September 2010 Archives

I'm not sure which idea is worse. Re-releasing the Star Wars movies in 3D or remaking the Hawaii Five-O series.

Star Wars: 3D, really? I think Star Wars should be kept as is in a vault far away from George Lucas like a Walt Disney classic and re-released to theaters every few years for new generations of film goers. That's its proper role now.

Hawaii Five-O: I like Alex O'Loughlin. He was excellent in Moonlight. His Steve McGarrett doesn't have the melodramatic flair that his predecessor in the role, Jack Lord, had but who does? Here nor there, David Caruso is merely a pale imitation of Lord. About the QOTD: It is one of the most famous lines in all of TV. It just doesn't sound right coming from anyone but Jack Lord.

R.I.P., Tony Curtis. He hadn't done anything I cared much about since The Great Race but I'm still sad to see him go.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Tea For The Tillerman - Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman
2. In The Light - Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti [Disc 2]
3. Tarot Woman - Rainbow - Rising
4. 2112 - Rush - 2112
5. Burnin' For You - Blue Oyster Cult - Fire of Unknown Origin

Quote of the Day

Book 'em, Danno

Steve McGarrett, Hawaii Five-O

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "It pains us to report that Tony Curtis, one of the most gifted actors of all time, is gone at age 85."

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$54,896 for dinner. I don't know how many guys showed up for that event but there are only 53 players on the whole team. My elementary school math puts that at over $1000 per man. Professional football players probably eat twice as much as the average Joe and the menu is a little pricey ($7.95 for a baked potato????) but that tab is still ridiculous. If they all ate two steaks, two appetizers, two desserts, etc, they still should have gotten out of there for about $300 each. His teammates weren't the only ones soaking him.

If you needed further evidence that the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is anything but a joke, look no further than today's QOTD. They should remove "Rock n Roll" from the name of the building and Cleveland ought to demand that any ceremony and telecast involving their building be held in Cleveland, not New York. Check out this year's list of nominees:

Alice Cooper - Yes, but a long time ago
Beastie Boys - NO, they're not rockers
Bon Jovi - Someday, maybe, but not yet
Chic - ??????
Neil Diamond - Not really a rocker
Donovan - No
Dr. John - No
J. Geils Band - No
LL Cool J - No
Darlene Love - ???????
Laura Nyro - Good songwriter but not a rocker
Donna Summer - Not a rocker
Joe Tex - No
Tom Waits - No
Chuck Willis - No

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Red Staggerwing - Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - All The Roadrunning
2. Welcome to the Machine - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
3. Stargazer - Rainbow - Rising
4. The Real Me - The Who - Quadrophenia [Disc 1]
5. Crossroads - Cream - The Cream Of Clapton

Quote of the Day

And, hey, if there’s anyone you’re glad the Hall did nominate — personally, I was psyched to see Chic, Darlene Love, and the Beastie Boys on the list — let us know about that, too.

Simon Vozick-Levinson

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "The 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees will be announced in December 2010 and the Induction Ceremony will take place on March 14, 2011 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be televised live on Fuse, Madison Square Garden’s national music television network."

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Naturally, the root canal therapy I need requires a specialist and, of course, it won't be covered by insurance and, it has to be done relatively soon because the pain and swelling will only get worse. ALL health care plans should cover dental procedures that are absolutely necessary but can't be done by a dentist. Live in pain or go broke? I'm not in that position yet but some people surely are. It's an awful choice. (Note: After some shopping around this morning, it looks like this procedure may not break the bank. It will definitely dent it, though.)

There's a film clip at the New York Times that features a game that I saw live and remember vividly. In the 60s and 70s, the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs had a type of rivalry that doesn't exist in the NFL any more. They really hated each other. When they played, it was almost always televised here. All of their games were great but that one was amazing because quarterback Blanda led the comeback for the Raiders at the age of 45 and placekicker Blanda kicked the game-winner. Kansas City Head Coach, Hank Stram, had sent his tallest player to the goal line to try to block the kick as it came down over the crossbar. It was a 52-yard attempt and it didn't figure to clear the crossbar by much. It didn't. That Chiefs player almost blocked it. If you're old enough to remember the old AFL and you think of those times and players, Blanda leaps to mind just like Joe Namath, Lance Alworth, and Len Dawson. He was one of their original colorful characters. R.I.P., George Blanda.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. The World - Earlimart - Mentor Tormentor
2. Harry's Game - Clannad - Anam
3. Woodstock - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Déjà Vu
4. My Sweet Annette - Drive By Truckers - Decoration Day
5. Good - Better Than Ezra - Deluxe

Quote of the Day

I signed with Houston because I knew Bud Adams (the team owner) had a lot of money

George Blanda, NFL Hall-of-Famer

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Pulpal access revealed a necrotic pulp chamber."

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A tip of the cap this morning to the Atlanta Falcons on a well-played game and a hard-fought win yesterday over the Saints. The game was close throughout. The Falcons got three turnovers from the Saints but the biggest and most important thing the Falcons did yesterday was they kept moving the chains. They converted third downs and even fourth downs. The Saints D has to do a better job of getting off of the field. Speaking of having to do a better job, kicker Garrett Hartley had better get it together soon or he'll find himself on the street. He flubbed the game winner in overtime yesterday after the defense finally got off the field and after the offense had put him in prime position for the win. With a hard-fought game on the line, he has to make 29-yard field goals. He has to. Lots of football left. These two hook up again in the Georgia Dome on a Monday night after Christmas. Anxious to see what will be on the line by then. Struggling Carolina up next for the Saints and the struggling 49ers up next for the Falcons.

On the fantasy football front, my teams went 1-1 yesterday. One of them ran into a buzzsaw led by Michael Vick, Adrian Peterson, and Jeremy Maclin. It didn't help that I waived the Seahawks defense and special teams (17 points) for the Dolphins defense and special teams (0 points) yesterday morning on a hunch that Mark Sanchez was going to turn back into a pumpkin. The other benefited from a Seahawks defense and special teams that I didn't get around to waiving yesterday.

After tonight, barring a tie, there will only be three undefeated teams in the NFL, two in the AFC and one in the NFC. I don't see any of those three going much further that way.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Deep Purple playlist:

1. You Fool No One - Deep Purple - Burn
2. Love Don't Mean a Thing - Deep Purple - Stormbringer
3. Living Wreck - Deep Purple - Deep Purple In Rock
4. Fools - Deep Purple - Fireball
5. Knocking At Your Back Door - Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers [Bonus Track]

Quote of the Day

But just when it seemed like the Saints would escape with another hard-fought victory, their year of living dangerously finally caught up to them.

Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Carolina Panthers’ defense feels pressure"

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How to describe The Good Guys? It's kind of a buddy cop show. Jack Bailey, played by Colin Hanks, Tom Hanks' son, is a decent cop. They've partnered him with Dan Stark, played by Bradley Whitford. Stark is an old school cop who doesn't do anything by the book. He and his former partner solved a big case many years ago and the department is pretty much forced to keep him on even though they think he's washed up. Stark is a loose cannon and Bailey is basically his babysitter. They've been assigned to the property crimes division aka cop purgatory mainly to keep them out of trouble. From there, they stumble and bumble their way ala Inspector Clouseau into bigger crimes. It galls their superiors and their colleagues. It's ridiculous and it will absolutely make you cringe sometimes but I dare you not to smile. The Good Guys will grow on you.

The Saints take on the Falcons today in the SuperDome. The two teams are old rivals. It figures to be another tight one and it also figures to be very physical. Both teams are pretty good and know each other very well. I expect the Falcons offense to have some success against the Saints defense. I'm very interested to see how the Falcons defense handles the Saints offense. They've played well in the first two games but Drew Brees is a few rungs up the QB ladder from Dennis Dixon and Derek Anderson. That will be the key today. The Falcons are a popular choice to upset the Saints today in the SuperDome and they seem to be a very confident bunch. It's a good test for the Saints.

I offer two images from CrabAppleLane taken just a few minutes ago.

From the CrabAppleLane back deck - September 26, 2010

CrabAppleLane hummingbird heading back to her perch - September 26, 2010

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Black Sabbath playlist:

1. Snowblind - Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Vol. 4 (Remaster)
2. Dirty Woman - Black Sabbath - Technical Ecstasy
3. Paranoid - Black Sabbath - Paranoid
4. Wheels Of Confusion / The Straightener - Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Vol. 4 (Remaster)
5. Symptom Of The Universe - Black Sabbath - Sabotage (Remaster)

Quote of the Day

I guess in this world, we don't have a lot of people with backbones. Just because somebody pay you money don't mean they'll make you do whatever they want. I mean, that means everything is for sale. I mean, I'm not for sale. Yeah, I signed the contract and got paid a lot of money, but just because, that don't mean I'm for sale or a slave or whatever.

Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "This game is a proving grounds for the Falcons."

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Silly rant on. My host server had database issues from sometime Monday morning/afternoon until yesterday morning. The issue was totally out of my hands. That used to bother me a lot more than it does now even though my host server would probably have a different notion of that. Considering a hardware upgrade from a shared server to a VPS server. They've come down in price considerably. The main obstacle here is the transfer although I don't need any new expenses, either. The host won't do the transfer for me. I'll never understand that. It seems to me that it would be easier for them to transfer all of the files and directories from one of their machines to another one of their machines. When you transfer large numbers of files via internet like I'd have to do, it's tedious and they get corrupted. Silly rant off.

There are some great expressions used in sports to indicate when the game is essentially over or almost over.

Stick a fork in him. He's done.
It aint over until the fat lady sings.
Turn out the lights. The party's over.
It aint over 'til it's over.
Say goodnight, Gracie.

Add today's QOTD to that list. I had never heard it.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Top 25 Most Played:

1. On Every Street - Dire Straits - On The Night (LIVE) - 5 plays
2. Praan - Garry Schyman & Palbasha Siddique - Where The Hell Is Matt? - 16 plays
3. Already Gone - The Eagles - Their Greatest Hits - 5 plays
4. A Song of Simplicity - Elijah Bossenbroek - Harmony in Disarray - 8 plays
5. Small Town Saturday Night - Hal Ketchum - Past The Point Of Rescue - 8 plays

Quote of the Day

A desperate John Fox turns his lonely eyes to Jimmy Clausen as the QB for the Panthers. I think you can stick four pins in that battleship.

Dave Choate

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "A native of rural County Kildare in Ireland, Heidi now calls Edinburgh her home."

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Decided to set up the camera, use what I learned a few days ago, and try to capture their activity in the morning. Didn't think I had enough light but it turned out OK. You can hear the news in the background mentioning this week's Saints-Falcons game. This is what we get to watch just outside our living room window. It is one of our greatest joys. For what it's worth, there is another feeder out. It gets hardly any visitors. Not sure what the deal is with this location but it gets, by far, the most activity. They are swarming now because they're about to head south for the winter. Not sure if these are all regular visitors or if some of them are heading south from northern climes. They're all welcome. Enjoy.

The Saints and Falcons renew their old feud this Sunday. Atlanta and New Orleans are natural rivals going back to before the Civil War. The two teams entered the NFL a year apart and have been archrivals ever since. Falcons fans travel to New Orleans and Saints fans travel to Atlanta for the road games. They've played each other more than they've played anyone else. Both have been pretty sorry for most of their existence. That changed for the Saints last season and it kind of galls the Falcons. I'm OK with that. :)

About today's QOTD: Yes.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. What It Is - Sailing To Philadelphia - Mark Knopfler
2. Nothing Man - Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
3. Lunatic Fringe - Red Rider - As Far As Siam
4. Rock n Roll Widow (Live) - Wishbone Ash - Live Dates [Disc 1]
5. Quadrophenia - The Who - Quadrophenia [Disc 1]

Quote of the Day

Though our federal prison system is overcrowded, should we not make room in it for grown-ups who compete with children for foul balls?

Steve Rushin, Sports Illustrated

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Atlanta at New Orleans – The best game of the 1pm slate, two good NFC South teams do battle in what could be a shootout."

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The databases here were down for the last few days. I'll be poking around to see if anything is broken over the next few days and nights. Things may be wonky until I can check everything out.

Just the kind of fantasy football night I like. It is a rare occasion when my Saints rooting interest and my fantasy football rooting interest are the same. I need a good game out of Saints WR Marques Colston and a bad night for the 49ers defense.

There was a time when the Saints were sacrificial lambs when they headed to Candlestick Park to take on the 49ers on Monday Night Football. The 49ers have a lot going on and a lot going for them tonight. They'll have a raucous home crowd and a little extra in the form of a ceremony to retire Jerry Rice's number at halftime. They'll also want to atone for the egg they laid last week in Seattle. I expect them to have a charge. It'll be a good test for both teams. The formula really doesn't change much from week to week for the Saints. If they take care of the ball, they'll take care of the 49ers.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane May 22, 2010 #1 playlist:

1. Lick Your Fingers Clean - Jethro Tull - Aqualung
2. Jane - Jefferson Starship - At Their Best
3. California Dreaming - Mamas and Papas - Andrea's Gift Mix
4. Rock 'n Roll Soul [Live] - Grand Funk Railroad - Caught In The Act
5. Throw Down The Sword - Wishbone Ash - Live Dates [Disc 1]

Quote of the Day

Overhyped Cowboys headed for disaster; offense a joke

Jean-Jacques Taylor, Dallas Morning News

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "There are two basic things the 49ers need to beat the Saints tonight: A pass rush and a running game."

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My camera is not well-suited for video but it was worth a try. Looks a little digitized. A sampling of the CrabAppleLane Hummingbird Flock. Enjoy.

The CrabAppleLane tractor and tiller put up their usual good fight yesterday but, once again, I prevailed. The fall garden is ready for planting. After about an hour's worth of hitching up the tiller in the September sun and 15-20 minutes of actual tilling, I was a little more beat than I expected. Think it was tractor/tiller revenge. I offer the two images below, before and after.

Before - CrabAppleLane Spring Garden - September 18, 2010

After - CrabAppleLane Fall garden - September 18, 2010

For the second Sunday in a row, NO Saints game. Hate it.

Vikings fans can thank me later for their win today over the Dolphins. I benched Brett Favre this morning on my fantasy team in favor of Kyle Orton. Just have no confidence in the Vike passing game yet. This pretty much ensures a 450yd-6TD performance.

About today's QOTD: Thanks, Mike.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane May 22, 2010 #2 playlist:

1. Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits - Dire Straits
2. On The Turning Away - Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason
3. Worlds Apart - Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
4. Time Stand Still - Rush - Chronicles [Disc 2]
5. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III

Quote of the Day

We will not try to stop Drew Brees, we will stop Drew Brees.

Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Storm Clouds and Late Day Sun"

Lovely photoblog. -Rob

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Hope to get a fall garden planted today. It's up to the tractor and the tiller. The two didn't fight me too hard in the spring. We'll see what today brings. Hope to get down a lot of Brussels's sprouts. We both love them and there is nothing quite like fresh-picked young sprouts. I might plant some other things, too. Just depends on what's available. If my choices are broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, I'll probably just plant a whole garden of sprouts.

Today's BOTD was sent to me by my wife. Be sure you check out those pencil carvings. Incredible skill and patience must have been required. Always amazes me because I have neither.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "A”:

1. Already Gone - The Eagles - On the Border
2. All Mixed Up - The Cars - The Cars
3. Anyone's Daughter - Deep Purple - Fireball
4. Alegria - Cirque du Soleil - Alegria
5. Ashes to Diamonds - Tom Cochrane & Red Rider - Tom Cochrane And Red Rider

Quote of the Day

The rivalry between New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma and San Francisco 49ers tailback Frank Gore was so intense during their time together at Coral Gables High School in South Florida that their coach, Joe Montoya, said he often had to replace one of them on the practice field out of fear that "they'd end up killing each other."

Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "(Above) I really love this...."

That's the one I like best, too, but they're all amazing. -Rob

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Celebrating 25 years smoke-free today. I've told the story of how I did it before. Cold turkey. I didn't tell anyone so there was no one encouraging me or asking me about it and there was no pressure on me that I might fail. After a while, I just stopped thinking about it. It was surprisingly easy for me. What I don't remember is how I handled all of the people who used to bum cigarettes off of me. There were a lot of them. I'm guessing they had to quit, too. :)

Some old time baseball played last night between the Twins and White Sox. I came across the game while channel-surfing. Veteran Twins pitcher Carl Pavano had a pitch get away from him that hit a batter in the face. It was not as bad as it looked and not nearly as bad as it could have been but it was surely scary. Remarkably, the batter, Paul KonerkoIt, stayed in the game. The pitch looked unintentional to me but the White Sox apparently didn't see it that way or perhaps some frustration was starting to seep in because their season was slipping away. In the next inning, veteran White Sox left-hander, Mark Buehrle, a very good pitcher with good control, hit the first Twins batter, right-hander Michael Cuddyer, in the middle of the back with his very first pitch. Nothing unintentional about that one. Cuddyer headed to first without even looking at Buehrle, came around to score the first run in a three run inning, and went on to have a good night at the plate. That's always the best response. A little surprised to see Buehrle admit that he was told to hit the batter. What he said according to the Associated Press via ESPN:

When I'm told to do something I try to go out there and do it to the best of my ability. Obviously you got to protect your guys.

And some football for a Friday: Back in the old NFC West days, the 49ers were often world champions and the Saints were often in disarray. Times have changed. I'm OK with that. :)

I present today's QOTD without further comment. :)

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Top Of The World - Trevor Jones - The Last Of The Mohicans
2. We Got The Beat - The Go-Go's - The Rolling Stone Women In Rock Collection [Disc 2]
3. Smokestack Lightning - The Yardbirds - Heart Full Of Soul And Other Hits
4. A Passage To Bangkok [Live] - Rush - Chronicles [Disc 2]
5. Daddy's Gone To KnoXVIlle - Mark Knopfler - The Ragpicker's Dream

Quote of the Day

Does anyone honestly watch the Superbowl halftime show? That's the opportunity to go outside with the guys and smoke a cigar and perhaps enjoy a nice scotch while the womenfolk cackle back and forth about shoes and the newest vacuum cleaner and whatnot.

MSNBC comment

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "The lasting impression of that play, however, won't be the baseball threads imprinted on Konerko's cheek Friday morning, it will be Konerko pulling himself up off the dirt and literally trying to pull his arm away from the trainer so he could take first base."

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Started thinking about something last night that led me to this entry. I have no idea how I get from A to Z sometimes but here we go. I love the cheer that goes up at the beginning of the famous part and the conductor's quick smile in the video below. There is a new expression I've been hearing lately. It's "men of a certain age". Not sure what it means but I kinda think it means men my age. Well, "men of a certain age" don't think William Tell or Rossini when we hear this. I offer a little music this morning to get your motor running. Hi-yo, Silver, away. :)

There is a version of this that I heard once right around the first time I hooked up surround sound for the first time at our old house in Metaire. Would love to find a recording of that but I don't remember enough details to do a decent search for it. Although the version above is flawless to my untrained ears, the other one is the one I judge all others by. It was a large group of all star high school musicians. They played at a famous concert hall in Europe, whose name I've forgotten. What separated that one from all others, to me, is the number of instruments involved and the location. To hear hundreds of horns echoing and cascading that fantastic music throughout that auditorium was just incredibly stirring. I have never heard anything like it but this will do for a Thursday morning. :)

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Too Rolling Stoned - Robin Trower - Bridge Of Sighs
2. Lyin' Eyes - The Eagles - Their Greatest Hits
3. Alberta - Eric Clapton - Unplugged
4. Walking On The Moon - The Police - The Police Greatest Hits
5. Lookin' Out For No.1 - UFO - Essential UFO

Quote of the Day

After performing a hysterectomy last year, a California gynecologist used a cauterizing tool to brand his patient’s name on her removed uterus, an unorthodox move that the doctor calls a “friendly gesture,” but which the woman terms “despicable conduct” in a medical negligence lawsuit.

The Smoking Gun

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Its people are not interested in political power as such, he said, but in changing people’s minds about big government. This, I thought, is the libertarian revolution. But as long as the Tea Party is mired in Republican abstractions like the budget deficit, while accepting and even promoting the empire and the police state, it will not really effect those in power."

"The empire and the police state" is way too harsh for my tastes ... and inaccurate. -Rob

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I'm a big fan of Ken Burns documentary about the Civil War. It is the best documentary I ever saw. I'm not as big a fan of his documentary about baseball. It's a personal thing. The storytelling was fine but some of the interviews bugged me. There's an element to baseball that has always bothered me. They are the purists, the snobs, the asterisk crowd. They were a little too prominent in that film for my tastes. I digress. Burns is going into extra innings now and it looks like his new documentary will be mostly about what some are now calling "the steroids era". I'll pass.

Today's QOTD is about Reggie Bush, USC, and the NCAA. Reggie Bush is forfeiting his Heisman Trophy. He's basically telling everyone to go away. He wants to move on. If he was not as contrite as some would have liked, I would say too bad. His less-than-contrite posture was appropriate to USC's indignant posture and Mark Saxon's and the NCAA's sanctimonious posture. The sanctimonious NCAA took scholarships, bowl trips, and other lollies away from the indignant USC. That punishment does not befit the crime. It is horribly wrong to punish the kids in school today for something that happened five years ago. They're NOT GUILTY.

If the NCAA really wanted to clean up this problem, if indeed it is a problem, they need to be a little more serious about it. First, police this stuff while they're in school, not five years later. If caught, revoke their scholarship and eligibility and only theirs. If the school is involved, fine them a proportionate amount of their athletic revenue. Second, the rules need to make sense and be fair. Why can't a student athlete talk to an agent while he's in school? A drama student can talk to an agent without repercussion. A law student can take a summer job at a law firm. Military recruiters are on campus recruiting students for their life after university. The NCAA should at least bring their rules in line with other fields. A student athlete should have all of the same rights and opportunities that other students have and they shouldn't have to wait until they get out of school. I'll now step away from the soapbox.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "B”:

1. Bleed Like Me - Garbage - Bleed Like Me
2. Back On The Road Again - REO Speedwagon - Arch Allies: Live at Riverport
3. Beachcombing - Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - All The Roadrunning
4. Both Sides Now - Judy Collins - Wildflowers
5. Because The Night - 10,000 Maniacs - MTV Unplugged

Quote of the Day

The 2010 and 2011 USC teams won't be able to compete for a BCS title or even enjoy a bowl game. Because of scholarship limitations, the BCS dreams might be out of reach for a decade or so. The Trojans are under probation through 2013.

Mark Saxon, ESPNLosAngeles.com

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "I completely balked at the idea that I, Sab-not-yet-Mad, the free-spirited girl, was a control freak."

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Rizzoli and Isles closed out their first season with quite a bang last night. Good job. If they do another season, I'm in. I'm a little disappointed that 10 episodes constitutes a season these days but I suppose that's just as well. Hard to keep the writing up or my gnat-like attention span for 22-24 episodes. The Dick Van Dyke Show did 30-32 quality episodes every season for five years but that kind of quality and talent is rare. By the way, the cool Irish music for this show is supposedly not The Dropkick Murphys. Whoever it is below, enjoy. :)

One of the many problems of calling a lot of media attention to yourself is that they'll sometimes pay a lot of attention. Some of the media won't want to report what everyone else is reporting so they'll look elsewhere for a story. If there is one, they'll probably find it. That item would have gone unnoticed forever had The Good Pastor not thrust himself into the limelight. It's not going away now.

About last night's ALL-AFC Monday Night NFL doubleheader: I only watched about 10 minutes of each game so take what I say with a few pounds of salt. Three of the four teams were playoff teams last season and fancy themselves as Super Bowl contenders this season but, by far, the most exciting team I saw last night was the fourth team, the Kansas City Chiefs. They have some exciting young players and are going to be a handful for anyone in Arrowhead. Jamaal Charles and Dexter McCluster are a blast to watch. Enjoy that team, KC. They're a fun bunch.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. You Love The Thunder - Jackson Browne - Running On Empty
2. Closer - Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
3. The Flower Of Carnage - 梶芽衣子 - Kill Bill, Vol. 1
4. Mister Superstar - Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar
5. Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks, 1964-1971 [Disc 2]

Quote of the Day

Whether it’s truly a new era or the Chiefs are merely better swimmers than the San Diego Chargers will be determined in subsequent weeks.

Adam Teicher, Kansas City Star

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Confounded by poor communication, the 49ers might cut out the middle man. Coach Mike Singletary on Monday said offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye could be on the sideline rather than the coaching booth next week when the team faces the New Orleans Saints."

Not understanding how those issues weren't resolved during the preseason. -Rob

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Too much schadenfreude is unhealthy but that play at the end of the half in the Cowboys-Redskins game made me smile. I can't help it and I know I'm not the only one. :) They should have taken a knee. I'm all for aggressive play but they were 65 yards out, only down by 3, and there was a whole second half to play. Easily the Dumbass Play of the Week.

Not often does Mike Florio have anything relevant to say about football but I agree with him in this case. If I'm a team doctor, an owner, a coach, or a teammate, no way do I allow that guy back on the field.

If there is anything certain in this world, it's that the 49ers will put forth a better effort next Monday night against the Saints in San Francisco than they did yesterday against the Seahawks in Seattle. Love the quote from Mike Singletary yesterday:

To Seattle I do want to say thank you very much for kicking our tails.

Wonder if he dropped his pants, too.

About today's QOTD: It's from the referee in yesterday's Lions-Bears game in Chicago. You can watch it here. If the link doesn't take you directly to it, it's the one titled "Controversial call on Megatron non-TD". That I have Calvin Johnson in one of my fantasy leagues has no bearing on my feeling that the rule, as written, needs to be fixed. That should have been a game-winning touchdown catch. We're getting a little too much into "process" and "second act" nonsense minutiae. If the receiver has control of the ball and both feet down in bounds, that should be enough to call it a catch. The player had control of the ball and it broke the plane of the goal line. If that's enough for a running play, it's enough for a pass play.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Down To You - Joni Mitchell - Court And Spark
2. Eye - Smashing Pumpkins - Lost Highway
3. Warning Sign - Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
4. Lazy [Live] - Deep Purple - Made In Japan [Disc 1] [Live]
5. Cecilia - Simon & Garfunkel - Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits

Quote of the Day

In order for the catch to be completed, he has got to maintain possession of the ball throughout the entire process.

Referee Gene Steratore

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "While they may have a lot of talent on paper, football games are not won on paper. They are won in TV sets (credit Kenny Mayne for that one)."

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Glad the Saints have one in the win column this morning but not wild about the disruption to my Sunday game routine. Only have 8 Sunday noon games this season. It is the one downside to last year's success. I have a free weekend of NFL Sunday Ticket this week but I doubt I'll be watching much football today or tomorrow. Although the game didn't live up to the hype Thursday night, I am very pleased with the outcome and the effort. I love the Saints' mental toughness in the fourth quarters of close games. That's the major difference between 2009-10 and 2006-07-08. They'll have their share of blowouts this season but that mental toughness will be what separates them from most of the teams in the NFL. We have a serious Super Bowl contender here in New Orleans, folks.

I offer one from the CrabAppleLane front yard on this hot Sunday afternoon.

CrabAppleLane Crepe Myrtle - September 12, 2010

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Principles Of Lust [(A) Sadeness, (B) Find Love, (C) Sadeness (Reprise)] - Enigma - MCMXC a.D.
2. Blossom - James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
3. Time In A Bottle - Jim Croce - AM Gold 1970-1974
4. Posthuman - Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals
5. Mama Told Me (Not To Come) - Three Dog Night - AM Gold 1970-1974

Quote of the Day

The head was getting a bit loose, so we worked together and figured out how to stabilize things. I think he will be good for awhile.

Bioanthropologist Ron Beckett

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Checking the mail has never been so much fun. One by one, Postcards from the Gulf are returning from the studios of artists on three continents."

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Ring a bell. Observe a moment of silence. Say a prayer. Do what you think appropriate to commemorate the lives lost and the world that was lost on this day 9 years ago.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Empty Sky - Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
2. Lord Of The Thighs - Aerosmith - Get Your Wings
3. Alash Khem (Alash River Song) - Béla Fleck & The Flecktones - Live At The Quick
4. The Way - Fastball - All the Pain Money Can Buy
5. Hard Lovin' Man - Deep Purple - Deep Purple In Rock

Quote of the Day

Judson Box has never known exactly how his son, Gary, died on September 11, 2001. But an unexpected find nine years later has given him a glimpse into his son's final hours.

Jesse Solomon, CNN

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Something caught my mind yesterday while I was walking down the street. If you've never been to Manhattan, you might be surprised to find that sometimes, you see people walking down the street crying. I've seen it a number of times, and it always strikes a chord with me. Usually, when I feel the need to cry, I can pretty much only sit and cry. I can't imagine the force of sadness it would take for me to be able to cry and walk, let alone walk outside. I'm very very glad I can't, and I feel terrible that there are those who can."

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The Saints offense was in high gear and opened the first half last night with an impressive drive. Drew had time to throw and his guys were open. They opened the second half with another impressive drive mostly running the ball and sprinkling in just a few timely passes. Both resulted in touchdowns. They closed out the game with a very effective clock-killing drive. They did almost nothing in between those drives and, after a night's sleep, I'm not even slightly concerned about that. They are going to get better and they won't be facing the Vikings defense every week. There will be fireworks this season and that offense is going to go off on more than a few teams. I was very impressed with the Vikings defensive preparation. After the first drive, they settled down and held their own despite being shorthanded in the secondary. It was no easy feat.

On defense, I was very pleased that the Saints didn't give up any long runs. The Vikes ran the ball effectively at times but, somehow, the Saints get teams to abandon their running game every week. Adrian Peterson, their great running back, wasn't much of a factor in the second half. The Viking passing game was off for most of the night and that opens them up to criticism that they didn't have enough time together in training camp and preseason because of Brett Favre's late arrival and Percy Harvin's migraine issues. It's legitimate criticism and some are probably jumping for joy this morning saying, "I told you so". They have time to correct their problems and I expect they will.

I didn't think the Saints had a problem at placekicker. Hartley missed two last night. Not too concerned about the 1st one. That was a 46-yarder and forgivable since it was the first miss in a long time. The second 32-yarder that they really needed is inexcusable and intolerable. My advice to him is he'd better not miss another one under 50 yards for a while.

The game didn't have a chance to live up to expectations and to say it didn't would be an understatement. Both teams have some work to do but it would not surprise me at all if they saw each other again this season. Kinda surprised there was no chippiness last night, though. All of the penalties were of the stupid variety, including offsetting facemask penalties. I've seen that before but it's usually when a ball carrier tries to stiff-arm a tackler and they end up grabbing each others' facemask. These infractions were in two different parts of the field. About that: Obviously, I never played football at the NFL level. When I did play football, though, my hands never got near a facemask while blocking or tackling. Who is teaching that?

About today's BOTD: This amateur Civil War amateur is happy to see that. Too many of our historical sites are under pressure from developers, who would turn them into apartment complexes or strip malls. Yeah, America needs more strip malls.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Happiness In Slavery - Nine Inch Nails - Broken
2. A New Machine - Part 1 - Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason
3. Telegraph Road - Dire Straits - Alchemy: Dire Straits Live [Disc 2]
4. Carry Me On My Way - James Taylor - October Road
5. Save The Last Dance For Me - The Drifters - 16 Greatest Hits

Quote of the Day

They rushed three and dropped eight a good portion of the time and we didn't have a lot of answers for that.

Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "On behalf of the Board of Trustees and staff of the Museum of the Confederacy, we are pleased to announce the official groundbreaking for the Museum in Appomattox on September 23, 2010 at 3:00pm."

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It was January 24, 2010. That was the last time the Saints and Vikings played. It was the NFC Championship Game. Those two teams open the season tonight in a much anticipated matchup. Tonight's game will not be like that other one. It can't be like that other one. The stakes were much higher then. The winner would move on to the Super Bowl, the loser would go home. It was the most gut-wrenching, emotionally-draining game I ever saw. This one tonight is Game 1 of 16. Both teams will play again next week. None of this is to say that tonight's game doesn't have a little extra oomph or that it won't be entertaining. It should be a blast.

Anything can happen tonight but I think the game will hinge on the defenses. The Saints D goes for turnovers. The Viking D goes for 3 and outs. Both go after the quarterback. Both teams have great offenses. If both teams are able to protect their quarterback, it will be a wild night. What's not to like? Both teams want to get their season off to a good start. A win tonight will surely be that. Enjoy it but the sun will rise tomorrow either way.

Good Luck, Vikes.

Football season starts tonight ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. This Night - Black Lab - Passion Leaves a Trace
2. Quadrophenia - The Who - Quadrophenia [Disc 1]
3. Speedway At Nazareth - Mark Knopfler - Sailing To Philadelphia
4. Harry's Game - Clannad - Anam
5. I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick - Cheap Trick/In Color/Heaven Tonight

Quote of the Day

We will try to be the most physical team out there.

Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "And yet, I still can’t quite give myself over to becoming a Brad Childress super fan. The problem, for me, is that I’m beginning to suspect he’s a member of the Borg."

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Jackson Square in New Orleans will be closed today while the NFL prepares it for the Kickoff Classic tomorrow night. The business owners near it are not thrilled about that. They weren't informed and it is a disruption to their business. It's a minor quibble, though, and they'll get over it. There are VIPs in town for the game and ALL of the locals are pretty jazzed. There will be a lot of money dropped downtown today and, especially, tomorrow. Those businesses will surely get their share of that booty. Spending a day in the French Quarter and following it up with a night in the SuperDome watching the Saints and Vikings with 75,000 of your closest friends is about as close to heaven as you can get on Earth. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I'll have to settle for watching it in my living room. :)

Today's QOTD is why I read Pro Football Talk. It's the best free comedy anywhere. What separates them from their competition is that theirs is totally unintentional most of the time.

1 day until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Sunshine Of Your Love - Cream - The Cream Of Clapton
2. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues Featuring Kirsty MacColl - If I Should Fall from Grace with God
3. The King Will Come - Wishbone Ash - Argus
4. I Just Want To Make Love To You - Foghat - Live
5. Long Hard Road Out Of Hell - Marilyn Manson & The Sneaker Pimps - Spawn

Quote of the Day

Lockout could lead to 'roids and reefer madness

Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "If you’re bothering to read material on a Vikings blog site, then you don’t need to be told that this is kind of a big deal because, not only is it the first game of the season, but it’s also a rematch of the hard-hitting NFC Championship game when these two teams faced off in the Super Dome on January 24, 2010."

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About jury duty: U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Louisiana draws jurors from all over southeastern Louisiana. That courtroom is in the heart of downtown New Orleans. There is construction all around it. Parking is scarce and expensive. Many of the jurors have never dealt with New Orleans rush hour traffic or downtown parking and many more are intimidated by the big city. Jury duty, alone, is not stressful enough, I suppose. They'll be reimbursed for parking and mileage ... probably some weeks from the completion of their service. They should simply provide the transportation. I'm not saying it needs to be door-to-door but maybe from a staging area somewhere in their community to the courthouse steps. They'd probably save money in the process.

Today's QOTD is once again from former Chicago Bear Dan Hampton.

I find it a little disconcerting that both the Vikings and the Saints are dealing with so many injuries going into the very first game of the year. Makes me wonder what the NFL is thinking by proposing adding two additional games. I'll tell you what I'm thinking. It's a dumb idea.

2 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Boy Inside the Man - Tom Cochrane & Red Rider - Tom Cochrane And Red Rider
2. Stay - David Bowie - Station To Station
3. Dance With The Dragon - Jefferson Starship - At Their Best
4. Whiter Shade Of Pale - Johnny Rivers - Realization
5. T.V. Eye - Wylde Rattz - Velvet Goldmine

Quote of the Day

I realize now it was a terrible choice of words, and I offer absolutely no excuses. I screwed up, about as badly as I could, and I am deeply and profoundly sorry.

Dan Hampton, NFL Hall-of-Famer

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "NFL Week One Video Preview: Minnesota at New Orleans"

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Got plans? It's still a spectacular Labor Day weekend here at CrabAppleLane. I have some computer stuff to do but hope to get out on the bike this afternoon.

The plan was to go get some cheap fast food last night and eat it in Bogue Falaya Wayside Park. It is one of our favorite things to do. When the weather cools a bit, we'll be doing it for lunch once or twice a week. We arrive at the park at about 6:50PM. As we drive through the double-gated entrance, Patsy notices they close at 7PM. We park, get out, and start our meal. About 5 minutes in, I wonder aloud how hard and fast that 7PM closing time is. Two minutes later, we find out. A park official rides up to us first in one of their carts, slows down just a little, and says to us, "Closing up". The park is not very big and it takes him maybe a minute to make the rounds warning everyone. When he's finished at about 6:58PM, he rides up to the entrance and closes one of the gates. Message received. We got out of there. We finished eating in my truck at the Trailhead Park. It was a spectacular evening. I offer a few images that I like.

Covington Trailhead Park - September 5, 2010

Former Covington Train Station - September 5, 2010

Covington Landmark - September 5, 2010

Prominently displayed inside the Woodwright Shop - September 5, 2010 - No idea what this thing is or what it does. Had all sorts of knobs, levers, and rollers. Just thought it was cool.

Covington Mural - September 5, 2010

Today's QOTD is from former Chicago Bear Dan Hampton.

The excitement of Thursday night's Saints-Vikings season opener is starting to build here. The City of New Orleans will pretty much shut down Thursday afternoon. The game is all anyone will be thinking and talking about. It is thoroughly ridiculous to put that much emphasis on the very first game of the season but it's also nearly impossible not to. Crank this mother up ...

3 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Chain Of Fools - The Commitments - The Commitments
2. Gypsy - Black Sabbath - Technical Ecstasy
3. Copland: Appalachian Spring - Leonard Bernstein: New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Copland: Greatest Hits
4. The You Can Tell Me Goodbye - The Casinos - Super Hits
5. The Dogs Of War - Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason

Quote of the Day

The Vikings need to go down there and hit that town like Katrina.

Dan Hampton, NFL Hall-of-Famer

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "The short version is that I have taught for about 30 years. I currently teach in a very “at risk” elementary school – almost 100% free lunch and almost 90% second language learners. I usually “roll” a class for 3 years. I get them as 4th graders and keep them through 6th grade. Poverty causes a high rate of turnover, so I usually end with a little more than half of the students I started with after 3 years. Some years I have 20 or more changes in my classroom. I have the only 1:1 elementary laptop classroom in a school district of 63,000 students. My state (Nevada) funds education 50th in the country."

Got plans? It's a spectacular Labor Day weekend here at CrabAppleLane. I offer one from the back deck.

CrabAppleLane Blue Skies - September 5, 2010

Got a city fix yesterday. Lunch at Liuzza's with Mom. It was her first time there. Have always, always loved their Shrimp Remoulade. When I first got it many years ago, it wasn't on their regular menu. It was a periodic special and I would get it automatically if I saw it on their daily specials chalkboard. They serve it on a po-boy now and I had been dying for one since Patsy told me how great hers was last December. That's also what the Great White Shank had when we hooked up for lunch there. Still love their Shrimp Remoulade but it's a bit messy on a po-boy. I think I'll stick to having it served on a plate when I go there. :) We had some fabulous onion rings. One order was enough for all three of us.

My friend, Marie, is famous now. :) It's a delightful turn of events. Congrats, Marie.

It's Fathers Day down under. Happy Day to all of them.

My good Samaritan from yesterday. I expect a few more from him in the next few days. According to him: "Should you be interested in this name - I'd be glad to consider your offer.". It's not his to sell but I suppose that's a minor detail. He included a link this time. Wouldn't touch it with a 10ft pole.

With a new NFL season on the near horizon, it looks to me like the Saints will enter 2010 much like they did 2009: They have an excellent offense but they have questions on defense. On the bright side, no team is without questions.

The offensive line is big, talented, and deep. Best in the NFL. The tight ends are versatile and dramatically different from each other. They all bring something different to the table. The wide receiver corp is deep, talented, and physical. Best in the NFL. The running backs feature Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas. Both can make plays. In the quarterback league that the NFL has become, the Saints have the very best of the best. I would take Drew Brees over anyone else.

I still just don't know what to make of the defense, though. I expect the defensive line will have good games and bad. They stepped up in the playoffs last season but they had some pretty bad games during the regular season. They're inconsistent and only have one decent pass rusher in Will Smith. They usually don't generate much of a pass rush on their own and they get moved around and sealed off way too much in the running game. The linebackers are a mixed bunch. Jonathan Vilma is a terrific linebacker and signal caller for the D but Scott Shanle is ordinary and we don't even know what other linebackers are going to play yet. The secondary is strong even without Darren Sharper. They're not particularly durable, though. All of them missed time last season.

On special teams, the Saints have a money placekicker and a great punter but I expect them to be a feast-or-famine bunch this year. They'll make a handful of big returns and give up a handful of big returns. They got better during the playoffs last season because Sean Payton sprinkled some starters into those return teams. That was one of the many great calls he made last season.

Finally, the Saints have a great coaching staff. Sean Payton is bright and aggressive. Not a conservative bone in his body. He attacks. How do you not love a guy who has the stones to call an onside kick in a Super Bowl? Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams does not own a conservative bone, either. He also attacks. The defense is going to give up plays but they will make plays, too. I think Curtis Johnson will be a fine head coach some day. Most of the Saints staff is young. Love everything about what they're doing.

The season opener with the Vikings looms large. No excuses. No quarter.

4 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Mark Knopfler playlist:

1. On Every Street - Dire Straits - On Every Street
2. Lions - Dire Straits - Dire Straits
3. Back To Tupelo - Mark Knopfler - One Take Radio Sessions
4. The Fish And The Bird - Mark Knopfler - Kill To Get Crimson
5. Tunnel Of Love - Dire Straits - Making Movies

Quote of the Day

It's Sunday morning, but it's the start of the work week for the Vikings, who return to practice to begin preparations for their season opener against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night.

Chip Scoggins, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Minnesota @ New Orleans - Sept 9 (Thursday Night), 8:30PM on NBC
Minnesota Vikings at the New Orleans Saints is a rematch of the thrilling 2009 NFC Championship Game. This is the first game of Vikings quarterback Bret Favre's 20th season. Meanwhile, the Saints start the defense of their Super Bowl championship. Prior to last season, I never thought I would ever have to write, "the New Orleans Saints are the defending Super Bowl champions.""

Got an email today that states: "In the next few days, crabapplelane.com will be listed for sale. Since you have a similar domain name, I thought you might be interested in acquiring crabapplelane.com." No thanks. I have no interest in it and doubt it will lapse anyway. They're doing my brake tag trick. My brake tag (Inspection sticker) expires at the end of the month. If it expires on May 31, I go in for a new one on June 1. It will expire the following June instead of May. I get an extra month. Shhhh. I think domain names work the same way. You maintain the rights to it for 30 days after it expires so you can break out your credit card on day 30 and get extra time. Amazon.com would never risk that but average amateur hobbyist does it quite often. Crabapplelane.com has expired a few times. I've been notified those few times by various concerned do-gooders that want to help me out. Lots of good Samaritans on the internet, dontcha know? Crabapplelane.com is usually renewed. Since I don't see a website there this time, maybe they're finally giving it up. I'm NOT staying tuned.

Nasty earthquake in New Zealand yesterday. Kiwifruit is OK. Great news.

5 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Treat Her Right - George Thorogood & The Destroyers - The Baddest Of George Thorogood & The Destroyers
2. Come Together - The Beatles - 1
3. Maybe I'm A Leo - Deep Purple - Machine Head 25th Anniversary Edition [Disc 2]
4. Crank Call - Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
5. Blowin' Free - Wishbone Ash - Live Dates [Disc 2]

Quote of the Day

The thing that will stay with me is the sound of smashing glass.

Tony Stuart, New Zealand resident

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Christchurch Hospital is operating but anyone who is injured is being urged to go to their local medical clinic first, unless their situation is severe."

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Last night's Titans-Saints game featured two blocked punts and the Saints electing to go for the win on 4th down with 11 seconds to go when a field goal would have tied it and sent it into overtime. It was still a pretty dull game. 21 penalties. Glad it's over.

Every team in the NFL played last night. I don't remember that ever happening. 32 teams all playing on the same day? Maybe back in the 60s when all games were played on Sunday but it was considerably fewer teams then.

6 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell - Ladies Of The Canyon (Remastered)
2. Supernaut - Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Vol. 4 (Remaster)
3. Tall Cool One - Robert Plant - Now And Zen
4. Highway Star [Live] - Deep Purple - Made In Japan [Disc 1] [Live]
5. Love To Love - UFO - Essential UFO

Quote of the Day

Those weren't the defending Super Bowl champs Thursday night. It was a team of backups. Quarterback Drew Brees didn't even take the field for the Saints.

Jim Wyatt, The Tennessean

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Please realize folks this is nothing more than a shot in the dark. None of us know what’s going on inside the heads of Brad Childress or Rick Spielman right now."

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New Orleans Saints v Tennessee Titans tonight. According to the Tennessean, Jeff Fisher is playing a substantial number of starters for a half. Kinda surprises me. The Saints have declared about 10 starters out. Some of them aren't even making the trip. Drew Brees will not play. Although I love watching him play, this Saints fan is just fine with him riding the bench tonight. I think most Saints fans are.

All of the starters on offense are settled. The only things being decided between now and Saturday are who the backup QB will be and how many at each position will be kept. Things are a little more unsettled on defense but not much more. I don't think there will be any big surprises when cuts are made Saturday. One thing is certain. They're going to be releasing a few guys who can play in this league.

7 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. On The Turning Away - Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason
2. Tea For The Tillerman - Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman
3. Woodstock - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young -Déjà Vu
4. Gallows Pole - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III
5. The Load-Out - Jackson Browne - Running On Empty

Quote of the Day

If you live in New Orleans and die of old age it's your fault.

Angus Lind, Times-Picayune

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "The Tennessee Titans have not really been what you could call a blitzing team. In 2009, they brought only 4 rushers 79.9% of the time, tops in the league."

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Shamelessly stolen from Marie: The anagram generator. My favorite for Rob Ferrara:

A Barf Error

Well, yeah.

Long-winded, whiny rant about the nuisance that are cellphones ___ [Deleted].

Speaking of barf errors, the Patriots are wondering if Randy Moss will stay motivated. Guy is in the league 13 years now. Still don't get him? This is it in a nutshell. As long as he and his team are doing well and as long as it's easy, he's motivated.

Final cutdown day in the NFL is Saturday. All teams had to get down to 75 yesterday and all teams will have to get down to 53 by Saturday. It was reported here that the Saints will start getting ready for the Vikings Sunday. I'm sure a similar report will be filed in Minneapolis sometime this week. When Jim Mora was head coach here, he let it be known that they start preparing for the season opener the day training camp starts. Every camp is a little different but, if you believe these two teams haven't already started to prepare for each other several weeks or even months ago, I've got this bridge ...

Today's QOTD is from Chris Johnson, the Titans excellent running back, and it's on Reggie Bush, a player he seems to know only from television.

8 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
2. Turn The Page - Bob Seger - Greatest Hits
3. Wind Up - Jethro Tull - Aqualung
4. Icarus (Borne on Wings of Steel) - Kansas - Masque
5. Already Gone - The Eagles - Their Greatest Hits

Quote of the Day

I don’t know if he met expectations of what everybody thought he would be. I don’t know what the Saints and their coaching staff expected him to do. But he probably met their expectations.

Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Which was tough because plenty of interesting things happened in the wide world of Vikings football while I was distracted by the cuteness of my teething eight-month-old niece."

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