NFL Week 9

The bye week did the Redskins absolutely no good...the team is like a Peyton Place episode these days...lots of drama, but not on the field...a loss to Atlanta 31-17 is what we got yesterday...my Survivor pick was Atlanta so I am still alive for the prize...but my fantasy team The Clippers fell short against the Punishers this week...I was 3-0 with my picks for entertainment purposes!

Hull City Rockers!

Hull have come through for the first time in a month, beating Stoke 2-1 at home yesterday...Jan Vennegoor helped to ease the pressure on boss-man Phil Brown with a stoppage-time goal to secure a crucial victory over Stoke...Hull was headed for an eighth defeat after Matthew Etherington put Stoke ahead from an sharp angle.

But Seyi Olofinjana equalized with a curling effort. Vennegoor slotted home at the death after Stoke keeperThomas Sorensen failed to hold Jimmy Bullard's shot.

The result lifted Hull out of the relegation zone - a point ahead of both West Ham and Wolves...

The Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the World

Wow, I have been waiting for this for the longest time...a box set re-issue of the greatest live album ever, Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! Back in 1984 as I was started college, I listened to this album non-stop every morning before class, on my commute, and again at night...Keith's chugging rhythm guitar...Chuck Berry solos from Mick Taylor, and Charlie Watts' boogaloo beat drumming throughout had me worshipping at the Stones altar ever since...This live set documents the Stones' 1969 American tour (which ended with the free concert mayhem at Altamont Speedway) with shows from the band's stop at Madison Square Garden during Thanksgiving weekend...the new box set comes with a disc of additional live versions of Prodigal Son, You Gotta Move, I'm Free, Under My Thumb, and (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction...UnderMy Thumb and Satisfaction are especially funky...it's a toss up for me as to the best version of Satisfaction: the Stones' performance here or Ots Redding's Monterey version...also included are tracks from opening acts B.B. King and the Ike & Tina Turner Revue...but that's not all...there's a dvd included that has performances and outtakes of the Maysles Brothers film Gimme Shelter...Jagger provides some of my favorite concert lines..."Charlie's good tonight isn't he?"..."I think I've busted a button on my trousers. You don't want my trousers to fall down now do ya?"...and an unknown female fan shouting out a request for "Paint It Black, you devil"...before I go, let me give a book recommendation...Stanley Booth's "The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones"...a nice work of literature as well as a superb document of the Stones '69 tour...I'm re-reading my well-worn copy now!

Week 2 Football RoundUp

Another Sunday of mixed results...my fantasy outfit The Clippers lost a close game this week to the Asskickers...even in defeat it was a bounce back to respectability for my fantasy squad after last week's MIA performance...The Clippers hung 99 points...I'm not much for moral victories...but 0-2 hasn't stopped me from reaching the playoffs before...despite Ronnie Brown coming up big for me on Monday night...the A-Kickers' Dallas Clark was even bigger...figures a TE would do me in like that...

I was 10-6 against the spread again this week...1-2 in picks for "entertainment purposes only"...

I am still alive in my two Survivor pools...my picks were Washington and Minnesota...

Speaking of the 'Skins, a forgettable win over the Rams brings them to 1-1 on the season...there's talk on sports radio and in the newspaper of Coach Zzzzz's job being in jeopardy...The Rolling Stones' equally forgettable 1986 album Dirty Work contains a tune called "Winning Ugly"...I hope the lyrics aren't a hint of the 'Skins 2009 season to come!

And we're heading for the heartbreak
Heading for the blues
We're heading for the heartbreak
Heading for the blues
And we're winning, winning ugly
And we're winning, winning ugly

And of course I take no small measure of joy with Dallas losing their "Homecoming" game...three intercepts for chubby-chasing Tony R...that's Romo being Romo...

So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)

dang...recent flooding in Georgia has created a new water ride At Six Flags...

Trailin' The Tigers

Hard times for Hull City as visiting Birmingham City took a 1-0 win thanks to a 75th minute header from Garry O'Connor...Hull keeper Boaz Myhill frustrated Birmingham with some excellent saves...but The Tigers could not sustain some inspired early play to put one in the net...Hull's fourth league defeat of the season and their second home loss at KC Stadium leaves Phil Brown's side marooned in the bottom three...Relegation Talk?

Take Another Hike

After a mid-week visit to the chiropractor my back is still on the slow track to recovery...the good news is it does not appear to be a permanent injury...the bad news is I am still having to settle for a low impact hike as my exercise these days...Saturday was the date for my first half-marathon...

it was another bright sunny start to the day...cool 53 degrees...hiked the bus depot trail up to the river trail loop and came back by way of the stairway trail...took a couple of brief 20-30 yard jogs...leg felt a bit sore and numb...but nothing that was capable of stopping me from hiking...onward!