2001

What a year it has been, or was if you are reading this after New years Day. There was good, there was bad. There was tragic there was joy.

For most Americans the events of September 11 will go down as the most dramatic and tragic happening of the year and possibly of their lives. As of today the US is continuing its search for those responsible for the atrocity. I have sounded off at length previously on the subject so I will not go into any great detail here. Suffice it to say that September 11 had a profound effect on our patriotism and our spirit of caring and helping. But it also brought out some ugly sides of our country. Scams popped up all over the landscape trying to make a quick, immoral buck by using phony charity names. There was the Red Cross telling us that only about a quarter of the money donated would actually go to the WTC victims' families.

Of course the celebrities raised boatloads of cash on several different television shows most of which were then neatly packaged and sold to raise further cash. All told it was a very generous thing to do. God only knows how many people have been involved in the enormous cleanup at Ground Zero, but their efforts have been above and beyond the call of duty. That is until some dumbass Fireman union chief decided he needed more money for his men in the cleanup effort. Like I said, there was good-very good, and there was bad.

As for the victims and their survivors there is not much I can really say. I knew none of them, but felt sorrow for their losses. Life goes on and I'm sure that many of them are getting on with it, but I can't imagine this was a very Merry Christmas for them.

In the political arena, W was finally inaugurated in January but has basically been tied up with the war in Afghanistan since September 11th. I'm pulling for you W and when this war ends I think you can make some difference and reverse some of the liberal crap left over from that idiot Clinton!

Most of you who know me know that I really enjoy football and auto racing. Sure I love the Pacers and Hoosiers basketball teams, but they are the only basketball I will usually watch. I won't rehash what happened, but suffice it to say the Colts disappointed greatly again in January in the playoffs when they blew a halftime lead and rolled over and died for the Miami Dolphins in the playoffs. Looking back I guess I should be glad we were even in the playoffs seeings how we are not going to make it this year. It has been pitiful this year. Edge hurt, Peyton playing like crap and coaching and management that have been crappy have led us to this point. Before the end of the year we will be 5-10. That is unacceptable and Jim Irsay needs to clean house with Coach Mora and his staff as well as team president Bill Polian who, in 4 years has screwed us royally. He drafted Peyton-no brainer; I could have made that pick. He drafted Edge-good pick with one exception, he practically gave Marshall Faulk who is quite possibly the best player in the NFL away for nothing. He drafted Rob Morris-too small, holdout and usually hurt. And finally he drafted Reggie Wayne-again a nice player, but with the state of our defense how do you justify that. Polian is a jackass who gets defensive every time someone questions the direction the Colts are taking. Get rid of that bum and get some non-retread guy in here that can get this team to the top.
Another very tragic event happened at the end of the Daytona 500 in February. Seven time Winston Cup winner, car owner and most importantly to me anyway, my favorite driver Dale Earnhardt was killed in a crash. The crash itself didn't look terribly vicious, but apparently there was head and neck damage great enough to kill him. NASCAR took 6 months investigating and probably really don't know any more today than they did the day of the race. They mandated the use of head restraint devices, but seem to want to slap a band-aid on the problem of restrictor plate racing at Daytona and Talladega. Dale Jr. had a decent season and I will be a big fan of his, but I will miss the 3 car and Dale Earnhardt. I was lucky enough to be at Daytona in 1998 when Dale won the 500 for the first time. For that I will be ever grateful!

The Pacers have been rebuilding since their appearance in the NBA finals in 2000. Good luck to Isaiah and the team as they try to get back on top. I hope they make it. IU basketball was about just that last season. Oh the team wasn't any better and they got knocked out of the NCAA in the first round against Kent St., but the focus was not on Bob Knight, but rather on the team. It was a nice change of pace!

One thing I was really glad to see was the success of the Indy Racing League. After years of struggling to make it, the IRL had bigger fields and bigger audiences. They have a solid television contract and seem poised to run CART out of the business. CART has dug it's own grave. Too many road course races, too many races in other countries and too much bickering amongst its owners and franchise holders. The upcoming season will see Roger Penske bringing his team and his Marlboro sponsorship to the IRL. Expect more to follow and expect a merge of the leagues or the complete demise of CART in the next 3 years.

Finally a little about me. School went fairly well. All A's and B's so I'm pretty happy about that! I switched majors from Business to Computer Tech in the spring and am very happy about it. I guess I'll just have to live with the Purdue degree. I made it to the Indianapolis 500, the Brickyard 400 and the US Grand Prix. You can see pictures of some of these event and more by clicking here.

And finally, I lost my grandmother last week. She was 91. Of course I am sad and I will miss her immensely. But grandma was healthy, lived in her own house and basically died within a day of collapsing. She did it right. I feel for my pop as he is still struggling with the blow of losing her, but he will be all right. Grandma, you were a great lady and I will miss you, but I love you and you will always be in my thoughts!

Have a Happy New year everyone! I'll be at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas on New Years eve so it you're there, stop by!!!

Pity Poor Colts

Here we are. Halfway through the NFL season and with today's news, the second half doesn't look very bright. Losing yesterday's game to the Dolphins was disheartening for a myriad of reasons. First was the complete lack of defense on throws down the field. The Dolphin receivers were ridiculously wide open. We made a star of some guy named Chambers. I mean, who the hell is Chambers? Second was the constant pressure Peyton was under. He was sacked and harassed constantly. But most damaging was the hurting the Dolphins put on us.

In the first quarter, Dominic ‘Rocky' Rhodes had to be taken to the locker room with a separated shoulder. He returned, but who knows if he'll be able to go next week. Mike Peterson suffered a tear of a knee ligament which will almost assuredly keep him out for the season. Peterson is probably the best defensive player we have, and on a team with as many defensive holes as we have we simply cannot afford to lose Mike. Steve McKinney, possibly our best offensive lineman had to leave the game and was diagnosed with a fractured bone in his back. And finally, Peyton had his jaw broken on a play in the fourth quarter. Sure he returned, but he will have surgery today. And even though he is expected to play, how effective can we really expect him to be?

But the most crushing blow is what the Colts are expected to announce at their weekly press conference later today. That Edgerrin James, who I consider the best player in the NFL, will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury that is more severe than they were letting on. Without James we are simply a one-dimensional team that has trouble keeping receivers healthy. On Peyton's arm rest our chances of salvaging anything of this season. Teams are going to know this and will tee off on P and will double team Marvin and whichever other receiver, if either, can make it through the rest of the season healthy.

The reality is that the rest of the season is probably going to be an effort in futility. We'll probably play hard, but with a banged up Peyton, no Edge, a nicked up Rock and no Steve McKinney or Mike Peterson we will struggle to get wins. Let's face it, we were struggling to get wins with those guys, now without them the prospects aren't bright. Hopefully some of the other players will step up and we can see if we have anyone who we can really use in the future. That appears to me to be what the rest of the season will bring!

Colts and New England

New England 38 Indianapolis 17. No heart + no soul = no wins in the past three games including two ass whuppin's at the hands of the New England Patriots. The Colts are a team that has left us fans disappointed time after time. I don't know why I continue to care. I could save myself the frustration by saying to hell with the Colts and just rooting for the Raiders. Unfortunately though, I do care and that's why yesterday's game leaves me just plain pissed off.

The Colts have some decent talent especially on offense. In yesterday's game they posted nice numbers. But if you watched the game you know that they simply couldn't put any sustained drives up. The defense which is suspect as a MF was busy watching Tom Brady put on a show. They never got close to him on the rush, they let his receivers run routes to keep the Colts away from them and allowed the vaunted Pats running game to make crucial yardage whenever it needed.

Ever since the Bills game a month ago, the Colts seem to be just going through the motions. There is no consistent effort from the team, and that is anyone. P. Manning, Edgerrin, Marvin, Marcus and Dilger have made mistakes that have cost this team dearly. Manning's interceptions, Edge's fumbles and the myriad of dropped passes by the receiving crew have been disastrous! These guys are human and will make mistakes, which I understand. But what I cannot accept is the lack of effort the team puts out each week. That is why Jim Mora has to go. This team is not prepared to compete each time it comes on the field. Yesterday the team seemed to just throw in the towel after the first blocked field goal attempt. If that is the case then they were not prepared to play and that blame has to be laid at the head coach's feet. And if this was a one time thing I could overlook it, but we have seen how well this team can play when it is fired up and ready to play. But we have too many of these exceptions where the team looks like they have been at my place drinking beer before the game and would rather just find a couch to lay on and watch the game. I find this unacceptable.

I hold Jim Mora accountable and I hold Bill Polian accountable for not taking action and getting a head coach that will take this team where it should be, among the elite of the NFL. Instead, we are looking gain like a team that will back into the playoffs if they even get there. Like lots of Colts fans who are just miserable when the team loses, I want answers. I want to know why the team can't be better than they are. I look to the head coach who seems more like a grandfather who dotes on his grandkids and spoils them rotten. There has to be some harsh talk and criticism directed at the players for their lack of effort, but more so, the head coach has to be changed before this season is lost.

Finally, Marcus Pollard, I have enjoyed watching you play these past few years. I was happy you got the big new contract because I thought you deserved it. But Marcus, do not attempt to tell the media that the fans have no right to boo, especially when wearing Colts apparel. That is total bullshit. We buy the tickets come to the games and scream and yell for the defense to the point of being hoarse. We high five and revel in watching the offense score in whatever of the many ways we can. But if you are taking the booing personally, then you should be on our side looking in and I think you would understand. But that won't happen, because you are insulated by that coach that you are all great and that things will be fine. NO THEY WON'T. Not unless the team get's the message that we will not just sit by idly and let you guys stink up the place.

It's A Piece of Shit Now!

Have you ever bought a new car? Not just a new family car, but a really cool car that you knew everything about. The engine size, horsepower, size of the tires and rims etc. A car that you feel is the envy of all the other drivers on the road as well as your friends. You keep it spotless, use the best gas, always change the oil on schedule and follow all other maintenance items. A car that makes you smile just to look at. Ever had one of those? I think most of us have. I know I have and then the unthinkable happens and you are involved in an accident. It may be a major collision or just a little fender bender, but either way, you wish it were a total so you replace the car. Invariably it is never a total and no matter how quick you get it fixed and no matter how good it may look the fact remains in your head. It's a PIECE OF SHIT now!

Well today that awful, sinking feeling came over me about our country. The feeling came when another case of anthrax was diagnosed in New York. It is the feeling that things REALLY aren't ever going to be the same. That the panic that is occurring in NYC because of this discovery sets us right back to September 11. The nation wept for the victims of those attacks and then did what Americans do best. Go back to being Americans. Since that day we have been repeatedly been told to expect more terrorist attacks, but did most Americans really feel another attack on our soil would really take place? I didn't. Sure it was in the back of my mind even before September 11. And so far there is no evidence that the 2 cases of anthrax in Florida and one now in New York have any relation to each other or that they were even the acts of terrorist groups. Frankly when I heard that the building where the tabloid The Sun was produced, I figured it could be anyone whose good name was smeared by that particular publication. Hell it could have been one of those space aliens that were hanging with Hillary Clinton. But when a second case was discovered in New York it seems more and more like a terrorist, foreign or domestic, attack.

Today I feel like my shiny, great country has been reduced to a piece of shit. Panic and fear are widespread. It has become risky to even open your mail as it may contain deadly bacteria. When the attacks happened I had a hard time shedding tears. It was probably the shock of it all coupled with the fact that these were not people I knew or could even know through several degrees of separation. But I stated I wept that America may never be the same. And like that new car after it has been wrecked the first time never being the same, so it seems that America is on that same path.

Ranting About Rights

One month has passed since the September 11 attacks on America. During the past month we have seen a lot of good and bad out of Americans. That shouldn't really be a surprise since there are many good and bad things about our country.

Americans have always been charitable and the outpouring of support, be it money, blood or time in the last month has been nothing short of astounding. As a friend of mine remarked, display of the American flag is at an all time high, or at least in my life. On the other hand, the backlash of bigoted Americans against other Americans who may look or speak different reared its ugly head and at least four people were killed as a direct of hate crimes. Tons of rhetoric has been tossed around by our elected officials as a knee jerk reaction to the attacks denouncing everything from the attacks to any people of the Islamic faith. Drunken talk in bars has centered on the evil “ragheads” and their deportation or worse. Even your humble author called for the immediate retaliation against the perpetrators, whoever they may be. Basically calling to nuke them all and let God sort ‘em out.

Fortunately cooler heads have prevailed in most corners from myself to the President who showed great restraint in giving the Taliban ample time to produce Osama bin Laden who has been identified as the mastermind behind the attacks.

But a couple of things have happened in the past couple of weeks that really tug at my emotions as an American. First a man in Noblesville, IN was arrested for burning an American flag in protest of US policy. As a patriotic American the burning of the flag is something I just will not consider doing. Having said that though, I would defend anyone's right to commit such an act. Sure the Supreme Court has ruled that flag burning is guaranteed under our first amendment rights. But more importantly to me is that the burning of a flag, no matter how repulsive it may be to me, is a very passive way to display ones aggravation at American policy, domestic or foreign. To be sure there are much worse ways to manifest that aggravation. Timothy McVeigh probably felt himself a patriot, but he was a coward. Killing people who did not create policy because his conservative views didn't mesh with then President Bill Clinton is cowardice period. Like I said, I would not burn an American flag, but I will defend someone's right to do so. I have to admit, this guys timing was about as bad as it could be, but he is still guaranteed that right. Of course some people will say they have the right to beat the crap out of him as well. No, that is called assault and is against the law.

The other thing that is going on is the anti-American policy village some students at Indiana University have created on campus. Here again you have students who are exercising their First Amendment rights to express their dismay at the US military strikes against Afghanistan. I do not agree with their position and would not have anything to do with them, but I certainly recognize their rights. But the last couple of days the right wing whackos have been coming out of the woodwork talking about no more public funding for the school and that they are disgracing the school, their parents and themselves with these “shameful acts of treason”. I guess Limbaugh and Liddy get new converts every day. If these radical right-wingers had paying attention they would realize that most college campuses in this country are bastions of liberal thinking in the name of peace and love. Of course, like the demonstrators, the conservatives who are denouncing the protests have every right to voice their displeasure.
Basically though, it is the ability to burn a flag, protest US policy, protest against the protesters that make life in the US fun, but it is also what makes it great. Do protests turn violent and ugly? Of course, but as long as they are kept to the two examples I have cited we are on the right track. It could be much worse. In Pakistan people are dying nearly on a daily basis in anti-American protests.

Thank God I Didn't Have To See It!

Normally I would have a comment on the Colts and their performance of the previous day here. But thankfully I was a the track yesterday enjoying some ice cold Fosters, soaking up some rays and generally having a good time at the F1 race. Suffice it to say the racing isn't anything to write home about, but the cars are really cool and we had an excellent vantage point thanks to Neil allegedly losing his ticket before we got to the gate. We sat on the grassy knoll (no, no one was shot but the finger was given to Schummi about 73 times!) at the start of the backstretch.

But I am going to say this about the Colts. There was so much talk about how poorly they play in Foxboro that I think they actually started to believe it. Well boys, before you think it is just in Foxboro go back and look at your record against New England period. It stinks and if you turn the ball over countless times when they come here in 3 weeks, they will beat you again. The Colts are too good to lose to those scrubs, but it goes to show how true "Any given Sunday..." is. You have two weeks off to stew about the loss. Are you going to stew for two weeks, or shake it off in a day or two and get off the mat and get ready for the Raiders? If you aren't ready for them, then yesterday will seem like a picnic.

Colts 2-0

How about them Colts?! Another game, another win and lots of points! Yesterday the Colts ran their season record to 2-0 for the first time in years with an entertaining 42-26 victory over the Bills at the Dome. The fact that the Bills and the Jets, who were the Colts victim in week one are not very good teams really doesn't matter when you tack up 45 and 42 points against them.

Yesterday, the Colts, after a couple of early bobbles, played nearly perfect on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively there is still work to do, but the defense did only give up one touchdown and two field goals until a late game Hail Mary touchdown. They may not be world-beaters yet, but they seem to be improved.

As we watched the game unfold, I told my friends that there should be no Jim Mora or Tom Moore bashing after this one. The Colts mixed it up on first down and ran the no huddle exclusively. They never punted and at one point, had scored touchdowns on six consecutive drives. Peyton Manning, who somehow keeps finding ways to get better, was brilliant. He passed for more than 400 yards, threw 4 touchdown passes and even ran for a touchdown. He hit all of his receivers and, with the exception of the early interception, played what was probably the best game of his career. The Edge was simply the Edge! He rested the 100-yard mark for the 5th time in a row and once the Bills were beaten down in the second half he delivered some of his most punishing running. Jerome Pathon had another big day and seems to have a firm grip on the second wideout position. Marvin Harrison caught 3 touchdowns as the Bills, for some reason went at him one on one.

Overall the Colts looked great! Next up is New England and we all know how bad things have gone for us up in Foxboro over the years. The Colts will be big favorites going into the game against what is probably the worst team in the division. But that fact has never really mattered. We still seem to struggle against the Pats. However, this year it looks like we simply have too much firepower for the Patriots. So if you're heading out to the race next Sunday at the Speedway, take a radio and tune into the game on Q95 and root the horseshoes on to victory! Following that we get a week off then the season starts to get really tough as the Raiders come to town. And no, I will not be rooting for the Raiders just like I was not rooting for the Raiders last year, even if I was accused of it!

9-11 Part 6

For nearly the past two weeks, America has stood united in it's grief and pain over the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York and Washington DC. For two weeks we have given supplies, blood, money and time to assist not only the victims of the attacks, but also those who have the task of sifting through the rubble of two 110 story buildings. Anyone here in Indianapolis who has seen the rubble pile left over from the implosion of Market Square Arena knows how big of a pile that was. And that was one 11-story structure mainly filled with empty space.

For two weeks, everyone in the world it seems has denounced the attacks and called for an end to terrorism worldwide. But at that point seems to be where we start to see divisions in the union.

The US has commenced sending warplanes and ships to locations near Afghanistan and it seems that some military action is forthcoming. Or is it? Personally, I do not feel a war from the air or missiles fires from ships against a largely American hating, yet innocent population will achieve anything other than more terrorist attacks here and abroad. Why? Simply because dropping bombs and firing missiles are not going to achieve the desired goal. In this case, the end of terrorism, or at least that's what the President says and frankly I believe him. To be successful in the fight against terrorism we must tighten our security systems here and wherever Americans are in the world. Then we must, through intelligence gathering and covert operations systematically start to catch those responsible for the terrorism and bring them to justice. It can be done and we have to do it. Killing innocent Afghani people will not endear the US to any other country in the world and it damn sure will not unite Americans. W has shown great patience in my view up to this point. Perhaps he felt that moving the military into position to strike at Afghanistan would persuade them to produce Osama bin Laden. It didn't work. I think we all need to pray for the President as he faces what is probably the biggest decision a President has had to make since Vietnam. We didn't win that war and many brave and heroic men who fought in that war came home pariahs. We have been a country very divided since that time. Haste in this crucial hour will destroy the unity the country has built the last couple of weeks. A unity we may never again see.

9-11 Part 5

By now you no doubt have received countless emails pertaining to last weeks terrorist attacks. Some are nothing more than a bunch of hooey perpetrated by someone who had too much time on their hands and put out faux Nostradamus predictions of the events. Some are allegedly from Islamic persons living in Afghanistan denouncing the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. While still others are from Americans predicting doom and gloom for the terrorists and Afghanistan. Email is a wonderful thing and a very useful tool of both work and pleasure. But let's not too carried away with messages and articles and what they are saying. I know in this time of grief and suffering it is easy to gravitate to anything positive about America and negative about our enemies, especially foreign.

Let's set some things straight though. First of all the Nostradamus email which seems to have died out over the past couple of days was a complete hoax as the man was dead more than 20 years before he “wrote” his prediction of the attacks. With so many pointing this fact out is probably why that particular email stopped making the rounds. Next is one I received today which was allegedly by a man living in Afghanistan. He pointed out that the Taliban was not the legal government and went on to compare them to the Nazi's. Regardless of who wrote that particular piece, they are correct in certain aspects. First, with the exception of Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, no other country currently recognizes the Taliban as the rightful government of Afghanistan. However, when they took power in 1998 it was after 20 years of war, both civil and against the Soviet Union. Gangs and warlords ran Afghanistan, and crime and corruption were the rule. The Taliban restored an order to the country and at the urging of the rest of the world and according to their Islamic tenets, completely eliminated the cultivation of the poppy plant and the production and sale of opium. Upon doing this, they honestly thought they would become the recognized government of Afghanistan. After all, what criminal activity has America been engaged in a war against the past several decades? Drugs. So for this man to claim the Taliban are Nazi's seems more like an American posing as an Afghan. Don't get me wrong. Having the power that the Taliban have in Afghanistan can have devastatingly corrupt ramifications. But if we are to believe them at their word, they are simply trying to create the world's purest Islamic state. As for bin Laden, why in the world would they give him to the US? We know they don't like the US and want us out of the Middle East. If we aren't going to leave, they simply will not turn him over.

Finally there is the article written by a columnist here in America. He talks of waking the sleeping giant and that America will have the stomach to lose many more lives to rid this country of terrorism. He waxes patriotically of winning a war and bringing our way of life to the world. For the love of God I hope he is right. But as I have stated on previously, I'm not sure we do. There is a lot of singing and flag-waving going on right now that is both positive and therapeutic. But there are also beatings of Middle Eastern and other foreign born or looking people going on. This lack of tolerance is nothing more than fascism and xenophobia and is enough to make me sick. These terrorist attacks were perpetrated by a complex network of people of which Americans had to be involved.

So read your emails and enjoy them and hopefully they will bring some sort of comfort to you. But please take them with a grain of salt as a real war is probably coming and the strong words from columnists, people of Islamic faith and other assorted but cases may soon be sad memories of a week when as a country we did rally together. Tomorrow, the conspiracy theories regarding bin Laden's stock portfolio and the US government perpetrating these heinous acts because W was spoiling for a fight.

9-11 Part 4

The call has been made and it appears that America stands on the brink of war. The target-Afghanistan in general and Osama bin Laden in particular. Is it he right thing to do? That remains to be seen. The Taliban and bin Laden have maintained bin Laden's innocence of last Tuesday's attacks on New York and Washington DC. AS I had wrote in a previous piece, these people are usually quick to assume responsibility for their actions. As for bin Laden, however, his modus operendi is to declare himself not responsible, but pleased with the actions of others. It looks as though the far-reaching tentacles of his followers may never be completely severed. Therein lies what has the potential for this to be a true test of just how far America is willing to go to eradicate terrorism from our planet.Any retaliatory strike we have against Afghanistan for last weeks attacks will be met with counterattacks promises the Taliban. It is urging its people to steal themselves for a Holy War against the US. Let's face it, that means more terrorist attacks on more American people in more parts of the world. Are the American people willing to see more images similar to those we have witnessed ad nauseum this week? Are the Islam Fundamentalists correct in their assessments that the Americans don't have the stomach for bloodshed and therefore will give in to the wishes of the Islamic people and leave the Middle East? I personally don't feel we are prepared to fight a war with an enemy who doesn't have borders and who seems willing to attack in non-conventional ways and on our own soil. I don't think Americans can tolerate more scenes like this past week.

Unfortunately, I believe that will be what happens if we go to war with Afghanistan in the name of getting Osama bin Laden. America, get ready, life as we know it is going to change. And it's not going to be for the better right away. If we are willing to do what it takes to rid the world of terrorism it will cost lives like we haven't seen before. The Islamic fundamentalists and bin Laden have said they do not distinguish between American military and civilians. To them we are all evil and are all targets. Sacrifices will have to be made. The question before this country is just how much are we willing to sacrifice. Things are going to get worse before they get better.

9-11 Part 3

A moment of silence was just observed by the company I work for. Everyone gathered outside at the flagpole as a new flag was unfurled, raised and then lowered to half-mast as we held hands and reflected on the events that shocked America Tuesday. As I looked at my co-workers there were many with tears in their eyes. Sorrow and mourning are natural and healthy in a situation like this. Personally have not been able to shed any tears over what happened. Yes, I am appalled at the terrorist's attacks, which may change life in America forever. I am hopeful that those responsible are captured and held responsible for their actions. And I feel great sorrow for the innocent victims and especially their friends and families who will have to live with their losses. Maybe it's just that a tragedy like this seemed inevitable to me. After Oklahoma City it was evident of just how easy it was to commit terrorist acts against the American people right here in America! That is not said to diminish in any way the magnitude of Tuesday's events. Simply to point out that we are vulnerable to this type of terrorism. Every day we take for granted so many things in our lives. Getting on an airplane, going to work, going to the bar, going to parties, going to school and having plenty to eat and drink. It's the way of America. Thousands stream into our borders every year simply to escape persecution, dictatorship or natural shortfalls in their homelands.

Things are about to change and as much outcry as there has been this week over the attacks in New York and Washington, there will be even more when the memory has faded and the inconveniences that we all seem to want in the aftermath become intrusive on our daily lives. Suspicion will have a definite effect on America. Instead of being at the airport an hour before your flight it will now take 2 hours. I remember when it was 20 minutes! The threat of being detained is probably going to become more real.

Right now, America is lauding the impending measures to increased safety and security. But how much time will pass before the security achieved becomes a bother? And if it does become a bother, when will standards be relaxed? What will the cost be for letting our guard down again? A change is coming America. It probably will not be for the betterment of the quality of life we now enjoy. Will it increase safety and security? Almost without a doubt it will, but at what costs and how long are we willing to pay those costs? America has changed this week, and for that I do shed tears.

9-11 Part 2

Tomorrow morning a new day will dawn. It will be a dawn unlike any of us in America have ever experienced. I feeling of despair and apprehension will arise with us. Today, the fears expressed by many for the past several years were realized as terrorists struck at the heart of the US government and economy when the Pentagon and World Trade Centers were attacked in separate, but similar incident just minutes apart from each other. It is clear that these attacks and another involving a downed airliner in Pennsylvania were the calculated attacks of some terrorist group.
What is not clear is who is responsible for the attacks. Most American's have been quick to condemn Osama bin Laden or the Taliban that rules nearly all of Afghanistan. Reports of Palestinians dancing in the streets of Gaza and Iraqis celebrating and claiming the attacks were the wages of America's foreign policy make these groups seem guilty. And make no mistake. Any or all of these groups have the financial wherewithal to make such an attack take place. These attacks were very well thought out and carried out with precision. But let us not, in the heat of the moment dismiss all other possibilities. The last terrorist attack on American soil was perpetrated by Timothy McVeigh. That atrocity was done by an American or group of Americans who had serious philosophical issues with the government of the US.

Obviously, today's attacks were much better planned than a truck full of explosives. But the result, despite the magnitude of casualties, was the same. A disruption of the business of America.
Tonight, shopping malls are closed, school functions cancelled and even baseball games postponed. We await word on whether or not there will even be football this weekend. But are these cancellations and postponements done out of respect for the victims and families of today's tragedy? Or are they done for a fear of safety? Either way, the terrorists, whoever they may be have succeeded in one way. Disrupting our lives.

It is incumbent upon the US intelligence community to find the masterminds of these attacks and punish them accordingly. Anything less will not be tolerated by the American people. But I would urge the citizens and government of this country to be sure the responsible agents for these crimes are caught and not to take action merely to appease a nation who will demand retribution.

Tonight, I had class on the IUPUI campus. Noticeably absent were the many foreign students who are usually on campus. Perhaps one or some of them come from a country who is harboring the responsible party. Or perhaps, the students who showed up are from a country that is.

9-11 Part 1

This morning, apparent terrorist attacks occurred in New York City, Washington and Pittsburgh. Hundreds if not thousands will have lost their lives and thousands more will have been injured in the attacks. The first attacks occurred just minutes apart from each other as allegedly hijacked commercial airliners collided with both towers of the World Trade Center in New York. Minutes later another commercial airliner was crashed into the Pentagon in Washington. Then, about an hour later there was a report of yet another commercial airliner crashing in a suburban Pittsburgh area. At this point, Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind such terrorist attacks as those at US installations in Italy and Nigeria has claimed he is not responsible. In fact a group with “Palestinian” in it's name has claimed responsibility. Conflicting reports and confusion have ruled the morning.

That's the news, but what does it mean? America is the most powerful country in the world. It's just that simple. But with that power comes responsibility and ultimately the consequences that power brings. Our people have been the victims of foreign terrorists for years, both on foreign soil and here at home. Why?

That is a question that seemingly, if answered, could lead to an end of the terrorism or a better understanding of when attacks will occur. But the answers are many and complex.

First of all, we are a nation who is viewed as being very immoral. Our religious freedoms allow us to worship which religion we choose or to choose no religion at all. In many countries around the world, the state is run by religion and there are no choices. Governments of very fundamentalist religious factions run many of these countries. To them, the worship and service of their supreme being is far more honorable than life itself. And their disdain of the “west” leads them to terrorist acts. If that sounds like a contradiction of faith, it is. And it seems that the more we point that out, the more it pushes the fundamentalists into these actions. In the case of the Taliban, sharp contrasts between their beliefs and those of the west bring anger and hostility. When that anger and hostility is funded by billionaires such as Bin Laden, then terrorist acts of enormous magnitude can occur.

Second, despite the economic reports we hear on a daily basis, the US is a very prosperous nation. Our land is blessed with vast amounts of natural resources, fertile land and a climate that is ideal for growing nearly any crop needed. Not every country is blessed in these ways. Of course the Middle East has the huge oil reserves, but the land is arid and not suited to crop cultivation. Much of Europe is mountainous and what is not, is crowded with people. Southern Asia and Africa suffer from droughts of enormous and deadly proportions. Through trade and loans, the US has given these countries loans and food for years with little hope of ever recouping any of the money. So the US has entered into agreements such as NAFTA and the World Trade Organization which bring globalization into reach. Globalization can lower tariffs and bring products that we don't have to us for lower prices. These lower prices lead, however, to low wages in other countries and the cycle of the “haves” and the “have nots” continues. As witnessed by the riots that accompany any WTO conference, globalization of the economy is not necessarily desired.

Finally, of course there is simple jealousy of the US for the already mentioned reasons. And let me make the point here that while the death toll from today's actions will be greater than the Oklahoma City bombing, it is, to me, a less heinous crime since that was an act brought about by an American who thought himself to be a “patriot”. Today's act's are clearly un-American, paid for and perpetrated by foreign agents. Surely, if everything the reports are saying about hijacking is true, then there are Americans that had to be involved and those people are far worse than the foreign states or individuals who financed or perpetrated these acts.

So what happens now? If the Palestinians are responsible what are they trying to accomplish? Do they honestly think these acts will cause us to persuade Israel to move off the West Bank and give them a country? What happened today will have the opposite effect. American reaction should be swift and severe and the dream of legitimate, law abiding Palestinians of a homeland should be wiped from their thoughts. If the Taliban or Osama Bin Laden are responsible, then the US should demand his extradition. Once. Then if the same lack of cooperation persists, we use the military to go get him. Acts such as these bring Americans close. What other countries think of us will be of little concern for quite some time. Does this mean we should be kicking out all of the foreigners from the US. Absolutely not. Most are hard working, law abiding citizens. But as happened back in 1990 when the Gulf War brought America together, many foreign born Americans will suffer. That may not be right, but when events such as today's occur, it is to be expected.

Dale Earnhardt

Well it's Brickyard week here in Indy and as usual, excitement is running high as the stars of the Winston Cup series make their return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unfortunately, I just can't really get in to all the pre race hype (hike for my friends and fans of Thomas “Hitman” Hearns) that surrounds the running of the 400.

Yes, I will miss seeing Dale Earnhardt on the track tremendously and I know that this whole season has been somewhat dull to me because he has not been there. I still root for Jr. and have become a Kevin Harvick fan. I still root for Mark Martin and Steve Park. I want to see Ron Hornaday do well for AJ's team. I'd like to see John Andretti do well as he always seemed to be the most gracious of the racing Andretti's-perhaps that is his downfall. And don't think I won't be there giving Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon the finger when they come around and booing when Robby Gordon or Dale Jarrett go by. I will be! But it won't be the same.I've never been a big fan of any driver who was killed before Dale. Not like that anyway. I always liked Scott Brayton but wasn't a big fan. I liked Tim Richmond, but his death came slow and inevitable. I was a Mark Donahue fan, but Formula One coverage was pretty nonexistent when he crashed and died in Austria in 1975. I was a fan of the late Ayrton Senna, but nothing like Dale Earnhardt. Without him at the Speedway, it will seem empty and sad for me. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. I also know that Dale Jr. would like to see an end to the memorials at each race. He wants to focus on the job at hand. Maybe he's right and maybe it is time for all of Dale's fans to come to grips with this tragedy and move on. It's not easy. I'll know that when the tears are in my eyes at the start of the race Sunday, if not sooner. They're there every week when the green flag falls.

For this week, I pray that no one is seriously hurt and that the weather cooperates. It'll be hot, that much is sure. It'll be slow, as anyone who has been to the track in May and then comes back in August can testify to. It'll be crowded as every Winston Cup race is and as every race at IMS is. Unfortunately, that crowd will be missing one of the very reasons NASCAR is in Indianapolis in the first place.

Go 8, 1, 6, 43, 14 and even 2! Goodbye 3! I will miss you this weekend, but your memory will not fade!

The IRL @ The Nashville Speedway and Some Colts

Saturday night marked the inaugural IRL race at the new Nashville Speedway. Pre race hype was running high as the event was a sellout. Granted the speedway currently has but 75,000 seats, but for the IRL to stage an event in the heart of NASCAR country was quite a feat. But the real story has tot be the re-emergence of Buddy Lazier as possibly the best driver on the IRL circuit.

Let me be the first one to tell you that in May I said that the Indy 500 had been tainted in 1996 when Lazier won. It's not that I felt he did anything to deserve NOT to win, it just happened to be the first year the CART drivers were not at the Speedway. It just seemed opportunistic for a guy who basically had languished in the few CART races he ran and in the 500 up to 1996. When Arie Luyendyk won the race in 1997 it didn't ring as hollow as he had won the race in 1990. But while Lazier hasn't won the race since 1996 he has had some solid runs. More importantly though is the fact that he has become virtually impassable as this season has moved on. His runaway victory at Pikes Peak was a magnificent display of driving. Darting around the other drivers wherever he wanted. Then Saturday night, he gained the lead and was never headed. Lazier is at the top of his game right now. The other IRL drivers best be on the lookout if they are to stop him from winning his second consecutive IRL championship.

It's hard to blame the fans for staying away in droves from the Harrah's 500 at Michigan Sunday. After all, for CART fans in the area, it is a slap in the face to have the best race on the CART circuit pulled. First CART brass blames the loss of the event on International Speedway Corporation and their increasing affiliation with Tony George and the IRL. Then, in what seemed like and effort to tell the fans what they wanted to hear, CART says they may be back at Michigan after next year because ISC only has a one year deal with the IRL. Maybe I'm an idiot, but what does the IRL deal have to do with the CART race? Let's see, NASCAR has two races at the track, CART one. Are they trying to tell us that the track can only support three races a year? You are making a big mistake leaving Michigan CART. Here's hoping your management comes to their senses and stems this tide of nixing oval track races in the US in favor of ovals in Europe, Asia and South America and road course races here. They kinda have it backwards.

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Finally, Colts camp opens Thursday in Terre Haute. Like last year, anticipation runs high coming off back-to-back playoff appearances. This year, however, there seems to be a little more sense of urgency from the Colts and especially from the fans. It is time for this team to produce, not only in the regular season, but especially in the post season. Head Coach Jim Mora has never won a playoff game in the NFL. He isn't the right man for this job and should not have been hired, but que sera sera. This team needs to face each opponent as if they were playoff games, get the home field advantage and the week off and win playoff games. It's as simple as that. Let's all forget about the Edge missing the voluntary camp. I thought he should have been there, but that is my opinion of how a team works together and how they improve. What's done is done and now is time to look forward, not back. Good luck Colts, but if you let us down again this year, don't expect smooth sailing on that stadium issue.

Dale Jr., Tony Stewart and Some IRL

Way to go Little E! Despite some folks contention that Saturday's Pepsi 400 at Daytona Beach was fixed, Dale Jr. put on a show of domination rarely seen in NASCAR these days, especially on the restrictor plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega. Dale drove below, above and around the competition seemingly with ease. For those who think the other drivers “let him by” I would only say you haven't been paying attention.

Ask Winston Cup Series points leader Jeff Gordon, who has been highly successful at Daytona, if he didn't want to pad his lead with a victory. After all the points winner collects a cool million at seasons end. I'm sure that Dale Jarrett and Ricky Rudd, who are both hot on Gordon's heels, would never let anyone go by just for sentimental reasons. Ask any of the Winston No Bull 5 drivers if they would pass up the million dollar bonus to let Dale Jr. win.

Ask that arrogant hot head Tony Stewart if he would let anyone pass. There was no fix! Sure, Michael Waltrip made a spirited charge to the front the last couple of laps, and may have actually been faster than Dale. But Michael and Dale are teammates. I was up yelling for Michael to be a team player and thankfully he did!
The victory celebration that started in the grassy area between the track and the pits continued at least until NBC's coverage went off the air a half hour after the race. Lot's of drivers and crewmen were quoted as saying a better script couldn't have been written. Some people immediately took that to assume the race was fixed. They are certainly entitled to their opinion, even if it's wrong. For those of us who are Dale Jr. fans it was a race that was a delight to watch. The restrictor plates, which nearly every driver it seems despise, are meant to keep the cars slowed down making them equal and therefore run in huge packs all race long. Dale didn't ever lead by a lap, but once he got to the front he was simply unbeatable. I loved it!

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Tony Stewart, part of my All-Wheezy Windbag team, showed his ass again Saturday night. NBC reported at the top of their broadcast that the drivers were told at the drivers meeting that driving below the yellow line was going to result in a penalty. With a handful of laps remaining, Stewart was attempting to pass Johnny Benson. Stewart obviously had a faster car, but as usual, showed no patience. Stewart went low in the tri oval area and below the yellow line in his attempt to pass Benson. NASCAR black flagged Stewart, who in turn ignored it. Smooth move Scott Goodyear Jr. After the race, Stewart was informed he was being dropped 20 positions in the final race standings and he did his usual meltdown. He had to be physically separated from NASCAR competition director Gary Nelson and later pushed and knocked a tape recorder from a reporter's hand.

Stewart is a menace both on the track and off. Last year he put other drivers in jeopardy driving like an idiot in the Winston. Now I don't like Jeff Gordon at all, but Stewart's actions in the pits after the race at Bristol were reprehensible. That incident earned him probation until August. Now this boob is at it again. He drove below the yellow line. It's just that simple and he knows it. But he thinks he's God's gift to racing. NASCAR needs to set this punk down for a race or two and let him decide if he wants to heed the rules or if he would like to go back to the dirt tracks from which he came. I suppose there is a fine line between being aggressive and being dangerous. This moron has crossed the line too many times to just call it racing and blaming emotions.

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The IRL ran their first race at the new Kansas Speedway yesterday. Wow! Besides putting on another excellent show, even if Eddie Cheever won, they actually drew a great crowd for the race. The track holds 75,000 and that's how many seats were sold. Now before you think the IRL can sell out in the Kansas City area, keep this in mind. The track sold tickets to the IRL race, the truck race on Saturday and the Winston Cup race in September as a package. IRL officials knew the 75,000 tickets sold were bought because of the Winston Cup show. They were simply hoping that the ticket holders would come out and see their product. Much to the surprise of everyone, they did! I'm sure it helped that the race took place at a time when the Winston Cuppers weren't running, but nevertheless the stands were full, and the Indy boys didn't disappoint.

Side-by-side racing was the norm. Hopefully the race will encourage those who were there just out of curiosity to attend other IRL events. If they can start to increase attendance, the IRL may just wipe CART off the map.

The Kansas Speedway proved to be an excellent venue for Indy Car racing. The mile and a half tracks seem especially well suited for the cars and for exciting racing action. IRL has decided not to go back to Atlanta next year, which is a shame, but crowds were just dismal. However they are picking up Michigan and there is even some rumblings of a street race in the future. I welcome the new ideas and tracks. I would like to see Pikes Peak left off the schedule as it just does not seem to inspire good racing. The IRL is off to the new track at Nashville. Let's hope they have a good turnout for that event!

Bring McCain Home

Four rallies were held over the weekend in Arizona calling for the recall of Senator John McCain. The recall rallies are the result of Senator McCain's incessant liberal leanings. The people are attempting to bring McCain home and replace him with a person who will represent them. McCain no longer fits that bill.

Senator McClain used his bully pulpit as a Senator and former POW to make a run at the Republican nomination for President against George W. Bush. McCain's message of campaign reform was a popular and relevant platform. But his campaign seemed to be focused on the fact that he had been a POW in Vietnam and not his Senate voting record. “W” ran his campaign largely on tax cuts and breaks and bringing the country back to it's more conservative roots after eight years of Bill Clinton's assault on the constitution.

The Republican primary season was ugly. McCain and Bush seemed to be on opposite ends of every issue. Even as it became apparent that “W” would win the nomination, McCain repeatedly took shots at him. For a republican such as myself, it was sickening to watch this proud candidate sink into a pathetic, whining poor loser. To be honest, it's a wonder Bush ever won the election as divided as the Republican's were last August. McCain finally came around to a certain extent, even speaking at the Republican National Convention. He was still stressing his idea of campaign reform.

So now we are eight months past the election and in the seventh month of “W's” presidency. His tax cut measures were passed and signed into law last month, but Senator John McCain did not vote for the measure. In May, McCain sponsored a bill with former Democrat Vice Presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman making it even more difficult for honest Americans to purchase guns. And finally, along with Ted Kennedy, McCain co-sponsored the patients' bill of rights. A measure strongly opposed by the White House and the rank and file Republican members of congress.

Just where is Senator McCain now? One of two possibilities exists. Either McCain has become a liberal-or more likely a Bush hater-or he has his sights set on the White House in 2004 and sees his anti-conservativism and the outrage it conjures up as a way to keep his name in front of the public. If he has become a liberal he needs to be brought home. His constituents voted for McCain on the basis of his conservative views. If he has changed his own personal views, more power to him. However, he no longer represents his constituency and needs to be recalled. If this blowhard just wants to keep his name in front of the public, he needs to get with the Republican agenda and help mold what are probably overly conservative ideas and reign them in so even those in the Republican camp will be comfortable with the party's platform. Something I can't say I am right now.

To the people of Arizona I wish good luck in your fight. At least it will let you know where this guy really stands.

High School, College and the NBA

The Washington Wizards made NBA history last night by selecting a player just out of high school first in the draft. Kwame Brown out of Brunswick, GA was the first of 3 players selected out of the first four with no college basketball experience. Whether Brown becomes a star NBA player or not remains to be seen. He certainly wouldn't be the first number one pick to fail to live up to his billing, but as a player coming directly out of high school, he will be scrutinized every step of the way during his career. By picking Brown first the Wizards upped the ante in the argument whether or not players coming out of high school should be able to declare themselves ready for the NBA draft. It is an argument that has been going for decades, but in the last five years, with the increase in the number of high school seniors foregoing college, the argument has intensified.

I don't personally see any problem with a player coming out of high school and straight into the NBA. I mean a lot of kids come out of high school and go directly to work. Many simply can't afford college, while some just aren't ready for it. I'm a case in point for that one. I went to college right out of high school, but failed miserably because I just wasn't ready for more school. I'd had 12 straight years of it and was ready to work full time and make some money so I could hang out with my friends and be afford to go to concerts, races, movies etc.

However, let me temper the fact that I don't see a problem with these kids skipping college, with the thought that each of these individuals are different. Are all kids coming out of high school ready for the NBA or to go to work? No way. Are some ready? Absolutely. I look at Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant as examples of players who skipped college and are now highly successful NBA players. In fact they are stars in the league. I look at Jermaine O'Neal for our own Indiana Pacers and see a guy who three years into his career is on the verge of becoming a star. Then I look at our other Pacers who were drafted right out of high school, Al Hairrington and Jonathon Bender. Pacer president Donnie Walsh has sung the praises of these two and their talent, but their on court performances tell a different story. Erratic play begetting inconsistent minutes has been the MO for both players. Where Garnett, Bryant and O'Neal have shown the maturity necessary to become successful in the NBA, Hairrington and Bender have not.

And don't get me wrong, a player with four years of college playing experience may not make it in the NBA either, but the odds of him being able to handle the “real world” of an NBA player is much greater than a high schooler. Teams draft these high school players based on potential. After all, a really good high school player can look like a man amongst boys in a varsity game. But he will be playing against men in the NBA and there is no reference by which to base the pick on. College players at least have the advantage of being taught the game for one to five years longer. It gives them the chance to mature mentally. I don't think anyone can deny the fact that physically, some high school players are ready for the pros. The mental aspect will be the largest area of concern.

The NBA will continue to draft high school players as long as one each season can “make” it in the league. There are some who want the league to impose a minimum age of 20. The players union will challenge that and will win. As long as you can get a job at 18, then the NBA will not be able to shut out the under 20's. If they think they can implement such a rule I would ask them to check out the PGA's loss in the Casey Martin case. Sure that was an American With Disabilities Act decision, but the PGA held that as a private organization they weren't to be held to the same laws. The NBA will suffer a similar defeat if they try to pursue a minimum age rule. So I guess it comes down to each teams comfort level and how much “baby-sitting” they are willing to allow their coaching staffs to do. The Pacers have shown they will tolerate a certain measure of youth to help plan for the future. But I, for one, am glad to see they picked up a couple of players last night with at least some college experience. Not because I think they will be better than any of the other players, I just think they will be better than Harrington and Bender.

CART @ Portland

Pity poor CART. Other than their drivers dominating the Indy 500, CART just can't seem to be able to catch a break. Yesterday they held the annual race at the Portland International Speedway. A couple of things strike me as being wrong with this race. First, it's a boring track and looks like, other than the pit straightaway, it provides little viewing area for the fans in attendance. Second, the race always seems to be held on the same day of the Winston Cup race down at Sonoma, CA. Therefore, both races usually start at the same time. The last thing CART, or any other racing series, needs to do is to try to go head to head on television against NASCAR. It's a no win situation.

Apparently CART isn't worried about competing against the Winston Cuppers. I would think they would be! To make matters worse, rain fell during the entire race at Portland. This resulted in 9 full course yellows, numerous excursions off the track and the race distance shortened to a timed event of 2 hours. It was absolutely painful to watch. The CART officials should have stopped the race and waited for the skies to clear. I know, I know, they run on road courses in the rain. Well if that is the case, then let them run. If cars slide off the course, they usually get back on the track. And as long as they are out of the way, keep the track green. I thought that if there were crashes on road courses, the system of flags warns the drivers of impending peril and the whole course doesn't have to be slowed. That didn't happen yesterday.

I bet the F1 guys got a big kick out of watching you fumble your way around the wetlands of Oregon. That is, if they were able to stay awake. Come on CART, tracks like Portland have no place in your schedule. I really want to follow CART but the way things happen over there, especially this year, it isn't easy. That's 2 weeks in a row the pole sitter has won and led throughout. It happens in F1 because one car manufacturer is dominant. But CART cars are all basically the same, or at least when it comes to an oval, that everyone has a chance to win. And if you feel you must run in Portland, don't run it on the same day NASCAR is on the west coast. Their race at Sears Point isn't very exciting either, but yesterday it was like comparing the Daytona 500 to go kart racing over at Great Times!

One thing I did notice about the race yesterday at Portland was the Toyota advertising behind the wheels of the Newman/Haas team cars. It was a bright red or orange and the rims allowed the logo to be seen as they turned. The effect was a flashing-like effect which was very cool indeed.

They Must Hate Their Jobs

So I'm driving last night and searching for something on the radio when I happen upon those wheezy windbags on WIBC, Kevin Lee, Jack Trudeau and Joe Hillman. The topic was Edgerrin James and their thoughts that he no longer wanted to play for the Colts.

Unfortunately I missed the opening of the show because I really would have liked to have heard just how the discussion got started. I mean I haven't read or heard anything that would lead me to believe that Edge intends to do anything but show up for training camp, in shape and ready to help the Colts get to the Super Bowl. So I really wasn't sure what prompted the discussion.

However, as I drove on and listened further I realized how many times I have listened to these three boobs and just shook my head in amazement at the fact that they are allowed to have a radio show. And this from two guys I have cheered for in their athletic careers. Joe Hillman was never the star at IU that I had hoped coming out of high school, but he was a good solid player. Somehow, he has grown to love the sound of his own voice. He gets more pompous sounding and more irritating by the day. On top of that he seems to get more stupid by the day. Trudeau was a good backup for the Colts for a long time. Sure he started some games, but let's face it, he was only in because of injuries or because the Colts management was so bad, the backups were really bad. Couple that with the fact he took a lot of stupid chances on the field. Still, he was a Colt and was cheered. Now he seems bitter and mad. I don't know what Lee's background is, but he seems to be the monitor of this special ed talk show. But the longer he sits with the other two dopes, the more bitter he becomes.

What really gets me is that these weasels aren't unique to the media. It seems that more and more I hear people on so called sports shows, who obviously don't like sports. In addition to the WIBC crew, ESPN seems inundated with talking heads that would rather find the negative aspects of the sporting world than focus on the fun that sports are. On Sunday morning, The Sports Reporters features four morons who fly in to New York to tell us how bad everything in sports are. Mike Lupica, Tony Kornheiser-who does write some fine articles in the Washington Post along with the negative ones, Michael Wilbon, Mitch Albom and the host Dick Schaap who obviously thinks he is more important than anything in sports. Even here in town, The Indianapolis Star has had it's share of crappy columnists. Hell that one over there now, Bob Kravitz finally got me to quit getting my sports info from my hometown newspaper. Thanks Bob. When I was reading him I think he wrote one positive article. Something about Colts placekicker Mike Vanderjaagt a new, and well-deserved contract. Everything else was negative. And when there wasn't anything else to write about, it was dogpile on Bob Knight and IU. And Kravitz wasn't the first. Before he was fired Robin Miller, who I thoroughly enjoyed reading, would tear into Tony George and the Speedway for the CART/IRL split whenever there wasn't anything else, in his view apparently to write about. Mark Patrick, Bill Benner even Mark Boyle, the voice of the Pacers all just seem bitter towards sports.

Maybe I'm a little naïve about things, but these cats have some of the greatest jobs in the world, especially the writers. So why do they all seem so bitter? Are they all jaded by endless free food buffets and comp tickets to any event? Maybe they envy those who play the games because of the money the athletes make. I wish I knew. I do know this though. I would trade places with any of you negative, egotistical, bitter assholes to get my opinion out there in the public. Step aside you grouches, make room for those of us who still love the games!

Fucking Up At Work!

A funny thing happened to me this morning at work. I had a co-worker really stick his foot in his mouth and actually was left speechless. Here's what happened.

First let me set the scenario up for you. The company I work for occupies 2 different buildings that are about 5 miles apart. Previously we were just a block away from each other and before that, the people who work in the corporate headquarters (where I work) were located upstairs from the operations department. For whatever reason, there has always seemed to be a rivalry between the two. Today, I got first hand a taste of that rivalry. For the record I am a credit manager for a trucking company. The other person involved is a sales coordinator. I won't name names here because all trucking companies are essentially the same and most have the positions involved here.

The sales department often looks at the credit manager as a “sales prevention manager”. And I admit, without exception, I believe that everyone in the sales department could give a shit less if we ever get paid. Just fill them trucks up! To stimulate sales and reduce empty miles for our trucks and drivers, the sales coordinator position was created to look for loads in areas where our trucks delivered, but had little or no freight coming out of. Basically a money-losing situation. However, the sales coordinator was to get the approval of the credit manager before anything was picked up. For a long time, I ran the credit checks, told the sales coordinator if the prospect was credit worthy or not. And for a long time we had no problems. Then a week ago, I got a credit application from a deadbeat customer who had screwed us out of money a few years back. I denied credit, but mysteriously we had already picked up the freight. Not the way the system is supposed to work. I filed it away mentally. Then yesterday, another customer came up bad on their credit report. When I called the coordinator, I found out that once again, we had already picked up the freight. “It was a one time thing” I was told. Well, I already knew this was bullshit, but kept my mouth shut.

Forward to this morning. Once again I had a credit check to do. Instead of spending the $20 for a D&B report I called the coordinator to see if we already had the freight. We did! So I simply replied that he no longer needed to send me the credit applications. As per procedure, I went to the higher ups to see how they wanted to handle credit applications in the future. Basically I was told to speak to the coordinator and try to work something out. That's where the fun began!

When I called the coordinator, I said “this is Mark, how are you doing?”. I was told that the coordinator “wasn't worth a shit”; that he had “people in the ivory tower” keeping him from doing his job. That everyone in the tower was taking “2 hour lunches and playing golf”. At first I thought he was joking. Like I said, there has always been the rivalry or separation between the buildings. About that time, the coordinator realized that he thought he was speaking to another “Mark”. He stammered and after a couple of seconds hung up the phone. Needless to say, there was egg on his face.

A couple of minutes later, I got an email explaining that he was sorry and that he was too embarrassed to even call me back. I answered that it was no big deal, gave him my thoughts on how to improve the process and then took him to task about playing golf. Especially since I haven't picked up a club this year! It was all laughed off by me as a joke. Mostly because I couldn't care what some sales coordinator thinks. I'm here with one purpose-to make sure the customers pay and to weed out the ones who will not or don't.

But there is a lesson to be learned here. Technology makes it very simple for us to communicate, especially in an office setting. But be careful what you say on the phone whether you are sure of who is calling or not. And be careful sending those emails. One wrong click and the wrong person can receive a message intended for someone else. That's also happened here! Sometimes I think the people around me at work were put here for my amusement. They are pretty fucking stupid and hilarious at times!

IRL & CART, Can't We All Just Get Along?

ESPN reported last week that CART will change their current engine formula for the 2004 season. Word is that the formula will call for a 3.5 liter (or smaller) normally aspirated engine. Gone will be the turbocharged engines that have been the formula since CART's inception in 1979. But what will this mean for the current engine builders in CART? Is this a sign or an olive branch if you will to Tony George and the IRL? After all, the IRL engine specs call for a normally aspirated 3.5-liter engine with a 10,700-rpm limiter. So where does that leave the possible reunification of Indy Car racing?

The first step seems to have been made last year by CART team owners Chip Gannasi and Derek Walker. Walker fielded a team for driver Sarah Fisher, while Gannasi brought eventual winner Juan Montoya and Jimmy Vasser to the Speedway for the 500. This year, driver Michael Andretti and car owner and the most prolific winning owner in 500 history Roger Penske joined Gannasi and Walker back at Indy. Penske in fact ran his drivers in the IRL event at Phoenix. So obviously there is interest in being in Indianapolis for the 500. 1999 winner Kenny Brack is hoping to be here next May. But are the CART owners cherry picking their IRL races? No one could blame them at this point. The Indianapolis 500 is the biggest single one day sporting event in the world. IT has the biggest purse of any auto race. Add to that the fact that Montoya dominated the field in 2000 and that CART drivers finished 1-2-3 this year and one might get the idea they are here only because of the money and that they “know” they will win. I hate it, but it seems apparent that the CART drivers are simply better than the IRL drivers.

One major sticking point is the ownership of each league. Tony George who happens to own the track everyone wants to compete at-the Indianapolis Motor Speedway owns the IRL. It's his bread and butter and by looking at the crowds at the other races, his only real source of income for the IRL. CART on the other hand is a publicly traded company. How they resolve this issue is beyond me at this point. People usually gloss over this point, but it will have to be addressed before any reunification. And rest assured, Tony George is not willing to share the money with the public or a bunch of whiny car owners.

Next is the issue of the races themselves. CART stages races on temporary street circuits, permanent road courses and ovals on 5 continents. The IRL runs solely on ovals in the United States. CART has drivers from all over the world, although there does seem to be a disproportionate number of Brazilians in the series. With a couple of exceptions, the IRL drivers are Americans. What does that mean? Well oval track racing is a uniquely American phenomenon. The foreign drivers seem to gravitate more to road course racing. I'm not going to tell you one is better than another from a driver's standpoint. I can imagine they both have plusses and minuses. But the stars of CART are there because of the heavy emphasis on the road courses. CART, I'm sure, is unwilling to run it's brightest stars off just to reunite with IRL and run strictly ovals. For there to be a merge, CART needs to drop races at Cleveland, Vancouver, Toronto, Mid-Ohio, Houston and Road America. IRL needs to embrace tracks like Long Beach and Laguna Seca and an effort should be made to get back to Watkins Glen. As far as the races in other countries, they should only be staged if they are going to be cost effective to run. With the number of drivers from Brazil, it makes sense to work out the differences with the promoter and keep that race afloat. Drop Australia, Mexico and stay out of Europe. Japan with Honda and Toyota building engines seems viable. IRL needs to give up Atlanta and Richmond, VA. Neither race draws a crowd. Both tracks are in the heart of NASCAR country and Indy Car racing has never done well in the south and it never will. This is a big country with a lot of wonderful tracks. It's time to just let NASCAR have the south with the possible exception of Homestead.

Now it's probably naïve to think CART would sacrifice so much, just to merge with the IRL. Especially since all they have to do is buy or lease equipment to run at Indy. One interesting alternative comes from the nutcases at Formula One. King Bernie caused quite a stir a couple of months ago when he sold part ownership of the circuit to a television company. Needless to say, the manufacturers were less than pleased as they felt they had not been given the equal opportunity to buy into the franchise. Eccelstone in his usual lack of tact blamed the manufacturers for not coming to him earlier about buying in. They knew it was never offered and that once again the king had shown them he was all-powerful. This time though the manufacturers starting talking of forming a rival Formula One series. Talk of this rival league persists today, although is has cooled somewhat. The reason I bring this up is that if such a league were to get off the ground, it stands to reason that true road course racers from CART such as Dario Franchitti, Max Papis, Gil DeFerran and even 2001 Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves would be natural choices to run the series. Plus, a series like that would essentially negate any need for CART in it's current configuration.

For now and at least until 2004, it seems things will remain fairly static for CART and the IRL. But Toyota has already decided to go IRL racing starting with the 2003 season. They will join Chevrolet and Infiniti. What they decide to do after that remains to be seen. They could be the glue that gels the warring factions together. The Indy 500 remains rock solid, but both the IRL and CART series championships have had little meaning since the split.

Human Golfers at the US Open

The playoff between Texan Mark Brooks and South African Retief Goosen to determine the winner of the 101st US Open Champion is under way. At stake is not only the championship, but the exemption from qualifying and advertising opportunities that come with being the US Open champ. But the big story, the story the USGA should expand on is the humanness displayed by the leaders Sunday. It was the mistakes that were made and the fact that many of the mistakes weren't overcome that showed America and the world that these men are human. It had to give every high handicapper pause to think that golfers at the top of their game in one of the largest tournaments in the world were making the same bad shots that any hack can make.

Maybe I have grown so used to watching Tiger Woods grind the field down, major after major this past year. His focus, steel nerves and mechanical-like play down the stretch at last years open, the British Open, the PGA and the Masters made him seem almost superhuman. Frankly it was getting boring. Don't get me wrong, Woods is an amazing golfer and athlete and a very deserving champion. But watching Phil Mickelson fade in the fourth round of every major under the relentless pressure had been played.

The leaders gave back a little to all of the golfers out there who struggle week after week just to break 90. It was refreshing to watch the pros struggle to make shots, to 3 putt greens and miss fairways at least for one day.

Of Kirk Haston and Racing at Texas

As expected, Kirk Haston announced he will forego his senior season at Indiana University and make himself eligible for the NBA Draft next month. I'm sorry Kirk, but I really feel let down by this decision not only because I am selfish and want the Hoosiers to have a great season, but because I just don't feel you are ready for the NBA.

From what I have read, Haston made a good showing of himself at a pre-draft camp last week in Chicago. But this was a camp designed for players looking to become eligible for the draft to decide whether or not they are ready for the NBA or to find out where they stand in the overall picture of the draft. I am not surprised that Kirk did well. He is an excellent college basketball player and should play well against other collegiate players. What I don't see is him being able to play consistently well against NBA talent over the course of 82 games. Will he ever? Absolutely, but the benefit he would have garnered by starting and playing many minutes in 30+ games for IU would have outweighed his sitting on an NBA bench night after night except for cleanup minutes late in games. Unfortunately, that is where I see Kirk spending most of his time during his first NBA season. I really hope I am wrong about that.

Haston says he always wanted to play in the NBA and would only consider it if he had graduated from Indiana, or was close to graduation, was healthy, was coming off a good season and if he felt that “skill wise” he was ready. He is close to graduation, and he is healthy. By many accounts he got screwed by not being named Big 10 Player of the Year. But I don't see that he is polished enough to play in the pros. Not yet.

But Haston has made his decision. I don't have to like it and I don't. I don't think that many Hoosier fans will applaud his choice. I wish him the best in the future. I hope he can land with a team that can utilize his strengths while letting him work on his weaknesses and can allow him minutes. I'm just sorry to see him go as I can now only imagine the season the Hoosiers would have had with everyone, including Kirk, back.

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IRL Vice President of Operations Brian Barnhart is not happy with the racing that took place at Texas Motor Speedway last Saturday night during the Casino Magic 500. Barnhart and veteran driver Eddie Cheever Jr. were critical of the risky, wheel-to-wheel, high speed dicing that took place between Greg Ray and eventual winner Scott Sharp over the last 40 laps of the race. Mr. Barnhart and Mr. Cheever, kindly open your asses and remove your heads. The racing was as exciting as any racing ever. A 215 mph cat and mouse game that unfolded on a track that CART was chicken to run on.

I know why Cheever was upset. He had a very fast race car. Maybe the fastest car on the track. But the track can only support that kind of racing between 2. Three wide into the 3rd turn would have resulted in a crash. Therefore, Cheever was forced to back off a couple of times which cost him the race. But Brian Barnhart, who has never raced, has absolutely no idea of the exhilaration that Ray and Sharp were feeling as they went lap after lap side by side. All I can say is that if Brian Barnhart doesn't want to see the IRL drivers race like that, then he needs to look for another job. For the fans, which I thought this was at least partially about, the last 40 laps at Fort Worth last Saturday night was the best I have seen

Timothy McVeigh

At 7:14am CST today, the Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy McVeigh was pronounced dead of lethal injection at the Federal Correctional Facility in Terre Haute, IN. McVeigh was found guilty and executed for the killing of 168 people in the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City, OK on April 19, 1995. To the end, McVeigh showed no remorse over his deed, nor did he deny his guilt. His execution brings to an end the life of the worst mass murderer in US history. But his demise is hardly the end of the story.

As expected, activists both for and against the death penalty were in Terre Haute as the execution took place. Some on hand even empathized with McVeigh as a patriot who did what needed to be done. But all of their presences made it clear that the issue of capital punishment will continue to be debated for many years to come if not forever.

Let me state that up until a year or so ago, I was a firm believer in the death penalty and state sanctioned executions. I'm not saying that I am no longer in favor of it, but I have started to have second thoughts about my convictions. As a determent to murder (or whatever crime has been committed) the death penalty is a miserable failure. The killing of another human being is generally a crime of passion-a paid assassin would be an exception-and as long as humans are passionate beings, murder will occur. It will occur whether the threat of the death penalty exists or not. Of course it will deter the executed from committing any crime in the future. But is the taking of one life to pay for another the right thing to do?

In the case of Timothy McVeigh, his execution seems woefully lacking as a punishment for the taking of 168 lives. Especially given the fact that over the last few months he has shown no remorse and had dropped his appeals and seemed to be welcoming his end. He saw himself as a defender of the constitution and carried out an innovative mission which was completely void of reason. He had a fear and loathing of the federal government that is not uncommon among Americans. The difference is that most Americans would use the proper channels to make changes in the country. McVeigh killed innocent people in a message that was certainly not going to change anything about the government except how they secure their installations around the country and the world. For that matter, he could have done his deed at night when the least amount of people were in the building, but obviously deranged, he completed his mission in the morning of a weekday.

But McVeigh notwithstanding, the greater issue of the death penalty still rages on. I'm not looking at this from the Christian viewpoint that any killing is wrong, be it by a gangster or by the state. But I really don't see how the states execution of a person for the killing of another is a reasonable means of making amends. If it is not a deterrent why do it? The argument that the jails are overcrowded as it is doesn't hold water simply because the number of people executed isn't a significant number of people that is they were alive, a new prison would have to be built.

One major problem with the system is that not all murderers are given the death penalty. Most are not. Where is that line drawn? If people knew that if you commit a murder and are caught, you were going to be killed for your crime, then maybe capital punishment may become a deterrent. But as long as the judicial system continues to operate in its' current fashion, it is highly unlikely a murderer will spend the remainder of his or her life in prison, let alone be executed for it.

So as I continue to struggle with my opinion of whether or not capital punishment is the right thing to do, I think about the survivors of the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. Was killing Timothy McVeigh by lethal injection the proper punishment? According to the laws of the United States, yes it was. Did it fit the crime? It isn't even close. The constitution prevents cruel and inhumane punishment, but allowing the survivors to beat the crap out of McVeigh on a daily basis seems more relevant to the crime he perpetrated.

But the argument will rage on. Throughout the country and inside of me. Perhaps I would have a different take on it if I was one of the survivors of the victims. But most of us who argue one point or another are not.

Stupid Court Judgements, Tax Cuts and The Vic!

Ramblings-A superior court in Los Angeles yesterday awarded a 56 year old man dying of lung cancer $3 billion yesterday. The man, who doctors give 6 months to a year to live, says he isn't that worried about collecting the money. Rather, he says, he wanted to fire a shot at Phillip Morris because they misled him.

I am 40 years old. As long as I can remember, cigarette smoking has been bad for your health and warnings have been issued about those hazards. If the plaintiff started smoking when he was 16, he has had 40 years to kick the habit. Now I smoke the occasional cigarette, while enjoying some cold beer. And I will be the first to admit that quitting smoking is a very hard thing to do. Hard, but not impossible. I saw my father stop “cold turkey”. My grandmother also kicked the habit.

So why do the courts in this country continue to punish cigarette makers when they are selling a completely legal product? It's simple. If you don't want the health problems associated with smoking, then don't smoke. If you already do smoke-stop. Our litigious society has basically made responsibility for one self a thing of the past. It's time we all exercised some self control and quit blaming everyone and everything else for our shortfalls.

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Kudos to the President for getting his tax cut legislation passed and signed into law. I'm sure the administration will take all kinds of shots from the democrats. But the fact that after 10 years of being overtaxed in order to keep the budget “balanced” we finally will get some relief for at least a few years!

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I went to Victory Field last night to catch the Indians play. The “Vic” is such a nice little ballpark. But other than Win a Car night or Fireworks night, there never seems to be much of a crowd there. I know there are lots of things to do in Indy these days. But on a very nice late spring evening, sitting and watching a baseball game was ideal. I know the Tribe has not been playing very well of late, but they did win the AAA World Series last year and for at least this week have been winning. Go out and support the team. It's a great place to take the family or for a guys night out.

NBA Finals Prediction

Tonight the NBA Finals begin in Los Angeles as the Lakers take on the Philadelphia 76ers. By all indications, the Lakers should win the series in a walk. Of course, don't tell the Sixers that.
The Sixers are banged up and seemingly worn out after enduring seven game sets against the Bucks and Raptors. Even the Pacers gave them everything they could handle for the most part of a 5 game set.
But can the Alan Iverson led Sixers triumph over Shaq and Kobe? After all the Lakers haven't lost in this post season. Coupled with the fact that they have been resting for a week, there seems little hope for the Sixers.
My prediction is that the Lakers will take their second consecutive NBA crown, but I really don't see a sweep happening. Look for the Sixers to win a couple of games in the series, which by the way is pretty much how last years Finals went.

CART's Missed Opportunity

The CART/FedEx Series ran their annual race at the Milwaukee Mile yesterday. Kenny Brack who outdueled Michael Andretti won the race. The story was not that Brack had won his second consecutive race; rather it was the resounding click as television sets around the country turned off or to another channel when Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves was involved in a first lap incident with Brack. The incident, which didn't slow Brack, knocked Castroneves from competition.

The incident was so very unfortunate for the CART series which has suffered dismal television ratings for several years. However, the previous weeks Indy 500 had better ratings than in previous years. It was also won by a CART regular, who was followed by 4 more CART drivers and one Winston Cup driver.

But it was Castroneves' enthusiasm and respect for the 500 that was so refreshing. After taking the checkered flag, he stopped his car at the start/finish line, got out and climbed the fence in joy. His thrill was infectious and there was even talk about the Milwaukee race around Indianapolis this past week. That is something that has not been heard since the CART/IRL split.

There was talk of the hated Penske regime. Both pro and con. But there was talk. And there was talk of watching the race. Spurred on by the chance to see a newly famous race driver get a chance to climb the fence again at the Milwaukee Mile. Those hopes were dashed before they came to the second turn.

Obviously CART can't keep drivers out of accidents all of the time. And they certainly had no hand in Sunday's crash. But for a racing league who is trying to avoid losing credibility and add race fans, it was a tough blow to take as the casual fans who were watching Castroneves switched over to the Memorial golf tournament to watch Tiger beat the field again

Indy Radio

While trying to find something decent to listen to on the radio this morning, it occurred to me that this city has only one good radio station. I'm not going to promote it, other than to say it is an oldies station. They advertise they are an oldies station and they actually play oldies. It's not always my favorite musical type, but when I do want oldies, I know that I can get them when I go to the oldies station.

For every other kind of music, forget finding a station that will satisfy your needs. At least in this 'burg. For example, we have a station that calls itself, "The Rock and Roll Station". The only problem is that for 6 hours of each day they play no music at all and the remaining hours are filled with mostly oldies by a handful of artists. Another station claims to delve deeper into the albums they play, but fall far short of this when you actually listen. Has anyone heard more than "Cadillac Voodoo" from Southern Culture on the Skids? We have 2 stations who play "Pop" music, but besides the oldies music they throw in, their mix is so diverse, you could never expect anyone to like what they play. Rap is pop music, Brittney Spears and Jennifer Lopez are pop music, even Creed and Matchbox 20 are pop music. But who wants to listen to all of these distinctly different genres of music? We have the Adult Contemporary format, who also don't seem to be able to figure out just what that means. And finally, the R&B format here is just gone. Toni Braxton to rap. What is that all about?

I just wish you could turn the radio on and whatever type of music you were in a mood for at that time, you could find and listen to. I guess this being a medium market, we just can't support that type of variation. Or at least that is what it seems.