RantingMark is back!

RantingMark has been busy taking over the world, so it has been over 5 months since his last post.   He’s back.  Let him know what you think!

Looks like RantingMark was unfortunately right on the money with the Jets.  They proved they were barely a .500 team and they pulled a ”Mets” by choking late season and turning what looked like a playoff bound season into another failure.

Some Random Rumbilings…
Virgin America and Virgin Atlantic F’ing rock!  While Virgin Atlantic has sweet planes with awesome 180 degree reclining chairs, 10″ monitors with tons of movies, email, texting capability and the fattest airport lounge in the world at Heathrow (free haircuts, massages and awesome grub), Virgin America now has Wi-Fi on many of the planes helping make flights go that much faster.  Richard Branson is a total pimp!

Acai Berry Scams…  if you are on the internet, have an email address or use facebook or myspace then you have no doubt seen tons of ads for Free Trials of Acai Berry.  I have no idea if this stuff does anything or not, though I strongly doubt it does.  The bigger problem is how Acai Berry is being promoted.  The ads and offer page say free all over, but if you read the fine print at the bottom of the page (or in the terms and conditions only in some cases) you learn that your free trial is 7, 10 or 14 days and that your credit card will be hit for a huge charge each month and in many cases cancelling is nearly impossible to do.  Check out this news story on Acai:

http://www.10news.com/video/18724509/index.html

If you decide to give Acai Berry a shot, just be sure to read the fine print before ordering!

Twitter rocks.  If you are not using it, check it out and shoot me a tweet. 

Looks like Mad Dog Chris Russo was talking some smack about his old partner Mike Francesca.  He said ratings are down and that Mike didn’t get nearly as many SuperBowl interviews as he did because he was too lazy to head to the hotel where the majority of interviews were conducted while Mike just met people in his own hotel.  Who cares?  I heard Russo’s show on Sirius while out in LA about a month ago and I almost fell asleep.  I liked Russo on WFAN, but for at least the hour I heard I was bored to death.  Of course if you listen to Mike’s show these days you are probably wondering why it isn’t called the A-Roid Afternoon Radio show as that’s all he talks about anymore.  And if you wanted to know why Sirius ran out of money and needed a handout, look no further than this post:

Mad Dog Chris Russo Officially With Sirius

NY Jets Season Is Over

(Ranting)Mark it here.  The Jets are done, cooked, finished, over.  Really.  Yes, it is only Week 2, but after watching the Jets eke out a victory against the hapless Miami Dolphins in Week 1 (a team that was crushed by the Arizona Cardinals 31-10 this week) and getting utterly outplayed, out-coached, out hustled, out-kicked and out everything else you can think of, RantingMark is telling you that the NY Jets aren’t going anywhere.  This is a .500 team.  Believe it.

Against a team with a quarterback who hasn’t started since HIGH SCHOOL nine years ago, the Jets were almost doubled up, losing to the New England Patriots 19-10.  The Jets missed a chip shot, 31 yard field goal which seemed to deflate the team early on, missed tackles left and right, punted awfully (27.3 net) and dropped passes.  Is Laveranues Coles going to be the Jets version of Carlos Delgado?  Delgado was awful with Willie Randolph at the helm and now he’s magically an NL MVP candidate.  Coles made some plays yesterday but hasn’t look like the player we’ve seen over the years, no doubt due to the loss of his buddy Chad Pennington.  Pennington by the way, was pulled out of his team’s blowout loss yesterday.

The Jets got the ball to the Patriots 3-yard line in the 2nd quarter and with a brilliant flash of creativity proceeded to hand the ball to Thomas Jones three straight times.  Jones was stuffed on each carry, and the Jets had to settle for a field goal.

If the Jets can’t beat the Patriots at home, against a backup quarterback, with some supposed momentum from their week 1 win, with Bret Favre at the helm, then they aren’t going anywhere.  RantingMark hopes he’s wrong, but right now this team looks like an 8-8 team at best.  If the Jets were a winning team they would have made that 31 yard field goal, they would have scored a TD when they got the ball to the 3, they would have given the Patriots worse field position and they would have won the game.  Maybe next year.  At least the Giants look good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/sports/football/15jets.html?em

Curt Schilling is a Buffoon

Curt Schilling had a great career and RantingMark respects the things he has accomplished on the baseball field.  With 216 wins, over 3000 strikeouts and three World Series rings, he has a legitimate shot at being enshrined at Cooperstown one day.  It is his pea brain that bothers RantingMark.  Schilling’s latest spewing about how Yankees fans are revelling in Tom Brady’s season ending injury is moronic.  Are some fans happy?  Certainly.  Would it be fair to apply that statement to the majority of Yankees fans?  No.  Here’s the quote:

“The euphoria in New York is palpable,” Schilling said. “The Yankees suck this year and they are bitter and mad and making excuses over that. Now they got Tom going down so New York’s excited. It’s unfortunate, but when you crawl to the top of the pile you will have people trying to knock you down.”

First off Curt, the Yankees and Jets aren’t the same team.  They aren’t even the same sport.  Most Yankees fans RantingMark knows are NY Giants fans and clearly they don’t care whether Brady is hurt or not.  They knocked him around in the SuperBowl last year and beat him.  My guess is that Giants fans are upset they don’t get to beat Brady again this year.  And while the Yankees suck (and RantingMark hates to say this), the NY Mets who tend to share more fans with the Jets than Giants are in FIRST PLACE.  Being that Schilling is a newbie, bandwagon Patriots fan, he probably doesn’t realize that once upon a time, the Jets themselves in the form of Mo Lewis, knocked former Patriot starting QB Drew Bledsoe out of a game bringing Brady to the forefront, so this isn’t as exciting to a real Jets (or Yankees) fan as Schilling assumes.  For the record RantingMark is a Yankess and Jets fan. 

Well, at least for once Curt is partially correct.  The Yankees do indeed suck this year and the Yankees would certainly agree that everyone wants to knock you down when you are on top.  They’ve felt that for 80 years.

Curt obviously doesn’t know Boston Red Sox fans well.  Say what you will about Yankees fans.  They can be a tough bunch, but RantingMark never witnessed anything like what he saw at Fenway Park one day about six years ago where two adult male Sox fans berated a girl who was about 12 or 13 years old wearing a Derek Jeter jersey, calling her “slut and whore”.  They said more, but RantingMark won’t quote what he cannot remember precisely…  And no, RM doesn’t condemn all Sox fans for that incident the way Schilling would if it were the other way around, but let’s just say they are a tough bunch.  I am pretty sure people in Boston weren’t exactly in tears when players like Chien Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Jorge Posada, Alex Rodriguez and others went down with injuries for the Yankees this year.

Maybe Schilling is just confused.  He hates the Yankees with a passion but has a son named Gehrig.  Maybe he should have named him Buckner (and that isn’t a diss on the underrated Billy Bucks).  And yes, Schilling is the guy that practically begged for a new deal in the offseason, basically stealing $8MM from the Red Sox when it was later determined before he pitched a single inning that he was hurt and probably out for the year.  Way to go Curt!

Perhaps karma is catching up to Belichick the cheater.  First he suffers one of the biggest letdowns in sports history by going unbeaten all year, only to lose in the SuperBowl and now his main man, Tom Brady goes down with a season ending injury.  While few are cheering the loss of the Tom Brady who is a class act, I don’t think too many people outside of New England are broken up over it either.

And for the record, despite what he says, Curt Schilling gets my vote for the Hall of Fame if RantingMark had one.  You can argue his opinions but you cannot argue his career.

For more on Curt Schilling, check out:

http://38pitches.com

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/56441-curt-schillings-shocking-discovery-of-new-york-boston-animosity

 

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09092008/sports/yankees/schilling_rips_new_york_fans____again_128268.htm

RIP Yankees – Looks Like Yankees Playoff Hopes Are Dead

With their playoff hopes already on life support, the Yankees came out with another feeble effort AT HOME no less, mustering a whopping 3 runs off the venerable (ha ha) Boston Red Sox triumvirate of Paul Byrd (waiver pickup and Kelsey Grammar lookalike), Manny Delcarmen and the ancient Mike Timlin.  The Yankees bullpen sparkled as well, allowing 7 runs in 3 1/3 innings, turning a 4-2 deficit into a laugher that they lost 11-3 putting them 7 games behind the Red Sox for the AL wild card spot.  After Tuesday’s 7-3 loss, RantingMark though maybe the Yankees would come out with some fire.  Looks like they thought their season was dead before this series with the Red Sox even started.  I guess if a team counts on wins from Carl Pavano they have already put up the white flag, huh?

Yes, the Yankees have had difficult injuries but a team with $200 million+ payroll should be able to overcome injuries.  Yankee co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner’s assessment of the team was brutally honest and accurate, ”The bottom line is, they sucked.”  Joe Girardi’s account, “It’s not for lack of effort,” makes one wonder if he was watching the Yankees game or something else last night.  Maybe he was thinking of his son’s little league game.  While RantingMark was always a big Joe Torre supporter, he’d have to admit that he thought bringing some new blood might help the team.  Looks like he was wrong.  Girardi’s Spring Training regime did nothing to get off to a faster start or prevent injuries.  The team looks dead.  With nothing to show for the season and Girardi’s cavalier attitude, RantingMark thinks Girardi’s days are numbered.  The way they are playing, the Yankees will not only miss the playoffs, but could do so by more than 10 games.

Yankees fans can take comfort in the fact that the Mets will more than likely play just well enough to not make the playoffs again.  Unfortuntely Mets fans will probably blame Willie Randolph for this year’s September swoon too.  They will probably blame him for the lousy parking at Shea, the bad food, overpriced beer and high gas prices as well.

Turning out lights
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/08/28/turning_out_lights/

Hank has harsh words for Yankees after blowout
http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ny-spboss285819401aug28,0,269104.story

Cigarette Smokers Have Lower IQ’s

There is now scientific evidence proving that cigarette smokers have lower IQ’s than their non-smoking counterparts.  OK, maybe that hasn’t been proven but RantingMark would bet some serious coin that it is true.

Why is it that 99% of all smokers feel it is ok to just flick their cigarettes anywhere they please as if it isn’t garbage?  There are two trash cans outside of my office building where the puffers hang out.  These are there specifically for the smokers.  You know… the garbage cans with the sand on top to put lit cigarettes out with.  There are about 100 butts around each of them each day and maybe 10 inside the garbage can itself.  They do the same with matches.  Can you imagine eating lunch and throwing your cups and bag on the floor next to the garbage can?  Finished your bottle of water.  Just chuck it wherever?  Blew your nose?  I hear used tissues make good fertilizer.  OK, some people do just that… they must be smokers.

Twice while RantingMark was cruising in his convertible, minding his own business and probably kicking it to some Weezer or Radiohead, lit cigarettes thrown out of cars in front of him landed IN HIS CAR.  RantingMark caught up to the first cigarette chucker who’s best retort was “it was just a cigarette”.  RantingMark felt like whipping a cell phone at the idiot but thought better of it.

Maybe one of you smokers out there can explain to RantingMark why it is ok to just drop your used cigarettes anywhere you feel like it as if they don’t exist.  Why can’t you dispose of your trash like normal people?  I’d love to know.

UPDATE:  OK, apparently there is some evidence to suggest smoking lowers one’s IQ.  Check it out:

http://psychologists.blogspot.com/2006/09/does-smoking-cigarettes-cause-drop-in.html

Lightning Bolt Blasts to Gold With World Record 19.30 in the 200m

Usain Bolt of Jamaica left everyone behind, blasting to a world record 19.30 time in the 200m Olympic finals.  Bolt was able to narrowly best Michael Johnson’s 12 year record of 19.32 by two-hundredths of a second pulling away from the field almost immediately.  Bolt becomes the ninth man to win both the 100m and 200m races in a single Olympics and the first since Carl Lewis back in 1984.  Bolt also became the first man to set records in both events in the same games.  Neither Jesse Owens nor Carl Lewis were able to pull a record double off in their day.

Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles took silver (19.82) followed by Shawn Crawford (19.96) from the US for bronze.  American Walter Dix placed just out of the medal hunt with a fourth place finish (19.98).  Wallace Spearmon of the US appeared to place third, but was DQ’ed for a lane infringement.

RantingMark says there is no question this guy is the fastest man in the world! 

UPDATE: Churandy Martina was DQ’ed for a lane violation as well meaning that 2004 200m gold medal winner Shawn Crawford stepped up to silver and Walter Dix earned his second bronze medal of the games.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Sucked

Does George Lucas really need more money?  I cannot come up with a single different reason why he would put out such an awful movie other than to squeeze a few more bucks out of the once glorious Star Wars franchise.  This movie was so bad it made me yearn for the Star Wars Holiday special and Ewok Adventure (okay, not quite).  Even the pack of kids sitting behind RantingMark were bored to death asking if they could play video games instead of watching the movie.  I did not like this movie.  I am not one of those people who hated Episodes I – III either.  OK, Episode II did make me cringe quite a bit.  The Clone Wars makes episode II seem like Gone With The Wind.

The story takes place in a galaxy far, far away… during the Clone Wars where the Separatists and Republic battle it out.  Jabba the Hut plays a key role as his son Rotta the Huttlet is kidnapped.  Anakin and his Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano must rescue the Huttlet so that the Republic can sign a treaty with Jabba to open up the space lanes in the outer rim.  Yes, even the plot is lame.

The animation is ok.  John Williams sat this one out.  So did everyone else from the real movies other than Christopher Lee (Count Dooku), Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu, who has about 2 lines) and Anthony Daniels (C-3PO).  Anakin Skywalker somehow manages to come off even more hollow than in Episodes I and II.  Overall the voices weren’t terrible.  James Arnold Taylor did a credible job replicating Ewan MacGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Dialogue was worse than in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.  The future Dark Vader actually calls Jaba’s son ”Stinky” on numerous occassions as does Ahsoka.  Jabba actually refers to him as his “Pumpkin Muffin”.  Yikes.  RantingMark won’t bore you with the rest of the awful dialog, but there is more. 

I was five years old when I first witnessed the magic of Episode IV: Star Wars.  Maybe if I were still five I could have tolerated this movie.  Perhaps it was meant to be geared to a younger audience.  Given very few of the main players were involved, maybe this movie shouldn’t be taken so seriously.  I don’t know.  It had Lucas’ name and the words “Star Wars” attached to it.  What I do know was that I kept checking my watch in hopes that the borefest would soon end.  If you really must see this, wait for the DVD or better yet cable.  It isn’t worth your money.

Mad Dog Chris Russo Officially With Sirius

Looks like Mad Dog Chris Russo made it official and is on his way to Sirius.  His new show will start on September 15th on Sirius channel 123.  The Mad Dog Sports show will run weekdays from 2pm to 7pm.  That was fast huh?  Looks like a lot of sports freaks are going to hit Best Buy and Circuit City to get their Sirius radios…

http://www.sirius.com/siriussportscentral

While he swore on the lives of his children that he didn’t have anything set, I guess he was pretty close.

RantingMark wishes Mad Dog the best of luck.  I am sure the show will be interesting and entertaining.  Personally RantingMark can’t stand Sirius.  I had it pre-installed in one of my cars, got a free six month trial and tried calling FOUR TIMES to continue the service after the trial expired only to be put on hold for 20-30 minutes each time.  I AM NOT KIDDING.  Four times.  On hold at least 20 minutes each time.   I gave up.  I miss Howard Stern (I catch him when I rent cars once in a while while on business) but I can live without him and I can definitely live without Sirius and their awful service.

Usain Bolt Is Sick! Olympic Roundup

Did you catch Usain Bolt in the 100m Olympic Finals?  Bolt blasted to Olympic gold with a world record setting 9.69 time, obiterating the field even while letting up with about 10 strides to go.  He might have been able to get into the 9.5′s had he went full blast the whole way.  Can’t wait to catch him in the 200m and see if he can make a run at Michael Johnson’s insane 19.32 second run at the 1996 Olympics which in my opinion is still the greatest run of all time.  Bolt brought the jolt back into the 100m race and the 200m is his “better” event.  Should be fun.  Congrats to American Walter Dix for grabbing the Bronze.

So Michael Phelps did it and won eight gold medals in a single Olympics.  Congratulations to him and to his teammates that helped him acheive that goal.  Extra special thanks goes to Jason Lezak who in the 4×100 freestyle relay caught outspoken and world record holding Frenchman Alain Bernard on the final leg despite being almost a full body length behind. 

A little lost in the Michael Phelps story was the Gold medal success of other US swimmers.  Here’s the rundown:
Natalie Coughlin (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze) – 6 medals
Ryan Lochte (2 Gold, 2 Bronze) – 4 medals
Aaron Peirsol (2 Gold, 1 Silver) – 3 medals
Matt Grevers (2 Gold, 1 Siver) – 3 medals
Jason Lezak (2 Gold, 1 Bronze) – 3 medals
Rebecca Soni (1 Gold, 2 Silver) – 3 medals
Garet Weber-Gale (2 Gold) – 2 medals
Peter Vanderkaay (1 Gold, 1 Bronze) – 2 medals

Special shout out to Dara Torres who at 41 years old won 3 Silver medals missing gold by .01 seconds in the 50m freestyle.

THE RANT
I am sick and tired of the American media over-hyping US Athletes setting unfairly high expectations.  I realize they need to create excitement to ensure people watch all events, pump the ratings and generate more ad dollars but some of the headlines I’ve seen regarding Katie Hoff have been brutal.  She was dubbed the female Michael Phelps (by the media) and because she only delivered a silver and 2 bronzes she’s a failure.  I’d like to see some of the writers bashing her try to win 3 Olympic medals…  Yes maybe her schedule was a bit overzealous but if she qualfied for the races what’s the problem?  Natalie Coughlin won 6 medals but you hardly hear her name mentioned…  I watched American cyclist Taylor Phinney yesterday and watching the pre-race promo you thought this guy was a favorite for gold.  As an 18 year old and relative newbie to the sport, the story should have been how impressive it was for him to reach the final round and ultimately finish 7th.  Instead, the race was a bit of a letdown though one of the commentators did explain that he did great to get as far as he did and will be one to watch down the road.

What do you think of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games?

Chris “Mad Dog” Russo Going to Sirius?

That seems to be the most popular rumor surrounding the popular but sometimes annoying former WFAN co-host of Mike and the Mad Dog.  Russo somewhat unexpectedly bolted WFAN yesterday for a yet to be determined new gig.  Apparently there had been more tension than Mike Francesa and the Mad Dog let on and both felt it was time for a change. 

So far today’s program (Francesa on the FAN) has been mostly a love fest with one listener actually starting to cry (yes really) when reminiscing about the program.  It will be interesting how the new Francesa show turns out and where Russo actually ends up going.  Love him or hate him, Russo helped make the show entertaining and it will never be the same.  He sometimes hurt your ears when he spoke and he was a certified Yankee hater but his take on the New York sports scene was interesting nonetheless.

What do you think?