UFC 92 - My picks sucked

Well, I can't say I was disappointed by the event (except for Dollaway's tap that wasn't a tap that allowed him to escape the choke and then win, but Dollaway has a history of pseudo-tapping), UFC 92 delivered!

I was disappointed in my choices ... I'm not a betting man because I bet with my heart, not with my wallet. So if you're taking wagering advice from me ... buyer beware.

I was 4-6 ... victories by Hamill, Kongo, Hardonk and Evans were all I got. I was dead wrong about Mir and Jackson; Lister and Chonan let me down, Dollaway I've already mentioned, and Evenson is off my list after his knee got blown into 12 different directions by Berry's solid leg kick.

For the record ... this is one of the greatest six-week periods in MMA HISTORY:

We'll start in Japan on December 31, 2008 ... K-1 Dynamite featuring Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Kiyoshi Tamura, Gesias "JZ" Calvancante vs. Joachim Hansen and Eddie Alvarez vs. Shinya Aoki (for vacant WAMMA lightweight title), eight other MMA and seven K-1 fights, including an Under-18 Four Man Tournament and featuring the first of two fights between Badr Hari vs. Alistair Overeem ... this one under K-1 Rules, the next under MMA rules. Damn.

We'll stay in Japan for Sengoku 7 in January 4th ... this MMA only card is featuring Takanori Gomi vs. Satoru Kitaoka (for vacant lightweight title) and Kazuo Misaki vs. Jorge Santiago (for vacant middleweight title) and six other matches.

Then we head back to the United States as Zuffa really loads up in January for the UFC/WEC fans:

• UFC 93 in three weeks - January 17, 2009, featuring Dan Henderson vs. Rich Franklin and the return of both Mark Coleman and Shogun Rua as they battle in the cage.
• WEC 38 on January 25th (and free on Versus) features Champ Jamie Varner vs. Donald Cerrone (for WEC lightweight title) and the rematch of Urijah Faber vs. Jens Pulver.
• UFC 94 on January 31 ... the ultimate rematch: Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn for St. Pierre's 170-pound belt.
• UFC Fight Night 17 on Feb 7, 2009, and free on Spike, featuring Hermes Franca vs. Joe Lauzon and Mac Danzig vs. Josh Neer.

Oh, and if that wasn't enough, on January 24, 2009, Affliction is back with Day of Reckoning featuring WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski, Josh Barnett vs. Gilbert Yvel and Vitor Belfort vs. Matt Lindland.

Good time to be an MMA fan, eh?

UFC 92 - My picks

• Champ Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans (for UFC light heavyweight title)

I like Forrest ... but I just see Rashad rushing in and beating him with the kind of punch that left Chuck Liddell in dreamland. Evans - KO - Round 2.

• Champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir (for interim UFC heavyweight title)

I've seen Nogueira take unbelievable beatings and pull out a submission (Cro-Cop in Pride 2003 Final Conflict) .. all four of his losses are by decision. He's never been stopped. Mir is a mixed bag of up and down, good and bad. Mir has always relied on his BJJ skills ... he's never been matched with anyone better than him in BJJ before ... easy pick: Nogueira - Sub - Round 3.

• C.B. Dollaway vs. Mike Massenzio

I will give Massenzio $20 if he knocks out DULL-away. No, $25.

• Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva

I went back and watched both of their previous battles (Pride Final Conflict 2003 and Pride 28) ... and forgot how good the fights were, with amazing back and forth action. However, they both ended the same: Rampage was left beaten crushed demolished destroyed by The Axe Murderer. The 2003 fight had Jackson eating 17 knees to end the fight; but the Pride 28 one is, without a doubt, one of the most vicious knockouts in MMA lore ... Silva left Jackson draped over the ropes, unconscious, after landing five solid knees to the cranium.

• Mustafa Al-Turk vs. Cheick Kongo

Al-Turk hasn't impressed me ... Kongo took the best Cro-Cop could dish out and won a unanimous decision in what was supposed to be Mirko's coming out party. Al-Turk's only notable victory is a submission due to strikes over Mark Kerr ... but the 2007 Mark Kerr ... not the Smashing Machine. Kongo - Decision - Boring as hell fight.

• Dean Lister vs. Yushin Okami - Lister, submission; I like Okami, but Lister's a master.

• Antoni Hardonk vs. Mike Wessel - Hardonk, knockout

• Reese Andy vs. Matt Hamill - Hamill will murderize Andy right in his face.

• Brad Blackburn vs. Ryo Chonan - I never bet against Ryo Chonan. Dude just finds ways to win.

• Pat Berry vs. Dan Evensen- Evensen. Knockout.

CD101 Andyman-A-Thon, Day 3

14:40 ... Welcome to the better-late-than-never Day Three of the CD101 Andyman-A-Thon ... we're just short of the $25,000. The band Ghost Shirt was here and those are some classy peeps who know how to rock ... they're among one of my favorite bands to see ... hard to go wrong with that lineup!

Karate Coyote is next ... they're setting up and it looks like fun ... and a great-sounding Gibson guitar, too!

15:19 ... Karate Coyote was quite fun. They're playing on Jan 7th at Skully's with one of my favorite bands ... Paper Airplane!

15:20 ... While my photos upload, I'm very surprised that we've had more than 1,000 unique hitson my CD101 Andyman-A-Thon collection ... that's great. Now if each one of those hits could donate $10 ... we'd be rolling in the dough for the kids.

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank and acknowledge the wonderful staff of CD101, from the air staff (Rachel, Leslie, Patrick, Michael, Copper, Alex and anyone I missed ...) to the management ... Wendy, Amy and Michelle ... and the staff here volunteering to keep the business of fund raising going on behind the scenes ...and providing the volunteers, like me, those answering the phones, helping load and unload band gear and keep Andyman awake, with food, beverage and smiles. Everyone's tired, nobody more than Andyman at this point, but everyone knows the bottom line is helping out a bunch of kids and families who need help.

15:30 ... We're about an hour away from Happy Chichester, our final scheduled musical act of the 2008 Andyman-A-Thon ... I like Happy ... he's rather entertaining.

Wow. Happy never disapoints. From last-minute requests to new songs to fun banter, he's quite the treat for the ears.

Well, we have but two hours left ... I hope the money continues to roll in and Andy suvives the next 120 minutes! I'll have photos when he's finished ...

CD101 Andyman-A-Thon - Day 2

So, welcome to Day 2 of the Live Blog from the Andyman-A-Thon at CD101 to benefit the CD101 For The Kids foundation. Listen live at CD101.com ... and donate if you can! Follow my Flickr stream here.

09:30 ... the Shamrock Club Pipes and Drums are supposed to be playing on the air. They are playing, warming up, tuning up, practicing ... but the soundman is nowhere to be found. Such is life at the Andyman-A-Thon, I'm learning. Things happen. As our friends in the Marines say, adapt and overcome. Andy and Josh lay the cables, hook up the mics and BAM! It's on.

09:45 ... there's NOTHING like being a room with eight bagpipers and two Irish drummers. That will wake up anyone. The original bagpipes were made from the skins of animals; and used as far back as the middle ages. All I know is they're loud, wonderful to listen to, and a force to the ears.

10:30 ... The Dammits are up next, and damn, that Bob Dammit is a hell of a nice guy, and his band rocks!

10:53 ... The Dammits are sound checking. Damn Ric has a HUGE kit.

11:05 ... The Dammits are rocking the Big Room. These guys are playing tonight at the Ravari Room ... go check them out. Great guys, lots of fun.

11:55 ... Delyn Christian is up next! Delyn cancelled ... he's not feeling well. Bummer.

12:25 ... The auction for the guitar autographed by Jet ended at $225. Sweet. Stay tuned for other auctions throughout the day. Listen live at CD101.com or 101.1 on your FM dial if you'rel local to Columbus!

12:30 ... Nuclear Children are up at 2 p.m.; there's an auction for some Columbus Crew stuff.

13:00 ... The Dammits just requested "Rocky Mountain Way." And Andyman has it cranking in the studio. Sweet.

13:05 ... Being a music nerd like I am ... walking around this radio station taking in all the stuff on the walls, the photos, autographs, promotional pieces ... it's amazing. There's so much history and pop culture here it's fascinating. I'll try to get some photos while we're between bands.

Click the photo, then click view original and check out the autographs on this guitar. REM, the Rembrandts, the Stray Cats, et.al.

13:15 ... I have no idea what you're doing this afternoon, but you should tune in and give some cash ... if for nothing else than the killer collection of Columbus rock that's happening this afternoon: 2 p.m. - Nuclear Children; 3:00 p.m. - X-Rated Cowboys; 4:00 p.m. - The Receiver; 5:00 p.m. - Blasphemy Saints; 6:30 - Willie Phoenix.

That SCREAMS Columbus local music!

16:45 ... catching up from a hectic afternoon as photos from The Receiver upload to Flickr ... Nuclear Children ... loud, fun, very promising band that rocked the big room muchly led way to everyone's favorite drinking band with a bar problem ... The X-Rated Cowboys. Despite not playing live for nearly a year, they nailed $100 Guitar, which Tenacious D's Kyle liked so much he asked lead singer Quinn Fallon for a CD. Quinn found one in the car and Kyle was happy (yes, he's here hanging out!)

X-Rated Cowboys also played "Drinking For Two" ... with Blue interchanged for Two due to some structural damage to the entity known as Big Blue (no, not IBM!). Mark Nye did the required chug of beer; and they ended with "Low Self Esteem" to a great ovation.

The Receiver was next and featured our first full house in the Big Room, complete with another row of folks on the floor. Jesse and Casey delivered, as usual, with a rocking, stellar performance featuring three new songs from their upcoming album that should be out in February or March, according to Jesse.

Blasphemy Saints are next. Stay tuned!

17:05 ... Change of plans. Turns out we have a special guest in the studio ... the band's name is C-Bus ... the band formely known as Tenacious Me, featuring Kyle Gass of Tenacious D on guitar, John Spiker of Filter on bass, Erin Robinson on vocals and Doug Wells on drums ... a cover of "Go Ask Alice" was followed by another classic and then the highlight of the night ... "C-Bus Christmas" ... which was written on the fly and celebrated all things Columbus ... "Eat some buckeyes / Watch them Buckeyes" ... the band shortly left to head to a studio to record it. True Story!

15:58 ... Blasphemy Saints are warming up and it's gonna be something special. OH, hell yeah. Opening with "Mr Heat Mizer / Mr. Freeze Meiser" double-shot, then "All I Want For Christmas Is You" ... and ended with a unique cover of Purple Rain to promote the Hair Metal Cover Night that's happening across town to raise money for the Andyman-A-Thon!

19:14 ... It's Willie Phoenix time. Once he gets the pedal situation figured out ... we're rocking with the love and joy that is the Willie Phoenix Band! Joyous.

20:05 ... Still to come ... Brundlefly at 8:00 and Wing and Tusk at 9:30 ... and Colin Gawel of Watershed at midnight ... with another edition of "Stump the Colin" ... oh yeah!

20:27 ... Brundlefly ... wow. That's a band for those drivin' on by with the boomin' systems. Two drummers, bassist, keyboards and an MC! Interesting synth-metal-rap mixture there!

21:13 ... Wing and Tusk is setting up ... looks to be intersting! Sound check sounds incredible!

21:56 ... Wing and Tusk is amazing. Wow. WOW. They're finishing up their first full-length record and it should be available in March ... it's on my must-get based on the three songs they played tonight.

CD101 Andyman-A-Thon - Day 1

Hello. I'm here at the CD101 Studios in the Brewery District in Columbus, Ohio, for the CD101 Andyman-A-Thon. I'm doing photos and live blogging This is the blog, these are the photos:

Eric's 2008 Andyman-A-Thon Photos on Flikr

The Language Our Fathers Forgot is getting ready to play.

And they rocked it. Wow. Intensity!

(Photos posted on Flickr)

Listen live at CD101.com ... and donate if you can!

The Blue-Eyed Gunslingers ROCKED! Damn.
Photos are posted here.

2nd Hand Porn was a riot! Photos are here!

The Lost Revival might be my new favorite Columbus band. Photos here!

Since we have a bit of a break between bands, I'm going to give you a bit of the rundown on what exactly this is, and how it happens:

1. CD101, WWCD, is an independently owned modern rock radio station in Columbus, Ohio (webpage / wiki page). It is located, oddly enough, at 101.1 on your FM dial, and available streaming on the web at http://www.cd101.com/

2. Andy Davis (Andyman) was the first DJ ever hired, and is still here as the program director and face/voice of the station. Every year, around Christmas, he picks a weekend for the Andyman-A-Thon. During that weekend, he stays up for 48 hours broadcasting, talking to people, asking for money for the various charities that are helped out by the CD101 For The Kids Foundation. To date he's raised more than $55,000 last year. This is the 16th year.

3. In addition to playing any song they have or can get, regardless of if it fits the mostly alternative format at CD101, there are a ton of local bands and musicians who come into studio's famous Big Room and perform anywhere from three to 10 songs, depending on the band, the popularity and the time available. Most bands get three songs. The bands donate their time and performance.

4. Many local retail and food service establishments donate food, beverage and prizes. Some prizes are won by callers, others are put into the CD101 For The Kids eBay auction along with autographed items from the many bands that have visited the CD101 Studios over the past year. This year's eBay crop features 160 items. Some of the auctions are still on-going.

5. The entire Andyman-A-Thon is staffed by volunteers in addition to the station's staff; volunteers man the phones, help the bands load in and load out, mill around and keep the place festive and keep Andy away as the hours tick by. Amy and Michelle are running the show this year, and doing a masterful job.

6. This is the first year I've been involved. I was a spectator to Big Room performances in 2004 and 2005. As a friend of Andy's, I had the idea to volunteer my skills as a photographer and document the bands, the event and the fun ... I hope to do this every year. It's for a good cause.

Okay ... The Lost Revival is setting up. They're the final band for the evening. They could be my next favorite Columbus band ... I'll have to investigate them more ... and with that, I'm heading home and calling it a night.

I'll be back tomorrow ... for Day 2 of the 2008 Andyman-A-Thon!

Andyman-A-Thon - I'm doing photos!

This weekend is the 16th Annual CD-101 Andyman-A-Thon to raise money for the CD101 For The Kids foundation. Andyman stays awake for 48 hours ... the station, being independently owned and operated ... will play any song from any artist for a donation, as long as it's FCC-allowed.

What makes the Andyman-A-Thon special, however, are the legendary Big Room Performances ... here is a schedule of shows. The only one not confirmed by the station is the X-Rated Cowboys ... but I have good word they'll be playing it. The bands come into the studio and play live, original and covers ... again, all for donations.

The first year I was there (2004) I saw Watershed do an hour of "Stump The Band" ... watched as they auctioned off a backyard concert ... and became a fan for life.

This year I'm volunteering my services as Andy's official photographer for all the action in the Big Room and around the station - the volunteers who man the phone banks, Andy for the mission he does every year ... and it is a haul to be awake and alert for 48 hours ... and the general comings-and-going of the event.

If you're not local, you can listen to the show live on the web at CD101.com ... and check my Flickr page and the CD101 website for photos ... I'm going to shoot them and upload to Flickr without editing ... but it will be quick.

All that being said, here's the tentative lineup for the Big Room ... with the XRC show in italics since it's not confirmed by the station ... there may be other acts as the weekend rolls on ... Andyman-A-Thon is always good for a surprise or ten, and allows you to hear some of the great local bands here in Columbus without having to pay a cover or find somewhere to park.

So listen, enjoy, donate, have fun.

Fri 20:00 Language Our Fathers Forgot
Fri 21:00 Blue Eyed Gunslingers
Fri 22:30 2nd Hand Porn

Sat 00:00 The Lost Revival
Sat 09:30 Shamrock Club Pipes & Drums
Sat 11:00 Dammits
Sat 12:30 Delyn Christian
Sat 14:00 Nuclear Children
Sat 15:00 X-Rated Cowboys
Sat 16:00 The Receiver
Sat 17:00 Blasphemy Saints
Sat 18:30 Willie Phoenix
Sat 20:00 Brundle Fly
Sat 21:30 Wing and Tusk

Sun 00:00 Colin Gawel from Watershed
Sun 09:30 Lucy's Maze
Sun 12:00 St. Timothy's School 3rd Graders and Chior
Sun 13:30 Ghost Shirt
Sun 15:00 Karate Coyote
Sun 16:30 Happy Chichester

Stuff For Sale - Four 1GB DDR800 (6400) RAM

Hello. Welcome to Stuff For Sale - Part II:

Today's offering is 4GB of RAM ... I have four Kingston 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory ... will sell them for $40 shipped.

Interested? Let me know.

Bored. Bored. Bored.

Go do something good ...

Give blood.

I did, today. Doesn't hurt.



Besides, you get cookies. And sometimes, a free t-shirt.


Plus, you can live a pint down.

Your body makes more blood.

And you can do it again every 56 days.

2008's MUST HAVE Record

Barry Manilow Covers the 80's.

Two words: FUCK YEAH!

Tracklist:

01. Islands In The Stream (Duet With Reba McEntire)
02. Open Arms
03. Never Gonna Give You Up
04. Have I Told You Lately
05. I Just Called To Say I Love You
06. Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)
07. Careless Whisper
08. Right Here Waiting
09. Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)
10. Hard To Say I'm Sorry
11. Time After Time
12. (I've Had) The Time Of My Life

Street Date: November 25, 2008.

You better be at Best Buy or Target to snatch up this historic first printing.

(Probably not available at Wal-Mart. Ya know, they're all conservative 'n' shit there. I'm guessing they don't get a lot of Barry's demographic, but I've not studied the marketing reports yet.)

Tailgaiting OSU-Michigan and Violence

So I took my roommate down to The Ohio State University campus to tailgate prior to the season-ending college football game between our hometown Buckeyes and that team from up north.

While the alcohol was plenty ... really, drinking 32 ounce beers before 11 is pretty sweet ... the trash talk aimed at Michigan fans who attended the various stops we partied at was enjoyable, too.

However, once the game started, we happened to be standing beside two or three Michigan fans ... and when the interception was thrown, one of those fans decided to start dancing and whooping it up. What follows (with apologies to Prince) was the result

Put to the tune of Purple Rain:

I never meant to cause you any problems
I never meant to cause you any pain
I never wanted to see you dancing
Or feel you push against my knee
And causing me lots of pain

Kidney Pain, Kidney Pain
Kidney Pain, Kidney Pain
Kidney Pain, Kidney Pain

I intended to put my elbow directly in your kidney to maim


I know football is your weekend lover
And I never want to be your friend
I never intended to throw that elbow
I just wanted your dancing fit to end

Kidney Pain, Kidney Pain
Kidney Pain, Kidney Pain
Kidney Pain, Kidney Pain

I intended to put my elbow directly in your kidney to maim

I know your team is struggling
I know all your friends are blue
And that means you too
You try to blame your leader
But you can't seem to make up your mind
I think you better shut up
Before the rest of us
Put you in more pain

Kidney Pain, Kidney Pain
Kidney Pain, Kidney Pain
Kidney Pain, Kidney Pain

I intended to put my elbow directly in your kidney to maim

====================

For the record, he apologized. We moved. The six or seven guys behind me found it amusing, and there was no further violence there.

However, I did punch someone else in the face. And was thanked for it.

Oh, and it was an OSU student, no less.

In full Ohio State gear.

On the bus.

On the way home.

And she was about 5'4", maybe 100 pounds.

That punch, however, was accidental:

She was sitting and arose to leave the bus, trying to get off quickly, but headed towards the front exit. She left her coin purse with ID and cash and who knows what else on the seat. I quickly grabbed it, leaned forward toward her with it in my clenched fist to hand it to her. My roommate had *just* caught her attention to tell her about it when she suddenly decided to go to the back door of the bus to exit.

That's when it went wrong. See, as she turned, she met my fist. With her eye.

She wasn't hurt ... more surprised. It wasn't really a punch ... just a fist-meeting-face.

I apologized. Profusely. She said it was no big deal.

Then she thanked me. And left.

But it was a fun day.

New Watershed Photos -11-21-2008

New Watershed pictures posted from last night's 200H8 Michigan rally on my Flickr page.

Samples:

100 Greatest Singers of All Time

I'm not usually a fan of Rolling Stone (despite having an issue magnetically hanging on one of the walls of my cube), but every so often they do something groundbreaking and legendary.

This is one of those things: The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time ... including reasons why they're great ... some written by other singers: Aretha Franklin by Mary J. Blige; Ray Charles by Billy Joel; Elvis Presley by Robert Plant; Sam Cooke by Van Morrison; John Lennon by Jackson Browne.

After the lengthy article, there's a list of the people surveyed and how votes were tabulated.

Spanning the Globe ...

Another edition of News and Notes:

• UFC 91 was amazing ... I was 8-1 ... the only one I guess wrong was the the only fight that went to a decision. And that was a close one. UFC 92 (December 27th) will be a barn-burner: Forest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans (the dude that knocked Chuck Liddell out for 10 minutes) for the light-heavyweight title; Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for the right to fight Brock Lesnar to unifiy the heavyweight title (Nogueira has the interim belt, Lesnar knocked Randy Couture out Saturday); Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton Jackson III (Silva won their two PRIDE fights with stunning, highlight-reel knockouts); Yushin Okami vs. Dean Lister ... and six more bouts, too. Oh, and before that, we have the UFC Fights For The Troops on December 10 (Josh Koscheck vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida) and the Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale on December 13.

• The fire that's raging in Southern California is threatening the home of lots of regular people, as well as celebs, including Snoop Dog. I'm gonna say is there's no way the fire will be contained if his house goes up in smoke ... the firefighters will be too stoned ... and hungry ... to work the hoses.

• Those crazy political Aussies are at it again: I present you the Australian Sex Party.

• Watch out for Chickenfoot ... you won't believe who's in this band!

• Is it possible to name yourself the voice of your generation? No, Kayne West, it's not.

• Finally saw Zach and Miri Make A Porno on Sunday (Thanks Carolyn!)... my sides hurt from laughing. Seriously. This is some funny shit ... and again, Jason Mewes gets fully naked for the enjoyment of all the women. And he's just as funny sober as he ever was stoned. Some great quotable lines:

• "I hate you ebony and ivory motherfuckers!"
• "Shut your mouth or I'm gonna fuck it. "
• "You give a guy anything, even a fucking sample of Jergens and he can find a way to fuck it. You should've seen me, I was like a dirty MacGyver."
• "Everybody wants to see anybody fuck. I hate Rosie O'Donnell but if someone said they had a tape of Rosie getting fucked stupid I'd be 'why the fuck aren't we watching that right now?'"

And you can go to the website and make your own porn star ID:

UFC 91 - Picks

UFC 91 is Saturday from Las Vegas and features one must see, one don't miss and one don't blink ... including the fight that millions and millions have been waiting for. As always, I'll be at BW3's in Worthington ... feel free to come down if you're local. Music trivia starts at 9 for anyone brave enough to challenge me (hear that, Lia?) ... fights start at ten.

UFC 88 I was 6-3; UFC 90 I was 6-4 ... so let's see how I do with these predictions:

Randy Couture (16-8) vs. Brock Lesnar (2-1) for the UFC heavyweight title.

Brock Lesner is a beast. 6'3" 265 pounds (which is the max for the division ... he has to cut weight to make it to that) ... and an all-world wrestler: Lesnar finished his amateur career as a two-time NJCAA All-American, two-time NCAA All-American, two-time Big Ten Conference Champion, and the 2000 NCAA heavyweight champion with a record of 106-5 overall in four years of college. He wrestled professionally with the WWE and New Japan, tried out and nearly made the final roster for the Minnesota Vikings, then started training MMA. His last match was against Heath Herring in August ... watch for the monster punch nine seconds in.

Randy Couture, however, is the beast master. Yes, he's giving up 40-50 pounds in size, and 14 years in age, but he's a master at finding holes in his opponent and finding ways to win. As far as the wrestling ... he's also won multiple amateur wrestling awards. Couture won a state championship during his senior year of high school, then served in the U.S. Army from 1982–1988. He was a three-time Olympic team alternate (1988, 1992 and 1996); a semifinalist at the 2000 Olympic Trials; a three-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division-I All-American and a two-time NCAA Division-I runner-up at Oklahoma State University. In 1992 he was the Division-1 runner up at 190 pounds coming in second after Smashing Machine Mark Kerr.

Brock has size, strength, explosive speed, and hands so big they had to make gloves especially for him ... nothing fit. Randy has skill, multiple ways to win, the best dirty boxing in the world, decent submission skills and years of experience. Randy's also not fought in 14 months ... Brock's last fight was August, where he wailed on Herring for 15 minutes.

Yeah ... the beast versus the beast master. I've bet against Couture before. I've been wrong, both times (Gabriel Gonzaga and Tim Sylvia). Lesnar is huge, fast, strong, and as of yet, untested. All that being said ... I'm going with Lesnar. I just don't see how Randy can do it, again.
PICK: Lesnar, knockout, second round.

---

Kenny Florian (10-3) vs. Joe Stevenson
This is my don't miss fight. The reach, striking and Jiu-Jitsu of Florian versus the wrestling and power of Stevenson. Florian is 3" taller, punches with precision, and has cardio for days. Stevenson is a tremendous wrestler, decent on the ground and has wicked elbows from the top or bottom. Tough fight for both, but for different reasons. Florian has won his last five; Stevenson has won five of six, the only loss being to lightweight champion B.J. Penn. Both have great submission skills ... so it's a wash in a lot of ways ... which means it will be a great fight.
PICK: Florian, submisssion, third round.

---

Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) vs. Josh Hendricks (15-4-1)
Gonzaga has great Jiu-Jitsu. Hendricks is a wrestler. Gonzaga can strike. Hendricks is a wrestler. Then again, as we learned from Junior dos Santos and Seth Petruzelli, anyone can land a good knockout punch. This is my don't miss fight of the night.
PICK: Gonzaga, submission, second round.

---

Demian Maia (8-0) vs. Nate Quarry (10-2)
Maia has amazing ground skills and is world-class in Jiu-Jitsu. Quarry has great striking. I see Maia (again) pulling guard and taking the win. Quickly. Rumor has it winner will get fed to Anderson Silva, where he'll get demolished. Quickly.
PICK: Maia, submission, first round.

---

Dustin Hazelett (11-4) vs. Tamdan McCrory (9-1)
Hazelett has a great ground game. McCrory doesn't. McCrory's taller, and can strike, but isn't experienced enough in defending submissions. His height will be his disadvantage, as Hazelett will find and arm, or leg, and tweak it.
PICK: Hazelett, submission, first round.

---

Jorge Gurgel (12-4) vs. Aaron Riley (26-10-1)
Gurgel loves to throw knees, and strike, but uses them to set up the guillotine choke. Riley likes to break arms or knock you the fuck out ... just ask Michihiro Omigawa in Pride - Bushido 7. DAMN. Dropped like a bad habit.
PICK: Riley, knockout, first round.

---

Jeremy Stephens vs. Rafael dos Anjos (11-2)
dos Anjos has won 9 in a row using a variety of submissions ... arm bar, kimura, rear naked choke, arm lock ... so he's looking to submit. Stephens likes the KO. His striking is superb and he went the distance (in a loss) with Spencer Fisher, so he's good at avoiding the submission game. dos Anjos, however, is a much better ground fighter than Fisher. Also, dos Anjos has never been knocked out ... but I see that streak ending.
PICK: Stephens, knockout, first round.

---

Mark Bocek (5-2) vs. Alvin Robinson (9-3)
Robinson was choked out by Nate Diaz ... but so have a lot of others. Robinso has choked out a few, too ... he likes the Monte de Leon. Bocek has lost to both Frankie Egars and Mac Danzig, so one more loss and he's likely gone from the UFC for a bit, if not forever. I don't see how Bocek can withstand the submission game of Robinson.
PICK: Robinson, rear naked choke, second round.

---

Matt Brown (7-7) vs. Ryan Thomas (9-2)
Matt Brown is either on or off. He should have beaten Dong Hyan Kim, but lost a split decision. He said he's learned not to let it go to the judges and he will bring it this fight. Ryan Thomas is a great ground fighter; Brown likes to stand and bang. If Thomas can take Brown down, it's his game ... but I see Brown going for the kill standing.
PICK: Brown, because he's from Columbus, knockout, first round.

My life, Venned

more music charts


more music charts

How is THIS possible?

How is THIS possible? She ...



... is the daughter of this ...



Oh, and she's a new cast member on SNL, too.

(She being Abbey Elliot, daughter of Chris Elliot, one of the funniest writers in the history of television ... and not a bad character actor, either!)

I Love John McCain

For many reasons.

For his service in Vietnam and his 5.5 years as a prisoner of war.

For his candor. Then, now. And always.

For his campaign. And for keeping to his beliefs of what is and what isn't allowed.

For his honesty. His 100% honesty.

For his service as a senator.

For his speech tonight.

For everything.

John McCain is ... and always has been ... an honorable man, worthy of leading us, worthy of being President of the United States. And he never proved it more than by his heart-felt, honest, and wonderful concession speech.

Yes, I voted Obama. No, I won't brag about it. This campaign was the best and worst of the US. I hope we go forward from here.

I'm happy today. Happy for my belief in Obama. And happy for my trust in McCain. I met him in 1987. I interviewed him in 1987 and 1988. He's an amazing man.

I'm glad Barack Obama will be our 44th President.

Classic!

Stephen Colbert endorses Obama!

Stephen Colbert is the funniest guy on the planet. And, I've been a Colbert Nation fan from the beginning. Here's exactly why:

Here's hoping Obama gets the Colbert Bump and takes this election.

(And BTW, for reference, I loved Colbert from Season 1, Episode 2, which was on my 37th birthday, where he made a joke concerning the new prince of Denmark that led to a rather interesting argument with someone I was dating at the time.)

This shit is rockin'

Just because it just came up on my iPod this morning (and fuck did I get all nostalgic for some classic Swig Tooth), I give you 19 minutes of the best band you'll never see again: Swig Tooth - Four on Five

My whole take: This is a legendary Swig Tooth show that was supposed to be a tune-up for Comfest 2006, but due to 'scheduling issues' at the club, ten bands were there to play during a four hour window. Each band, with the exception of the 'headliner' ... some shit-ass band with a label and a rider that said they got their full hour, agreed to play 20 minutes. Of the 40-odd people there that night, 30 were there to see Swig Tooth. Here is their complete 19 minute performance. As bassist Mark Nye said of the evening, "A little hate goes a long way."

Filmed in a dark bar with my Olympus point-and-shoot 5-megapixel digital camera ... complete with condenser mono microphone. Not bad, eh?

Another Great Webcomic

The Warehouse ... for all the wrong reasons.

Dear Patti LaBelle

1. Just sing the fucking National Anthem as Sir Francis Scott Key had it written.

2. Learn the fucking words.

3. Learn the fucking notes.

4. Go away.

Well, that was a fun party

So Friday was the official party to celebrate me surviving 40 years on this rock. The actual event was October 18, but I wanted to party with a kick-ass band that would make it a fun night, so I waited a week.

And it was worth it. And it was fun.

I was a little confused when I contacted the venue about reserving a space or maybe some drink or cover charge specials back in September ... I never heard back from them. Two emails, one phone call, nothing. Which is unusual, because places like to know if you're bringing in a dozen or so people so the logistics can be worked out.

Then, it turns out there was already a birthday party there that night. They had the top corner away from everyone else. Which was fine with me. Why? Well, in the words of Bruce Springsteen, "I wanna be where the bands are."

And we were. Right down in front of the stage. Getting rocked by The Filthy HabitS ... the best power-pop cover band in all the land.

And I was a dancing fool, too. With a very tall, thin, young, cute woman who wouldn't tell me her name, but kept kissing me because it was my birthday. And I was okay with that. Cause I was drunk.

Oh, and wow, my knee is killing me today from all the dancing. But it was fun. I had lots of friends there, I got balloons, and a ruler (inside joke) and a quite a few refreshing adult beverages purchased for me, so it was quite the fun night. Sorry you missed it.

UFC 90: My picks

As always, I'll be at BW3's in Worthington (Crosswoods area) for the Ultimate Fighting Championships presentation of UFC 90. Granted, due to the Ohio State Buckeyes taking on Penn State that night, UFC is relegated to the small screens, and sound will be on the game ... but my connections tell me when the OSU game is over, the big screens will go to UFC as will the sound.

So with that in mind ... here are my picks and predictions for UFC 90:

Anderson Silva (22-4-0) vs. Patrick Cote (14-4-0)

Almost all MMA practitioners have one preferred style they've mastered. The great ones are masters of multiple styles. Anderson Silva may be the greatest of them all. He has so many ways to beat you: Lightning quick hands full of knockout power (ask James Irvin or Chris Leban); knees of death (ask Rich Franklin, twice, and then look at his rearranged nose); quick and sick submissions (ask Dan Henderson, if his larynx wasn't too crushed by that choke). Silva's at the top of every pound-for-pound best fighter ever, and will hold both the 185-pound and 205-pound titles in 2009. Cote is a tough fighter who once took all Tito Ortiz could give (back when Tito was a force, before his back injury) at UFC 50, knocking Ortiz down, but coming up short on the scorecards. Cote has a chance, stranger things have happened, but nobody's on Anderson Silva's level right now.

My Pick: Silva, knockout. Round One.

Josh Koscheck (13-2-0) vs. Thiago Alves (21-4-0)

I don't like Josh Koscheck. I don't know why. He's always entertaining, always brings everything he has and always fights a hell of a fight. Thiago Alves is better in everything but wrestling. I don't like Josh Koscheck. Nobody comes better prepared. Ask Diego Sanchez. But Alves is a strong striker and has excellent ground skills. This is more of a tossup fight, but sometimes you just gotta go with your heart. I don't like Josh Koscheck. But I respect him. And I'm picking him here. There's no quit in that cat.

My Pick: Koscheck, decision.

Rich Clementi (40-12-1) vs. Gray Maynard (6-0-1)

Gray Maynard will win this if it stays standing, or if he can stay on top of Clementi on the ground. Maynard's not good off his back, Clementi is. But Maynard has given Frankie Edgar his only loss; and was a huge underdog in doing so.

My Pick: Maynard, decision.

Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) vs. Junior Dos Santos (6-1-0)

Werdum is the fifth man in the four-man heavyweight tournament and will face, eventually, the heavyweight title holder in 2009. (Lesner v Couture 11/15; Nog v Mir 12/27, winners to meet in March 2009, maybe in Columbus!). Both Werdum and dos Santos are blackbelts at BJJ, but Werdum is a better wrestler, "Cigano" dos Santos is a knockout artist, and Brazil's current kickboxing heavyweight champ. Werdum's never been knocked out ... all three of Werdum's losses were by decision, including going the distance with Andrei Arlovski, Big Nog, and hard hitting Sergei Kharitonov, one of my favorite PRIDE fighters.

My Pick: Werdum, decision.

Sean Sherk (36-3-1) vs. Tyson Griffin (12-1-0)

Perhaps the hardest fight on the card to pick, because Sherk is a cardio freak; Griffin is a powerhouse. Griffin is used to going the distance and against tough guys (Clay Guida, Frankie Edgar, Thiago Tavares, Gleison Tibau, Marcus Aurelio), winning a ll but the Edgar fight. Sherk is back after a drug suspension he denies, followed by a beat-down by BJ Penn.

My Pick: Griffin, Knockout. Round 2.

* Thales Leites (13-1-0) vs. Drew McFedries (7-4-0)

Leites is a submission artist who has a decent standup game, but prefers the triangle choke and armbar. McFedries is one of those guys who has sick power and skill but sometimes leaves it in the locker room. He looked outclassed on the ground by Mike Massenzio and Martin Kampmann in submission losses, yet holds great knockouts of Jordan Radev (33 seconds) and Marvin Eastman (64 seconds). If Leites can avoid the big punch and take this to the ground, it's his fight to lose.

My Pick: Leites, submission. Round 1.

* Spencer Fisher (22-4-0) vs. Shannon Gugerty (11-2-0)

Spencer Fisher will not quit. Ever. Melvin "Cocaine" Guillard won't quit ... drugs. I was looking forward to seeing Fisher stand and trade with Guillard, but Guillard's probation violation prevented that. Instead we get Gugerty, who will get beaten like he stole Melvin's stash. Expect a lot of dirty boxing from Fisher and attempted submissions from Gugerty, if he can keep Fisher down.

My Pick: Fisher, knockout. Round 1.

* Dan Miller (9-1-1) vs. Matt Horwich (24-9-1)

Miller has better technical jui-jitsu and is a better striker. Horwich is very unpredictable and does some weird stuff on the ground. This one will be on the ground and probably draw some boo-birds out, but will be entertaining on the ground.

My Pick: Miller, Submission. Round 2.

* Hermes Franca (19-7-0) vs. Marcus Aurelio (16-6-0)

I hope to hell this fight gets on the broadcast. This is a classic student versus teacher matchup with Franca needing a win and his former instructor Aurelio in the path. Franca's a crazy striker with a legit BJJ Blackbelt, so he's dangerous standing or on the ground. Aurelio made Takanori Gomi look like he'd never fought before as he dominated and choked him out at PRIDE - Bushido 10 in under five minutes. Sadly, that may have been his finest hour. He has lost four of his last six, with wins of Ryan Roberts and Luke Caudillo. Roberts hasn't fought since, Caudillo lost the three he's had, so the quality of competition isn't there. Franca has lost his last two, but to Sean Sherk and Frankie Edgar, and has wins over Spencer Fisher (TKO) and Nate Diaz (armbar).

My Pick: Franca, knockout. Round 2.

* Josh Burkman (20-6-0) vs. Pete Sell (7-4-0)

After starting out 5-0; "Drago" Sell has lost four of his last five. Then again, Burkman has lost three of four. I expect this to be the worst fight of the night, and unlike Franca/Aurelio, I hope this doesn't make it to the broadcast, unless it's some insane Burkman knockout (like the Sam Morgan slam on TUF2 Finale) that puts Pete back on Long Island.

My Pick: Burkman, knockout. Round 3.

* May Not Be Broadcast

Enough of the 'Real' America

I'm so tired of the "Real" America talk. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't make them, or their part of the country, any less real than yours.

Isn't it time to stop trying to divide America? Oh, wait, that's right, you support the Alaskans for Independence. Never mind. So much for "pals around with terrorists, eh?"

If there was a "Real" America, odds are good it's not found in a $150,000 shopping spree with funds from campaign contributions used to make you and your family look pretty, eh Sarah?

I'll take hypocrisy for $1,000, Alex.

And I'll hope the rest of the non-real America sends her back to stare lovingly across the Bearing Sea at Vladdy.

Great moments in Advertising

There are few commercials that just amaze me.

The FATE spot with LT and Troy Polamalu is just amazing.

Watch and enjoy. This is some serious genius.

Guest Blog from my Mom :D

A few years ago you wrote me a wonderful article of the strange things you remember growing up. Now it is my turn.

SO FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY HERE GOES AND YOU AREN'T REALLY 40 ARE U ?

I remember your sister calling you Thumper before you were born because every time she tried to sit on my lap you kicked her.

Your Dad telling me the car would not restart if he sat in the room much longer waiting for you to be born since the weather was turning cold and sleeting damn car never was any good except for running it on the drag strip

I remember peanut butter sandwiches at 4 AM when you were supposed to be in bed.

I remember for years your sister told you the freckles on your face were because we found you on the side or the road and you were so dirty when we scrubbed you up we could not get those out oh how you hated that one.

The mangy dog you found in Cortland.

The pictures of you in your Boy Scout uniform on top of the trailer.

The 2 years in a row you wore the same shirt for school pictures

You and Colin collecting for Jerry Lewis for many years at the Lawson store in Cortland still not sure how much of that money made it there seems like some of it went for snacks.

The first time Jean and I realized that a mesh play pen cannot hold 2 ambitious boys who want to escape and ate a hole in it one of the many things you and David got into

The cookies Mimi and Dawn made for you boys with play doh in them and made you eat.

Remember the science lessons the raindrops with the GL go to the Great Lakes and the one with the M on them go to the Mississippi River. Wonder why they ever took that sign away from the turnpike the one that said Divide between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Watershed.

And don't forget the giants walking the earth in the form of electric towers

Stop a head Jean still tells everyone that story

Finding you and Maura in your room at 13 and then you ending up with her for a while

Swimming lessons all over Trumbull County hey kid get that stuff out of the car and bring it here I know you belong to someone here, fine way to meet Pam.

Learning how to change your clothes in the car and never let the girls see what you were doing of course they all tried to hide from you also kind of tough when driving down the road

You and Audrey and Tauna see one see all three of you for years.

St Thomas beach bum bartender and getting chased by that crazy person who was going to kill you wonder what ever happened to her?

The summers I never had to worry about where you were when we lived in the ghetto, from morning till evening we could find you at Packard Park keeping score for softball games getting picked up in Lindsay’s ‘vette or coming home with your bike in the back of Dave’s truck

The summers you were a life guard and got such a dark tan with your white blonde hair what our friendly neighbor Marilyn called you and how people stared when she did gotta love the ghetto life once in a while sure taught you a lot of things

How they called from the school to tell me you were breaking windows when you didn't even go there and (lived with your Dad) just because your friend did they figured you were part of it also

The wonderful fights you kids had in Cortland while I was working and the scars you all have to prove it

Coming home from work to furniture moved around to see if I would trip over it.

Finding the yardstick that I beat you with ( good thing you could hit your kids then) cut into 36 pieces each one a perfect inch in length

Thinking you broke something when the tornado went thru the area because the stove quit and your poor cake never did get baked

Some of the wonderful friends you made and still have especially Kerry and Kaitlyn and all the fun we had with them

You leaving for the Air Force and spending your 18th birthday in basic training and how all the beautiful blond hair grew back brown after they shaved your head.

Sending you and your buddies the little cars that when the body was turned went in all kind of directions so you would have something to do on Christmas liking racing them down the dorm hallway I still have one of those if you want another one

What is that slogan, join the services see the world? Gee you sure saw a lot from Texas to Indiana then back to Ohio Oh wait u did get to see planes refuel over Russia and do have the pictures to prove it and you did get to meet a famous author who did put you in his book Way To Go

Your years writing for the local paper and all the awards you won while in the Air Force I still have that letter, yes I know you wrote it and your Commanding Officer signed it but still it was nice, Also the years doing broadcast radio and political reporting especially when the then congressman really liked your stories (Big Jim T)

The years of hockey news, teaching your mom how to work a computer and after all this time still teaching her

The wonderful year that Camille was born and how we were all there to witness that wonderful event even if Adam got to hold her first.

The times in PA with all the kids running around and you and Patti just sitting back letting Stephanie and me say the” Jesus to Jesus and” Jesus Mary and Joseph and all the other little Saints” and you laughing at us

What a wonderful father you have turned out to be not only to Cammi but to Adam, Jessie and Gage might as well add Mandy and Alec to that list also

The Christmas Eve’s you went with me to Jean’s not by choice but because you didn't want me to be alone for those I thank you forever

Fishing at Mimi and Ron’s with all the kids in April in a snowstorm how they loved that and the picnic in the living room afterwards

Juli, Jimmy and the kids helping you move from Niles to Columbus falling down the steps with the TV and for the kids going to Cici’s afterward

The year you went to the birthday party under protest with your leg so bad and so doped up you don't even remember being there but you had promised the little kid you would be there and you were

Jean says add all the work you have done for her over the years she does have a printer that needs looked at LOL

The times you brought Cammi over to see Grandpa and how he loved that and her who didn't like anyone at that time just cuddled up to him and was so happy to have a great grandpa The corn roast she came to not knowing it was his last one and the great picture we have from it to remember

Or how about the message come get your mother she is cluttering up the driveway

Most of all for bringing joy into my life and being such a wonderful son

Happy Birthday

I love you

Mom

Dumbasses in the News

OH, before we start ... I'll have a special guest blogger on Saturday ... none other than my mother.

So be nice to her. Or I'll cut ya.

Now, on to Dumbasses in the News, Part 1:

Dateline Vacaville, California: South Park Imitates Real Life

"A music teacher at Foxboro Elementary School in Vacaville, Calif., was previously a woman, according to KCRA.com. But she returned as a man at the beginning of the new school year in September.

Some parents were outraged, saying they felt it was their right to know."

Um, hello? So a transgendered woman had sexual reassignment surgery and is now a man.

Hell, outside of ditching Mr. Slave cause he's a fag and now that she's a woman she wants a man, not a fag, Mrs. Garrison didn't change much else.

But that scared 15 families enough to pull their 23 kids out of music into physical education classes?

Good. Let them build muscle. The world needs ditch diggers ... one can only hope that's higher in the brain pool than their parents.

Just cause they change the package (wait, that's probably a bad choice of words) ... the outside ... the gifted, concerned, talented music teacher is still there.

---

Dumbasses in the News, Part 2:

Dateline Nebraska ... Your Elected assholes Officials At Work

Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers, a Dumbacrat Democrat, is considering appealing a law suit that was dismissed when he sued God for threatening him and the people of Nebraska and for inflicting "widespread death, destruction and terrorisation of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants.

The suit was dismissed by a judge with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled, because there was no known, verifiable address for God to serve the legal papers to him.

Chambers claims since God is omniscient, and knows everything, God is aware of the lawsuit and would appear if a trail date was set.

---

Dumbasses in the News, Part 3:

Vice King President Dick Cheney was treated for an irregular heartbeat, again. Really, I think it was firmware upgrade to the Cheney-bot, because he can't possibly have a heart.

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Dumbasses in the News, Part 4:

From the PETA Files (People Eat Tasty Animals) ... Jennifer Thornburg is now known as CutoutDissection.com ... legally ... to protest the dissection of animals in classrooms.

BTW, she's interning for PETA.

BTW, her father supports her in the name change.

BTW, stupid people surround us, daily.

Sigh.

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Dumbasses in the News, Part 5:

Apparently, there are no greater issues in England right now than someone being offended by a photo of the soon-to-be-divorced Madonna that's part of a display at an art gallery. So once again, I look forward to when the United Federation of Planets implements the Prime Directive so the Needs of the Many outweigh the Whines of The View (yeah, I took some poetic license with my interpretation). Police are investigating the photo of is posing on a cross with a halo of thorns on.

All of this has happened before, all of this will happen again ... "Last year police launched a similar investigation after the gallery displayed a bronze statue of Buddha next to an arrangement of a banana and two eggs. Gallery staff agreed to turn the statue inwards so that the banana and eggs could not be seen by passers-by."

Way to go England!

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Dumbasses in the News, Part 6:

The operators of the local liquor store store in Payson, Arizona

And no, that's not a photochop: The Town of Payson is located approximately ninety minutes North of Phoenix, AZ, in the heart of Arizona's Rim Country. And it's listed in the Yellow Pages.

Song of the Day Redux

I'm sure I've done this before ... but feel the need to do it again.

"Something I Can Feel"
Leah Androene

If you steal my heart
Hold it to the flame
I will keep that fair
Burn it in your name
Don't let me pull away
Let me feel the pain
And maybe you think that its crazy

But I've been stoned
And I've been stung
And I'm still someone
I don't want to hear about angels in my life

All I want is something real
Something I can feel
I want you so much
And I need to be loved to be healed
Something I can feel

If I find a way
To let you in
If I make a place
Underneath my skin
If it hurt before
Will it hurt again
I'll maybe surrender my
Save me

But I've been tossed
And I've been torn
And I've been reborn
And I don't need any miracles
In my life

All I want is something real
Something I can feel
I want you so much
And I need to be loved to be healed
Something I can feel

Let me feel you
Let me touch you
Let me hold you
Let me know you
Let me show you
Love

All I want is something real
Something I can feel
I want you so much
And I need to be loved to be healed
Something I can feel

Let me feel you
Let me hold you
Something I can feel

Something I can feel

Something Good about Youngstown...

I know I bash Youngstown a lot.

There are some good things. Jones For Revival is one. Great band. Another is Kelly Pavlik, a tremendous fighter.

ESPN The Magazine has a great article about him, his love for Youngstown, and Youngstown's love for him.

It's a great read. Click here ... the best line, to me: When told by his friends to talk smack to build up a fight he says this: "Anytime a fighter talks crap, he's worried." That's so Youngstown. Do it, don't tell me about it.

Tim Keown's a hell of a writer.

Dear John McCain ...

Senator McCain,

As a fan of fighter pilots everywhere, and with much respect for you and your fellow prisoners of war, I write this to you, today, older, wiser and more disgusted than I was when, as a bright-eyed enlisted man in the U.S. Air Force, I admired you in your darkest hours as a junior senator ... during the Keating 5 affair, where you got off with just a bad judgment spank on the wrist for watching as the Savings and Loan fiasco happened. I was paying attention because there by your side in the wrist-slapping line was my home-state senator, John Glenn.

When you re-emerged in the late 1990's dipping your toes in the presidential race, I was again a fan of yours. For your service, surviving the torture, and your ability to come back from the Keating 5, and for another decade of superb service in the U.S. Senate.

And you had my primary vote because you were noble. You were honorable. You were respectful. And you were qualified.

And we all know what happened: You got Roved.

When you returned to presidential politics in 2007, I was again, happy. In March 2008, well before the Democrats had picked their candidate, you told the Associated Press, "I will not take the low road to the highest office in this land."

In April, you again told the AP, "In all my travels here, Americans want a respectful campaign, they do, they want it. Now people say negative ads move numbers, they may, but do we have to go to the lowest common denominator? I don't think so."

Today, the country's economy is in ruin; global markets going down the drain; millions of Americans are without health care, hope, or jobs. Our clout in the world has fallen to unheard of levels, we're involved in two wars and there are our elected leaders are pushing towards Iran and threatening Russia; we're no closer to getting Bin Laden than we were prior to 9/11 AND the lame dead duck administration has no solid plans on how to fix any of the clusterfucks they've created before the end of an error on January 20, 2009 ... all you can talk about is William Ayres?

Seriously?

Are you so desperate to have switched campaign tactics and are now doing what you said you would not do having been through it yourself?

Please. Go back to your respectful, honorable persona. Talk about your plans to fix this great country. And if you lose ... do it with class.

Stop the attack dogs. Don't go down in history as bitter. Leave your legacy as the man of honor you were, or want to be; not the sad, nasty, Rovarian you've become.