Thursday Grab Bag

Its time for the Two Minute Drill! The Two Minute Drill is brought to you by "Hertz Rent a Car: It Hertz So Good!!" and by "Froditos Chips" Chips so good, they'll make you want to say "Hey you sonofabitch get your hand outta my bag!!"....

OK I havent offended you by now, we can continue!

Random thoughts from the mind of DQ:

-I think the Pope should really consider retiring. Only because his health continues to be poor and he really needs the R & R. He brings hope and faith to many people, but in his current physical condition, he is doing more harm than good by going about like nothing is wrong. Talk continues to grow about his possible stepping down. We'll see if that ever comes to fruition.

-So Howard Dean might be the next Chairman of the DNC?? Dean of course was the front runner to win the Democratic nomination for President last year before he had that nervous breakdown. (WE ARE GOING TO WIN!! YYYEEEEAHHHH!!!!) Dean is purely from the left. He doesnt appeal to many moderate Democrats who feel that the next Democratic nominee must be able to appeal to Republicans as well. If only Bill Clinton could run again....

-I got some flack for calling Bill Clinton the last great American president. "How could u say that? He made the office of the President into a joke! He lied to America! He didnt do anything for terrorism! blah, blah, blah" Clinton may not have been the most morally correct President we have had. But at least his lies didnt draw us into a war where over a thousand US Soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi's have been killed. Made the office of the president into a joke? At least he can spell president! Like Mr Nukular isnt making a joke of the White House? Or Mr "Fool me once...uh...shame on you...fool me twice...(blank stare)....You aint gonna fool me again..." Oh and those claims that he didnt do anything about terrorism? Remember the first time the Twin Towers were bombed back in 93?? Who vowed to catch those responsible? Clinton. Who CAUGHT those responsible? Clinton. Ditto the Oklahoma Federal Building bombing. Hmm..Didnt Bush vow to capture Osama Bin Laden?? Hows that working out??

-The US enjoyed 8 years of Peace and Prosperity during Bill Clinton's tenure as President. Nuff said. I'm always open to debate however! :-)

-Valentines Day is his Monday. Just another day where guys have to pull their hair out trying to find the perfect gift for that special someone! Hehehe. Damn you Hallmark!! Look what you've done!!! Anyone else going to be shopping at the 24 Hour Sav-On on Feb 13th? Guys, dont wait til last minute! Especially not on cards!! All you'll find is "From The Dog" or "From Step-Brother".  And trust me, that can get a little awkward!

Thats it for this posting. Hope you have enjoyed your stay here at the Two Minute Drill! It'll be a little less political next time! hehehe

Until then...

DQ

Taboo Tuesday

Welcome to the Tuesday edition of the Two Minute Drill. Hope everyone out there survived Monday ok! Before we get started, just a quick message:

Alot of times I open up my journal and just draw a blank. Writers block is probably the worst thing in the world when you are trying to keep a good blog going. It strikes me alot, especially on slow news days, which is why sometimes you just get a recap of the news and quick opinion here and there. Thats hardly creative writing. I mean by the time I post the news is old anyway. So I apologize  if at times my blog seems boring and not very entertaining. I am my harshest critc and trust me, I dont like posting dull stuff anymore than you like reading it! I've been doing this for almost two months now, and have gotten mostly positive feedback, which I appreciate and thank you for. I only hope I can live up to your praise and keep you coming back  for more. Thank you.

(WE NOW RETURN TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BLOG, ALREADY IN PROGRESS)

-One thing I didnt talk about last nite were the great Super Bowl commercials that have become a staple of every big game for years now. My personal favorite this year was the "Kinkos/FedEx 10 Things Needed for Good Commercial" spot. Truly creative and very funny. Cedric the Entertainer's "Designated Driver" commercial was very well done also. I myself am almost always the designated driver when I got with my friends, so this commercial was especially relevant to me! ;-)

-While on the subject of Super Bowl commercials, the most moving and positive commercial of the night was the Anheiser(spellcheck)-Busch commercial paying tribute to our brave men and women in the armed forces. Nothing flashy or over the top. Simply a show of support for our troops who risk their lives for our country day in and day out.

-So Jose Canseco is coming out with another book detailing the use of steroids in Major League Baseball. In his book he claims that he PERSONALLY injected former homer run champ Mark McGuire with steroids while they were both teammates on the Oakland A's. He goes on to name other players who used steroids while he played. The funny thing is, it seems like the reason these players started using steroids is because of Jose Canseco! At least, thats the portrait his book paints. Went to the A's. Hooked players on steroids. Went to the Texas Rangers. Hooked players on steroids. Thats it! Jose Canseco is the cause of all of Major League Basball's drug problems!! Damn him!!

-Seriously though, Major League Baseball does have a huge problem when it comes to drug use. (Both recreational and performance enhancing) Now, they do have a drug policy in effect, but it is by far the weakest of all the major sport leagues. The players are fined a small amount and benched maybe a few games here and there. Nothing really that would deter the offender from doing it again. Without a strict drug policy and harsher punishments their drug problem will continue.

-We cant talk about steroids in baseball without bringing up the biggest suspect: Barry Bonds. He has already admitted to "uknowingly" using them. Now, steroids wont guarantee  you will slug homeruns. You still have to be able to catch up to the ball and put it in play. Bonds was already a dangerous hitter before he mysteriously started bulking up and his head started doubling in size (figuratively and physically).But witht the addition of steriods he has been on a tear. He will soon shatter the All Time home run record. Should there be an asterisk next to his name? I dont like Bonds (Being on the Giants and all) but I do respect his bat. You have to wonder though, how much of those 700 plus homerun's did he hit using a banned substance and in essence having an unfair advantage. Bonds' name and record will forever be tainted, all because he had to juice up to get there.

Well, thats my time. Til the next drill....

DQ   

 

Weekend Wrap Up

Welcome to another Weekend Wrap Up. Its Monday again. Back to the rat race or salt mines or whatever you call it. Lets take a look back at the weekend that was.

-Super Bowl XXXIX is in the books and the New England Patriots walked away with their third title in four years. The final score was 24-21 over the Philadelphia Eagles. The game was better than most people thought and the Eagles were in it to the very end. Their downfall was their poor clock managment in the last 4 min of the game. Instead of  going to the no huddle offense and rushing back to the line of scrimmage, the Eagles choose to take a more mellow approach and it cost them precious time off the clock. This forced them to rush their final plays and led to an interception,dashing any hopes of a miracle comback.

-I picked the Eagles to win. I was wrong. I didnt do that well this post season. Good thing I dont gamble, or I'd be in more debt than usual. Damn student loans....

-Box Office Report: "Boogeyman" was the number 1 movie this week taking in an estimated $19.4 million. This marks the biggest opening for a movie opening on Super Bowl weekend which is usually one of the slowest movie weekends of the year. In second place was the romantic comedy "The Wedding Date" followed by "Are We There Yet?", last weeks number 1 movie "Hide and Seek" in fourth and "Million Dollar Baby" rounded out the top 5.

-The SAG awards were held on Saturday and as expected Jamie Foxx one the award for Best Actor in a feature film for "Ray". Just another notch on his belt on his march to the Best Actor award at the Oscars later this month.

Well thats all for this update. I hope you all have a good week and stay tuned for more updates as the week goes on.

 

DQ

Doug's Super Bowl Preview

Welcome back to the Drill!! Its late and I've got lots of ground to cover, so lets get to it!

So after two whole weeks of hype and hype...and more hype..its GAME TIME! Super Bowl XXXIX kicks off on Sunday with the Philadelphia Eagles  taking on the defending Super Bowl Champions, the New England Patriots. Both are very good teams but only one can be champion. Read on for a breakdown and final word on who I think will be crowned World Champs.

Why The Patriots Will Win: Two Words: Tom Brady. Without question the most dominate post season player of this era, Brady is undefeated in playoff action. He has led the Patriots to two Super Bowl titles already and is poised to lead them to a third. Everybody said this is the year Brady goes down. But all he's done is shred the defense of teams that were supposed to beat the Patriots. After bombing Indianapolis in the Confrence Semi's, Brady avenged a early season loss to the Steelers by picking apart their defense and blowing them out in the Confrence Finals. His presence, poise and experience gives the Patriots and edge that cant be matched. He brings out the best in his teammates and has their respect. He stands on the brink of a dynasty. All that stands in his way, is an upstart team from Philly. This may be the most important game of his career, and if past history is any indicator Brady will rise to the occasion.

Key To Victory: Besides the need for a big game from Brady, the Patriots Secondary MUST shut down the Eagles passing game. They were able to shut down the Colts and the Steelers with a patchwork lineup. If they can do it again to the Eagles, they'll be dancing in the streets of Boston come Sunday night.

Why The Eagles Will Win: After losing three straight NFC Championship games,. the Eagles finally reached the mountain top by knocking off the Atlanta Falcons this year. Don't think for one second, they are satisfied with just BEING there. Donovan McNabb has been itching for a chance to play in the Super Bowl and you can bet he will pumped for this one.Add to that the explosive passing attack, McNabb's ability to scramble under pressure, and their solid running game and you've got yourself a dangerous team. And in the shadows, Terrel Owens waits. Only six and half weks removed from a devastating leg injury, Owens has rehabbed like a madman and is ignoring doctor's orders to sit this one out. The Eagles are seven point underdogs in this game, but the Patriots would be wise not to overlook this hungry, determined team.

Key To Victory: The Eagles have to find a way to get Tom Brady off his game. A task easier said than done. If they can blitz effectively, force him to scramble and rough him up a bit, it will do alot to rock the confidence of the defending champs. If Terrel Owens is anywhere near 100% he can change the outcome of the game. The Patriots pass defense isnt what it used to be, and McNabb and Owens could quickly expose this weakness with a few precision air strikes.

The Bottom Line: OK, I've been pouring over stat sheets, odd sheets,reading injury reports, scouting reports, weather reports, book reports, weapons reports, tossing darts, rolling dice and flipping coins and I finally came to a decision. The Patriots are the defending champs and have steamrolled every team that was supposed to beat them in the earlier rounds. The Eagles come in as the overwhelming underdog and given a snowballs chance in hell of winning. On paper it looks like a no brainer: Pats all the way. But there are so many x-factors and things that cant be measured with fancy reports or stat sheets. The Eagles have tremondous heart and will no doubt give it their all. Will it be enough to knock off a team that many say cannot be stopped?? Is Terrel Owens even close to being healthy for this game?? When the dust clears and Super Bowl XXXIX is over it will be......it will be....I may be crazy for saying this, but I'm picking the Eagles. Final Score: Philly: 28 New England: 21. 

As always, if I'm wrong, I'll be right here Sunday nite facing the music. Enjoy the game, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

DQ 

Thursday Throwdown (Couldnt think of a better title...)

Welcome back to the Drill!! Where the motto is: No shoes? No shirt? No Credit? No problem!!! Lets begin shall we?

-Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down as coach of the LA Lakers today. Tomjanovich described his reason for leaving as just being physically and mentally burned out. He felt that he could not devote his entire attention to the team and that it was time for him to take another break from the game. He stated that his decision  had nothing to do with his recovery from Bladder Cancer. Lets hope Rudy T can get some much needed R & R and that he can make a return to coaching someday.

-With Tomjanovich stepping down Assistant Coach Frank Hamlin will coach the team on an interim basis. But what about a permanent replacement? There is already talk swirling around that former coach Phil Jackson will be brought back into the mix. As cool as that would be, I dont see it happening. Phil and Kobe arent exactly on the best of terms and it would take some major a$$ kissing on the part of the Lakers to get Phil back on that bench. Should be an interesting next couple of weeks.

-President Bush delivered his State of the Union address Wednesday. He outlined his agenda for his second term and focused mainly on domestic issues. Chief among them, Social Security. Bush's plan call for younger Americans to open up private SS accounts to set aside part of their earnings in. Its a very risky plan and one that in all likelyhood won't be implemented. Bush also spoke about the ongoing war in Iraq and how even though their elections have been held, it is much too soon to set a date for the withdrawal of US Troops. Overall, Bush tried to sound positive and upbeat about the future of the country. We're just going to have to wait and see what this second term means for all of us.

-Super Bowl News: (More like ONE news item) Despite doctor's objections, Terrel Owens will suit up and play this Sunday. Owens suffered a broken leg and a severeley sprained ankle only 6 weeks ago. But he feels that he is well enough to help his team out. This could change the outcome of the game and certainly gives the Eagles a HUGE morale boost. This game suddenly got a whole lot more interesting.

-Its official: No matter what it takes, Space Mountain will re-open at Disneyland July 17th. The actual day of Disneyland's 50th Birthday. Disneyland Park President Matt Ouimett has told Imagineers to get this ride open and that money is no object. Its great news for fans of this classic attraction, that originally had been slated to stay closed until Thanksgiving later this year. This ride has been closed since mid 2003, so its been a long time coming!

Well thats all for this post. One more day til Friday!! Til next time..

DQ

Mid Week Update

What time is it?? No really?? Is time for the Drill. Yeah, these intros get worse and worse. I need to work on them some more! But you dont read these postings for the intro's! u read for the content! So lets get to it..

-On Monday's edition of "The Late Show with David Letterman" Dave paid tribue to Johnny Carson by using jokes that Johnny had written for use in his monologue. Many consider Letterman the closest thing to Carson on Late Night TV. The fact that Carson was sending jokes for Letterman to use, might be an indication that Carson felt the same way.

-Bill Clinton, the last great American President, (Oops, did I say that out loud??) has been appointed to a special post in the UN. His main duties are to continue raising money for the recovery and rebuilding effort in the Tsunami ravaged countries and as a goodwill ambasador. Clinton is already heading up the U.S. Tsunami effort alongside former President George H.W. Bush. There is still much to be done as far as the recovery effort goes, and the UN hopes Clinton's charisma and negotiating skills will come in handy as they ask for more aid from other countries.

-Pope John Paul II was hospitalized in Rome early Tuesday. He is suffering from a respiratory infection caused by the flu. His health has been up and down in the last few months, but Vatican reps. say that this latest illness isnt as serious as the media is making it out to be and that he was only taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Hopefully he pulls through this latest episode ok.

-Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich (spell check) is considering stepping down as coach due to health concerns. Two years ago he resigned as coach of the Houston Rockets while he battled cancer. Laker officials have said this latest incident has nothing to do with his cancer, but they have not gone on record saying what exactly his condition is. We should know soon enough though. Rudy T (screw it, I'll use his nickname) is one of the NBA's best coaches and a all around good guy. Lets hope he's ok and can continue living his life to the fullest.

-One more American Idol audtion show before the big dance begins! Just in time for February sweeps! Last stop: San Francisco. Hopefully Cali is well represented!

Well thats all for this edition. Take care and see you all next time...

DQ

Taboo Tuesday

Hello everybody. Welcome to another edition of the drill. No intro today. Looks like today's posting is going to be light on content (but hopefully not entertainment) so lets begin:

-Jury selection began today in the Micheal Jackson trial. As expected an army of reporters from all around the world camped out in front of the Santa Maria courthouse where the trial is being held. There was also a fairly large group of Jackson supporters shouting words of encouragement at him as he walked into the courthouse. Jackson waved to the crowd and flashed a victory sign before hurrying inside. One potential juror was dismissed as she was 7 months pregnant and in no condition to serve on a trail that in all likelyhood will last several months.

-It will be interesting to see what affect this trial will have on Jackson's demeanor in the weeks to come. He seems positive and upbeat right now. But who knows what hour after hour of testimony will have on him.

-AT&T and SBC have merged to become AT&SBC. No seriously, the two phone giants have merged and will simply be known as SBC. Its the end of an era for AT&T whose history can be traced back ALL THE WAY to the late 1800's when the phone was first invented. What this will mean to consumers is hard to say at this point. But whenever competiton is eliminated, the surviving companies have no incentive to innovate and offer lower rates. Why should they if they are the only game in town? Lets hope this isnt the case though.

-Former First Lady Hilary Clinton has died.....her hair. Seriously, Ms Clinton had a fainting spell during a spekaing engagment in NY early Monday. She apparently had been suffering from a stomach virus and felt weak during her speech. She left the podium and collapsed as she walked away. Other than being a bit embarrassed she was ok and continued her speech after being checked out by doctors.

Notable Quote: "Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen have decided to split up and live separate lives for the time being...Damn you Angelina Jolie!! When will it end??!!" -Amy Pohler on SNL

Yeah its an old quote..but its funny..or at least I think it is. Well thats all the time for today. Til the next drill

DQ