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Saturday, December 1, 2007
Banquet Lessons Are Hard To Teach
Most of us who have been around a bit in life have been to large corporate functions away from the office. These tend to run in either one of two directions.
The first is the get-together that has been aimed at drawing out the personalities involved in the company, and entertaining the entire group in a comfortable manner. It usually is the topic of conversation at the airport, and on the plane ride home.
The second type of event is the one that everyone knows they have to do, but deep inside they just dread walking through the same old routine as the previous year. At the airport, and on the plane ride home, this type of event usually is also the source of conversation.
The difference is that over-and-over again the same question comes up. What can we do to change this thing? The fact it serves a purpose is understood. The fact it has been around a long time is also understood. What is not understood is why hasn't this "function" changed with the times?
In this column, we are not going to talk about the NEXTEL Cup Banquet airing on ESPN Classic. You can read about that topic by clicking on this link.
We are not going to talk about moving the banquet to Las Vegas, or Charlotte, or anywhere else. If you want that issue, just click here.
What we are going to talk about is the one topic that makes NASCAR fans crazy. Believe it or not, it is also the one topic that makes NASCAR crazy quite often.
While there are some corporate executives mixed in with the crowd, most of the faces at the Banquet belong to drivers, teams, and owners. Even as they sit at the carefully arranged tables in their carefully arranged fashion attire, there is something very different about a NASCAR banquet from the big corporate functions.
The key thing for the millions of fans is...we already know these guys. This is not "Bob from the St. Louis office" getting the Herbert Hoover Penmanship Award or "Tom from Accounts Payable" getting the Fred Flintstone Financial Trophy for a balanced budget.
While crowning one champion at Homestead is nice, this is essentially the big "post-race" show for the fans. ABC did not make the commitment to talk with the "Chase" drivers after the "Chase" races. We saw how they finished, but had no idea how they got there.
Most of the top drivers have big fan clubs and a large amount of all kinds of apparel and gadgets for sale. We know their wives, their children, their parents, where they came from and probably even their favorite color. The bottom line is, we have seen all these people before and want to hear from them in some other form beside a set speech read from a teleprompter.
Some of the best TV shows that cover big events like this are not "inside" the show at all. Viewers tune-in by the millions to watch and listen to the pre and post-show coverage. Basically, for one reason only. The featured celebrities get to speak as themselves, from the heart, and off-the-cuff.
NASCAR allows slices of brief emotion in the top ten driver's speeches, but it has to be fleeting, and then we have to return to the business at hand. Some of the best moments and speeches during corporate functions come from not allowing exactly the same thing.
Shaky hands, a quivering voice, and 3X5 note cards often cause a swell of emotion in the room and result in a standing ovation for someone who has clearly done well at doing what they do not normally do. The reason is simple, we all can relate.
This is the content that fans want to see. If their driver turns out to be "plastic" and smoothly slides his way though a practiced speech, than so be it. But, if he uses this national platform to thank people in a way that causes emotion and tells us a story that no one knows...it could be priceless.
At big corporate functions, smart companies bring in a comedian who has taken the time to update himself on the issues at-hand in the corporation. The audience thinks they are getting a set comedy routine, and then explodes when he or she talks about how the mailroom caught fire or Tom from IT split his pants at the company picnic.
This type of topical entertainment puts the entire room, no matter how huge, in a very different mood. That mood is "receptive." Now, the audience wants more because they know the people who planned the event did the right thing. They made it all about the nameless faces in the audience who will never be on stage.
Over the years, I have seen a lot of musical groups perform at "corporate gigs." Sometimes, their name was announced in advance, and everybody already had weighed-in with an opinion by the time they hit the stage. It made for a divided crowd, no matter how hard or how well the performer did their thing.
Several times, however, it was done a different way. At the break, or right after the event, or even during dinner, the curtain was simply pulled back and the announcer said the magic words. The name of the group or singer was not the issue, but the fact that this was a "surprise" made the function.
If that curtain was pulled at the NEXTEL Cup Banquet, and there stood Kenny Chesney, or Big and Rich or The Dave Matthews Band, it would get my attention as a TV viewer. I would suggest that it would also get the attention of the audience in the room. Even if I forgot the speeches, and the sponsors, I would walk away thinking..."I wonder who they will get next year?"
Safety is a concern for all companies, especially when the Public Relations Department is put in a position of hosting an event. Bring in an outside company and you run the risk of getting a great show that has nothing to do with your purpose. Keep the planning in-house and you may wind-up distributing energy drinks to make it through the program.
NASCAR drivers, owners, crew chiefs, and many other racing types have appeared on national TV and radio since January of this season when testing began. It is now November, and nothing horrible has happened. The normal bad word or grumpy athlete has been the big story, but there have been no melt-downs or public embarrassments.
One gets the feeling that beneath each Banquet table, the driver is on a leash just long enough to feed himself. When he is summoned to the stage, he is escorted by a group of NASCAR folks who are, in essence, his babysitters.
He is buffed, and smoothed, and made presentable...but for who? We have seen these men in the rain, the heat, under the cars, and completely grimy after a race or practice. The attraction of the fans watching the banquet is to the very parts of the driver's personality that NASCAR forces to go away.
It might be fair to suggest that no one really likes Kyle Busch because of his speech-making abilities. We like him because he can drive the wheels off a loose car, shows no fear, and possibly will crash into his brother a few more times.
There has to be a way to step-back, take a deep breath, and evaluate this post-season award show from more than just a "wow, we got through it again without anyone making us look like redneck idiots" perspective. The top two drivers live in NYC, are married to models, and Jeff Gordon has a boat bigger than my house.
The bottom line is, times have changed and "The Banquet" did not get the memo. Either NASCAR Images or ESPN or whoever is producing this shin-dig needs to put a planning team on this that can make it a surprising and entertaining night.
With all due respect, neither David Spade or Kelly Clarkson fit that bill. I like them both, and they have a place in their respective businesses, but not a place at the post-season function for a racing organization. In the pre-show Public Relations press releases, it was emphasized that David Spade was a NASCAR fan. The resulting expectation of topical humor about the sport never materialized.
I would like to suggest that this is a great time for NASCAR to walk away from another mediocre Banquet and look around the sport. NEXTEL is changing to Sprint, Busch is changing to Nationwide and the Cup car is becoming the COT. The fifty plus drivers are walking away, and the youth movement is in full swing. Walking through the garage, we now see various countries, not just states represented.
This would be a great time to re-do the format of the post-season awards show. Changing this function would fit-in nicely with all of the other changes going on in the sport. NASCAR is asking the fans to accept all of those, how hard would it be to accept a new format for a tired old Banquet?
Maybe if a Bill Engvall and a Kenny Chesney blended-in with some driver's behind-the-scenes home movies, some bloopers from the TV crew, and even some video sent in by the fans we might just see a new on-air TV "dynamic" occur. An injection of fun and good humor and an easy atmosphere is exactly the ticket to spruce-up a corporate function that has just simply lost its "zest" with time.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below, or email firstname.lastname@example.com if you wish not to be published. Please read the rules on the right side of the main page, and then add your opinion about the NEXTEL Cup Banquet to this on-going Internet conversation.
40 comments:
- Anonymous said...
WOW JD... You nailed it again!! YAAAWWNNNN! When will Nascar ever learn? The only moments to me came when Tony came out and admitted Zippy is really his wife, And Jeff nearly crying talking about Ingrid and Ella. Thx Jim
- December 1, 2007 at 11:02 AM
- Anonymous said...
I haven't watched the banquet yes (left coaster without espnc), but I listened to the live radio broadcast. I totally agree with Jim. I enjoyed Tony Stewarts "stewie" awards show on sirius more. That's what they should have televised. It was a riot.
- December 1, 2007 at 11:38 AM
- batchief said...
Exactly what I was thinking. WOW!!
That is a good wow by the way.
- December 1, 2007 at 11:41 AM
- Anonymous said...
I can not believe NASCAR Images did it again. They used old footage as filler for the top ten driver videos!!!! Was Kevin Harvick's video a highlight reel of his season (no, the only thing they showed from this year was his Daytona win). It was just a rerun of his wifes episode from NASCAR drivers 360, two year old Goodwrench uniforms and all. Just pitiful!
- December 1, 2007 at 11:58 AM
- elena said...
I hope NASCAR looks at the ring/bracelet presentation tape. The gal that was holding the boxes stood right in front of the camera blocking Jimmie and Chandra. And they when Brian presented the boxes, he practically ran off stage without giving JJ a chance to say thanks or comment about the ring. Looked awful and ackward.
- December 1, 2007 at 12:13 PM
- Anonymous said...
A coworker of mine had a great idea this morning. Jeff Foxworthy! But I suppoae he would portray the image Nascar is trying to lose......
- December 1, 2007 at 12:20 PM
- earl06 said...
JD, You're right about the banquet needing to appeal more to fans, but I think the problem lies in what NASCAR needs to accomplish by having a banquet at all.
The main reason for holding the banquet is to publicise sponsors for contributing money to the sport. Not many fans watch the banquet and I don't see that changing for many of the reasons you outlined in your article.
What could raise interest would be to make Champions' Week in general a fan experience rather than a corporate experience. New York won't attract fans in November because it has a lack of good weather, reasonable hotels, and any racing related activities. I used to live a 45 minute train ride away from the city and I don't see anything worth coming into the city for. Most people in the area don't even know NASCAR is even in town.
Let's say Champions' Week was held somewhere that had decent weather, some short-track racing and a venue for awards presentation that could include the fans. Until fans are given some reason to be interested in Champions' Week, it will remain a non-event.
- December 1, 2007 at 1:04 PM
- Anonymous said...
I watched it this morning. I hope next year they air the awards at a more reasonable time, 8-10 or 9-11.
I'm wondering if NASCAR can even book the top "name" talent anymore for its awards anymore. The last star they had at his peak was Garth Brooks.
Did anyone notice Chandra Johnson, Jimmie's wife, with a good-sized movie camera filming Jimmie at the microphone while she was sitting at the head table last night? I've seen several pictures of her this week using that camera to film the events where he was being honored. I'm curious if the film was for home movies for their family or for some type of TV show/DVD that's in the works.
- December 1, 2007 at 1:33 PM
- Anonymous said...
Great ideas. I like the idea of fan videos on the banquet, I think viewers would enjoy that.
Wanted to let you know that the poor reception to Kelly Clarkson from the crowd last night is getting blasted on some blogs. This is from a pop music blog:
"The Clarkson appeared at the NASCAR awards last night, which by all accounts were as dull as sin. K-star put in a stellar performance of One Minute, her best one so far, little to the acknowledgement of the pigs in the crowd. Seriously, some of the rudest, most unappreciative audience members I've eve seen; if they think this is how to behave 'smartly' they are seriously misguided. No class or manners amongst the lot of them."
- December 1, 2007 at 1:47 PM
- elena said...
earl06, many good points.
NASCAR drivers are in close proxcimity to fans every weekend. Then for a whole week they are busy 6-10 hours a day until the banquet. When it comes, I think they just want to enjoy what it means to them. They go to the podium for 2-4 minutes and then they go back to their tables and can enjoy what they have accomplished.
If the banquet is a made-for-tv extravaganza, it has to change. But if it's for corporations to see the drivers thank them, it's not as big a thing.
I imagine for a least a lot of the wives/dates, this is a great evening. A beautiful hotel, you get to dress up as a princess, no public, no children, no pressures, and you get to visit and chat with others you normally wouldn't be able to. For one night, no one is a competitor, just a collegue. Based on how late people are reported to stay, I would say they are having a good time.
- December 1, 2007 at 2:26 PM
- AndyPandy said...
I didn't watch the banquet because I was sleepy enough already. The stiffs that get up and read their speeches may look like the drivers I've come to know, but I prefer them WITH personality.
And there's the problem. This banquet may be for sponsors but NASCAR has cleverly designed a method to remove the entire viewing audience, which is exactly what the sponsors don't want.
Divide the world into two groups - let's call them fans and non-fans. Non-fans will not watch a banquet honoring athletes who they don't know in a sport they don't follow.
That leaves fans. Most fans would prefer not to watch drivers they love, drivers they despise, and the rest of them stripped of all of the unique qualities that make them loved, despised, or simply tolerated. The fun and the sense that we are behind the scenes with them that comes through in trackside interviews and shows like RaceDay are gone. We are outsiders watching overdressed guys get checks and read lists of companies and products. Yee haw.
Hey? Where did the audience go?
and to anonymous at 1:47 - the blogger wrote "little to the acknowledgement of the pigs in the crowd" and "No class or manners amongst the lot of them" in the same paragraph. Hilarious!
- December 1, 2007 at 2:44 PM
- Newracefan said...
I agree JD but Nascar needs to decide what they are trying to accomplish with the banquet. A way to thank the sponsers then don't bother to televise it and do something else for the drivers/teams and fans. A way to celebrate the drivers/teams who did well in 2007- put on a better show. Only fans are going to watch this show on TV so stop using acts that appeal to the masses, I'm not a hugh country fan but I would understand them being there, and please how about Jeff Foxworthy or Bill Engval, they are great at standup and whats wrong with making fun of the sterotype, we know that it isn't true anymore. I'm not sure I like the idea of totally involving fans in the banquet itself then the drivers etc would have to be on their best behavior the entire time and not just on stage. Give them at least that much space for celebration.
- December 1, 2007 at 3:01 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
I could not agree more. The only reason I mentioned Engvall is because he has a current show on TNT that was promoted heavily during the "summer six pack" telecasts. There are currently a lot of talented performers who could fit that bill.
Whether it was Dave Matthews, Keith Urban, or Rascal Flatts, the surprise appearance of a group that everyone knew and some really liked would be a positive step.
Kelly was put in a tough situation, on what they call a "dead" stage, and forced into trying to rally a crowd with other things on its mind.
The last presidential debate had questions submitted by YouTube users to make it interactive. There is nothing as colorful or hilarious as NASCAR fans.
Pushing NASCAR Images to embrace the very fan base they serve has been next to impossible with their structured production techniques.
Opening up and embracing those remaining fans would be a giant leap forward. The missing link in this equation is still the Turner-owned NASCAR.com that is a step behind and a bit off to the left in the InternetTV offerings.
It is time for NASCAR to take back its online rights and use the Internet as the source to solve the many problems the fans consistently say bother them about the sport.
An interactive banquet would be really fun.
- December 1, 2007 at 3:11 PM
- Anonymous said...
Mr. Daly, I have to say I think NASCAR needs to do something about the lack of "people of color" at the banquet. In two hours and 45 minutes, I didn't see a single minority person on the show on TV, in the audience or on stage. Tony mentioned Juan Pablo Montoya, but they didn't show him (he and his wife were there. from what I saw this morning.) I didn't think about it last night, but I did today and it bothered me.
As a 22 year old who loves all kinds of award shows because they can be fun - from Teen Choice Awards on Nickelodeon to the ESPYs - I find this very strange. (Plus "analyzing" awards shows and the ads relates to my major in a way.) Even the CMAs had Rascal Flatts and Jamie Foxx duet this year. Granted, both Rascal Flatts and Jamie Foxx are terrible singers live - though Rascal Flatts makes some of the best CDs IMO, they can't really sing live! -but at least the CMAs thought about it.
I've watched a couple of awards shows aimed at black people, and there are always a few white and Hispanic presenters and some in the audience. Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise and Jennifer Garner were on those shows, to present awards to people like Denzel Washington or Don Cheadle, which is one of the reasons I watched. I can't remember if it was last year or this year, but Bono from U2 got a huge award from the NAACP show, a humanitarian award, and they had a bunch of black performers singing U2 songs on the show.
And of course the ESPYs have a mix, because most sports are mixed. Teen Choice always has lots of different races.
If the NASCAR banquet isn't going to be on "mainstream" TV, the lack of people of color is probably acceptable. If it's going to be on mainstream TV, something is going to have to change or it's probably kind of doomed to get anyone other than hardcore fans to watch. That's just the world we live in. Thanks and I liked your column.
One more thing to add- I thought Dr. Jerry Punch was a good host. Just right for the show.
- December 1, 2007 at 3:52 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Anon 3:52PM,
The Diversity issue is one that NASCAR has been chasing hard, especially under the current administration.
One thing I miss, as I mentioned in the column, is any opportunity to see the fans. As you may have noticed from TV, they are not just one color or one race.
Today's America is very different, and as someone who lives in South Florida, I can tell you firsthand.
Hopefully, with both JP and Jacques along for the ride next season, mixed with some very young and open-minded "kids" who don't even see race as an issue, this current dynamic will continue to change.
Great comment, and thanks for stopping by.
- December 1, 2007 at 4:11 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
JD- Who does plan the Banquet - NASCAR? ESPN? An event pro? It appears to me that the Banquet does not have a person or staff who work on the event full-time, which it would appear it should by now.
It has always appeared to me that one of the primary purposes of the Banquet has been to thank and give added exposure to the sponsors- which, if so, restricts what can be done.
It seems to me that NASCAR needs to decide what the primary purpose of the Banquet should be - reward the drivers and teams? reward the sponsors? OR, reward and thank the fans?
I presume it is probably not possible, but since they are "car guys," either Jay Leno or David Letterman would be perfect as the host/MC.
- December 1, 2007 at 4:34 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Interesting point. Leno does a lot of corporate gigs and has been a frequent guest on different car shows on SPEED over the years.
That certainly would change things from the word "go."
- December 1, 2007 at 5:35 PM
- Matt said...
Has anyone ever seen the Truck or Busch Series banquets? Those are great for TV. They have a live band, and the drivers sit down with the hosts on couches and discuss the season and other things. Now that is a great TV banquet.
- December 1, 2007 at 5:36 PM
- sbaker17 said...
Whoever produced the show must be the same person who produced the commercial awhile back that had Matt Kenseth acting as a robot. Only this time he was able to get all 12 chasers to act as robots. I saved the banquet to DVD so that the next time I can't sleep, I'll just hit the play button.
- December 1, 2007 at 6:07 PM
- elena said...
Diverity is a tough issue. I wish people would not expect instant results (a few years) to introduce an activity to folks from different ethnic groups. Almost every sport requires parental support and sacrifice (time if not money) and that may not be part of the realm of experience of these parents.
My son played water polo in high school. His high school was never able to get any black students to join. The coaches tried everything. Water polo meets were free, as opposed to football and basketball games where there was an admission price.
As the team traveled all over our state to compete, we noticed that in the entire state, we didn't see any black kids in polo teams. And yet, our football team was about 50% black.
My neighbor is a golf pro and they have all kinds of opportunities for minority kids to go to the golf course free (including equipment). They have had this project for years, and still the participation is low. If you read about Tiger Wood's life, it gives you an indication how many hours his father worked with him. It takes parental sacrifice, not just opportunity.
My parents were immigrants, and as a child, we used get all kinds of announcements for Little League, softball, Scouts, etc. My mother always said NO. Everything was about studying and getting good grades. I always felt I missed something by not getting to participating in sports, but I certainly would not blame the greater population because I never got the chance.
By the way, my kids played organized sports year-around.
- December 1, 2007 at 6:28 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Great comment about diversity. The NASCAR guys have told me several times that the ethnic participation at the regional level is growing by leaps and bounds.
They are looking to include Asians, Hispanics, and females in the sport in addition to working with the Black population. As we have seen with the NHRA, diversity has been outstanding for that sport, and my favorite NHRA driver is, in fact, a woman. I just really don't think about that part.
Eventually, when things get a bit more diverse in the Truck and Nationwide Series, we will see some slow movement to the highest level.
Bill Simpson once said if you bring him a three foot tall green guy who wants to be a driver he would just laugh. But, if you bring him a three foot tall green guy with ten million dollars he will begin getting his helmet and driving suit together. Ultimately, its all about the coin.
- December 1, 2007 at 7:28 PM
- PammH said...
I saw a shot of Max Siegel, the new spin Dr. at TEI, in the audience last nite. Besides him, no one else.
- December 1, 2007 at 8:09 PM
- LuckyForward said...
Another "checkered flag", Mr. Daly for another first class column.
The NASCAR banquet has become such a "canned" event with nothing spontaneous. It is held in the wrong city with the drivers getting "dolled up" in the wrong kind of dress and the overall wrong emphasis is placed on the entire evening.
And no matter what we say or whom we write, it will make no difference. NASCAR & Co. will do what it wants because the point of the banquet is only secondarily to honor drivers.
What is the MAJOR reason for the banquet? To spotlight corporate sponsors and their financial contributions to the sport. Thus, drivers are kept on "short leashes" with bland comments because the "suits" are the "stars" because of the checks they write.
NASCAR has become a self-perpetuating sport emphasizing money and power for itself; fans are taken for granted while TV ratings keep spiraling down, down, down. Why? Because as long as corporate cash continues to "float the NASCAR boat" we, the average fan, will continue to be ignored.
I wish everyone a special holiday season no matter what holiday you celebrate, Christmas, Hannukah, or Kwanzaa. I offer my thanks to each of you who offer your opinions and ideas, as well as to Mr. Daly who writes a first rate column.
- December 1, 2007 at 8:17 PM
- Anonymous said...
Let me start with the disclaimer - it took 3 veiwings to get thru the banquet...I kept falling asleep. So I re watched it today speeding thru commercials, boring bits and David Spade & Kelli.
The first thing I noticed was how akward it was Helton looked uncomfortable while he was on, and so did everyone else. It was an awful show. If you closed your eyes and listened everyone sounded the same bland mush ( except Tony who got the wife remark out wonder how much that cost him).
I kept asking myself what is going on. I'm glad I wasn't alone.
Hopefully whoever puts this together next year has a theme, with something besides lets thank the sponsors and go party.
A missed oppotunity for NASCAR again - but at least not tooo many people saw it.
- December 1, 2007 at 8:26 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
I really believe the significance of Max Siegel is grossly understated. By all accounts he appears to be the most powerful person at DEI after Teresa - and the most powerful person at DEI, other than Teresa, since The Big E's demise. He appears to have more influence at DEI than several people The Big E had hired. The team he is with and the power he has does demonstrate change is occurring, but is often overlooked since he is not a driver or crew chief.
- December 1, 2007 at 8:57 PM
- elena said...
JD, Thanks for your response and information on NHRA. I'm glad that they are having good responses. It is obvious that the larger racing community is doing a good job on outreach.
I just meant that some people want equality of results in order to measure effort. So if you don't see enough black or Hispanic faces, it's the fault of the majority--and I'm saying it isn't so.
There is no way in G_d's green earth my parents would have moved from California like Jeff's did to provide him more opportunities. Peggy Fleming's parents did the same thing. They had to move the entire family several times so she'd get better coaching in skating. And there are others too.
All the recruiting in the world would not have convinced my mom that my siblings and I should do anything but study and prepare for school. And that's what we did. My mother was a college professor and 2 of us also became college professors, and one became a coulselor.
Not that it is accurate to paint with a broad brush any ethnic group, but a huge proportion of Asians are pretty focused on academics or owning their own business. (My mom is Chinese).
Their arguement would be, after 4 years how many can make a living from racing? Then they'd say, well after 4 years of college, you can earn a good salary. End of disussion.
By the way, both my parents were huge NASCAR fans--and Jeff was their guy.
thanks again, JD
- December 1, 2007 at 10:41 PM
- Anonymous said...
Elena said...
"Diverity is a tough issue. I wish people would not expect instant results (a few years) to introduce an activity to folks from different ethnic groups."
Very accurate. But I believe the point anonymous 3:52 made in the post is the *awards show* itself didn't have any diversity on the stage or in the crowd, Siegel the exception. (I didn't see him either.)
Other awards shows might not have the most diverse crowd of people actually receiving the awards, but they invite others to participate in the presentation,performance, and audience. Maybe then some casual viewers tune in for a portion to see someone they recognize, as it appears some casual viewers tuned in to watch Kelly.
But the NASCAR Awards are an odd duck for TV as the winners are already known in advance. It's not a regular awards show, going along with the posts asking is this show for TV or sponsors. The appeal may be limited if the format stays the same.
Most importantly, I've finally figured out the difference between Ingrid Gordon and Chandra Johnson's fashion styles at awards and at the track. Ingrid is old-style Hollywood glamour, whereas Chandra Johnson is fashion-forward Vogue magazine - style glamour. Resulting in the mixed reaction I've seen to her dress, which I thought was gorgeous and only she could pull it off.
I await the addition of Ashley Judd to the mix. I also await her reaction the first time Mike Helton lets her know she can't wear her flowy sundresses to the track. Can you say wish I was a fly on the wall?...
- December 1, 2007 at 11:06 PM
- NASCAR_IRL fan said...
Whoops, says anonymous. I'm NASCAR_IRL fan (anon 11:06).
- December 1, 2007 at 11:07 PM
- Anonymous said...
I can't believe I watched this award show again this year. Every year I watch, hoping it'll entertain me one of these times. I'm not a fan of Kelly Ckarksons music, would've preferred a country act, but, i thought the audience was extremely rude in their response to her. I don't think they were into her music either, but, come on, they could've at least clapped when she was done.
I don't know what the answer is, to making this show a little more fun to watch, but, I hope someone comes up with the answer before next year.
- December 2, 2007 at 12:48 AM
- Anonymous said...
The basic problem with the Nascar banquet as a TV 'event' is the focus of the thing. If the lone purpose is to kowtow to corporate sponsors (it is), then it's ridiculous to put it on television as 'entertainment. Who is likely to watch? Only Nascar fans. They already know who the sponsors are...they see them plastered on the cars every week, hear the drivers thank them every time they are on camera. Having an event simply to do so again makes for boring television,and totally unnecessary. If, on the other hand, they want to give the fans something to watch, to enjoy seeing drivers celebrate, then the whole idea needs to be rethought. The tedium has increased every years as the cost of fielding a Cup team rises high enough to require corporate 'money men' to stay in business. Gimmicks like having the cars parade through NYC during rush hour so all those irate commuters waiting to cross thd street can be tagged as 'Nascar fans' is another example of how hard Nascar is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
- December 2, 2007 at 7:39 AM
- GinaV24 said...
Great article, John. You're right those of us who follow the sport week in and week out know these people and want to be able to see them enjoy themselves, not have this scripted and awkward deal. I thought Kyle and Stewart's comments, along with Jeff Gordon's honest emotion was great. It shocks me each time I've seen Brian France appear in public with the driver's at how awkward he is with them. It's almost like he's afraid to be seen in public with them. It's a big contrast to when Bill France Jr used to preent the ring and jewelry to the Champion and his wife. Bill always made that special. Brian looks like he can't wait to escape from the stage -- no wonder the sport is losing fans -- even the "leader" doesn't want to hang around. I agree too that the entertainment should be better integrated. Jay Mohr wasn't funny for the last couple of years, the actor they had do it -- the "Shark" guy -- knew NOTHING about NASCAR. Foxworthy at least knows something about NASCAR. Kelly Clarkson is an OK singer, but NASCAR -- gosh they just have to insist that all of these people are fans when most of them only attend because they get paid to or are promoting their own record, movie, etc. The banquet was actually better than some years, but heck, it's supposed to be a celebration -- how about a little fun?
- December 2, 2007 at 1:21 PM
- Anonymous said...
You think that with the deep pockets that NASCAR has they could afford to get a decent emcee. David Spade is a funny guy but surely NASCAR could've afforded to REALLY splurge and get Robin Williams. Or Steve Martin. Maybe even Chevy Chase. Or, better yet, get the guys from Southpark to just animate the entire thing with Stan and the gang. It worked real well for college football when they introduced starting lineups last weekend.
- December 2, 2007 at 11:22 PM
- chase said...
John: Your column and the comments from posters surrounding the Banquet are right on the money. I did watch it (fortunately our cable system has ESPNClassic) and was once again, bored to tears. Everyone, including Dr. Punch, were wooden and reading from the teleprompter BUT Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick's comments saved the evening for me. It was obvious that they were not reading from the teleprompter and more of this 'winging it' is definitely needed. One poster said that we all know who these people are, their spouses or significant others, their sponsors, etc. One of the other 'standouts' was Brian France who, every time the camera went to him, looked either spaced or or else ready for a long nap. His father never acted that way at Banquets and, quite frankly, if he wasn't on his game then he should have stayed away. Hard to think that this disinterested person is the President of NASCAR. I also think that everyone at ESPN involved with NASCAR should be required to read your columns and the comments posted as should each and every NASCAR employee - perhaps if these 2 companies are 'struggling' (putting it mildly), why not see what the fans want? Without you John, I don't know what any of us would do.
- December 3, 2007 at 9:22 AM
- Lenny said...
Very true JD. I think NASCAR is still trying to run away from a "redneck" persona. This is why they perfer the banquet to be outside of the south and also why they have their drivers on such a short leash. Clarkson was sub-par to say the least and Spade was so bad, he even admitted that his set was imploding.
The biggest travesity of all is not having the championship crew chief give his speech at the banquet. That is like a quarterback receiving an award for the team instead of the coach! You would never see that in the NFL, NBA, MLB or any of the other "major" sports in America. They have a lot of improving to do to make this watchable tv.
- December 3, 2007 at 12:03 PM
- Anonymous said...
Here's what I think. Let Nascar have their corporate, boring, sponsor thanking, check presenting banquet same as they always do, but keep it to themselves. Then on TV, lets have some kind of year-end event that incorporates all the drivers, and is primarily for the fans. Let's have drivers as emcees, and let them talk about who they most like to race, or least like to race. Talk about their favorite tracks, what their best race was, what the worst was. No tuxedos or "entertainers" or comedians. As a fan, I just want to hear them talk about how their season went. What was fun and what was exciting. And that's everyone, not just the top ten. I would watch that for hours.
- December 3, 2007 at 3:51 PM
- Anonymous said...
I didn't read all of the comments above, but I have read these same things each year for the last 4 or 5. I don't see that anyone has said what seems most obvious to me...the banquet doesn't need to "progress" as the sport has. The banquet needs to GO BACK to what it was just a few years ago. I remember the first year the poor drivers used the teleprompters and until that banquet, the banquets were very enjoyable...so I don't think someone has to come up with something really fancy and new to make the banquet what everyone would like it to be...just go back to letting the driver's be themselves (and that part has been mentioned by many others). I remember the drivers being obviously a lot more uncomfortable trying to read the teleprompters and making jokes not of their design than they ever were when they had to make up their own speeches and could speak "from the hip". I'm from NC (born and bred), I have a college degree, and I work for a living and pay my bills on time...and I LOVE NASCAR for the same reasons listed by most of the responses above...I like the inside/behind the scenes stuff that goes on...I like to see what the drivers do with their money in their free time...I like to read about the rumors and gossip that can really change things up in the garage area. I'm glad they dress up in tuxedos and their beautiful wives get all dolled up...it's a major awards banquet regardless of where it's held. My point above is...yes, Nascar got its roots here in the south, but Nascar doesn't have to go out of it's way to get rid of the "red-neck" image. Just because we're from the south doesn't mean we're rednecks. Heck, the "rednecks" spend more money on the sport than I'm willing to these days. And the "rednecks" consume the products that every corporate sponsor is trying to push with their involvement in the sport. Nascar needs to stop turning up their noses to the "rednecks" and let the sport be what it is. They have done a great job of broadening their fan base (done out of greed as far as I can tell though), but they could have done that without trying to make the show (races and banquets) look like a ritzy dog show where everyone sips on wine and hot tea and dresses like they're going to a funeral. (I used the word "redneck" not to mean a social class that I think I am above...to many, I'm sure I fit the bill and for at least part of that, I am proud...I just used that term because it's always been what the outside world (non-Nascar) has viewed us as). Drop the teleprompters and professionally prepared speeches, non-Nascar comedians, and musical acts that don't fit the scene and let it be a true Nascar awards banquet for the drivers, teams, the sport itself, and most importantly...us fans. I used to love watching the banquet! It made for the same conversation the following week as the races used to.
- December 3, 2007 at 4:38 PM
- elena said...
Like many, I did not think DAvid Spade was that great. Well I read today that he was a last-minute replacement because Howie Mandel would not crosss the writer's picket line.
- December 4, 2007 at 12:41 AM
- Anonymous said...
It was as boring as I feared it would be.
I agree that the banquet itself is in search of direction. If it is about the fans, get them more involved. If it's about the drivers and teams, adopt the Busch/truck series format of a late-night talk show. If it's only about the sponsors, don't show it at all, or at least force them to pay for ads during the program.
Why is Brian France so afraid to be around the drivers? Is it because, deep in their hearts, many of them hate him? After all, attendance is down, TV ratings are down, the Chase isn't working, and I'm sure the drivers are smart enough to know that.
Elena, please give me the source for the info that Howie Mandel was supposed to host. I have simply not heard that. Then again, if he had hosted, he could have staged Deal or No Deal with the drivers. That would have been a lot of fun!
One final note: What you saw on TV was not the entire ceremony. I heard part of the live radio broadcast at a local Best Buy store. During the part I listened to, J.D. Gibbs gave the invocation. I watched the telecast and it was not seen. This is ironic considering that every invocation and every anthem is shown on the race telecasts. And it's not as if ESPN Classic didn't have time. The show ended 15 minutes early, with SportsCentury: Jeff Gordon filling the remaining time.
Was the show compressed so that the ESPN2 re-broadcast could end on the button, knowing that the college football game would run past three hours, and the SportsCenter that followed it was to be on for a full hour?
- December 4, 2007 at 12:17 PM
- elena said...
Hi Desmond,
The info on David Spade was on
blog.scenedaily by Steve Waid
I know the Jay Leno and David Letterman would not have crossed the picket line either.
- December 4, 2007 at 2:46 PM
- Anonymous said...
Howie Mandel? I think that would have been horrible...just my opinion.
- December 5, 2007 at 2:32 PM


text:
The r.Net calendar is live and ready for your events! Why not use it to promote your event? Let everyone know about it -- hey, you might even get some new blood into your time period as our Forum covers all time periods. Hey, give it a try!
National Rifle Association
This Site was built and
is managed by
Marsh Wise
(another pages here)
A system of rules and points that allows a reenactment to be more realistic through goals and objectives. Yes, it sounds complicated, but in practice, it is NOT! Give it a try!
Historical reenacting is a great hobby!! And here on reenactor.Net, you will find information about historical reenacting all around the world. Now, you're probably thinking "You mean like the Civil War stuff?" Well, sort of... ANY time period you can think of is reenacted today and we cover them all! So look through the site and maybe you'll find something that interests you enough to get into it. The links are broken down into what we call "Time/Areas" or simply "T/A's." Each of the T/A's are run by an Assistant Webmaster who is active in that period and holds a great love for it.
Not only will you find links to individual unit websites, but also those of overall "parent" organizations. Eventually, each T/A will include a reading list and overall links to other sites which pertain to that period of time.
Try Essay Maker Online if you're searching for a site to help pen those essays.
History and justice essays samples
"I still don't get it!" Probably the best explanation I have ever heard was this: Imagine your most favourite movie. Imagine being able to "step into" that movie -- that's a lot like reenacting. And no, we don't have a script, or anything like that. Our actions are usually just us trying to live in that time period.
If you like history, you'll probably like reenacting—one thing to remember though, you WILL feel what it was like. This isn't like sitting in an arm chair in your living room -- in reenacting, you will feel the dirt, the wind and the rain, the sweat, the wool clothing :-0 (yep, wool—surprisingly comfortable!). You'll learn what period shoes felt like. How the gear was carried; what was comfortable and what wasn't. Often you'll get to try period recipes for foods you've never even thought of. The Romans for example, loved to combine tastes that to us, in the modern world would be (and are) considered weird -- pancakes with pepper come to mind. However, when you try these foods, you'll find they aren't bad, just different. Often different in a good way (WWI turnip jam was NOT in a good way though ).
So look around, pick something that interests you and jump on in -- the water's fine!
Through the kind help of our friends, reenactor .Net has stayed up over the years and with your help, we will be able to continue the stuff we do ;-) To all who have helped out in the past, THANK YOU!!! If you'd like to donate to reenactor.Net, we appreciate your help!.
I've wanted to do Forums for awhile now, but it was either too much coding, or I would have to use someone else's system (i.e. ezboard or something -- meaning we had no control over how it was run) or just whatever . I am happy to say I've found something that set up well and is expandable. There is very little there yet, but there will be soon. And, if you're signed up for one time period, you're a member in them all. This works well if you do more than one time period or are just interested in what's going on in reenacting. It's a nice place on the web -- not some place for a flame war.
So anyway, the link for the Forums is right above -- click it and sign up. And yeah, YOU yourself need to post too, for there to be stuff there to read -- reenacting, it ain't just another arm-chair hobby!
Hope you like it... Marsh
P.S. look for more changes at r.Net coming up to make it easier and better for you, the reenactor.
NEW:Check out the NEW additions to the site page. We try to post the additions along with the date so you can figure out what's new. (okay, so sometimes (often) we don't get around to updating this page as much as we need to... hope to work on that in the future...)
To help you find upcoming events, we also have a calendar section which is constantly being updated by our visitors and the event organizers.
Click HERE to go to our Admin Page and meet the Staff.
Movie Work
If you're interested in using reenactors in a production or you're a reenactor thinking about doing movie/film work, read this!
Then check out this page we have added, written by Matt Amt of LEGIO XX! This article really details what you need to do and how to make the new unit work out right!
Yep! You too, could have your reenactor/historically-related businesses ad here, on reenactor.Net. We have a variety of different combination's to place your banner and text here on reenactor.Net, from a single ad on up to whole ad campaigns to reach your reenactor customers! Click on the banner to check out our pricing.
Anyway, soon we'll have this all redone again, Amazon has come up w/ a newer, better way to help us build our web bookstore. Sometimes it's hard to find books in a time period we don't do, so... if we don't have something that YOU believe we should, TELL US! :-) If you have any questions about our On-Line Store, please view its F.A.Q. page.
(Click the banner above to go read more about Charles Spencer)
The first book here, was written by my wife's great aunt
and is a good read.
From the forward of Jeanne Spencer's book
(written by: Brian D. O'Neill, Author of Half A Wing, Three Engines And A Prayer: B17's Over Germany).
The Journey was written by 83 year old, first time author, Jeanne Spencer (now sadly passed) and is an extraordinary chronicle of her 57 year marriage to the late Charles Spencer. They married shortly before America's entry into World War II, which Spencer fought as an 8th Air Force bombardier. Horribly wounded on a mission against Bremen, Germany on November 26, 1943 Spencer was awarded the Nations second highest award for Military valor the Distinguished Service Cross. After spending 2 years undergoing extensive plastic surgery both in England and at a U.S. Army hospital near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Lt. Spencer was discharged from military service in 1946.
The Journey tells all this, together with the couple's remarkable post war story, as they settled in Jeanne's native Kansas, raised 2 sons, and served God through Chuck's Vocation as a Baptist minister and Chaplain of the Kansas State Soldiers Home near Dodge City. After Chuck's death in 1998, Jeanne continued to live in Dodge City, where she played the organ at the First Baptist church every Sunday and taught an adult Sunday school class, and made clothes for the children of needy families.
The Journey tells all this, together with the couple's remarkable post war story, as they settled in Jeanne's native Kansas, raised 2 sons, and served God through Chuck's Vocation as a Baptist minister and Chaplain of the Kansas State Soldiers Home near Dodge City. After Chuck's death in 1998, Jeanne continued to live in Dodge City, where she played the organ at the First Baptist church every Sunday and taught an adult Sunday school class, and made clothes for the children of needy families.
A book by a good friend of ours, Dr. Jenny Thompson! All about reenactors... Jenny has been writing this book for many years and has finally finished it.
I got my copy and read it right through. Fun to try and figure out who is who (Jenny changed the names to protect the foolish) Also, I am amused to see myself quoted a few times ;-)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dr. Grumpy: (examining patient): "Ummm, okay, where?"
Mr. Notochord: "It's a whole row of them! In a straight line, going down the middle of my back! They're really hard when you press on them."
Dr. Grumpy: "Sir, those aren't tumors. It's the vertebral bones of your back."
Mr. Notochord: "That's what all the other doctors say, too! Why doesn't anyone believe me that they're tumors?!!! This is so frustrating!"


text:
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Friday reported the state's first human case of West Nile virus.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Friday reported the state's first human case of West Nile virus. Surveillance shows the West Nile virus is circulating in mosquitoes around the state. The department is reminding people to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites between dusk and dawn when infected mosquitoes typically feed.
"It's time to pack the mosquito repellent when heading out for hiking, camping or any outdoor activities during evening hours," recommended John Pape, state epidemiologist in charge of West Nile virus surveillance. "The threat of West Nile virus doesn't mean you have to avoid activities you enjoy, but it is important to take a few simple steps to avoid mosquito bites."
The human case occurred in a Delta County resident who became ill 11 days after reporting numerous mosquito bites while attending an outdoor, early evening event. The patient, who developed West Nile virus fever, a less severe form of the disease, recovered following a brief hospitalization. A West Nile virus-related death also occurred recently from a 2012 case. Investigation revealed the patient had been infected in August 2012 and developed a severe complication of the disease known as acute flaccid paralysis. He never recovered from this illness, which eventually contributed to his death this June.
"We know that, for most people, infection with West Nile virus usually results in a mild illness from which patients recover," said Pape. "But for some people, it is a life-altering or life-threatening illness. Since there is no way to predict how sick any one person will become if infected, the best medicine is to prevent illness by avoiding mosquito bites."
In addition to the human case, 21 mosquito pools (groups of mosquitoes batched together for testing) have tested positive from Adams (1), Boulder (2), Larimer (6), Mesa (8), Pueblo (2) and Weld (2) counties. A sick llama was confirmed with West Nile virus infection from Mesa county.
The state health department, local health departments and mosquito control companies have conducted surveillance for West Nile virus since 2001. The virus was first detected in Colorado in 2002. West Nile Virus is carried by certain birds and transmitted to people by bites from mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds. Female Culex mosquitoes, the species that transmits the virus, usually start emerging in late April or early May and continue transmitting the virus until the first frost, which usually is in late September along the Front Range. The highest risk period for human exposure is generally from late June through early September, when mosquito populations and infection rates peak.
In 2012, Colorado had an active West Nile virus year with 131 reported cases and five deaths. Forty-six percent of these patients developed more severe, neuroinvasive forms of the disease in which the virus invades the spinal cord or brain. In contrast, 2011 was a very quiet year with just seven cases reported. Colorado's peak year occurred in 2003 when 2,847 cases and 63 deaths were reported. Although the severity of any given year cannot be accurately predicted, surveillance and weather patterns thus far suggest the possibility of another active transmission season in 2013.
Pape reminds people of the "Four D" precautions to take against West Nile virus:
Drain standing water around the house weekly since that's where mosquitoes lay eggs. Be sure to empty old tires, cans, flowerpots, clogged rain gutters, rain barrels and toys where puddles can occur.Dusk and dawn are when mosquitoes that carry the virus are most active, so limit outdoor activities or take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.DEET is an effective ingredient to look for in insect repellents. Always follow label instructions carefully.Dress in light-weight long sleeves and pants during dawn and dusk or in areas where mosquitoes are active.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and local public health agencies maintain a website with additional information about West Nile virus at www.FightTheBiteColorado.com.


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Well, this should be fun. Bruce Rauner, the venture capitalist from Winnetka who wants to kneecap the public employee unions to turn Illinois into a pro-business state like Indiana, has done what other wealthy upstarts have failed to do in this state — defeat a party establishment.
With his narrow win Tuesday over a surging Kirk Dillard, Rauner has set up an ideological battle with Gov. Pat Quinn, a onetime reformer who has morphed into an old-fashioned tax-and-spend Democrat. The governor will use the full power of incumbency to distribute state grants in key locations around the state to win support.
Quinn's campaign evidently anticipated the outcome of the Republican race. The governor ran TV ads attacking Rauner before the polls closed. Quinn won his Democratic primary against Tio Hardiman, a protest candidate who still got 25 percent of the vote.
But who is Bruce Rauner? Is he the conservative union buster who wants to remake Illinois in the way Republican governors have changed Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin?
Or is he Bruce Rauner, a social liberal who has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates and is a good friend of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel?
Surprise! He's both. Rauner's passion is education reform, and he's worked closely with Emanuel on that over the years.
However, Rauner's strong, anti-union stand will do something the Democrats probably can't do on their own — unite the government unionists' votes behind Quinn.
What Rauner has is an unlimited amount of his own money, which he made as a venture capitalist, a job that included managing pensions for government retirees in Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Republicans nationwide will want to help Rauner defeat a Democratic governor in President Barack Obama's home state.
Dillard, a DuPage County state senator, surged in the last weeks of the campaign, but the election came along too soon to help him win. Dillard had hoped that his union endorsements — specifically from teacher unions — would help him. It may have, but not quite enough. This is the third time Dillard has almost become the GOP nominee for governor; in 2010 he came within 200 votes of defeating Bill Brady, who came in third on Tuesday.
Kinzinger wins
U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, easily defeated Rockford Tea Party leader David Hale, although Hale scored 20 percent of the vote, a respectable showing considering he had little money to wage a campaign throughout the vast 16th District.
Kinzinger now faces a token Democratic candidate in November, but the district is strongly Republican, so Kinzinger has little to worry about.
Durbin vs. Oberweis
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, can breathe a sigh of relief now that he knows his November opponent will be Republican businessman and state Sen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove, who has run unsuccessfully for the U.S. House, twice for the U.S. Senate, and once for governor.
Durbin, the Senate majority whip, will be difficult to defeat as he goes for a fourth term, and Republicans are concentrating on Senate races in other states where they have decent chances to knock off incumbent Democrats. Oberweis has personal money, but can he get $20 million? Because that's how much he'll need to defeat the second-ranking senator.
Area tax referendums for schools and a library didn't do too well. Voters in the North Suburban Library District defeated a request that was so confusingly worded it's impossible to know what the heck it was asking voters to do. Here, see if you can understand this: "Shall the North Suburban Library District increase its property tax rate from the lesser of 5 percent or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index over the prior year to 20.5 percent of equalized assessed value of taxable property for the 2014 levy year?"
If I were asked that question, I'd answer, "This is a trick, isn't it?"
Voters in Stephenson County soundly rejected a bid for a 1 percent sales tax for school facilities.
Meanwhile, Loves Park voters easily OK'd a one percent sales tax for public infrastructure, which I hope Mayor Darryl Lindberg uses to fix North Alpine Road and widen that too-narrow bridge on Riverside.
Chuck Sweeny: 815-987-1366; email@example.com; @chucksweeny


text:
What Every Secretary Knows: Peter desperately wants to make a deal for two of his rising singing stars with an opera impresario. Susie and the maestro's wife plot to get the two big-headed big shots together.
How To Handle a Boss: Susie busts her writer's block by asking a reporter friend to "ghost write" an article for her in a magazine. The result lands her in hot water with everybody in the office!
Not Quite Paradise: Vi's Aunt Martha gets the crazy idea that her niece and Peter are engaged to be married�and that Susie is the competition that must be eliminated!
Three's A Crowd: Susie finds herself in the role of "leading lady" in a love triangle with a new, eager-to-please playwright and a slick Broadway producer.


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Huskers Earn Academic All-Big Ten Honors
Lincoln - Eight members of the Nebraska men's tennis team claimed academic All-Big Ten honors when the conference office anounced its annual spring at-large awards on Wednesday, May 28.
Nebraska's eight award winners were headlined by sophomore Dusty Boyer. The Ham Lake, Minn., native earned his first academic All-Big Ten award, after claiming first-team All-Big Ten honors on the court earlier this spring. The communication studies major played at the No. 1 position in singles throughout the spring and tied for fifth in school history with 25 victories on the year.
Boyer led a group of six second-year Huskers to earn academic all-conference awards. Sophomore Scott Elsass from Eden Prairie, Minn., and a frequent doubles partner of Boyer's, earned his first academic All-Big Ten award as a finance major.
Marc Herrmann, a sophomore from Rohrbach, Germany who finished the season with 20 singles wins and 22 doubles victories while playing primarily out of the No. 2 spots in the Husker lineup, added his first academic All-Big Ten honor as a business administration major. Andrew Dzulynsky, a criminology and criminal justice major from Miramar, Fla., and Bradford Zitsch, an agronomy major from Columbia, Mo., both claimed the first academic All-Big Ten awards of their careers in their second seasons at NU.
Chris Schindler, a redshirt freshman from Hanau, Germany, was the sixth Husker in his second season in Lincoln to earn academic All-Big Ten honors, while majoring in business administration/economics.
Senior and Lincoln native Brandon Videtich completed his Husker career with his second consecutive academic All-Big Ten award. Videtich earned his undergraduate degree from Nebraska in May after majoring in business administration.
Sebastian Florczyk joined Videtich as a two-time academic All-Big Ten selection. Florczyk sat out his fourth season at Nebraska while battling an injury. The accounting/business administration major from Friedrichsdorf, Germany, hopes to return to the Husker lineup healthy in 2014-15.
Academic All-Big Ten
- Dusty Boyer, So., Ham Lake, Minn. (Communication Studies)
- Andrew Dzulynsky, So., Miramar, Fla. (Criminology & Criminal Justice)
- Scott Elsass, So., Eden Prairie, Minn. (Finance)
- Sebastian Florczyk, Sr., Friedrichsdorf, Germany (Accounting/Business Administration)
- Marc Herrmann, So., Rohrbach, Germany (Business Administration)
- Chris Schindler, RFr., Hanau, Germany (Business Administration/Economics)
- Brandon Videtich, Sr., Lincoln, Neb. (Business Administration)
- Bradford Zitsch, So., Columbia, Mo. (Agronomy)


text: Save This Event For Later Quabbin Reservoir Classic Road Race Ware, MA, Sat Apr 27, 2013 Who's Registered? | Contact Event | Google Calendar Start line address: Ware, MA 01082 Presented by Cyclonauts Racers This is a past event. If you wish to see the details for this event click, "Continue" below. If you are looking for a current event, please search the event calendar .


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Legion to D.C.: Stop the shutdown now
On the eve of a House hearing about how the Department of Veterans Affairs is being affected by the government shutdown, American Legion National Commander Daniel M. Dellinger is calling upon Congress and President Obama to settle their differences immediately, for the sake of America and more than 20 million veterans.
"The time for bickering and political brinksmanship is over," Dellinger said. "It is now time for our government in Washington to stand with – and not against – our men and women who have served this country with honor and sacrifice. Do Congress and the White House truly understand what it means to eliminate a veteran's sole source of income? Benefit payments to our veterans will soon end if the government shutdown goes on. Who is going to take responsibility for the despair that will surely follow?"
Dellinger, who voiced his concerns Oct. 4 at a press conference in Washington, said The American Legion's anger over what the federal government shutdown is doing to America's veterans is strictly nonpartisan. "Democrat, Republican, Independent alike, all are failing America's veterans by refusing to cooperate," he said. "We have a genuine crisis in leadership in our nation's capital. With the government closed and a debt ceiling about to be breached, our veterans aren't the only ones who will pay the price of political arrogance – the entire country will."
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki will be the sole witness at an Oct. 9 hearing before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. In a statement issued by the committee, the hearing's purpose "is to clarify precisely how veterans, VA programs and employees will be affected by the shutdown in both the near and longer term."
On Sept. 25, VA announced that 95 percent of its employees would either be fully funded, or required to perform excepted functions, during a government shutdown. Two days later, the department indicated that benefits claims processing and payments would not be affected by shutdown. However, VA reversed its stance in a Sept. 28 memo, saying that funding for claims processors and beneficiaries would run out by the end of October.
The serious impact of the shutdown on veterans reached a more critical stage Oct. 7, when VA announced it had to furlough nearly 10,000 workers because of funding shortfalls. Loss of this work force means the department can no longer process GI Bill benefits claims, conduct personal interviews and hearings, offer educational or vocational counseling, or provide outreach activities and programs.
The reduced work force also means that American Legion service officers are unable to use office space allocated to them at the regional offices. The Legion has more than 2,600 accredited representatives across the country who help veterans file claims for pension, disability and other VA benefits.
"Let's get away from all the politics and talk about the real desperation that so many of our veterans are facing," Dellinger said. "Imagine how will it feel to be a veteran living month to month on a VA benefits check that may not be paid in November? Imagine how veterans are going to feel – who are sick or disabled because they served this country – if they are no longer able to provide the basic needs of their families?
"We're talking about food, shelter and electricity. We're talking about survival for people without any safety nets. How does Congress and the White House feel about putting thousands of veterans at risk of eviction, homelessness or worse? And why are they creating such despair for our veterans?"
According to the Legion, the Veterans Benefits Administration issued more than $758 million in benefits payments in September alone.
Dellinger said The American Legion, through its Legislative Division in Washington, is pressing Congress each day to find a solution to the shutdown. "And find it quickly," he said. "It's called compromise. Get off the talk show circuit and pick up the phone."


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Steven Gee scores nine straight points to open third quarter
In their second to last home game of the regular season, the Taft varsity boys basketball team showed the flair for coming back. It was not enough in a 70-59 loss to the Wasco Tigers Friday night.
Trailing 4-0 to begin the game, the Wildcats didn't score their first points until the 5:32 mark when Jacob Lopez scored on a jumper. Lopez would narrow the deficit to one at 5-4 before the Tigers took off with seven straight points. Taft narrowed the deficit to 12-9 before the Tigers pulled ahead to lead 17-11 at the end of the first quarter.
Wasco took off again in the second quarter outscoring Taft 9-3. The only Wildcat points during that stretch came on Steven Gee's three-pointer. The Wildcats fought back to cut the lead down to four thanks in part to Junior Tuuamalemalo's layup.
However, the Tigers reeled off the final ten points of the half to lead by 14 at the break.
Gee got the Wildcats back into the game early in the third quarter by scoring nine straight points. After Lopez had cut the lead down to three, Wasco answered with a three-pointer. After Taft trimmed the lead back to three at 42-39, the teams traded points until Taft scored three unanswered points to close out the quarter. By going on the run, Taft trailed 50-45.
After Wasco opened the final quarter with a three-pointer, Tuuamalemalo scored four straight points to trim the lead to four. After the teams traded baskets, the Tigers scored ten out of the next 11 points. Taft finally broke the run late in the fourth quarter. Taft added on five more points but the Tigers countered with four to win.
To read the full story pick up Tuesday's Driller.


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quote:Originally posted by mandree888OH NO! SLANTOS CAMBELL WON IT I CALL FOR A RECOUNT! lol i guess this is the biggest mistake in the history of the award??
quote:Originally posted by slozoThe 2011/12 Lady Byng Thread3 pages of comments34 long posts by a guy named Slantos24 angry replies by Alex11613 frustrated replies by Clatts1 heated debate_______________________________Having a 100+ post thread on who should win the Lady Byng trophy turn into a street brawl?Priceless._________________________________For everything else . . . there's a bag of pucks. "Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug
quote:Originally posted by SlantosIf you think Moulson or Campbell "SHOULD WIN" and you believe they are as deserving... You haven't gave any good reasons or stats to back-up those statements on WHY you think they are "JUST as deserving to win the award as Eberle"N so far the stats n reasons, some people have already given, with the TOI factor, isn't a good reason, as that OBVIOUSLY hasn't weighed as heavily on deciding the winner in the past 11 years, as points, +/-, and PIM's... So I mean find other stats categories, that have been as relevant as those 3, in deciding the winner of the award in the past 11 years, where Moulson and Campbell have posted better #'s than Eberle. JDC
quote:Originally posted by SlantosLOL yes I realize nobody is arguing that Eberle shouldn't win... But I just love how your more focused on analyzing my statements than backing up your own, with stats and facts, on how and why you think Campbell and Moulson are as deserving as Eberle.. Just great! Keep at it!!!JDC
quote:Originally posted by SlantosAre you really trying to compare Lidstrom to Brian Campbell? ARE YOU HIGH???? Lidstroms closests comparable year statistically to Campbell's this year, he had 57 points, was a +14, and had 14 PIM (still not a - player). His lowest +/- came extremely late in his career, and he was still only a -2, other than that year, he had NEVER been a - player. Yes +/- was effected by his team, but he was the player on that team that was playing the majority of the TOI, ALMOST HIS WHOLE CAREER!!!JDC
quote:Originally posted by SlantosLidstrom is a + player, who does what it takes to win. That includes doing the gritty stuff. I would gladly take him on my team.JDC
quote:Originally posted by mandree888quote:Sorry mandree, but that implies past tense. As far as i know, the Kessel trade thread is still alive, unfortunately, and will continue to grow. it was hope alex..... it was hope.......thank you for crushing it rofl
quote:Sorry mandree, but that implies past tense. As far as i know, the Kessel trade thread is still alive, unfortunately, and will continue to grow.
quote:Originally posted by SlantosOk, I guess as far as arguments against Eberle winning go, this thread IS over..And Brian Campbell MIGHT win, but I wouldn't want him on the Oilers as he's to expensive, he's a - player (as a defenseman that HORRIBLE), and he's not doing his job as a defenseman if he won't be gritty toward the opposition. Ask any forward in the league who they'd rather go up against, a guy like Bieksa who's willing to cross check them, punch them, slash them, or simply do ANYTHING to make them think twice about charging the net, and to throw them off their game, or a guy like Campbell, who won't do any of the above. I'm SURE their answer would be simple.JDC
quote:Originally posted by mandree888slantos i only have one question for you? why won't you let this thread die. its as boring as the kessel trade thread and that was 8 pages long dear god.......
quote:Originally posted by Slantos[br Is it just a HUGE coincidence that the last FOUR winners, have posted better numbers in at least 2/3 of the main relevant categories I've stated?You'll have a tough time convincing me of that, as I don't believe in coincidences (especially when it's OBVIOUSLY NOT a coincidence)
quote:Originally posted by SlantosI do believe in coincidences, just not 4 IN A ROW.
quote:Originally posted by SlantosI love how you addressed everything I said but this:Is it just a HUGE coincidence that the last FOUR winners, have posted better numbers in at least 2/3 of the main statistical categories that have been used to crown a winner?
quote:Originally posted by SlantosI love how you addressed everything I said but this:Is it just a HUGE coincidence that the last FOUR winners, have posted better numbers in at least 2/3 of the main statistical categories that have been used to crown a winner?JDC
quote:Originally posted by SlantosI agree refs should vote on this as well, as they of all people would know best, who's the most gentlemanly.
quote:Originally posted by SlantosBut since they don't, stats are the only logical way to judge the winner, and STATISTICALLY Eberle is the most deserving. And from the last 3 winners, it seems like it has been judged on stats, as if you looks at their stats, it looks like there's been a certain similarity of statistics.
quote:Originally posted by SlantosI don't care if 1% of D-Men get 75+ points, my point is the other 99% of D-Men could have done it to, get it now?
quote:Originally posted by SlantosAlso I never said every single one of those players had more of an impact on Florida's success did I? But all as a group... That's what I was getting at anyway.
quote:Originally posted by SlantosAnd I never decided what stats are relevant, just stated the stats that have been most relevant in deciding the past 3 winners of the award. And common sense says, that there are 3 MAIN stats that should be used to judge the "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability". They are, Points, +/-, and PIM's.. (MAINLY POINTS) If you can think of any other stats that could be used to judge this feel free to let me know.
quote:Originally posted by SlantosAnd do you really consider it a compliment for a defenseman to be called "gentlemanly"?
quote:Originally posted by JOSHUACANADAIf I could virtually high 5 you Alex I would. Dont take this the wrong way was the best icon I could find. All points I wanted bring up. Either way if Eberle wins it I aint gonna go (noooooooo!) that SOB stole a win away from Moulson or Campbell. I actually like Eberle, but I like the other 2 as well. I just haven't developed the man crush Slantos has
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I can only post the plays for the first quarter because I need to get my hair cut (lol).
BTW I dont think I post play-by-play for the chiefs-browns game I think ill just wanna watch it. I mean I will have to get up at 6am to watch it and since that its the holidays now ive been sleeping in till like 10am and 11am!


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Huskers Travel to CMU Women's Invitational
The Nebraska women's bowling team will continue its 2012-13 season this weekend at the Central Missouri Women's Collegiate Invitational held in the AMF Pro Bowl Lanes in North Kansas City, MO. The Huskers will be one of 12 teams competing in the talent-rich field, as competition begins Friday and will end Sunday afternoon.
As the season ramps up toward the postseason, Nebraska Head Coach Bill Straub and the team knows that it is time to turn up their competition level. This weekend's tournament is the second to last tournament of the season.
"Hopefully with this weekend's competition, we will participate well enough that the committee will select us for the NCAA Championship." Straub said.
Straub is referring to the NCAA Championship selection process, where a selected committee picks eight teams much like in NCAA basketball, based on RPI points and strength of schedule among other criteria. The NCAA selection show will be on March 27 at 4 p.m.
"We decided to travel the entire team this weekend to give them a chance to gain some experience." Straub said.
Check back on Huskers.com for updates after each day of competition. Below is the schedule for the entire weekend of competition, as well as the teams competing at the Central Missouri Women's Collegiate Invitational.
Weekend Schedule:
Friday, March 1st: 11 a.m. start for Baker game total pinfall matches
Saturday, March 2nd: 9:35 a.m. start for 5 Team game matches
Sunday, March 3rd: 8:30 a.m. start for Baker Match Play (Best 4 of 7)
Tournament Field
Central Missouri
Arkansas State
Sam Houston State
Stephen F. Austin
Texas Southern
Louisiana Tech
Last Time Out:
The Nebraska bowling team finished third out of 28 teams at the James Brown Invitational, hosted by Morgan State University in Towson, Md., on Feb. 15-17 The Huskers finished the three-day event with a 9-3 overall record behind tournament champion Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Head Coach Bill Straub was impressed with the team's performance throughout the weekend, but would like to see the team be more consistent in competition. Leading the way for NU was sophomore Liz Kuhlkin. Kuhlkin finished 12th in the individual standings, with a weekend average of 202.


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- Oct 22:
- Police: Definitive link between May abduction try and murder of Jessica Ridgeway
- Oct 20:
- Jogger choked 8-year-old boy near Ketner Lake in Westminster in May
- Westminster police: Cross could lead to Jessica Ridgeway's killer
- Oct 13:
- Investigators follow all leads to find Jessica Ridgeway's killer
- Crowd, purple balloons celebrate life of Jessica Ridgeway
- Oct 12:
- Boulder experts offer tips on talking to kids in aftermath of Jessica Ridgeway murder
- Officials: Body is that of missing Westminster child Jessica Ridgeway
- Long search ends: "Justice for Jessica" as hope turns to grief
- Oct 11:
- Jessica Ridgeway case makes Longmont parents think twice about letting kids walk to school alone
- Jessica Ridgeway search: Westminster police say body found is not intact
- Jessica Ridgeway search: FBI asks for help finding suspect who fits profile
- Oct 10:
- Maine police one of many agencies investigating Jessica Ridgeway tips
- Parents ruled out as suspects in search for Jessica Ridgeway
- Oct 9:
- Hundreds attend vigil for Jessica Ridgeway in Superior park
- FBI probing link between Wyoming kidnapping and Jessica Ridgeway case
- Jessica Ridgeway's dad: I just want to find my daughter and bring her home
- Jessica Ridgeway search continues in Superior, Westminster today
- Oct 8:
- Jessica Ridgeway case: Neighbor noticed backpack on Superior street night before
- Dual prayer events to be held for Jessica Ridgeway in Superior, Westminster on Tuesday
- Jessica Ridgeway search expands to open space areas surrounding Superior
- Oct 7:
- Jessica Ridgeway search in Superior: 'We believe it is her backpack'
WESTMINSTER — In the hours after police first learned that Jessica Ridgeway hadn't made it to school Oct. 5, police officers and investigators quickly and deftly pored through information about the missing child.
They searched through residences near her home and open spaces, talked with neighbors and classmates, interviewed teachers, talked to Missouri police and even tracked down a bus driver whose route went through Jessica's neighborhood.
They found nothing — only the consistent and terrifying facts that a 10-year-old girl walking to her neighborhood school never made it.
That morning, Jessica had called a neighbor boy at 8:25 a.m., asking whether he would be walking to school that day. The two usually walked down Moore Street and through an open space every morning to Witt Elementary.
Extras: Jessica Ridgeway
- Read the complete charges against Austin Sigg
- View more images from the day of the arrest announcement
- Read the Austin Sigg custody report from Westminster Police
- View photos of a memorial bike and car cruise for Jessica Ridgeway on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012.
- More photos of Jessica Ridgeway's path the morning she was taken.
- Images of the Jessica Ridgeway memorial in Arvada on Tuesday, Oct. 16.
- Photos: Officials confirm body found in Arvada is Jessica Ridgeway.
- Photos: Volunteers help police search for Jessica Ridgeway.
- Video of Jessica's family talking about her disappearance.
- View the FBI Denver press release on the case, Oct. 11.
The boy said he would wait for Jessica. But as the minutes went by, Jessica didn't arrive. Jessica's mother — who works the night shift — reported seeing her daughter leave the house at about 8:30 a.m. wearing a black-and-pink jacket, blue jeans, purple eyeglasses and fuzzy boots and carrying a backpack with the word "Victorious" etched on the back.
At 8:40 — 10 minutes before the school bell rings — Jessica had not arrived. The boy climbed into a car with his father and headed to school, according to dispatch tapes from Westminster police.
The mother reportedly slept through phone calls from the school that were intended to alert her about Jessica's unexcused absence. The mother later in the afternoon began searching for her daughter, going to relatives' homes and her daughter's frequent haunts before calling police at about 4:30 p.m.
Police first went to the family home. Officers went to Witt Elementary. They found the boy who usually walks with Jessica — who at first told officers that he had walked with her that day and saw her enter the school building. He later realized that he had mixed up the days.
They talked with Jessica's teacher, a teacher's aide, her best friend, her grandmother and aunt. They talked to neighbors and worked feverishly to find her father in Missouri — finally learning that he had been at work all day.
They searched stores and parks where Jessica liked to climb a tree or hide. They went through culverts. The Westminster police's K-9 unit couldn't be activated, so they accepted assistance from Adams County.


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Sussex Central drama students will bring the life of Wolfgang Mozart to the SCHS stage next week with the first production of "Amadeus" in Sussex County in years.
Sussex Central High School's Take Two Drama Club will present Peter Shaffer's "Amadeus" Thursday, Dec. 13 through Saturday, Dec. 15.
"Amadeus" is a darkly humorous retelling of the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his arch-rival Antonio Salieri, a less-talented composer, who may or may not be trying to kill the young musical genius. The play, which has not been performed in Sussex County in decades, was a Tony Award-winning Broadway hit and an Academy Award-winning film.
"This play offers an incredible learning experience for our actors," says SCHS drama instructor and director David Warick. "I'm so glad we can bring this classic contemporary play to Sussex County. Our cast is remarkable and the audience is in for a great night of theatre, not just a great night of high school theater."
The Thursday and Friday performances have a curtain time of 7:00 p.m., while the show on Dec. 15 is a matinee with a curtain time of 2:00 p.m. General admission is $8 at the door. Students, seniors and military personnel pay $5. Middle school students with ID are admitted on a special two-for-one ticket for $5.00. No one will be turned away for inability to pay.
For school groups and group sales, please call David Warick at (302) 934-3166, extention 420. Concessions will be available during intermission. Sussex Central High School is located at 26026 Patriots Way, Georgetown.


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The state's top alcohol-enforcement official issued a warning Tuesday to a downtown Houma nightclub that has sparked complaints about repeated violence and disruption.
The state's top alcohol-enforcement official issued a warning Tuesday to a downtown Houma nightclub that has sparked complaints about repeated violence and disruption.
The action follows a Jan. 25 public meeting in Houma led by state Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Troy Hebert. During the meeting, Hebert gave City Club owner Mike Fesi Jr. a temporary reprieve from a threatened closure depending on how cooperative he is in addressing residents' concerns.
In the 10 days since, Hebert said Fesi and local officials have come to an agreement to ensure the club will operate responsibly or face penalties that can result in the revocation of the club's alcohol permit.
"These items are very sufficient in trying to address the concerns that not only the officials had but also what the residents have," Hebert said. "If the terms of this condition are broken, then ATC will reserve the right to come back and revisit this issue to suspend the permit."
The terms are:
- The minimum age for entry into the club will be raised from 18 to 21.
- Fesi will pay a security detail for downtown Houma to keep patrons safe from loiterers and monitor other activities.
- Music from the club will be monitored closely to prevent violating the sound ordinance.
- Doors to the business will not be left open. Officers present suggested he invest in a sound board to help with the sound issue.
- Security personnel employed by City Club will escort the bar patrons to their cars.
- Bar patrons will be encouraged to use the side door when exiting.
- Last call for alcohol and winding down the music will be at 1:45 a.m.
- Load capacity will be monitored by City Club employees.
- Before installing any interior walls, approval will be obtained from the state fire marshal.
- Employees have agreed to pick up the trash from the exterior of the building during and after events.
The change to make the club 21 and older will apply during regular hours, but Fesi said when the club puts on live bands, it will be 18 and older.
"Legally, we don't have to do that," Fesi said. "But to be able to try and diffuse a lot of the underage drinking, we're going to have to implement some policies to improve some things."
Fesi said the terms are fair as long as they don't affect his business.
"At the end of the day, we haven't violated, but we had complaints, and we are going to work to be able to make it easier for everyone as long as we have communication and cooperation," Fesi said. "But I'm still not going to kill my business because they don't want quote, 'that,' downtown."


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BLET readies for 150th anniversaryWritten by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) will enter its 150th year on May 8, 2013. BLET notes that it is the oldest transportation labor organization in North America.
Founded May 8, 1863, in Detroit, Mich., BLET has its headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. It has more than 500 divisions (locals) throughout the United States. BLET is returning to Detroit in May of 2013 to host a celebration of this milestone.
BLET was the first labor organization to obtain contracts with railroads. Among the earliest was an agreement with the former New York Central in 1875. Today, the BLET has dozens of contracts with railroads large and small and represents more than 55,000 active and retired locomotive engineers and trainment on 98 percent of rail trackage in the United States.


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Good News For People Who Like Bad News
Josh Smith hit just 3-of-10 shots for six points, two rebounds, one assist, a steal and a block in 22 minutes in the Hawks win over the Magic. The minutes are a concern. His production, including his free throw and field goal percentage, are a concern and he's just not very much fun to own in fantasy right now. But he's a big key to what the Hawks are going to do this year and I'm here to talk you off the ledge. The low-ball offers are coming and you probably want to cut him, despite the fact he was your first-round pick. But he has three more games this week to get it turned around and is healthy. He simply can't play any worse and the only way to go is up. I'm going to target him in trades if I can find time to do so, and hold onto him where I own him. It's been a rough ride, but you simply can't panic, or bench him in a four-game week. But with the Hawks playing just twice in Week 5, I've already got him out of my lineup for that one.
Marcin Gortat has really cooled off and is ticked off about losing Steve Nash, as well as his role in the Suns' offense. "Unfortunately, I don't think I'm even an option for (Alvin) Gentry," he said. "He doesn't even take me into consideration." Something tells me Mr. Gentry and Goran Dragic aren't going to love seeing these comments in print, but the hope is they start trying to work him back into the offense. He's another guy I'm not panicking on…yet.
Ersan Ilyasova played 16 minutes and hit 2-of-5 shots for a measly four points and four rebounds last night. He's hit rock bottom and Bucks coach Scott Skiles is clearly in his head. I've got him on the bench where I own him, and unless I get an offer that knocks my socks off (I won't), I'm just going to keep benching him until he gets it going. And if he is still sucking wind by Christmas, I will cut the cord. I'm a very impatient fantasy owner and only have him in weekly leagues. In a daily league, where he is hurting you constantly, dropping him is a more valid solution. But I still cannot accept the fact he might be this bad all year. I'm simply not even considering that as a possibility at this point.
The Warriors' Klay Thompson hit just 2-of-14 shots for seven points, three rebounds, a steal, a block, a 3-pointer and four turnovers in an OT win against the Mavs. His confidence is shot but he said on Monday that the last time he was in a slump like this he just continued to try to shoot his way out of it. He's doing that right now and it will eventually happen. The minutes are there and he just needs one game where his shot falls. Feel free to trade him, but I'm guessing you'll regret it if you just cut him. Someone who is not struggling for GSW is Harrison Barnes, who double-doubled for the second time in four games and has scored in double figures in four straight. Don't look now, but he's a must-own player at this point.
Gordon Hayward came off the Jazz bench again and played just 19 minutes, finishing with 15 points and a 3-pointer on 5-of-12 shooting. He needs more minutes to be an effective fantasy player, but it's too early to even think about dropping him.
Andre Iguodala hit 3-of-8 shots for just seven points and not much else in Denver's win over the Grizzlies. If you've had your eye on Iguodala, now is a great time to offer his owner a trade. Danilo Gallinari didn't hit half his shots, as usual, but was much better with 26 points, five boards, a steal, a block and two 3-pointers. Finally.
Kyle Korver hit just 2-of-11 shots and one 3-pointer for five points on Monday. Korver was a popular pick up with four games and riding a hot streak, but fell on his face last night. He'll bounce back, but can be dropped in weekly leagues as the Hawks play just two games next week.
Roy Hibbert hit 8-of-10 shots for 20 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and just two turnovers in a win over the Wizards. Hibbert's owners have been out on the ledge for a couple weeks and he finally got hot tonight, and stopped turning it over. Yes, the Wizards lack of bigs helped his cause, but Hibbert is still a guy I consider a solid buy-low prospect given his dismal play. David West also got on track with 30 points and a huge stat line, as it appears that the Wizards are wonders at helping guys break out of a funk.
Kevin Seraphin started the second half for Emeka Okafor and finished with 13 points and three rebounds in 25 minutes for the Wiz. He keeps teasing us, but hasn't been a consistent rebounder and hasn't gotten minutes from Randy Wittman. Maybe that's all about to change, so keep an eye on him, as usual. A.J. Price had eight points and zero assists on 2-of-8 shooting in 24 minutes, while new acquisition Shaun Livingston also played 24 minutes and had 10 points and four dimes. The timeshare is coming and Price suddenly doesn't look too promising.
Shawn Marion was 3-of-9 for seven points and Elton Brand was 2-of-6 for five points in just 14 minutes for the Mavs. I'm fine with holding Marion, but have dropped Brand where I owned him. Someone who is not struggling is Chris Kaman, who torched the Warriors for 18 points, 17 boards, a steal and two blocks in an OT loss. Congratulations if you grabbed him off waivers earlier this season. And don't look now, but Troy Murphy might be more important to Rick Carlisle than Brand, logging 24 minutes for 12 points, four boards, four steals, two blocks and four 3-pointers in 24 minutes. Keep a close eye on him going forward.
Rockets center Omer Asik was 0-for-5 for two points, seven boards and two blocks in a loss to the Jazz, but don't let it bother you. He should bounce back.
It all started around 8 p.m. on Monday, just after weekly deadlines were locked in, when guys, including superstar Kyrie Irving, started dropping like flies. Tuesday's Dose sadly looks at what was supposed to be a quiet seven-game night, but turned into a bloodbath. And if you own Josh Smith, Ersan Ilyasova or Klay Thompson, stick around until the end of the column, as I'll attempt to talk you off the ledge. I feel like a more appropriate nickname for me would be Dr. Downer after this one.
Monday, Bloody Monday
Kyrie Irving will be out four weeks for the Cavs with a hairline fracture in his left index finger. This is terrible news, especially for those of us stuck with him in a weekly lineup for zero games played. Donald Sloan and Jeremy Pargo will pick up the slack at point guard, while Dion Waiters remains a must-own player. Daniel Gibson is also worth keeping an eye on, but if I had to guess, Sloan is the guy with the experience here for Byron Scott, although I wouldn't call him a must-own player just yet. Tristan Thompson will play with a mask after suffering a nasal fracture, but is coming off back-to-back double-doubles and should be able to play through it.
Stephen Jackson was a popular pick up with four games for the Spurs and Kawhi Leonard sidelined this week, but lasted just 10 minutes before suffering a broken pinkie finger that will keep him out from four to six weeks. Danny Green is the main beneficiary here.
Stephen Curry hurt his right ankle yet again and was visibly upset just after it happened. Remarkably, the Warriors let him stay in the game and his play actually improved. Hopefully it's nothing, but if I own Curry, I cross my fingers and plan on spending a lot of time watching the Rotoworld News page over the Thanksgiving break. He finished with 31 points, six rebounds, nine assists, two steals and three 3-pointers, as well as hit all 10 of his free throws. Let's pray his ankle is fine after he sleeps on it.
James Harden played through the flu on Monday, but didn't start the second half for Houston due to the illness and never returned to the game. The good news is he just has the same flu bug that is making its way through the league, and owners have to hope he's ready to roll on Wednesday against the Bulls
Paul Pierce is dealing with a sprained ankle but thinks he'll be ready to go on Wednesday vs. San Antonio. Consider him a game-time decision for that one, but my guess is he'll play.
Anthony Davis tweaked his left ankle yet again on Saturday, but says he's fine. We'll find out if that's true on Tuesday when the Hornets play the Knicks, but it sounds like he'll play.
Dwyane Wade went through a full practice on Monday for the Heat and appears to be on track to play Wednesday against the Bucks. The Heat play just two games this week, so don't feel bad if you put him on your bench, and consider him a game-time decision for now.
Kyle Lowry is still not participating in Raptors practices and there is no timetable for his return from an ankle injury, other than hoping he'll be back by the end of the month. Jose Calderon remains a must-own player until further notice.
Brooklyn's Deron Williams had some dental work done and is dealing with a sore elbow, but appears to be ready to go for Tuesday's game against the Lakers.
Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki has picked up his "activity level" as he recovers from knee surgery, but we still don't have a timetable on his return. Hopefully he's back by Christmas, if not earlier.
Minnesota's Nikola Pekovic is expected to play on Wednesday after missing time with a sprained ankle. Brandon Roy's seventh knee surgery will keep him out about a month and I see no reason to hold him. J.J. Barea is still not practicing with the Wolves due to a foot injury and he could miss more time. These are just another couple reasons to own Alexey Shved (who is nearly must-own at this point).
Vince Carter went down with a right hamstring injury and went to the Mavs' locker room, but surprisingly returned to the game in the fourth quarter. This is another one to keep an eye on, as he could miss time if he doesn't feel great in the morning.
Gerald Henderson's foot is getting better, but I would be surprised to see him back in action this week for the Bobcats, which means more good things for Ramon Sessions, who had 23 points last night. Ben Gordon went down with a right knee contusion and didn't return to Monday's game, which is more good news for Sessions' owners. Tyrus Thomas will miss a couple months with a serious left calf injury, which shouldn't affect too many fantasy owners or the Bobcats, but I'm not in the same boat. He was helping to hold down the fort in my 30-team league while I wait for Kevin Love, but now that honor goes to, gulp, Jan Vesely.
Nick Young has been cleared to play on Tuesday after leaving Sunday's game with an elevated heart rate. This matters because Doug Collins has benched Dorell Wright in order to get Young more minutes for the Sixers. Young's not a must-own player, but if you're looking for a reason to dump Wright, this could be it. Just know that Wright will become relevant again quickly if Jason Richardson's knee acts up.
Caron Butler suffered a right shoulder injury on Monday and didn't return to the Clippers' win over the Spurs. Matt Barnes is now worth a close look, as Butler, despite being nicknamed 'Tough Juice,' isn't the fastest of healers. Barnes had 14 points, nine boards and three steals in 35 minutes, and is probably worth grabbing in deeper leagues.
J.J. Redick and Jameer Nelson both played through the flu on Monday, and while both of them pretty much stunk up the gym for the Magic, they at least played. Don't drop either of them.