Saturday At Last

Do yourself a favor today and click on the site listed below for a erudite discussion of "The State of Young Art in Britain" by my colleague Andrew McKie.  McKie, a formidable obituarist, is also a reviewer of art, music and politics in the U.K.   This article appears in the June 4, 2010 edition of the Wall Street Journal.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB127560457553800743.html


***********************************************************
 
NEWSWATCH  mourns the loss of a man who made his mark in sports but left a legacy in mankind.  John Wooden has died at 99 years of age.  There will be many words in print honoring this unusually good man who--besides coaching basketball at UCLA--coached young men into being good citizens of the world.  He taught patience and preparation.  He did not scout his opposing teams--his teams had to be ready to play against whatever the other team brought.
 
He taught his players how to put on their shoes and socks. Why?  Surely a college athlete could put on his shoes and socks properly.  Wooden taught them to do it correctly saying that if the socks are wrinkled or twisted, blisters will result.  Blisters and basketball do not mix.
How fortunate for all of us--even those who never played a second of basketball--to have known of Coach Wooden's love of basketball, his players and the game of life.
 
****************************************************************
 
Oil on the water.  Usually an expression of calming something unruly.  But not in this case of endless damage to environment. This situation is turning into a devastating tar-baby.
 
****************************************************************
 
Belmont Stakes runs today.  No super Saver.  No Lookin' At Lucky.  But we have Ice Box and First Dude who should make it a good race.
 

Morning After the Night Before

Alright, so Kobe had to show off before the hometown crowd.  I think the Celtics were distracted--Jack as in Nicholson, Chris as in Rock and David as in Spade just to name a few on the front row.
Loved the revelation that the Celtics players had coughed up $100 each sometime back for their coach to hide somewhere in Staple Center.  The only way they would get their moola back was to return to L.A. for the finals!  And they did. And he did.  Hidden under a ceiling tile somewhere in the building, the money was safe and sound.  Now if they will just win the series, that $100 will be but a drop in the bucket. Go, Celtics.

And because of a terribly bad call, baseball has given us two unlikely heroes. The umpire and the pitcher.  Both men of uncommonly good character.  Tears and hugs; apologies and forgiveness.
Now there is a lesson for us all.

CG

OMG , CG !

I was so intent on slamming the Lakers this morning that I completely omitted the Ken Griffey, Jr. retirement.  Thanks to my colleague who writes that clever "Sideline Chatter" in The Seattle Times,  Dwight Perry, I am now reminded of this breaking news. 
Thanks, Dwight.

Celtics & Lakers

Oh boy......let's see how it goes tonight.  Pizza and something cool to drink; me in front of the TV out here on the prairie screaming as if I were sitting beside Jack at the Staples Center.  Jack wouldn't be happy with me, however, because I would be screaming for the Celtics.  Actually, they are not my favorite team overall but then my Mavericks took an exit way too early. So that leaves the Celtic as my favorite team in this competition.

Sorry, Kobe. I know you have all those rings to show for your prowess on the court.  You also have a few rings--at least one really BIG one for your wife--for your courting prowess.

All that aside, Kobe not only is a poor loser, he is a worse winner.  I will be anxious to see this series to its conclusion.

The Umpire Was Out!

You know all those catcalls from the bleachers:  "Are you BLIND ?"  "Who do you play for?"
"Come on, Ump, get your head in the game!  And many more too graphic to mention.

But in this case, Jim Joyce admitted that his call of safe at first base was WRONG.  Of course, he admitted it after the damage had been done.  Joyce in his own words said, "I just cost that kid a perfect game." 

The kid is Armando Galarraga and he couldn't have been nicer. And he couldn't have  made a better play. This is the pinultimate case for the dreaded replay in a disputed play in baseball as it is used in other sports.  Yeah, maybe it takes away from the old time drama of the game or maybe it causes umpires to be more careful with their big calls....whatever the case, this might just be the case that causes baseball to get into the 20th century. Yes, I know I said 20th.

It may take a fan uprising on the tools of this century like the computer's facebook, emails, blogs and websites to get the attention of the Commissioner.  I, for one, say, "Let's go for it!"

A Golden Girl Exits

Oh no! Rue McClanahan has died today.  She and Betty White have been the Golden Girls survivors.  But now Rue is gone and Betty White stands alone. 
I always loved Rue/Golden Girl for her flirty ways, rakish behavior and her absolute love of men.
The southern accent (although a bit overdone) didn't hurt either.  Sad to say she is gone at 76.

What a Difference a Week Makes !

• Since the last Newswatch posting, the oil disaster has worsened with each passing day.  BP may be working overtime but tell that to the folks who live in Louisiana and who make their livings by water-related industries.  And tell it to the people who are trying to save and rescue fish, fowl, turtles and wetlands.  The "chain of command" is more like "Who's on first" ! 

• The NBA has moved closer to the finals and it appears that the run-ups in both East and West have been much tighter than expected.  That must mean that teams have become far more proficient and more competitive than usual. Or that the teams who thought they would easily blow away the competition have had a big surprise.

• Dennis Hopper has taken his last "easy ride." Hopper had been ill for the past year or so during which he and his present wife filed for divorce.  He had a bit of a checkered personal life but his film career was amazing.   Most of us remember him as the young idealistic son of the Benedicts--Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson--in "Giant."   "Easy Rider" with Peter Fonda  was another of Hopper's films.

• Gary Coleman has died of a brain hemmorage after a series of health problems during his short life of 42 years.

• And while it is really not news, Lindsay Lohan has acquired a new piece of jewelry : an ankle bracelet.  This young woman is in deep trouble but doesn't seem to realize it.  I hope she survives.

• If you are planning to go to Greece, be sure to call ahead.  The country seems to be having a financial meltdown as well as some of the surrounding countries. 

• Wonder what Sarah Palin thinks now of her "Drill, Baby, drill."

Well, Superman (Dwight Howard) better come to the rescue or the Orlando Magic will disappear.

Game 2 finally evolved into a good game but the ole Celtics (Paul Pierce plus 2) plus the young Celtic Rajon put it away.

And while we are at it,  come on , Coach Van Gundy....you really need a wardrobe infusion.  It is hard to believe that you and Pat Riley live on the same planet much less work for the same "professional" outfit.

Just take a look at yourself, Stan.  I like basic black and gray as much as anyone but REALLY!

And just think, these photos are all from DIFFERENT games!

Frankly, my dear, I rather like the Santa....all things considered.

Well, the other shoe dropped last night as the Lakers whopped the Suns.  Nash and the other guys in this photo look like a ballet pose !  Unfortunately, the Suns will have to rise another day (Wednesday) to even the score. The eye was yellow, green and purple.

• Lots of voting today around the country to determine the actual candidates. So what about the Pennsylvania A.G. playing loose and fast with his service in Vietnam?  Did he or didn't he?  Only his draftboard know for sure.

• And "Where in the world is MATT LAUER ?"  Remember that promo for the "Today" mystery designation shows?  Well, now the question refers to whether he is living with or without his spouse.  Me thinks he protests too much, if you know what I mean.

• Fleeting thought:

I think Manu Ginobli and Matt Lauer must have been separated at birth.....it's a nose thing.

• According to reports, the Fountain of Oil is still working overtime at the bottom of the ocean.  What a revolting development this has turned out to be. 

• Tomorrow is another day

• It is starting off as a rather quiet Moday morning.  That always disturbs me a bit because you KNOW that something is going to break somewhere!  However, out here on the prairie it is a picture perfect day. The sun is shining and the birds are singing.

• If you enjoy well-written columns with a bit of humor mixed in, you need to check out Dwight Perry's "Sideline Chatter" at the Seattle Times.  A wordsmith of the first degree, Perry manages to include all the inside scoop from the sports world.  If your paper does not carry his column, go to dperry@seattletimes.com  for a most enjoyable read. 

• With a nod to he graduation season, I have been thinking of what I woud say to a group of fresh-faced college graduates going out into the world.  Here are a few ideas of what I might say:   Should I encourage them to become "Celebrity Apprentices" Or should they pursue "How'd You Get So Rich?"  Of course, "Dancing With the Stars" would be good.  Or perhaps they should become an "American Idol."  In actuality, these lofty goals will likely give way to a feeling of "Lost."

• Remember MSNBC' s Money Honey, Maria Bartiromo? She is the bright and beautiful financial analyst who took cameras on to the floor of the NYSE and began to shed light on some of the murky corners there.  She has a book which we all should probably read: The 10 Laws of Enduring Success based on inteviews with the nation's financial giants and on her experiences as a stock market guru.  The book is in bookstores now.   http://www.bartiromo.com/

• Have a good Monday and we will be watching the news as the world turns today!  

• Yep, they were all "Lookin at Lucky" from behind as they approached the finish line at the Preakness on Saturday.  "Super Saver" must have been saving it for another day. He finished eighth.  Bob Baffert, trainer of Lucky, credits a switch in riders for the improved performance.
• I was very happy to see that Bob Costas finally found someone his size to interview----he could look those jockies right in the eyes!

• This is being written prior to the NBA game between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic. My money is on the Celtics today but watch out for a tough series.  Monday night the Suns and Lakers get together.  Fingers crossed for the Suns.
•  
• Sunday on the prairie is lovely today.......no rain at the moment; big fluffy clouds; no thunder boomers....rainbows were arching yesterday but no pots of gold appeared.
•  
• If you have a decent (serious and workable) solution to the border problems, share it with me.  I have tried for years to figure out an equitable and acceptable solution that would work.  So far, no luck.  And I am not liking the Arizona solution.
•  
• I hope you--and Elena Kagan--are resting up today for the week ahead.  She definitely has her work cut out for her but so far, so good. 

• Well, BP has not made any progress on the Gulf of Oil.  And reports are that another off-shore rig is showing the same problem that led to the blowout of the first rig.  I am really glad to know that Halliburton is on the case.  Wonder how much they are making off this deal?  Maybe that is one reason Mr. Cheney is keeping his mouth shut at the moment.
•  
• Enjoy the rest of the weekend and remember that we will be on News Watch tomorrow.
•  

• The Queen Mother and Princess Ashlee having fun in a parade on the prairie one day.  Note: We were NOT advertising "OORS LIGHT."

• Hurrah for Saturdays.......even the news of the world slows down.  No NBA today.

• However, do not miss the Preakness this afternoon...the second jewel of the triple crown. I like Lookin at Lucky (te story of my life!) but  have to say that Super Saver (definitely NOT the story of my life) may repeat the Derby win.  My best wish would be for Calvin Borel to win on a Bob Baffert horse.  That Bob Baffert is easy on the eyes and looks great in the winner's circle.

• Thinking back over the Correspondents Dinner in D.C. :  Jay Leno was awful!  Old jokes, poor delivery, reading from a little pocket notebook, hair looking like he had been standing on his head.  And just think, NBC gave him the primetime show back.

 

• President Obama had better jokes, great timing and every hair was in place!  Hee hee

• Little known fact:  If you really want to know what is going on in the world, ask a cab driver at an airport.  Last fall I was in Milwaukee to speak to a university group about the art of the obituary.  On the ride from the airport I asked my driver about his home country of Afghanistan.  Without hesitation he said that President's Kharzai's brother was heading the vast corruption network in the country.  And sure enough, he was right.  Amazing how well-connected these guys are.

• Out on the prairie today it is cool, cloudy and rain showers.  It's a great day in America ( per Craig Ferguson ) and it cries out for napping while waiting for the Preakness. Hmmmmmmm.

Fleeting Thoughts:

Where in the world is Dick Cheney?  He is suddenly quiet....not that there is anything wrong with that!

WHAT ? RICKY MARTIN IS GAAAAAY?

There is not truth to the rumor that this is John Belushi in drag.
But seriously, folks, Elena Kagan seems well qualified and has already made it through one approval process as Solicitor General so one hopes she will be approved right after the baseball game between the President's staff and the women who are heads of agencies...that will show them!

• Prince LeBron: where have you gone? Wow, things went waaaay south in the final two games between the Cavs and the Celtics, didn't they? Can't figure whether LeBron wants to LEAVE Cleveland or STAY in Cleveland by the way he played. Something terribly wrong there. Stay tuned for the other shoe to drop.
• Got an email this morning for FREE "bussiness" cards. I don't think so.

• It is a little like that old movie "The Rainmaker" with Burt Lancaster here on the prairie this morning. Lots of rain, mucho thunder and lightning all night. Not quite a frog strangler but it is still coming down.
• Our new City Commission has now been sworn in so they can begin the cleanup of our little village......for the first time in the 103 year history of the city, we have three women on the Commission. They clearly outnumber the two men...hee hee.
• You will notice that sometimes there is a subtle bit of humor in these little notes from the outback. For instance, yesterday the blog ended with this---------

"Fleeting thought:"

GET IT?

Have a good Friday....it's not really GOOD Friday but you know what I mean.

Manana.

Either Don Imus and Larry King were separated at birth or they are one and the same person....think about it: Imus In the Morning and Larry King Live at night. Either way their ill-fitting false teeth
make it impossible to understand them between slurps and clicks. Sorry, boys! Young wives (latest of several) and spoiled young offspring. Men never learn.

Dear Tiger,

So sorry to hear about Hank Haney taking a hike on you. He is about the best swing coach in golf----but then I guess you've got that 'swinging' thing down well enough! And you certainly don't need coaching for the hole in one...hee hee. And now you have this injury that is going to require massage and rest??

You are just a pain in the neck.......

Remember your literature class at Stanford?

"Tiger, tiger, burning bright......" and the all-time great:

"This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang b u t a w h i m p e r........"

Thoughts for the day:

If you are an insomniac (moi) try watching the news on MSNBC at something like 4:00 a.m. or so. Aptly titled, the program is called "Way Too Early".....and then if you like really good reporting late night, check out the Rachel Maddow Show also on MSNBC . She is a whirlwind of well fact-checked information, does super interviews (does not fawn) and she has a brilliant sense of humor. Try it. You'll like it.

Rain and storms out here on the prairie today. Dark clouds overhead. A good time to learn more about this blog thing. How am I doing?

Fleeting thought:

• Hey, kids! Sorry to be so late today---it is almost tomorrow. I left the prairie to go to the big city for a much-needed dose of fun. Out here on the prairie one quickly gets a mouthful of dust from the west Texas fields plus windburn from the never-ending wind. Remember Scarlett at the burning of Tara? That's me! (Actually, that's "I" but it sounds funny, doesn't it??)




• My therapist asked me today if I ever get lonely out here in no man's land......and it was NOT a rhetorical question.......See, I have friends wherever I go----------------------There is ole G. R.

• I can't wait for the NBA playoffs games. Since my Mavs are not in the running (again) I guess I will cheer for Los Suns....and little Stevie Nash. When I was in the big city, I learned a lot about the NBA and the Mavs from my drinking / coaching buddies:

If you know these guys, let me know...we will see how much you know about the NBA..hee hee.

I know there are two of these photos but I am new at this and haven't figured out how to delete.

Tomorrow is another day, kids.

• Suns and Lakers....oh, my. Hope that Stevie Wonder Nash has vision by the time of that game. Bet the Mavericks wish they had tried to keep him now.

• Our little town on the prairie is swearing in two new commisioners and a new mayor today. The two new commissioners are women; the mayor is male. They join two current members--one female and one male. This may not seem like anything unusual for those of you in big cities but this is the first time in the 100 year history of our town that we have had a female majority on our decision-making body. Yee-haw!

• Betty White for Academy Awards Host! Pass it on.....and on....and on.

Betty rode in on her White charger and conquered SNL! If you missed it, go to the SNL site and see it. And just think, she is only 88 1/2.

Lena Horne is gone but certainly not forgotten. What a voice.......how I would love to have seen her last one woman show on Broadway.

YEEHAW! Another woman nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. We are almost into the 20th century.........yep, I meant "20th"....we are waaaaay behind.

I nominate Steve Nash as basketball's "Last Man Standing" for his gutsy performance Sunday night in the Suns' win over San Antonio Spurs.

And it is only Monday!

Betty White Rules!

This is a very important day in America: Betty White is hosting Saturday Night Live! Wouldn't miss it for the world. She will show those young whippersnappers a thing or two.

What a way to live and she is laughing all the way to the bank.

Happy Saturday Night Live to all.

(

A beautiful Friday in Texas........a scary day in Times Square........glad little Miss Ashlee was a few blocks away and is safe and sound!

If you are in the neighborhood, stop on the prairie for the 27th annual Goat Barbecue.
I don't get it either but it seems to be popular out here in no man's land!