Crappy Blogging

Today I was accussed by one of you of crappy blogging with respect to the entry about the Rocking Chair. I freely admit to crappy blogging. But I'm under a lot of pressure here to keep my daily average visits up. Daily average visits have fallen off to 12. I get killed on the weekends. Sadly, I must also report that the arrival of the Rocking Chair was the most interesting thing Ive had to blog about for a few days. While lunch today at Foodtopia was quite the culinary experience, it was not blog worthy. So as Homer once said to the televison, "Be more funny." I'll do my best. As to adventures in Fatherhood, I'll try to find the time to give an "Ally crapped on me story justice." I meantime, post some comments, send me some links, and visit often for continued medicore to poor content.

My Apology to Some of You

Let me take this opportunity during my lunch hour to apologize to you in the event you have sent me an e-mail and to date have not received a response. I apologize because you will not be receiving a response from me. When Erica was put on bed rest, I pulled out the old Gateway computer, set it up, and got it up and running wirelessly. And during this period, some of my e-mails were going to the bad Gateway and some to the new Dell computer in the basement, depending upon where I was logged on. However, we soon remembered why we purchased the new Dell, no not to play Rise of Nations, it was because the Gateway sucked. Due to its unique style, the Gateway’s RAM and Memory could not be expanded, it’s processor was slow, and spyware brought on by Kazaa usage had savaged it. So this weekend, it reached the breaking point. I decided to reformat the old Gateway. I did a quick inventory to determine if there was anything I possibly wanted from the Gateway and came to the conclusion there was not since the Gateway had long been retired only to make a come back ala Ryan Sandberg or Michael Jordan. After a successful reformatting, I soon realized that I erased all of the e-mails on the Gateway that I received in the last 2-3 weeks. I know there were some nuggets of wisdom in there from you guys, but trust me, at this point, I can’t be saved, changed or reformatted (that’s what separates me from the Gateway). So please accept my apologies.

Sosa, Sosa, Sosa

Big News

Well the Rocking Chair finally arrived today. This thing is worth its weight in gold. It holds magical powers over Ally.

Now I See Why Everyone Who Has Kids Goes On About How Much Your Life Will Never Be the Same

I started to go to bed earlier than I ever have in the last 15 years, I’m working less, I blog less frequently, no Halo 2, project Family Tree has all but come to a complete stop, zero ongoing fantasy baseball research, and you know what…….I’M STILL TIRED.

BTK Update

Here's the latest on the BTK.

Pictures

Most of you have seen these pictures, but I will continually update this link, so be sure to check back from time to time: view photos

Not That I Would Have Been Able To Go

But I did have tickets to this massacre. Luckily for my brother the winter storm kept him from driving up to Philly. The turnovers have to stop. I have nothing more to say about this game. I'm confident Bill Self will whip these guys into shape.

4 x The Size of Ally, I Mean Seriously

“Giant Baby".

What's New in Baltimore?

Murder. "Twenty-six people have been slain in Baltimore in the first 21 days of the year, prompting a shake-up in the Police Department. " See also Murder Ink & The Toll

Very Interesting

Latest Seymour Hersh from The New Yorker

Dog, Cat, Wife & Baby Conspire To Keep Me Sleepless

Since I'm up, I must point out this story is riveting.

Bulls Can See the Beauty in Hinrich

My favorite KU player just ahead of Paul Pierce

What Day Is It?

I think it's Sunday. We're all finally home from hospital. More later.

Crown To Rump

Allison's length is 16.5", not 12" which is a crown to rump measurement. While I didn't/don't know enough about babies to know that would be shockingly short, some people who actually have had babies were quite alarmed by this measurement. I'm sure this will not be the last time my knowledge of parenting shocks the public at large.

Impending Fatherhood

Holy crap! Holy crap! Tell me it gets easier than installing these damned child car seats. If not, I'm screwed. Erica is still at the hospital but all looks good for inducing on Monday. Ok, I must leave you to sterlize some pacifers.

W

KU gets a W with a big Win at Kentucky. Ugly, ugly game, but hard fought. KU used some very different lineups against Kentucky and still haven't found the perfect combination without Simien. However, with 4 wins under their belt in the Simienless stint, including Georgia Tech and Kentucky, KU looks to be in good shape as conference play continues. The floor is now open. TC I expect some worthy commentary from you on behalf of Kentucky.

WTF is this??!!?

BlogShares

KU - UK

I know that TC, TR, GR, SP, EW and myself among others have had this Game circled on our calendars since it was announced. Clearly, it's going to be a tough game on the road without Wayne Simien. CBS Sportsline notes:

No. 2 Kansas at No. 8 Kentucky: This is the first road game of the season for the Jayhawks (10-0, 1-0), whose next two games also are on the road (Iowa State, Colorado) but who play Big 12 powers Oklahoma State and Texas just once, both in Lawrence. Something tells us the Wildcats (10-1) are slightly overrated at No. 8, but getting Kansas at home, and without Wayne Simien (thumb), gives the 'Cats a shot.

A common foe notes:

South Carolina Coach Dave Odom, whose team lost at Kansas and Kentucky by four-point margins, immediately noted Simien's absence when asked to compare the Wildcats and Jayhawks.

"Two really good teams," he said. "It's a shame both are not at full strength. ... I'd expect a hard-fought game. But let's face it. One team is not at full strength."

Without Simien, a 6-foot-9 All-America candidate, Kansas is vulnerable to Kentucky inside, Odom and South Carolina players said. Simien had 20 points and 11 rebounds before injuring the thumb on his left (non-shooting) hand against South Carolina on Dec. 18.

"We know first-hand how good Kentucky is inside," Odom said after UK beat the Gamecocks 79-75 on Wednesday. "And Kansas is playing without their best inside player. ... Right now, I'd say size is a bit of a problem for Kansas going into that game."

Before the injury, Simien had six double-doubles in seven games. He was averaging 17.4 points and 12 rebounds.

South Carolina point guard Tre' Kelley noted the scarcity of dominant big men.

"Simien may not be the best player on Kansas, but he is the most important," he said. "Without him, they are going to have problems."

In its no-Simien incarnation, "Kansas is more of an outside team," Kelley said. "But Kentucky can't allow offensive boards like tonight. We had too many."

South Carolina, which started a 6-9, 195-pound center in sophomore Brandon Wallace, had two put-back dunks among its nine offensive rebounds against Kentucky.

Another South Carolina guard, Josh Gonner, noted how UK big men can exploit a smaller team.

"The inside game for Kentucky should be better without Simien," Gonner said. "The (UK) big men know how to pass and move without the ball."

Former UK player Larry Conley, now a college basketball analyst for several media outlets, noted how Kansas has several high-quality players. Among them are senior guards Aaron Miles and Keith Langford, plus a collection of highly touted freshmen, which include one-time UK prospect Russell Robinson.

But Conley tabbed Simien as the key player for Kansas and the second-best inside player in the country (behind only Ike Diago of Arizona State).

"Kansas is not as good without Simien," Conley said. "He's by far their best player."

Virtual matches on the Xbox give the edge to Kentucky.

But the SEC is weak.

And of course one of the great things about KU Basketball is their manager Shannon. Win or lose, Kentucky can't take that away from us.

I Really, Really Hate This Guy

And I'm glad to see he's Fired, he's one of the worst persons ever to crawl out of the sewer and land on television. He's really a little shit. Here's a link to the video and transcript from Jon Stewart's appearance on Crossfire.

Hall of Fame

Boggs and Sandberg in. Still waiting:

Name Votes Percentage
Bruce Sutter 344 66.7
Jim Rice 307 59.5
Rich Gossage 285 55.2
Andre Dawson 270 52.3
Bert Blyleven 211 40.9
Lee Smith 200 38.8
Jack Morris 172 33.3
Tommy John 123 23.8
Steve Garvey 106 20.5
Alan Trammell 87 16.9
Dave Parker 65 12.6
Don Mattingly 59 11.4
Dave Concepcion 55 10.7
Dale Murphy 54 10.5
Willie McGee 26 5.0
x-Jim Abbott 13 2.5
x-D. Strawberry 6 1.2
x-Jack McDowell 4 0.8
x-Chili Davis 3 0.6
x-Tom Candiotti 2 0.4
x-J. Montgomery 2 0.4
x-Tony Phillips 1 0.2
x-Terry Steinbach 1 0.2
x-Mark Langston 0 0.0
x-Otis Nixon 0 0.0
x-By receiving fewer than 26 votes (less than five percent), these players are no longer eligible for election by the BBWAA.

Thoughts?

Game of the Year

Sure it's early, but this was an incredible game for the Simienless Jayhawks as the Jayhawks didn't lead until late in overtime:

Murder on the Rise

Baltimore ended the year with 278 homicides. Chicago had 445 homicides and New York had 565 as of Thursday, police said. There was one killing for about every 6,500 residents in Chicago, and one killing for about every 14,550 residents in New York. In Baltimore, there was one killing for about every 2,350 residents.

Mayor Martin O'Malley stressed that the city has reduced violent crime, even as the number of homicides has risen the last two years.

More than 300 people a year were killed in Baltimore during the 1990s, but the number dropped to 261 in 2000 and as low as 253 in 2002 before rising to 271 in 2003. Last year's total represents an increase of seven homicides over 2003.

The centerpiece of the plan to reduce killing is a weekly meeting where commanders review binders crammed with more than 400 pages of data and crime maps.

Among the things police have learned is that there are 28 city blocks that have had either a killing or shooting in each of the past five years. So they're targeting those blocks. They also know that three-quarters of all killings occur outside. As a result, they've been trying to push people off street corners through citations.

The East Baltimore police district recorded as many homicides as the North, Central and Southwest districts combined.

And nearly three of every five homicides occurred between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.

The data analysis also allows Baltimore officials to say that the city is safe for tourists and residents who are not involved in illegal activity.

Among 2004 homicide victims who were killed through the middle of last month, 88 percent had criminal records, police said.

Among known suspects through the same period, 88 percent had criminal records.

The victims had been arrested an average of 8.2 times. The suspects had been arrested an average of 7.3 times.

Of those killed through yesterday- 246 were men, 246 were black and 92 were between 18 and 24 years of age, according to police.

Most of those victims dying the same way: gunshot wounds. In about three-quarters of the homicides, a gun was the weapon. Of victims who were shot to death, about two-thirds 65 percent were hit more than once. And more than a third were shot in the head.

"These people go to great extents," Chief of Detectives Antonio Williams said of the murderers. "When they target someone, they make sure they're dead.