny McBride (Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express) lives up to his "next big thing" reputation starring as Kenny Powers, a former relief pitching phenom with a ruined arm that's about as useless as his reprehensible personality. Powers is forced to take a job as a substitute teacher at his old high school and his former sky high superstar attitude doesn't mesh well with the good folk of his hometown. He's an insufferable jerk along the lines of a Ricky Bobby except turned up to the maximum in every regard. I won't ruin any of the hilarious gags here but suffice it to say if you enjoyed McBride's instant cult classic The Foot Fist Way, then you'll find alot to like about Eastbound and Down. Catch it Sunday nights on HBO. You won't be sorry. 

A Couple Random Thoughts on a Friday--5

It's Friday and I'm Bored

1. Flight 3407- They say bad things come in 3's. So that worries me for people who are flying right now. I know of 6-8 people who are flying Continental Airlines today, and it does worry me a bit. One of them being the boo herself. (yes faithful, that means I am spending V- day drinking a 6-pack of loneliness) First plane crash, our hero, Sully landed his passengers in the freezing Hudson river, everyone survived! I wake up this morning at 5:45 turn on the news and learn of the second crash, a connector jet that landed on a house, killing all passengers I believe 49 and one grounded citizen. So crash one,-100% survival, crash two- 0% survival but a small plane. Hopefully the saying about bad things doesn't apply here, b/c it feels the third could be the biggest and worst of them all. I love flying, and continue to think it is the safest means of fast, normally reliable transport, but this is truly saddening. My deepest sympathies out to the families of the victims of this and any crash.

2. Survivor-- The latest season of Survivor kicked off last night with 16 eager survivors trying to Outwit, Outlast, Outplay and win a cool million bucks. Set in the Tocantins, Brazil. This season has the fixings to be a good one. Cast appears to be diverse and lively, challenges started off strong, and host Jeff Probst won't settle for a show that is sub-par. With 16 survivors in the first episode it was difficult to get to know them all, but a few were profiled last night. A dumb old lady bus driver named Sandy who people will end up feeling bad and root for. This lady was given a clue "walk 10 paces towards the palm tree" Problem is, she didn't know what a pace was! How can you not know what a pace is? I was shocked and cracked up with laughter. A pace is a four-letter word that I thought 100% of the non mentally-challenged populous of this nation knew. Sandy proved me wrong, and proved me wrong quick. I am intrigued to watch her the rest of the season so that she can help me become a dumber person. Picture the real-life Lloyd Christmas at 47 years old, female and driving a big-yellow school bus. The girl who got voted off last night had an endowment that would rival any of the ivy league schools. Carolina meet Harvard. Sad to see her go because she also sported a "Cindy Crawford" A birthmark/mole or other mark on your face that makes you look hot and not Fugly. She has hers right above her lip, as Borat would say "That's a Nice." I sport a similar one on my neck that made me share a bond with her and root for her. Guess it wasn't meant to be.

3. Keen's chophouse- NYC steakhouse that I went to last night. This is what I call a "gentleman's steakhouse". I felt like I was in the 1930's last night, only I wasn't wearing a top hat and smoking a cigar. Both of which were the norm at Keen's before smoking was banned in bars, and top hats went out of style! Either way, went there to meet a client, and talk shop over a beer or two. Twice during our stay a server came around and dropped off a basket with 3 ribs in it. (They are on the house for patrons who are near the bar) The ribs were good as were the fries and steak skewers we ordered! It's a great place to go with your buddies before heading to MSG as it is a mere 3 blocks away, not a place to bring your sweetheart, she'd hate it and the other men around would hate you for bringing a waft of estrogen into the bar. I've eaten dinner there as well... very tasty.

4. Valentine's Day- Drinking a 6-pack of loneliness this weekend? Anyone with me? The Boo is out of town-- will be celebrating at a later date... if she's lucky!!!

5. NBA All Star Weekend- It's in Phoenix this year, and should be exciting,if for nothing else the dunk contest. I'm curious to see the creativity of Dwight Howard this year, and to see if 5'10 Nate Robinson can do any dunks he didn't do a few years back. The East will win this year, Lebron will find a way to do more than Kobe and win the MVP, even though Kobe is still the best player in the league/ world. Sleeper pick- Paul Pierce for MVP

Have a good weekend all

--Herbie

A-rod = Amazing Player + Horrible Judgement

In 1996, Alex Rodriguez tossed up an unprecedented rookie season. His .358 batting average led the league while popping 36 homers and 123 RBI. He also led the league in runs (141), doubles (54), and total bases (379). Factor in some great defense and you could argue not only that he's never been better, but that this was the greatest season ever for a shortstop. How do you follow this up? Well you can't really, but you can go on to be the best player of your generation and such a natural talent even accusations from a (sadly) credible source in Jose Canseco were laughed off despite the fact that his books have been eerily accurate to this point. When A-Rod's home run totals spiked to near 60 in '01-'02, people credited it to his natural improvement and the bandbox nature of his home stadium. When he got noticeably bigger after his trade to the Yankees, it was attributed to getting older, or adjusting to his new position of third base. All these red flags and even the biggest A-Rod hater wouldn't think to pin performance enhancing drugs on him. 

What makes Rodriguez different from Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and other all-time greats who have recently fallen under the cloud of steroids? He represented the purity of the game. An immense talent with an unquenchable need to succeed, and a willingness to work as hard as was necessary. This was the ideal that would topple the manufactured stats of the steroid era. Sure all the records were tainted, but A-Rod would heroically raise the bar in a matter of years. Now, he'll still be breaking all the records in the next decade, but it will only perpetuate the stigma of cheating that rots the heart of America's Pastime like a cancer. We won't be seeing another player like Alex Rodriguez for a long, long time. What a shame that it will be good riddance. 

A Couple Random Thoughts on a Friday-- 4

It's Friday and I'm Bored

1. So for Super Bowl Sunday, my one roommate who cares about sports is away, and I'm heavily craving Pizza/Wings/Chips/Dip Ice cold beer and all the finer things to enjoy on such a holiday. I had a few boxes in a few different pools, and I decided to lay some loot on the Cardinals moneyline. For you non degenerates out there, that means simply to just win the game, there is no spread. So I'm amped to watch the game see a few commercials laugh it up a bit and enjoy myself before another 5-day work week kicks me in my Munk (man-junk) repeatedly. So I walk into the living room to find two hungover souls watching step brothers, we're 15 minutes from pre-game festivities, and no one had even mentioned ordering pizza and wings yet. I didn't even have a cold beer in my hand. I needed to call an audible, and I needed to do it fast. Luckily I'm as social as Stevie Wonder is blind, my first phone call turned into an instant invite to a party at a buddies place. I asked what I had to bring, he said nothing, when a friend says nothing it means show up with a sixer or two and call yourself welcomed. Hopped in a cab down there went to a D'agostinos to pick up some brewski. (Small sidebar if any of you have brothers, call them broski a few times, its addicting and fun to say, and it makes you thirsty for a beverage of the adult variety, in turn making you an alcoholic) I walked by a bar on the way in and saw them flipping the coin, I was a half block away and had to hurry. I hate missing kickoff-- its like watching Lost and starting from the 3rd season or reading a book and starting on page 200, it's criminal. Went right to the cold beer section grabbed a sixer of Yuengling black and Tan, and a sixer of the Saranac Brewery Variety (Light beer drinkers, this variety pack is not for you!) Everything was going as planned until I got to the register where I ran into plumpy mcghee. This stout woman who was the Latin equivalent of Yokozuno took 3 minutes looking at my ID, couldn't find my birth date and called the manager for assistance. I'm ticked and then I hear the guy behind me mutter under his breath "Damn, I'm gonna miss kickoff!" Well me too brother, if Bertha wasn't taking so long with my ID I'd be in front of the couch already.

I finally show up to the apartment, 3 minutes of the game had gone by, I was ticked but my friends gave me the full recap. The spread was delicious, bean dip, scoops, queso, salsa, pizza on the way, mozzarella balls wrapped in prosciutto, Brownies, and in the back corner, a dozen Dunkin Donuts. I couldn't believe it. I only knew three people there, but as I have no shame this was my icebreaker. "Who brought the donuts?" Depressingly, the guy owns up to it, and everyone laughs at him. This guy obviously didn't have his game face on when he made his purchase. Either that or he sits when he pees! As the game went on it was evident to my friends that was either a Cardinals fan, or that I had some baggage riding on the game. So I explained the bet and all the females asked their boyfriends quietly, "What does he mean by Moneyline?" The guys who knew answered immediately, and the metro sexual boyfriends who watch Oxygen and Bravo with their GF's instead of testosterone filled channels like ESPN had the same puzzled look as they did when the audience chose Reuben Stoddard instead of "Clay the only thing Aiken is my arse."

Regardless the game got real close near the end, and with Arizona driving down 20-16 I said that if Arizona won the game I would everyone of the donuts left in the box, which happened to be all of them. Arizona scores 30-seconds later, and much like Adam when he took a bite of the poisonous apple, which doomed him. I took a bite of the "POISONOUS CHOCOLATE FROSTED" when there was still 2:47 on the clock for Pitt to come back and score, win the Superbowl, take my money, and leave everyone in the apartment dying in laughter. Lesson learned, I took a bite before my destiny was filled, and I paid not only the piper, but The House as well. My broski, who had the opposite bet,shot me a text that night "You are a team's worst nightmare!" That sums it up... Damn you guy who brought the donuts in the first place.

One small side note- Bruce Springsteen's halftime show was great, he is 59 years old and can still really wail. Imagine someone you know that age sliding crotch first into a camera jamming out in tight black jeans and a guitar from 1983... not a pretty sight is it!!

For another great live performance check out this cut of Worlds Apart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=invIZMdJE40 This is a man passionate in his craft... and he has a great guitar solo at the 4:35 mark or so!!


2. Do English girls and other surrounding cold/ sunless countries wear makeup? Are they naturally uglier? I know you have a good one here and there, but something just seems off about them. Hygiene maybe, I'm not really sure. I mean girls in Seattle don't seem too have the same problem. Maybe it's in the air... or maybe Proctor & Gamble is still ticked about how we were treated in the 1700s and won't ship them any toothpaste.... Jury's out on this one folks...

Until next time all ye faithful--

Herbie

The Suite Spot Weekly TV Round Up: 2/1-2/7

The winter TV season is in full swing and since it's been some time since I've written one of these columns, I've got a lot to talk about - think of this as a TV buffet. The obvious choice to open with? Lost. Hard to believe, but we're already four episodes into the 17-episode fifth season. This week's installment, while panned by many because of it's slow pacing and what many have called a return to a dead formula, still kept me glued to my seat. Yes, I agree that the horrendous chemistry between Jack and Kate bogged down a significant portion of the episode (as did the disappointing red-herring reveal of Carole Littleton's uninvolvement with Kate's lawsuit), but the shortcomings were easily outweighed by the happenings on the island. Scott offered his predictions earlier this week and I've got some as well. I'll let you good folks argue in the comments about their validity:

• Seeing as how Penny and Desmond aren't married, we can assume that the baby took his mother's name. While it's quite likely that the baby was indeed named after Charlie Pace, his formal name would be? Charles Widmore. I posit that Penny just gave birth to her own father. Think about it.
• And speaking of lineage, let me throw these two guesses out there as well: Daniel is Charlotte's father and Miles is the son of Pierre Chang.
• And for my final trick, by the end of this season, we're going to find out that Richard Alpert, and possibly some of the other early Others, have only four toed feet. Realistically, whomever's been on the island the longest built that statue and it's safe to guess they built it in the only image they knew - their own.

And for you word freaks who loved finding out that "Hoffs/Drawlar" was an anagram for "flash forward" (the funeral home from the season three finale), then you'll love this: the carpet cleaning van that Ben had been driving Locke's body around in bears the name Canton-Rainier and that's an anagram for reincarnation. So even though most have assumed it anyway, I'd say it's for certain now that Jeremy Bentham has not taken his last breath.

Moving on to Heroes. The show returned this past Monday for what NBC spent an ungodly amount of money on to promote during the Superbowl. While they wisely billed it as a new season (it's actually the second half of season three), I'm not sure the masked wording is going to be able to make people forget about the abysmally bad seasons two and three, part one. Heroes' frosh season was critically acclaimed and for good reason - it was damn good television. But ever since the strike-shortened second season, the sci-fi drama has never been able to reclaim its past glory. Claims of "comic book logic" can only account for the show's poor inconsistency for so long. That being said, this week's mid-season premiere was a step in the right direction and hopefully the return of Bryan Fuller will remedy some of what's wrong. Fuller was a co-EP during season one, but left after that to chair Pushing Daisies. PD has since been canceled by ABC and Fuller has returned to Heroes.

Now, some quick thoughts on shows that everyone should be watching, but not enough are:

1. Battlestar Galactica (airs Fridays at 10PM on SciFi) - Entering the tail end of its fourth and final season, BSG has proven to be one of the most well written and well acted dramas on TV. I shunned the show initially because I was never a fan of anything even remotely similar to Star Trek. That being said, BSG is not Star Trek. It's an incredibly layered, smart, textured narrative that says far more about human nature, intolerance, and ethics, than it does about stun rays and warp speed. I blew through the first three seasons on DVD in about two weeks. You will too.
2. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (airs Mondays at 10PM on Travel Channel): I didn't even know the Travel Channel existed and had you mentioned this show to me, I would have assumed it was on Food Network... mainly because Bourdain used to be. AB:NR is much more than a Tasty Travels rip-off though. It's part Planet Earth, part Sundance documentary, part cooking show, and it's all narrated by one of the most likable assholes currently on TV.
3. Friday Night Lights (airs Friday at 9PM on NBC): This show is going to get canceled. Period. And it's a damn shame too. Arguably one of the greatest sports dramas to ever grace the small screen, FNL (a spin-off of the film in title and topic only), is the quintessential slice of Americana that everyone can relate to. Unfortunately, the ratings have never been there and had DirecTV not ponied up to secure first-run airing rights for the third season (which is now airing in its second run broadcast premiere on NBC), then season two probably would have been the end for Dillon Panthers.

And finally, a look to the future. I recently screened the opening minutes of the new ABC drama The Unusuals a few weeks ago and I think the alphabet network might be on to something with this one. In a TV landscape that's still dominated with police dramas, it takes a lot to stand-out. ABC has already grabbed one success this season with Life on Mars (that's another one that you should be watching and probably aren't) and I'm guessing The Unusuals (premieres Wednesday, April 8th, at 10PM) will follow suit.

As always, comments are welcome, and thanks for reading.

-Tooms

LOST Prediction

Quick shout out to you Lost fans eagerly awaiting tonights episode...

I predict that Desmond and Penny's son Charlie (who was presumably named after our Charlie from the island), actually is our Charlie from the island. Wouldn't that be awesome and explain all the focus put on the birth of their son and the continued focus on them. It would also add alot of weight to Charlie's sacrifice to save everyone and his friendship with Desmond. Think about it and rememeber that you heard it here first.

Wanna get away?

So it's 10:30 pm and I'm starting to think about my next vacation.  My girlfriend and I are trying to find a relaxing yet adventurous destination for our next rendezvous.

Bahamas?  Been there, done that.

Jamaica?  I'd prefer to stay somewhat clothed.

Punta Cana?  We'd like to at least have the OPTION of leaving the resort.

Europe?  Not with the Euro where it's at.

Don't get me wrong.  All of the places that I listed above would most certainly offer wonderful experiences - just not quite what we're looking for.  Instead, maybe we should consider something a bit more...local.  

The summer before my freshman year of high school, my family took off on the most amazing trip of our lives.  Five weeks, 11,000 miles, twenty-nine States and hundreds of aw-inspiring moments.  Relaxing beaches, magnificent mountains, unequaled National Parks - America is a beautiful place.  The problem is that many of us will never take the time to appreciate it!

Well now is the perfect time.  With the economy at its knees, a sudden flood of domestic tourism could be a significant help.  Sit back, relax and enjoy a beachside margarita at Maui Mike's instead of Cancun Charlie's.   Sink your teeth into a set of Memphis Dry Rub Ribs and leave the Foie Gras to Parisians.  Reconsider how you decide to spend this year's stimulus check.  Let's start putting our hard earned US dollars back into the US economy.  

Here's a few recommendations from The Suite Spot:

Lake Tahoe:  Not only do you get to soak up the sun on beautiful beaches by the crystal clear lake water, but you can add a little excitement with craps or blackjack.  Put some down on Lou Brown for me.

Alaska:  If you can afford it, get on the next plane.  Walk on glaciers, snorkel in the artic, or toss bread to eagles as if they were pigeons.  Probably the most extraordinary  location in America.

San Diego:  Catch a Padres game at Petco or head on over to the zoo to see the pandas.  Not your thing?  No worries.  It'll be 80 degress - sunny with a slight breeze.

A Couple Random Thoughts on a Friday-- 3

It's Friday and I'm Bored

1. If you live in NYC like I do, do yourself a favor and give Smith and Wollensky's a try. Went there on Tuesday night, now I've been there three or so times in the past so I am familiar with their service and meat quality. I have not been disappointed yet. Its a classic steakhouse with men's cuts and delicious apps and desserts. Wine list is good enough for me and the drinks are made like a 14 year old watching Baywatch, stiff. I had the crab meat cocktail and calamari for an app, a fillet for dinner and chocolate mousse cake for dessert. All very plentiful and filling. I was so full I had to limp home b/c 14 ounces of succulent beef was stuck in my left chamber of my stomach. Either way try it out... it's not only in NYC either other locations Chicago, Miami, D.C. Vegas, Philly, Columbus, Houston and Boston. I have had better steaks, but this place is consistently an A rated place for a men's meal.

2. Youtube video of the week-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHH-6ZQktRQ A co-worker sent this to me earlier this week. Most of it appears to be fake, but its freakish anyway and really fun to watch.
Especially three kicks in a row to the bell tower from Mason Crosby, are you kidding me?

3. Spent last weekend in Dallas, TX for a college friends wedding- People were very friendly, don't know what kind of Tequila I was drinking maybe Silver Souza but it was potent, plentiful, and pleasing. Yes that's an alliteration.

4. I had 5 or so brews last night, nothing heavy or anything, but I did forget to eat dinner. You wake up the next day with a weird feeling in your stomach. I'm not sure what the feeling is, but I can assure you its not pleasant. Strangest part is, you try and eat a disgusting breakfast eggs, bacon, and cheese and you can only put half of it down because you don't feel hungry, even though you haven't eaten in 16 hours. I'm no science major, but lets add this one to the list of things to figure out... Cancer, AIDS, why people like OPRAH, day after hunger followed by no appetite. In that order!! I hate Oprah and her book club.

5. I work on wall st we don't get paid high salaries we make it up on bonus. I officially hate Barack HUSSEIN Obama. Welcome to the United Socialist States of America. He is going to screw a lot of people over and NYC will only weaken when no one can afford to live here etc. He won't understand the effects for a few years when his approval ratings are bush-like. I hope I have to eat my words... but right now I'm going to eat a sandwich...

Have a good weekend all faithful--

UFC 94 Preview/ Prediction

It's the biggest fight of the year and it's only January! The rematch everyone has been waiting for: B.J. Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Title. 

Who is Georges St. Pierre?

He's the UFC Welterweight Champion and is universally considered the #1 ranked fighter in the world in the weight class and one of the top few pound for pound fighters ever. Except for a flukey loss to Matt Serra that he's since brutally avenged, GSP has completely cleaned out the very tough Welterweight division and is left with no real challengers, making this the perfect time for this superfight. 

Who is B.J. Penn?

Oh, he's only the UFC Lightweight (155 lbs.) champion, former Welterweight (170 lbs.) champ, and the greatest and most decorated jiu-jitsu practitioner that the United States has ever produced. He earned his black belt faster than any other American and won the 2000 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships. He's starred at Welterweight in the past but has since slimmed back down to Lightweight and he has ruled the division with an iron fist. He's got something to prove since his contraversial loss to St. Pierre in 2006 and has been waiting for a chance to move up in weight again for a shot at GSP's title. 

What's the case for St. Pierre?

No one can question BJ's talent, but his conditioning has always been a question mark. BJ gassed out in the first fight with St. Pierre, and though Penn dominated Round One, GSP's superior conditioning won him the last two rounds for a split decision. As a title fight, this one can go a maximum of five rounds and this plays directly into GSP's strategy. He can use his world class wrestling to try to control BJ and drag the fight into the later rounds. A tired BJ will be susceptible to St. Pierre's extensive arsenal of kicks and take downs. 

What's the case for Penn?

Though a great striker in his own right, GSP will want no part of standing and trading with BJ as Penn has shown time and time again that his boxing is among the best in the world. In addition, BJ has an advantage on the ground over just about anyone on earth. BJ has made a commitment to conditioning in recent fights and the results have shown with his domination of the Lightweight ranks. If he's brought his new gas tank with him to the 170 lb. division, then he is capable of brutalizing GSP on the feet and submitting him on the ground. Questions have been raised about GSP's heart and that he is a quitter due to his tapout loss to Matt Serra. I don't know about that, but he'll BJ will definitely put those claims to the test.

Who will win?

The Suite Spot believes that BJ has trained hard and wants to cement his legendary status. Penn will win by submission in the 3rd round. That said, this is going to be a hell of a fight and even if BJ shows up ready and in shape, GSP is a phenomenal talent and has every chance to come out victorious. Do yourself a favor and don't miss this huge super fight that the UFC has put together for you this Saturday!

Taken with Taken

Liam Neeson stars as a badass in search of his kidnapped daughter in Taken. Otherwise a by-the-numbers thriller, Taken scores big in the action department. The film starts slow, setting the mood and casually introducing Neeson's character as a sympathetic figure due to events in his life, but once Taken gets rolling... look out! Liam Neeson is an inspired choice as the lead and you can tell that he really buys into the role. In a world of warmed over Bournes and Transporters, Taken is as good as it gets nowadays if you're looking for an action thrill-ride.

Our Answer to Yesterday's Hoop Question

A couple good comments on the blog yesterday, a decisive answer from Paulo, and an "I'm in second year law school answer" from Mene Gene. The question is a tough one to answer, hence I asked it.

On one side of the coin you have the ACC, with perennial powerhouses in Duke and UNC, and a strong supporting cast this year with Wake Forest and Clemson. We'll say these four teams are locks in the tourney. After these four you do fall off a cliff a bit. Virginia Tech, FSU, BC and Miami are all teams that have showed signs this year, but are not consistent enough to be locks and two if not three of these teams might see themselves playing in the NIT instead of the big dance. Keep in mind, every team has that one night where they don't perform and lose to a lesser opponenet but these four teams do that too often. Lets break it down...
V-tech- Big wins- @ Wake, @ Miami, BC. Bad losses- Seton Hall, @ Georgia, Wisconsin.
Miami- Big wins- @BC, BAd losses - N.C State and a blow out by UNC
BC - Big wins- UNC Bad losses- Harvard, St. Louis (yes you read that right, Harvard and the Billicans of St. Louis)
FSU- Big wins- Florida Bad losses- Northwestern

After these teams competition drops off and competitive teams of old - GA Tech, Maryland, NC State are just not good this year!

As of now I see 5 teams dancing from the ACC- Duke, UNC, Wake, Clemson, and V-Tech . I do worry about the alliterative Classic Clemson Collapse which seems to happen when they get to 15 wins. They have 17 now and have lost 2 of their last 3. Watch out!

Also from the polls, the ACC has 4 ranked teams, 3 of which in the top 10...

The flip-side of that coin is the Big East- A tough, physical, gritty conference with league legends Georgetown, Syracuse, UCONN, and St. Johns. People are talking that this league can get 9 teams in to the dance this year, and maybe even 10 (that I doubt the committe will ever let happen) Right now I think that the Big East has 6 locks with three teams on the bubble. Marquette, Louisville, UCONN, Pitt, Syracuse, and Nova are in. Georgetown, Notre Dame and West Virginia are on the verge, and Providence has a shot as well. Mene Gene made the argument of sample size and how the extra teams in the Big East help aid it in being a more "powerful" conference. Agreed to a point but that same argument can be said if the big east had only 4 strong teams and 12 weak teams, you would say that since there are 12 weak teams and only 4 teams with merit, that it was overall a weak conference. I look at it as how many teams are going to get in the tournament, the Big East's RPI's when the numbers finally come out, will be very strong, and their SOS (strength of schedule) will be one main factor in such a good RPI. That stat basically spells out a great deal how strong your conference is, as a higher percentage of games are in and not out of conference... advantage big east

Conclusion-
Big East has 8 teams in the top 25 with a few lurking on the outskirts. To the ACC's 4.
Big East has 4 top ten teams to the ACC's 3.
Big East teams play a harder schedule.

Not saying that the best team is in the Big East, I think its either in the ACC (UNC) or Big 12- Oklahoma, but as far as a conference goes, this year Big East is the cream of the crop.

Which Conference is Stronger in NCAA Hoops?

ACC or Big East? Let us know your thoughts!!

The Suite Spot turns 2000

It took just a hair over a month to go from 1000 to 2000 hits, we appreciate all the support, comments, and feedback we have received. We had some real solid posts this month, A Life Without Cable, UFC Previews, NFL briefs/playoff predictions, Some random thoughts on a Friday, and a few other sports/TV related posts. We have linked up with two other blogs. Jackie's Corner Table is a good blog for anyone interested in food and eating out in NYC. The other is a San Fransisco sports blog dedicated to the 49ers. Both friends of The Suite Spot, so give their site a try as well!!! Look forward to turning 3000. Please tell your friends, family, co-workers anyone who would find this blog interesting, and leave us feedback on anything we can do to enhance your experience.

TSS- Herbie,Beardo,Tooms, KLB

MLB Network-- Thank you God (and Time Warner)

Finally Time Warner Cable has done me some sort of good... some sort of (David) Justice. They picked up one of the official major sports networks. For the same lofty price of my monthly bill, I can now watch the hot stove report every night, can watch games of old and specials on players during and before my time! Last night over a brownie and some delicious 1% milk, I caught a special on Nolan Ryan's 7 no-hitters. His last no hitter came when he was 44 years old, and his last out against a youthful Roberto Alomar. That would be like Jamie Moyer pitching a no no last year... only The Ryan Express was throwing 95 still and taking personally endorsed Excedrin before and after every game. Remember how cheesy those commercials were, Nolan sitting in a blank Russel Athletic shirt with grey chest and dark blue sleeves. He would throw into a pitching target with a flame and smoke tailing the ball with every pitch. Commercial must have been great for Excedrin as it gave every viewer a headache!
Regardless, this channel has it all, and it will air some out of market games during the regular season, and will have so much spring training coverage it will be like a month long Christmas for baseball fans. Hopefully if this channel is successful it will spur the NFL, NBA, and others to come through my cable box. I'll settle for now

Merry Blartmas!!!

A Couple Random Thoughts on a Friday-- 2

Its Friday and I'm bored...

1. It was so cold out this morning, that even waiting for the subway I could still see my breath. I won't get into the many ways the NYC subway system is flawed, but my feet, all three legs, hands and face are still freezing now and it's been 3.5 hours since I was last outside! I 'm shocked that in a city filled with technology, we can't have space heaters (and air conditioners in the summer) underground in the subway system. More importantly bus-stops where you aren't underground and shielded from the brutal cold/ wind. Either way I'm cold, as was my heart as I wrote that.


2. American Idol-- This is the only time I'll watch, or even entertain the thought of watching American Idol, the very beginning. This is the pure entertainment value of the show, some people are strong, some people are just god awful, some people just do it to get on TV. I watch it solely for the laughter I get from Simon's expressions when one of the said awful is trying out. Usually a jaw drop, blinkless face followed by a hilarious comment. This week after telling a contestant he was one of the worst he'd ever seen, the contestant said maybe he needs a year of practice and that he'd come back next year. Simon responded by telling him that he should find something else to do with his life, b/c a lifetime of practice will never make him have a good voice. The truth is, he's right!! I know being white and under 6 feet tall I will never play professional basketball no matter how hard I practice. Growing up, I practiced hard, taking jumpshots til midnight in the winter time, learning how to dribble without looking at the ball by looking at the sky at night and learning the constellations, playing with kids 4-7 years older than me and getting to their level of play. It made me a very good basketball player, but I lacked some of the genetics that would have helped me play competitively at a higher level. I fully believe in dreaming about doing something great and achieving it, and I do believe that hard work will always pay off. The problem is, some things are just plain unattainable and people need to realize that sometimes dreams are just that --- dreams. Sorry to bash peoples hopes out there. Certain people aren't built for certain things, no matter how big the dream. Which leads me to one of the best things I've seen on American Idol followed by one of the worst things I've ever seen. Scott Macintyre was the first blind contestant I'd seen on the show, and they setup a whole story about his road and his talent. He showed up with the aid of a walking stick and human companion and absolutely wowed America. This man dreamed big, and in this case it aided by his talent, came through. A mesmerizing audition and a golden ticket to Hollywood was followed by a disgrace to him on national TV. Host Ryan Seacrest, how he is hosting a major TV show is sill a joke to me, tried to hi-five a blind person after he came out of the audition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmrmwm3FHMQ The man is blind Seacrest, cut him some slack. Either way this show is only good to watch for another two weeks, until it matters!

3. A lot of responses to my Rose Byrnes comment. Yes she is hot, but I never said she was the hottest thing on TV. I will be watching Damages episode two later today, Will keep you updated!

4.- Song of the Week- Dyer Maker by Led Zeppelin-- One of the better songs of all time, and in my opinion the best if not one of the best drummed songs of all time. John Bonham's drum solo about 2.5 minutes in is impressive and the song is very addicting and melodic. Sheryl Crow recently covered the song and does a bangup job, she even plays the accordion. Not the sexiest thing in the world having a girl playing accordion but Sheryl pulls it off and covers the song well. Specifically listen to it at the 1:11- 1:14 mark where she spices it up a bit. Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNjbGDLf-_8&feature=PlayList&p=0F875E9BBF2ADB9D&playnext=1&index=48

Have a good weekend---

Herbie

71, 77, 74, 73, 74, 73, 72

What are these numbers? They're the high temperatures forecasted for the week of 1/11/09 - 1/17/09 in San Jose, CA. Enjoy the blistering cold rest of the country. Oh, and keep telling yourself that you love having 4 seasons and the crisp cold air and all that jazz. We have enough people out here already. Please stay where you are... and for god's sake bundle up. 

Bagels on Monday

I probably won’t be getting a raise this year.  In fact, it’s highly unlikely that you will either.   Instead, we get the pleasure of constantly stressing over benefit changes, slumping 401Ks, re-orgs, and layoff rumors.  Our current economic state has caused our employers to pinch pennies worse than a ninety year-old man and we feel the repercussions.   But does it really have to feel this bad?

In a conversation a few weeks ago with a family member, I found out that his company instituted a new tuition reimbursement program.   This is the first year that they have ever offered tuition reimbursement.  Shocked that it’s happened now?  I certainly was at first, but after thinking about it for a few minutes, it started making a lot of sense.  Offering education benefits accomplishes at least three important things.  First, it’s a sound investment.  It equips your employees with a deeper knowledge base and an expanded skillset  - both of which should improve performance and increase their overall value.  Second, it increases the likelihood that your employees will stick around.  After all, MBAs degrees aren’t earned over night.  Third, and most important, it improves employee satisfaction.  There is something extremely comforting in knowing that your employer wants to see you get a better education and is willing to pay for it.

On a similar note, a friend of mine recently started a new job and was excited to tell me about her first day.  Of the many differences between her old and new job, one of the first things that she mentioned was that her employer spoils its workers with bagels every Monday morning.  What a great way to start off your week!  Imagine struggling to get your aching bones out of bed at 6:00 AM, spilling coffee on your lap during the morning commute, and having the weather man remind you that it’s going to be below 20 degrees for the entire work week.  But wait!  As soon as I get into the office I’m gonna toast myself an everything bagel, spread a little bit of jalapeno cream cheese on top, and forget about the week’s stresses as a take my first bite.  Talk about improving employee morale and shielding people from the things that they worry about every day.  And all it took was a stinkin’ 99-cent bagel!

People look forward to the little things throughout the day that make them happy:  grabbing a snack from the pantry, walking to the local coffee shop for a break from the office, throwing back a brew at the end of the day with colleagues.  Companies need to start getting creative.  People can live without a salary increase in 2009 but their employers need to do something to help them forget about it.  

- KLB

UFC 93 Preview/Prediction

Two of the best in the game lace 'em up for a match up that is years in the making as UFC mainstay Rich Franklin takes on former PRIDE stalwart Dan Henderson.

Who is Rich Franklin?

He's a mainstream fan favorite thanks to his clean cut good looks and background as a high school math teacher. Holding the UFC Middleweight Title for the better part of 2005-2006 doesn't hurt either. You may also know him as one of the coaches from Season 2 of The Ultimate Fighter reality show or as the guy who knocked Ken Shamrock out on the now famous Ultimate Fighter 1 finale show. He's taken two savage beatings at the hands (and knees) of #1 pound for pound fighter in the world Anderson Silva, but really, what's the shame in that? Since then, Franklin has bulked up back to his more natural Light Heavyweight status and showed he belongs with a brutal knockout of Matt Hamill by liver kick. 

Who is Dan Henderson?

He's the former PRIDE Welterweight and Middleweight champion. Along with Randy Couture, he started the Team Quest fight camp in Temecula, CA and produces many top fighters along with his signature Clinch Gear line of fight clothing. He's one of the best wrestlers in mma as evidenced by his participation in the '92 and '96 Olympics for team USA. Though he is only 1-2 since joining the UFC, his two losses came in holding his own against the aforementioned Anderson Silva, and in a close decision in a 5 round war with Rampage Jackson. Needless to say, at age 38 Hendo is still a factor in the elite tier of the fight game. 

Who has the better standup game?

Both fighters are well rounded and extremely dangerous on their feet, but they employ different styles. Franklin uses a measured standup style that mixed in effective punches, kicks, and strong knees from the clinch. He is a force from the outside as well as up close. Henderson, on the other hand, has one of the best right hands in the world and isn't afraid to use it. He focuses on throwing that brutal punch as often as he can even at the expense of taking some shots himself. It helps that he possesses arguably the toughest chin in the UFC, having never been knocked out. I give Franklin a slight edge here as I believe that he will be able to take advantage of Henderson's wild swings with a series of counter punches that could take their toll on Hendo. 

Who is better on the ground?

Dan Henderson is possibly the best wrestler in all of MMA. There are probably a handful of elite jiu-jitsu guys who might think they could get the better of Hendo on the ground but even they would have their hands full. Rich Franklin is also an excellent grappler with strong, but not quite elite jiu-jitsu ability. His real strengths on the mat are superior ground and pound and a knack for avoiding submissions (he's never been submitted though he's appeared to locked into submission on a number of occasions). In total, I give a slight edge to Hendo as his wrestling is just too good. 

Who will win?

So Henderson is amazing on the ground and just really good on his feet and Franklin is great on the feet and just really good on the ground. Either one of these guys would dispatch of 90% of anyone else with relative ease. It takes an elite guy to challenge these two. Both are among the smartest and most determined fighters out there. It's too close to call but since I promised a prediction it'll be Henderson by unanimous decision based solely on his superior chin and mat wrestling acumen. I figure he'll be able to absorb whatever Rich throws at him whilst standing up and will be able to impose his will when the fight goes to the mat. Enjoy the big fight this Saturday on Pay Per View!