Monday, February 11, 2008
so......
you like lemon in your water or tea??? Might want to watch this note regarding the ole' lemon wedge on the top of the glass....
Sunday, February 10, 2008
This might boggle your mind!!
HOW BIG IS WAL-MART?
1. At Wal-Mart, Americans spend $36,000,000 every hour of every day.
2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!
3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.
4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target + Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.
5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people and is the largest private employer.
6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the World.
7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only 15 years.
8. During this same period, 31 Supermarket chains sought bankruptcy (including Winn-Dixie).
9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.
10. Wal-Mart has approximately 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are SuperCenters; this is 1,000 more than it had 5 years ago.
11. This year, 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at a Wal-Mart store. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 billion).
12. 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart.
and I can remember when there was NOT a wal mart... wow... and the world survived quite well, thank you.
1. At Wal-Mart, Americans spend $36,000,000 every hour of every day.
2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!
3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.
4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target + Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.
5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people and is the largest private employer.
6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the World.
7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only 15 years.
8. During this same period, 31 Supermarket chains sought bankruptcy (including Winn-Dixie).
9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.
10. Wal-Mart has approximately 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are SuperCenters; this is 1,000 more than it had 5 years ago.
11. This year, 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at a Wal-Mart store. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 billion).
12. 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart.
and I can remember when there was NOT a wal mart... wow... and the world survived quite well, thank you.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
You are correct if you call this a bad photo.. Ann were here she'd say.. throw that one away...
but I love it... Austyn's Basketball Team all headed down court in the last game of the season... with ole number 5 in the lead...
Oklahoma's Country Artists Compete for 2008 Grammy Awards
| New and Veteran Country Artists Compete for 2008 Grammy Awards | |
| Washington 04 February 2008 |
Morningstar report - Listen (MP3)
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences will hold its 50th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 10. VOA's Mary Morningstar has this report on the nominees in the Country categories.
 |
| Vince Gill |
Taylor Swift, 18, earned her first Grammy nomination this year. She'll compete against Feist, Ledisi, Paramore and Amy Winehouse for the all-genre Best New Artist award.
 |
| Carrie Underwood |
In addition to Carrie Underwood, the Best Female Country Vocal Performance category includes Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood. This is Trisha's seventh consecutive nomination in that category. "Before He Cheats" also gave songwriters Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins nominations for Best Country Song and Song of the Year.
 |
| The Eagles |
Many were shocked that Country's most popular trio Rascal Flatts was overlooked this year. In addition to the Eagles, Grammy voters recognized Brooks and Dunn, Emerson Drive, Montgomery Gentry and The Time Jumpers.
Tim McGraw and Dierks Bentley are this year's leading nominees with four mentions apiece. Both will compete against Keith Urban, Alan Jackson and George Strait for the Best Male Country Vocal Performance Grammy. And, they'll also face each other in the Best Country Song and Best Country Album categories. Tim's mentions are for his album Let It Go and hit single "If You're Reading This." Dierks' are for his latest album and its title track "Long Trip Alone."
Oklahoma's Merle Haggard, still rockin' at 70...
Country music legend Merle Haggard brings his unique sound to the Golden State Theatre on Tuesday night
By BETH PEERLESS
Herald Correspondent
Article Launched: 02/07/2008 02:12:38 AM PST
Country music living legend Merle Haggard's story resembles a long and winding road filled with glorious ruts and bumps at numerous turns.
Each turn seems to contradict the last. He appears to have weathered the ups and downs in good enough spirits, his muse still intact and delivering new songs at a comfortable clip.
"I haven't changed much. I write. I have good periods, dry periods," Haggard said in his warm, inviting voice on the phone from his home outside of Redding in Northern California. "There really hasn't been anything happening up here the last month or two. I've been working on an album for about a year. I've got 11 songs that I'm calling in on it. I've got some good songs on it. Part of it may be used in a soundtrack in the movie they're doing based on my life."
The 70-year-old and his band, The Strangers, come to Monterey Tuesday evening for a show at the Golden State Theatre.
Although he's lived his life and conducted his career outside the mainstream Nashville country establishment, his 2006 recording "The Bluegrass Sessions," utilizes some of Nashville's finest to create luscious renderings of four new songs and seven Haggard classics.
"So you have Merle Haggard music that maybe you've heard in the traditional manner that's rearranged for that package," he said. "The four new ones on there are doing real good. There's one on there called 'What Happened?' It's about what's gone on in the last eight years in America. It's pretty
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factual and actual actually."
Inducted into the Country Hall of Fame in 1994, Haggard is one of the rare country artists who can't be pigeonholed into either camp of traditional country or country maverick.
Along with Buck Owens, he pioneered the Bakersfield sound, but he has always kept close ties to his love of country swing, a jazzier style identified with Bob Wills, and the honky-tonk style of Lefty Frizzell, two of his idols.
His long friendship with Willie Nelson (at the State two days prior to Haggard, and the two will appear together Feb. 9 in Reno) aligns him to the rebel outlaw gang. Plenty of music fans are left a little confused.
"Oh, there's a million stories," he replied to my interest in what goes on when he's hanging with the boys. "I don't know if I could tap into the right one for you. I've known Willie since 1964. We've made records together, we've worked together, and we've toured together. Last year we did a couple of tours called 'Last of the Breed,' where he and I and Ray Price toured together."
The breed he speaks of refers to artists from the old tradition. There he goes again, confounding what one might expect from him.
His history points to rebel, his music often points to old school, but one thing for sure, he does not buy into the Nashville star-making machinery of today.
"I don't like to talk bad about anybody. And Nashville's been awful good to me. But, like you call it squeaky clean," he said in response to my stab at describing what Nashville's putting out, "that brand of music they're making right now is really not up my alley."
Haggard was born in Bakersfield in 1937 to parents who were part of the Oklahoma exodus during the Dust Bowl years.
They lived in a converted boxcar, and his father worked as a railroad carpenter. His father died when he was 9, and his mother went to work as a bookkeeper.
Haggard began to run wild, riding the rails, roaming the Southwest doing petty crimes and finding himself locked into juvenile hall environments more than he liked.
He broke out and ran away numerous times, eventually blundering into time at San Quentin with a bungled burglary attempt while drunk.
He spent nearly three years in prison, and while there he experienced Johnny Cash in one of his prison appearances.
"Well, he certainly put a high mark on the wall," Haggard said about how he was inspired by that experience. "And he was something to admire . . .I thought, 'He knows more things than I know.' So I studied him and over the years, in 1963, I worked a show with him and met him. We became, as probably as close a friends you can become, and work in different directions. We didn't get to see a lot of each other a lot over the years."
Haggard, who plays both the guitar and violin, counts 41 No. 1 hits in his career, more than 70 albums to his name, and likely more than 150 recordings with his presence.
He is one of country music's most prolific songwriters, with classics like "Mama Tried," "Today I Started Loving You Again," "I Think I'll Just Sit Here and Drink," and the chestnut everyone has heard, "Okie From Muskogee."
For much of his life he's lived on his own terms, drinking and partying and paying the price.
Today, in his fifth marriage, he is living quieter and enjoying a healthy resurgence in his career that will bring him down another long and winding road to perform for us here in Monterey.
Beth Peerless can be reached at peerless@mbay.net. GO!
By BETH PEERLESS
Herald Correspondent
Article Launched: 02/07/2008 02:12:38 AM PST
The 70-year-old Merle Haggard has been working on a new album at his home in Redding.
Country music living legend Merle Haggard's story resembles a long and winding road filled with glorious ruts and bumps at numerous turns.
Each turn seems to contradict the last. He appears to have weathered the ups and downs in good enough spirits, his muse still intact and delivering new songs at a comfortable clip.
"I haven't changed much. I write. I have good periods, dry periods," Haggard said in his warm, inviting voice on the phone from his home outside of Redding in Northern California. "There really hasn't been anything happening up here the last month or two. I've been working on an album for about a year. I've got 11 songs that I'm calling in on it. I've got some good songs on it. Part of it may be used in a soundtrack in the movie they're doing based on my life."
The 70-year-old and his band, The Strangers, come to Monterey Tuesday evening for a show at the Golden State Theatre.
Although he's lived his life and conducted his career outside the mainstream Nashville country establishment, his 2006 recording "The Bluegrass Sessions," utilizes some of Nashville's finest to create luscious renderings of four new songs and seven Haggard classics.
"So you have Merle Haggard music that maybe you've heard in the traditional manner that's rearranged for that package," he said. "The four new ones on there are doing real good. There's one on there called 'What Happened?' It's about what's gone on in the last eight years in America. It's pretty
Advertisement
factual and actual actually."
Inducted into the Country Hall of Fame in 1994, Haggard is one of the rare country artists who can't be pigeonholed into either camp of traditional country or country maverick.
Along with Buck Owens, he pioneered the Bakersfield sound, but he has always kept close ties to his love of country swing, a jazzier style identified with Bob Wills, and the honky-tonk style of Lefty Frizzell, two of his idols.
His long friendship with Willie Nelson (at the State two days prior to Haggard, and the two will appear together Feb. 9 in Reno) aligns him to the rebel outlaw gang. Plenty of music fans are left a little confused.
"Oh, there's a million stories," he replied to my interest in what goes on when he's hanging with the boys. "I don't know if I could tap into the right one for you. I've known Willie since 1964. We've made records together, we've worked together, and we've toured together. Last year we did a couple of tours called 'Last of the Breed,' where he and I and Ray Price toured together."
The breed he speaks of refers to artists from the old tradition. There he goes again, confounding what one might expect from him.
His history points to rebel, his music often points to old school, but one thing for sure, he does not buy into the Nashville star-making machinery of today.
"I don't like to talk bad about anybody. And Nashville's been awful good to me. But, like you call it squeaky clean," he said in response to my stab at describing what Nashville's putting out, "that brand of music they're making right now is really not up my alley."
Haggard was born in Bakersfield in 1937 to parents who were part of the Oklahoma exodus during the Dust Bowl years.
They lived in a converted boxcar, and his father worked as a railroad carpenter. His father died when he was 9, and his mother went to work as a bookkeeper.
Haggard began to run wild, riding the rails, roaming the Southwest doing petty crimes and finding himself locked into juvenile hall environments more than he liked.
He broke out and ran away numerous times, eventually blundering into time at San Quentin with a bungled burglary attempt while drunk.
He spent nearly three years in prison, and while there he experienced Johnny Cash in one of his prison appearances.
"Well, he certainly put a high mark on the wall," Haggard said about how he was inspired by that experience. "And he was something to admire . . .I thought, 'He knows more things than I know.' So I studied him and over the years, in 1963, I worked a show with him and met him. We became, as probably as close a friends you can become, and work in different directions. We didn't get to see a lot of each other a lot over the years."
Haggard, who plays both the guitar and violin, counts 41 No. 1 hits in his career, more than 70 albums to his name, and likely more than 150 recordings with his presence.
He is one of country music's most prolific songwriters, with classics like "Mama Tried," "Today I Started Loving You Again," "I Think I'll Just Sit Here and Drink," and the chestnut everyone has heard, "Okie From Muskogee."
For much of his life he's lived on his own terms, drinking and partying and paying the price.
Today, in his fifth marriage, he is living quieter and enjoying a healthy resurgence in his career that will bring him down another long and winding road to perform for us here in Monterey.
Beth Peerless can be reached at peerless@mbay.net. GO!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Went to celebrate my friend Craig Hannan's bday last evening...
t'was thinking the difference a day makes....
Monday.... 82 in Stillwater, clear sunny ... running around in short sleeves.... wonderful day... one of those rare..."we cheated Mother Nature out of a winter day" days....
And coming back home last evening... 24 hours ... or so... it was 32 and SNOWING.... whew... what a difference time makes especially in OK... Yesterday... on our weather map online...
Tornado watches... Tornado warnings... High wind warnings.. and Blowing snow warning... all at the very same time..
No wonder the National Weather Service chose Norman as home...
Had a great meal, good times, lots of laughs, good company... and of course almost too much to eat... We learned that Click's has sold out, but nothing will change.. so we were told.. but last night, the dinner rolls had.. so... ??? who knows.. but the STEAKS were AWESOME as usual... even saw some old clients there who are now helping their son get his band started... so was an interesting night... to say the least. One might have needed to be there to see how it ended .. as we walked out... sure made this old man's 'motor' speed up... ha ha.. It's been an interesting time, to say the least... ha ha..
Happy Birthday Mr. C... and many more...
Monday.... 82 in Stillwater, clear sunny ... running around in short sleeves.... wonderful day... one of those rare..."we cheated Mother Nature out of a winter day" days....
And coming back home last evening... 24 hours ... or so... it was 32 and SNOWING.... whew... what a difference time makes especially in OK... Yesterday... on our weather map online...
Tornado watches... Tornado warnings... High wind warnings.. and Blowing snow warning... all at the very same time..
No wonder the National Weather Service chose Norman as home...
Had a great meal, good times, lots of laughs, good company... and of course almost too much to eat... We learned that Click's has sold out, but nothing will change.. so we were told.. but last night, the dinner rolls had.. so... ??? who knows.. but the STEAKS were AWESOME as usual... even saw some old clients there who are now helping their son get his band started... so was an interesting night... to say the least. One might have needed to be there to see how it ended .. as we walked out... sure made this old man's 'motor' speed up... ha ha.. It's been an interesting time, to say the least... ha ha..
Happy Birthday Mr. C... and many more...
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Fire "water tanker" ........
I think it was the Stillwater Fire Dept. Rural 'water tanker' just roared by.. heading east at 7:55am... someone is having late start this am... and with an inch of rain this am... wonder if it was lightning or what... ??
Later..
This is the day our record label, Tough Records, releases the first single of of Nick Gibson's CD "No Other Way" to radio... entitled "No Other Way". We are kind'a fired up and it will be a long day, but by end of the day... hopefully it will be in the hands of each country radio station in a 6 state area. This is the first time a release has been handled totally by high tech.... to a region in the USA... We have two majors watching us to see how it goes I just learned... interesting what hillbilly's can do... (referring to article about Garth below!)
rock on...
UPDATE..... From my good friend and yesterday's birthday honoree... Craig Hannan who is among many things... a Captain in the Perkins Fire Department.... the following on the SFD run by our home...
"The fire truck was responding to the area of 80th and Union on a tank battery fire to assist Ripley fire. Ingall's fire was also dispatched to assist. " Thanks, Craig... you da man...
Later..
This is the day our record label, Tough Records, releases the first single of of Nick Gibson's CD "No Other Way" to radio... entitled "No Other Way". We are kind'a fired up and it will be a long day, but by end of the day... hopefully it will be in the hands of each country radio station in a 6 state area. This is the first time a release has been handled totally by high tech.... to a region in the USA... We have two majors watching us to see how it goes I just learned... interesting what hillbilly's can do... (referring to article about Garth below!)
rock on...
UPDATE..... From my good friend and yesterday's birthday honoree... Craig Hannan who is among many things... a Captain in the Perkins Fire Department.... the following on the SFD run by our home...
"The fire truck was responding to the area of 80th and Union on a tank battery fire to assist Ripley fire. Ingall's fire was also dispatched to assist. " Thanks, Craig... you da man...
Vote today - please?
Please, vote today - why you ask?
Because, we can!
and one vote does matter, just check your history...
Enjoy the day...
go OSU Cowgirls.. they play Baylor bears this evening... could be equal to the OU game!
Because, we can!
and one vote does matter, just check your history...
Enjoy the day...
go OSU Cowgirls.. they play Baylor bears this evening... could be equal to the OU game!
Monday, February 04, 2008
Garth Brooks' latest marathon -- five concerts in three days in Los Angeles -- ran from unbelievable to incredible.
this is worth reading..... oklahoma's own...
Hot Dish(CMT Hot Dish is a weekly feature written by veteran columnist Hazel Smith. Author of the cookbook, Hazel's Hot Dish: Cookin' With Country Stars, she also hosts CMT's Southern Fried Flicks With Hazel Smith and shares her recipes at CMT.com.)
Reports from Garth Brooks' latest marathon -- five concerts in three days in Los Angeles -- ran from unbelievable to incredible.
I've been to L.A. a few times and never expected to read about pickup trucks and tailgating in the parking lot of the Staples Center. It's a parking lot where shiny limos are usually transporting women wearing $100,000 designer gowns draped with diamonds and jewels worth millions. Arriving at award shows, they walk the red carpet on the arm of their usually bored tuxedo-wearing escort. But it took one good-hearted hillbilly boy from Oklahoma to perform from his heart to generate $3.8 million benefiting FIRE (Fire Intervention Relief Effort) for those who lost all they had in the big fires in California. And the pickups came and fans tailgated with country music blaring to prove there are plenty of country music fans in Los Angeles. Praise the Lord for that.
In the media, reporters wrote, "He never let up," calling Garth "iron man" and "master performer." Recalling the Garth of yesteryear, they noted that while he no longer climbs ladders, swings above the crowd on an invisible rope, busts guitars or does acrobatics, they added, "But he creates the same enthusiasm."
Like he'd won the lottery, a fan with five ticket stubs waved them proudly over his head, laughing and smiling all the way out the door. He knew he was a winner. He'd seen five shows in two days, the likes he'd never seen before and doubtfully will ever see again. His kids and grandkids, no doubt, will hear the story over and over as long as he lives --five shows, all sellouts.
Through the years, stories surfaced of fans in Ireland who hero-worshipped Garth and would not cease the applause at his concerts. When he'd finally depart the building, fans would actually follow the buses they were traveling in. I ran into Mark Greenwood, Garth's bass player, this past week at the recording studio he manages on Music Row. Mark pointed out that Garth received the same sort of enthusiastic welcome and endless applause during his recent nine-night marathon in Kansas City and the five shows in Los Angeles.
Happy Birthday Craig.... and many more...
We had the delivery service all ready to surprise you, but at the last minute, she backed out.. so -
to Craig H.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY - some of us just wanted to stop by and wish you the best!! and some friends too....
We cut you a piece of your cake... and we know that 12 candles ... are not correct. It might take more than that, but ... to us...
that was enough! Didn't want to have to have the Fire Dept. here to guard things.. haha....
Happy Birthday Craig, and Many many more!!! Hope it's the best one yet... and you have many many more Happy Birthdays!
We had a party in your honor...
to Craig H.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY - some of us just wanted to stop by and wish you the best!! and some friends too....
We cut you a piece of your cake... and we know that 12 candles ... are not correct. It might take more than that, but ... to us...
that was enough! Didn't want to have to have the Fire Dept. here to guard things.. haha....
Happy Birthday Craig, and Many many more!!! Hope it's the best one yet... and you have many many more Happy Birthdays!
We had a party in your honor...
everyone was afraid to be in photo ...
should be at work you know...
so here is the only one who would posse for photo...
he was having a dog day anyway.... so... hehe...
Happy Birthday Craig! 
Eli Manning was creative in the Giants' upset victory
Unflappable Manning lets instincts take over
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By John Clayton; ESPN.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Had the Patriots tried to spy on the Giants -- specifically QB Eli Manning -- before Super Bowl XLII, it would have been pointless.
In the fourth quarter of the Giants' 17-14 upset victory over the Patriots, Manning made plays no photographer could have captured before the game. That's because they weren't in the playbook.
• Manning, not known as a scrambler, broke free of the Patriots' pass rush, scrambled to his right and made an incredible 32-yard completion to David Tyree with 59 seconds left in regulation. A Manning scrambling like Fran Tarkenton? Try finding video of that.
• His 45-yard completion to tight end Kevin Boss at the beginning of the fourth quarter wasn't in the game plan. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride made a sideline suggestion on that one. Manning executed it like a champ.
"Let me say this,'' Gilbride said of several of Manning's plays down the stretch. "They weren't all in the game plan. A bunch of them weren't in the plan.''
Manning might not be the master of improvisation, but his ability to be loose, cool and patient in the fourth quarter allowed him to follow his brother Peyton on the podium as a Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP. The first pick in the 2004 draft, Eli fulfilled his potential by winning a championship for the Giants.
In addition to being poised and accurate, Eli Manning was creative in the Giants' upset victory.
He out Brady-ed Tom Brady on Sunday, engineering touchdown drives of 80 and 83 yards. His winning drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left put him in rare company. He's only the second quarterback in Super Bowl history to throw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a winning effort. Joe Montana was the only other (Super Bowl XXIII).
Manning showed an incredibly calm demeanor in producing two of the most dramatic touchdown drives in Super Bowl history. At times in his career, he looked scared or aloof in critical situations. Against the Patriots, he was sharp as a knife down the stretch, and his mentality was amazing.
He loved the fact he was trailing, 14-10, with 2:39 left.
"This is where you want to be, honestly,'' Manning said. "The situation you want to be in is down four where you have to score a touchdown. If you're down three, you might settle for a field goal. You'd rather be down four where you need to get a touchdown to win the game or win the Super Bowl. You couldn't write a better script.''
Brother Peyton Manning sat in a suite, vicariously living every moment and every play his brother made down the stretch.
"You sort of play the game as you are up there watching, but you are pulling so hard for Eli,'' Peyton said. "I guarantee you I am more involved in the game he is playing than any other NFL game. I was pumped, and I got a lot of messages telling me to calm down because I was excited and pumped after the big plays he was making.''
Eli isn't Peyton. Peyton is into control and execution. Eli is cool, which led to earlier criticisms that he wasn't a leader. To his credit, Eli didn't get pumped or excited after big plays. He also didn't get flustered after bad ones. When he missed a wide-open Burress after scrambling free of Richard Seymour with 8:32 left in the fourth quarter, Manning remained composed.
"The guy is incredible,'' Gilbride said of Manning. "I don't think everybody realizes the movement he has. On the play he scrambled and missed Plaxico Burress when he was wide open, most quarterbacks would be devastated. He came back and figured he'd make some plays in the next drive.''
In the fourth quarter, Manning completed nine of 14 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Bill Belichick tried every defensive trick in the book to stop him. He couldn't.
Little might be made of the 45-yard catch to Boss in the fourth quarter, but it turned the game in the Giants' favor. They were trailing, 7-3, and the Patriots' defense was gaining confidence. Gilbride spotted a slight hole in the Pats' D, and Manning exploited it like a champion. The adjustment was never practiced.
"They were running a quarter, quarter, half coverage, but [safety] Rodney Harrison would come up on the play fake,'' Gilbride said. "I did make a change. I called for Boss to run a seam route on this one. We've never done that.''
Manning made the perfect read, the perfect throw and the perfect start to the quarter. Five plays later, he hit Tyree with a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Giants a 10-7 lead. Brady eventually came back -- as he usually does -- with a fourth-quarter drive that culminated in a 6-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss to put the Patriots ahead.
Now it was time for Manning to step into Super Bowl immortality. The winning drive started at New York's 17. With 1:15 left, Manning faced a third-and-5 at the Giants' 44. After taking the snap and rolling to his right, Manning was set to be sacked.
Somehow, he escaped the rush and made what looked like a Hail Mary throw to Tyree for 32 yards.
"It felt like I was being grabbed a little bit,'' Manning said. "I got out of it. I saw Tyree in the middle of the field. I tried to get the ball to him, and it just floated. He made an unbelievable catch, jumping up and holding the ball. Guys were hanging all over him.
The game-winner to Burress was a recognition play. Manning noticed that the Patriots were running a Cover Zero blitz. Everybody was coming. It was first-and-10 at the Patriots' 13 with 39 seconds left. The Patriots went for the throat. Manning ended up being the winner.
"It was just a fade route, and they came with an all-out blitz,'' Manning said. "They had been playing zone coverage. They came with an all-out blitz, and the corner sat because he thought we might run something short. Plaxico ran right by him and made a great catch to win the game.''
Manning brought back visions of Brady, Joe Montana, Steve Young and so many more of the great Super Bowl quarterbacks Sunday, but it was his unpredictability that was the key.
Manning went against convention Sunday. He improvised. He scrambled. He made great throws. Not even the greatest spy could have stopped him.
John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By John Clayton; ESPN.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Had the Patriots tried to spy on the Giants -- specifically QB Eli Manning -- before Super Bowl XLII, it would have been pointless.
In the fourth quarter of the Giants' 17-14 upset victory over the Patriots, Manning made plays no photographer could have captured before the game. That's because they weren't in the playbook.
• Manning, not known as a scrambler, broke free of the Patriots' pass rush, scrambled to his right and made an incredible 32-yard completion to David Tyree with 59 seconds left in regulation. A Manning scrambling like Fran Tarkenton? Try finding video of that.
• His 45-yard completion to tight end Kevin Boss at the beginning of the fourth quarter wasn't in the game plan. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride made a sideline suggestion on that one. Manning executed it like a champ.
"Let me say this,'' Gilbride said of several of Manning's plays down the stretch. "They weren't all in the game plan. A bunch of them weren't in the plan.''
Manning might not be the master of improvisation, but his ability to be loose, cool and patient in the fourth quarter allowed him to follow his brother Peyton on the podium as a Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP. The first pick in the 2004 draft, Eli fulfilled his potential by winning a championship for the Giants.
In addition to being poised and accurate, Eli Manning was creative in the Giants' upset victory.
He out Brady-ed Tom Brady on Sunday, engineering touchdown drives of 80 and 83 yards. His winning drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left put him in rare company. He's only the second quarterback in Super Bowl history to throw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a winning effort. Joe Montana was the only other (Super Bowl XXIII).
Manning showed an incredibly calm demeanor in producing two of the most dramatic touchdown drives in Super Bowl history. At times in his career, he looked scared or aloof in critical situations. Against the Patriots, he was sharp as a knife down the stretch, and his mentality was amazing.
He loved the fact he was trailing, 14-10, with 2:39 left.
"This is where you want to be, honestly,'' Manning said. "The situation you want to be in is down four where you have to score a touchdown. If you're down three, you might settle for a field goal. You'd rather be down four where you need to get a touchdown to win the game or win the Super Bowl. You couldn't write a better script.''
Brother Peyton Manning sat in a suite, vicariously living every moment and every play his brother made down the stretch.
"You sort of play the game as you are up there watching, but you are pulling so hard for Eli,'' Peyton said. "I guarantee you I am more involved in the game he is playing than any other NFL game. I was pumped, and I got a lot of messages telling me to calm down because I was excited and pumped after the big plays he was making.''
Eli isn't Peyton. Peyton is into control and execution. Eli is cool, which led to earlier criticisms that he wasn't a leader. To his credit, Eli didn't get pumped or excited after big plays. He also didn't get flustered after bad ones. When he missed a wide-open Burress after scrambling free of Richard Seymour with 8:32 left in the fourth quarter, Manning remained composed.
"The guy is incredible,'' Gilbride said of Manning. "I don't think everybody realizes the movement he has. On the play he scrambled and missed Plaxico Burress when he was wide open, most quarterbacks would be devastated. He came back and figured he'd make some plays in the next drive.''
In the fourth quarter, Manning completed nine of 14 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Bill Belichick tried every defensive trick in the book to stop him. He couldn't.
Little might be made of the 45-yard catch to Boss in the fourth quarter, but it turned the game in the Giants' favor. They were trailing, 7-3, and the Patriots' defense was gaining confidence. Gilbride spotted a slight hole in the Pats' D, and Manning exploited it like a champion. The adjustment was never practiced.
"They were running a quarter, quarter, half coverage, but [safety] Rodney Harrison would come up on the play fake,'' Gilbride said. "I did make a change. I called for Boss to run a seam route on this one. We've never done that.''
Manning made the perfect read, the perfect throw and the perfect start to the quarter. Five plays later, he hit Tyree with a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Giants a 10-7 lead. Brady eventually came back -- as he usually does -- with a fourth-quarter drive that culminated in a 6-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss to put the Patriots ahead.
Now it was time for Manning to step into Super Bowl immortality. The winning drive started at New York's 17. With 1:15 left, Manning faced a third-and-5 at the Giants' 44. After taking the snap and rolling to his right, Manning was set to be sacked.
Somehow, he escaped the rush and made what looked like a Hail Mary throw to Tyree for 32 yards.
"It felt like I was being grabbed a little bit,'' Manning said. "I got out of it. I saw Tyree in the middle of the field. I tried to get the ball to him, and it just floated. He made an unbelievable catch, jumping up and holding the ball. Guys were hanging all over him.
The game-winner to Burress was a recognition play. Manning noticed that the Patriots were running a Cover Zero blitz. Everybody was coming. It was first-and-10 at the Patriots' 13 with 39 seconds left. The Patriots went for the throat. Manning ended up being the winner.
"It was just a fade route, and they came with an all-out blitz,'' Manning said. "They had been playing zone coverage. They came with an all-out blitz, and the corner sat because he thought we might run something short. Plaxico ran right by him and made a great catch to win the game.''
Manning brought back visions of Brady, Joe Montana, Steve Young and so many more of the great Super Bowl quarterbacks Sunday, but it was his unpredictability that was the key.
Manning went against convention Sunday. He improvised. He scrambled. He made great throws. Not even the greatest spy could have stopped him.
John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
Manning proves just about everyone wrong
Manning proves just about everyone wrong
February 4, 2008 12:31 AM
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Eli Manning who won Super Bowl XLII hardly resembled the Eli Manning who made scouts cringe as recently as midseason. His transformation has caught just about everyone by surprise. Here's the way an opposing secondary coach put it during an analysis about which young quarterbacks had the brightest futures:
"I think he's got good skills, but all the other stuff, the intangible stuff, I don't think he has it. He gets scared when you get after him in the pocket. All the things you hate a quarterback to have, he has. And he's not accurate."A pro scout put it this way:
"He missed throws in our game. There were throws you need to make if you are a front-line guy. He left yards on the field against us."
Even Manning's own general manager, Jerry Reese, used the word "skittish" to describe how his quarterback was playing at times this season.
The credit goes to Manning. He became a much better quarterback somewhat unexpectedly.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
LOST... the remaining titles...
4.1 “The Beginning of the End”: Hurley
4.2 “Confirmed Dead”: The “Rescuers”
4.3 “The Economist”: Sayid
4.4 “Eggtown”: Kate
4.5 “The Constant”: Desmond
4.6 “The Other Woman”: Juliet
4.7 “Ji Yeon”: SunJin
4.8 “Meet Kevin Johnson”: Michael
but then who knows with the writers strike and all...
mom and dad test
I was out walking with my 4-year-old daughter. She picked up something
off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away
from her and I asked her not to do that.
"Why?" my daughter asked.
"Because it's been on the ground. It's dirty, and it probably has
germs," I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked,
"Momma, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart."
I was thinking quickly. "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mom Test.
You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mom."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently
pondering this new information. "Oh...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you
don't pass the test, you have to be the dad."
''Exactly," I replied back with a big smile on my face.
off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away
from her and I asked her not to do that.
"Why?" my daughter asked.
"Because it's been on the ground. It's dirty, and it probably has
germs," I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked,
"Momma, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart."
I was thinking quickly. "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mom Test.
You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mom."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently
pondering this new information. "Oh...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you
don't pass the test, you have to be the dad."
''Exactly," I replied back with a big smile on my face.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Austyn's Team after their last game
Taken in front of the old Armory Building (North Entrance) built as a WPA project in 1936 in Stillwater near the Train Depot.
Austyn's last Basketball Game in Stillwater Little League for the season.
Look for the blonde headed young man in the Green Shirt..... ole number 5!
Jake's project in Ft. Worth... it is now 1:45pm on Sat. and he left home at 6am Friday... no sleep and lots of miles.. to get'er done...
he just called Trisha and is about 200 miles away..
big grasshopper lookin thing is what we put on...each piece is 45 feet long...so was 90 all togetherFriday, February 01, 2008
Jake in Ft. Worth on location... here is photo he sent
Fw: From Jake... this semi van is hanging off overpass in Denton... wow... they are on way to rig in Ft. Worth to do repairs at 1pm.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
DID YOU KNOW?
DID YOU KNOW?
Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little
"stringy things" off of it. That's how the primates do it.
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave
them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh
much longer and not mold!
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the
grease away from the meat while cooking.
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of
sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in
double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty
frosting.
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and
at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simple
chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples.
Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the
apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice
cream.
1. Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat
to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro
pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
2. Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all
broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing
thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just
throw bag away when done easy clean up.
3. Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with
your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost
more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and
calories per serving.
4. Reheating Refrigerated Bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them
in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the
food moist and help it reheat faster.
5. Newspaper Weeds Away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet
newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with
mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening
plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
6. Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you
can't see easily.
7. No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
8. Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with
cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the
squirrels won't come near it.
9. Flexible Vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty
paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or
flattened to get in narrow openings.
10. Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a
clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when
wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and -- ta da! -- static
is gone.
11. Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot
water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your
ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right
out.
12. Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove
box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better
than a cloth!
13. Reopening Envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something
inside , just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or
two. Viola! It unseals easily.
14. Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than
shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to
use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in
your hair...
15. Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with
Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid, mix well. You will
find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
16. Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it
"home," can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so,
especially if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets
or small children being harmed!
17. INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things
around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he
went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I
always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told
us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over
to the sink, ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh
material - I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like.
well,...the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it
at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's
what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there.
It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free
-- that nice fragrance too, you know how they can feel waxy when you take
them out of the box, well t his stuff builds up on your
clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to
catch fire & potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best
way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (& to keep your
electric bill lower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy
water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He
said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!
How about that!?! Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know
dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd share!
Note: I went to my dryer & tested my screen by running water on it. The
water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the
mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water & a nylon brush & I had it
done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it the water ran right thru the
screen! There wasn't any puddling at all! That repairman knew what he was
talking about!
Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little
"stringy things" off of it. That's how the primates do it.
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave
them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh
much longer and not mold!
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the
grease away from the meat while cooking.
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of
sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in
double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty
frosting.
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and
at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simple
chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples.
Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the
apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice
cream.
1. Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat
to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro
pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
2. Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all
broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing
thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just
throw bag away when done easy clean up.
3. Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with
your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost
more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and
calories per serving.
4. Reheating Refrigerated Bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them
in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the
food moist and help it reheat faster.
5. Newspaper Weeds Away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet
newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with
mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening
plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
6. Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you
can't see easily.
7. No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
8. Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with
cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the
squirrels won't come near it.
9. Flexible Vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty
paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or
flattened to get in narrow openings.
10. Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a
clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when
wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and -- ta da! -- static
is gone.
11. Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot
water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your
ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right
out.
12. Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove
box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better
than a cloth!
13. Reopening Envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something
inside , just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or
two. Viola! It unseals easily.
14. Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than
shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to
use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in
your hair...
15. Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with
Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid, mix well. You will
find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
16. Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it
"home," can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so,
especially if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets
or small children being harmed!
17. INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things
around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he
went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I
always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told
us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over
to the sink, ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh
material - I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like.
well,...the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it
at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's
what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there.
It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free
-- that nice fragrance too, you know how they can feel waxy when you take
them out of the box, well t his stuff builds up on your
clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to
catch fire & potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best
way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (& to keep your
electric bill lower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy
water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He
said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!
How about that!?! Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know
dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd share!
Note: I went to my dryer & tested my screen by running water on it. The
water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the
mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water & a nylon brush & I had it
done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it the water ran right thru the
screen! There wasn't any puddling at all! That repairman knew what he was
talking about!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Wow... with a good coach, what would they cost?
STILLWATER — A ticket for Bedlam football this season will cost $419.
Technically speaking.
And you thought a $100 face value ticket to watch Oklahoma State host Oklahoma two years ago was expensive.
OSU officials announced season ticket prices on Tuesday. The interesting twist is they will not sell individual tickets for the OU game.
Fans wanting to watch the Cowboys and Sooners play Nov. 29 at Boone Pickens Stadium must purchase a $419 season ticket or one of OSU's other season ticket options. OU will still be given an allotment of tickets, but no individual game tickets will be sold.
OSU athletic director Mike Holder said the decision was based on Iowa State implementing an identical plan last season for its rival game against Iowa. Iowa State's season ticket sales increased 30 percent, jumping from 30,000 to 36,000.
“Our decision to eliminate single game tickets for Bedlam is based upon our desire to grow our season ticket sales,” Holder said in a press statement. “Our ability to compete for championships, in all sports, is dependent upon our fans' commitment to buying season tickets in football and basketball on an annual basis.
“Frankly, this decision is all about the long-term success of OSU athletics. Based on solid results at Iowa State, we believe this decision can produce a positive result at OSU.”
Sometime this fall single game tickets will be sold for OSU's other six home games. Single game tickets will cost $60 for non-conference opponents (Houston, Missouri State and Tory), $85 for non-OU conference games (Texas A&M, Baylor and Iowa State).
The irony is the Bedlam game is all but assured of being OSU's lowest attendance of the season. Two years ago, OSU sold three-game packages for $160 that included tickets for Missouri State, Baylor and OU. This year there will be no packages.
The unique marketing strategy should give OSU a legitimate shot at selling 40,000 or more season tickets for the first time.
OSU's record for season tickets is 38,674 set in 2004, which included a record 11,500 student tickets. OSU sold 9,000 student tickets last year.
As expected, OSU did not raise season ticket or donor prices for the first time in three years. The $419 season ticket is higher than last year ($359) but the Cowboys have seven home games instead of six.
“The addition of 16,000 new seats in the west end zone, we believe the decision to hold prices for 2008 is the right one,” Holder said. “The new seats give us opportunities to expand our fan base though new promotions and generate new revenue to support the entire athletic program.”
With the return of the renovated west end zone, OSU gains 16,000 additional seats. Boone Pickens Stadium capacity increases to 60,000, the sixth largest venue in the Big 12.
More Family Fun Zone tickets will be available. For a price of $980 a family can purchase four season tickets (two adult, two youth), $245 a person.
Other season ticket prices include: a Discount Zone and O-Club options ($294) and new graduate rate of $245 for anyone within five years of their graduation date. Faculty and staff season tickets will be $336.
“We strive for balance between affordability, value and revenue considerations when it comes to setting ticket and donor seating prices,” said Craig Clemons, associate athletic director for external affairs and development.
To attract more students, All Sports Ticket prices are expected to be reduced but AST prices won't be announced until a later date. Last year an AST cost $150 which gets students into every OSU sporting event other than men's basketball.
Technically speaking.
And you thought a $100 face value ticket to watch Oklahoma State host Oklahoma two years ago was expensive.
OSU officials announced season ticket prices on Tuesday. The interesting twist is they will not sell individual tickets for the OU game.
Fans wanting to watch the Cowboys and Sooners play Nov. 29 at Boone Pickens Stadium must purchase a $419 season ticket or one of OSU's other season ticket options. OU will still be given an allotment of tickets, but no individual game tickets will be sold.
OSU athletic director Mike Holder said the decision was based on Iowa State implementing an identical plan last season for its rival game against Iowa. Iowa State's season ticket sales increased 30 percent, jumping from 30,000 to 36,000.
“Our decision to eliminate single game tickets for Bedlam is based upon our desire to grow our season ticket sales,” Holder said in a press statement. “Our ability to compete for championships, in all sports, is dependent upon our fans' commitment to buying season tickets in football and basketball on an annual basis.
“Frankly, this decision is all about the long-term success of OSU athletics. Based on solid results at Iowa State, we believe this decision can produce a positive result at OSU.”
Sometime this fall single game tickets will be sold for OSU's other six home games. Single game tickets will cost $60 for non-conference opponents (Houston, Missouri State and Tory), $85 for non-OU conference games (Texas A&M, Baylor and Iowa State).
The irony is the Bedlam game is all but assured of being OSU's lowest attendance of the season. Two years ago, OSU sold three-game packages for $160 that included tickets for Missouri State, Baylor and OU. This year there will be no packages.
The unique marketing strategy should give OSU a legitimate shot at selling 40,000 or more season tickets for the first time.
OSU's record for season tickets is 38,674 set in 2004, which included a record 11,500 student tickets. OSU sold 9,000 student tickets last year.
As expected, OSU did not raise season ticket or donor prices for the first time in three years. The $419 season ticket is higher than last year ($359) but the Cowboys have seven home games instead of six.
“The addition of 16,000 new seats in the west end zone, we believe the decision to hold prices for 2008 is the right one,” Holder said. “The new seats give us opportunities to expand our fan base though new promotions and generate new revenue to support the entire athletic program.”
With the return of the renovated west end zone, OSU gains 16,000 additional seats. Boone Pickens Stadium capacity increases to 60,000, the sixth largest venue in the Big 12.
More Family Fun Zone tickets will be available. For a price of $980 a family can purchase four season tickets (two adult, two youth), $245 a person.
Other season ticket prices include: a Discount Zone and O-Club options ($294) and new graduate rate of $245 for anyone within five years of their graduation date. Faculty and staff season tickets will be $336.
“We strive for balance between affordability, value and revenue considerations when it comes to setting ticket and donor seating prices,” said Craig Clemons, associate athletic director for external affairs and development.
To attract more students, All Sports Ticket prices are expected to be reduced but AST prices won't be announced until a later date. Last year an AST cost $150 which gets students into every OSU sporting event other than men's basketball.
On this day in history.... January 28, 1986 : Challenger explodes
January 28, 1986 : Challenger explodes
At 11:38 a.m. EST, on January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger
lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Christa McAuliffe is on
her way to becoming the first ordinary U.S. civilian to travel into
space. McAuliffe, a 37-year-old high school social studies teacher
from New Hampshire, won a competition that earned her a place among
the seven-member crew of the Challenger. She underwent months of
shuttle training but then, beginning January 23, was forced to wait
six long days as the Challenger's launch countdown was repeatedly
delayed because of weather and technical problems. Finally, on January
28, the shuttle lifted off.
Seventy-three seconds later, hundreds on the ground, including
Christa's family, stared in disbelief as the shuttle exploded in a
forking plume of smoke and fire. Millions more watched the wrenching
tragedy unfold on live television. There were no survivors.
In the aftermath of the explosion, President Ronald Reagan appointed a
special commission to determine what went wrong with Challenger and to
develop future corrective measures. The presidential commission was
headed by former secretary of state William Rogers, and included
former astronaut Neil Armstrong and former test pilot Chuck Yeager.
The investigation determined that the explosion was caused by the
failure of an "O-ring" seal in one of the two solid-fuel rockets. The
elastic O-ring did not respond as expected because of the cold
temperature at launch time, which began a chain of events that
resulted in the massive explosion. As a result of the explosion, NASA
did not send astronauts into space for more than two years as it
redesigned a number of features of the space shuttle.
At 11:38 a.m. EST, on January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger
lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Christa McAuliffe is on
her way to becoming the first ordinary U.S. civilian to travel into
space. McAuliffe, a 37-year-old high school social studies teacher
from New Hampshire, won a competition that earned her a place among
the seven-member crew of the Challenger. She underwent months of
shuttle training but then, beginning January 23, was forced to wait
six long days as the Challenger's launch countdown was repeatedly
delayed because of weather and technical problems. Finally, on January
28, the shuttle lifted off.
Seventy-three seconds later, hundreds on the ground, including
Christa's family, stared in disbelief as the shuttle exploded in a
forking plume of smoke and fire. Millions more watched the wrenching
tragedy unfold on live television. There were no survivors.
In the aftermath of the explosion, President Ronald Reagan appointed a
special commission to determine what went wrong with Challenger and to
develop future corrective measures. The presidential commission was
headed by former secretary of state William Rogers, and included
former astronaut Neil Armstrong and former test pilot Chuck Yeager.
The investigation determined that the explosion was caused by the
failure of an "O-ring" seal in one of the two solid-fuel rockets. The
elastic O-ring did not respond as expected because of the cold
temperature at launch time, which began a chain of events that
resulted in the massive explosion. As a result of the explosion, NASA
did not send astronauts into space for more than two years as it
redesigned a number of features of the space shuttle.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
A little culture manages to calm us all
Life is a combination of art and poetry and music, or at least that is what I tell my kids every day at school. I try to fill their lives with words like Vivaldi, Poe, Emerson, Renoir and Degas. The best way to show them is take them to the art and let them experience it first hand. So we go. The trip is planned, and the night is so cold that my breath freezes in midair making a frosted cartoon caption. It is Saturday night and we have reservations for dinner and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic at the Embassy Theatre. Twenty-two sixth-graders, five adults and one bus.
Each student is dropped off at the elementary under the pale sapphire sky of dusk and the deep, deep cold. I do not recognize the girls. Their hair is curled and swept up with sequined barrettes. The boys are cleaned up with their hair combed and one even sports a tie. I am proud of them and we have just begun the evening.
We pile onto the bus and it is so cold that my bones rattle. Roy, my friend and teacher at the school, is the driver. He turns the heat up as high as it will go but the windows are ice-covered except for the front windshield. He hunches down under his cowboy hat as we wait for the late arrival. (I said I wouldn’t wait, but I did!)
The bus engine actually groans under the weight of the cold as we pull out of the parking lot toward Fire Mountain. I have made a reservation (it is always good to let a restaurant know when 22 kids are coming!) so they are expecting us. Deb, their classroom teacher, gives them the “you know who you are representing” speech before they enter the restaurant and I remind them of hostess tipping.
I watch for signs showing me that they are sixth-graders underneath the glamour and refinement of their clothing, but I see none. They are gracious, polite and quiet, and I am impressed. They eat a balanced dinner although the ice cream line is long and spills out into the restaurant. They return with mounds of frozen ice cream and gummy worms. With dinner over and the tip collected we clamor back onto the school bus and head toward the theater.
Ahhhh, the theater. I see sweet stars of happiness when I say the word. I look back at them playing with their Game Boys, chatting and teasing each other. When did I learn to love the theater? My Dad was an actor with the Civic Theatre in Fort Wayne. Maybe it was because I was the oldest of six or that I already loved the theater, but I was the one who got to go with him every night to rehearsals. I never missed one. I wore my pajamas and slippers and slept through “Auntie Mame,” “The Odd Couple,” “Visit to a Small Planet,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Glass Menagerie” right in the front row. Now I want them to love it, at least the Philharmonic.
We arrive in Fort Wayne and travel downtown. Through the frosted windows I make out the lights of the Embassy blinking in the darkness. I know we look odd, a bus full of children on a winter’s night at the theater. We go inside for foyer where I hand out their tickets. Their eyes are full of excitement. A quick speech about bathrooms and other details and we are inside the theater.
We are early so we have time to look. “Look up,” I say. Our eyes travel to the crystal chandeliers and the winding staircase. I take their photo on that staircase and find our way up to the balcony. I watch their eyes as we take our seats. Their faces are filled with magic. So is mine. The lights blink and then dim. We are there. For two hours we are immersed in the music of Mozart. They sit and let the music surround them. They get the fidgets at the last symphony piece, but it is soon over. With one last sigh we weave our way down the spiral staircase under the chandeliers.
It is late when we arrive home and parents are waiting in warm cars to hear tales of the evening. Sequined barrettes are placed on dressers, ticket stubs in scrapbooks and new memories, from a very magical evening, are stored in the recesses of their minds.
LOU ANN HOMAN-SAYLOR lives in Angola at the White Picket Gardens where you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, teacher, writer, actress and a collector of front porch stories.
Each student is dropped off at the elementary under the pale sapphire sky of dusk and the deep, deep cold. I do not recognize the girls. Their hair is curled and swept up with sequined barrettes. The boys are cleaned up with their hair combed and one even sports a tie. I am proud of them and we have just begun the evening.
We pile onto the bus and it is so cold that my bones rattle. Roy, my friend and teacher at the school, is the driver. He turns the heat up as high as it will go but the windows are ice-covered except for the front windshield. He hunches down under his cowboy hat as we wait for the late arrival. (I said I wouldn’t wait, but I did!)
The bus engine actually groans under the weight of the cold as we pull out of the parking lot toward Fire Mountain. I have made a reservation (it is always good to let a restaurant know when 22 kids are coming!) so they are expecting us. Deb, their classroom teacher, gives them the “you know who you are representing” speech before they enter the restaurant and I remind them of hostess tipping.
I watch for signs showing me that they are sixth-graders underneath the glamour and refinement of their clothing, but I see none. They are gracious, polite and quiet, and I am impressed. They eat a balanced dinner although the ice cream line is long and spills out into the restaurant. They return with mounds of frozen ice cream and gummy worms. With dinner over and the tip collected we clamor back onto the school bus and head toward the theater.
Ahhhh, the theater. I see sweet stars of happiness when I say the word. I look back at them playing with their Game Boys, chatting and teasing each other. When did I learn to love the theater? My Dad was an actor with the Civic Theatre in Fort Wayne. Maybe it was because I was the oldest of six or that I already loved the theater, but I was the one who got to go with him every night to rehearsals. I never missed one. I wore my pajamas and slippers and slept through “Auntie Mame,” “The Odd Couple,” “Visit to a Small Planet,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Glass Menagerie” right in the front row. Now I want them to love it, at least the Philharmonic.
We arrive in Fort Wayne and travel downtown. Through the frosted windows I make out the lights of the Embassy blinking in the darkness. I know we look odd, a bus full of children on a winter’s night at the theater. We go inside for foyer where I hand out their tickets. Their eyes are full of excitement. A quick speech about bathrooms and other details and we are inside the theater.
We are early so we have time to look. “Look up,” I say. Our eyes travel to the crystal chandeliers and the winding staircase. I take their photo on that staircase and find our way up to the balcony. I watch their eyes as we take our seats. Their faces are filled with magic. So is mine. The lights blink and then dim. We are there. For two hours we are immersed in the music of Mozart. They sit and let the music surround them. They get the fidgets at the last symphony piece, but it is soon over. With one last sigh we weave our way down the spiral staircase under the chandeliers.
It is late when we arrive home and parents are waiting in warm cars to hear tales of the evening. Sequined barrettes are placed on dressers, ticket stubs in scrapbooks and new memories, from a very magical evening, are stored in the recesses of their minds.
LOU ANN HOMAN-SAYLOR lives in Angola at the White Picket Gardens where you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, teacher, writer, actress and a collector of front porch stories.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Austyn did good, he won it all
Rec'd this from Marilyn K.
Neighbors of Kenny B from Cyril originally, ( I work w/Kenny's brother).
They had spotted the cougar - from a distance. Their horses have gone
crazy a few times (imagine that) and they knew there was one out there.
This is how HUGE he is !
Thought some of you guys may appreciate this.....
wow! We see one near the house on occasion, but don't "think" he is
nearly this big.
This is less than 30 miles from Alva.
Cougar Picture..of Oklahoma Kitty....Feel safe hiking in the woods?Here
is a photo of a cougar killed SW of Jet Oklahoma. The guy who shot it
is 6 foot tall and weighs about 220 lbs. He was in a deer stand and saw
the cat pass him downwind. He then saw it pass him upwind. When the
cat passed him again (closer this time) downwind, he knew that it was
hunting him. So, boom. After viewing this, do you still feel safe in
the woods? The pasture?
Shaklee Family Newsletter, Dec. 2007 published by Bill Shaklee.. a great man in his own right!!
Shaklee Family Newsletter, December 2007.
by Bill Shaklee
Need to remember to send in family news and accomplishments to him, Mr. Shaklee LOVES news!
by Bill Shaklee
Need to remember to send in family news and accomplishments to him, Mr. Shaklee LOVES news!
PHILLIP.... check this out!!!!!! I think this would be cool to try.... anyone else interested????
from http://www.umes.edu/IA/PR/News/NewsBoard/article.aspx?id=8812
UMES Ingenuity Creates a Prize-Winning and Exportable Entrepreneurial Model
PRINCESS ANNE, MD - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) was named a regional winner of a competition sponsored by the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) for its FARMS Project. All public four-year institutions were eligible to apply for the C. Peter Magrath/W.K. Kellogg Foundation Engagement Award, which was created to recognize “institutions that have redesigned their teaching, research, and extension and service functions to become more productively involved with their communities, however community may be defined.”
FARMS (Farmer Access to Regional Markets) is an agricultural supply chain model developed by the Rural Development Center (RDC) at UMES. The model is termed a “network.” It is based on appropriate greenhouse technology, market demand, an agri-business with expertise in growing and a strong market. The agri-business then promotes development in agriculture by providing fixed contracts and technical/logistical support to growers who normally wouldn’t utilize the technology.
In Maryland so far, the FARMS project has resulted in the creation of the “Greenhouse Growers Network,” a network of flower growers for Bell Nursery of Burtonsville, MD. As the partnership matures between UMES and U.S. Orchid Laboratory and Nursery, Inc., additional growers will be needed for that company, too. The potential exists for adoption of the model by other agribusiness enterprises, other commodities and other locales.
The RDC has been supporting the adoption of “hoop house” technology, which is less expensive than building a greenhouse and shows promise of enabling lower income clientele to become vegetable growers. “We are proud to say that UMES is living up to its land-grant mission to support rural economic development,” said Dr. Ron Forsythe, vice president for commercialization at UMES. “This national recognition from NASULGC for the FARMSinitiative provides that reassurance.”
International expansion
In Jamaica, UMES personnel have provided consultative and hands-on assistance implementing the same model, which has created one network of growers of specialty lettuces, fresh herbs and spices and another network of growers of peppers, herbs and spices, both using hoop house technology. Development efforts using the FARMS model in Jamaica have been underwritten primarily by the Global Development Alliance within U.S. Agency for International Development with UMES’ non-profit affiliate Maryland Hawk Corporation, Inc. as a subcontractor. As interest has grown, however, private industry is becoming involved, and the Alcoa Corporation has signed on as a partner. This spring, the University of the Virgin Islands signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UMES to bring the FARMS entrepreneurial model to that U.S. territory.
Inspiration from the poultry industry
“The FARMS project is derived from the vertically integrated business model of the poultry industry here on Delmarva,” said Daniel S. Kuennen, director of the Rural Development Center, “where individual family farms grow chickens under contract to major poultry companies.” As Kuennen explains it, “We’ve adapted that model so that instead of chicken houses, our growers build greenhouses. Our growers have more variety in the types of commodities they can produce, and we are helping them form service cooperatives to negotiate better bulk purchases and services for all aspects of their businesses. FARMS enables growers with limited amounts of land, farming expertise and market contact to gain access to technological and managerial expertise and major markets, thus reducing their risk and improving profitability. A greenhouse can make a relatively small parcel of land highly productive.”
Extension connection
Dr. Thomas Handwerker, a horticulturalist and specialist in emerging agricultural technologies, holds a joint appointment with Maryland Cooperative Extension and the UMES Department of Agriculture. He and Kuennen in the RDC have been working for over a decade to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of the model, in particular for Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where pressures from environmental concerns and real estate development have put the future of the agriculture industry at risk. “A substantial proportion of Greenhouse Growers Network members are women, or first-time farmers, or both,” observed Handwerker. “Interest has been strong, and the Greenhouse Growers Network has grown in eight years from a few to over 40 growers.”
“By focusing on the value of land-grant universities’ engagement with their communities,” said UMES President Thelma B. Thompson, “this NASULGC award encourages our continuing effort at UMES to enhance the well-being of the citizens of Maryland, particularly here on the Eastern Shore.”
The regional NASULGC award included a $6,000 cash prize. The FARMS project will be presented in Madison, WI, in October along with the other regional winners to compete for the national NASULGC Engagement award. See /Discover/Default.aspx?id=7668 to view “Discover UMES” videos about the FARMS work in Jamaica (JA FARMS). See http://www.skipjack.net/farms to view five short USDA videos about the Greenhouse Growers Network in Maryland.
For more information, contact Suzanne Street, director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-651-6669.
Members of the greenhouse growers network on Maryland’s Eastern Shore have included many new farmers, and the majority of them have been women. Photo: UMES
Leasing greenhouse space from UMES in Princess Anne, U.S. Orchids Laboratory and Nursery, Inc. is working to develop marketable products. Its contracts with local growers will reduce risk and add stability and diversification to the economy of the Delmarva Peninsula. Photo: UMES.
UMES Rural Development Center Director Daniel S. Kuennen helps erect a high tunnel hoop greenhouse for a network grower in Jamaica. Photo: Jim Glovier for UMES.
A steady source of supply of specialty vegetables enables Rock Mountain Herbs in Jamaica to sell to major supermarkets and restaurant chains. Photo: Jim Glovier for UMES.
Kat Harting, media specialist, UMES Department of Agriculture, 410-651-6084, kharting@umes.edu.
Contact: Suzanne Waters Street, director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-621-2355, sstreet@umes.edu.
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