After announcing his retirement from football today, New England Patriots Linebacker Tedy Bruschi was paid a pretty ultimate compliment by his coach Bill Belichick, who called him “the perfect player.” Given the polarizing Coach Belichick’s low status in the sports landscape for saccharine appreciation, it probably won’t stick.
Hopefully, what will be remembered, by Pats fan or otherwise, is Bruschi’s unlikely and lightning fast recovery from a stroke in February ’05 just three days after winning his third Super Bowl with New England that saw him back on the playing field by mid-October of the same year.
Now, these guys don’t like the Patriots, and they’re probably editing screengrabs of today’s retirement press conference, with heartfelt embraces between Bruschi and and Belichick, to Let Me Go by Heaven 17 for their next video installment on their YouTube channel – Belichick’s Camera Crew. However, since Bruschi recovered (he obviously did not “stroke out”) and went on to lead the team in tackles in 2006 and 2007, and will probably be appointed the new senior senator of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts…we can laugh about this, right?
On October 10, 72 teams from 18 states will travel to Las Vegas for the largest adult kickball tournament in the history of adult kickball. Probably, in the total history of all kickball (until Field Day Earth 2080, when the youth unite to take it back from old people).
This is the 12th annual World Championships of Kickball hosted by the World Adult Kickball Association, deemed the Founders Cup, which WAKA holds the registered trademark to despite there being at least a Canadian Lacrosse tournament, a U19 Girls Rugby tournament, and a boat shoe for women of the same name – good for them.
Las Vegas, NV August 26, 2009 — The stage is set for the ultimate adult kickball showdown. The World Adult Kickball Association® (WAKA), the world governing body of kickball, will host the 12th annual Founders Cup® World Kickball Championship® Tournament (Founders Cup) on Oct. 10, 2009 at Desert Breeze Park in Las Vegas.
Kickball once lived and died on the school playground, but in 1998, WAKA turned the kid’s game into a full-fledged sport by creating the first organized, widespread co-ed adult kickball league. Today, WAKA is the world’s largest adult kickball organization with thousands of teams across most major cities in the U.S., as well as internationally in London and Iraq.
“The Founders Cup showcases world-class kickball teams competing for the prestigious title of world kickball champion, while still enjoying the fun, social and all-inclusive experience WAKA is known for,” said David Lowry, co-founder of WAKA.
I’m trying to think through the progression of a 72-team bracket (Joe Lunardi sez, “go back to Russia, WAKA”), but I keep getting distracted by the team names (see: The Teams to Beat list). There’s those that range from fully uninspired to misogynistic-light (two teams named Balls Deep, and another named Balls Deeper). There are your pop culture plays on the word kick (Kick In A Box, Kickhopopotamus). And of course, booze references (Party Foul, Happy Hour, Menace to Sobriety). Here are the five teams I’m rooting for based on their cleverness alone:
The Royal Tennenballs (Santa Barbara, CA) The Savage Freds (Culver City, CA) Pitch Please! (Hollywood, CA) Bulletproof Tigers (New York, NY) Swift Kick in the Grass (Somerville, MA)
Hit the poll at the bottom to root for your favorite, and check out some video from last year’s Founder’s Cup… the first, an over-the-top promo (titled: Keep Dreamin’), the second, adult slip-n-slide.
That would be my dismal non-attempt at offering an opening line to the Lil’ Wayne tribute rap for Usain Bolt. The song is probably already in production – probably already in post-production considering the news that Bolt is a fan of Weezy came out hours ago.
“When I was in the Olympics,” he told us, “I didn’t really listen to music. During the Olympics, it was mainly reggae, a little hip-hop. But I like Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, those guys. That’s who we listen to in Jamaica. A little bit of Ludacris. But as long as it’s hot, we got it.” [...]
“Right now, it’s Lil Wayne, #1,” he said. “He’s hot. He’s got everything. He sings the right tunes. I’m seriously listening to all his songs right now. Really sitting down, listening to his lyrics, and he’s got his lyrics [down] pat now. He’s got his lyrics. He’s coming up like Jay-Z. He’s smooth. He’s got a different flow from Jay-Z, but lyrics-wise, he’s got it. He’s a lyricist. Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, I don’t care who comes third. These guys have the whole place on edge, man. It’s hot.”
He run fast, Weezy gets cash…
Geez, I am a wack MC. Can you think of anything better? Doesn’t matter. Wayne’s already dashed his way in and out of the studio. It’s probably on like 7 mixtapes by now.
Speaking of, How did Mixtape Daily get an interview with Usain Bolt?
The seven-times Tour de France winner issued an invitation via Twitter – telling people to turn up at Phoenix Park.
“Good morning Dublin. Who wants to ride this afternoon? I do. 5:30pm @ the roundabout of Fountain Rd and Chesterfield Ave. See you there,” Armstrong tweeted.
When the American arrived he was mobbed by fans, many jostling for a prime position at the front of the pack with one of cycling’s all-time greats.
The 38-year-old, who is in Ireland for a global cancer summit, said: “For me, I like to ride my bike anyway, so on a very simple level it’s a very sunny, beautiful day in Dublin and I’d be going for a bike ride anyway.
Sky News reports, a bike shop in Dublin rented 190 bikes in two-hours leading up to the event. And according to a report from…well, according to Lance Armstrong tweet, 1000+ showed up for the occasion.
Thankfully, Bode Miller has become a caricature of his former self. This is great, because his former self was really – to put it lightly – dickish?
Somebody, maybe it was Bode himself (once an attention whore…), decided to make the Bode: Life After the U.S. Ski team webisode (He quit way the hell back in 2007, by the way). This video makes me long for more Life After videos with other marginally successful athletes who have seen the tipping point of that marginal success come and go, and are now declining steeper than a giant slalom course in the Swiss Alps.
Watch this, and think about who else is ripe for a pummel by an old man (comes at about the 1:00 minute mark; the headlines on this site do not lie).
Is ludicrousity (sp.) a word? At least in the sense that when I say that this here is the Brett Favre ludicrousity story that will trump all other Favre ludicrousity stories, you know what I’m talking about?
I’d like to point out that the already oft-blogged story about the car, the innocent auto mechanic James Prusci, the mad woman of Winona, and the curiously purple goat…nay, sacrificial goat sounds even more ridiculous when you Tarantino it and tell the end first.
But as the woman walked toward her car, an animal control vehicle and two police cars pulled up, Prusci said.
He’s not sure what happened next.
Winona Police Sgt. Chris Nelson confirmed Prusci’s story Saturday morning, saying the goat was in the care of a local veterinarian.
Animal control officer Wendy Peterson, who investigated the incident, could not be reached for comment. It is unclear if the woman or man were cited.
As for Prusci, he’s just thankful to hear the goat is OK.
“It was definitely the most out-of-the norm thing I’ve ever seen.”
What fully occurred was that on Friday a woman arrived at a Tires Plus in Winona, WI to have a belt replaced on her Chevy Malibu. Shortly thereafter, a goat painted purple and donning Favre’s #4 was discovered in the trunk – because like any brand of cuckoo puff she told Prusci, straightaway, that she had it in there, and intended to slaughter it.
The goat had been painted purple and gold – the colors for the Minnesota Vikings. Shaved into its side was the No. 4 – the number of Brett Favre, who made his Vikings debut Friday night in a preseason game in the Twin Cities.
The goat was lying on its side, tied at its feet. Prusci said it had some pretty big horns.
The workers closed the trunk – they couldn’t have a goat wandering around the shop. But when they checked on the animal later, it wasn’t moving as much.
They called animal control.
Jesus. Tap Dancing. Christ, lady.
H/T to The Sporting Blog for the awesome pic, and @johnthedomingos for the article (which, truth be told, I thought was in the Wino Daily News until about five minutes ago).
What’s going on everybody? A fan named Matthew Gardner made a hot video of my summer league highlights that I had to post on here. Since I’m from Compton, you already know what song he used for the soundtrack…
I think I do know.
At least I thought it was going to be Straight Outta Compton. That’s actually N.W.A.’s 100 Miles and Runnin.’
Demar’s well tuned mid-range game is definitely on display in this highlight reel – check out the baseline fadeaway about 1:10 in, with MC Ren adding: So for now pack the gun and Hold it in the air.
As Eazy E might say, lend Demar Derozan your muf#kin’ eyes and check out his Rookie Chronicles blog. He’s got some typical growing into my millions footage up there – himself picking up his first Escalade, sans rims for the time being.
We’re all aware of Kenny Loggin’s trancendent work on Caddyshack, or Survivor’s contributions to The Karate Kid, Rocky III…Rocky IV…some movie called Vital Signs (All but one song on their greatest hits record can be found on a sports movie soundtrack, I think). I’m even fairly certain that nobody I know has seen the movie Chariots of Fire – but they all know the title track!
The songs on this list come from classic sports films that you’ve definitely seen (maybe not Hot Rod). Hopefully, from artists that you know (Gang of Four, Explosions in the Sky), but probably didn’t know the specific song (or any of the songs in the artist’s catalog, ex. Twista).
“Your Hand in the Mind” – Explosions in the Sky (Friday Night Lights)
Several people have told me that EIS are one of the bands that when you see them live the whole crowd just stands at attention, and no one makes a sound. Well, they certainly cast quite a grip with their soundtrack contributions to Friday Night Lights. “Your Hand In Mind” is the theme song, and man does it make Billy Bob Thornton look tense.
Here’s a taste of it live too…
Other tracks of merit:
“Six Days at the Bottom of the Ocean” Explosions in the Sky
“First Breath after Coma” Explosions in the Sky
“Bring the Noise” Public Enemy
“Never” Moving Pictures (Hot Rod)
We watched the credits the other night, and there are eight songs in this movie by Europe that aren’t “The Final Countdown.” However, “Never” by Moving Pictures is the most memorable track in Hot Rod, thanks to one epic fall by Andy Samberg. (Well aware that this whole thing was a spoof on Footloose. Unfortunately, that movie does NOT qualify.)
Other tracks of merit:
“Danger on the Track” Europe
“On the Loose” Europe
“Rock The Night” Europe
“Ninja” Europe
“Love Chaser” Europe
“Cherokee” Europe
“Heart of Stone” Europe
“Time Has Come” Europe
Desire - Gang of Four (The Karate Kid)
In Cal-if-for-knee-ya.
I haven’t seen this movie in years, and have no idea when it shows up in the movie – I guess we can rule out the sequence when Mr Miyagi is trimming his bonsai tree.
Gang of Four is best known for their post-punk offerings of the late 70s, and have been cited as major influence by the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Fugazi and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I’m thinking those musicians relate more to GO4 tunes like To Hell With Poverty and Damaged Goods, still this song also has some nice a-slappin da bass.
Other tracks of merit:
“NO SHELTER” Broken Edge
“YOU’RE THE BEST” Bill Conti
Twista Feat. Faith Evans (Coach Carter)
Gospel rap crossover, not by R.Kelly or P.Diddy, for once.
I took Spanish seriously this entire movie (which was not easy, considering how many time Samuel L called him and everybody else sir).
“Locked Up” Akon
“Let the Drummer Kick It” Citizen Cope
“Get Low” Lil Jon
Hoop Dreams – Tone AKA The Deacon (Hoop Dreams)
This one harks back to the days when 97% of rap song began with Yo, wat up, wat up, wat up. And sorry, but ‘embedding disabled by request’ still occasionally remains the bane of our existence.
About 30 secs in Tone AKA The Deacon delivers the line the streets continue to test me, like a full court press, gee. After that, it get’s painstakingly redundant, but that one bit, I thought, was pretty solid.
Other tracks of merit:
“Fast Break” Tone AKA The Deacon
“The Original Lesson” Shock-G
Burn On – Randy Newman (Major League)
I abhor a lot of Randy Newman’s stuff – especially, his soundtrack work as matter of fact. He’s much more well known for his ghastly contributions to, for example, the Toy Story franchise. But hey, “Burn On’ is not half bad. Here’s a clip someone created, not from the Major League, but of the history of Indians franchise. Another shining example of how much Indians fans have embraced Major League…
Other tracks of merit:
“Wild Thing” – X
“Must Have Got Lost” J.Geils Band (3:32) (Miracle)
Respectfully, nobody ever did Geils better than when Sandler does Love Stinks in Wedding Singer. However, most people don’t realize that J. Geils practically built his career around a fan base of hockey players in the late 1970s. Hence, that’s how Musta Got Lost made it’s way into the movie about the greatest achievement by that group of dudes, who in their downtime sipped budweiser, wore polyester track jackets, grew sweet mustaches, and listened to J.Geils.
Other tracks of merit:
“Don’t Fear the Reaper” Blue Oyster Cult
“Dream On” Aerosmith
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” Brenda Lee
And that was an overwhelming sentiment pulsing through Green Bay, where radio talk shows were pre-empting programs and dumping everything but call-in segments, as the fan base opened a fiery vein. On the rare occasion a fan called to support Favre’s right to play for the Vikings, they were bayoneted by the next five callers, who reacted as if they’d just heard someone pitch the positives of joining the Taliban.
Robinson managed to find one fan with a different take…
“Some people love Favre and will love him even if he beats the Packers twice a year for the next 10 years…He’s just legendary in their eyes.”
That quote came from Milwaukee native Brian Smith, who has been making the two-hour drive from Milwaukee to Green Bay “since the Majorkski era.” While being interviewed, he happened to be parked outside (presumably in mourning) Brett Favre’s Steakhouse, located at 1004 Brett Favre Pass, Green Bay, WI, just two blocks from Lambeau.
I checked this eatery out, and if 99% of the fan-base disagrees with Smith, this restaurant does not stand a chance. It’s the ultimate shrine to Brett and Green Bay’s storied history… any investors should just hope it gets burned in effigy, so they can collect the insurance.
And if the decor isn’t insult enough to the loyal Packer faithful, the Favre merlot is.
Favre was first drafted to play in the NFL aeons and aeons ago in 1991, which, despite how lame his draft day photo makes it look, was actually a pretty prolific year, not to mention the first in a memorable decade of football (the Cowboys won a lot, the Bills lost a lot).
January 27 – The New York Giants defeat the Buffalo Bills 20-19 in Super Bowl XXV.
February 5 – A Michigan court bars Dr. Jack Kevorkian from assisting in suicides.
February 14 – Silence of the Lambs released in theaters.
March 3 – Rodney King attack caught on video.
March 11 – Janet Jackson signs a $30 million contract with Virgin Records, making her the highest paid female recording artist ever.
March 27 - New Kids on the Block’s Donnie Wahlberg is arrested in Louisville, Kentucky for allegedly setting his hotel room on fire.
March 30 – Northern Michigan University defeats Boston University 8-7 in the third overtime to win NCAA Division I hockey title.
April 1 – Comedy Central launches.
August 13 – Metallica releases the Black album.
April 17 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 3,000 for the first time ever, at 3,004.46.
April 21 – Brett Favre drafted 33 overall by the Atlanta Falcons
April 26 – 70 tornadoes break out in the central United States, killing 17.
August 27 – Pearl Jam releases their debut album, “Ten” – has become certified thirteen times Platinum in the United States.
May 25 – The Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the Minnesota North Stars 8-0 in Game 6 to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
June 7 – City Slickers released in theaters.
June 12 – Boris Yeltsin is elected President of Russia.
June 12 – The Chicago Bulls defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in game five of the NBA Finals to take the series 4-1 and win their 1st NBA championship.
June 17 – U.S. President Zachary Taylor is exhumed to discover whether or not his death was caused by arsenic poisoning, instead of acute gastrointestinal illness; no trace of arsenic is found.
July 22 – Mike Tyson is arrested and charged with raping Miss Black America contestant Desiree Washington 3 days earlier, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
July 22 – Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is arrested after the remains of 11 men and boys are found in his Milwaukee, Wisconsin apartment. Police soon find out that he is involved in 6 more murders.
June 23 – The first Sonic the Hedgehog game published by Sega.
July 3 – Terminator 2 released in theaters.
July 11 – A solar Eclipse of record totality occurs, seen first in Hawaii then enters Mexico with the path directly crosses Cabo San Lucas and Mexico City seen by 20 million inhabitants, and finally ends in Colombia in South America.
August 13 – Super Nintendo is released in the United States.
September 24 – Nirvana releases Nevermind, debuting at #144 on the Billboard 200.
September 3 – In Hamlet, North Carolina, a grease fire breaks out at the Imperial Foods chicken processing plant, killing 25 people.
September 19 – Ötzi the Iceman is found in the Alps.
October 2 – Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton announces he will seek the 1992 Democratic nomination for President of the United States.
October 11 – the KGB is replaced.
October 11–13 – The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee interviews both Supreme Court candidate Clarence Thomas and former aide Anita Hill, who alleges that Thomas sexually harassed her while she worked for him.
October 27 – The Minnesota Twins win the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.
November 7 – Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson announces that he has HIV, effectively ending his NBA career.
November 19 – U2 release Achtung Baby
November 23 – Lead singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury, reveals he has AIDS; he dies the following day.
November 24 – Freddie Mercury, the lead singer and frontman of British rock group Queen passes away. The official cause of death is bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.
November 26 – Michael Jackson releases Dangerous, featuring the hit single Black or White.
December 26 – The Supreme Soviet meets and formally dissolves the Soviet Union.
…
Toss your additional ’91 historical facts in the comments, or, post some names of some folks who, like Favre, were born and walked out of the primordial soup of 1969…
