When you’ve run out of things to worry about

This past Sunday’s Loudoun County insert in The Washington Post carried a front-page feature on the newly-minted chair of said county’s Board of Supervisors, Phyllis J. Randall. She says the usual things about wanting to give people “voices” and having an “open door,” and of course gratuitous remarks about being African American. (To be fair it seemed to be in response to a leading question, but those are the questions you laugh at, not answer.)

Speaking of laughter and laughter-inducing responses, I could not help chuckling at Ms. Randall’s comments regarding her “main goal [she] hope[s] to accomplish.” First, it involves a “Comprehensive Plan.” Oh boy. Second, and I quote: We have such a dearth of housing options in this county. You shouldn’t have to make $75,000 a year to live in the county.

You ever heard of an area so wealthy they actually had in their “comprehensive plan” an initiative to dial it back a little?

Yeah, imagine the horrors and chaos that would ensue if you lived in an area where everyone was successful.

Sometimes you’ve just run out of things to worry about.

Birthday 34

Yesterday I turned 34 years old. It was a good day, of course, but let’s face it… when you have my life most days are good. I’m lucky to have so many wonderful friends and a terrific family and I’m thankful for them every single day.

Muhammad Ali, 1942-2016

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Like the passing of a head of state, the death of Muhammad Ali has sounded across the entire globe and focused the world’s attention on The Man as it has so many times before. As someone with a blog devoted to sports, politics, and entertainment, I can think of few people so ingrained in all of these areas as the late Muhammad Ali, who died Friday at the age of 74.

I’ve often wondered what I would think of Ali had I grown up in his heyday rather than a generation removed. After all, the man was not without controversy. (And this in an era without Twitter!) By the time I knew who Muhammad Ali was he was not only passed his prime but suffering from a severely debilitating disease. He was also a legend and absolutely beyond reproach, his godlike status secure. My only real memory of Ali in action (as is the case for anyone under 40) is of his torch lighting at the ’96 Olympics. More than all his moments in the ring, that’s the one people remember most. It was one of the great moments in the history of sports.

For all his ego and grandstanding and unorthodox views on race and religion and politics, Muhammad Ali was nothing if not honest and resolute. Those are qualities to be admired. And his political views? Rightly or wrongly the world came around to him, did it not?

Often overlooked is Ali’s prowess in the ring, three times the Heavyweight Champion of the World and an Olympic gold medalist.

How great was he?

The Greatest.

Finals are finally here

It was a game for three quarters, then last night’s Game One matchup between the Warriors and the Cavs became about as interesting as the preempted episode of CNN’s The Eighties that was supposed to air last night. Seriously, they’re at about 50% this season… must I continue to get “breaking news” about another crackpot drug theory in Prince’s death?

Disappointing, too, was last night’s season finale of Archer, a show which sometimes runs a little off the rails from what made it so cool for several seasons and a few dozen episodes. It tends to be a bit much these days, and also at the same time oddly repetitious. That’s never a good combination.

Well, there are still (possibly) 17 more days of the NBA Finals to keep us sated through June.

I’ve gone back and forth so many times on who’s a lock to win this series I think it’s a little silly for me to make a prediction now but I will anyway.

Series outcome: awesome basketball, awesome television.

Thank you, O Netflix

With no hockey and no basketball last night I found myself in need of a little entertainment. Thankfully this is 2016 and there is this thing called Netflix. In its latest foray into media dominance Netflix has teamed with those most 20th century of stars, Adam Sandler and David Spade, to bring us The Do-Over, available only via Internet streaming or so it seems.

Never mind the plot of The Do-Over… it’s a Sandler vehicle and surprisingly entertaining. There are the usual number of gay and fart jokes, yes, but somehow they don’t take away from an otherwise funny movie. And that I can see it at home? Basocially for free? This is the future.

Thank you, again, O Netflix.

Memorial Day

Today, of course, is Memorial Day, and for the first time in many years I am not playing in a parade or otherwise going to work. No, I’m doing what most people are doing today: enjoying the day off and going to someone else’s Memorial Day celebration. Best of all I get to do this with my little boy, who loves celebrations and days off almost as much as his dad.

I don’t “like” this

Much has been made over Facebook’s supposed censoring of right-wing news and viewpoints, its supposed olive branch to conservatives, and backlash pro and con. I think we’re missing the bigger picture. There is, after all, a small part of the universe that Facebook does not yet own. Who’s monitoring their suppression of right-wing views?

I’m looking at you, mainstream liberal media!

All bets are off

I had a thousand theories as to why the Oklahoma City Thunder were able to defeat the vaunted Golden State Warriors in Game One of their playoff series last week.

I had ten thousand theories why OKC was somehow able to squeeze out another win in Game Three.

I’ve got one theory why the Thunder are now up three games to one in this series.

They are playing better than the Warriors right now.

Even a bad day watching sports…

Well, I didn’t expect either NBA game this weekend to turn out quite like that. Wins for the Raptors and Thunder? Let alone blowouts? I stand by a Cleveland-Golden State final as has everyone since October.

Secondly I must say thank you, hockey, for lending some excitement to last night’s late night viewing (and a sarcastic thanks to 1-0 baseball games over in two and a half hours). Sudden-death playoff hockey is always good, though if the Stanley Cup Finals ends up being Tampa Bay-San Jose we’re going to again have studio executives jumping off buildings.

Tampa Bay-San Jose? Hockey?

That makes Toronto-OKC look like Golden State-Cleveland.

Well, that’s what it would look like if anyone actually watched it.

May Madness

It’s far from a done deal, of course, but if the Cleveland Cavaliers don’t end up facing the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals I will be shocked.

There will also be several suicides among executives at the TV stations set to broadcast those games.

I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but it has been some time since two titans at the tops of their games faced one another for a championship. This is set to be very, very good.

With extra travel days added to the schedule the Finals are now potentially 18 days long. That’s one day shy of March Madness (excluding the First Four), only here it’s all #1 seeds facing each other all the time.

Heaven can wait.