Clap Your Hands Say TIDBITS

Originally posted to AtlantaMagazine.com on January 24, 2007

--Well, Michael Vick is innocent. The Miami authorities said that they could not determine that there was marijuana in the “contraption” that was confiscated at the Miami airport. Vick’s stupidity did lead to one of my favorite Saturday Night Live moments of the year though. Really!

--Fox’s 24 is back. I have come to the conclusion that if my house was burning down during an episode of 24, I would probably just stay on the couch until the commercial break. Only then would I try to grab the television (without disconnecting the cable) and pull it outside so I could finish watching.

--The Phoenix Suns, my pick to win the NBA title, have won 14-straight games and show no signs of slowing down at this point. In other NBA news: The Hawks still stink. But hey, they're not the worst team in the League. My buddy Trey works for the Memphis Grizzlies. I just can’t bear to make fun of him any more than that…

--Tuesday night, Tennessee mean’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl painted his body and went to the women’s hoops game to sit in the student section. My stock in “OrangePaint, Inc.” just plummeted.

--David Beckham recently signed with Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy for a reported $250 million over five years. Where is the Galaxy getting this money? The only way that I would buy a ticket to an MLS game is if I was assured that I would be sitting next to Ms. Beckham.

--Last night, Brit Hume of Fox News said that you couldn’t “swing a cat on Capital Hill without hitting a Presidential Candidate.” He chuckled to himself. I love it when people use ridiculous phrases that make little to no sense…therefore, I decided to watch Senator Jim Webb’s (D, Virginia) reaction to President Bush’s State of the Union address.

--Michelle Wie did not make the cut at her annual “Fall-On-My-Face” Sony Open. She finished tied for 139th. In three attempts she has finished 80th, 128th, and 139th. She and, Master P.R. Man/father, B.J. Wie claim that she may not play next year because it would interfere with her start to the spring semester at college. Is that really it or is she afraid of finishing DEAD LAST?

--The Braves have been building up the bullpen this off-season – picking up Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez. They, along with Closer Bob Wickman, will essentially turn the games into 7-inning affairs. John Smoltz may win 60 games next year.

--The people at NBC have lined up their hit show Heroes against 24 in the Monday 9pm time slot. This is borderline evil. This is, however, just another reason why I truly feel that the DV-R is one of the top five inventions of my lifetime.

--The Academy Awards nominations were announced Tuesday morning. One of my favorite categories is Best Animated Short Film. If you get the chance I recommend these two: No Time For Nuts and, my personal favorite and pick to take home the statue, The Little Matchgirl.

Pick me out a winner, TIDBITS.

Originally posted to AtlantaMagazine.com on December 13, 2006

The Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-3) have each gotten off to decent starts to open the hoops season. Georgia had a thrilling win at Wake Forest this past week and the Jackets’ only stumbles have come to top-ranked UCLA, a tough Miami squad in their ACC opener, and a better-than-they-seem Vanderbilt. It’s still hard to get too excited about college hoops before January though. With college football on hiatus for the next few weeks, it’s a good thing that we have a couple tidbits to tide us over…

--The Dogs and Jackets meet up on December 22 for the second edition of Clean, Old Fashioned Hate. Both teams are young, fast and playing good basketball. Okay, maybe I’m allowed to get a LITTLE excited about basketball…

--Georgia Tech’s Calvin Johnson won the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation’s top collegiate receiver, linking him forever with Tech QB Reggie Ball. People won’t be saying that Calvin won the trophy WHILE playing with Reggie but DESPITE playing with Reggie.

--We put the Christmas tree up at the Cheek Mansion this past weekend. Nothing says “Christmas” quite like the smell of a freshly cut pinetree in your living room…except maybe the sound of the vacuum cleaner roaring to life every half hour to clean up the thousands upon thousands of needles that keep falling from said pinetree.

--Ohio State’s Troy Smith won the Heisman Trophy. I think that Brady Quinn is still walking around the streets of New York saying, “But I play for Notre Dame…but I play for Notre Dame.”

--The Atlanta Braves made a deal to move pitcher Horacio “Keep It On the D.L.” Ramirez to the Seattle Mariners for set-up man Rafael Soriano. Seattle, be real careful with Horacio. He’s fragile. And for heaven’s sake, do not make fun of him…you could hurt his feelings then he’d be out for another two weeks.

--In other Braves news: Marcus Giles won’t be back next year. The “Baby Braves” from the past couple years may be looking a little more “baby-like” for the next couple. However, when you have a coach like Bobby Cox and a GM like John Schuerholz, the playoffs are never out of reach.

--I usually like to reserve my Monday’s for “intense television” watching – shows filled with murder, suspense and thrilling moments. With Heroes and 24 on hold until January, I opted for the Bears and Rams on Monday Night Football this week. At least I got to see a murder…

--It’s been reported that not only has Britney Spears been partying to much with Paris Hilton but that she has stopped production on her new album…and oh yeah, Britney, you have a one-month old baby at home.

--The thought process of a Falcon’s fan:
Week 1: This is our year! Super Bowl here we come!
Week 3: We lost to New Orleans? Do we stink?
Week 6: A 3-2 record?! We stink!
Week 8: Michael Vick is the greatest quarterback that has ever played football!
Week 10: We stink.
Week 12: I hate Vick! We should cut him! I want to punch myself in the face!
Week 14: The Falcons are amazing and so is Vick! He’s going to the Hall of Fame!

--This past Friday marked the 26th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. There may not be anyone in the musical world that has spanned (and will continue to span) the generations quite like him. I think it’s safe to say that everyone out there has a favorite Beatles’ tune. If you don’t know about The Beatles new album Love, I suggest you take a gander.