a day to celebrate?

denver fired head coach mike shanahan today.

shanahan, affectionately known as "shanarat" in my circle, for both his obvious rat-like appearance (the overbite, dear Jesus, how annoying can you get. Plus he always looked like he had a tail tucked between his legs) and for his amazing rat-like ability to escape from any situation (like a rat on a sinking ship).

I always envisioned the day that man met his demise in denver, I'd be doing backflips down the hallway. (To be fair, that's not possible right now; my old mattress is sitting there waiting for big item pickup on Friday). I thought I'd be so ecstatic that I'd immediately drive to that little piece of heaven on the gravel road of 15th Street in unincorporated Douglas County and promptly drop $100 on some quality adult entertainment performed by someone not named "Breezy".

Sadly, I don't feel that way.

I feel ... fear.

Look it, I am thrilled that shanarat is gone from denver. The man is a tremendous head coach. He's unquestionably one of the top 5 offensive minds in the game. He is always locked into the immediacy of the situation. Unlike our current head coach, he never wastes challenges, calls two timeouts on the same play, or lacks a basic understanding of clock management 101, game management 101, or talent development 101. I think it speaks volumes that denver has spent the last 3 years "rebuilding" from the 2005 AFC Title Game appearance ... and in 2 of those 3 years, simply needed a week 17 win to reach the playoffs.

mike shanahan is a brilliant head coach, and the Chiefs are unquestionably better off now that he's out of denver.

At least until we see who his replacement is.

To me, the obvious hire for denver at this point is Bill Cowher. I will probably puke in whatever I'm drinking if and when it happens ... but how can it not? Cowher wants final say, and the ability to hire his front office. Well, denver needs both a coach and a GM now that shanarat is gone. Cowher (I would think) wants to take over a team that's at least talented. denver is definitely that -- 24-24 the last three years, only four years removed from hosting the AFC Title Game. And Cowher has to want an established proven QB in place, I would think. jay cutler may still have a ways to go ... but he's far better than anything we've got. Or that oakland has. And I don't think he's any better or worse than Phil Rivers.

And what of shanarat? PFT posted my nightmare scenario tonight. Let's say "Stanley Roper" pulls a, uuh, Stanley Roper, and the Chargers get rolled Saturday night by the Colts. (Note: I do not think this will happen. I actually believe the Chargers will not only win Saturday night ... they will reach Super Bowl XLIII. I LOVE their draw, and they're peaking at just the right time. Just like the Giants, the Steelers, the Bucs, the Ravens from earlier this decade).

But let's say Indy wins something like 30-10. There's no way San Diego can bring Stanley Roper (aka Norv Turner) back. No way. 8-8 is bad enough, and a firable offense given the talent there ... but they still got in. Its not how you get in, its how you finish. A solid ass kicking at Qualcomm, and AJ Smith has to pull the plug on Mr. Roper.

And why wouldn't he consider shanarat as the replacement?

Cowher in denver. shanarat in San Diego.

Both could happen before we even know who the hell Clark Hunt has in mind for a GM candidate. Let alone before we learn the fate of our coaching staff.

Yeah, its nice to see we pushed Carl out the door two weeks early for this ...

this week's song i'm digging

Either I'm losing my mind ... or someone's stash is getting to me. I mean, someone's stash of music, of course. (keyshawn johnson voice) Come on man!

Because this week's pick is "Mad" by Ne-Yo.

I actually asked "what the hell is a Ne-Yo?" a few months ago. I had no clue. (Go figure, white guy from The JC with no clue who Ne-Yo is. Stunning).

Then I started listening to the cd the roomie put on my ITunes player.

And all I could think was, awesome. Awesome, awesome stuff.

I think this song is the best of the group.

(And is now playing on Sirius as Ne-Yo's latest single).

Well worth the $.99 on ITunes, or go drop the cash on the entire cd, between this, "Closer", and "Miss Independent", its well worth the investment.

For the cheap ones among us, the Youtube! clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc0uPY10mGI

The lyrics as you listen along:

She's starin' at me,
I'm sittin', wonderin' what she's thinkin'.
Mmmmm
Nobody's talkin',
'Cause talkin' just turns into screamin'.
Ohhh...
And now is I'm yellin' over her,
She's yellin' over me.
All that that means
Is neither of us is listening,
(And what's even worse).
That we don't even remember why we're fighting.

So both of us are mad for...

Nothin'
(Fighting for).
Nothin'
(Crying for).
Nothin'
(Whoahhh).
But we won't let it go for
Nothin'
(No not for)
Nothin'.
This should be nothin' to a love like what we got.
Ohhh, baby...

I know sometimes
It's gonna rain...
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
(Cant sleep through the pain).

Girl, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you),
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me).
No, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you),
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
Ohhh no no no...

And it gets me upset, girl
When you're constantly accusing.
(Askin' questions like you've already known).
We're fighting this war, baby
When both of us are losing.
(This ain't the way that love is supposed to go).

Whoaaaaaaaaa...
[What happened to workin' it out].
We've falled into this place
Where you ain't backin' down
And I ain't backin' down.

So what the hell do we do now...
It's all for...

Nothin'
(Fighting for).
Nothin'
(Crying for).
Nothin'
(Whoahhh).
But we won't let it go for
Nothin'
(No not for)
Nothin'.
This should be nothin' to a love like what we got.
Ohhh, baby...

I know sometimes
It's gonna rain...
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
(Cant sleep through the pain).

Girl, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you),
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me).
No, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you),
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
Ohhh no no no...

Oh baby this love ain't gonna be perfect,
(Perfect, perfect, oh oh).
And just how good it's gonna be.
We can't fuss and we can't fight
Long as everything alright between us
Before we go to sleep.

Baby, we're gonna be happy.

I know sometimes
It's gonna rain...
But baby, can we make up now
'Cause I can't sleep through the pain
(Cant sleep through the pain).

Girl, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you),
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me).
No, I don't wanna go to bed
(Mad at you),
And I don't want you to go to bed
(Mad at me)
Ohhh no no no...

a top 10

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. Between the holiday, various parties, and my 5 weeks and counting cold that won't go away, I've been slacking.

But as the year winds down, its always a good time for reflection. Which I figure to do a lot of over the next couple days. But until then, my 10 favorite event filled (non-nephew being born) days of 2008:

Honorable mention: Friday July 18th to Sunday July 20th. Float Trip 08! Still the most unreal scene of the year: when one of the guys there hauled out the breathalyzer on Saturday night. He said the thing would under-report us (he was right). There were maybe 5 of us still upright. I remember Scottie blew a .14, which with the under-report, means he was likely pushing .20. Heath was also in the .14, .15 range. Burke was literally passed out, we had to wake him up to blow. He blew a .18. I seemed perfectly fine to everyone, including myself ... and I blew a .18. The lesson? Either I have amongst the greatest tolerances for alcohol known to man ... or I need a rehab stint. Possibly both. (every person that knows steve voice) possibly?!?!

10. (tie) Saturday August 2nd and Sunday August 3rd. Not surprisingly, these were the two hottest days of the summer, with the temperature well above 100 both days. And the Royals at home both days against the White Sox. The only person dumb enough to head out there with me each day was Dusty ... but really, if you can't get fired up about spending 7-8 hours outside when its 106 degrees and there isn't a cloud in the sky ... well, then you should never live in Texas. I have said it before, and I will say it again: any day in which you wake up, and its already hot enough at 7, 7:30 in the morning, that putting on a t-shirt seems insane, THAT is the perfect Steve Day! And we had two of them! Back to back! Great freaking weekend.

9. Tuesday, July 15th. 311! Snoop Dogg! The debut of the vodka jello trays, (hopefully not) the last great get-together of the "husband, wife and mistress" era. Brent with a freaking towel wrapped around his head while stalking Tech Nine. Good (partially) alcohol-fueled times had by all, that's for sure.

8. Wednesday September 3rd. We managed to get into the city wide trivia final via our finish at Hooters on this night. But what stood out to me was after I got home. Fired up the TiVo. And sat to watch the most amazing 40, 45 minute political speech of my life by Governor Palin. I am not a Republican, although I did vote for McCain. I will never be accused of being a conservative. But even I, me, Steve, the "loony liberal", as Heath likes to call me ... even I was standing and applauding. I have never heard a speech as perfectly delivered as hers was that night. I fear we haven't heard the last from the Governor.

7. Friday November 14th. The Matt Nathanson concert! More fun alcohol fueled times had by all! (steve closing his eyes, wishing he hadn't inhaled, and singing along voice) "Cause I could fall alone if all, if I could fall away / Cause you've been so wrong ... for so long ... now ... / And your new anthems that you breathe? I've got you on my answering machine!" Great night.

6. Saturday November 29th. Man, November was fun. The Bucks Party, Matt Nathanson ... and "the drive that will define his career". Reesing! Meier! Touchdown Hawks! Touchdown Hawks! Holy freaking shite, touchdown Hawks! woffort from 52 for the tie at the gun ... no! no good! Hawks win! Hawks win! Hawks win! I love beating mizzou ...

5. Saturday April 5th. A game that was at least 5 years in the making. Hawks. Tar Heels. Final Four. A beatdown that just never gets old to watch. Which of course, led to ...

4. Monday April 7th. Whoa, a national championship for my favorite collegiate team ... and it ranks fourth?!?! What the hell?!?! Yes, there were three days I loved more than this one. Although this one ... hell, any day, any single play, that causes me to hit the floor, curl up in the fetal position, and bawl my eyes out for four straight minutes, all while pounding the floor and screaming "yes! yes! hell f*cking yes! woo! woo!" or some variation of that ... its a good thing. Chalmers ... SWISH!!!

3. Monday, March 31st. The day the owe board finally stopped spinning faster than the national debt clock. Although go figure, "former roommate" has not done right financially by either me or Dusty. Shocking, I know, that "former roommate" would be utterly irresponsible, wouldn't do the right thing, and would screw someone over because he's utterly, uuh, irresponsible, incapable of doing the right thing, and doesn't think twice of screwing someone over. I believe it was Justin Timberlake who noted that "what goes around, goes around, goes around, always comes back around". And it will pal. You can bet your mother f*cking free-loading ass it will.

2. Thursday January 3rd. Memorable for three reasons. First, I turned 31 (hooray me!). Another year on this planet recorded in the books. Secondly, KU scored arguably the biggest win in football program history, by defeating Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl 24-17 to cap a 12-1 season. A win that legitimized the season, legitimized our appearance in the BCS. A win that was just neat.

Thirdly, and finally, I was in Des Moines that night watching the game, on my way to Milwaukee for my cousin's wedding. Thursday January 3rd just happened to be the night of the Iowa caucuses. I was in Iowa the night the President elect officially arrived on the scene as a force to be reckoned with. I still remember sitting up in the hotel room and watching the news until 1:30, 2 in the morning. America changed permanently for the better that night. And I'm damned glad I was at ground zero to witness it.

But the day that stands out above all others ...

1. Sunday, September 28th. Chiefs 33, donkeys 19. What else needs to be said. To beat that team, and to know three months later that it directly cost them a playoff berth? I freaking hate the denver broncos, I so freaking hate that team ...

one, two, three in a row! for our milwaukee bucks!

Huge, huge, huge win last night at the Bradley Center by the Bucks over a damned good Jazz team. Bucks led 50-38 at the half, and after Redd hit the team's only three pointer of the night midway through the 3rd, they led 61-42.

Then, the collapse was on. A 22-8 Jazz run cut the lead to 5 entering the 4th quarter, and a 10-3 Jazz run tied the game at 77. Milwaukee finally pulled away thanks to some clutch play by Michael Redd, and two huge free throws by Ramon Sessions. Bucks 94, Jazz 86.

Most importantly, last night's win got the Bucks to 14-16. Which, if the playoffs started today ... is good enough to qualify for said playoffs.

John Hollinger's playoff odds at espn.com (my favorite thing on their site) sets the Bucks odds of making it in at 84%. It projects us as the 5 seed in the East, at 44-38.

(the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds)

If you're a Bucks fan, you have to be feeling good heading into the New Year. Noone had a tougher start to the season schedule wise (18 of 28 on the road -- no other team opened worse than 13 home /15 road on the split). The Bucks not only did enough to stay alive, they did enough to position themselves to now begin a run to the middle of the Eastern pack.

Consider the next ten games on the schedule:

Sat Dec 27: vs Pistons
Tues Dec 30: at Spurs
Wed Dec 31: at Rockets
Fri Jan 2: vs Bobcats
Sat Jan 3: at Bobcats
Mon Jan 5: vs Raptors
Wed Jan 7: vs 76ers
Fri Jan 9: vs Nets
Sat Jan 10: at Timberwolves
Mon Jan 12: at Wizards

There's no reason the Bucks can't go 6-4 in that stretch and get back to .500. (I actually think 8-2 is not an unrealistic goal, especially if we hold serve at home Saturday night against the Pistons).

And it gets better after that stretch of games, as the rest of January sees only two games the Bucks figure to struggle in (at Hawks, at Blazers) ... and the Bucks only play 4 road games in February. In fact, from February 4th to February 22nd, a span of 18 days, the Bucks leave Milwaukee once -- a quick flight to Detroit to face the Pistons on the 17th.

No matter how you look at it, there's one conclusion you have to reach.

These guys are Ready to Rise!

Party on Saturday night ...

a painful post to, uuh, post

So I read today on espn.com that Herm is "somewhat disappointed" with the ongoing GM search to replace Carl Peterson.

Really. "Somewhat disappointed".

Herm, let me speak directly to you, as your (former) biggest backer, your (former) biggest fan, the person who nearly nutted on himself when you were announced as head coach.

I. Me. Steve. Am "extremely disappointed" in your piss poor tenure as our head coach.

And cannot wait until the unemployment door slaps your ass a week from Monday.

Sir, you entered this job with a world of possibilities in front of you. You literally had the ability to shape a franchise in the palm of your hand. Instead, too often, the challenge flag resided in that palm, and was needlessly and stupidly tossed onto the field as a result.

Your clock management skills make a 7 year old look bright and intelligent. As I once famously noted on the old site, following your one and only playoff defeat as our head coach:

-----

I just ... truly, I stood there watching that game, watching our "offense" on the field, and three things flowed through my brain. (1) vodka. (2) orange juice. (3) Brett and Shannon's kid, he's what, 5 months old? Looking at him on the floor, drooling and doing whatever the hell else little kids do, it hit me that 5 month old Jack has more going for him upstairs, right now, than ANYONE on our offensive coaching staff. I'd rather have a 5 month old point to a f*cking toy to determine a play to run, than have anyone on this staff call a play at this point. I can see it now:

(jack) (points at star)
(steve) ok, that means run! Pitch left. Break!
(jack) (smiles)
(steve) ok, 3 wide, out pattern to Gonzalez! Break!

-----

Its amazing how that was the "high" point of the Coach Herm era.

Herm, you're "somewhat disappointed" in the GM search? Buddy, its a search that wouldn't be necessary if you weren't 2-21 in games that count over the last year and a half. Its a search that wouldn't be necessary if you and your good pal Bill Kuharich hasn't botched the franchise QB pick worse than the Supreme Court f*cked up Bush v Gore.

And its a search that wouldn't be necessary if you had any clue, concept, or even slight intuition into what it takes to win in the modern NFL.

Ball control, power running, and power defense don't win in this league anymore, pal. It hasn't won in this league for a while. I sadly took a long, long time to recognize this ... but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit by and watch the team I love (and pay to support) p*ss away another hire.

The future of the NFL is offense, specifically the spread offense. With a defense that has just enough man coverage options to force 4 punts / turnovers per game. You get that, you can win 12 games, a division, and a conference championship in this league.

With Herm at the helm, we have no shot of any of those things occurring.

The beginning of the end was Miami in 2006. A well coached, disciplined team doesn't lose that game. Not at 5-3, facing a 1-7 squad in ideal weather conditions. We not only lost, we weren't a factor. Ditto three weeks later in Cleveland, when a 7-4 Chiefs squad was embarrassed by a 2-9 Browns team going nowhere fast.

As detailed elsewhere on this site, we have either led or been within a possession at the half in 10 of our 14 games so far this year. We have lost 8 of those 10. It takes an utterly inept, clueless coaching staff to continually fail as miserably and consistently as Coach Herm and his staff have failed.

And the same was true down the stretch last year -- in our 9 game losing streak to end the year, we led or were within a possession at the half in 7 of those games. We lost all 7. To go 2-15 in your last 17 contested ballgames, you have to try to be that bad.

My way of saying ... I am doing the unthinkable tomorrow.

I will not be in my usual spot in section 132, row 26, seat 2.

I will not be showing up for the final home game of the Carl Peterson era. And what should be the final home game of the Herm Edwards experiment.

If you are going tomorrow, good for you. I hope you bundle up, stay warm, and boo the living hell out of everything and everyone affiliated with this franchise, including our sudden risen Lord and Savior Clark Hunt. (Really? It took you 3 f*cking years to figure out the game had passed Carl by. Really? 3 years? You couldn't figure it out on your own before now? And yet people think he's not going to f*ck up the GM hire. Because clearly, if it takes him 3 f*cking years to grasp that Carl Peterson has outlasted his usefulness, Clark Hunt will make a damned good hire to replace him. If we give him 3 years to hire someone, I guess.)

Anyways, I will not be there tomorrow. I don't see any reason to go. This team has whizzed on every loyal fan in the club level it has. It has raised my ticket prices 200% in 7 years for 0 playoff wins. (yay!) I'll be damned if they're getting even $.01 more out of me than what I've already written off.

Clark, do us all a favor. Hire yourself a liason who grasps modern day football. Appoint him as our de facto owner. And let him call the shots in replacing Carl and Herm. Because if it took you three f*cking years to see this abortion that Carl and Herm constructed isn't good enough to meet minimal competition standards, you have no business picking their replacements ...

a star is born, and his name is brandon roy

I know that I am pretty much one of only three people in this town that loves the NBA. Most years, I get made fun of for loving a league that is often accused of being nothing but a bunch of thugs, a bunch of weed-loving sex addicts who have more tats than teeth. (To which I always want to reply, being a weed-loving sex addict is a bad thing how? How is that bad? How is that even remotely a negative thing? Seriously, if you were in your 20s, you were making millions of dollars, and sleeping in a different city every night, you mean you wouldn't hook up with as many hot pieces of ass as you could, all while toking up on the finest green known to man? Of course you would. So I don't get this argument against the league. I think its just professional jealousy. Anyways, back to the point of the post ...)

Which is that last night, was proof positive why I love this sport.

Its about 9:15. The roommate trots off to bed. I pour myself another glass of shiraz, get online for a little bit ... and am not even remotely tired. So I head back into the main room and wade through an episode of NCIS that was TiVo'd. And when that was over, I turn the channel to TNT to see how Phoenix at Portland is going.

It's halftime. Chuck, Kenny and EJ are showing highlights of Jameer Nelson's awesome 4th quarter against the Spurs to lead the Magic to victory in the first game of the night.

Oh, the halftime score? Phoenix 64, Portland 59. My kind of game.

So, I pour myself yet another glass of shiraz, settle in under the blanket, and prepare for the second half.

Shaq was a monster last night. Portland had no answer for him in the paint. He wound up with 19. Amare was en fuego as well, tossing in 23. Arguably the most underrated free agent signing of the offseason, Matt Barnes, tossed in 22, including three clutch 3s, the last of which I feared would break Portland's back midway through the 4th quarter.

Phoenix nailed back to back 3s with (I believe) Jason Richardson and then an unreal heave by Steve Nash to go up 12 midway through the 3rd. I got up to pour another glass of shiraz, figuring I'd be done after the 3rd quarter. Phoenix up 12. They're hitting from everywhere. Not looking good at this point for the Blazers.

Cue Brandon Roy.


(you freaking rock dude! photo: ap, greg wahl-stephens)

I'm going to pull from the play-by-play recap at nba.com, because honestly, the next three minutes, Roy put on a f*cking clinic. Its maybe the best three minutes of basketball I've seen someone play this year, and there's rarely a night that goes by that I'm not flipping through the League Pass for a couple hours.

Score: 84-72 Suns, 5:41 to go, 3rd quarter.

Free throw, Roy. 84-73 Suns.
Free throw, Roy. 84-74 Suns.
Free throw, Nash. 85-74 Suns.
3 pointer, Roy. 85-77 Suns.
Free throw, Richardson. 86-77 Suns.
Jumper, Roy. 86-79 Suns.
3 pointer, Roy. 86-82 Suns.
Roy steal and layup. 86-84 Suns.
Charge called on Nash. Drawn by? You guessed it. Roy.
Free throw, Roy. 86-85 Suns.
Free throw, Barnes. 87-85 Suns.
3 pointer, Blake. Assist by? You guessed it. Roy. 88-87 Blazers, 2:55 to go.

In a little under 3 minutes, Roy scored 13 points, had a steal, drew a charge, and had the assist on the three that put Portland up for the first time since early in the game. Unreal. Just unreal. He literally erased a 12 point deficit by himself.

And he was just getting started.

Jump ahead to the fourth quarter. 3:47 to go. Stoudamire has just put the Suns up 114-111. The game has just been unreal, trading shot for shot, blow for blow. Neither team could get up more than 5 after the Blazers took the 88-87 lead. The only two times the lead reached even 4 was (a) early 4th quarter, when a pair of Roy free throws put Portland up 104-99, and(b) midway through the 4th, when a Stoudamire jumper made it 110-106. (A three that was promptly answered by a three pointer from ... wait for it ... you guessed it, Brandon Roy).

Anyways, the Rose Garden is rocking. I'm two more glasses of shiraz in, and still glued to the broadcast. You just knew the way this game had gone, something amazing was going to unfold.

(note: this is yet another reason I love the NBA more than college hoops. 114 to 111, and there's still 4 minutes to play! There's no Big 10 / SEC 41-39 final scores in this league champ!)

(one other note: there is no cooler arena in the NBA, visually anyways, to me than the Rose Garden. The fans are literally right on the court. Its the only pro team in Portland, and the fan support is legendary. Just give them a reason to be even remotely interested and they'll rock the house. They sell out every game. I love the court design, its one of my three favorites in the league. Its the only home court in the league that can match a college atmosphere right now (MSG can when the Knicks are good). I love it).

Roy drives and is fouled. Hits both free throws. 114-113 Suns.
Roy rebounds an Amare miss. Drills the jumper. 115-114 Blazers.
Barnes drains a three from the corner. 117-115 Suns.
Blake and Nash trade free throws. 119-117 Suns.
Roy drives, kicks out to Aldridge, who lets it fly from 18, double covered, as the shot clock expires ... (bob davis voice) swish! 119 up, 84 seconds to go! Timeout Suns!

The Suns run a set play to Richardson. Miss! Rebound Aldridge! As the Blazers run down the floor, Roy spots up for three. Open look. The shot ... (bob davis voice) swish! 122-119 Blazers! 59 seconds to go! The Rose Garden is going nuts. The TNT guys are going nuts. Hell, I stood and was fist pumping, and I don't really give a crap about either team.

(Seriously, watch the replay of this game winning three. Just to watch the fans reaction. It really is a college like atmosphere. Right down to everyone rising, raising the arms, the collective inhale of the crowd as the shot goes up ... and the pandemonium reaction when it touches nothing but net. I freaking love the Rose Garden. Portland fans, you freaking rock!)

The Suns had the ball one last time. Nash missed a three. Our boy Brandon grabbed the board. The Suns never touched the ball again, thanks to two key offensive rebounds. The Suns finally fouled Roy with 12 seconds left, and he tacked on the margin of victory free throws.

Blazers 124, Suns 119. An instant classic. Roy finished with 52. 52! Definitely worth catching the replay on NBA TV whenever it airs.

Here's hoping the Bucks game tonight is just 50% as thrilling as last night's battle was ...

a sweet new addition is on the way!

Update! 12/18 10:38pm CT: the first podcast will record on Sunday after the Chiefs game. Assuming me and the first featured guest are not frozen solid after the game, this should be a rock solid "free flowing conversation that occasionally touches on adult topics". And considering we've been trading "which friend(s) most match up with this character" emails for the last couple days, it should rock. Apparently, my love of booze, my inability to pass on a toke off the good stuff, my smart ass attitude, and my sexual frustration levels have nailed me the role of Brian the Dog. Yay me. I guess. I'm sure I won't get made fun of on the inaugural podcast for that. "Cool Hwip". "Ru-eened". "But you were my deuche Brian. You were my deuche!" Good God, this is gonna be really special ...

Until then, remember: "Hi, I'm Peter Griffin. Tonight, we're going to look back at all the partial nudity network television used to offer. Remember this side boob? Check out this side boob! How about this side boob? That turn you on? Well it shouldn't ... because that's my side boob. Good night everyone!"

--------------------

This site is entering the early 2000s later this week with the debut of a podcast! I don't have a name yet ... or a theme song ... hell, I don't even have a regular guest rotation.

But I do have the first guest lined up and ready to contribute, and the first topic of free flowing conversation will be ... well, if you know what show featured the hit sitcom "You Cheeky Bastard" as a staple of its Wednesday night comedy lineup, then you know what the first topic is.

Hopefully we can work our schedules out to get this thing recorded tomorrow. Otherwise, it probably won't go down until Sunday.

But I'm excited about this. This ... as the inspirational, honorary, legendary, incredible, brilliant, worship-worthy greatness that is Mr. Hugh M. Hefner noted on the 200th episode of Roseanne back in the day, "this is something that is going to be really special".

At least I hope it is. And if not, hell, I'm willing to try just about anything once ...