A Penny for your Thoughts

In my WSOP 2007 Main Event running diary, I explained that before final table action began, my friend Joe transferred Hevad Khan $0.01 on Pokerstars. In other words, a lucky penny. He then e-mailed Stars to explain to them what he did, and they e-mailed back saying that they forwarded his e-mail onto Hevad. All in all, a ridiculous turn of events. Well, Saturday at about noon, I got an e-mail forwarded to me from Joe (originally from Khan himself). Here's what it said:

It was great way to end the series, and to have everyones support especially including your own it made the experience that much more emotional and fun for me. I seriously gave this tournament every bit of focus and energy that I could and pulled the best result that I could see possible. That being said, I am totally happy with my 6th place finish. I hope you keep working real hard so that next year it'll be you on tv doing back flips and chugging gallons of milk on front of the camera (or something else ridiculous) lol! Take it easy man.

Sincerely,
Hevad "RaiNKhAN" Khan

The internet. It's a crazy place.

A Day Late and Many Dollars Short

Unfortunately, I watched “CNN’s Youtube” debate which featured candidates for the Democratic presidential ticket. Hilary, Obama, and Edwards did most of the talking as the other candidates for the nomination sat around pissed off that they weren’t getting enough air time. I just love it how they always end with the statement “and that’s what I’ll do as President of the United States”. I am going to start doing that in Taco Bell drive thru lanes and during random conversations I have with friends and family members.

1. Bill Richardson looked like he had three pounds of make-up on his face.

2. Dennis Kucinich definitely did at least a couple lines of coke, and kept telling people to text message the word “peace” in an attempt to stop the War in Iraq. Ya, we want a president running the country who thinks text messages will solve the conflict in the Middle East?

3. Biden was the most straightforward and might have the most comprehensive plan for a phased withdrawal out of Iraq, but he’s not polished enough to win the nomination.

4. Hilary performed exactly as expected as she is the most seasoned politician of the bunch.

5. Obama didn’t impress me too much, and seemed a little “off his game”. He will be tough to compete with though as he’s raising more money than Hilary and getting that money from many small contributors. He actually has a grassroots campaign going, and that’s dangerous come primary time.

Overall, the politicians held many very similar stances on the war, healthcare, education, global warming, same sex marriage, and the economy, as I suspected. I won’t start really paying attention to their subtle differences until it matters.

I was most impressed with John Edwards, not so much because of his positions, but because I feel he was being genuine in his answers.

Example 1- He told America that he doesn’t want anyone’s vote who wouldn’t vote for a women or a black candidate.

Example 2- He defended his position on same-sex marriage, saying he thought it was wrong. He said he fought with this issue everyday as he wants to make sure America continues to move away from discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation etc.. However, he believes his personal opinions, and those of any candidate who is lucky enough to serve our country, shouldn’t matter when making decisions that affect the country as a whole. This is a very difficult stance to take with progressive democrats, and his statement proves he’s not willing to back away from his beliefs even if it means losing the election.

I thought the setup of the debate was ridiculous.; too much technology, too much production, and too much Anderson Cooper. I love how the most serious discussions have to be considered "entertaining" for people to get interested. God, why do I even write about this kind of stuff? If you want to see a big time rant that stemmed from this debate check out my old blog . I'll just warn you its not interesting, and certainly not pretty.

Lieutenant Wellman Reporting for Duty

This seems like just a silly promotion, but there is an underlying problem that has yet to be revealed; the essence of the Chattanooga team has been compromised and no amount of jokes can change that. The "Lookouts" allowed a 300 pound enemy combatant to compromise their field, rape their women, steal their bases, and launch an unidentified projectile at their home plate. The joke is truely on them ... Go Braves.

Phil Wellman Night
via Baby Braves

Celebrity News, Where the Word 'News' is Used Loosely

Back by popular request we have another edition of celebrity news and gossip. Well actually two people asked me to do it, but I'm tired of talking about Donaghy, Vick and Bonds. That sounds like a law firm that would have really cheesy commercials. Wow, I can't believe I just typed such a horrible joke. I would start over but, like I said, two people will probably read this so screw it.

Not surprisingly Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears are competing for the biggest celebrity story. Paris Hilton, out of pure jealousy, is probably on a boat somewhere recording a sex tape involving a train, Daunte Culpepper and other assorted current or former Vikings.

Lohan, who recently finished her alcohol rehab, was pulled over early this morning while chasing the mother of her former personal assistant, who had just quit. Not surprisingly, she was bombed off her ass (.13) and was found to have cocaine in her pocket. She was booked on two misdemeanor charges of suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving on a suspended license and two felony charges of possession of cocaine and transport of a narcotic. Yikes.

Britney's story on the other hand does not involve being charged with a crime, only a massive meltdown during an interview that she apparently requested. The editor-in-chief said that Britney was very "out of it" and pictures from the interview were so bad that they could ruin her career if they were published. At one point, she said, Britney's eyes rolled back into her head making her appear to be half dead. I don't even have a joke at this point.

The editor said Britney's mood would change every time she went to the bathroom and at one point she was paranoid that the ceiling was going to collapse on her head. I shit you not, the article says she was eating fried chicken and wiping her greasy hands on her several thousand dollar Gucci dress. Jesus Christ. It looks like found the new Courtney Love and we haven't even gotten rid of the old one yet.

I think that's enough of the freak show today.

*In other, less absurd celebrity news, Drew Carey has been chosen to replace Bob Barker as the host of the Price Is Right. I hear he's moving the show to Cleveland.

Britney Spears Reportedly Breaks Down In Interview
Lindsay Lohan Busted Again

Sorry Brady

Brady Quinn is a douche. There I said it. It’s taken me a long time but I have finally come to terms with the fact that of the best players for one of my favorite teams is a huge flaming tool. I ignored stories about how he used to model back when he was in high school. I looked past his penchant for posing without his shirt on and water dripping all over him (please don't click and just take my word on it) and talking endlessly about the workout plan that got him his perfectly sculpted body. When I heard a story about him walking up to a random girl at Notre Dame party and asking her for some “birthday head”, I just laughed. And then I laughed harder when I found out that it was her birthday and not his.

I was even happy for him when he got drafted by the Browns, a team I am used to hating as a Steelers fan. I felt bad that he dropped so far, but I figured it would be good for him to go to the team he grew up cheering for and a place where he would have a legitimate chance to make an immediate impact. Maybe dropping so far would even teach him to be a little less full of himself.

Well, judging by what Quinn has been up to lately, it doesn’t look his draft hit has translated into a hit to his ego. For starters, Quinn is planning on holding out and missing the start of training camp seeking an amount of money usually reserved for top ten draft picks. The only problem with this? He was the number twenty-two pick.

And most recently there is this story (found on 100percentinjuryrate) about how Quinn unexpectedly charged fans $75 for a signed picture and up to $225 for signed merchandise at an event at a Cleveland area mall. I wouldn’t spend the $1.15 I just paid for the Mountain Dew I’m drinking for a picture of this asshole. I really hope Quinn turns out to be a gigantic bust, and now its not just because he plays for the Browns.

Commissioner Issues, Etc.

There was a recent poll on ESPN asking which commissioner would you least like to be right now, and predictably most people said David Stern.

While Selig’s problem of Bond’s and the home run record is a nuisance, he could avoid some of the negative attention by sucking it up, going to the games and getting it over with. I think he’s handled this very poorly by making himself part of the story and adding to the controversy.

Goodell ‘s problem, while serious, will not affect the popularity of the league. It is a black eye that needs to be dealt with accordingly. It looks like he might have a pair of nuts after all. He told Mike Vick yesterday that he will be prohibited from attending training camp with the rest of the team. Now he hasn’t actually suspended him yet, but it looks like he’s not going to pull the “wait ‘til the legal system runs its course”, which I’ve said before would have been very hypocritical, considering the way he dealt with Pacman Jones.

Stern’s problem is by far the most serious. The issue is something that damages the credibility of the core of the league’s existence, the game itself. Making it worse, there isn’t really any definitive action he can take to counteract the negative perception. The official has already resigned and it’s basically in the hands of the Feds. I think the doubt that will linger over the NBA’s integrity will only fade over time. I’ll be interested to see what he says in his press conference today.

In other news

A follow up on the Jon Lester story from yesterday…he pitched pretty well in his return from cancer yesterday. With his parents watching he went six innings, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out six to earn the win. I’m not sure what’s going to happen to him when Schilling returns, but I hope they can make room for him because he’s worked so hard, and frankly, he deserves it.

I know how much you all love soccer stories, but this one might interest casual fans. It looks like Freddy Adu will be going to Portugal to play for powerhouse Benfica. Although the Portuguese league is not one of the premier leagues in Europe, it is probably the best of the second tier and they do get three teams into the Champions League every year. I think this is a great move for Adu and his development and I wish more U.S. players would do the same (cough, Landon Donovan).

Tim Donaghy Lacks a Soul

The NBA point shaving scandal is becoming increasingly bizarre as more details are being brought to light. It is now being reported that Donaghy was involved with mobsters associated with the Gambino family, and has received death threats within the past few days. His family and friends, fearing for his safety, are urging him to enter the witness protection program, according to the New York Post.

Even more interesting though is the Post’s assessment of his character, specifically the story told by fellow West Chester native John Minutella. The retired dentist who plays golf at the course where the ref used work told how Donaghy put a dead bird in his golf bag, where he found it a day later covered with maggots. “Nobody wanted to play golf with him. I can’t say one nice thing about him. I believe this guy was almost soulless,” Minutella said. At least he didn’t kill the bird himself. I wonder what the dentist would have to say about Mike Vick.

NBA Ref Tim Donaghy Hit With Some Bad Calls

Rappers Have Guns

Lil Wayne and Ja Rule were both arrested on gun charges last night prompting numerous headlines attempting horrible jokes referencing their upcoming collaboration called “Uh Oh”. First of all, I’m not all that surprised by the news as I am stunned that Ja Rule is still producing “music”. I mean he was doing so great with his acting career.

Legal problems for rappers are always fun because we get to hear their real names. Jeff Atkins (Ja Rule) was found to be in possession of an illegal .40 caliber when his luxury sedan was pulled over for speeding. Dwayne Carter (Lil Wayne) was spotted smoking pot behind his tour bus. After searching him police also found a .40 caliber handgun which he was shockingly not licensed to carry. In the past Carter has spoken about his weapon of choice saying, “.40 cal keep cocked nigga ready to block, keep a gun, extra clip homey, that’s how we rock.” Hmm.

Golf, PS3 and Jon Lester

I woke up at around 11:30 Sunday morning just in time to see the last five holes for Sergio and Harrington. I couldn’t have been happier with the finish, and not just because my boy Padraig won. As a casual golf fan, it was great to see an ending to a major that featured drama and two marquee names seeking their first major. The playoff was great too because it offered both players a chance for redemption after it appeared that the tournament would be won by the golfer who choked less. In the end Harrington just made more shots and put the pressure on Garcia. Don’t worry Sergio fans, he’ll get his chance.

I didn’t get a chance to watch the Bernard Hopkins-Winky Wright fight on Saturday, but the ESPN.com write-up was pretty interesting. It sounds like Hopkins conserved his energy by picking his spots and fighting sporadically in the early rounds and possibly gaining an advantage by opening a cut above Wright’s eye with one or more head butts. I’d be interesting to hear someone’s thoughts who actually saw the fight (Buzz?).

In a related note, I fought the Hopkins-Wright match on Fight Night for PS3. Winky and I suffered our first TKO in the 8^th round when the cut and swelling over our left eye was so bad that he couldn’t see. Very disappointing, especially because I lost $20.

The Red Sox-Indians game tonight on ESPN2 will feature Jon Lester making his first MLB start since his recovery from cancer. It should be a pretty emotional introduction even though the game isn’t at Fenway. Cancer isn’t something anyone should have to deal with, let alone a kid who is about the same age as all of us here at this site. Regardless of what Lester does tonight or the rest of the year, you can’t say enough about the heart he’s shown just to get to this point. Hopefully tonight is a special night for him.

A Team USA Update

I stumbled across something called the State Farm challenge tonight which turned out to be a scrimmage between Team USA's basketball team. By the way, I find it extremely annoying when people refer to every national team as "The Dream Team". There was only one Dream Team. I'm pretty sure that no one's "dream" team includes Mike Miller's disgusting hair. Anyways, the game actually turned out to be pretty exciting. The Blue team made up a double digit fourth quarter deficit to win by one. Kobe hit a jumper to give them the lead with 6 seconds left while Lebron missed a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer. This game wasn't as worthless as it seemed however. Currently there are 17 players on the roster but it has to be whittled down to 12 for the start of Olympic qualifying and a couple players surprised me with strong efforts. The aformentioned Mike Miller led the White team in scoring with 22 points in just 24 minutes. However, it should be noted that he shot 15 three pointers. I'm not even sure how it's possible for him to get off that many three pointers in such a short period. He pretty much has to the worst player on the floor at all times right? Regardless, Miller proved he can knock down an open shot, something Team USA desperately needs. The other player that really surprised me was Kevin Durant. He also went off for 22 points in 24 minutes and at times looked unstoppable. He was able to score from beyond the arc, by hitting jump shots and slashing to the rim. I realize he was unreal in college but I didn't expect the same kind of performance right away against NBA players.

I'm not going to write about all the struggles that the national team has had lately because frankly, they're all lame excuses in my eyes. I realize that the foreign teams spend much more time together and therefore are able to beat us with team oriented basketball. However, that doesn't take away the fact that our teams are overwelmingly more talented. There has to be a way to get these guys together for about a couple weeks and make them buy into the idea of playing as a team and setting aside their egos. The problem is that just about every single one of these guys is used to being the go-to-guy so it's difficult for them to take a backseat to anyone else. They're attempting to add some continuity to the team by making everyone commit two years at a time and they're also trying to add role players such as Shane Battier and Tyson Chandler. I guess we'll see how this all works out in Beijing.

Back to the current roster; five guys need to be cut from this team. Here's the box score from the game which lists all the available players. Redick obviously needs to go. This was painfully obvious during the game. I also think that Billups should be cut. Nevermind the fact that hes an arrogant douche, but the team has enough point guards as is and his skills are declining. Who knows how bad he'll be by the time the Olympics start. I also think that Miller should be off. The team doesn't need another player willing to throw it up every time they get the ball. Tyson Chandler doesn't make the cut either. There's just too much depth in the frontcourt and his defensive skills don't come close to making up for his offensive deficiences. For the last cut I would reccomend Carmelo. I realize that he's an excellent scorer but he needs the ball entirely too much. He doesn't play the type of game that translates well to International play. Of course he's definitely going to be on the team so that means Hinrich or Battier is probably going to be the last one to go.

To wrap this up, I think the perfect starting lineup would be Kidd, Kobe, Lebron, Bosh, and Howard. That team would be able to run everyone else off the court. Kidd has a knack for finding the open guy and Lebron would have no problem letting Kobe be the man. As much of a douche as Kobe is he's the most unstoppable player on the planet. I'll feel pretty confident with the ball in his hands with the clock winding down. Who knows what's going to happen though. I'm sure we'll lose to Brazil or some garbage like that. I wouldnt' even really be happy if we won anything at this point. I'd just be relieved.