The Packers

Vince Lombardi coached the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first 2 Super Bowls - 1967 and 1968. The Lombardi Trophy carries his name and is awarded to the Super Bowl winner every year. This year, Green Bay brings it back home to it's city of birth.

Congratulations, Packers. Lombardi would have been proud.

Weather Alert

In the Heartland, light rain, temp 33 degrees. I'm REALLY glad I don't have anywhere to go. Sleep in, watch The Sopranos tomorrow morning on A&E, play some guitar, watch some more TV, then watch the Super Bowl. The wife made a big batch of pulled pork, and I have plenty of beer and soda.

Csonka, Kiick, and the Sports Illustrated Cover

Remember this one? Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick, also known as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were running backs for the Miami Dolphins in the early seventies. They had a reputation for being a little wild. They were both featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, with Csonka flipping off the world. You would think with their reputation they would have been watching for this. Maybe they were - this sold a lot of magazines.
(If you're not seeing the picture, click through to the original post.)

Leon Spinks

I have your attention, don't I?

Sports fan or not, who could forget Leon Spinks? He beat Muhammad Ali in 1978 for the championship. He smiled his way into America's heart.

Today he smiles his way into the hearts of residents of a small town in Nebraska. He lives in Columbus, Nebraska and cleans the YMCA several days a week. He also does a lot with the kids in that town.

Here's an article done by the Lincoln (NE) Journal Star. Very well done, and The Champ sounds like he's happy and doing well.

Ex-champ Leon Spinks cleans up in Columbus

Cornhusker Heartbreak

Growing up in Nebraska, I became a big Cornhusker football fan. To a person in Nebraska, Cornhusker football is all there is. And what a time for college football it was. It started with National Championships in 1970 and 1971. Heisman winner Johnny "The Jet" Rogers, Jerry Tagge, Jeff Kinney, Vince Ferragamo, Steve Runty, Dave Humm, and COUNTLESS other quality people. Coached first by old school coach Bob Devaney, then by Dr. Tom Osborne. Osborne set the mold for the Huskers for the next several decades. No matter what critics might say, Dr. Tom ALWAYS had the best interests of his kids at heart. He had many successes, and a handful of failures such as Scott Baldwin and Lawrence Phillips. He and his staff ALWAYS sounded like true professionals, always kept their composure, and always made me proud to say I was from Nebraska.

That is why the events of the last several years are so hard to take. Athletic Director Steve Pederson has gutted the program in favor of starting over. He has brought in a former pro coach, and a complete stable of new assistants. No longer do we brag about our in-state walk ons. No longer do we brag about our graduation rates, or student athletes, or the number of Nebraskans on the team. In general, the pride is gone. We have traded our soul for the chance to win with a different type of game.

Today the Huskers lost a close heartbreaker to Texas Tech. They showed some very good things, but made some critical mistakes also. But you know what? I really don't care in the least.

Steve Pederson, for making me and other life-time Cornhusker fans feel this way, may you rot in hell.

Sweet Caroline And The Red Sox

While technically recorded in 1969, this trite ditty of a song has become an anthem of sorts for the Boston Red Sox.

This story is exceptionally well done, and had me laughing till tears were in my eyes. It's an audio file from NPR.ORG.

The Mystery of 'Sweet Caroline' and the Sox