Yes.....we took a vacation......As if anyone noticed.......we have been away for a few weeks. This blog, 5 on Five, took some much needed time off. We met our goal of last year by posting an article a day. That is hard work. But in the real world of working for a living.....January is the toughest month of all in my line of work. But.....we're back....and more focused than ever.
President Barack Obama.....Yes , it is a reality......So much history.......so much uncertainty. But oh .......so fulfilling.
This is the coldest January I can remember for some time. And I used to live in upstate New York.
I have received my w-2 form........on line of course.......completed my federal and state tax forms........on line of course.....and.....am awaiting my refund........what about you guys?
Tiger Woods came out of hiding.......and spoke at an inaugural function in behalf of President Obama. It's about time, Tiger.
TNT and our friend Charles Barkley have a temporary separation going. Let's hope Sir Charles is back on the airwaves...........soon.
Mark McGwire's brother is sure showing some "brotherly love".....by promoting his new book trashing his bro' and his use of steroids......and you thought your family was dysfunctional.
John Smoltz is no longer an Atlanta Brave...opting to take he and his 41 year old arm to the Boston Red Sox........Let him go! The Braves paid this guy $4 million last year and got 28 innings!
Well ........it's Friday........the weekend is here........and .......there is no football.....
Bummer........
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thoughts.....on a Friday....
An Introduction ........to Mike Tomlin
From the archives of Wikipedia........
Mike Tomlin (born March 15, 1972) is an American football head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history, and first in Steelers history. Tomlin is the third African-American head coach and the youngest head coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl with the Steelers victory in the AFC Championship Game on January 18, 2009.
From NFL.com:
Official site of the Pittsburgh Steelers - Coaches
Mike Tomlin.......never played a down in the NFL.
Though he starred as a wide receiver in high school and college, Tomlin realized his true calling at the age of 23 when he began his coaching career with Virginia Military Academy in 1995 as the receivers coach.
He is ....."no nonsense"......."My way or the highway"(see Plaxico Burris)..........He is animated and articulate......he demands effort. A fitting.......fit.......for the "Steel City" of Pittsburgh........
That he is an African-American means little to this city or its team. That he is a qualified leader of men........and has CEO qualities in running an organization ......speaks volumes.
This Steeler team has taken the personality of its coach. Fearless........tough..........nasty.
I can only hope that Mr. Tomlin will be around for many, many seasons as head man of these Steelers .
The NFL is so far ahead of the "good ole boy network" .......which is so prevalent in College football. We wish Mr. Tomlin........and his Steelers........much success......and .......a win in next weeks Super Bowl........
More to come on that.......
But for now.....read the entire bio....via wikipedia:
Mike Tomlin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
What's all the Fuss.......About?
100 - 0..................
From Yahoo Sports:
Team regrets 100-0 win
A lot of people are up in arms.......very upset..........They say, "It's a crying shame...this was so unfair!"
In Dallas, Texas.......a girls high school basketball game was played. Well, sort of.... One team played, shot baskets, rebounded, scored......and the other team didn't.
The Covenant School beat Dallas Academy, 100-0. The score was 59-0 at the half and 88-0 after 3 quarters.
This game was played 10 days ago on January 13. Yesterday, officials from The Covenant School paid a visit to Dallas Academy to apologize.....and forfeit the game.
Covenant School to forfeit 100-0 win over Dallas Academy (from the Dallas Morning News)
Why? Both teams were in the same classification and region. Both teams played five on five. No age differences.
But ........All of America is upset by what is seen as a bully, in The Covenant School, beating up on an inferior Dallas Academy team.
America, sports fans, media..........Get over it. Life .......is not fair. There are always going to be winners.......and losers. These young ladies will not be scarred for life. They will not grow up to be serial killers......blaming their state of mind on a meaningless basketball game played in their youth.
Inequality is ramped through all of man.......and woman-kind. There is the wealthy and poor....the ugly and the beautiful..........the dumb and the smart.......the fat and the skinny.
And there is the talented basketball teams and the untalented teams. These two just happened to meet on the same court. Sometimes ....things just happen.
What's all the fuss........it was just a game.
Friday, January 16, 2009
He is.......Indeed.....A Good Man...& a Heck of Coach
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy..........
Was an NFL football coach who happened to be of the African American descent. Mr. Dungy retired this week as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
He has won it all..........as in a "Super Bowl"........He has led his teams to 10 consecutive play-off appearances......
He has been fired........(Tampa Bay)........Has had a son commit suicide............
And through it all..........Anthony Kevin........remained the unassuming master mind of the football Gods.......
Anthony Kevin did not yell and scream. Anthony Kevin did not posture for cameras.......Anthony Kevin never used the media for his gain.......
For Anthony Kevin..........was comfortable ....just being ....himself..........a football coach.
Knowledgeable.......Likable.......a teacher.......one who delegated and built staffs around him...
Anthony Kevin.......you will be missed.
Anthony Kevin, you gave all of us non-assuming persons..........hope.
Anthony Kevin...........you led by example.....and that we commend you........we respect you....we honor you.
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy..............
We thank you for being not only a great coach..........but a "good man"........
Saturday, January 10, 2009
An Old Fashioned......Beat-down.....in 2009?
Amway Arena........Orlando, Florida......
An NBA basketball game was played here, Friday night. The game pitted the number one team in the division (Orlando Magic) and "man child" Dwight Howard (pictured) against the number two team (Atlanta Hawks).
And when it was mercifully over........the Magic put a little space between themselves and the rest of the division.....most notably .......the young, athletic.......Atlanta Hawks.
122-87..............
And it wasn't even that close. Several times in this game, the Hawks trailed by over 50 points....yes......."fiddie"........
At the end of the first quarter, it was 41-18..........Magic.
By the half .......it was 71-33........Magic........and the rout was on.
In the end........when all was said and done........The Hawks attempted ....or put up 80 shots.....only to have 28 go through the basket for two pointers.
Meanwhile, the Magic scored at will..........putting up 83 shots with 40 going in for two's......and astounding 16 of 28 three pointers going in.
The good thing about the NBA? And the scheduling? No time to dwell in sorrow. Tomorrow means another city..........another game.
For these young Hawks...........this is a good thing.....
A beat-down in Orlando?
Shit happens........
Check out the complete results.....courtesy of Yahoo Sports:
Box Score
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The "Scouting Report" on ....one...Matthew Stafford
Some have him going number one....
As in the up-coming NFL draft......
Big mistake.
Yes, a gifted college quarterback.....yes, a strong arm........yes, all the physical attributes scouts just love.......but.......and this is a .....BIG..........but...........
Matthew Stafford , (QB of the Georgia Bulldogs) has warning signs all across his resume.
Scouting reports? Dig this: from an anonymous scout:
Matthew Stafford
"Stafford is a good quarterback. Probably the best at UGA today.... He is not overly talented and has not demonstrated the ability to be a good decision maker under pressure. Stafford is known as a "brain farter" (who forces the ball instead of throwing it out of bounds when under pressure and throws off his back foot way too much)."
Believe me.......NFL scouts are very smart.......but I did not totally believe them. So I have watched Mr. Stafford over the last couple of years.
He does have a strong arm........... but.....We all , down here, have heard of a QB named Steve Bartkowski (formally of the Atlanta Falcons) .....could throw it 100 yards. But nothing ....upstairs.
Stafford is like a lot of big armed QB's .....all arm.......no brains..........
I hope the best for this young man..........but facts are facts..........Has he improved? Does he make the right decisions?
One decision he has to make soon , is .......whether or not he is going to enter the NFL draft.
I think he should pass...........but that's just me. Here is his career stats:
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2006 | 135 | 256 | 1749 | 52.7 | 6.83 | 53 | 7 | 13 | 12 | 108.99 |
| 2007 | 194 | 348 | 2523 | 55.7 | 7.25 | 84 | 19 | 10 | 15 | 128.92 |
| 2008 | 235 | 383 | 3459 | 61.4 | 9.03 | 78 | 25 | 10 | 17 | 153.54 |
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009........Welcome to the Party
Here's to you.....2009
You are just a few hours old. You will have 365 days......52 weeks.......and 12 months to leave your legacy.
In Exactly one year from now.......you too .... will be .....just a memory.
So, 2009.......What will you bring?
2009.......what will be your lasting memory?
Who will die? Who will win? What country will we invade? Which Hurricane will make history? Will it be a recession or a depression? Who's the next "American Idol"? Who cares?
2009..........you are so young. Just a baby........... a newborn...........
2009.....are you sure you're up to this? The naysayers buried your predecessor, 2008. They said, Thank God, it's over. Will you have the same comments over your obituary?
2009.....You at least give us hope.....for this is a brand new year. A fresh start........even in the middle of winter........
2009........My heart is with you.......I won't ask questions..........I won't ask why..........I'll simply live each day............and when it's all done?
There will be a 2010.......
Wow!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Hump Day News & Views
Mission accomplished.....a solo act...366 days.......366 posts.......
And ..........a toast.......to me....
Our goal for 5 on Five since January 1st of this year, was to post at least one article each day. There were droughts........and there were days with multiple postings. But in the end we got our 366 posts. I use the word "we" rather loosely .....as this writer authored all of the 366 post for 2008. No promises or goals for 2009, if we feel a blog........we'll post it. If not, we won't.
New Year's Eve, 2008..........
Today ..........or tonight, we bid farewell to the year 2008. What a year it was. An African-American president elected.......the meltdown of the economy.....In sports, the Super Bowl to the Beijing Olympics........2008 was awesome. Check out MS NBC 's
The Year in News Pictures
Odds are.......A home team is bound to win.......
For maybe the first time ever..........at least the first time I can remember.....all four road teams are favored in this weekend's wild card play-offs in the NFL. Here's the Vegas odds:
Date & Time Favorite Line Underdog Total 1/3 4:30 ET Atlanta -2 At Arizona 51 1/3 8:00 ET Indianapolis -1 At San Diego 51 1/4 1:00 ET Baltimore -3 At Miami 37.5 1/4 4:30 ET Philadelphia -3 At Minnesota 41.5
I see Arizona and Minnesota playing over their heads in front of frenzied home crowds to defeat the Falcons and the Eagles straight up. Then again........
Another day.......another coach fired?
DENVER (AP)—Over the past few years, Mike Shanahan, the vice president of football operations, didn’t do Mike Shanahan, the coach, any favors.
In the end, both got fired.
The Denver Broncos parted ways with Shanahan on Tuesday following a late-season fizzle that knocked the team out of the postseason for a third straight season.
Read full article at :
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP)—Charles Barkley was arrested on suspicion of drinking and driving early Wednesday.
An officer with a law enforcement task force that targets drunken driving saw the former NBA star run a stop sign around 1:30 a.m., said Gilbert police Lt. Eric Shuhandler.
Barkley declined to submit to a breath test but was given a blood test. The results weren’t immediately available.
After Barkley was processed, he was cited and released. He left in a cab, Shuhandler said.
Shuhandler said there was nothing remarkable about the 45-year-old Barkley’s arrest and that it is customary to release people after they’ve been arrested on suspicion of DUI.
“There was nothing unusual about how he was taken into custody,” Shuhandler said. “He was treated exactly like we treat anybody else.”
Barkley was arrested in Scottsdale’s Old Town area, one of the trendiest spots in the Phoenix metro area.
A television commentator for NBA games, the former Auburn player was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame last month.
He played 16 NBA seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, and played on the 1992 and 1996 Olympic teams. Barkley was an 11-time NBA All-Star and league MVP in 1993.
Selected one the NBA’s 50 greatest players in 1996, he was inducted into the 2006 Basketball Hall of Fame.
Have a great night!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Things ....From the Week-end....Learned & More
Playoffs????? Playoffs??????
With all due respect to Tom Landry (right) and America's Team .......the Dallas Cowboys....neither will be around for the 2008-09 NFL play-offs.
The NFL concluded its regular season in style Sunday.........The Atlanta Falcons are in.....the Dallas Cowboys are not. The Miami Dolphins are in.......the New England Patriots are not.
AFC division winners are San Diego (8-8 , with their win over Denver), Tennessee, Pittsburgh, and Miami. Wild cards are Indianapolis and Baltimore.
NFC division winners are the N Y Giants, Arizona, Minnesota, and Carolina with wild cards Atlanta and Philadelphia.
A 44-6 beat down.....
That loud noise you heard late Sunday afternoon was the moans and groans coming out of every Dallas Cowboy fan from coast to coast. This thing got down right ugly......and it was so much fun to watch.
Now can we be .....done with Brett Favre?
Favre.......once again showed his true colors when it matter the most. The N Y Jets sold their souls to the devil and Favre........unceremoniously dump quarterback Chad Pennington........only to have Favre.......under perform.......and get beaten out of a play-off spot by none other than Chad and the Miami Dolphins........I loved it.
Black Monday in the NFL.....
Three coaches fired.......... NFL axe falls on Lions, Jets, Browns coaches
Rod Marinelli (He of the 0-16 Detroit Lions), Romeo Crennel (Cleveland) and Eric Mangini (N Y Jets) ............all fired yesterday. The NFL is brutal.......win .......win.....or find another job.
One good thing..........a black head coach ( Crennel) was among the ones fired..........and nobody is upset. This is great......Why?
It means that in the NFL, coaches are hired and fired on their abilities to coach..........period....not by the color of their skins..........and that....is a good thing.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
My Team..........is on a Roll
Yes.....I said it.........
My team. The Atlanta Hawks. That team. That team of the "thug" NBA.
White America has been so..........mis-informed.....by the good old boy "white media".
We have heard that this league (the NBA) is a league of thugs..........Black guys with tattoos .......
Is that all they have? Listen.......these guys .....just happen to be the best athletes on the planet. The NFL has far more problems regarding players getting into trouble (see Plaxico Burris).
The NBA is back..........and so are the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks are now 19-10....in second place in their division.
And.......they're playing some good basketball.........and that 's a good thing.
Yes...........Atlanta........I am now...........back on your band-wagon.
0-16.........It has indeed Happened....
The Detroit Lions..........
Made history today. They lost a football game, 31-21 to the Green Bay Packers, to become the first team in NFL history to go 0-16.
0-16...........
Sixteen games..........no wins......16 losses. The impossible........has happened.
How can an NFL team with 45 players of elite status (the best of the best) , all high draft choices........college all-Americans.......high school phenomenons .......field a team .....that can't win a game?
Leave it to Detroit..........Owned by a Ford..........
Oh.....did I mention my Ford still won't start?
The box score.....in case you don't believe me:
| Box Score
And the recap........per Yahoo Sports:
Lions become first NFL team to go 0-16
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Detroit..........I Feel Your Pain
0-16 is no way to sell seats
The above was an article in todays Detroit Free Press......Kind of sad what's happening in the "Motor City" these days.
General Motors and Ford are in a financial tailspin..........The NFL football team (the Detroit Lions) are 0-15..........with the strong possibility of being the only team in the history of the league to go 0-16.
But........Detroit........I know pain. I have been where you are today. How bad.......is bad?
How does a team lose every game ....of a season? Been there..........Done that.....
I was a second baseman on a church softball team..........that lost every game we played for two seasons. And what did we do after each game? No crying........no pouting.......just a few cold beers in the parking lot. After all, the sun continued to rise each day.......and none of us died.
I have been beaten while playing guard on a basketball team, 95-18..........by a far superior team. Our response? At least we kept them under 100 points.
My point is a simple one..........Life is..........what it is.....full of disappointments.......full of accomplishments.......and full of all things in between.
It is what we do ........in spite of the wins and losses that count......
Detroit.......I feel your pain.....Your Lions are owned by a Ford. William Clay Ford, Sr..........
I drive a ford...........and I could not get it started today.
Yes........Detroit.....I feel your pain.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Michael Vick.....Matt Ryan....& the Atlanta Falcons
"So this is Christmas........what have you done?........
Another year is over........and a new one just begun"......(John Lennon, 1971)
I must apologize..........I was wrong.
When the Atlanta Falcons first drafted Matt Ryan........I was under-impressed to say the least. I speculated the weak offensive line of these Falcons would spell a quick and sudden death, both to the rookie QB........and to the team's play-off aspirations.
Again..........I was wrong.
I thought this team would be lucky to win 3 games........It was not a good team. Michael Vick had proceeded to camouflage much of the teams deficiencies by his super-natural talents and his running abilities.
With Vick..........now just an after thought ........still doing time for the dog fighting mess.......thus a non issue.......
We turn our attention to the new Atlanta Falcons......
A new general manager.......a new coach...........and a new quarterback .....
And............after a 4-12 season..............a play-off birth.
In the spirit of the season........can you say, "Miracle on .......Peachtree Street?"
Merry Christmas .......Atlanta Falcons, Matt Ryan............and ........yes........Michael Vick!
Santa Claus.......Mike Teixeira.....& the N Y Yankees
'Tis the season...........
'Twas the night before Christmas.......when all through the house.....
not a creature was stirring.....not even a mouse.....
Except ..........those ass-holes in the front office of the New York Yankees!
Mark Teixiera........here is an early Christmas gift. $180 million for 8 years! Yes, we are the Yankees..........we don't "haggle" over a couple of millions........Everyone else's offer to the former Anaheim Angel first baseman was between $140 million and $160 million. Let's get ....serious. Let's not bull-shit around. Let's blow everybody completely out of the water!
And in essence ......this is exactly what the Yankees did. $180 million
..........
So Santa.......wears pinstripes.
The baseball world is up in arms.........."This is so unfair", they rail..........But is it?
Again.......we ask, "How much is a player worth?"..............and again we reply, "You're worth....exactly what someone will pay you".
So .......don't hate on the Yankees..........or Teixeira...........or sports..........or MLB........
Mark Teixeira happens to be able to do something .......only a precious few in the 2 billion plus populated earth.....can do......... Hit and catch a little round ball.
Merry Christmas Mr. Teixeira............and Merry Christmas to you too.......New York Yankees.
A Road Trip.......Down Memory Lane...
Yours Truly...........
Took a road trip these past few days......A trip which took me, my father and my mother back to where it all began.......For me and my siblings, anyway.
The city of Savannah, Georgia...........(where I first lived).........Hunter Air Force Base ( where I breathe my first breath of air.......and Fellwood Homes........(a public housing project where I had my first bed).
I have heard..........to better understand the present and the future.......one must visit the past.
Well.....as much as Savannah has changed in the last 40 years........much of it remains the same.
A smaller version of Hunter AFB remains..........My father's high school ( A. E. Beach High ) is still standing.....still open. My mother's high school ( Woodville and later, Tomkins High is now a Technical school.
And Fellwood Homes?...............It no longer exist........at all. The old housing projects built in 1941 have been leveled (see top photo).
We lived in "the projects" at a time when "the projects"were not yet a bad word........Affordable government subsidized homes. Clean.......efficient......crime free.
But after over 50 years.............Fellwood Homes..........became a drug infested........high crime black eye to the city of Savannah.
It was breath taking and somewhat surreal to see bulldozers working so late on this Christmas Eve afternoon...........clearing the ground for a new Fellwood..........termed, The Sustainable Fellwood. (See Photo above on right).
There is just something about........seeing your past..........living the present.....and envisioning the future.
Merry Christmas........to all.......
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The "Real Deal"........in a "Real Mess"
Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield............
Lost a fight last night. He was pitted against a man who out weighed him by almost 100 pounds and was 10 years younger. The 7 foot Russian, Nicolei Valuev...........won the bout with a majority decision, and ended Holyfield's quest for yet another heavy weight title.
Holyfield, who would have become the oldest heavyweight champion in history had he won the World Boxing Association title, ruled out retirement, while his management team insisted their man had been 'robbed'.
Holyfield, who now has 10 defeats on his career record of 42 fights, was gracious in defeat. He said: "I thought I had won the fight, I thought I had won more rounds than he did. My goal is to be heavyweight champion of the world, I am not interested in fighting for the sake of it, I want to be a champion again. That hasn't changed."
Evander..........Evander..........wake up..........smell the coffee.....
You are 46 years old.....you have 11 illegitimate kids..........you live in a multi-million dollar mansion.........which requires millions in up-keep expenses........ You have no marketable skills out side of boxing. And this pay day was for only $500,000 .........and.......you lost.
Mr. Holyfield..........retire..........hire a lawyer.......renegotiate your child support payments....sell that mansion...........
And then .......call up George Foreman...........and see if ..........you and he...........can successfully market ..........a "Holyfield Grill"..........or........maybe..........a line of "The Real Deal"..........playing cards.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
'Tis the Season for Cards..........
From GaPeach913..........
A couple of interesting and timely Christmas cards......
Hump Day News & Views
Now that's a cool president........
The big secret is out. Time magazine has chosen Barack Obama as its "person of the year". There are some amazing photographs of the president-elect in the newest on-line edition of the magazine including some very funny college pictures. See them all here: See pictures of Obama's college years.
Almost home.....but not quite......
We mentioned in yesterday's edition of the pending deal of Rafael Furcal coming back to the Atlanta Braves. Well.......not so fast! Seems the L A Dodgers are sweetening the pot in a last ditch effort to retain the services of their shortstop. Fucal is reported to be considering their counter-offer. Stay tuned.
The Arena Football League to take a year off..........
Yes ..........the Arena Football League is suspending play. There will not be a 2009 season as the financially stripped league reassesses itself. I personally was never a fan of the AFL, but I hate to see so many players not get an opportunity to play........even if it was on a smaller platform than the NFL.
A-town versus Bean-town........
Tonight at Philips Arena in the ATL.......The Atlanta Hawks host the Boston Celtics in prime-time on ESPN...........The Celts have the best record in the league at 23-2 and are riding a 15 game winning streak. The Hawks (15-9) have won 3 in a row. A great early season showdown.
Happy Trails.......Reggie Bush.....
New Orleans Saints running back, Reggie Bush will miss the remainder of the season . Bush sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during the Saints’ loss at Chicago last Thursday night. The knee was examined over the weekend and coach Sean Payton said at practice on Wednesday that the team decided to put Bush on injured reserve. Will this guy ever make through an entire NFL season? Ever?
The " Brothers Manning".......
For the first time in history two brothers have been selected to the NFL pro bowl. Eli of the N Y Giants and Peyton of the Indianapolis Colts will be in Hawaii for the NFL showcase of its all-stars. Did we mention their dad (Archie) was also a pretty good QB back in the day?
Hey hey hey, it's Mike Tyson............
Mike is giving a whole new meaning to "Heavy Weight".......
The man once regarded as the baddest man on the planet shocked fight fans this past weekend, when a rather rotund Tyson fronted up to present an award at the sixth annual Video Game Awards in Culver City, California. The once-fabulously-chiseled physique of the former heavyweight champion of the world is now more flabulous than fabulous, with the once-feared pugilist now looking more like cartoon character Fat Albert.
Things........I'm thinking about.......
I am convinced there are only five Christmas songs........they just get recycled and replayed by hundreds of artists.
70 degrees in this southern college town today.........that ain't right! It's December!
Why is there still no cure ...........for the common cold?
'Tis the season.....for all those "lists".......You know them .......they're coming.....but....I can wait.........Top stories of the year..........Best dressed.....Worst dressed........Best stories.......Best movies..........Top 10 plays of the year........and on .......and on ........and on.......
Have a great "Hump Day"
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
You can........Come Home Again..........
The prodigal son is coming home...........
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, former Atlanta Braves shortstop, Rafael Furcal is coming home. An L A Dodger for the last three years, Furcal and the Braves have reached an agreement on a 3 year, $30 million dollar deal that will re-unite the all-star shortstop with his original major league team.
This might spell the end of the line for Yunel Escobar........the young phenom out of Cuba. Trade rumors of Yunel surfaced as early as this past summer.
To me the deal makes no since..........Why get older?
Rafael .....now 31..........was a stud in his first stint..........but.......he only played in 38 of 162 games last year because of a bad back.......
And backs have a well of ..........well ........not getting better.
Note to the Braves brass.......use some of that $30 million ..........to "bail out" your anemic pitching staff.
