Veteran's Day tributes.

On this Veteran’s Day, I would like to go back to November 11, 1988.

It was the final Veteran’s Day address given by President Ronald Reagan. Living up to his nickname “The Great Communicator”, he conveyed a moving tribute at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The entire 9 ½ minute speech is fantastic. And I couldn’t help but nod my head vigorously in agreement over the following excerpt regarding the Vietnam War:


“Perhaps at this late date we can all agree that we've learned one lesson: that young Americans must never again be sent to fight and die unless we are prepared to let them win.”


Hopefully that message rings loud and clear throughout the halls of Congress even today.

God bless the brave men and women who served, and are currently serving, in our Nation’s military.

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Being force-fed some humble pie.

Yeah, yeah, I saw it. The Vikings got destroyed by the Packers. As many are now pointing out to me, I predicted a 28-24 Vikings victory. Sheesh, you put something in writing on the internet and the Wisconsin friends and relatives come out of the wood work to rib ya.

Obviously I wasn’t acting on any insight or analysis in predicting a Viking upset. It was merely a gut feeling I had.

Now many of you may be wondering if that is the worst prediction I’ve ever made. In sports, it’s up there with some of my bad ones. But when you factor in predictions as a whole, it’s not even close.

I point you to the 1984 presidential election pitting incumbent Ronald Reagan and Minnesota’s own Walter Mondale. The night before the election I predicted a newspaper headline of “Congratulations, President Mondale.”

Reagan was easily re-elected, winning 49 of 50 states.

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Border Battle prediction.

I don’t have any delusions of the Vikings making the playoffs this season.

Heck, I would consider it a major milestone if they finish .500 this year.

But one thing is for certain: I will be OK with them finishing 4-12, provided that fourth win occurs this Sunday in Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers.

Yes, the loyal fans of the spinach and lemon green and gold already have visions of another Lombardi trophy dancing in their heads. The Pack is 7-1, QB Brett Favre is bearing much resemblance to the 3-time MVP Favre and this Green Bay squad can actually play a little defense. The planets seem to be aligning just right in the Packer galaxy.

That’s why they are ripe for a loss this Sunday. Adrian Peterson will run wild, the Vikes defense will get a touchdown or two and hand the Pack their second loss this season.

28-24, Vikings.

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The sun is setting.

There was almost an air of inevitability when we got the news. After last week’s lengthy surgery to remove my father-in law’s cancer-riddled prostate and bladder, we learned today the results of his CT scan. The disease had already spread to his lymph nodes and appears to be inoperable.

After almost seven years of battling several types of cancer, our beloved father has chosen to commence treatment which will merely make his final days comfortable. At 77-years old, he realizes he is in the twilight of his life here on Earth.

I guess it goes without saying that we will cherish every moment we have with Howard over the next 12 to 24 months. Truth be told, it won’t be any different than the previous years we’ve been blessed with his presence.

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Little League redux.

This past August, I wrote about my hometown Coon Rapids little leaguers’ appearance in baseball’s Little League World Series.

I celebrated the one game they emerged victorious while also taking umbrage with the antics of the opposing starting pitcher. Earlier in that game, Salisbury, MD pitcher Canaan Cropper could be seen shouting towards the Coon Rapids dugout after completing a spectacular double play. I don’t like smack talk. Never did. So I then took great delight in seeing Canaan give up the game-winning home run to my neighbor, Tanner Lowe.

2 ½ months later Bill Cropper, Cannan’s dad, has taken issue with my comments.

I thought I would dedicate an entire post to responding to Mr. Cropper.


Hey Brad. Just googling my sons name and ran across your sight. Little tough on a 12 yr old. As a Christian and pastor myself I think you are a little bit over the top about my son.


Yeah, calling him a pipsqueak was probably a bit much. However, everything else I’ll stand by.


Kid has a lot of passion but just amped up and wanting to win like the other 22 million that started the summer. Oh yeah, hats off to that team and the Lowe kid. Great players. Why don't you tell everyone about the kid on your hometown team whose mom had brain cancer and who we all gathered in center field together before the game and prayed for. That’s good LL stuff.


Duly noted, sir! In all seriousness, thanks for sharing that!!


Obvious you never played on any level and wouldn't know the pressure.


BZZZT!!

Actually, I did play Little League baseball, which is why I said what I said. I played for a coach who would sit any player that didn’t maintain a sense of decorum during a game. Heck, I remember one time he yanked his own kid for throwing a bat after striking out. Enthusiasm and being “amped up” is one thing. Rubbing an opponent’s nose in it is quite another.


Articles like that and posting that you are a born again believer would really make me turn toward Christ.

Canaan’s dad.


Whoa! Do I detect a little sarcasm from you, Pastor? Besides, the one thing I emphasized in my original post was the kind of brashness displayed by your son has a way of coming back to haunt. To put it in Biblical terms: You reap what you sow!

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Bridging the gap.

I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve been up by 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday in the past 10-15 years.

One such occurrence was this morning as my wife and I were to put some time in for our church service project. As I mentioned a couple of months ago, our church had initiated a program entitled “40 Days of Community”. Over the past six weeks, we’ve been involved in “Life Groups” where we’ve had the opportunity to fellowship with other 30-something couples. It allowed all of us to share thoughts and testimonials about dealing with life in what has become a world which strenuously tests one’s faith.

At the end of this six-week period we were to get involved in a project which benefits the community. As any other church body, we are wonderful at meeting the needs of families within the congregation. But we also realize those gifts of service and hospitality can be extended beyond the walls of the church building.

So on this crisp Fall morning, eleven of us gathered in our church parking lot to load donated furniture into trailers owned by an organization called Bridging. This wonderful organization “bridges the gap” between those who donate household goods and families in need. That is they will take the donated goods, make any necessary improvements to them and make them available to families referred to their warehouses.

One thing we know for sure is God can bestow His blessings without any assistance from His people. After all, He’s God. But the fact that we are able to give of ourselves in a venue where other people are blessed is itself a blessing handed down by our precious Lord!

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Father-in law update.

We arose this morning, praising the Lord!

We learned that our beloved father, Howard, was as ornery as a grizzly bear with a sore derriere!! After a very serious surgical procedure yesterday, he seemed like his old self this morning. That is, when my mother-in law walked in to see him he was crabbing at her about everything that was wrong.

His nose hurt.

His legs were twisted up in that uncomfortable hospital bed.

The food was bad.

But it was fine. My mother-in law let him complain mightily, all the while celebrating the fact he’s still with us.

My wife & I will be visiting him tomorrow. If he’s still in the aforementioned ornery state, I have news which is sure to perk him up.

The team he has despised for years, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football club, lost to Navy for the first time in 44 years.

Even better? Howard can say such a rare occurrence happened in his lifetime.

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Howard.

I remember the first time I met Howard. It was Labor Day weekend 1998. At the time, I had been dating his daughter for about two months. Since I already had a sneaking suspicion that I would one day marry this gal, I figured I ought to meet her parents.

While I was advised that Jennifer’s Mother was a gregarious sort, her Dad couldn’t have been more opposite. He was a very calm, non-expressive person. But on those rare occasions when he showed any kind of emotion, you knew it was serious business. My favorite story has to be when Jennifer was dating some other guy about six months before she and I met. I guess this guy was pretty fond of himself (translation: ARROGANT), which doesn’t mix well with a family of down-to-earth, humble folks. Anyhow, Howard did not like this guy much and certainly didn’t want him marrying his daughter. Of course he always kept the best peace. But one day after playing this guy in a round of darts Howard uncharacteristically gloated about the fact he won that particular match. He then went on to add “I’ll whip his a** in golf, too!” Needless to say, that kind of direct statement from Howard shocked the family. So whenever Jen & I would talk about her Dad I would always say I must OK in his eyes...... as long as he doesn’t want to kick my butt in a golf match.

While I’m sure Howard had a myriad of stories to tell about his military service in the Korean War, he wasn’t interested in reliving that part of his life. Instead, he’d prefer to talk about the street ball games he and his brother played in the New York neighborhood where they’d grown up. An avid golfer, Howard also loved to reminisce about some of the finer tee shots he had made. Yes, despite growing up in an upper class family, Howard enjoyed the simpler things in life.

If there was ever a time Howard would open up, it would be in a one-on-one conversation. For three weeks leading up to our wedding, Jennifer stayed at her parents home. Being a school teacher, she had the Summer off which meant she could get up in the morning and work on various wedding plans. But every morning started with Howard and Jennifer having breakfast together. Jen cherished this time with her Dad because he was willing to have those heartfelt conversations he wouldn’t otherwise engage in amongst a group setting. And for the first time, Howard opened up about the pending marriage by blurting out “I don’t know if I’m ready to let you go yet.” She reassured him it would be OK and that she was more than ready for marriage. He never said much about it again. Then at the wedding reception the videographer went around the room to ask people to convey a message to the bride and groom. In typical Howard fashion, he would only muster “I hope they make it.”

Since that joyful day when Howard gave away his youngest daughter’s hand in marriage, he has had to endure one ailment after another.

In September 2000, he suffered a heart attack. Shortly thereafter, he was diagnosed with chronic leukemia, skin cancer of the nose and prostate cancer.

The leukemia seems to be under control.

The skin cancer was removed and he even got a new nose out the deal, thanks to some cosmetic repair.

And it appeared the prostate cancer was in remission for a time.

Unfortunately, we received the news this week that not only has his prostate cancer been re-aggravated, now his entire bladder is riddled with the disease.

No matter how stoic a person Howard is, he has let his guard down these past few months.

He has told my mother-in law that if it weren’t for her, he might not be living.

He has expressed overwhelming and sincere gratitude to Jen & I for working in their yard these past several Saturdays.

And he has pleaded for both his daughters and their families to come for a weekend visit at least once per month.

So on the morning of Friday, November 2nd my thoughts and prayers will be drifting towards a St Paul hospital. A five-hour surgery awaits Howard. The procedure entails removing the prostate and bladder and essentially making new ones out of a section of his colon. Given the fact he’s 77-years old with a bad heart, blood that has trouble clotting and a poor immune system, we are all hanging on by the proverbial thread.

We just pray that Howard feels no more excruciating pain, regardless of the outcome.

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October 25, 1987: Twins win it all!!!!

Being a baseball fan, there’s not a more magical phrase than “Game 7 of the World Series.” And that is where I found my Minnesota Twins on this date twenty years ago.

I was confined to watching the game in the basement at home on this Sunday evening. Twins ace Frank Viola was making his third start in the series against the St Louis Cardinals. He was the winning pitcher in Game 1 but got shelled in Game 4.

In Game 7, Viola was touched for two runs and four hits in the second inning. However, he hunkered down and gave up only two more hits (and 0 runs) over his last six innings.

Unlike their previous three games at home, the Twins offense was scuffling in this one. While they were able to answer with one run in their half of the second inning they were hosed out of another. Replays showed that Don Baylor scored from second base on a Tim Laudner base hit. However, Baylor was called out, denying the Twins a run. I’m sure the neighbors heard me express my dismay.

Later in the game, the Twins received that run back courtesy of a blown call in their half of the fifth inning. With one out, Greg Gagne hit a chopper to first base. With Cards pitcher Joe Magrane covering, the umpire called Gagne safe saying Magrane never touched the base. However, replays showed that Magrane did indeed swipe his foot across the base ahead of Gagne. The next batter, Kirby Puckett, greeted new pitcher Danny Cox with a double to center, scoring Gagne and tying the game. From there, wackiness ensued. After Gary Gaetti walked, Cox threw a pitch in the dirt with Baylor at the plate. Both Puckett and Gaetti attempted to move up a base but Puck was thrown out at third. With Gaetti now at second and two outs, Baylor looped a single to left. Gaetti charged towards home plate in an attempt to give the Twins the lead. But the throw beat him there. Gaetti then rammed full bore into catcher Steve Lake in an effort to jar the ball loose. While Lake got the worst of that hellacious collision, he somehow hung on to the ball. Three outs, game still tied, and I’m practically bouncing off the walls due to the intensity of the game.

The Twins finally took their first lead of the evening in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Gagne hit a ground ball behind third base off cards pitcher Todd Worrell. Third baseman Tom Lawless made a diving stop, threw a one hopper to first but not in time to get the speedy Gagne. Tom Brunansky scored giving the Twins the 3-2 lead!! They would tack on another run in the eighth and closer extraordinaire Jeff Reardon faced the Cards in the ninth, leading 4-2.

With two outs and nobody on, my brother had a bottle of champagne ready to open upon the third out. We made a promise to our Mom that we would merely have a nice, celebratory drink when the Twins won it all. Nothing too raucous, we assured her. But once Willie McGee bounced out to Gaetti at third and Kent Hrbek squeezed the throw for the final out, bedlam ensued!! My brother immediately popped the cork on the champagne but it wound up on my head instead of in my glass. I hardly noticed as I was jumping up and down in pure delirium at what my Twins just accomplished. Of course, my mother was perturbed that we trashed her basement in celebration. But the laborious clean up we endured afterwards was well worth it. For the first time in over thirty years, a professional sports team in Minnesota won a championship!!

How sweet it was!!

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October 24,1987: Where were you, Twins fans?

With this being World Series time I always look back to 1987 & 1991 with fond memories. Those are the years my beloved Minnesota Twins won the Fall Classic.

In fact, it was twenty years ago today on a Saturday afternoon that the Twins were hosting the St Louis Cardinals in Game 6 at the Metrodome.

After winning the first two games at home, the Twins found themselves down 3 games to 2 after getting swept in the middle three games in St. Louis. This was typical of a club who went a stellar 56-25 at home during the regular year but a pathetic 29-52 on the road.

Things didn’t look good early in Game 6. The Cards knocked around Twins starting pitcher Les Straker and led 5-2 in the fifth inning. For a split second, I tried rationalizing with myself that it was an honor just to get to the Series. Of course, I was kidding myself. After witnessing some wretched baseball over the previous few years I desperately wanted my club to be #1.

Before I knew it, the Twins were mounting a comeback.

Kirby Puckett reached base in the fifth inning. Gary Gaetti doubled to left, scoring Puck to make it 5-3. Then late-season acquisition Don Baylor came to the plate as the tying run. BOOM!!! A two-run homer off Cards starter John Tudor and the Twins had tied it up. I was at my buddy Todd’s place in Vadnais Heights. There were four of us in the basement that day hanging on every pitch. We were going crazy when the Twins tied it. They would eventually take the lead later in the fifth when Steve Lombardozzi knocked in Tom Brunansky with a run-scoring single. It was 6-5 Twins after five innings.

But it was the next inning which many fans remember most. The Twins had loaded the bases with one out. Twins slugger Brunansky had a chance to put the game out of reach facing reliever Bob Forsch. Bruno popped out to shortstop. Now there was two outs, bases still loaded and Kent Hrbek coming up. Cards manager Whitey Herzog came out to summon lefty Ken Dayley to face the left-handed hitting Hrbek. Since there was a commercial break during the pitching change, we decided to watch some excerpts of comedian Louie Anderson on VHS. We figured we’d kill a couple of minutes until the game came back on. All of a sudden we heard the words “GRAND SLAM” come from Todd’s brother upstairs. We quickly flicked off the video and saw Kent Hrbek rounding the bases with his arms raised in elation. The hometown kid made good with a grand slam homer, giving the Twins a 10-5 lead. The four of us were literally huddled together jumping up and down in unison, all the while yelling in elation!!

The Twins would go on to tie the Series with an 11-5 win. I remember that evening driving around my neighborhood. On many a street corner, there were vendors selling Twins merchandise. Whether it was caps, pennant flags, homer hankies, etc., every corner was packed with people getting in on the fun. My brother and I drove home with both of us waving our homer hankies out the window. Not one single car had passed us by without honking in acknowledgement.

Ah, but there was work to be done. Game 7 would take place the next evening. My stomach was all tied up in knots anticipating the winner-take-all contest. Yes, I had definitely come down with a state-wide epidemic.

It was called “Twins fever”.

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World Series prediction.

I can list 10 good reasons why the Boston Red Sox will defeat the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 World Series.

In no particular order:


1. Boston’s Game 1 & 2 starting pitchers, Josh Beckett & Curt Schilling, are a combined 3-1 with a 1.24 ERA in six World Series starts since 2001.

2. The Red Sox have home-field advantage. During the regular season they were 51-30 at Fenway Park.

3. The Rockies were a mediocre 39-42 on the road.

4. Only one Rockies player (Willy Tavares) has World Series experience. The Red Sox have seven.

5. Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield has been left off the World Series roster.

6. The Red Sox explosive offense is averaging 7 runs per game this postseason.

7. Despite falling behind in the ALCS 3 games to 1, the Red Sox methodically dismantled the Cleveland Indians in three straight games. They have some serious momentum right now.

8. 96 regular season wins, the best in baseball.

9. Allowed a major league low 657 runs in the regular season.

10. The Rockies have not played a game in eight days.


Now let’s look at the Colorado Rockies side of the ledger.

1. An inexplicable 21 wins in their last 22 games.


Rockies in six.

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Has anyone seen Big Bird?

After last evening, I’ve now watched Dancing with the Stars exactly one more time than I’ve passed a kidney stone. Although, I can’t imagine the latter being that much more unbearable.

But I digress.

I was wondering something. Has anyone seen Sesame Street’s Big Bird lately?




















I have a sneaking suspicion that he’s missing half his feathers and DWTS contestant Jennie Garth used them to make the dress she wore last evening.

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Max McGee: 1932-2007

The Green Bay Packers did not play this weekend but their organization suffered a loss nonetheless.


Max McGee, the free-spirited Green Bay Packers receiver who became part of Super Bowl lore after a night on the town, died when he fell while clearing leaves from the roof of his home. He was 75.

Police were called to his home in suburban Deephaven on Saturday afternoon, Sgt. Chris Whiteside said. Efforts to resuscitate failed.

McGee caught the first touchdown pass in Super Bowl history in 1967, a game he expected to watch from the sideline. When it was over, he had caught seven passes for 138 yards and two TDs and Green Bay — coached by the great Vince Lombardi — had beaten the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10.


McGee often drew the ire of the legendary Lombardi with his antics off the field. In fact, there was one notable incident which resulted in McGee being reprimanded in front of teammates.


McGee was notorious among the Packers for sneaking out after curfew, in search of bright lights and pretty companions.

One time, Lombardi caught and fined McGee twice within a few days. Then came a third infraction. "MAX!" Lombardi roared at a team meeting, "that will cost you five hundred dollars." That was real money in a time when $25,000 a year would make an All-Pro tackle very happy.

Lombardi was shaking with anger. He seemed to be fighting a losing battle, and he didn't like to lose at anything. "Max, if I catch you again" -- the coach had turned from red to purple -- "the fine will be ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS." The room grew silent and Lombardi stopped shaking. "Max," he said, softly. "If you find anything worth a thousand for sneaking out, call me and I'll go with you."


McGee is survived by wife Denise, four children and several grandchildren.

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What ever happened to front porches?

If the world had a front porch like we did back then
We'd still have our problems but we'd all be friends
Treatin' your neighbor like he's your next of kin
Wouldn't be gone with the wind
If the world had a front porch like we did back then

From the Tracy Lawrence song If the World Had a Front Porch


One of the many things I enjoy while visiting my in-laws in rural Wisconsin is driving through the small town where they live. On many a street in that town you see houses built in the 50s and 60s. Many of these modest-sized homes included one thing you rarely see in new dwellings built today: a front porch.

You remember those, don’t you? Someone could step out their front door onto a wooden floor spanning the length of the front of the house. There may be lawn chairs out there or even a large swing to sit in. Residents of such a home could look to their left or right and likely see neighbors enjoying their own front porches on a warm Summer day or evening. Every so often a friend or acquaintance may drive down the street and honk their horns “hello.” It was all a part of being neighborly. I even remember a time when folks would welcome someone who moved into the neighborhood. Residents would go knock on the door of their new neighbors and welcome them, sometimes with a plate of warm brownies or other freshly baked goods.

Today, the neighborly facets of houses and people seem to be a thing of the past. Do you notice how the vast majority of homes are built with a deck off the back of the house? And those who may not have decks are equipped with a patio, also located in the back yard. Attached garages allow people a significant amount of anonymity. One can pull into his/her garage and shut the automatic garage door before even getting out of the car. Oh, and that thing about welcoming new neighbors? About four years ago my wife and I brought a plate of cupcakes over to a mid-20s couple who moved in next door. When the wife answered the door you would have thought we were presenting a severed head, given her reaction. We literally saw her and the husband one other time over the next few years until they moved out.

Given all of the modern conveniences and technological gadgets which make our lives simpler, I don’t often long for the days of my youth. But I can’t help but wonder how many people miss out on their lives being enhanced by not developing friendships/relationships with those in their neighborhoods.

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Go Tribe!!!

Bad news: The Boston Red Sox tied the ALCS 3-3 by routing Cleveland.

Good news: I have a decent chance of nailing a prediction I made a little over a week ago.

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Byrd baffles Boston (try saying that ten times fast).

It is very likely last evening that Bostonians were cursing the son of Larry Byrd.

No, not Boston Celtic great Larry Bird. I’m talking about Larry Byrd, a gentleman in his 60s whose son happens to play for the Cleveland Indians.


Paul Byrd pitched five effective innings to baffle the Red Sox, and the Indians moved within one win of making it back to the World Series.

With his throwback windup and crafty off-speed pitches, Byrd allowed only two runs, struck out four and didn't walk a batter.


I recall Paul Byrd telling the story of traveling to Boston in 1999 when he was a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. The major league baseball All-Star game took place at Fenway Park that year and Byrd took his father Larry out to dinner the prior evening. When it was time to be seated at the restaurant, the announcement went something like “Larry Byrd, party of two.” I can imagine the whole restaurant coming to a standstill.

If indeed the Indians finish off the Red Sox this series, you can bet the Byrd family will have a tough time getting a dinner reservation in any Boston restaurant from now on.

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Never tug on Superman's cape.

Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has made some bold declarations this year. This past April he stated that the Iraq war is “lost”. Two months later he shamelessly proclaimed that the troop surge had failed even before the full complement of troops were deployed to Iraq. Yeah, that’s the way to boost the ol’ morale of our soldiers, Senator.

So it was downright laughable when Reid sent a letter to Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays condemning the comments of radio titan Rush Limbaugh, one the military’s strongest supporters. Reid referred to Rush’s use of the phrase “phony soldiers”, implying that Rush used those words to describe the military personnel who disagreed with the Iraq war. We’ll forgive Mr. Reid’s ignorance since I’m sure he’s far too busy attempting to pass vapid resolutions instead of actually researching the proper context of what Limbaugh was saying. Rush was clearly referring to the individuals who falsely claimed to have served in military during this war on terror. Nevertheless, Reid was still able to secure signatures of 40 other Democrat senators (including Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton) in a resolution to censure Rush Limbaugh, a private citizen.

Ah, but the “Maha Rushie” always has the last laugh. He announced last week that he is taking the actual letter written by Reid to the Clear Channel CEO and putting it on E-bay (see video). The proceeds from the letter will go to the Marine Corps – Law Enforcement Foundation. This is a charity which raises money to support children of Marines or Federal law enforcement personnel who were killed on duty or died under extraordinary circumstances while serving our country at home or abroad. These funds enable the MC - LEF to provide these children with scholarships for their higher education.





I guess you can say that Rush Limbaugh is the modern day King Midas. He can take the demoralizing ignorance of someone like a Harry Reid and turn it into gold!!

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Carlson wedding.

My Uncle Gene was married this past Saturday in Crandon, WI. Given the tragic mass shooting which took place there the previous weekend, it was nice for the residents to have something to celebrate. My uncle has lived in Crandon for almost 30 years and his fiancée and her eleven siblings grew up there. Needless to say, both Gene and Sue are very well known in the town of just under 2,000 residents.

The small, brief ceremony (attended by immediate family members only) took place on the south shore of Lake Metonga. The couple was blessed with a beautiful, sunny afternoon.

The happy couple! The portly, bald guy to the groom's right is his older brother (my Dad). Yep, both guys are over six feet tall and bald. I'm glad I can uphold the Carlson family tradition!

The reception took place right at the lake shore tavern with hundreds of people stopping in throughout the evening to congratulate the happy couple.

We all concurred this was a day that was a long time in coming. Shortly after Gene’s bitter (and expensive) divorce from his first wife, he met Sue and they began dating. As the relationship grew more serious, Gene was hesitant to talk marriage given his first go-round. Despite everyone in our family feeling that Sue was a perfect match for Gene, he still dug in his heels.

So when the big day finally arrived, Sue found the perfect cake top:

Congrats, Gene and Sue!!

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Week 6 in the NFL.

The Vikings won today!!!

Hey, there may not be many more opportunities to make such a statement this season so I’ll start with that.

Rookie RB Adrian Peterson was the star of the game with 224 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the 34-31 win over the Chicago Bears. But the best part of Peterson’s long TD runs was the fact he left the trashing-talking putz Charles Tillman in his dust. Phenomenal!!!!

Elsewhere in the NFL today, the big matchup of 5-0 clubs lived up to the hype….for three quarters anyways. As predicted the much superior New England Patriots thumped the Dallas Cowboys 48-27. While Dallas QB Tony Romo is a nice player, he’s got a ways to go to be considered in the same discussion as the likes of Brett Favre, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. In fact, I commented a couple of weeks ago on the blog of Packer apologist fan Ben Worley that Favre’s all-time touchdowns, yardage and victories records are merely being kept warm for Manning.

I received a rather hilarious response from another commenter:


Correction: He's just keeping them warm for Tony Romo.


Looking at it now, maybe the comment isn’t all that hilarious. After all, Favre just set the all-time interceptions record today with number 279 in his career. With six picks in the past two games, Romo may have a legitimate shot at that record. I know I’m pulling for him to inch closer to it next week!

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LCS predictions.

How pathetic were my predictions for the baseball divisional series? The four teams I picked to win went a combined 1-12. Ouch!!! Admittedly, I was going more with my heart than my knowledge of the game.

So it's time to start anew. For the record, I am making the following picks for the League Championship Series:

NL: Colorado Rockies over Arizona Diamondbacks, 4 games to 2.

AL: Cleveland Indians over Boston Red Sox, 4-3.

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Baby break.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, our dear friends Greg & Ruth welcomed their second son into this world.

I had the privilege of fellowshipping with Andrew William Reagan Bittner when he was a little more than 24 hours old.

I became a little concerned at the time of our visit because it appeared that Andy was a little hungry. Given the way his little mouth was moving, he must have figured I could feed him.

Sheesh, I know I’m a little out of shape but let’s not get carried away.

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It truly is a small world.

My brother Eric & I were big fans of the late comedian Mitch Hedberg. Initially we were intrigued by the fact that we went to the same high school at the same time with someone who would eventually make it big in the entertainment industry. After a while we began to enjoy Mitch’s humor based solely on his talent. Obviously we were quite shocked to learn of his death in early 2005. Mitch was only 37 years old.

Fast forward to this past Sunday. My wife and I were checking out a home for sale in Woodbury. As we entered this home, we were greeted by an employee of the home developer. We chatted with this gal for a few minutes when she asked a few questions about us. She was surprised that we came all the way from Coon Rapids to check out this home. I told her I grew up in the area, near the 3M complex in Saint Paul to be exact. She then asked where I went to high school. Harding High, I said. “Oh!! Me too!” she replied. Now I have a gift for recognizing people whom I never met but would have seen on a regular basis (i.e. co-workers, fellow high school alumni, etc.). So when she introduced herself as just “Wendy”, I knew!! “Mitch’s sister?” I asked. Indeed she was. And she was absolutely blown away that I knew who she was given

a) We never met before
b) She graduated high school two years before me.

Anyhow, I went on to tell her that my brother and I were big fans of Mitch. I also expressed my sincere condolences for the loss of her brother. Given her expression, I could tell it was still a very painful memory. Nonetheless, she seemed appreciative of the fact that someone still has fond memories of her brother.

I can honestly say that I cherish my innate ability to remember names and faces. Given how small this world seems at times, it’s a gift I will never take for granted!

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Surreal coincidence.

This Saturday, my Uncle Gene is taking another shot at wedded bliss. The wedding will take place in the small Northeast Wisconsin town where he and his fiancée reside. After graduating college in 1979, Gene had an opportunity to work for a telephone company in the town where he still lives today. Even though his vocation recently forced him to take a job 80 miles from his home, he has such an affinity for this scenic area that he never wants to leave. In fact, he’s become a staple in this community of approximately 2,000 people. Gene is a member of the area’s Chamber of Commerce and President of the school board.

The name of the town where he resides? Crandon, WI.

Naturally, I was shocked to hear of the horrific events which unfolded there over the weekend.


The residents of a remote northern Wisconsin community struggled to understand Monday how a sheriff's deputy who killed six young people and critically wounded another could have become a law enforcement officer.

Tyler Peterson, 20, was shot to death after opening fire early Sunday on a group of students and recent graduates who had gathered for pizza and movies during their high school's homecoming weekend. Peterson was off-duty from his full-time job as a Forest County deputy sheriff; he also was a part-time Crandon police officer.

The lone survivor of the shooting, a male, remained in critical condition Monday at St. Joseph's Hospital, according to nursing supervisor Penny Funk.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims’ family members.

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An inauspicious beginning.

Early indications are that I am the kiss of death for four teams in the baseball division series.

A couple of days ago, I picked the Phillies, Cubs, Angels and Yankees to advance to the next round.

Through last evening’s play, those four teams are a combined 0-6 this postseason!

If I were a gambling man (which, thankfully, I am not) I may have been making several trips to the plasma center next week.

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And while we're on the subject of predictions...

Can anyone stop this year’s NFL juggernaut, the New England Patriots? Now I’m not suggesting they’re going to be 16-0 this regular season. In fact, I’ll go on record saying that ain’t gonna happen. But they’re certainly a legitimate contender for another Super Bowl championship. That fact alone I’m sure has my Dad in panic mode. If QB Tom Brady leads New England to another title this year, it will be the fourth championship in his first eight seasons. One of Dad’s favorites, 49ers hall of fame QB Joe Montana, needed eleven seasons to claim four titles.

Speaking of Dad, I will be seeing him in a couple of weeks at my Uncle Gene’s wedding in Northeast Wisconsin. As always, we will talk about the sports issues of the day. And as always, Dad will dismiss the Patriots’ success. Since the Pats won their first Super Bowl in January 2002, Dad has been railing on New England head coach Bill Belichick and how he has been “overhyped” in the media. In fact, any coach or professional athlete who has had an exceptional career (i.e. Belichick, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, etc.) seems to draw Dad’s ire. His rationale is usually along the lines of “I get so sick of hearing how (insert name) is supposedly the greatest of all time. BULL----!!” Naturally, this reeks of disingenuousness. Dad never once complained when his Bay Area athletes/coaches were lauded for their superlative performances. I never heard him take issue with the adulation heaped upon the likes of Montana, Jerry Rice, Bill Walsh, Barry Bonds (pre-steroids), etc.

Since Dad can’t stand the fact that anyone would approach the records of the 49ers’ QB Joe Montana and coach Bill Walsh, he will diminish the solid play of the Patriots this season. And my prediction is he’ll do so by pointing out the past controversy of Belichick’s use of sideline cameras to spy on the opponent’s defensive signals. In fact, he’ll probably say word for word “How do we know this hasn’t been going on since New England starting winning Super Bowls?”

But what if the shoe were on the other foot? For example, what if one of Dad’s beloved athletes is on the verge of breaking a coveted record?

When Barry Bonds was in pursuit of Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record, many felt an asterisk should be placed next to Bonds’ home run total due to strong evidence linking him to performance enhancing drugs. Bonds’ alleged steroid use is traced back to the late 90s. Dad’s reaction? To slander previous record holders, of course. He’s said things like “How do we know Babe Ruth wasn’t on amphetamines? Those were available in the 1920s and 30s.” Dad also shamelessly threw out as fact that Aaron did “speed” when he was breaking Ruth’s all-time homer mark.

Uhhhh….OK.

I know I’ve documented how Dad and I have had troubles in our relationship. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be a source of amusement.

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Baseball playoff predictions.

Today is day one of the Major League Baseball playoffs.

As three of the four divisional series kick off today, I would like to go on record with my predictions.

National League:

Philadelphia Phillies over the Colorado Rockies, 3 games to 1.
Chicago Cubs over the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-2.


American League:

New York Yankees (Sorry, Ben) over the Cleveland Indians, 3-2.
UPSET SPECIAL: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim over the Boston Red Sox, 3-2.


Chances are I won’t be exactly right with all these picks. However, I will be making predictions for the League Championship Series once the matchups are set.

Let the games begin!!!

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Am I being paranoid here?

While browsing my site meter to see who has visited my blog, I noticed someone from the Netherlands checked in.

They happened to find me by entering the following phrase into the search engine www.goodsearch.com:


brad is dead let's kill brad


Hmmm. Don’t know what they were looking for, but I’m indeed not dead. And if I were, wouldn’t killing me be a little redundant?

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Total ignorance…..

…bordering on stupidity.

That’s how I see the left and Congressional Democrats with their incessant clucking about what they think Rush Limbaugh said.


Democrats on Monday called on the chief executive of Clear Channel Communications to denounce remarks by radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, whom they say made a “hateful” and “unpatriotic” attack on U.S. troops opposed to the war in Iraq.


One big problem. Rush was not attacking “U.S. Troops”. When he used the phrase “phony soldiers”, he was referring to those who, as described by the US Department of Justice, “lie about their military service for financial gain or other reasons.”

A Dept of Justice investigation entitled Operation Stolen Valor has been in effect this past year in an effort to crack down on these fabricated stories of military service.

The most abhorrent example of fabricated military service was that of 23-year old Jesse Macbeth, whom Rush was alluding to on his show last week.


Macbeth's story of killing men and women as they left a Baghdad mosque included claims that he was a U.S. Army Ranger and had received the Purple Heart for injuries suffered in combat in Iraq.

His interview was translated into Arabic and distributed in the Middle East.


If anyone would bother to read the transcript or unedited audio on Limbaugh’s web site, they would clearly ascertain that Rush was labeling “phony soldiers” those individuals indicted under Operation Stolen Valor. But then again, anyone edifying and supporting the military (as Rush does on a daily basis) doesn’t fit within the template of many Congressional Democrats.

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LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Forgive me for the disgusting analogy to follow but it’s the best way I can describe my feelings toward the last full-time job I had.

Trying to completely extricate myself from my former employer has been the equivalent of stepping in dog crap then trying to clean off my shoes only to still have residual feces stuck to the soles.

After being fired placed on “Transition Employment” in mid-July, I was to get two weeks severance once my service was completed. I received my severance payment on August 3. Then much to my surprise I received another paycheck on Friday, August 17. I knew I did not have that money coming so I called both my former boss and the payroll person to inform them of the error. I finally got a call back from the Human Resources guy the following Tuesday telling me he would look into it and get back to me with a resolution. Another whole week went by with still no call back. I decided to call HR again to find out once and for all what they would like me to do with the money. Finally on Thursday, September 6, I get a call from the payroll person telling me they could not reverse the direct deposit transaction and that I would have to write them a check for the amount of the erroneous payment. No problem. I sent it the following day to the attention of the payroll gal. All’s well that end’s well, right?

Not quite.

I have been checking my bank account regularly to find out if that check cleared. After three weeks, they still had not cashed the check I sent. I called the payroll gal again to find out what the delay was. As it turned out, they’re claiming they never received the payment. The payroll gal then asked me to place a stop payment on the check I sent them on September 7 and then reissue a new one.

To summarize:

My former employer sent me money I did not have coming. Being of the utmost integrity, I called to ask them what I can do to rectify their error. They drag their feet for two weeks before coming up with the solution. I comply with their resolution immediately. Now I find out it’s going to cost me $30 (stop payment fee) after going above and beyond the call of duty in my attempts to put this matter to rest.

Let’s see how they react when I deduct that stop payment fee out of what I owe them.

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God shall not be mocked.

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems to be in prayer mode these days. She said recently she is praying for President Bush after he vowed to veto a Congressional health insurance bill. While you are in the midst of saying your prayers, Ms. Pelosi, you might want to seriously pray for some of your constituents out there in San Francisco.


A controversial advertisement for a San Francisco festival that depicts the Last Supper as a sadomasochism party falls within the First Amendment and is not harmful to Christianity, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Friday.

The ad for the Folsom Street Fair - to be held in Pelosi's district on Sunday and which is partly funded by San Francisco's Grants for the Arts program, which is funded by the city's hotel tax - sparked outrage from Christian groups because it mirrors Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting of "The Last Supper" but replaces Jesus and his apostles with scantily leather-clad men and women sitting at a table adorned with sex toys.


What an absolute vile, disgusting mockery of the Son of God. Allow me to convey what God’s word says about anything mocking God.


Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

-Galatians 6:7-8

Ms. Pelosi, you seem so concerned about God working on the President’s heart in vetoing a spending bill. Given what is spoken in God’s word, I can only hope you’re equally concerned for your constituents and their abhorrent behavior.

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Another warrior for God's kingdom.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Never underestimate the power of prayer.

Our dear, dear friends Greg and Ruth Bittner were blessed with their first child (Jack) in January 2001. They had wanted a second child for some time but, despite diligent prayer, it just hadn’t worked out.

Naturally, our human tendencies kick in when we pray so diligently for something but it just doesn’t happen. That is, we don’t necessarily question God’s judgment as much as we yearn to know His reasoning. I know Greg & Ruth had it on their hearts to have a second child. But when it didn’t happen as they expected they were just overwhelmed with that one simple question: Why?

In spite of that nagging question, they never wavered in their prayers.

As a result, I’m happy to report this evening that their prayers have finally been answered!!!

At approximately 9:30 am on Thursday, September 27, Andrew William Reagan Bittner was welcomed into this world!

Our sincere congrats, Greg & Ruth!!

You are a true testimony to the power of prayer!


Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
James 5:13

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Community Service -- the voluntary kind.

This past Sunday, our church kicked of a wonderful campaign entitled “40 Days of Community.” The goal of these next 5 ½ weeks is not only to attend all of the Sunday services but to participate in “Life Groups.” My wife and I attended our first Life Group meeting on Wednesday evening with five other couples in their 30s and 40s.

In a church of thousands, it’s real easy to do the Sunday thing by sitting in the same pew, soaking in the sermon and then making a b-line for the parking lot without ever talking to other attendees, much less cultivate relationships with them. These Wednesday night endeavors will help in that we will develop a sense of “community” with church members we may not have met otherwise. It also helps us realize there are other Christian couples enduring similar struggles in a world so harsh to condemn or mock Christianity.

The ultimate goal of all Life Groups is to come up with a service project. This is not about helping someone already in our Life Group or church ---we must be in the community.

I am looking forward to discussing ideas with our Life Group about service within our community. It’s one thing to talk about the love of God. But it’s more powerful to allow His love to shine through us. And one way to demonstrate His love is giving of our time and effort.


God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
Hebrews 6:10

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I don’t believe in conspiracy theories, but….

…..you have to wonder about the Minnesota Vikings hiring of Brad Childress.

In January 2006, both the Vikes and Green Bay Packers fired their head coaches (Mike Tice and Mike Sherman, respectively). Philadelphia Eagles assistant Brad Childress was a guy who appeared to pique the interest of both the Vikings and Packers. After speaking with the Vikings, Childress was due to fly to Wisconsin to interview for the Packers coaching job.

The conspiracy? The Packers feigned their interest in a yahoo like Childress in order to make their NFC division rival think he was this hot commodity. They even offered to fly Chilly in for an interview, which is a small price to pay when attempting to sandbag the other club. Sure enough, it worked!! The Vikings are on the hook for the next 3 ½ years remaining on Chilly’s contract and we fans have about the same amount of time to endure an utterly inept offense.

The worst part? The Packers are 3-0 this season and QB Brett Favre is looking much like the mid-90s Favre who won three MVP awards.

(Sigh) Pass the vicodin, Brett.

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Go Cubs Go!!

My favorite baseball team has been dead and buried in the postseason race since about early August. As I mentioned recently, I am now on board with the Chicago Cubs and their quest to break the near 100-year drought of World Series titles.

Despite leading the NL Central for about the first fourth months of the season the Milwaukee Brewers are clearly not ready for prime time. Sorry Brewers fans, but your club has had a distinct disadvantage over the past two games. As it turns out, the Brew Crew was playing with their hands wrapped around their collective throats.

The Cubs’ magic number is now down to FOUR!

Go Cubs Go!!!




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Boston strangled.

It's like déjà vu all over again.
-Yogi Berra, New York Yankees Hall of Fame catcher


July 8, 1978. The Boston Red Sox lead the American League East division by 10 games. On the final day of the regular season, the Sox and New York Yankees are tied atop the division, forcing a one game playoff. New York beats Boston, wins the division and eventually the World Series.

July 5, 2007. The Boston Red Sox lead the American League East division by 11 ½ games. As of Thursday night’s play, the lead has shrunk to a mere 1 ½ games over the New York Yankees.

Is The Curse of Buckner lurking already???

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And the award goes to....

I would have watched the Emmys Sunday evening but I just had way too many other options which were more enticing. Said options included color coding my sock drawer, cleaning the cat boxes and getting that pesky lint out of my belly button.

What a pity, as I missed actress Sally Field in all her blithering glory.


Accepting her Emmy on Sunday night for lead actress in a drama series ("Brothers and Sisters"), Field stumbled halfway through, lost her train of thought, screeched at the audience to stop applauding so she could finish talking -- and then was bleeped by Fox censors as she stammered through an anti-war rant.

"And, let's face it, if the mothers ruled the world, there would be no (expletive) wars in the first place," Field said, but Fox cut away for much of her comment.


Our pal Katie, herself a mother of three, had her own unique analysis on Sal’s vision of mothers running things.


I'm so sick of people saying things like "If mothers ran the world there would be no wars". Seriously, ZZzzzzzzzzzzzz. Because mothers are what, all a bunch of passive, docile negotiators?

Good God, what if every world leader were a pregnant woman? There would be wars for the worst reasons you've ever heard.

"This dress makes me look like a buffalo! I bomb you!"

"Why is my hair so greasy? Why does your mother hate me? Talks are over! Send in the tanks!"


I bet watching Katie watch the Emmys is far more entertaining than viewing the awards show itself.

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Ramstad to retire; What lies ahead for the MN Thrid?

With the announcement Monday that Congressman Jim Ramstad is retiring after serving nine terms in the House, it’s “game on” for Minnesota’s third congressional district.


Ramstad, 61, had barely finished announcing his decision when at least five potential candidates declared an interest in going after his seat while other potential hopefuls were mentioned.


Ramstad is the type of Republican I consider a “radical moderate.” You never knew which way he would vote when it came to such core issues as national security, taxes, life, education, etc. Mitch nailed it when he said Ramstad is “a Republican that, when the chips are down, is as likely to vote with the Dems as with the GOP.”

In fact, I left Rep. Ramstad an angry voice mail last February when he was one of 17 GOP House members who voted for the nonbinding resolution against President Bush’s proposal for the troop surge in Iraq. In no uncertain terms, I told the congressman that I would be seriously considering another GOP nominee in 2008. Now, by default, I must throw my weight behind someone else.

For more than three decades, the 3rd district has been under the stranglehold of moderate Republicans (Bill Frenzel, Ramstad’s predecessor, served the third district from 1971-1991).

Mitch lays down a challenge.


You - the conservative in the Third - can change that. We’re going to spend the next few weeks talking about exactly how.


I’m all ears, my friend.

To put in military terminology: The northern flank is secure!

If you live in any of the following towns, are you ready to accept Mitch's challenge?

Bloomington
Brooklyn Center
Brooklyn Park
Champlin
Coon Rapids
Corcoran
Dayton
Deephaven
Eden Prairie
Edina
Excelsior
Greenfield
Greenwood
Hassan
Independence
Long Lake
Loretto
Maple Grove
Maple Plain
Medina
Medicine Lake
Minnetonka
Minnetonka Beach
Minnetrista
Mound
Orono
Osseo
Plymouth
Rogers
Shorewood
Spring Park
St Bonifacius
Tonka Bay
Wayzata
Woodland


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Protesting the kooks.

About 25-30 members of the conservative movement gathered together this afternoon in Saint Paul to counter protest the anti-war activists. Mitch Berg was kind enough to secure a permit for our demonstration at Triangle Park, located just across the street from the St Paul Cathedral where the anti-war crowd was to gather.

As is the M.O. with the anti-war kooks, they will chant the same empty slogans for about a half hour before their marching begins. Their repertoire includes such yawners as “Hey, Hey. Ho, Ho. Bush and Cheney have got to go.” Also, “Money for schools, not for war. HANDS OFF IRAQ!” Of course, they were able to add one to their collection as of August 1st with the catchy “Support bridges, not war!”

All in all, I’d say we got our message across to the hundreds of protesters as they walked by our brigade of signs.

That said, I’ve taken the liberty to post eight short video clips to document what was in our midst on this beautiful Fall afternoon.

Enjoy!


Part 1:
I take a trip down “Counter Protest row” to check out the slogans.



Part 2:
Counter protester Jim concocts a knock-off of the Lennon song “Give Peace a Chance”



Part 3:
A gentleman celebrating his God son’s confirmation at the St Paul Cathedral saw our brigade of counter protesters. He decided to join the fray.



Part 4:
The anti-war crowd assembles at the St Paul Cathedral.



Part 5:
Angry protester guy goes off on Leo after he was confronted with facts.



Part 6:
Here they come!! The anti-war crowd begins to march down John Ireland Blvd in St Paul. Our guy Leo was awesome on the megaphone!!



Part 7:
The anti-war kooks take a right turn on to Kellogg Blvd towards the Xcel Center. While marching down Kellogg, a protester stepped in a pothole and sprained her ankle. I imagine it provided inspiration for a new slogan: “Support roads, not war.”



Part 8:
Swiftee encounters vacuous protesters as well as (SURPRISE!!) a congenial one.


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Disgraceful Dems.

This past week, General David Petraeus gave his assessment of the troop surge in Iraq. Much to the chagrin of many defeatist Democrats, Petraeus indicated in his report that the “military objectives of the surge are, in large measure, being met.” Naturally, this was met with much skepticism and downright cynicism from the left as well as many in the mainstream media.

On MSNBC’s Hardball Thursday evening, show host Chris Matthews has this exchange with NBC news’ Tim Russert regarding President Bush’s claim that the war will continue when he leaves office in 2009:


MATTHEWS: Did Bush give you any indication how many troops he would use to support the commitment as he described to you today?

RUSSERT: No. But Chris, to give you a sense of his mindset, when he is asked to talk about common ground -- "I want to find common ground with the Democrats in Congress" -- and asked what that means, the response is: accepting the Petraeus report.

MATTHEWS: So that's the common ground?

RUSSERT: That's how he views this.

MATTHEWS (incredulous): Wow.


What I don’t understand is why this seems to be such an outlandish compromise. It was primarily the Democrats who demanded a status report on the surge. Furthermore, Petraeus was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate to be General of the military operations in Iraq. If the Democrats were willing to entrust Petraeus with such a prominent leadership position, why are they so quick to reject his report? That is obviously a rhetorical question when dealing with a party so heavily invested in defeat.

As we learned from the 2004 nominee for President, when it comes to Iraq the Democrats are unable (or unwilling) to stick with the courage of their convictions.



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Twins GM Terry Ryan steps down.

Minnesota Twins general manager Terry Ryan is stepping down from that position after 12 years at the helm.


It was reported that vice president/assistant general manager Bill Smith will take over Ryan's position.

Ryan, who is expected to stay within the organization as a senior adviser, has engineered the Twins to winning the American League Central Division title in four of the last six seasons and won The Sporting News Executive of the Year in 2006.


Ryan’s baseball legacy will be that of a guy who made a lot out of a little. Without the resources of a New York or a Boston, the Twins have had six straight winning seasons, reaching the playoffs four times. The Twins got as far as the American League Championship once, losing to the Anaheim Angels 4 games to 1 in 2002.

Ryan has also been known for making lopsided trades that have catapulted the Twins in the standings.

After the 2003 All-Star break, Ryan traded young outfielder Bobby Kielty to the Toronto Blue Jays for veteran OF Shannon Stewart. That move helped the Twins go 46-23 in the second half of that season as well as gaining a second straight division title.

Who could forget the biggest highway robbery of them all? After the ’03 season, Ryan traded catcher A.J. Pierzynski to the San Francisco Giants for pitchers Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano and Boof Bonser. Nathan has been one of the elite closers in baseball over the past four years, averaging nearly forty saves per season. Liriano dazzled all of baseball last season with 13 wins in only 3 ½ months as a starter before being shelved with an elbow ailment. And Bonser won four big games in September of last year to help the Twins win the division.

Aside from his baseball prowess, I believe Ryan should be remembered for the class, humility and loyalty he showed the Twins organization during his tenure.

In November 2001, the Twins were faced with contraction. Baseball Owners’ puppet Commissioner Bud Selig determined that baseball should shrink from 30 teams to 28. The determination was that the Twins and Montreal Expos would be eliminated after the 2002 season. Twins owner Carl Pohlad even agreed to a multi-million dollar payout to allow Major League Baseball to effectively kill his franchise. With the franchise status in limbo, Ryan had opportunities to take his services elsewhere. Certainly no one would have held him culpable for moving on. Nonetheless, Ryan chose to decline all suitors and stay with the Twins, despite the real possibility of the franchise not existing within a year.

Another example of Ryan’s class and commitment was on display in September 2003. The Twins were in Chicago to take on the White Sox in a four-game series. With the two teams tied atop the AL Central division, the Sox took the first two games to gain a 2-game advantage in the division. Shortly before game three, third base coach Al Newman suffered an aneurysm and had to be rushed to a local hospital. It was Ryan himself who stayed at the Chicago hospital by Newman’s bedside. With the Twins in the midst of their most important series of the year, Ryan could have easily sent another front office employee to tend to Newman. But with a tremendous amount of humility (and very little fanfare), Ryan stayed behind even after the Twins left Chicago.

With that kind of service rendered over the past twelve years, the Twins and their fans should feel fortunate to have Ryan remain in any capacity.

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Imus suit tossed.

As I wrote about last month, the libel and slander lawsuit brought against former radio shock jock Don Imus shouldn’t see the light of day.

As it turns out, the Rutgers basketball player bringing said lawsuit has herself….ahem….”seen the light”.


Kia Vaughn had contended in the lawsuit filed in August in New York state Supreme Court that the comments made by Imus had damaged her reputation.

The lawsuit also named various media outlets that broadcast Imus' show.

Marti McKenzie, a spokeswoman for Vaughn's attorney, Richard Ancowitz, said in a statement that Vaughn had chosen to focus on her education at New Jersey's Rutgers University as a journalism major and as an athlete with the basketball team.

"Her strong commitments to both have influenced her decision to withdraw the lawsuit at this time," the statement said.


When reacting to Imus’ comments in a news conference last April, players felt Imus had "stolen a moment of pure grace” from their magical run in the NCAA women’s tournament. The Rutgers players also wanted everyone to know that they expressed “great hurt” and there was “sadness” brought to them.

About a week after that news conference was held, the Virginia Tech massacre took place. You think there might have been “great hurt” and “sadness” felt by the loved ones of the victims of the VT shooting? I would have to say that a horrific incident like that certainly put things in perspective.

I certainly hope that perspective occurred to Ms. Vaughn and thus was the prevalent reason for not going forth with such a frivolous lawsuit.

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I Don't Want to Work......

…..I want to bang on the drum all day.





Since last Friday brought to conclusion my five-week contract position, I am once again unemployed. Not to worry though, as I have several good prospects on the line (including an interview with a Fortune 500 company this Thursday!!). I predict that I’ll have a permanent gig before the end of September.

In the interim, there won’t be any leisurely drumming in the mode of the Todd Rundgren ditty. Quite the opposite, as I have found myself playing the role of domestic god. For example, on Tuesday I did two loads of laundry, ironed both mine and my wife’s shirts, vacuumed, did the dishes, cleaned out my closet, brought a box load of old clothes to the Goodwill, drove my 13-year old nephew to cross country practice and my 15-year old nephew to “behind the wheel” class.

Yep, as far as domestic duties are concerned, I do more before 4:00 p.m. then most guys do all day!

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A picture's worth a thousand words.

Perusing the local bookstore this evening, I noticed CNN loon Jack Cafferty has authored a book recently.

Typically when a book is released, the publishing company will place a picture on the cover which is relevant to the book’s title.

The photo used for Cafferty’s book It’s Getting Ugly Out There?

That'll work!

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Shark work.

We learned all too well last month how much the Somali community does not trust the police. Given the corrupt law enforcement in their own country, the predominately-Somali residents at a Saint Paul apartment building were reluctant to inform police of a sexual assault. The incident, which occurred in a second floor hallway, was witnessed by five to ten people.

Obviously there is a significant lack of trust which needs to be built up between police and the Somali community.

Now, with some lawyers attempting to profit (monetary and public relations-wise) from the 35W bridge collapse, the Somalis may have begun to view that aspect of law in much the same vain as Americans.


Just days after the collapse, while recovery crews were still battling treacherous waters, Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben -- one of the state's highest profile personal injury firms -- petitioned for access to the site for three attorneys and two expert witnesses.


Thankfully, U.S. District judge Patrick Schiltz shot down the request.


"The I-35W bridge collapse is, to put it mildly, of intense interest to the local bar," the judge observed.

Omar Jamal of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in Minneapolis can testify to that. His organization's phone began ringing off the wall after news got out that a pregnant Somali woman and her daughter were among the victims. Some lawyers who called asked for telephone numbers and other personal information, he said.

"This is the worst form of ambulance chasing," Jamal complained to the news media. "The divers are still in the river looking, and the attorneys keep calling us."


Perhaps that was due to visions of dollar signs dancing in their heads, right?


Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi -- the firm that won a record settlement against Big Tobacco about a decade ago -- has offered to represent victims or their families without compensation, as have several other firms. Some folks speculate that Robins' offer is self-interested. Mike Ciresi, one of its partners, is running for the Senate. But if politics can contribute to people doing the right thing -- well, that's what politics is for, right?


Sure, we’ll go with it.

The minute the bridge collapse occurred there was an air of inevitability that this tragedy would be politicized. While that was going on, I couldn’t think of any worse behavior than that…..until now.

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Another day at the Fair: Part 2.

In Volume II of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, a political juggernaut was unveiled!!

Of the nearly one hundred conservative blogs featured in the Minnesota Organization of Bloggers, many threw out teasers regarding True North on the date 09-01-07. I was one of a handful of MOB-sters on hand for the official announcement of what True North entails. As many have surmised, it is a conservative blog (http://www.looktruenorth.com/). But not just any conservative blog, as Mitch Berg so eloquently points out.


Perhaps you’ve heard; there are 70 million blogs out there. You might be forgiven for asking: “Why another?”

The answer: because it’s needed.

Minnesota is a tough place to be a Republican; it’s tougher still to be a first-principles based, center-right conservative. We face a media and DFL machine that is huge, well-funded, and has insinuated over the past three or four generations into every corner of Minnesota life.

And yet for all of that, we - underfunded, working mostly as volunteers - have twice brought this state to the tipping point, from “purple” to the ragged brink of “red”. In five straight elections, from ‘98 to ‘06, Minnesota’s volunteers took on the paid, plutocrat-propped minions of the DFL on the streets, in the community centers, and finally at the polling places. And except for the national debacle of ‘06, we gave MUCH better than we got. We turned “liberal” Minnesota into a swing state.

NARN co-host Mitch Berg (holding microphone) and other members of the MOB announcing the debut of True North at the State Fair.

There are so many excellent blogs out there in the MOB that it is literally impossible to indulge in just half of them, never mind every single one. What True North looks to accomplish is to bring to one site the “A” game of the best and brightest of Minnesota’s center-right blogs as well as conservative pundits from other media venues.

One year from now, the GOP convention will commence in downtown St. Paul. We’re confident that True North will have made its presence known by the time there’s a nominee in place!!

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Another day at the Fair: Part 1.

Another Saturday at the Minnesota State Fair featured a glorious day to enjoy the festivities.

I was honored and privileged to have met professional tennis player David Wheaton. Back in his heyday in the early 90s, Wheaton competed against such legendary players as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Jim Courier. Admittedly, I haven’t watched a great deal of pro tennis since.


Tennis pro David Wheaton and myself at the Fair.

Much to my surprise, Wheaton hosts his own radio show every Saturday morning at 8:00 on AM 980 KKMS.

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One More Day!!!!

Listen to the Northern Alliance Radio Network tomorrow on AM 1280 The Patriot. Official details will be released at about 2:30 pm.

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Are you ready???!!!

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A private matter?

Like the Mark Foley scandal last year, the latest report of impropriety by a GOP politician is enough to make one’s skin crawl.


U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, an Idaho Republican, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Minnesota this month after being arrested by a plainclothes police officer investigating complaints of lewd conduct in a men's restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Craig denied the police account of what occurred and said he erred in pleading guilty.

"At the time of this incident, I complained to the police that they were misconstruing my actions," he said in a statement Monday afternoon. "I was not involved in any inappropriate conduct.

"I should have had the advice of counsel in resolving this matter. In hindsight, I should not have pled guilty. I was trying to handle this matter myself quickly and expeditiously."


I am certainly not here to defend Sen. Craig or his actions. But perhaps he could have better served himself public relations-wise by conveying the following sentiments:


Now, this matter is between me, the people I love most, and our God. I must put it right, and I am prepared to do whatever it takes to do so.

Nothing is more important to me personally. But it is private, and I intend to reclaim my family life for my family. It's nobody's business but ours.


After all, that seemed to fly with Democrat supporters nine years ago when a prominent politician in their party made the same declaration.

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A brand new life around the bend.

In looking back on my life, I’ve always had a tendency to take my time doing things.

Some were by choice:

-I didn’t get my driver’s license until two months after my 17th birthday.

-I took five full years to finish college.

-I didn’t own my first home nor get married until I was 31-years old.

-As of today (Age 38), I have no kids.


Some things, not by choice:

-My voice didn’t fully change until I was about 17. In fact, whenever people would call the house before then, many thought it was my mother answering the phone. Man, that was annoying!

-I was only 5’11” when I graduated high school. I didn’t reach my full height of 6’2” until my freshman year of college.

-As of today (Age 38), I have no kids.


With the recent loss of my job, I realized it’s time to enhance my marketability. I have been working in the Accounting field for over 13 years now with nothing more than a bachelor’s degree. So I’ve finally decided to bite the bullet and prepare to take the CPA exam. With no children at this point, I have the discretionary income as well as the time to take a review course as part of the preparation for the big test.

It’s been fifteen years since I’ve obtained my B.S. in Accounting. Many of my fellow graduates have had their CPA certificate for more than ten years now. I guess I’ve never been one to have the “Keep up with the Joneses” mentality. I like to do things at my own pace, for better or worse. But now that my wife is one year away from completing her Masters degree in Education, I feel it’s best to follow her example and try to make the most of my chosen career path.

As I have mentioned before, my wife and I are in the midst of the adoption process. Since we have yet to be blessed with children naturally, perhaps we are now getting a sense as to why there has been a delay in that area of our life. I can’t imagine both my wife & I continuing our education while having young children.

Whatever the case, we’re looking forward to our many adventures over the next twelve months!!

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Calling on a not so motley CREW.

I sent the following e-mail to CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) regarding Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and his appearance at a New Orleans church:


Dear Sir or Madam,

Last October, you posted the following on your website:


Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) today filed an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) complaint against the Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, MN for violating IRS law by openly endorsing state Senator Michele Bachmann’s candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Churches, like Living Word Christian Center, are absolutely prohibited from intervening in elections for any public office. This prohibition is a condition of the very favorable tax benefits public charities receive under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code.

On October 14, 2006 Ms. Bachmann delivered a campaign stump speech from the Living Word Christian Center’s pulpit and the church’s pastor, Mac Hammond, openly endorsed her candidacy. Pastor Hammond’s comments and Ms. Bachmann’s speech were made during the Living Word Christian Center’s weekend services, presented before the entire congregation and broadcast over the Internet. By using church resources to promote the candidacy of Ms. Bachmann, the church jeopardized its tax status.


So can I expect you will file a similar IRS complaint against First Emmanuel Baptist Church in New Orleans? On Sunday, August 26, Presidential candidate Barack Obama appeared before members of the aforementioned church. He spoke about such issues as expanding employment opportunities for New Orleans residents and well as improving health care. Would those not be considered political issues? More importantly, is First Emmanuel jeopardizing its tax status by providing a platform for Senator Obama’s presidential campaign?

Any clarifications you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

Brad Carlson
Coon Rapids, MN


I'll post CREW's response in the event I actually receive one.

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