Last night me and the wife took in a Pacer game. First one for me in a couple of years. It was a pleasant evening, but honestly, the only reason we went was because DJ Deak was on the court with the Pacer Power Pack when they, and Boomer, did their high-flying trampoline act after the third quarter. Apparently many more decided it wasn’t worth coming out to at all. The on court product pretty much makes their case.
It was really kind of sad. A scant 8 years ago Conseco Fieldhouse was opening to rave reviews and was the home of one of the best teams in the league. In fact, the Pacers celebrated their first season in their new home by making the NBA Finals and even though they lost that series to the Lakers, the Pacers made us all proud. They played good, solid, fundamental basketball on both sides of the ball and they seemed to be really great guys.
Fast-forward to last night. The announced attendance was over 12,000, but if there was 7,000 actually there I’d be shocked. The Pacers still have the BS about us having the best 6th man in the league, but that sounds so stupid when there is no one there.
I understand the apathy towards this team. The players have had so many off court problems that it just gets to the point you don’t want to root for them as players. In fact, this morning’s news that a woman was raped at Marquis Daniel’s home over the weekend bounced right off of me. I feel for the woman, but it’s just another Pacer too close to trouble. Even if Daniels had no involvement in the action, someone he knew did. Yet these are the kind of players Larry Bird has brought here.
Besides Daniels, who does play hard, there simply isn’t much talent on the squad. JO is constantly hurt. Tinsley is hurt more and more this year after a couple of decent years. Jeff Foster is getting old and doesn’t compete like he used to. Troy Murphy hustles, but isn’t that good. Mike Dunleavy sucks. Travis Diener is a hustler, but again, that is his strong point. Talent wise this team isn’t even close. I know they’re hurt, but you have to suck it up and win some games even when it seems like you shouldn’t.
I’ve been saying for a couple of years that Larry Legend is in over his head. The fans obviously feel the same way. Indy fans may be fickle, but if you give them a team that competes and shows signs of getting better they will still back you, but this team is a disaster and the gate is showing it.
The answer? I think it’s obvious that Larry Bird has to go. All of the players are expendable, although I doubt anyone wants any of them. You have to just start over with this team. Willard wants them to just tank the rest of the season and get a high draft pick. He’s probably right. If they can draft Eric Gordon you might at least put some butts in the seats.
I hate to rag on the team because frankly I don’t feel close enough to the situation to do so, but it just makes me sad to see that beautiful arena less than half full with no real end to that situation in sight. I still love the Pacers and want them to win, but with the current team and management I just don’t see a bright future.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
IU v Purdue
Just a couple of observations about tonight's game.
A nice win for the Hoosiers. 77-68 over the Boilers and now they have a share of the Big 10 lead again. Tied with Purdue and Wisconsin it's anyone's (of those three) league now.
Kelvin Sampson is a cheater and is despicable as a person. He's not a bad coach though and face it, his violations are aggressive recruiting and I have to agree with tonight's broadcast team, they aren't that bad. The real issue is that he continued the practice even after he had been caught. That said, my gut feeling tonight is that the university will deflect the blame to former president Herbert and do nothing until the hearing in front of the NCAA in May.
Had Purdue hit the front end of their one and one's and some three's they may have won. On the other hand, had the Hoosiers not turned it over a million times they may have won by 30.
Eric Gordon is playing a little too fast right now. He's young, but needs to learn a little control. Just a little though.
No matter what happens to the coach, I think this team will continue to improve and will be very happy with their result come the end of the season which just may turn out to be as long as anyone's.
A nice win for the Hoosiers. 77-68 over the Boilers and now they have a share of the Big 10 lead again. Tied with Purdue and Wisconsin it's anyone's (of those three) league now.
Kelvin Sampson is a cheater and is despicable as a person. He's not a bad coach though and face it, his violations are aggressive recruiting and I have to agree with tonight's broadcast team, they aren't that bad. The real issue is that he continued the practice even after he had been caught. That said, my gut feeling tonight is that the university will deflect the blame to former president Herbert and do nothing until the hearing in front of the NCAA in May.
Had Purdue hit the front end of their one and one's and some three's they may have won. On the other hand, had the Hoosiers not turned it over a million times they may have won by 30.
Eric Gordon is playing a little too fast right now. He's young, but needs to learn a little control. Just a little though.
No matter what happens to the coach, I think this team will continue to improve and will be very happy with their result come the end of the season which just may turn out to be as long as anyone's.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Unification
It appears, once again, that the powers that be in the IRL and Champ Car are about to come to an agreement to unify open wheel racing. I, for one, will welcome a unification of the series as one is nearly defunct as I write and the other is a bad idea which has done as much harm to the sport as it has done good. And lest we start calling Tony George the salvation of the sport since he is the point man on these negotiations, let's not forget it was his, along with the CART owners, whose greed led us to where we are now.
The unification story goes as such. A couple of weeks ago FTG offered the owners of the CC teams both cars and money to come race in the IRL and effectively end the war that has raged since 1995 and split the series teams and fans and diminishing both. For some reason that only idiots like Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerry Forsythe could understand, the offer was not good enough. More was demanded and George, not unlike what he did to Bernie last year after the USGP, said no. For some reason, Forsythe and Kalkhoven decided that getting nothing was better than getting quite a bit. Had they accepted the proposal they would be back in the only race that pays worth a crap, the 500. Plus they would be able to take part in George's share the wealth TEAMS plan, which rewards teams for running the whole season rather than cherry picking the 500. I mean, that isn't that smart anyway if you look at the payout, but I've been all over that before.
The CC principals, it has been revealed, didn't even share the plan with the other owners who are getting ready for their second year in the DP01 and with little to no sponsorship money. The 500 may be diminished from what it was, but sponsors know it's bigger than any other open wheel race. That leaves few scraps for the CC teams and they are feeling the pinch as they have lost their top driver Bourdais to F1.
Now it appears as though Derrick Walker has decided that he is going to go to the IRL and it sounds like the Newman Haas team will follow. What does that leave for CC? Nothing, that’s what. They may have their few money making races, but who’s going to go watch the mostly no-name drivers run through street courses where they see the cars for a few second each lap? There simply isn’t any viability to the series without Newman Haas.
So the end of the war seems to be near. Will it matter to anyone but the few passionate race fans left? To me if it means increased visibility for the 500 then I am all for it. I don’t think it will make any real difference this year, but the increased field sizes can only help as well as the lack of confusion over the two series. I hope that the CC guys realize that they have an opportunity to put an end to the lunacy that has occurred over the past 12 years. It seems as though George has decided it is time to end and to me it is time to put the ego’s aside and do what is best for the sport. If that means TG wins then so be it. He had the trump card all along with the Speedway. The time for greed is over. KK thought he could get a bargain and sell for a profit when he bought the CART assets. Clearly he didn’t and it is time he swallowed his pride and quit losing money to save face, for spite or whatever.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Meatloaf!
Hi folks,
I don’t get into too many cooking items on my blog, but since I stepped on my wee-wee last night, I should send out a tip. Of course it is probably something that you all know, but I learned the hard way!
In all honesty, I do, usually, make a killer meatloaf. It’s nothing out of the ordinary mind you, but that fucker is pretty tasty. It’s my mom’s recipe and basically calls for a pound of hamburger, which I usually use a low fat content version, but not a chuck since it kind of changes the taste and usually has less renderings which are kind of crucial to the process. A half of a diced up onion, which I use a partial bag of Lipton Onion Soup. I don’t use a whole bag because I think it is overwhelming. One eggiweg, some salt and pepper and some ketchup. I use about ¾ of a cup myself. And finally, and I found out that this is key, a sleeve of crackers. Mom started using Ritz many years ago and they do provide what I think is a better flavor than saltines. Of course, if you don’t put them in, it really doesn’t matter. I don’t put any ketchup or any other concoction on the top as I don’t like it, and hey, it’s my meatloaf.
Funny story about putting that concoction on a loaf. My mom made it without that for years much to my pop’s chagrin. Well one night she put it on the loaf and I was horrified. Well it was a standoff. I wasn’t eating it with the ketchup crap on top of it, even though I generally like ketchup, and I wasn’t leaving the table until I do. An hour passed after everyone else was done and there I sat. Mom tried to hang tough, but it was no contest. My will prevailed. I may have went hungry, and those who know me, know that isn’t really a problem. I was released from the table and ultimately that night we went to the mall and I got a Johnny Bench T-shirt which I remember wearing until it was threads! Mom is such a softie!
Well last night I found out that there is more to the crackers than flavor. Without them, my poor meatloaf was swimming in the renderings since there were no crackers to soak it up. It also made a much smaller loaf. Also since it was swimming in the renderings none of the bottom had that nice crunchy texture that really tastes good. It was just a disaster.
God bless Linda. She ate it last night and ate more for breakfast this morning. It was so plain jane, but she still liked it. At least the mashed taters and corn were good!
So remember any of you out there making meatloaves. DON’T FORGET THE CRACKERS!!!
I don’t get into too many cooking items on my blog, but since I stepped on my wee-wee last night, I should send out a tip. Of course it is probably something that you all know, but I learned the hard way!
In all honesty, I do, usually, make a killer meatloaf. It’s nothing out of the ordinary mind you, but that fucker is pretty tasty. It’s my mom’s recipe and basically calls for a pound of hamburger, which I usually use a low fat content version, but not a chuck since it kind of changes the taste and usually has less renderings which are kind of crucial to the process. A half of a diced up onion, which I use a partial bag of Lipton Onion Soup. I don’t use a whole bag because I think it is overwhelming. One eggiweg, some salt and pepper and some ketchup. I use about ¾ of a cup myself. And finally, and I found out that this is key, a sleeve of crackers. Mom started using Ritz many years ago and they do provide what I think is a better flavor than saltines. Of course, if you don’t put them in, it really doesn’t matter. I don’t put any ketchup or any other concoction on the top as I don’t like it, and hey, it’s my meatloaf.
Funny story about putting that concoction on a loaf. My mom made it without that for years much to my pop’s chagrin. Well one night she put it on the loaf and I was horrified. Well it was a standoff. I wasn’t eating it with the ketchup crap on top of it, even though I generally like ketchup, and I wasn’t leaving the table until I do. An hour passed after everyone else was done and there I sat. Mom tried to hang tough, but it was no contest. My will prevailed. I may have went hungry, and those who know me, know that isn’t really a problem. I was released from the table and ultimately that night we went to the mall and I got a Johnny Bench T-shirt which I remember wearing until it was threads! Mom is such a softie!
Well last night I found out that there is more to the crackers than flavor. Without them, my poor meatloaf was swimming in the renderings since there were no crackers to soak it up. It also made a much smaller loaf. Also since it was swimming in the renderings none of the bottom had that nice crunchy texture that really tastes good. It was just a disaster.
God bless Linda. She ate it last night and ate more for breakfast this morning. It was so plain jane, but she still liked it. At least the mashed taters and corn were good!
So remember any of you out there making meatloaves. DON’T FORGET THE CRACKERS!!!
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