Wildfires in Southern California

I just wanted to make a very brief pre-emptive strike to the masses that will be clamoring in a few days on how much better the disaster response from the Bush Administration and the Federal government has been for California opposed to what happened in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast during Hurricane Katrina.

In California, the evacuees said they were pleased with the official response to their needs, the clean conditions, abundant food and water and even yoga, acupuncture and massage. Even animals were being accommodated, with evacuated horses put up at the county fairgrounds.

Just want to make a note that this response from the evacuees is prior to any federal assistance having even arrived on site. The response, which is far less than what is needed for response to the enormity of this disaster was all pre-planned and is being implemented through coordination among the State of California and the municpalities and agencies in the impacted area.

I like to Bush Bash with the rest of them, but this illustrates the importance of preparation activities and organized coordination at the State level to really make an impact for their own residents. By the time the feds come in the worse has generally already passed.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted by this event, several of which are friends, family, and co-workers. I hope all states have put forth the same effort to coordinate disaster recovery in this manner. Read more!

Respectable as a Man

Not planning to use the blog for movie reviews, but for as much heat as I give Mr. Tyler Perry I have to give him KUDOS to his most recent movie "Why did I get Married?"

For those of you that know me, you know how much disdain I hold for Tyler Perry and the buffoonery displayed in the Ma' Dea movies and plays. I have a major issue with effectively a role model for young Black men to be running around stage in a dress acting like a complete fool. His entire identity as a man centered around his character as a woman, not for the brilliance that he obviously has as a gifted author and director.

I will not even elaborate on my thoughts on the quality of some of his previous stories (I'll just say I can't relate and I come from a pretty dysfunctional family), but the latest movie is one for the ages. When the wife asked me to go and see it, I was surprised as she shares my disdain for his previous work (more from the standpoint of she just doesn't find it funny). I couldn't believe she wanted to see it, and was completely in shock that she wanted me to go as well!!!

So when I said it was out of the question, I don't support Tyler Perry in any way; she told me he was not dressed up as a woman in this movie. I said, well that's good but it is still going to be silly. She said this one is better it is REAL and it has a very positive message and is a very entertaining story. I was like sure it does they all do, but the positive message is generally an "uncreative" cliche, or the characters in the movie make such a mockery of themselves that the positive message is lost in translation and becomes an afterthought. She told me that Janet Jackson and Jill Scott were in the movie, I said OK I'll give it a shot!

I must admit, when Mr. Perry decides to put on the clothes that he was ordained to wear by birth and not jump around like a blind rooster in a hen house it makes for a very entertaining and effective movie. The casting was very good for all of the characters (well maybe not Janet Jackson). The story line and issues covered in this movie were REAL. Not the "keeping it real" variety you get in many of his other stories.

Normally you mention a Tyler Perry movie to me and you have pretty much lost your privilege to discuss choices of entertainment with me, but in this case I'll go so far as to recommend this movie. This movie is the quality Black movie that we are always asking for, but can never seem to get. Mr. Perry has a contract to make several movies because they have all been wildly successful, and it seems as each story continues to get better. Mr. Perry has been given the right to call the shots on what he feels is a story is going to sell at the theatres. There is no question Mr. Perry is a brilliant and gifted author and director, and I certainly hope he continues to make the choices that are Respectable as a Man! Read more!

Collateral Damage

Not the name I would have chosen, but a friend of mine coined the phrase so I am going to roll with it, the Cowboys have been labeled "Team Body Bag." This refers to the size, strength, and speed of this team, and what they have done to the opposing team players as they have really been dominant the last 4 weeks. The offense has been averaging 35 points a game, and with an offensive line led by BIG Leonard Davis they have been laying the wood. The defense has chipped in a few as well. Here is the list, many of these guys were just knocked out during the game against the Cowboys and returned the following week. Some of these guys have yet to return, some may never return:

Osi Umenyiora
Brandon Jacobs (c'mon man this guy is bigger than every player on the Cowboys defense)
Eli Manning (he actually made a conscious decision not to come back into the game)
Zack Thomas
Rex Grossman (OK, didn't get hurt but they made him look so bad he was benched and still is)
Lance Briggs
Nathan Vasher
Tommie Harris
Rueben Brown
Issac Bruce (He actually guaranteed a victory)
Marc Bulger
Corey Chavous
Raonall Smith
Leonard Little
Adam Goldberg
Ben Watson
Sammy Morris
Tavaris Jackson

I'll try to re-post this every week with the latest collateral damage.... Read more!

Slow Down Young Feller

Cowboys are 4-0 so it is past time for me to drop some Cowboys talk on the blog. I hate to admit it, but I am drinking the Kool-Aid. This team is arguably the best team in the NFC right now. If we can continue to minimize our injuries, and if the guys that are injured keep returning to play this should keep going.

All seems to be good so far under Head Coach Wade Phillips, and even more impressively under Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett. Most fans around here are pretty much expecting to see this team get handed to "the anointed one" after a few fun-loving seasons under Wade. Hopefully we can keep Garrett around that long.

This offense is rolling over teams mercilessly like General Sherman, so much so my boy has been keeping a running list of collateral damage. The Barber-Jones tandem at running back has continued to be productive. People are arguing over who should be the starter since they have both played so well. No argument that MBIII has been better, but why change the formula that is working so well.

There are as always a couple of causes for concern. The first of which is the defense, after the Giants game to open the season it looked as if they were going to be a busted sieve. In the last 3 games they have seem to sure it up a lot better, so much so even Jacques Reeves seems to be gaining confidence filling in as a defensive back.

The other of course is the "elephant in the room" that you can't ignore and that is the combined 3-13 record of the teams the Cowboys have played this season. 2 of those teams have yet to win any games this season at all. You will hear a lot of homers make excuses, but I don't make excuses. Recent history surrounding this team requires for them to make believers out of people they have to go out and continue to win games.

The Showdown on October 14th against New England is about to rival the hype of a BCS Championship Game (I promise I am not looking past the game this week against Buffalo)..... Some would question, how much of a showdown this will be considering how unstoppable New England has been this season and in previous years in addition to the lackluster opposition the Cowboys have been rolling over. But considering how things looked during the off-season and up until the season began the fact that this has become "The Game" should be exciting for all Cowboys fans!!

All that being said this blog entry is really intended to talk about 1 player. Young Tony Romo! When they picked him up as a rookie free agent in 2002 I told my friends watch this kid he set all kind of passing records in I-AA while at Eastern Illinois. Having attended a I-AA school myself I have a strong appreciation for I-AA talent (Jerry Rice, Micheal Strahan, Steve McNair to name a few). Move forward 4 years by the time he had his first chance to play in a regular season game in the 2nd half against the Giants in Week 7 in 2006. I was thinking we have just threw away our entire season putting him in the game.

Move Forward 15 starts later and I am wondering what "The Coach" was thinking having this kid on the bench behind QB's already well past the twilight of their careers. In 15 games this kid has eclipsed the stats of just about any QB you can name over the same time period. He has passed for 30 and ran for 2 TD's. He has only thrown 16 INT's. He has thrown for 4100 yards and has a career passer rating of 99.8.

This season he has been virtually unstoppable, averaging at least 3 per week of what we like to call "pay me" plays. Plays so amazing that when he does it you can hear the money chips falling down all around him (referring to the fact he is about to get a new contract). My buddy showed up to the game in an All-White #9 Tony Romo jersey, and he told me that they come in All-Black as well. Now, I am not a jersey guy, but I am telling you I am digging this kid so strong I might have to get one!

To think a whole segment on the Cowboys and not one mention of "The Player." Read more!