Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Bad Santa


A friend sent me this link to a site where you type in orders and Santa does what you say. It's a real guy in a Santa suit. If you type in jump. He jumps. If you type in beer. Yes Santa gets a beer. He seems particularly fond of that one. Santa will also get naughty. Some fun ones to try are get busy, pee, butt, naked, fart or just type in the word Santa. His response can very when you type in Santa but expect a tongue lashing.Give it a try.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Vandalism Update


The painters came out last week and did a pretty good job. There is still a little black paint on one of the window frames that they need to take care of. Let's hope that I don't have a hard time getting them back out there. The insurance company shouldn't cut them a check until I sign off on it. No new word on court for the suspects. They haven't picked up the adult suspect to my knowledge. I called to check a few weeks ago and they said if I found out that he was home that I could call and they would send someone because it is a low priority. Mean while back at the ranch I'm out $1,000 dollars in deductibles. HO HO HO

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Britney not so Hot!


Yesterday a co-worker told me about the partially nude photos of Britney Spears that are posted thesuperficial.com. My first thought (to borrow a line from Paris Hilton) that's hot. However, when I got there and looked at her bare vagina laid out for the world to see my thoughts were anything but hot. I guess there is still that since of novelty since she is this mega star but these pictures are definitely not bringing sexy back. I'm guessing that she must have had a cesarean with one of her children. If not that is on mother of a stretch mark. It's kind of funny that in all the footage of her, Paris and Lindsay Lohan hanging out that Paris is the one dressed conservative. Is Britney having a Mid-twenties crisis. Is she hearing the footsteps of father time creeping up behind her at the ripe old age of 25. This girl needs an honest friend. Judge for yourself. If you're at work wait until you get home. If you're at home send the kids out of the room. 1 2 3

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

General Nathan Bedford Forrest and MTSU


I have been following this story about the MTSU students wanting to change the name of the ROTC building. Currently it is called Forrest Hall. After General Nathan Bedford Forrest who was a Calvary general in the civil war and was of course from Tennessee. The reason for the petition is because he is also known as a slave trader and for having a role in the formation of the Ku Klux Klan. I have what some would see as a surprising opinion about this considering I'm black. I graduated from MTSU and I remember that building. I never thought twice about it when I was there. The reason being is that his name isn't on that building because of his involvement in the KKK. It's on there because of his service in the military. Everything that I have read has described him as a military genius. I also understand that many of his ideals are still being taught to toady's military. One thing has nothing to do with the other. George Washington owned slaves. You don't see anyone trying to take his face off the one dollar bill. Andrew Jackson owned slaves but you don't see people protesting at the Hermitage. Hell, let's take him off the twenty while we're at it. Don't get me wrong I'm not defending Forrest. The Klan was responsible for many acts of terrorism and I'm sure that he had much to do with it. You also have to remember the time in which he lived. It isn't like he was doing this back in the 70's. Funny thing is I don't recall seeing any of these protesters wearing an ROTC uniform. Makes me think that outsiders are the ones pushing for this and the actual members are alright with it. These kids just need to let sleeping dogs lie. They should be gone in 4 to 5 years anyway.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

The Real Michael Richards


The Micheal Richards video was very disappointing to me. I must admit I am a fan of the Seinfeld show and Richards. Hearing him took me back to another time in my life. A time when I didn't always take white guys at face value. A time when white guys had to really earn my trust. I draw these parallels because when someone loses it like that it gives us a glimpse into their real heart. Not the face that they choose to show us everyday. When I was a younger man in my late teens early twenties there were a couple situations that struck me the same way. One was a situation where I heard a white guy I knew saying unflattering things about black people when I was on the phone with his sister. He never knew that the person on the other end was black. Another was the first time I was ever called a nigger to my face. This was by a guy I didn't know well but still never thought he had it in him. Especially when it was unprovoked.I have of course have grown up since then and have different views. I don't have that immediate distrust but there is of course caution around those who fit the build of a racist. Those are the people I can deal with. A good ole rebel flag waving redneck with a white sheet in the back is easy to pin point. It's those like Richards that scare me. The ones that you can't pick out of crowd. No I'm not saying that all redneck rebel flag waivers are racist. I went to college with a guy just like that and he was one of the coolest guys I ever met. Even invited me home with him. I didn't go but not for distrust of him. I didn't trust all the rednecks in his home town that I didn't know.

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it is so. Only a racist would say something like that. He wasn't drunk or high he was being his true self. He let his guard down long enough to let the real Micheal show through. By contrast to most I don't feel he owes the whole world an apology. He doesn't owe me one. He owes it to the people to which the comments were directed to. As well as the other people in the audience that he offended. So, all these comics that are trying to get face time by coming to the defense of black people need to stop. Get some publicity some where else. Damn opportunist.
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Sunday, November 19, 2006

Save a Horse Ride a Commodore

I'm usually not one to talk smack but Vandy deserve it. Last year they beat my Vols for the first time in 23 years and would not shut up about it. I didn't know this until this weekend but they put the win on DVD. How sad is your program when you put a win over a 5 and 6 team on DVD. I remember this one Vandy fan called into a radio station last year and said that Tennessee always says that their a football team during basketball season. "Now I guess we can say that we are a football team" he said. That team went 5-6 also. I guess this year he can say their even bigger losers because they went 4-8 with 3 of those wins being over division 2 TSU,Temple who went 1-11 this year and the 0 and 11 Duke Blue Devils. I hadn't planned on going but my girlfriend happened upon some tickets late and wanted to go. I'm glad I did. I went expecting to see my Vols beat the crap out of Vandy and that's just what they did.

I have to say that Vanderbilt stadium may be the worse I have ever been in. They are just not equipped to handle full capacity. When we parked the parking attendant apologized because they were unorganized "we not used to it being this busy" she said. There was a line to get into the stadium because they don't have enough gates. There was a line in the vomitory just to get to your seat. We were in the vomitory 5 minutes before kick off and we missed 3 minutes of the first quarter. A bad stadium for a bad program.

On the way in a Vandy fan told a rowdy Tennessee fan that "you can't spell county jail with out UT".Well, you can't spell winning season with VU.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

I Like It Live

I’ve worked in TV for more than 13 years and I have to say I like live TV the best. I’ll do 4 shows today and one of them will be taped. I hate doing taped TV. Guests don’t show up on time or they socialize past taping time. Producers either don’t do everything they should or they half do it. That of course makes my job harder. Then you have the “oops can we start again”. No let’s just air it with you saying “oops can we start again”. The best thing about live TV is not post show editing. Last week I did a taped program that had a fixable mistake. It could have aired the way it was but I thought I would go the extra mile. Wouldn’t you know it golf ran over and it didn’t air. It is supposed to air this weekend but it still stung at the time. With live TV everyone get’s in place, master control counts us down, we do the show in one take and then get up and leave.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Vandalism Update


I got my car back from the body shop Friday and it looks great. It hasn’t look this good in years. It sucks that I had to get vandalized to get it that way. They were able to get it all off with chemicals rather than re-painting. Unfortunately it cost me a $500 dollar deductible. I have a contractor coming out Friday to look at the house. It would be nice to have it cleaned up before Thanksgiving but I don’t think it will be. This unfortunately will cost me another $500 dollar deductible. So, there you have a thousand dollars out of my pocket right at Christmas. Santa is pissed! A guy at work told me about some stuff that might take the spray paint off my van. Until recently it wasn’t running so I dropped the comprehensive coverage. So, it’s up to me to get it fixed. The paint on it was crap anyway and I don’t want to spend anymore money on this right now. I haven't heard anything new on the suspects. The DA told me they would subpoena me when they set a court date for the minor. I’m not sure if they have picked up the adult. I took out the warrant about a week and a half ago.

Ray Lewis plays the Race Card

I've posted here before about my distaste for black people using the race card where it doesn't apply. Remember the old children's book "The Boy That Cried Wolf". Eventually when he really did need help and nobody came. We are getting close to that in the black community. People think we are just calling wolf because we have over played this card. A new example is by Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Ray Lewis. In a recent interview he hinted at racism wondering if the Tennessee Titans would have treated a white QB like Brett Farve or Peyton Manning the same way as they did Steve Mcnair. I have followed the Titans for a long time. I work on their pre-season games and I've directed the Jeff Fisher show for years. I don't see the racism here. Hey Ray in case you missed it Vince Young is BLACK! Also Billy Volek is white and they shipped his butt to San Diego. Kerry Collins is white and they benched him for Young. Hay Ray you ever heard of a former Oiler QB named Warren Moon?

He is right about one thing Peyton Manning and Brett Favre wouldn't be treated this way. That's because Manning is a 2 time MVP winner and the best QB in the league. Favre is the only three time MVP winner in the history of the NFL. They are both probably first ballot hall of famers. I think it's safe to say that they earned the right to go out on their on terms.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Funny in any order


With a line up like this the Tennessee Volunteers never stood a chance Saturday aginst the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Vols Announce Starter for Saturdays Game


From News 2:

Big orange fans it is official. Coach Phillip Fulmer just announced that Jonathan Crompton will be the starting quarterback this Saturday against Arkansas. Crompton came into last Saturday's game against LSU after starting QB Erik Ainge left with an ankle injury. Crompton tossed two touchdown passes and almost led the vols to victory. He has known all along that being a backup, you are one injury away from playing

A behind the scenes look at TV election coverage


It was a busy day for me yesterday but not like Tuesday which was of course the midterm election. I have been through many of these as a newscast director and they are always chaotic. If people could only see the craziness that goes on behind the scenes. It doesn't matter how much you plan or how prepared you are it's going to be nuts. News people stress themselves out just at the thought of an election. Not so much for us production people. Sure we acknowledge that it is big day and we go through what ever preparation necessary to get the job done but the mentality stays the same. Get on as nice a show as you can but don't sacrifice the overall look of the product. You can't get bogged down with the hype of a big show. Every show should be a big show or your in the wrong line of work. When I was a young director I let myself get caught up in the hype and got myself all nervous before a "big show". I completely bombed it. I learn this lesson that day. Do your best on every show and there is no reason to try harder because you are already doing your best.

The craziest times are usually when we are in un scripted coverage. Fly by the seat of your paints. I have to admit it is a nice change from doing newscasts. It's like doing breaking news. You manage newscasts but you direct breaking news situations. There are 2 to 3 producers in the control room and the phone is ringing off the hook. Everyone would love to be in the room giving their input they can't it just makes the situation worse. As much as it makes them mad sometimes as the director you have tell people to shut up and possibly to leave the room. There should be one main spokesperson as far giving instruction to the director. Interaction with other producers should be kept minimal. This cuts down on getting contradictory information as well the noise level.

Tuesday we had two major changes the made the night more challenging. That afternoon I found out that we would periodically be adding a fifth person to our set that was built for 4. We came up with a quick plan that we thought would work. We didn't have the luxury of getting cameras and talent in place to test our plan as we were close to news time. As luck would have it when we got into coverage our plan didn't work. Our fifth guest was hid behind the host on the group shot and we had to shoot between heads to get his close up. The guys on the floor made some adjustments and it finally worked it's self out. Another change happened in the middle of coverage. As you probably noticed that on election night programming is squeezed back over poll numbers. It's called a ticker. This all happens independent of the control room. There are three people in two different rooms that operate that. One person compiles the numbers. Another puts them in the computer that runs the automation and then master control puts them on the air. We were broadcasting on the web, radio and the government channel. With cut-ins on our main channel. The ticker only airs on our main channel. In the middle of coverage management decides they want to see it everywhere. So, engineering had to scramble to make it available to the control room and we had to build and adjust effects to compensate. We had to sacrifice some things but this goes back to what I said before about preserving the overall look. Those things were just window dressing.

It was a long tiring night. Overall things went well and I think everyone did a good job.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

My Civic Duty


I voted today. It only took about 40 minutes and I think it would have gone faster if not for the new machines and all the amendments. This was a difficult election this year. I had a hard time deciding between the U.S. Senate candidates. The truth is I don't like any of them. That's when I had an epiphany. Who is the one person in this world that I can always depend on? The answer is me. I would rather choose no one than choose the wrong one or someone I don't like. So, I wrote myself in. That's right I voted for myself for the U.S. Senate. I encourage others to do the same. If you don't feel like any of the candidates deserve your vote then don't vote for any of them. Your voice will still be heard and my voice says I think your all bums and you don't deserve my support and I refuse to give it to you.

Monday, November 06, 2006

My Bad Weekend

My girlfriend were arriving home from a holiday party Friday when I saw a guy ducking down between my car and van. I yell stop the car as I noticed the spray paint on my car. It took me a minute to get out because I had a little to drink and I was in a hurry. The two "artist" took off running and I chased after in a suit of all things. They ran through my neighbors back yard and jumped over the fence. I did the same. Just as I make it over the fence I noticed one of them just standing there. I figure why chase the other one when this one is dumb enough to just stand in one spot. I grabbed what I thought was a male suspects arm to my surprise it was a girl. She had her face covered with a bandana. I said your coming with me and she didn't put up a fight.Which made me nervous. She was just to calm. So, I watched her close on the way back to my house for fear that she may be armed. We got to my house and I told to sit. She complied. I called for my 17 year old son and asked him if her knew her. He said yes. I then asked her why she was vandalizing my property. She replied that my son was trying to kill her. What do you mean I asked. She said that my son was in a gang and had put her name a hit list to be killed. I then called the police.

At the same time my girlfriend had circled through the neighborhood and caught up with the male I had been chasing. She asked him why he was spray painting that guys car he said that he had a problem with the boy that lived there. That he had been messing with his girlfriend. She asked who he was and replied that she didn't need to worry about that. She told him that she had his tags and that the police were on the way and that he could stay and deal with them or they would come to his house. He then chose to leave.

I of course was mad as hell. They spray painted my car, van and house with gang graffiti.Pictures I asked the girl what did her problem with my son have to do with my vehicles and house. My son doesn't have a car. Those are my cars. This is my house. She said she didn't know. I ask her who the guy was she told me "Walter Jones he's my boyfriend". She gave him up without any hesitation. Of course he left her without any as well. She also said that she had been in a gang but she wasn't anymore. The police came and took all the information and took her off to jail. The next day I went to get a warrant on Mr. Jones who turned out to be the legal age of 19. It took most of the day but with the help of a police officer friend I was able to get it done. In the light of morning I also found four bricks covered in bandanas out in my yard. I am guessing that those would have been tossed through my windows if I hadn't come home when I did. That same day I called the kids house to talk to his parents and he answered the phone. His parents weren't home but I did speak with him. I ask him why? He said he was just there to dropped off his girlfriend not realizing that the woman that he confessed to the night before was my girlfriend and lived in that house. Long story short he first denied it. Then he wanted to work things out between his parents and I. I told I would call back and hung up. I spoke with his parents the next day and they came by the house to look at the damage. They are really good people. They were very apologetic to me and disappointed in their son. I felt bad for them.

Back to my son. This is not the first time my house has been vandalized because someone was mad at him. Last year and the early part of this year the rear window of my car was broken as well as paint on the rear of the car. Four windows were broken on the house. One of them twice. He has this fascination with gangs now. I have found pictures of him doing gang signs. Someone told him that he was dead in front of his mother. I keep talking to him about this but he won't listen. He doesn't understand the danger that he is putting himself and our whole family in. I am not going to allow him to get one of his sisters, myself or anyone else close to us hurt or killed because of his stupidity. He turns 18 in August. If anything else happens his 18 birthday will be his last living under my roof. This has been a bad year. I have now put 9 people in jail for vandalism or aggrevated robbery.Pictures

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Holiday Party Retraction

I was wrong. I know you don't hear me say that very often but this time I was. Friday night I went to my girlfriends work holiday party and I posted here how much I didn't want to go because people bug me. The people at her new job were awesome and I had a great time. They were cool without overextending themselves. Nobody was trying to make me feel comfortable. Also, for the first time I wasn't the only black guy there. There were about 7 of us. OK, 5 were waiters but still unusual for one of these events. Jokes aside it was great I got drunk and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Friday, November 03, 2006

First Holiday Party

The clothes are picked out and on the bed awaiting me. My girlfriend is in the middle of her beauty regiment and our departure is eminent. An early holiday party for her job. I hate these things. She has a new job this year and that will make it worse. At least at the old job those guys already knew about me and I didn't have to answer all of those questions. Where do you work? How long have you been there? How did you get into that? How many times a week do you work out? How much can you bench. Maybe I should type up all my responses and hand them out. Yes, I am non sociable and that's not going to change. I don't like to be bothered unless I know you.

Another problem is that I will likely be the only black person there. That's not a problem for me but it is for the white people. I'm fine being around white people. I've been around white people my whole life. I'm kind of used to them by now. For some reason when I go to these things it seems that everyone wants to make feel more comfortable. Like I'm part of the group. Since I am the only black person they all know my name and they approach me like we have known each other for years."Hi Lewis good to see ya buddy" They don't realize that I am fine and I don't want to feel like part of the group. What want is to be left alone. However, most of the time there is an open bar. Which is a pretty good thing. The only thing better than beer is free beer. Better go she is getting impatient. Wish me luck.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

1 step forward 3 steps back


It's seems every time I do something to improve my house something bad happens. Earlier this year I replaced my front door. Then most of the electrical outlets in my bedroom stopped working. I replaced the carpet. A few months later a hose from a toilet breaks and floods the hallway. I replace the stove and the air goes out. The latest is a hole in the ceiling of my den. We still had a lot stuff laying around that needed to be stored from when my girlfriend moved in. So I started organizing it and putting things in the attic. Things were progressing well then I made one wrong step. I mean I actually made a step that was wrong. Yep, I stepped through the ceiling. I didn't get my full weight down but it was enough to make a huge hole. I guess I should count my blessing that I realized what I was doing before I made a Lewis size hole.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Lewz Viewz on the 287(g) Immigration program

There is an immigration story that I have seen on couple of stations lately about an immigrant from El Salvador named Claudia Nunez. She has been living in this country illegally since 2001. When she failed to renewed a tourist visa. (Tourist visa damn she hasn't seen enough in 5 years.) She faces deportation because she was caught driving illegally and held under the 287(g) immigration program. Which means as soon as someone is booked sheriff's deputies will check an immigration database and individuals who are in the country illegally will be held until an immigration judge decides what to do. Her husband and two children are legal.

The news reports tried to make their viewers feel sorry for this poor victim."I think there is no day I am not crying," Nunez said. "I cry every day. I'm scared. What happened, I don't know."

"I want to stay here but I am just waiting."

I'm not without a heart and I do feel sorry for her two kids but that doesn't change the fact that this woman shouldn't be in this country. She had every chance over the past 5 years to do the right thing so that she could stay but she chose not to. Now we are supposed to feel sorry for her! You will have to pardon me if I seem cold but I don't. Tell it to the guy who got ran over on his motorcycle by an illegal back in August. Or the family that was murdered by one in South Nashville a few months ago. Stick to facts and leave the sentiment out of it.

I don't have a problem with any race but I do have a problem with illegal immigrants. No matter what country they are from. I support this 287(g) as long as they check everyone. Not just the hispanics or anyone with an accent. If they don't then this is just racial profiling.

The bottom line is keep your status legal and you and your family don't have worry about it. Don't and be prepared to be thrown out on your ass.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Is it dark already?

I have never had a 9 to 5 job and I 'm not sure I every want one. I don't see how 9 to 5'ers don't go crazy or maybe they do. Not only do they have to deal with rush hour twice a day they don't even get to see the sun. They get up and it's dark outside. When they get home it's still dark outside. God forbid it rains then they don't even get sun during their commute. I have always had jobs where I go in during the evening or mid morning. How do these people run their errands. I don't think I could handle doing everything during my lunch break. Go to the bank. Go to the gym. I like to eat to much. On lunch break I want (well) LUNCH. This has to be a depressing time of year for 9 to 5'ers.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Put the race card back in the deck


As an African American I am embarrassed and over the allegation by the NAACP that this RNC Bob Corker ad is racist. We (the black community) are to quick to play this card. Putting a racist label on things that aren't takes validity away from the cases that really are. Let's face it there are still race problems in this country but let's use a little more discretion. Let's put this card back in the deck and play it when it is really necessary.

(AP)
A white woman with blonde hair and bare shoulders looks into the camera and whispers, "Harold, call me," and then winks.

This Republican National Committee television ad doesn't mention that "Harold" _ Democratic Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. _ is black, but the NAACP and others have complained the commercial makes an implicit appeal to deep-seated racial fears about black men and white women.

Race was always an element of the Tennessee contest as Ford seeks to become the first black man elected to the Senate from the South since Reconstruction. The issue
slammed into the public consciousness this week with the latest ad.

"I've not met any observer who didn't immediately say, 'Oh my gosh!' It was a race card," said Vanderbilt University professor John Geer, an expert on political attack ads.

Hilary Shelton, director of Washington bureau of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said the ad plays off fears some people still have about interracial couples.

"In a Southern state like Tennessee, some stereotypes still exist," he said. "There's very clearly some racial subtext in an ad like that."

The Republican National Committee, which paid for the ad, denied that ithad any racial subtext. Party chairman Ken Mehlman said it was produced by an independent organization, in accordance with campaign finance law, "without the knowledge, the participation, the advice, the approval or the involvement of either the national party or the campaign."
___

Associated Press writer Liz Sidoti in Washington contributed to this report.

Copyright 2006 by the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Vols Bama Rivalry Gone to the Dogs


Evan before the two rivals took the field for Tennessee's 16-13 victory over Alabama the vols drew first blood. During warm ups Bama receiver Mike McCoy stepped on smokey the Volunteers bluetick coonhound mascot. Smokey did what any good Vol would do he snapped at him and apparently drew blood. I'm sure Smokey was only preparing his taste buds for this weekend as the Vols take on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Proving the point that the Crimson Tide not only play like chickens but they taste like them to.For more check out the Tennessean.

Go Vols

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Gold Digger Parody

This is funny but these kids have way too much time on their hands.

Monday, October 23, 2006

I feel like dad of the year

My youngest daughter had a school project last week about weather. The project call for her to wright a weather alert like she might see on tv. Ok, I work at a tv station and I'm involved in weather alerts all the time. As fait would have it we had a threat of severe weather that day and they had tornados in Louisiana. So, when I got to work I popped in a tape and rolled on the radar loop. That same day I had one of our main anchors record a toss to my daughter like she would do to our regular weather talent. Later that week I took my daughter to work, put her alert in a script, put in the prompter and recorded her reading it at the chroma key wall. We edited it all together and had one cool project. Her teacher loved it and my daughter couldn't have been happier at all the attention. She thanked me over and over. I felt like the best dad in the world. I always say parenting is putting up with 99 bad things just to get to that one thing that makes you smile. I'm still smiling.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Funny Gator Joke

My girlfriend sent me this.
Three SEC football fans were out for a ride when one noticed a foot sticking out of the bushes by the side of the road. They stopped and discovered a nude female, dead drunk.Out of respect and propriety, the Tennessee fan took off his cap and placed it over her right breast. The Alabama fan took off his cap and placed it over her left breast. Following their lead, but with some grumbling, the Florida fan took off his cap and placed it over her girly part.The police were called and when the officer arrived, he conducted his inspection. First, he lifted up the Tennessee cap, replaced it, and wrote down some notes. Next, he lifted the Alabama cap, replaced it, and wrote down some more notes. The officer then lifted the Florida cap, replaced it, then lifted it again, replaced it, lifted it a third time, and replaced it one last time.The Florida fan was becoming annoyed and finally asked, "What are you, a pervert or something? Why do you keep lifting and looking, lifting and looking?"Well," said the officer, "I am simply surprised. Normallywhen I look under a Florida hat, I find an asshole.

GO VOLS!!!!

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Sports Illustrated jinx threatens to derail Vols Season

Tennessee Volunteer redshirt Freshman Antonio Wardlow will be on the cover of the October 16, 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated. The photo is of Wardlow recovering a punt that he blocked for a touchdown in the 51-33 win over Georgia last week. The article is about how the SEC is the toughest NCAA football conference to play in. The question now is could the Vols or Antonio Wardlow be succeptable to the SI jinx. In case haven't heard of this it is a commen superstition that being on the cover of SI will cause you or your team bad luck. SI addressed their own cover jinx in a 2002 issue featuring a black cat on the cover. Then St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner was asked to pose with the cat, but refused. Warner and the Rams won their next two games to win their second NFC Championship in three years. I can remember a SI cover that proclaimed the Tennesee offensive line of Chad Clifton, Cosey Coleman, Bubba Miller, Jeff Smith, Trey Teague as possibly the best ever. Although they were talented they struggled and didn't live up to the hype. So, look out Vols fans!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

OCC in America Chopper Show in Nashville


I was lucky enough to score some free tickets (ok my girlfriend scored them) for the OCC in America show this past weekend. In case you haven't seen it Orange County Choppers is a family owned custom chopper company in New York that has a reality tv show on the Discovery channel called American Chopper .We really had a good time. At least after we finally got there. Kim is a little on the let's say slow side and we left an hour later than planned. After getting there and listing to her yell at me for riding faster than her (ok Kim I admit it I was wrong) we had fun. A group of christian riders blessed our bikes when we got there. Hopefully that will keep me off the pavement. We had good seats right down front where we could sit until they came out then get up for a closer look. We met this nice couple from Shelbyville that we teamed up with to hold our seats. As well as take pictures of each other. We weren't able to go until Sunday. We both worked on Friday and I had morning obligations on Saturday. Not to mention we had to watch our Vols lay the smack down on the Georgia Bulldogs(51-33 go vols).


This is not the type of show you take a date that isn't into bikes or hasn't seen the tv show. Lucky for me both of use ride. The Friday and Saturday shows had live music but Sunday was the OCC guys doing some how to stuff, Assembling a bike(which they gave away), tossing out t-shirts and frisbees. Many of their bikes were on display and that was very cool. They were fenced in but you could get within about 5 yards of them. So, I got some really good pictures. The best part was when they were picking a color for the computer generated bike Paul Jr. used my shirt as reference for UT orange.


Afterwards we grabbed a bite to eat on 2nd Avenue. There had to be more than 100 bikes on 2nd Sunday. It was an unbelievable site and very loud. Check out the pictures there is a funny one of Paul Sr. coming out of the porta potty(I know it's sick but it was too funny not to take the shot.

Friday, October 06, 2006

The Irony of me being a blogger

Blogging is a hobby. I don't get paid for doing it but I do enjoy it. Which is strange because the English language has never been a friend to me. I usually struggled with anything related to it when I was a kid. Ok, I'll be honest I struggled with most everything in school except for lunch. I was a skinny kid so I guess I had my struggles with that as well. I found it hard to retain it from year to year. So, every year it like I had never seen it before. Hell, I still can't diagram a sentence. Spelling dan't evan got mi started. I just never put forth the effort and let me tell you I pay for it now. I can't always tell how to spell something but I can usually tell if it wrong. I love spellcheck.net. That's one of the cool things about blogging. It is informal. I don't have to worry about viewers or readers calling me up to tell me I put where instead of wear(which I have done on here). I don't have to answer to a boss if I get a fact wrong. Who's to say that anybody would even see it since there is no real way to my knowledge for me to monitor how many people read these posts.

So, pardon my misspellings. Forgive me if I have a comma splice. Embrace my defiance of most English rules. By god i does not always come before e except after c. I may not have all these literary skills but I do have an opinion. I also have a computer(it's a Dell dude) with an internet connection. For blogging that's all you need.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Definition of Sicko: See Mark Foley

Former Congressman Mark Foley's attorney said Foley was molested by a member of the clergy when he was a teenager. Foley checked into rehab for alcoholism after abruptly quitting congress Friday over inappropriate instant messages with an underage male congressional page. The only thing worse than being a sicko is making excuses for being a sicko. Boo hoo hoo don't blame me it's the churches fault I'm a sick drunken deviant. I hope they throw the book at this guy. To violate a trust like that after speaking out so strongly against child predators for so many years is unbelievable. I take great satisfaction in the fact that he will probably be prosecuted under some of the laws he helped create. The irony of this is as deep as the ocean but as sweet as my mom's lemon pie.
His lawyer went on to say that Foley was gay. REALLY! That's shocking! That went right over my head. Talk about stating the obvious.
He even interrupted a vote on the floor of the House in 2003 to engage in Internet sex with a high school student who had served as a congressional page. So, if he was under the influence of alcohol every time he sent these messages wouldn't that mean that he was drunk on the job? Those messages were sent moments before voting in the house. This morning ABC News aired messages that imply that Foley may have provided alcohol for underage teens at his home.

Check out this video of Foley back in 2002 speaking to a group of pages that were about to leave. I'm sure it seamed innocent then but now it's kind of creepy.

Monday, October 02, 2006

Haynesworth gets 5 Game Suspenion

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was suspended five games for kicking Dallas center Andre Gurode in the face during Sunday's game. Here is the video.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Albert Haynesworth: I couldn't believe my eyes


"What I did out there was disgusting." "It doesn't matter what the league does to me. The way I feel right now, you just can't describe it."Those are the words Titans Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth after the 45-14 beat down by the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. In case you missed it Haynesworth kicked Dallas center Andre Gurode in the face causing multiple lacerations around his left eye, he left for the locker room to receive 30 stitches but returned to the sideline late in the third quarter. Haynesworth also pulled off his helmet and slammed it to the ground, prompting another flag. He was then tossed from the game.

This was despicable. I still can't believe I saw what I saw. I have followed Fat Albert(hey,hey,hey). Sorry wrong Albert. Anyway since his days at UT and I am embarrassed that he is a former Vol. What the hell would make someone do something like that. To stomp another man in the face with cleats on. Oh my god. He deserves what ever he gets. There is no place for that crap in any profession. He doesn't deserve to wear the number 92. FYI that was the number of former UT great and NFL hall of famer Reggie White.
The views of Lewis are his own and do not express the views of his employer or any other organization that he may be affiliated with.