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Just Win Baby
As a lifelong member of the Raider Nation, I can’t let this moment pass without expressing my gratitude to Mr. Raider, Al Davis. Being a Raider fan hasn’t been easy lately but when you look at the history and what Mr. Davis has accomplished, I’m proud of the stamp he left on the game.
Here are some other thoughts and reactions from around the league to the death of Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis:
“Al Davis’s passion for football and his influence on the game were extraordinary. He defined the Raiders and contributed to pro football at every level. The respect he commanded was evident in the way that people listened carefully every time he spoke. He is a true legend of the game whose impact and legacy will forever be part of the NFL.”–NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
“It is because of this accomplished man and his forever love of Silver and Black, the fire that burned in him I will honor and will always and forever burn in me.”–Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson
“Al Davis was a good man, and we were friendly rivals. He was a football man and did a lot for the game of football. I had a lot of respect for him, and he will be missed throughout the entire NFL.”–Pittsburgh Steelers chairman emeritus Dan Rooney
“Al Davis had a brilliant football mind, and his teams set a standard for excellence for many years.”–John Mara, New York Giants president and CEO
“It’s a sad day. When you look at the landscape of the National Football League and what Al Davis did, it’s immense. It’s no secret that we didn’t see eye-to-eye at times, but I’ve always been grateful for the opportunity that he gave me, and I’ll always remember that.”–Marcus Allen, the MVP in the Raiders’ last Super Bowl win
“We’ve got to rally together. The only thing Mr. Davis would want us to do is win. That’s the only thing he ever talks about is just winning, and going out there and playing as hard as you can play. That’s how you have to do it from here on out. You just have to go out and if you want to honor him, just honor him by going out and playing as hard as you can to win.”–Oakland Raiders QB Jason Campbell
“He was a pioneer. He did so many things. He was a coach, he was the commissioner of the AFL, became the owner of the Raiders and he ran that club the way he saw fit. He brought in players that everyone else was discarding, including me, and he made it work. And he let you be who you were. We had some guys who liked to have a lot of fun, me included. But when it came Sunday and game day, those guys were always ready to play. He had a knack for getting all of them to play together.”–Jim Plunkett, who won two Super Bowl titles after Davis revived his career by bringing him to Oakland
“A visionary who was ahead of the curve in so many ways, Coach Davis had a great grasp of personnel, schemes and strategy. I learned a tremendous amount of football during my six years with his organization. His sole focus and passion in life was the Raiders. He was at practice every day and very aware of what was going on organizationally. He challenged you to be your best, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity he gave me as a head coach.”– former Raiders coach and current Jets assistant Bill Callahan
“Al was a football man–his entire life revolved around the game he loved. He worked his way up through the ranks and had a knowledge of all phases of the game. That experience aided him as an owner. He was quite different from every other owner in that way. As an AFL guy, he was in that group of people who pushed our league forward. I didn’t get to see him over the last few years, and I know many, including myself, will miss him.”–Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams, an original AFL owner of the Houston Oilers.
“He wasn’t afraid of standing alone and making a bold move such as suing the league. He had naysayers, but he didn’t care, because he didn’t care what people thought. He wasn’t always right, but he did what he thought was right for the Raiders and the league.”–former Raiders linebacker Matt Millen.
“In my eyes, so much of his legacy will be defined by the loyalty he had for the men who played for the Raiders and the love that they had for him. That was a bond that extended beyond the playing years and lasted lifetimes. His contributions and expertise were inspiring at every level–coach, general manager, owner and commissioner. There was no element of the game of professional football for which Al did not enjoy a thorough and complete level of knowledge and passion.”–Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
“Forty-eight years ago, I met Al, and every once in a while in your life, someone comes along that changes the direction of your life. He did that to me and changed the direction with his passion for the Raiders and professional football. He was a dear man, my mentor and most of all, my friend. I will miss him.”–former Raiders coach Tom Flores, the first Latino coach in the NFL.
“He was an iconic figure in the history of professional football and built a truly legendary franchise with the Raiders. I consider myself fortunate to have known him and to have been a part of that Raiders history. Even though our relationship did not end the way I would have liked, I have nothing but the greatest respect for Mr. Davis, and I truly appreciate the opportunity he afforded me and so many young coaches, players and staff.”–former Raiders coach and current USC football head coach Lane Kiffin.
“I came to the Raiders in 1967 with the trade with Denver. It was the best thing that happened in my career to come and play for Mr. Davis. I’ve surely enjoyed every year, and I’ve been here over 41 years. … I’ve enjoyed every year of being here with him, and it’s a loss not only to the Raider organization, but to all of America.”–former Raiders Hall of Famer cornerback Willie Brown.
“Mr. Davis is a titan and pillar of the game. I had the pleasure and honor to know him and to work for him. And to me, he is the greatest. The autumn wind will always be a Raider.”–San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh
“While I am saddened by the news of Mr. Davis’ passing, I will forever be heartened and enriched by the many personal interactions I had with him over the years. His winning, his football knowledge, his passion for his team and contributions to the league made him one of the all-time greats. By striving for the highest level of excellence with our respective teams and the game itself, we will be honoring the memory of Al Davis.”–New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick
“This is a sad day for Raider Nation and the NFL. But it’s a day to think about all Mr. Davis did for football. He was truly one of a kind.”–Bengals quarterback Bruce Gradkowski(notes), who played in Oakland from 2009-10.
“From the earliest days of the AFL, Al’s love for the game and fierce loyalty to his franchise contributed to the success and popularity of pro football. His competitive spirit helped develop the great rivalry our team and fans enjoy today with the Oakland Raiders. His contributions to the game played an important role in building the strong foundation the NFL enjoys today.”– Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt
“During my 28 years with the Broncos, I came to know Al Davis as one of the most influential and innovative people in the history of the National Football League. … I respected Al for what he meant to the NFL. He was a visionary who defined the Raiders and had an enormous responsibility for the prosperity of this league.”–Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.
As crazy as an early 90′s GI Joe figure pt 2
Welcome to part two in my tribute to the craziness that was the GI Joe action figure line in the early 90′s. Last time we reviewed 6 of the craziest figures 1990 had to offer. This time, lets take a journey back to 1991 and try to figure out just how many mind altering substances our fearless Joe squad was downing at the time…
Just a reminder, these are listed in no particular order, not in order from sanest to craziest…
Cobra Commander
Here is where the wheels started to come off. Cobra Commander, one of the coolest bad guys in all of military fiction, somehow justified his awful 1987 silver/blue outfit as “body armor”. He then decided to really put his troops loyalty to the test by whipping out this amazing ensemble as his follow up in 1991. I suppose if…and I stress IF…you can get past the awe inspiring orange, translucent faceplate and golden helmet of glory ( I know it looks silver in that picture but trust me its gold. Surprisingly its hard to find a decent picture of this figure. I don’t think anyone wants to cop to owning it…) you’re left with an odd blue on black vest combo that would make even Aladdin proud of your efforts to recreate Arabian Nights.
His outfit may not be the worst part of all though, the worst part was that Cobra Commander ’91 came with a “real firing gun” as hasbro suddenly decided we couldn’t use our imaginations any more. Even better, instead of missiles, rockets or even bullets…his real firing gun shot…wait for it…PAPER AIRPLANES!!!! Even if I suspend my disbelief that this is a toy it would still be firing miniature airplanes…its like he was just daring his subordinates not to laugh at him…
Incinerators
I don’t know why these guys weren’t called “Flame Vipers” or “Fire Vipers” or even the more appropriate for Cobra “H.E.A.T. Vipers”. Instead they were just Incinerators and I can only assume that Cobra must have been jealous of 1985′s Barbecue outfit as 6 years later they decided it was time to roll out a legion of flame throwing soldiers that payed homage to his awesome orange color scheme.
That’s not why the Incinerators made the crazy list though. Like many others they made the crazy list because of an odd choice of weaponry they are packed with. Yes the Cobra Flamethrowers come with a typical flamethrower and fuel tank/backpack like you would expect but they also come with a real working catapult that, well you know…throws flames and stuff (pictured above as wierd orange circle thingies)…I’m just going to stop right there…I’m all for using my imagination but what 8 year old boy thinks those blobs of plastic are flames and that you would effectively catapult fire on to your enemies…I can’t make this crap up…
Cesspool
Its worth noting on this list that at some point in time while designing the 1991 GI Joe line the designers at Hasbro went absolutely bat crap insane. For proof look no further then the Eco-Warriors. I think the Eco Warriors were definately the tipping point on Hasbro’s war with reality as they decided, “HEY! In the near future the military will obviously switch to fabulous neon color schemes and focus their efforts on a battle to protect the environment from toxic sludge which in toy form will be played by the part of water which will activate a color changing feature on the figures (making the safest substance on earth next to oxygen seem dangerous to impressionable children, don’t get any water on you kids or you will break out in hideous red blisters!).
Lets not overlook the fact that the very idea that you can get your GI Joe figures wet is a huge problem as most of the figures were held together by metal pins that would rust when the humidity got too high much less came into direct contact with water.
All that aside, the appropriately named Cesspool was dubbed the “CEO” of Cobra’s enviormental waste division in what I’m sure was supposed to be a clever dig at big money corporations that were ruining our environment back in the earth day friendly early 90′s before we knew what being green was. CEO in Cesspool’s case just meant he was the “Chief Environmental Operative” which actually sounds like Cesspool was responsible for making sure that Cobra was meeting their EPA standards.
What strikes me the most about Cesspool’s figure is his Destro knockoff armor, his overblown Mikhail Gorbachev birthmark and the ever so awesome Viper head on his chest which paints a lovely bulls-eye for any Joe. Oh and just in case spewing toxic water around wasn’t a cool enough feature, Cesspool also came with a chainsaw…he’s like a weird combination of Destro, Dr. Mindbender and a Dreadnok…I think I just about summed up the early 90′s Cobra right there…
Flint
Bear with me here, I’m going to dive into the Eco-Warriors pool one more time. To be honest, I could put the entire Eco Warriors sub-line on this list and not do it the justice it deserves as the crazy Joe tipping point but Flint here makes the cut because prior to the 1991 release Flint had been the awesome, beret wearing, warrant officer and was given the honor in 1988 of becoming part of the elite “Tiger Force” (its all cooler then it sounds I promise). Then upon formation of the Eco Warriors Flint gave all of that up and said “I’m tired of kicking Cobra tail and hanging with Lady Jaye. I care about our planet more then all of that and if I have the opportunity to strap on a neon green hazmat suit and command the elite Eco-Warrior division in cleaning up Cobra’s toxic sludge then gosh dangit I’m going to do it!” Not a move I’m sure he is proud of now 20 years later.
His file card says it best, “When equipped with a HALO parachute, Flint can be inserted into a Cobra toxic sludge operation with his Anti-Tox missiles and laser weapons system to stop evil polluters before they can do their damage.” Too bad the famed Anti-Tox couldn’t be used to clean up the Eco-Warriors…
Road Pig
The Eco-Warriors weren’t the only “Awesome” subset of figures given to us in 1991. Hasbro went subset crazy and also gave us the “Super Sonic Fighters” which weren’t actually Super Sonic but I suppose you take what you can get. The Super Sonic Fighters were regular figures equipped with a GIGANTIC neon backpack (see the pic above if you don’t believe me) that would allow them to give off electronic lights and sounds. I don’t know about you but I was perfectly capable of creating my own “pew-pew” gun sounds and explosions without strapping on a massive backpack to my figures and pressing a button for a horrible electronic version of the sound.
I can do a whole lot to suspend my disbelief with the GI Joe line, heaven knows they tested us, but even I had a hard time believing that a figure of this size would actually be able to support the sheer size and weight of the Super Sonic backpack.
Anywho, the Super Sonic Fighters line was basically a bunch of horrible recolors but none quite so daring (or offensive) as Road Pig who traded in his usual, relatively normal biker looking getup for an orange flattop and neon green accented pants. Combine that with the fact that he just made no sense with the theme of technically advanced “Super Sonic Fighters” line other then the fact that he’s probably the only Joe or Cobra character strong enough to lift the backpack. I mean just look at that picture and tell me he isn’t insane…
Side note: Road Pig was an odd duck for the Joe line. First he’s a Dreadnok, then a Super Sonic Fighter…did you know he was then supposed to be a part of Ninja Force (oh we will get to Ninja Force) in 1995 before the line was cancelled. Can anyone explain to me how Road Pig becomes a ninja cause that I gotta see…
Skymate
As I mentioned before, 1991 is the year Hasbro went sub-line crazy. In addition to the Eco-Warriors and the Super Sonic Fighters (oh and their cousins, the equally large back pack carrying “Talking Battle Commanders”) there was yet another sub-line in 1991. I guess since the earth was busy getting destroyed with toxic waste and people were getting their senses bombarded with the sights and sounds of the Super Sonic Fighters GI Joe and Cobra took the battle to the only sensible place left…the sky! The “Air Commandos” line had each figure packaged with their own hang glider which in relation to the rest of the 1991 line seemed downright sane. The ’91 neon theme continued here but for the most part the “Air Commandos” were far too forgettable to be offensive at all.
All of them except for Skymate. Skymate, the self proclaimed “Glider Trooper”, is notable because he came with a blue visor, a yellow compound bow and a pink boomerang…uh yeah you read that right…dude was fighting Cobra on a hang glider by shooting arrows at them and throwing a pink boomerang. How emasculating do you think it was if he actually hit you with that thing? If I was a Cobra and was struck down by a guy flying on a hang glider, tossing around a pink boomerang I think I’d pack it in…
That’s all the horror I could put up with for 1991…join us back here next time as we move forward to 1992 or as I like to call it Eco Warriors pt 2! Oh and the DEF! And Ninja Force!!!! Oh its about to get real crazy up in heeeeerr!
Flat Stanley is THE Most Interesting Man
My son had a school project where he was supposed to take this paper doll, Flat Stanley, and take pictures of him doing cool things and going to fun places. Since I travel for work, Flat Stanley and I hit the town on one of my recent trips and he did not disappoint. Here are a few photos that tell the tale.
Flat Stanley in the Sky Club
Flat Stanley giving flying lessons
Flat Stanley preparing for lift off
"Look at that glass of water... that thing is huge" (said in tiny Elvis voice)
Does Cleveland Need Another Curse?
Posted by showtime in Entertainment, SHOWTIME, Sports, Video Games on May 1, 2011
After the March Madness Madden Cover tourney, Peyton Hillis made a Sanjya idol-esque run. However, unlike Sanjya, Hillis was actually fortunate enough to walk away with the honor to be the Madden 12 cover athlete by beating Vick in the final match-up.
Opening the voting to the public was a good move by EA; although, I had a difficult time deciding who I wanted to be on the cover vs. who I wanted to suffer the Madden Cover Jinx. Initially I went with jinx strategy and voted for Phillip Rivers but when he dropped out, I didn’t really care who would win.
I’m happy for a dark-horse like Peyton Hillis, to get the support of the people and end up the winner but in the back of my mind I can’t help but think, if this falls the way of the jinx… oh man… hasn’t Cleveland been through enough?
Sparky takes a backseat new ASU uniforms
Nike has also updated the ASU uniforms. The two biggest differences are: the all black set & replacing Sparky on the helmet with a pitchfork. The prongs of the pitchfork represent winning, integrity and scholarship. Sparky still will be featured on the helmet, but at the back base. As an AZ native, I like the new helmet but not sure about the all black set. Too often, teams look to black as an alternate but more often, it comes off as generic and lazy.
The introduction of a font called “Sun Devil Bold,” which will go on uniforms, hats, shirts and other merchandise. ASU worked with Nike in creating the uniform design, which were showcased in three football color patterns: All white, all black and the traditional maroon jerseys and gold pants. ASU typically brings in $1 million in merchandise revenue. With the new look, university officials expect it to double within the next couple years. Within minutes of the launch, outlets on campus stocked their shelves with the new gear.
New Washington State Football Uniforms
Nike has designed new uniforms for all Washington State sports. Athletic director Bill Moos said the decision to go with Nike across the board, and create a true uniform look for every sport, was about establishing an identity. So Moos set about to create a standard crimson and return gray to an actual gray, not a shade of silver. It’s not maroon, not an odd shade of red, but what he calls a true Cougar crimson. The uniforms honor the past, live in the present and create the future, Moos said. It’s about keeping the tradition, including the Cougar head, while updating the look and feel of the uniforms to give the athletes that sizzle factor, enticing 17-year-olds to come to Washington State while paying homage to the legends of the past.
Looks like they are going after Oregon with the number of uni combinations they can use but you know me, I always appreciate the effort to put out a new and updated look, especially when the existing look is stale and outdated. I also believe that a new look can breathe life into a program which WSU sorely needs. Good luck Cougars in the next season, and if you don’t have success, at least you’ll look good.
Spring Break Madness
Posted by showtime in Entertainment, SHOWTIME, Sports, TARHEELS on April 15, 2011
So I finally took some time off work to spend with the family and it has definitely been a great vacation. One of the highlights so far has been the annual tradition of playing out the NCAA March Madness tournament on PS3 with my oldest son. (On a side note, Seven and I actually would play out the tournament 1on1 in our backyard each year. After I put in my new hoop this month, maybe we’ll take the tournament back outdoors.)
We start by picking the teams in each region. My son ended up with Duke but after playing for 30 seconds, he didn’t feel right about it so we quit that game and advanced Michigan. We also advanced all number one seeds the first round because neither of us wanted to play with the 16 seed. You also had the option to forfeit a game if you decided you didn’t want to play with that team after all… c’mon, would you really want to play with Wofford? The first round we played 3 minute halves to speed things up but we ended up keeping that time limit for each game except the championship which we moved up to 5 minute halves. Also, the fact that there was no NCAA basketball game released this year (thanks a lot EA Sports and 2k!! – said with angry voice), we were playing this year’s seeds with last year’s roster. Lastly, if both of the teams were owned by the same person, they advanced the team of their choosing to speed things up. Despite all of this, we stayed up late, finished the tournament and had a great time.
The scanned bracket was too large to post but here are a few highlights:
- Washington was insane… actually it was Isiah Thomas to be precise. He drained 3s like Jimmer, even one from half court.
- Oakland had a very good team which allowed me to knock off TX in the first round.
- Didn’t end up playing one game with Ohio St and they advanced to the elite 8 (I owned the East bracket). Too bad they were facing Carolina.
- Penn State was a great squad and allowed me to upset and crush Temple 35 to 18 (remember, 6 minute games).
- I also dominated the West and advanced UCONN to the final four without playing a game but alas, they ran into UNC as well… not this year Huskies!
- We almost replicated the Morehead State upset but in OT, Louisville went on a hot streak and got the win 39-26.
- My son took VCU past Georgetown with a tight comeback win, 19-17 but then I took him down with Notre Dame in the Sweet 16, 28-16. P.S. the ND squad is fantastic! I almost took down Kansas in the Elite 8 but lost 30-27.
- We had another OT thriller between Old Dominion and Butler but this time, Butler did not advance. I squeezed out a victory 31-27.
- My alma matter, Utah State… smh, probably the worst team I played with all night.
- Wisconsin was another great team to play with. I took them to the Elite 8 but my son knocked me off with BYU 25-23… too much Jimmer.
- I ended up cutting down the nets with UNC against BYU 60 to 44 but for some reason our created players loaded up so it wasn’t really fair to my son. We will probably end up playing it again. Jimmer had 35 though so I better have my A game going… the default UNC squad on the game isn’t clutch, except for Davis.
iCADE… iPad keeps getting better
Posted by showtime in Entertainment, SHOWTIME, Video Games on April 7, 2011
I know what is going on my Christmas list. I have always wanted a stand up arcade machine but this will do just fine. Enter, iCADE’s iPad Arcade Cabinent! You just slide your iPad into the cradle and the Bluetooth will connect them together. Atari is on board so you will be able to play classic arcade titles such as Asteroids and other top games.
TCU unveils new uniforms
I’m sad to see the Pro Combat unis not be adapted full time but this new set doesn’t look too bad. I can’t really see the pants from this view so that could make or break this set but it does look clean so far. I think they should match the fonts on the helmet with the numbers for a more uniform look (get it? …UNIFORM look… nevermind). They did drop the frog from the helmet which is fine by me but if they go to the rose bowl again, where will they put the rose?
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