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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Gold Digger Parody

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

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.

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!!!!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

How safe are our schools

The latest tragedy in Colorado coupled with my daughters school play this morning has got me thinking about school safety. An intruder could walk into any Metro Nashville school right now armed and there is nothing anyone could do about it. My son's high school has several entrances and anyone could gain entry from any direction. It does have a resource officer office but plenty of damage could be done before they could do anything about it. In fact if a intruder knew where that office was they could ambush it with no problem.

On the other hand my two daughter's school has all locked doors and you have to be buzzed in at the front. Even this system would not stop a gunman. When I go to the school like this morning. I just ring the bell and the secretary looks to see that someone is there and she buzzes them in. Another way to get in is to just wait until someone leaves and walk in that way. Theres no security guard or metal detectors. It scares me really. It isn't like this hasn't happened in Tennessee before.

I don't know what the answer is to keep our children safe at school. I know money is an issue. I know that no system is going to be fool proof. I just hope someone fixes it before god forbid something happens to one of my children.

Bothered by the death of Diamond Brownridge

Incase you missed it Diamond Brownridge is the 5 year old little girl from Chicago who went to the dentist and received a triple dose of sedatives. Then went into a coma. Well, she died yesterday. I can't imagine how painful this must be for her parents. For more on Diamond Brownridge.

A co-worker years ago told me that a professor told her"working in news rots your soul". It took a while but I believe that. After 13 years in the news business not much gets to me anymore. I make jokes about most of it. Death, destruction it doesn't faze me. There is one exception. That is children. I have three kids of my own and I am bothered when harm comes to a child. Remember a few years ago when there was a rash of abducted little girls around the country. There was this one girl who had been murdered. A network package had a shot of her dead body covered with a sheet. I think it was on a rock by some water. She was the same size and weight of my daughters at the time. She looked just like one of my daughters in that shot. It almost moved me to tears. I hope they sue the pants off this guy and he loses his license. This is pure negligence.

Don't try this at home

I laughed so hard I almost cried.

firecoachfisher.com

For as long as there have been coaches there have been fans that think they know more than coaches. Most sports fans have been guilty of it at one time or other and I'm no exception. Now a couple Tennessee Titans fans have taken their criticism of Jeff Fisher into cyber space. They have launched their own website firecoachfisher.com. Fire this coach dotcom sites are nothing new. Tennessee Volunteers head coach Phillip Fulmer has had one as well as the now former offensive coordinator Randy Sanders. Did you notice I said Former offensive coordinator(maybe it worked). This new site blames coach Fisher and GM Floyed Reese for the poor showing by the Titans over the past few years as well as for the current 0-3 record. There goal is to sell 67,798 T-shirts that read "Hey Bud, Fire Coach Fisher". Why 67,798? because that's the number of seats at LP Field. The site is the brain child of Bryan Griffey who designed the t-shirt and Jonathan Tucker. They launched the site after Sundays 13-10 loss to Miami.

This site is lame. They want Fisher out but don't pen point anything that he has done wrong. They criticize Fisher for the way Mcnair was handled. That was a management decision not the coaches. They have a problem with the way he handled the Volek situation. I admit I did also but I am starting to think that there is more to that than we all know. Maybe Billy was lazy. Sometimes thinking your owed something makes you stop doing the things that put you in the position to get it in the first place. They wouldn't even let the Tennessean take their picture for fear they might be recognized. Are they afraid that big Albert is going to pay them a visit. I have a name for these guys but I won't dirty up my blog with that kind of language. Heres a hint. It's starts with a P.

It appears that Bud Adams backs Fisher. During preseason Adams said: "Fisher's not going anywhere. He'll be here."As of right now I also support Fisher. His job is to Coach the players that management gives him. If those players aren't good enough it isn't his fault: YET. This is a young team and it going to take time to get them to gel together. I have confidence that Jeff will get the job done. If anyone should be worried it should be Floyd Reese.

Weatherman VS. Cockroach

I have seen some funny weather bloopers in my 13 years in TV but this one takes the prize.

Ouch put some ice on it

If you like laughing at stupid people you will love this. I think somebody greased the pole.

LV on Sports: Grading the Vols

I have mixed thoughts about the Vols this weekend. Hey, a 33-7 win is never a bad thing but there are some concerns as we get closer to a tough SEC schedule and lets not look past Memphis. We got caught doing that a few years ago when a certain quarterback by the name of Peyton was at UT and the offensive coordinators name that year; Davide Cutcliffe.

Offense: C+
The offensive line just isn't getting the job done the last two games. With the exception of LaMarcus Coker's 89 yard TD run the run (which came at the beginning of the 4th quarter)blocking was near nonexistent. The Vols only rushed for 36 yards during the first 3 quarters. The pass blocking was pretty good although Ainge was sacked twice. The receivers and the improved play from Eric Ainge are the bright spots. Ainge appears to be more confident each game and is making better decisions(with the exception of that sack he took in the second half where he should thrown the ball away). The receivers are playing well but it does concern me that I don't hear many names called other than Jason Swain (Sr.), Brett Smith (Sr.) and Robert Meachem (Jr.). Who will catch the ball if and when these guys get hurt and Graduate next year?

Defense: B-
This D-line has been run over for the 3rd straight week. Marshal had the ball for nearly 10 more minutes than Tennessee. The Vols only managed one possession in the 3rd quarter. This is large in part to Marshal's ability to run the football. Linebackers played well but missed some tackles. The secondary also did well but when a team only attempts 14 passes it's kind of hard not to.

Special Teams: A+
James Wilhoit has been phenomenal. He had made 11 straight field goals until he missed one from 42 yards Saturday night. He later nailed one from 49. He has been on fire on kickoffs. He has had 3 touchbacks per game this season and Saturday he ran down the field and made a non-touchdown saving tackle. He has stepped it up this season. Punter Britton Colquitt averaged 56 yards on 3 punts and all were downed inside the 10 yard line.

Coaching: C
I think David Cutcliffe has improved a lot in his play calling but at times it looks like the same crap that he did for years at UT. To many screen passes and he abandoned the run for awhile. You have to run in the SEC. If you can’t run you will not win. They are going to have to get creative in the run game. This line is not good enough to just line up and run over anyone. I was pleased with the play action call on third down for a touchdown. I wouldn’t have made that call but I am glad he did.

$200 shoes for under 15 bucks

NBA star Stephon Marbury has teamed up with Steve & Barry's to create a shoe and clothing line where everything is under 15 dollars. That's right folks you heard me everything for under 15 bucks. His line includes leather jackets for $10, hats, hoodies, jeans and jean jackets and a variety of sneakers. Here is the really impressive part. Unlike other stars like Shaq who have endorsed low cost basketball shows(shaqs shoes run about $40). Marbury will actually where his on the court. "My first home game I'm going to go to the store and pick up a pair of shoes and bring them to the (Madison Square) Garden and lace them up and play in them,". I'm kind of wondering if he using semantics here and we will never see him where them after the first game. This way he can say that he did where them in a game and everyone will see them on SportsCenter that night. I do give him props for doing this. He could make a lot more money by endorsing shoes that cost 10 times as much. So, I take him at his word. "Everything we're doing is motivated by us, just being a group of people who feel it's time for change."There just happens to be a Steve and Barry's at Hickory Hollow Mall in Antioch. You may not have heard of them because they cut costs by doing no advertising, relying heavily on word of mouth. I have been to the one in Antioch and I was impress by the quality of merchandise they have considering the low price.

Last Day of Vacation

I had been on six day sometimes seven day work weeks for more than 2 months so I was really due for a vacation. I can't remember the last we were fully staffed. I'm sure theres probably a resignation on my desk right now but I'll worry about that on Monday. Because today I'm still on vacation. I didn't really go anywhere or even do much this week. I just needed not to be at work. I like my job and everything. It's just that unlike most managers when my department is short handed (and we have been short a lot over the past year) I can't just schedule everyone else overtime. I also have to come in and do it myself. Luckily for me I'm not salary, so I get paid extra to do it. Then why am I bitching. All that extra money would make most people happy. Truthfully, I would rather give up the money and be at home with my family. I'd rather be less tired and have less stress so that I can enjoy the time I do spend with them. That was even the case when I was broke and working three jobs.

So, Monday it's back to the grind. If history is any indication someone will tick me off and bring back 50% of my stress within 3 hours. I owe, I owe so it's off to work I go!

Attempted Booty Assault??

I had to go to court today for some burglaries problems that have plagued me this year. This case before me was one of the strangest things I have ever heard. The witness said that she was at a local restaurant and she noticed this man come in alone and sit down. No big deal. Then she noticed that he kept on reaching behind him towards the buttocks of the woman sitting behind him. She didn't know why. She stated that he tried 3 times to touch the butt of the women behind him. She gets up and goes and asked the lady if she knew the gentleman. She replied no. She then proceeds to tell the guy that she knows what he is doing and she is going to get the manager and call the police. The guy gets up and runs out. The two women give chase and write down his plate number.

Now the man never did actually touch the women and she wouldn't have known anything if the witness hadn't said anything. The case was bound over to the grand jury but I couldn't hear what the charge was. So, when I saw the guy outside I had to ask him. "Dude what did they charge you with attempted illegal touching of the booty". He said he didn't know and he doesn't understand what he did wrong.

Granted running away doesn't make him look so innocent but what the hell did he do illegal? What proof beside one nosey yuppie do they have. This case is a colossal waste of the courts time and I don't know why they are pursuing this. All the guy has to say is I didn't do it and I ran because I was scared and confused. He had a thick mid eastern accent so he can play up on the not understanding part. I just don't understand what crime this lady thought he was about to commit. If he had touched her it isn't like he could have gotten away with it. She would have felt it. I don't think he was a pick pocket. Women don't usually store there wallets in their back pocket. I would love to find out what happens in this case. I'll let you know if I do.

Pope's words prompt true colors yet again

Have you noticed that when ever something happens to tick off muslims they turn to violence. Remember last year when cartoons of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad published in a Danish newspaper sparked violent protest. Here they are: http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21127. You don't see christians killing people over episodes of South Park.

Now churches are being burned and a nun was killed over remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14848884/ If they are so concerned about their image why don't do something to change it. Starting with not killing nuns over what the Pope said. For god's sake it was a nun. Who has any nun ever hurt. Well beside catholic school boys and I'm sure they had it coming.
The really scary thing is that it is being done in the name of religion. This is why they are impossible to stop. I guess if I had been brain washed into thinking I would go to heaven and get ninety two virgins I'd blow myself up too.

The fact is these are violent people. For some reason they think they have the right to kill innocent people at a whim. They are elitist. No race is as good as theirs and other religions aren't worthy to live. "Kill the infidels" I can think of no other religion that is this radical. That includes those screwy Scientologist. When you hear about them sending young boys into mine fields to check for explosives. It sure makes the Catholic priest molestation thing seem a little a lot smaller by comparison doesn't it. Hmm 10 minutes in Father Mikes office or blown to bits and then finding out you don't get paradise or virgins.