Rangers Look Good

The Rangers looked a little more like the team we expected tonight, blanking the Flyers 4-0 in front of Vally instead on Hank. Renney jumbled the top three lines and finally gave good minutes to the 3rd line (Dawes, Drury, Prucha) which is clicking. Each of them had a goal. They're going to have to play with this kind of intensity and have minutes this well managed for the rest of the season if they want to make the playoffs. Go Rangers.

Phew....

Phil Hughes is SAFE! Johan Santana has been traded to the Mets for a surprisingly reasonable package of players and there is no more danger of Hank Steinbrenner losing his mind and trading Phil and others. It's a great day for the Mets and it's also a great day for the Yanks!

Rangers Win a Shootout on Brian Leetch Night

Shanny had the gamewinner in the shootout, but it really was a subpar effort most of the way for the Blueshirts. Renney really doesn't seem to have a handle on his talent, and it seems like a lot of the worst underachievers are playing the most minutes. Let's hope that straightens out after the break. These Rangers do have a championship run in them if someone can push the right buttons. Go Rangers!

Cano!

The Yanks are apparently close to locking up Cano for the next 4 years with two club options on the other side of the four years. This would represent a buyout of his arbitration eligible years and eliminate a future of possibly contentious negotiations every year. Cano has a chance to be a great player, and by that I really mean a Hall of Fame type player, and it's great that the Yanks are locking him up. Go Cash!

Getting Closer?

Yesterday, our Guild finally dumped an abosolute dealbreaker out of our demands and it looks like we'll finally be getting back to the bargaining table with the Producers. Though I admire the good will behind trying to extend WGA membership to reality writers and animation feature writers, it was a ton to ask of the producers in terms of new benefits, residuals and budgets to supply. Animation has its own union and it just needs to take a stronger stand on some things. What do reality writers even do? My understanding is that God writes reality, and I'm pretty sure God is covered. Anyway, I respect our union president, Patric Verrone, for getting rid of those demands that were clearly close to his heart. Seems like all we need to do now is figure out a fair formula for DVD's, downloads, and all other uncovered viewings. This should get done rather quickly, which is how I've felt since the DGA settled. Let's hope so!

Super Bowl, Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Trade was officially worth it. Today, the Giants overcame things that had plagued them for years like drops and penalties and they are going to Arizona to try to beat the Pats! Plax was huge, so was Webster, and so was Eli, but this is such a team that it's hard to single out individuals. I'm glad no one ended up being a goat! Now it's onto Arizona and let's win there!!!!!

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d8061ea79

Go Giants!

I feel strongly that the Giants have come together, both as a team and in their coaching staff. I really like their chances today in the cold in Green Bay. Eli always shows up in these big games, and this is his biggest game yet. We're gonna run and stop their run. Websters will get a pick six. Can you feel it? I sure can! Go Giants!

A Damn Shame

So, Bobby Fischer shrugged off this mortal coil yesterday a long, long way from home. The greatest chess player who ever lived, could only resolve conflicts on the board. Everywhere else he got into a series of never ending fights. Eventually he was left without his country, his people and what could have been a fabulour legacy. In 1972, not long afte the Soviets had stolen the goald medal in basketball away from America in Munich, Bobby Fischer went to Iceland and kicked Boris Spassky's ass at chess. It was a huge blow for Democracy and a great thing for our country. However; between then and his death yesterday, he managed to alienate everyone who'd ever cheered for him. It's hard to tell what went wrong, but some of the problems seemed to start when he joined and gave significant chunks of his winnings to a religious cult in Pasadena, CA. He became disillusioned when Christ didn't return in 1976 and started a series of run-ins with the law and the US Government. He wouldn't play chess again till 1992 when he came out of retirement to beat the crap out of Spassky again and make several terribly sick anti-semitic pronouncements. He would go onto praise 9/11 in 2001. It's easy to speculate about what what went wrong, but ultimately, it was just a shame. A damn shame.

Giants Extend Tuck

Giant GM Jerry Reese has pulled another brilliant move by locking up DE/DT/Playmaker Justin Tuck with a 5 year extension that will pay him 30M with 16M guaranteed. The Giants are getting close and Reese seems to recognize it. Now he has to extend Snee. If he can follow that up with another strong offseason and draft, the Giants should be right there for the long haul. Way to go, Jerry!

The DGA Makes a Deal!

The Directors Guild of America has reached a new deal with producers. It reportedly contains the the sort of internet and new media protections that we, in the WGA, are seeking. Let's hope this leads to a quick conclusion of the Writers Strike. Hollywood needs to get back to work, and the world needs to get back to being entertained.

Rangers Win

Rangers just skated by the struggling Sabres, 2-1. I can't believe it's mid-January and we still aren't seeing the sort of offensive production we should be. At least they played decent D tonight.

Giants Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Giants showed good old fashioned Giant pride by manning up on D and keeping the Cowboys out of the endzone in the second half of today's HUGE WIN! Toomer had 2 TD's, Eli was great again and the undermanned D really stepped up big in the second half. WOW! What a great day for the franchise!

Go Giants!

Let's keep the hot streak rolling all the way to Green Bay! In general, I think the O will be very productive and Webster and Ross will come up big for the D. It's time. Kick Ass!

Rest in Peace, Mr. Mayor

Johnny Grant, seen above either presiding over a Bruce Willis star or handprint ceremony, was the "mayor" of Hollywood for as long as anyone around here can remember. He was always the MC at all of those ceremonies and always had his own ride in the Christmas Parade. Cool guy that he was, he lived in a penthouse in Hollywood Roosevelt and would commute a few steps every morning to his office in the Johnny Grant building. When Hollywood lost it's urban luster in the `70's, `80's and into the `90's it was Johnny Grant who always believed the town would bounce back. I am personally gratified that he got to witness what he always believed would come to pass. He was a wonderful ambassador for our neighborhood and always had a kind word for for whoever crossed his path. He will be dearly missed and never replaced. Rest in Peace, Johnny.

Rangers Lose

So, I just got back from being snowed in in Colorado to watch the Rangers lose. They had ample opportunities to come all the way back, but couldn't score the tying goal. They need to really pick it up...