Football Terminology

Have you ever really given much thought to the terminology used in Football? I was reading the morning paper while eating a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch and drinking a cup of coffee when all of the sudden some of the terminology used just struck me as funny. Not just a little bit funny mind you, coffee squirting out of the nose laughing funny. Okay, maybe I just didn’t get enough sleep, over worked mind, or maybe under worked, or just a warped sense of humor, but I found myself having a hard time finishing the article I was reading about Kellen Winslow looking good for Tampa Buccaneers.

Now I am just going to list some of the terminology and phrases used in football and if you don’t find them funny please excuse me, but I know I will never be able to read a football article the same ever again myself. It said how the “Offensive” coordinator “believes in widespread use of his tight end”, how they have Kellen “playing everything”, “he’s playing tight end”, “out wide”, “receiver”, and “he knows everything about coverage”. Okay, maybe I was just a bit warped this morning, not enough sleep or what not, but that shit was funny when I read it.

On a more serious note, Winslow does look good for the Buccaneers, hey, but time will tell. I am not sure just yet if I am ready to throw any money down on the table on that one.

3 Celebrity Icons, Gone but Never Forgotten

I am beginning to feel like my blog is reading like the celebrity obituaries. Three icons in three days, they say everything comes in sets of three and now, once again, the old wives tale rings true. First, a great entertainer, Ed McMahon passes away, then a great movie star, Farrah Fawcett, and now a great musician, Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson, at the young age of 50, died today at 2:26 pm after being rushed to the UCLA medical center after suffering cardiac arrest. Michael arrived at the hospital unresponsive, never to regain conscious again prior to passing. Although there is no indication of any foul play and family members stated that Michael had collapsed earlier in the day requiring the call to 911, due to Jackson’s high profile lifestyle, investigators still plan on interviewing family members and friends just to cover all bases as well as a full autopsy has been ordered.

Regardless of Michael Jackson's eccentric lifestyle (e.g. Neverland, extensive plastic surgeries, etc.), sordid stories of his life (e.g. child molestation accusations)that one will never really know what was actually true or not, Michael Jackson was the king of Pop Music. One may not have cared for the man, however everyone has to admit the man had talent and a lot of it! Michael Jackson brought a lot to the music industry. Regardless of your feelings towards him, he will not be forgotten. You can about bet though there will be many rumors and speculations, and all kinds of scandals regarding Michael Jackson's demise and his life. Nonetheless, I wish you peace Michael.

After a long battle with cancer, Farrah Fawcett dies.

Farrah Fawcett, a pop culture icon, passed away today at the age of 62 after a long battle with anal cancer that eventually moved to her liver. It was just recent that her controversial movie aired on NBC, MSNBC, Bravo, and Oxygen documenting part of her battle with cancer. Farrah’s hope was to give others battling with cancer courage as well as to educate those with little knowledge, insight of what life is like for those battling such an ugly disease. Some saw the movie as a promotional move for Farrah, however, when there is an opportunity to bring awareness to a cause, there is no better way. There comes a time in everyone's life when faced with mortality that they become more interested in sharing their experiences rather than going after personal gain. Farrah did this with true grace.

Farrah will be a forever remembered icon, not only for her long flowing big 70’s hairstyle but also for the true talent she had that brought her characters to life. Farrah will be missed by so many. Farrah, rest in peace. Much love.

(Picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jillmunroe.jpg)

John F Kennedy out in Print Again

There is a new novel coming out the first part of July called the “American Adulterer” by Jed Mercurio. Once again John F Kennedy makes it to print but in a fictionalized manner. The book, although typifying what the world already knows, that JFK was a runabout, looks at JKF as a patient from a clinical standpoint studying Kennedys’ sexualized psychology rather then just a story line giving it an interesting twist.

It reads somewhat like a clinical trial fashioned somewhat in a time line of the 35th presidents' life. It outlines how each affair brought him into deeper despair and the trickle down effect it brought on (fear of losing his wife, family, the stress it undoubtly brought upon him, and more). Topics such as JFK’s personal life, marriage, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Marylyn Monroe, and other historic figures throughout his presidency are all touched on, but done so in an detached tone, keeping the 35th president as the subject of Mercurios’ psychological evaluation. Mercurio covers Kennedy’s chronic ailments (Could they have been in any way connected to his almost pathological philandering ways?) abstracting how dilapidating it was for JFK to have this uncontrollable urge to philander.

Of course, John F Kennedy rises in the story line to what Americans see him to be, a hero that just had a bad crutch - sex. Mercurio manages to entertain, keeping a dry dark witty side to the “American Adulterer”. John F. Kennedy and the Kennedy family as a whole will remain a strong subject for writers throughout time; however, Mercurio managed to take the “subject” matter to a completely new compelling level.

(Picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_F._Kennedy,_White_House_color_photo_portrait.jpg)

Ed McMahon, Decorated Pilot Passed away Today

Ed McMahon left us today at the age of 86 after a long struggle with a number of health issues. When you read the headlines about Ed’s passing, the first thing you read is his long standing connection with Johnny Carson, however Ed was way more then just the man who announced Johnny with the famous “Heeeeeeeeeeerrre’s Johnny!” He was even more then a comedian, game show host, announcer, and television personality. He was a decorated pilot for the United States Marine Corps.

The service he gave to his country, beginning during World War II with the United States Marines, McMahon was a fighter pilot, flight instructor, and a test pilot. Even after his term with the corps, ending in 1946, Ed remained in the reserves and attended college. He returned to the military life on full time active duty in 1953 when he was shipped off to Korea to fly tactical air control and artillery spotting missions. His career with the military and serving our country did not end until 1966 where he retired with the rank of Colonel with the Marine Corps Reserves, later to be commissioned as a Brigadier General in the California Air National Guard.

Mc Mahon came from a long line of military ancestors such as Marquis d'Equilly and Patrice McMahon duc de Magenta. Although many will remember him for the Tonight Show, Star Search, and The American Family Publisher sweepstakes, I choose to remember him by his bravery and the service he gave our country. Ed Mc Mahon, I salute you and may you r rest in peace.

Here is more about Ed McMahon's military career: http://www.militarymuseum.org/McMahon.html

Blues and Whiskey

The Blues and Whiskey go back since the beginning of whiskey, or would that be the blues. Either way, much like the chicken and the egg, regardless of which came first, the two have never really parted. It has been said that the best medicine for the blues is a fifth of whiskey, drowning the sorrows from a bottle of swirling golden caramel colored liquor that can burn or warm as it makes itself known. But if not for the whiskey, many a blues songs would not have risen out of the minds and souls of entrapment of pain. The whiskey eased the pain and allowed the words to escape, expressing feelings like only the blues can.

I have to put a plug in for a smooth biting, body tingling, warming gem called Connemara. Boy, the blues one could sing after a few dozen shots of that soul medicine. Connemara is a smooth little gem that the Cooley Distillery kicks out. A quite night and a cast of Connemara, a person could write albums worth of blues. Repressed thoughts, memories, lost dreams and desires arise from the elixir as it slowly takes over. So, with blues, although not all are songs of pain and despair, does the blues come first and then the whiskey, or does the whiskey come first then the blues.

(Picture from Wikipedia)

Janis; From Ball and Chain to Me and Bobby McGee

Janis Joplin is a name that anyone who has even the slightest interest in music or culture should know. Not only was she a wild 60's hippie who sang psychedelic rock and folk songs, she has been considered by many the woman who truly open the doors to a new revolution for women. Beginning in her teen years, Janis began her interest in singing through a local choir belting out the blues. The African American Blues sealed the deal in Joplin's choice to make a living singing, with one of her early remakes of Big Mamma Thornton's "Ball and Chain" leaving listeners in awe. Sadly, due to Janis's drug and alcohol addiction, she died at the height of her success.

The song that most people think of when they think of Janis is "Me and Bobby McGee" she recorded this track for her album "Pearl" just a few days before her death in 1970. Released after her death, the song, which has been recorded by many other artists, became a Janis Joplin signature tune. No one who hears it can deny the throaty sultriness of Janis' voice and the fact that the song seems to have been written just for her to sing.

The songwriter Kris Kristofferson was a lover of Janis' and had sung the song for her a few years before. He had no idea until after she had passed that she had covered the song. Janis' version of "Me and Bobby McGee" was her only number one single and the 2nd posthumous release to make it to the top of the charts. Kris declares that he didn't write the song about Joplin as it was originally intended that Bobby was a girl, but that the song is definitely associated with her.

Since Janis' death, many enterprising young singers have tried to harness the amazing Joplin spirit when performing the song "Me and Bobby McGee". Many have tried, many have failed, and a few have come close; Melissa Etheridge does a wonderful job with this song. Another up and coming young singer has been compared to Janis Joplin in the past few years; Joss Stone, can belt out the lyrics, and make you feel her pain just as Janis could. Nevertheless, there is and will never be another Janis Joplin, no matter how hard others' in the music industry try to capture the magic that Janis had. She was an artist, a singer, music arranger, a storyteller, a drug user, an alcoholic, a lover, a friend, a woman, and she was amazing.


Janis and "Ball and Chain"



Janis and "Me and Bobby McGee"





Picture credited to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Rock Music Ride

Rock Music has gone through many changes over the years. The criminal shaking of Elvis Presley's hips set the world's moral compass on its rear. Jerry Lee Lewis shook everyone up when he married his very young cousin. Then the Beatles hit the scene with their scandalous haircuts and songs that people were sure were about drugs. Parents raged and teens rebelled, has anything really changed?

In the 70's psychedelic rockers, punk rockers and whatever David Bowie can be classified as ruled the airwaves. There were even quite a few Southern rockers making a name at that time as well, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers Band being the most notable. Ted Nugent and Alice Cooper scared people. Kiss spent most of their time seducing women and spitting blood on audience members. Oh yes, the
70's were a rock decade in many ways.

The 80's brought about more pop/synthesizer rock, and the onslaught of hair bands. Poison, Guns n Roses, and Motley Crue were the ones that girls flocked to see, while Megadeth and Metallica managed to build quite a following as well. Judas Priest, and Ozzy were evil while Twisted Sister fought the PMRC. Again, parents raged and teens rebelled.

Enter the nineties when grunge rock came about, Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder pretty much ruined the hair band scene and teens welcomed their angry, depressing and often confusing lyrics. Green Day became a household name for rebellious youth. The nineties had some new stand out rock acts, and some hangers on from the 70's and
80's who tried to get with the times Metallica became a mainstream rock band that was heard on radio stations all over the world.

With the new millennium rock music is not so much a classification as an idea; there is emo rock, pop rock, grunge, glam, Southern, surf, garage, and even girl rock. So nowadays when Elvis' pelvis seems tame compared to Marilyn Manson's gender bending, and the Beatles haircuts are conservative in comparison to Rob Zombie’s dreadlocks, guess what is happening? That is right, parents are raging and teens are rebelling.

Rock Music is the release of teen angst, the artists know this and they give them what they want. Need is another whole issue.