What's so funny about...?

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us...achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations."
- Abraham Lincoln

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the people of Mumbai, India. A terrible tragedy they have been through but I believe, with the aide of faith, kindness and strength within themselves and from around the world they will prevail.

A few quick thoughts on Post-Turkey Day

Three things I think about the Cowboys resounding defeat of the Seahawks:

1) Romo's pinky is a non-factor. The recieving core is active and confident in the throws that thier QB is making.

2) Our red-zone defense is superb. Jay Ratliff, Demarcus Ware and Bradie James are all having Pro-Bowl and All-Pro seasons. I don't care if that was the Seahawks we were facing. The Cowboys might have a difficult final four games ahead of them but I'm not worried about the O-Lines of any of those teams being able to stop our aggressive guys up-front.

3) The lack of depth at running back is a concern, probably the biggest coming down the stretch. We need a healthy and effective Marion Barber to be a Super Bowl contender.

Five things I think about the Texas Longhorns resounding defeat of the Texas A&M Aggies:

1) Congratulations Colt McCoy! Another fantastic performance in getting your first win over the Aggies. The Heisman should be yours buddy, there's simply no contest. Bradford, Harrell, Tebow, Crabtree are all great athletes, but they can not come close to you in heart and leadership. I proudly say that you are the Tim Duncan of College Football players.

2) Mack Brown is also a class act when compared to the smug, arrogant colleauges of his that are so pre-occupied with "style" points and politiking for BCS points. Up 42-9 with 11 minutes to go in the 4th Quarter he did not hesitate to let most of his second team offense get in the game and they proved to be as formidable as any other program's starters.

3) Bravo to Brandon Collins for stepping up and having a break-out game as the Aggie Defense keyed in on covering Shipley and Cosby. He's just one of many offensive skill players to show real promise this year after all the off-season talk how unsure everyone was of how good this Texas team could be. 11-1 with a shot a both a Big-12 and National Championship. Defeated the #1 team in the country on a neutral field and have played one of the toughest schedules in the country. That's how good this Texas team is.

4) I'm not going to be routing for or against Texas Tech or Oklahoma in thier games this weekend. Texas has taken care of it's business on the field and whatever happens, happens. The many scenarios and tie-breakers are just mind-boggling. Champions are decided by winning and losing football games on the field. Head to head. We don't have a system that seems to be that interested in such practical conventions like that but until we do there's nothing we can do about it but just keep on playing the best football we can.

5) Erin Andrews looked good last night, as always. And she had a good game on the sidelines as well for all those "she's beauty, no brains" haters out there. We can forgive the fact that she's a Gator girl. I think she would do just fine here in Austin, dressed up in some burnt orange with that radiant, life-affirming smile of hers and overly-descriptive hand gestures. OK, I'll stop perving out now. Sorry about that.

Give thanks

I am thankful for President-elect Barack Obama.

I am thankful for the time I got to spend this past year with friends serving our country in the military all over the world. They don't get to come home often enough but when they do we make the most of it.

I am thankful for being in good health, including over a year and half without an episode of paralysis caused by a neuromuscular disorder that a few years ago I feared would have a far worse impact on my life.

I am thankful for hope. Because in a year that has been filled with so much anger, frustration, confusion and desperation it is hope that remains my guiding force to not give up.

I am thankful for the new life that entered my family this year. Beautiful twin boys, Bryce and Bryant, were born in March to my cousin Jennifer and then gorgeous baby girl Ava Nikol this past June to my cousin Stephanie.

I am thankful for the good fortune I've seen come to several of my good friends this past year including an impending marriage as well as academic and career successes.

Let's Pick 'Em - College Football Edition

*note all rankings reflect current BCS standings

(4) Florida at (20)Florida State
If the Gators are looking ahead to Alabama then they are going to be in some trouble, no matter how good they have been playing against some weak SEC teams all year and that powerhouse The Citadel last week. The Noles defense is going to go after Florida’s offensive playmakers, but in the end they won’t have to make much plays as the Gator’s D is pretty formidable itself.

Florida 17, FSU – 13

(1) Alabama vs. Auburn
Alabama is certainly not looking ahead to Florida as they are frothing at the mouth to end a 6-year losing streak in the Iron Bowl and the timing couldn’t be better as the Crimson Tide will roll over the Tigers behind one of the best O-lines in the country helping QB John Parker Wilson make the big plays downfield.

Alabama 31, Auburn 10

(2) Oklahoma at (12)Oklahoma State
The Cowboys will give the Sooners a much better game than the Red Raiders did last week in Norman. And with the home field advantage on their side I expect a very close game although in the end I don’t have enough faith in Oklahoma State’s defense to slow down a steamrolling Sooner offensive attack.

Oklahoma 45, Oklahoma State 28

(5) University of Southern California vs. Notre Dame
Memories of last year’s 38-0 shutout as well as last week’s last second home loss to Syracuse means Charlie Weiss is going to have demand a serious gut-check from his Fighting Irish. The Trojans have spent most of the year playing the JV Squads of the Pac-10 but Notre Dame will still have to play the games of their lives to even keep it close. Jimmy Clausen if there was ever a time to have your first real breakout game of your much-hyped college career this is it.

USC 49, Notre Dame 21

(2) Texas vs. Texas A&M
Colt McCoy finally gets the monkey off his back and wins big over Mike Sherman’s first year Aggie Squad that is hovering at the bottom of the Big-12. This could also be a Heisman clincher for McCoy, but I’m not expecting that he’ll put up massive numbers per se, as the game will probably be well in hand by halftime and I don’t see Mack Brown trying to put up “style” points like so many of his contemporaries do. He’s too classy of a coach to do that. Even so, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Longhorn second team look list starters against this Aggie team.

Texas 52, Texas A&M 17

Bonus NFL Pick :

Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks
It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the Cowboys, although it’s nice to have the Texas Longhorns on the same day as well. The Cowboys much like the Longhorns are facing an opponent they should have no problems with. Last week against the 49ers Terrell Owens exploded to over 200 yards receiving despite Tony Romo still having some gimpy throws affected by his injured pinky. The Seahawks have an even less formidable secondary so I’m confident the good times will continue to roll. Look for Rookie TE Martellus Bennet to continue to make an impact when the defense goes after a banged-up Jason Witten.

Cowboys 35, Seahawks 17

Tomorrow will come a more appropriate Thanksgiving related post, until then Peace, Love & Prosperity to all.

extremis malis extrema remedia

My stomach is twisting in knots right now. I had actually been preparing myself for the notion that this could be a really great Thanksgiving considering I will be able to watch both a Dallas Cowboys and Texas Longhorns football game on the same day for the first time ever. But now I find myself popping an extra Xanax to help calm my nervous stomach after getting the tragic news that a friend lost his parents last week in an apparent murder/suicide. This compounded with this past weekend’s news of a Florida teen who took his own life live on the internet with viewers watching, even taunting and egging him to do it, that just disgusted and disturbed to me no end. I know a lot of things are really hard right now but I would like to think there is more hope than is currently being reflected by such terrible events.

I applaud President-Elect Obama’s concern about the auto industry’s ill-prepared financial bailout package, but then yet another banking giant, Citigroup, gets handed $20 Billion dollars in relief over the weekend without even a blink of an eye. And I can’t but help to go back to well each time I think about our struggling economy and say that it’s an absolute travesty that we are still spending millions upon billions of dollars on failing foreign policy initiatives, including fighting a war in a country that currently has an economic surplus of over a trillion dollars. That’s not just money going down the drain, that’s lives being lost. Lives of American citizens who have volunteered to put themselves in harm’s way to protect their country, but who’s protecting them when they need it?

I overheard a co-worker recently talking about how she didn’t understand why there are so many commercials promoting foster care on television right now. She went to make some sort of blanket statement about how our country’s foster system was a joke full of abusive and greedy people. I wanted to ask whether she actually had any real experience or insight to as why that might be true or if she was just speaking from total ignorance. I also wanted to tell her that while there may be those who have taken advantage of the foster care system the current highest growing population of homeless in this country are children. So children are now both #1 in the categories of poverty and homelessness in the greatest country in the world. Ain’t that something to hang our hats on?

OK. Three paragraphs of venting are enough. I am still very happy to report that my good friend Jenny and her boyfriend Faust are going to be welcoming their first child together this spring. Jenny is going to make a wonderful mother. And to make a completely inappropriate comment, I have to say that it’s going to be some serious Salma Hayek effect going on. Come on, I had to end on a joke, even one in bad taste.

4 Quarters

Let's talk about football...

1) Tony Romo is going to be fine. He had a nice solid game leading the Cowboys to victory over the Redskins. Two interceptions, one that was bad throw and the other just bad luck as it popped out of Terrell Owens' grip and fell into the hands of a Redskin defender. Otherwise he did complete 19 of 27 passes, a sturdy number even when you don't have a bum pinky finger. Only a few passes seemed to be affected by said finger which should continue to heal and stay out risk of re-injury when Romo gets the protection he was getting last night from the offensive line. Even when the Redskins did get some pressure on him he was getting rid of the ball quickly and smoothly.

2) Jay Ratliff should be in Hawaii this February celebrating his first trip to the Pro Bowl. I even think All-Pro honors are in order if he stays as strong down the stretch as he has been the first part of the season. His two sacks of Redskin QB Jason Campbell were huge momentum shifters and his constant hustle all season long as has been a driving force of the Cowboys D-Line.

3) Stud receiver Roy Williams, a mid-season acquisition from the hapless Lions, saw his first game action with Romo last night and while there wasn't much spectacular about it; there will be plenty of good to come from this combo in the future for the Cowboys which should make Jerry Jones realize there's only room for one Roy Williams on the team so it's time to part ways with the other Roy Williams, former Oklahoma safety, who's currently on the Injured Reserve list and out for the entire season. At this point in his career, Williams the Sooner, is injury prone and a liability on pass coverage.

4) The San Diego Chargers would have already won a Super Bowl if they had decided to re-sign Quarterback Drew Brees after the 2005 season instead of anointing their 2004 #1 Draft pick Phillip Rivers as the once and future starter.

Brees himself was the first overall pick of the second round of the 2001 Draft by the Chargers, the same year they selected their sure-fire Hall of Fame running back LaDanian Tomlinson in the first round. Brees did not get much time on the field his first few years with the Chargers and when he did the results were mixed. So the team all but gave-up on Brees and drafted Rivers; who then held-out during training camp and didn't sign his contract until shortly before the season began.

That gave Brees another chance to show what he had and he turned in a fantastic Pro Bowl 2004 season, even leading the Chargers to the playoffs. That was followed up by another strong season in 2005 even though the Chargers just missed the playoffs that year. After that season, San Diego decided they could do just fine with letting Brees go and put their quarterback eggs in Rivers basket. Brees signed with New Orleans Saints and led them all the way to the NFC Championship in first season in 2006.

Rivers has played well in San Diego but the Chargers have come up short in their playoff appearances. This season they are sitting at 4-6 and will most likely miss the playoffs entirely. The QB change can not be entirely put at fault for the Chargers woes, there have been numerous coaching changes and while LT was at his dominant best in a 2006 MVP season, his productivity has started to fall, as is the case with most running backs at this point in their careers.

Meanwhile, Drew Brees has over 3,200 yards passing through ten games this season for the 5-5 Saints, which has him on pace to break the single season passing yardage record. One can only imagine how things would have turned out for the Chargers had they retained Brees services after that 2005 season. I believe they would have more than just contenders, I think they would have won it all at least since 2005.

Vote or Die!

I can barely keep my eyes open right now. I woke-up at 4am this morning a nervous wreck and I guess this is the enevitable crash. So far there's not much news. Polls on the East coast start closing in the next 3 or 4 hours, so if you haven't voted yet then what are you waiting for?! Get out and do your duty. Seriously, I think I should get to vote twice for all of the lazy apathetic people I know that are not voting. At least turnout in general seems to be really high and voters are excited. I am going to be no good at rehearsal tonight, how can I concentrate with such an important and historical night unfolding. Of course my rooting interest lay with Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden for the biggest ticket and my heart goes out to Senator Obama and his family after losing his grandmother this weekend.

As far as local races go, I'm pulling for Democrat Donnie Dippel in the race for the District 17 seat in the Texas House and Democrat Chris Duggan for the newly created 423rd District Court in Bastrop County, both of whom I voted for. Now of course being a Texan I could not vote for Democrat Andrew Rice who is running against incumbent Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe(one of the absolute worst excuses for a human being I can imagine) but I did contribute to Rice's campaign and hope that the people of Oklahoma realize they deserve better.

Spooked

Bad weekend. Bad day. Quick post. Pray for my dreams to come true tomorrow.

OK. So I really blew it on updating my Neewalloh Film Fest. I did watch a lot of horror movies, just didn't do a very good job of keeping track of what I was watching and when. Ultimately I watched a lot of crap and only a few decent flix I had never seen before, so I also had to throw in some classics to help wash the palate. Of course there was this major distraction of Texas Longhorn football and the gauntlet they went through in the month of October, which ended on a sad note this past Saturday night with a loss to Texas Tech in Lubbock. But anyway, here goes a quick recap of the film fest.

The Good: The Deaths of Ian Stone, Dog Soldiers; (re-watched all of the following) - Silver Bullet, Hello Marylou: Prom Night II, Dawn of the Dead (1978 & 2004), The Mist, Evil Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1973), Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

The Bad: Quarantine, Crazy Eights, Dance of the Dead, Student Bodies, Shutter, The Strangers, Dead and Buried, The Hand, Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming, Saw IV & V, The Ring Two, The Eye

The Ugly: The Pit, Hellgate, Diary of the Dead, Darkness, Drive-Thru, Troll/Troll 2, Lifeforce, Cheerleader Camp, Prom Night (2008)

So next year, I know that I'm going to start programming far earlier and with far more discretion. But luckily we are in my favorite movie season, the fall and winter, where we get to catch-up on or re-watch the best from the past summer as they arrive on DVD; and we start getting a chance to check out all of the awards contenders as well as the holiday popcorn flix.