THE ACCOUNTING DUGOUT

NEW SKIPPERS AT THE HELM

2004-11-04T06:47:00.000-05:00

It was announced that the new managers of the METS and PHILLIES will be Willie Randolph and Charlie Manuel.

Good Luck gentlemen, your going to need it.

THIS DATE IN BASEBALL....

2004-11-03T09:04:00.000-05:00

In Game 6, the Diamondbacks get 21 hits in the first six innings against the Yankees to set a record for hits in a World Series game. The previous record of 20 was established by the 1921 Giants (Game 3 vs Yankees) and the 1946 Cardinals (Game 4 vs Red Sox).

NATIONAL PASTIME - BASEBALL OR WHISKEY?

2004-11-02T08:26:00.000-05:00

Welcome Sox fans. It seems that in the times of this day and age, along with winning comes some sort of dispute. Something that everyone not involved with your "glee" tries to tarnish. After winning the WS, and doing the obligatory tour of talk shows, it appears that Kevin Millar stated that the TEAM did shots of JD prior to Game 6 during the ALCS. After winning Game 6 they continued to do shots before Game 7 and then throughout the WS. The had to continue right, the MOJO was on.

Why would anyone express this on TV? Did he think that no one was going to make a big stink over this? Is he that dumb? It is bad enough for these guys to be in the public eye every minute of the day, but when you say something like this on TV, you deserve what you get. Why do these athletes feel the need to be in the spotlight all the time? Talk about starving for attention. On one hand they want to be on TV, talking about themselves and the next minute they don't want you to judge them for things they say.

Well, unless you come over to my house and sit down with me and we get to know each other, I am going to have to judge you by what I hear come out of your mouth during interviews. And if you don't want me to look at you in a bad light from what you say in an interview, DON'T SAY ANYTHING STUPID during the interview because believe it or not, I am not the only person that is judging you when you open your mouth.

BACKGROUND FOR THE OCTOBER TAILGATE--"THE HUNT"

2004-10-29T09:13:00.000-04:00

Here is a little background for the "tailgate" next October:

The event is located on the Moorland Farms in Far Hills, NJ. This is one of NJ's biggest social events of the fall season. The event is a Breeders' Cup Steeplechase. I have never been to a steeplechase race in my life. Actually, from talking to a few people that have gone to this event over the years, it is more of a tailgating party than a steeplechase race. (an old boss of mine has gone for the past 10 years and he said that he is yet to see a horse)

Here is some info from the web site.

This world-class event mixes society with sport, bringing families, race enthusiasts, organizations and corporations together for a day of racing, high fashion, food, networking and celebration. The Race Meeting also hosts the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase, the nations' most prominent steeplechase race.

Since the 1950's, this unique annual event has raised more than $15 million for the Somerset Medical Center, www.somersetmedicalcenter.com,through the Somerset Medical Center Foundation. The Race Meeting has profoundly impacted the medical's centers growth and ability to offer comprehensive, state-of-the-art medical services to NJ residents.

Nearly 50 major corporation (the networking part) reserve corporate tent space each year, with many more taking reserved parking tailgating spaces. Family and friends create unique and often extravagant fall picnic areas, complete with beautiful floral centerpieces, haybale seating, ice carvings and culinary feast. (I can not promise any of that. But I can promise food and beer) For many visitors, the Race Meeting is a time-honored tradition and reunion of family and friends.

The Moorland Farms grounds open to the public at 8 a.m. on race day and they do not kick you off until 6 p.m.

The price of the event is not cheap. Right now I am thinking about $125 per person (children under 14 free). This includes two premium tailgate parking spots close to the race, food, drinks, toy for the children attending, festive decorations and possible a little surprise the day of the race. To me this is a small price to pay for annual traditions and reunions.

INTERESTING FACTS.....

2004-10-29T09:07:00.000-04:00

The head trainers for three of the four MLB playoff teams graduated from Springfield College: Boston's Jim Rowe (class of '87), Houston's Dave LaBoissiere ('74), and Barry Weinberg ('73) of the Cardinals .

QUESTION OF THE DAY?

2004-10-28T11:01:00.000-04:00

Does Nomar Garciaparra who played 38 games in Boston get a World Series ring from the Red Sox?

IT'S FUNNY HOW THINGS JUST WORK OUT

2004-10-28T10:59:00.000-04:00

If form holds, the Red Sox' well-earned rings will be handed out in a ceremony April 11 when the 2004 World Series championship flag is raised above Fenway Park for the home opener. The team in the third base dugout for that historic event? The New York Yankees.

WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED?

2004-10-28T09:11:00.000-04:00

Who would be interested in a tailgate party around mid October of next year? It is not a football game, soccer game or baseball game. But, this year it turned out more than 50,000 spectators. With all the benefits going to a local hospital, I have heard this is a fun event. If enough people wanted to go, I would be willing to volunteer my wife as chairwoman to set it up for 2005. This might be a good time for everyone, and their families to get together for one fall afternoon. I can think of about 14 people that I think would be willing to participate, including but not limited to: myself, wife (haven't come up with a nickname or blog yet), doc, mrs. doc, mudge, blair, blair's wife, alan (if he can schedule it). This is a start to a list, I think the more the better.

Let me know if you want more information about the event. If there is enough interest, I think it might be a lot of fun.

PALMEIRO SIGNS ONE YEAR DEAL

2004-10-28T07:21:00.000-04:00

Good news for the O's. The O's signed Palmeiro to a one year deal yesterday. He may be older but I still think he is one of the most consistent hitters of his time. With only a couple, maybe only one, years left in baseball, I am glad to see that Palmeiro will most likely retire as an O, and go into the Hall of Fame as an O also.

DID YOU KNOW?

2004-10-27T07:07:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the negative MOJO for Boston fans, but did you know that there has been only one team in post season history to come back from a 0-3 deficit. Is it possible that it could happen two times in one year? Now that would be history.

Probation for Nelson and Garcia

2004-10-26T13:38:00.000-04:00

Associated Press BOSTON -- Two former New York Yankees players who allegedly assaulted a Fenway Park groundskeeper during the 2003 American League Championship series agreed Tuesday to a deal that calls for the charges against them to be dropped in six months. Pitcher Jeff Nelson and outfielder Karim Garcia agreed to probation at a hearing in Roxbury District Court. The players will perform 50 hours of community service and be evaluated to determine whether they need to attend an anger management program.

3 TIMES IS A CHARM

2004-10-26T13:01:00.000-04:00

With Sunday's victory, Curt Schilling became the first pitcher to win World Series starts for three teams (the Sox, Diamondbacks, and Phillies) Most pitchers do not even get a chance to pitch in a World Series, let alone win with 3 different teams. Hats off to Schilling!!!

ZOOKS OUT!!!......SPURRIER IN???

2004-10-25T11:07:00.000-04:00

It has just been reported that the Florida Gators fired coach Ron Zook. He will continue to coach until the end of the season, and then he is gone. Could this be a shot for Steve Surrier to get back into the college game after a horrible, and short, NFL career? If the Gators take him back, how do you think the fans would take it?

GEORGE HERMAN RUTH.........

2004-10-22T06:09:00.000-04:00

So how did he go from George Herman Ruth Jr. to simply "The Babe?" According to BabeRuth.com, it happened when Ruth was 19 -- long before the Red Sox traded him to the Yankees and unleashed the "Curse of the Bambino." Jack Dunn, the owner and manager of a Red Sox minor-league team named the Baltimore Orioles (yup, that's right) recognized Ruth's talent and signed him to a contract. When other players saw the strapping young player, they called him, "Jack's newest babe." And Ruth has been known as the Babe ever since.

2 THINGS THAT DISTURB ME ABOUT YANKEE FANS

2004-10-21T09:10:00.000-04:00

Here are two things that disturb me about Yankee fans: 1) They seem to lump the last 75 years together and call themselves the greatest team ever. What about the years in between when they were bad. Do they just get rounded off? 2) The other thing that bothers me about Yankee fans is that some of them joined the ban wagon because it was easy to be a Yankee fan. Now let's not get our panties in a bunch. If you have been a Yankees fan all your life then my respect goes out to you. What bothers me is the people that have been Yankee fans since the 90's. These people do not know about the traditions of Yankee baseball. When I was growing up, in my house that is all that was on the TV. Yankees. I grew up watching Munson, Hunter, Dent, Rivers, and so on and so on. In '89 when I moved to MD to go to college I became an O's fan. Part of becoming an O's fan was geographical and the other part was that I started seeing all these "fake" fans starting to join the Yankee movement. And I did not want to be lumped in with these folks. This is the same sort of thing that has happened to the Dallas Cowboys. (sorry Alan I know I am picking on your two teams)

The Curse is gone.....

2004-10-21T06:32:00.000-04:00

Where do we start? What a game!!! I hope for Sox fans (and O's fans like myself) that the "Bambino Curse" is gone and the Curse against the Yankees has started. The curse that I am talking about is the "Demon (Damon)Curse". With the "Demon Curse" in affect, the fact that Padro is going over the hump, and the Yankees pitching staff is on a rebuilding year, this might give the O's a chance at contending next year. (Maybe I am too hopeful)

Now I just hope, for the sake of good sportsmanship, that the Yankees fans do not start quoting the history books. Just man up to it and admit that Boston had a better team this year. And if you want to quote history, isn't this the first time in history that a team has come back from an 0 - 3 start to win a 7 game series? I think so.

And to that I say in my best NY/NJ accent: "Yo, I gots your history right here".

The Sox get all the calls?

2004-10-20T07:16:00.000-04:00

Are there any Yankee fans out there that actually think that they got robbed last night? Do you really, deep in your hearts think that the call for the home run was wrong? Do you really think that A-Rod did not turn his head and eye up the pitchers glove and swat at it intentionally? If you answered YES to any of the above question, go back and look at the tape and ask yourself this: Did I answer YES because I agreed with the call or just because I am a Yankees fan and I have a right to have calls go my way even if it is the wrong call?

I tip my hats to the umpires in MLB for making the right call without instant reply.

Sorry for not posting in a while.

2004-10-20T06:50:00.000-04:00

Sorry for not posting in a while. The wife (let's call her the skippers "bench coach") and I went to Baltimore for our anniversary. We stayed at the Hyatt which is directly across from the Inner Harbor. And best of all, only two or three blocks from Camden Yards. While we were there Baltimore was having their 4th annual marathon. We were able to watch the race from the tenth floor our cozy PJ's. That is about as close as I think I will get to a Marathon. The male winner ran the whole marathon with a pace of somewhere in the low 5 min mark. I don't even think I drive that fast. We had a great time and hope to do it again, only next time I will be sure that it is during the season when the O's have a home game.

Anyway, the trip to Baltimore was only half of the reason for not posting. The other half is that I have been soooooo tired from staying up all night watching these great playoff games. And I am not only talking about the Sox and Yanks. The NL series has also turned into a great series. Although it does not have the same historical traditions as the Yanks and Sox, it has been great. I am pulling for the Astros. Here is a question for all of you. (I actually didn't think anyone read this blog until Mudge yelled at me for not posting) Putting aside all feelings for your favorite team, who would you rather see Clemens pitch against, the Sox or the Yanks? Personally, I think it would be more interesting to see him brush back Jeter or A-Rod.

P.S. - Thanks to Mudge for keeping me on track to continue writing.

THE JETS HAVE THEMSELVES A QB (interesting stats)

2004-10-13T10:58:00.000-04:00

Who Knew? Jets QB Chad Pennington has posted a 16-9 record in his first 25 starts. In those starts, he has completed 511 of 747 passes for a 68.4 completion percentage. That mark is the highest for a quarterback in his first 25 starts since the 1970 merger.

Mazzilli Back in 2005

2004-10-12T07:11:00.000-04:00

BALTIMORE -- For the 162 games, Lee Mazzilli was seemingly built of granite. He was a stoic manager who did not get ejected once this season. In the heat of a game, he usually discussed controversial calls with umpires in a whisper-quiet voice. For the entire season, Mazzilli's players usually saw nothing more than a wry smile. Yet, after the Orioles finished beating the Boston Red Sox, 3-2, and reality set in that this tumultuous season was finally over, Mazzilli was overwhelmed with emotion. When he faced his players, most likely prepared for the normal "let's get 'em next year" speech they have heard since Little League, he broke down in tears in expressing his gratitude for their hard work. Mazzilli's postgame speech to his players lasted all of 30 seconds. He walked into the clubhouse, shades covering his welled eyes, and attempted to thank them for an inspiring season. But he stopped. Mazzilli had no more words, just more tears. And he walked back into his office to gather himself. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this because he is going to get on me," center fielder Larry Bigbie said. "But he had his sunglasses on and he just wanted to thank the team. I am sure he was feeling some pressure there at certain points in the season and just thanked us for not rolling over and for finishing as strong as we did." The club announced before the game that Mazzilli would return for a second season, ending speculation that the organization would consider a managerial change in the next few weeks. Also, Mazzilli's coaches all will be invited to return....

Caminiti DEAD @ age 41

2004-10-11T08:18:00.000-04:00

Sad news today as Ken Caminiti died of a heart attack in the Bronx. This was won of my favorite players of all time. I just liked the way he played third base. I know alot of you will have many comments as to the fact that he often got himself into trouble with steroids and cocaine. But putting all that aside the fact remains that he was a good ball player and one that I liked to watch play on the field.

NASCAR .... THE CLEANEST SPORT OUT THERE

2004-10-06T07:19:00.000-04:00

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was knocked out of first place in the Nextel Cup standings by a slip of the tongue, not another driver. After winning at Talladega Superspeedway Earnhardt was docked 25 points and fined $10,000 for cursing during a TV interview. The following was his comment when asked about the significance of his fifth victory at Talladega: Earnhardt said, "It don't mean s--- right now. Daddy's won here 10 times." Now, instead of leading Kurt Busch by 13 points in the Nextel Cup standings, Earnhardt trails by 12 with seven races left in the season. It is a good thing that the NFL, MLB and NBA do not take this tough stand with their players. If they did we would see a lot more professional athletes claiming bankruptcy. The ruling by NASCAR is consistent with the earlier rulings dealt out at the beginning of the year to two other drivers. Earnhardt is appealing. And for me I hope that NASCAR does not reverse their decision. Not because I want to see Earnhardt lose his point standings, but because this is a chance for NASCAR to set themselves apart from the corruption of other major sports.

POST SEASON BASEBALL....

2004-10-04T06:43:00.000-04:00

I am going to ask one of the toughest questions to all of you. Without bias, pretend that you do not have a favorite team and tell me how you think the post season will play out. Here is a link to the dates and times of the post season games:

POST SEASON SCHEDULE

Series one

Twins vs Yankees

Series Two

Red Sox vs Angels

Series Three

Dodgers vs Cardinals

Series Four

Astros vs Braves

Now be honest about your predictions and predict using your baseball knowledge not your heart. Also, let me know which games you think will be the best to watch. I will be watching all of them but as you all know, some games and series are a little more exciting than others.

ICHIRO UPDATE......

2004-09-30T07:05:00.000-04:00

With 4 games left, Ichiro is 2 hits shy of the record. Last night against the A's he went 1 for 3. The last 4 games are as follows: A's tonight and then three against Texas on October 1,2,3. During the game last night in the ninth inning, Ichiro was hit by a pitch. My question to you is: Do you think this was intentional? And if so, do you think this belongs in baseball?

ICHIRO WATCH UPDATE....

2004-09-29T10:45:00.000-04:00

Ichiro went 2 for 5 last night to move within 3 hits of the all-time season hit leader. He has 5 games left and looks like he might pass the record tonight or tomorrow night. What seems to amaze me is that the games are not going to be televised nationally. This is a major record that is going to be broken and all we as baseball fans care about is the divisional races. I remember watching other MLB record breaking events that were drawn out for weeks. Remember the consecutive games from Cal and the homerun derby with Sammy and Mark. Why is this different? It is upsetting to me, and you should be too, that all you are going to be able to see of this historic event is an ESPN clip on Sportscenters "PLAYS OF THE DAY"

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL...

2004-09-29T10:37:00.000-04:00

1 Alex Smith: Don't know who he is? He's the quarterback at Utah and has passed for 952 yards and eight touchdowns with no interceptions in four games. The Utes are ranked 14th and among a handful of mid-major teams looking to crash the BCS party. 2 A Buckeye beatdown: Chalk up an Ohio State victory. Northwestern hasn't beaten the Buckeyes since 1971, a span of 24 games. The wins are usually thorough, too, with Ohio State outscoring the Wildcats, 170-52, in the past five meetings. 3 Taylor Stubblefield: Purdue's senior receiver needs 10 receptions to break former teammate John Standeford's record for most receptions by a player in the Big Ten. After catching 11 passes against Illinois, Stubblefield has 257 career receptions. The NCAA record is 300 by Louisville's Arnold Jackson (1997-2000). 4 Navy: Don't sleep on the Middies. Navy is 4-0 and looking like a bowl-bound team for the second year in a row. The Commander in Chief Trophy will be decided tomorrow night at Air Force. 5 Iowa defense: The 74 points the Hawkeyes have given up the past two games are the most in a two-game stretch since 2000, when they gave up 87 points in back-to-back games against Nebraska and Indiana.

NY/NJ area sports......

2004-09-29T10:29:00.000-04:00

Interesting facts about NY/NJ area sports...... There are only three degrees of separation between Tom Coughlin and Vince Lombardi. Beginning at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, N.J., where Lombardi coached the basketball team, including a player named Mickey Corcoran... who later coached the hoops team at River Dell High School in Oradell, N.J., including a player named Bill Parcells...who later coached the Giants and hired Coughlin as receivers coach.

LARRY JOHNSON WATCH......

2004-09-29T10:24:00.000-04:00

Reports surfaced early this week that the Eagles were on a short list of teams that had talked with the Kansas City Chiefs about acquiring running back Larry Johnson. A league source said yesterday that the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were making a much bigger push for the third-stringer than the Eagles. The Chiefs are looking for a veteran player to help reverse their 0-3 start. As Super Bowl contenders, the Eagles are reluctant to part with their depth. The Chiefs reportedly held substantive discussions with at least four teams. Also included were the Dallas Cowboys. Must be great to be a third string running back and have 3 or 4 teams that want you to play for them.

NEW $50 BILL

2004-09-28T07:38:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - More redesigned American money goes into circulation Tuesday, when government officials become the first to spend a new $50 bill during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The first purchase: an American flag, which is scheduled to be bought from Alamo Flags, a retailer in Union Station, the capital city's transportation and shopping hub. The new look of $50 was first displayed in April at a ceremony at a printing plant in Fort Worth, Tex., where the notes are produced. Generally speaking, the bills follow the aesthetic guidelines set out by the $20, which came out last year. The new $100, which is to be unveiled in 2005, is also expected to embrace the multi-hue approach. On the new $50, pastel tones augment the old green and black color scheme, even more vibrantly than on the new $20. Ulysses S. Grant continues to be pictured, but his face appears more prominently, as Andrew Jackson's does on the $20. The number 50 is presented in a variety of newly introduced fonts. On the back, the engraving of the Capitol Building has been altered slightly as well. As they have in the past, government officials stress that the changes are intended to thwart increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. "This $50 note is beautifully designed and includes important anti-counterfeiting features," said Federal Reserve Board governor Mark Olson, in a speech made at the unveiling ceremony back in April. Among those features:an embedded plastic strip running vertically; a watermark image engrained into the paper itself; and color-shifting ink, whose appearance changes as you tilt the bill against light. Most noticeably, of course, the bills now feature all the colors of an Easter egg.

Too bad I will not see any of these being that the largest denomination of currency I have is a $20. But if any of you receive one and don't want it let me know and I will take it off your hands for you.

ICHIRO UPDATE....

2004-09-28T06:53:00.000-04:00

Ichiro went 1 for 4 in last nights game against the A's. With six games to go he needs 5 more hits to tie the record and 6 to take over the top spot. With the divisional and wild card races taking most of the spotlight, this should be an interesting October.

Updates to follow......

EXPOS TO DC...

2004-09-28T06:37:00.000-04:00

Well, it looks like MLB might make an announcement as early as Thursday to move the Expos to Washington, DC. It may be a surprise that the Expos are going to DC but, what is not a surprise is that the Expos are moving. In what is likely the final series in Olympic Stadium, only 3,923 fans showed up to watch the Marlins beat the Expos 4-1. Now being an O's fan I welcome the move to DC. This may come as a surprise but here is my logic: if the Expos come to DC (only 40 miles from Camden Yards) Peter Angelos will be forced to pony up some money to get the talent that the O's need. If he doesn't give up the money then what you are going to see happen is the O's will become the Mets of the mid-atlantic.

Updates to follow.......

SUNDAY SOFTBALL UPDATE

2004-09-27T09:35:00.000-04:00

Well, Sunday was the first two games in my wooden bat softball league. We had only 8 guys show up. BUT, we won both games. The first game I went 3 for 3 with a walk. And the second game I went 3 for 4 with a sac fly to center. Right on track for my prediction for the year. Thank god the season is only 6 weeks, might not be enough time for a batting slump. All in all, Sunday was a beautiful day to play ball and to be outside. Fielding was all together a different story. I was prepared for rockets down the third base line, but instead I found slow rollers in the hole. Usually I am just trying to not get my teeth knocked out of my mouth and the first couple of shots to me were so slow that the ball played me instead of me playing the ball. I picked up in the second game and started charging the holes and slow rollers.

Until next time ......

Congressional Panel Agrees To Extend Tax Cuts, Tax-News.com

2004-09-24T07:03:00.000-04:00

Legislation extending three key middle class tax cuts has finally been approved by a House and Senate conference and could be signed by President Bush within the next few days. Under the agreed package, the current 10% tax bracket will be extended for six years, the child tax credit for five years, and relief from the marriage penalty for four years. Without the new legislation, these three tax relief measures would revert to their former levels at the end of this year, meaning that an effective tax hike for a large section of the population would take place in 2005. Congressional negotiators also approved a one year extension to current relief from the Alternative Minimum Tax. “President Bush has made it a priority to make sure that families keep more of their own money, and we intend to deliver on that priority,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, (R-Calif.), reportedly commented after a joint House-Senate conference committee completed work on the bill late Wednesday. The total cost of the tax package, which also included various other local and environmental tax breaks, has been calculated at $145.9 billion over ten years.

TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN

2004-09-24T06:27:00.000-04:00

Greg Maddux just won his 15th game of the season. Now to most people being 15-10 is good, not great. To me a pitcher that wins 20 games in a season is great. The difference with Maddux is that this is his 17th year in a row that he has had 15 or more wins. This is an outstanding accomplishment for any pitcher. Consistancy in anything makes you great. It doesn't matter if it is baseball (Maddux), football (Rice), basketball (Jordan), golf (Mickelson), tennis (Aggasi), or if it is at work (Alan H.,DOC,Mudge,Tim) or even your local softball team (Skipper). I think it would be hard to argue that any of the names that I have mentioned will not go down as being one of the greatest in their respective professions. And is it because they are the absolute best in that sport, NO. They will be regarded as one of the greatest because they have consistantly been at the top of their profession for years and years.

HIT WATCH...

2004-09-22T06:38:00.000-04:00

Zoning in on the record, Ichiro Suzuki is just 14 hits away from the record. Going 5-5 last night helped raise his batting average up to .372, and also take over the current major league BA lead from Barry Bonds. With 11 games to go and needing only 14 more hits to reach George Sislers 1920 record, I think Ichiro will pass that record and place his name in the record books. He is a great hitter and all we can hope for is that the major league pitchers still pitch to him and not intentionally walk him like they do to Barry Bonds.

AM I CRAZY?

2004-09-21T06:32:00.000-04:00

Last night was a rough one for me. The O's beat the Red Sox 10-6 to keep the Sox 4.5 games back behind the Yankees. I am a huge O's fan and that is the reason last night was so rough for me. The O's are so far out of the race and I dislike the Yankees so much. Is it wrong for me to have wanted the Red Sox to win? Would a real fan want that for his team? Here is my take on it: I love it when the O's win. It would be great to see them back in the hunt with the Sox and Yankees. I think a three way race for the AL east would be better than a two way race every year. And I don't think anyone would disagree. It would be great for baseball.

Last night has made me start to think that I love the game of baseball more than the O's. Now don't get me wrong, the O's are still my favorite team. But I think that I would have rather seen the O's lose last night so this coming weekends game between the Yankees and Sox would have been more exciting. Wouldn't it have been great to watch these two teams fight it out for the AL east championship instead of the Red Sox fighting for a wild card? You have to admit, watching a series battle for the AL east championship would be much more exciting than a World Series between, say, Atlanta and Yankees.

AM I CRAZY to think this way about a team I love (O's) and a team I love to hate? (YANKEES)

SUNDAY WOODEN BAT LEAGUE UPDATE:

2004-09-20T06:41:00.000-04:00

Well, sorry to say we didn't play ball on Sunday because of the storms produced by Ivan. Actually it might have been a good thing because it was windy and cold on Sunday. The best thing about the way this short season has started is that we are still undefeated.

Update to follow next Monday September 27th.

ENDING OF AN ERA?....

2004-09-20T06:31:00.000-04:00

Jerry Rice ended an incredible streak yesterday. Yesterday was the first time since December 1, 1985 that he has not caught a pass in a NFL game. The total games - 274. To me, it is not only an impressive streak, but a marvel that someone has played in 274 NFL games with all the hard hits and punishment these guys put themselves through. What is he like 41 or something? At that age I still hope I can play old man, beer league Sunday softball, let alone the NFL. My question to you is: Is this an ending of an ERA or had this ERA ended a couple of years ago when he left San Fran?

As a sidebar, my congrats go out to Alan and his Cincinnati Bengals in their Sunday night victory. Wish I could have been a real man and stayed up to watch the whole thing.

INTERESTING CONCEPT........

2004-09-17T10:30:00.000-04:00

On a personal note, this weekend the Skipper will start playing in a fall softball league, with a twist. Now, I play softball from April until August in two leagues and then about six weeks in the fall. Our normal league in the fall got cancelled this year so we were forced to search out another league. The league we found was Sunday morning doubleheaders for six weeks. That's a total of 12 games for those of you that can't do the math. The interesting twist to this league is that players can only use WOODEN BATS. The part that is going to make this interesting is that in my other leagues the balls are harder and the bats have thinner walls, two pieces, multiple shells, ect. ect. Man you should see the ball jump off the bats in the other leagues. I play with the same guys in all the leagues, and with the wooden bats it should be interesting to see which of my fellow teammates are the truly good hitters. I will keep you posted on how things turn out. My prediction on my personal stats for the six weeks are as follows:

12 games @ 4 AB per game =48 Total AB

29 - 36 hits

AVG -.604 - .750

SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION......

2004-09-17T06:44:00.000-04:00

Yesterdays Baltimore Sun reported some rather startling news about the Orioles and their top 2004 draftee:

......Three months after touting the selection of Rice pitcher Wade Townsend as their No. 1 pick in baseball's amateur draft, the Orioles are prepared to lose his rights. Townsend is attending classes for his senior year and has signed with agent Casey Close, a decision that eliminates his eligibility as a college player. Major League Baseball is in the process of determining whether the Orioles still hold his rights, or if he'll re-enter the draft next June. It's believed that no player has retained an agent and also attended classes. "As of this date it's our understanding that he's going back into next year's draft," said executive vice president Jim Beattie. "I understand they're trying to go down a new road. I talked to the commissioner's office recently and they said we can't negotiate with him. At this point, negotiations are dead. It's very disappointing, but you have to move forward."

Draft rule 4-H states: "A player who is selected at the Summer Meeting and returns to school in the fall without signing a contract shall be subject to selection at the next Summer Meeting at which the player is eligible." Rule 4-K allows for MLB to interpret the rule as it sees fit, which is what Townsend is relying on. Close said the key lies in how "player"--or more specifically a "college player"-- is defined.... Townsend is prepared for the consequences if MLB rules his return to class terminated the Orioles' rights to negotiate with him, which would put him in the 2005 draft pool. Without college eligibility, Townsend would work out at IMG's Florida facility beginning in January and look into the possibility of pitching for an independent league club prior to the '05 draft in June. The downside to his choice would prevent him from negotiating with the Orioles and forced to re-enter the draft next June. If that happens and he has an accident in the next nine months, he would be left high and dry financially. If he remains healthy, though, he would probably be selected in the top of the first round again. But then again, what if he has a bad year in the independent league and other college pitchers have outstanding years. Townsend appears to be smart enough to understand the gamble he is taking. He was named university baseball's Academic 2004 All-American of the Year by the College Sports Information Directors of America and is working toward a history/economics/managerial studies degree that he is on track to complete this December, within 3½ years of enrolling at Rice.

Is this the right move for this young man? Should he go back to college to complete his degree, or sign the contract and get paid millions? What advice would you give Wade if you were given the chance?

MCKENZIE RETURNS TO THE PACKERS

2004-09-16T07:39:00.000-04:00

Just two days after the Packers opened the season by beating the defending NFC champion Carolina 24-14. Cornerback Mike McKenzie returned to the Green Bay Packers after holding out throughout training camp and missing the season opener. McKenzie became upset when several cornerbacks that he considered of lesser talent surpassed him in compensation. McKenzie is entering the third season of a five-year contract he signed in January 2002. That's right, I said he is entering his third season of a five-year contract. Maybe the NFL, players and other major sports should look up the word contract in the dictionary. I know that when I signed a contract with my wireless phone carrier, there was no way to get out of it. Hell, I don't even think about getting out because I knew what the contract was when I signed up.

What makes major sports contracts different?

The Packers were willing to hold up their end of the contract and pay him, good play or bad. Why can the players not do the same? Being a Packers fan myself, I think this hurts the TEAM and I would have liked him not to return to Green Bay.

LOOKED OUT

2004-09-16T06:44:00.000-04:00

Yesterday the NHL decided that they could not agree to terms and will be looked out of a contract until they can agree on how to make some money. The regular season is supposed to start on October 13, with practices starting today. Also, the NHL can not play past June 2005. The arenas have been informed to book other events for the next 30 days.

Is this good for hockey? Can the owners and players come to terms?.

Now not being a huge hockey fan, I have come to realize that the sport is becoming very popular in the USA. Youth ice hockey leagues have popped up all over, as well as outdoor in-line hockey leagues. The games are now being televised on ESPN and FOX during the regular season. Having gone to only a handful of Devils games the last couple of years, I can tell you this. The NHL (just the Devils from my experience) pulls in a ton more fans than the Nets, which play in the same arena. It appears that the two sides are not even close to come to an agreement. Which I think would be devastating to the sport of hockey in the USA. Most of the players will be just fine because they will move on to the European and Canadian leagues where their fans live for hockey. Just like we live for baseball and Europe lives for soccer.

IMAGINE THIS........

2004-09-15T11:32:00.000-04:00

While reading some of the comments to my last post, I thought of an interesting situation. Please keep an open mind about this.

Imagine this....

Tom Gamboa of the Kansas City Royals is coaching first base. During the game at some point he looks over in the stands and sees a tattooed man (William Ligue Jr) sitting there drinking a beer. Later in the game, while walking to the dugout he says "sit down and have another beer, redneck". This man takes offense to his comment and in the next inning he and his son charge the field and attack Gamboa. Would this be appropriate behavior for someone to take just because someone made a comment? Where do we draw the line? When is too much? Where is the respect for these men that play the game? Win, lose or draw, hate or love, we as fans should at the least show the players respect for doing something we can not.

TEXAS -- A FIGHTING STATE

2004-09-15T07:25:00.000-04:00

As a result of one of the worst professional athlete/fan brawls in recent memory, a young woman got her nose broken and a MLB player ended up in jail. It all started with two outs in the ninth inning in a game between the Rangers and the A's (in Oakland). Texas' Alfonso Soriano tied the game 5-5 with his second homer of the night. While Hank Blalock was at the plate the Texas bench and bullpen cleared and players started fighting with fans along the right-field stands. At some point, pitcher Frank Francisco (I guess his family likes first names) threw a plastic folding chair and hit fan in the head, and then it bounced and struck his wife in the face. The woman had to be treated at a hospital. Officials from both teams are still arguing about who's at fault for the incident. What is there to argue about? Professional players in all sports are taunted by fans everywhere, everyday. Now I was not at the game so I do not know what happened down on the field, but if there were just words exchanged and one of my players threw a chair, or anything, he would be gone the next day. If he was physically harmed, then by all means go get them. Hell, if one of my players was physically assaulted, I would jump right in, too.

NOTE: Texas Tech men's basketball coach Bobby Knight was unavailable for comment on Francisco's technique at press time.

GREEN bay WITH ENVY

2004-09-14T06:26:00.000-04:00

Well, last night was a great night as the Packers won the season opener against the Panthers 24-14. Ahman Green looked great as he ran for two TD's and caught another. But what was most impressive about Green Bay was their line. Both offense and defense. They seemed to have dominated the line which in turn allowed Favre and Green to have good games. Most of the time the linemen do not get the credit that they deserve, so my hat's off to these men.

And to top it all off to make the night complete -- the Yank Me's got killed. I will tell you this, when the Yank Me's lose (which is not often enough) they really do a good job to make sure they get it all out of their system.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

2004-09-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

Andrea Kremer's piece on ESPN's NFL Countdown on marijuana use by NFL players included a segment with Shawn King, a former NFL defensive lineman. Explaining that he had run out of the stored clean urine he stockpiled at home to pass drug tests, he talked about calling a woman friend who sent him a small supply of her urine via overnight mail. He used her sample, but the results were not what he expected. "I failed the drug test because I came up pregnant," he said.

IN A STUNNING UPSET?

2004-09-13T08:36:00.000-04:00

IN A STUNNING UPSET, Rutgers loses to New Hampshire 35-24. Was this really and upset? Rutgers had high hopes of going 6-0 to start the season. This would have done wonders for the program now that Miami is out of the Big East. But they blow it. Coming off a big win against Michigan St., they fumble and lose to New Hampshire. Now I am not saying that Michigan St. is a great team, but in the minds of Rutgers fans, Michigan St. is a major football program. Maybe not this year but it has seen its days. I think that there is an extreme amount of talented players in the tri-state area that are lost to bigger schools mainly because Rutgers can not compete consistently week in and week out with the major schools. This goes for their basketball team too. What do you think a school like Rutgers could do to attract bigger players from their own state to play for them, as well as going out and getting major players from the surrounding states?

A SATURDAY TAILGATE WITH FRIENDS

2004-09-13T06:58:00.000-04:00

Well, the seasons changing and for me it can only look better. The seasons I am talking about is from baseball to football, not summer to fall. The O's are out, and as most of you say, they have been all season. (There's always next year, or in their case maybe two years) But now it is time for football. Last weekend was the start of a great time of the year. The weather is changing. You can smell the crisp fall air rolling in from the north. I can almost see the leaves on the ground as I pull in to the tailgate spot. I can taste the the hot sausage and peppers as the sun is coming up just starting to warm the dew off the ground. And to top it all off, an ice cold beer to wash it all down.

Yup, this is my time of year. There is nothing better in life than a long tailgating party at a college football game. The weather is great and the atmosphere is somewhere near heaven. If you have never been to a major college football tailgate, put it on your list of things to do in life. (Mudge, there is a list for you to do) Hell, the tailgate parties are so good that in my experience I have probably only made it into about 3 or 4 actual college games. And I have gone to about 10 to 15 games. Most of the time we listen to the game on the radio outside the stadium. Either way, going into the game or staying outside, there is nothing in life that comes close to A SATURDAY TAILGATE WITH FRIENDS.

TROY --- "THE REAL DEAL"?

2004-09-10T06:45:00.000-04:00

Did everyone watch the first NFL game of the season last night? Well if you did you missed a shocker in college football. Talk about flying under the radar and picking up two big wins for the school, was Troy. (Note to self --- find out which state Troy is from) Anyway, with Missouri (Ranked #19) up 14-0 early in the game, Troy came back to win 24-14. Add to this impressive win the fact that Troy also knocked off Marshall last week, and held Marshall to just 25 yards rushing in doing so. Troy is in their fourth year of Division I football, and Missouri was the first team from a BCS conference to venture to Troy to play. Like the Princeton basketball team, my guess is that top ranked teams will think twice about adding Troy to the schedule in the beginning of the season as easy victories. My best to the players of Troy, but we will have to wait to see if they are "THE REAL DEAL".

ANOTHER FORFEIT???

2004-09-09T06:23:00.000-04:00

Last night I was sitting home and pondering this thought: Will the Yankees front office and management request from MLB to have the D-Rays forfeit the doubleheader that was cancelled? Isn't it the D-Rays fault that the Yankees had to play the doubleheader in the first place? And if it is the D-rays fault, shouldn't the Yankees revert back to their original complaint filed with MLB? The timeline and order of events that brought on this doubleheader appears to be have caused by the D-Rays. So wouldn't it be fitting that MLB make the D-Rays forfeit to the Yankees? At least this is the logic and rational that I am expecting from Yankee fans.

YANKEE FANS AND THEIR HISTORY

2004-09-08T09:58:00.000-04:00

Upon just reading an article on ESPN.com, I have come to realize that I dislike the Yankees even more now. It seems that the Yankees have decided to drop the notion of a forfeit and play a doubleheader with the D-Rays. What sportsmen these Yankees are. Talk about your sore winners. It is very easy to jump on the ban wagon and claim that your a Yankees fan, and when something does not go your way start bringing up the past seasons. I understand all about the history of the Yankees and I believe that is a big part of baseball. (Remembering history) But using that same history as a defense when someone questions anything about the current situations they are going on is rediculous. I am still waiting for the day a true Yankee fan owns up to the fact that what they were trying to do was wrong. At least I could respect Yankee fans if, just once, they came back to reality, opened their eyes and said to themselves, what we just did was wrong. If any other team did what we just tried to do we would be all over them letting them know it was wrong too.

ADDICTING FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT

2004-09-02T07:08:00.000-04:00

First of all let me start by apologizing for not posting recently. We have our auditors in from KPMG auditing our year end numbers and I have been swamped.

Latetly, the last three years, I have begun watching the WSOP on ESPN. I do not know what has drawn me into this "cult". Maybe it is the sheer excitement of the competition? Maybe it is because as we get older and smarter, this is a form of competition that we can handle without the physical punishment of traditional sports. Either way it is great to watch and even better to play. I have played a little with friends (poker that is). Nothing big, I mean I am not paying my mortgage with my winnings. I think the main thing that attracts me to the sport is that, like many other sports, you need to use your mind. It keeps you sharp, thinking about your moves as well as the other guys moves. Anyway, the final two broadcast of the 2004 WSOP are on ESPN Oct. 7th and Oct. 14. They are fun to watch and can become an ADDICTING FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT.

IS THIS GOOD FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL

2004-08-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

In a news wire Thursday it was noted that the NCAA will not allow Mike Williams, wide receiver for USC, to rejoin college football. Three months after the courts kept him out of the NFL draft, Williams' requested to rejoin the top-ranked Trojans, but was denied. Is this good for college football? Is it even good for professional sports in general? Being a college athlete today, can you have it both ways when one thing doesn't work out for you? What are we trying to teach these young athletes? That it is OK to change your mind when something doesn't work out in your favor. If this is what we are communicating to them, then be prepared to have an over abundance of Ricky Williams in professional sports.

DON'T START A NEW TREND IN THE NFL

2004-08-26T07:30:00.000-04:00

It appears that The Miami Dolphins received a phone call from Ricky Williams. According to SI.com, "the 27-year-old Williams has filed his retirement papers with the league but reportedly is considering a comeback if the team meets certain conditions -- including the renegotiation of his current contract.

WHAT??

I say to Williams, do not show up to camp and give back the $8.6 million in paid salary. In 2002 Williams agreed to a restructured contract. Within that contract Williams agreed to repay $5.3 million in salary to the Dolphins and $3.3 million in a signing bonus he received from the Saints in 1999. I say cut him loose, get back your money and DON'T START A NEW TREND IN THE NFL.

LESSONS LEARNED THE HARD WAY

2004-08-25T06:28:00.000-04:00

Last night I watched the LLWS on ESPN. First of all, my hats off to these young ball players. One of the great things about watching little league, high school, or college athletes is that there are going to be mistakes made during the games. Last night was no exception. The game was between a team from Owensboro, KY and a team from Redmond, WA. Also in the mix was a team from Preston, MD. Let me explain. The game between KY and WA was awesome. Owensboro, KY needed to beat Redmond, WA to advance. The key to the win was that they needed to hold WA to one run or less. You see that is where the MD team comes into the mix. If WA scored more than one run then the tie breaker goes to MD based on runs scored. The young man on the mound for KY pitched a fantastic game. Something like 14 or 15 K's, 5 BB and 5 hits. He won the game, but his team could not advance. It was the bottom of the ninth inning. KY leading WA 3-1. Two out. Nobody on base. The count was 1-2. The pitcher hangs a high curve and BANG! deep center field, HR!!!! Hanging his head, the pitcher wipes the tears from his eyes and continues. Strikes out the last batter and wins the game but knows his team can not advance because of the two runs scored. His father, one of the coaches, supports his son and reminds him that he pitched a great game and that he loves him and was very proud of him. This is what the game is all about. Last night was a great night for Little League baseball, but for this young pitcher from KY, it was a LESSON LEARNED THE HARD WAY.

TAXES - Did You Know?

2004-08-24T10:03:00.000-04:00

DID YOU KNOW that if you own a business (i.e. - consulting, accounting practice, speech writing)the IRS Section 179 will allow you to fully expense tangible property in the year purchased. Up to $100,000 for qualified property placed into service in 2003, 2004 and 2005. This amount is up from $25,000 in 2002. New to this year is the ability to take the Section 179 deduction for off-the-shelf computer software. .

A few notes and limitations to think about are:
1. you cannot use the Section 179 deduction to the extent that it would cause you to report a loss from your business.
2. there is a limit on the annual total of deductible property. If the cost of qualifying Section 179 property you put into service in a single tax year (2003 through 2005) now exceeds $400,000 then you can't take the full deduction.

Basically what this tax law does is makes it easier for small business to go out and buy new equipment for their business. If you have any questions or would like to look up more information you can ask me or look it up on the IRS web Page.

DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE HYPE

2004-08-24T07:09:00.000-04:00

The following is a list of Heisman canidates to watch in the upcoming year. This list is not in order of ranking, it is alphabetical. Cedric Benson, Senior RB School: Texas Reggie Bush, Sophomore RB School: Southern California Anthony Davis, Senior RB School: Wisconsin David Greene, Senior QB School: Georgia Chris Leak, Sophomore QB School: Florida Matt Leinart, Junior QB School: Southern California Brad Smith, Junior QB School: Missouri Darren Sproles, Senior RB School: Kansas State Jason White, Senior QB School: Oklahoma Carnell Williams, Senior RB School: Auburn Clearly the favorite is Jason White. If he can stay healthy, he should be able to put up big numbers. But, just because he puts up huge numbers, does that make him the best player in college football? I say lets wait out the year, see what everyone can do and DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE HYPE

WHERE IS THE LOYALTY

2004-08-23T14:13:00.000-04:00

In my previous post I talked about the 8-year contract between the Terps and their coach Ralph Friedgen. Although 11 years (3 years already and the 8 years to come) is not a long time to coach in one place, my question to you all is: Why is it that coaches will coach forever with one team but players will change teams more than they change underwear? I realize that only professionals players change teams not college players, so don't ask. But, don't you think a college coach could change schools if they wanted too. So my comparison is actually between all coaches and professional athletes. I just feel that "most" coaches (I said most not all Tim) remain loyal to their teams and "most" (once again Tim not all) players will go where the money is at. Maybe it is because you can coach a lot longer than you can play? Maybe it's because some people can coach and others can't and vice versa? I don't know the answer but I wish someone could and my question of: WHERE IS THE LOYALTY?

GOOD LUCK COACH and GO TERPS

2004-08-23T13:35:00.000-04:00

Wtih an impressive record of 31-8 in the first three years as head coach of the Maryland Terrapins, coach Ralph Friedgen received an eight-year contract extension on Friday Aug. 20th. According to AP his base salary will be $210,790 a year and his total annual package will be about $1.5 million. The contract also requires that $1 million be paid to the university if Friedgen leaves for a coaching position at any other college or professional team. The Fridge quickly put that thought to rest when the 57-year-old said, "Maryland is where I want to be. With the improvement of our facilities and the progress this program has seen in the last three years, I am enthusiastic about seeing how high we can take it." Coming from a solid backround like Georgia Tech, the Fridge has taken the TEPRS to being one of five division I-A schools to have won at least 10 games in each of the last three seasons. Being a Terps fan, I was glad to see an 8-year deal instead of a 1 or 2 year deal. Which just gave me an idea for my next post. Anyway, GOOD LUCK COACH and GO TERPS.

BUYER BEWARE

2004-08-23T07:26:00.000-04:00

INFORMATION: Last week the SEC issued a warning about an old stock scheme. The scheme goes like this: People are getting a message on their cell phone voice mail and home answering machines from a woman who "apparently misdialed". Unaware of her mistake she leaves a stock tip for her "friend". This woman sounds so convinceing that because she is even making chewing noises and then she apologizes for eating. The woman tells her "friend" to buy this stock sold on lightly regulated and thinly traded exchanges. The SEC states they are investigating where the source of the phone calls. Once again, like my post about the charities, my only suggestion on this matter to you, is that you research everything before you part with you money. And remember the old saying "BUYER BEWARE" If you want to read more about the SEC's warning go to The US Securities and Exchange Commission.

For Pete's Sake

2004-08-20T13:09:00.000-04:00

It seems that Pete Rose is in trouble again. This time is is with someone much worse that MLB, THE IRS. Instead of him getting a hit, it looks like he may BE hit with a lien by the IRS. The address listed on the lien is that of Dreams, Inc., a sports memorabilia company based in Florida. The lien is for the amount of $973,693.28, for back taxes. Back in 1990 Rose served a 5 month sentence for tax evasion. For Pete's Sake, I thing he might have a little bit of a problem

TAX TIP THURSDAY

2004-08-19T07:02:00.000-04:00

Along with any additional post, I am going to try to start to get in the habit of posting one or two "tax tips" on Thursdays. Please remember that these are just "tips" and you should consult your tax adviser while preparing your taxes.
Deduct Refinanced Points
If you are selling a home that was refinanced prior to the sale and points were paid be sure to check to see if the remaining unamortized points may be deducted on 'Schedule A' as an itemized deduction in the year of sale.
I will try not to get to obscure in my "tax tips" references. Some of the tips you may be able to use, and some you may not. I will try to pull only the relavent ones that may be of use to the common person. (i.e. - me)

THAT SHOULD GET ME THROUGH THE SEASON

2004-08-18T14:28:00.000-04:00

In a trial that is pegged to open November 1st, it seams that Baltimore Ravens running back, Jamal Lewis, was hit with an extra charge of "attempting to posses cocaine". According to and article by AP that was posted on ESPN.COM, Lewis and childhood thug (I meant Buddy) called an undercover officer and asked her to sell them a kilogram of cocaine.
That is right, a KILOGRAM!! Excuse me while I add some of my accounting knowledge to this.

Lets see:
1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds = 35.2 oz
16 NFL games
35.2oz divided by 16 games = 2.2oz per game

Yup, that should get me through the season.

Are you kidding me? Now I do realize that there were two people, but I think someone has a little bit of a problem here. Of course he was a leading rusher in the NFL and this article now explains why. Why is it so hard now a days for our athletes, the ones our children are going to look up to, to have some class? Give us back the Barry Sanders, Jerry Rices, Cal Ripkins and Nolan Ryans. Let me acknowledge that we do have some respectable athletes today, but they are extremely rare.

"THERE'S NO CRYING IN FOOTBALL"

2004-08-17T09:43:00.000-04:00

The NFL Players Association filed a grievance Monday against the Dallas Cowboys on behalf of Quincy Carter, claiming the quarterback was released by the team for reasons not permitted in the NFL collective bargaining agreement. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, however, remained confident about why Carter was cut two weeks ago. "Basically the decisions were made because of what we wanted to do at that position this year and in the future," Jones said after the Cowboys practiced Monday. "They were well, in my view, within the area that I'm comfortable with regarding being able to defend it." According to stats on espn.com, Carter had 19 TD with 21 INT's. To me this are not outstanding numbers. Along with those numbers he also went 292 of 505 (57.8%) passing in 2003. If Carter had keep these numbers up through the 2004 season the Cowboys most likely would have finished in the same spot as 2003. Beyond popular belief, this is not where you want to be in the NFL. The reason you compete in the NFL is to get to the Superbowl. Thats it! Nothing else! Now flip to the current year for the Cowboys. The question lingers, why cut Carter and replace him with a 40-year-old Vinnie Testaverde and rookie Drew Henson? (the player Jones traded for in the off season) I will tell you why. The Cowboys where going nowhere with Carter. This is why in the off season Jones acquired Henson, from the Yank Me's I think. (Can you tell I'm an O's fan) Damn the Yank Me's think they can take over the NFL, too. Anyway, Henson looks to be the future for the Cowboys. That is why they brought in Testaverde. He will become a great mentor for Henson. If your a Cowboys fan, would you have rather had Carter mentor Henson? I think not. Note to the NFLPA: The Cowboys were going in a different direction and wanted to change things up with a different QB. STOP YOUR CRYING!!! He didn't have outstanding numbers to warrant a grievance. Anyway, "THERE'S NO CRYING IN FOOTBALL"

"SALES TAX HOLIDAY"

2004-08-17T08:28:00.000-04:00

With the school shopping and the holiday season right around the corner, increasingly, more states are considering "sales tax holidays". Most states exempt food, utilities, medicines and other "necessities" from tax. One item that is not considered a necessity is clothing. This is taxed at your states sales tax rate. The first state to exempt clothing from tax was New York in 1997. (Note: this was only for about one week of shopping) This "sales tax holiday" usually coincides with back-to-school shopping. This is a great time for mom's and dad's to save. And for some political gain. Let me explain. For example, NY Gov. George Pataki (R) never fails to state that the "sales tax holidays" have saved "working parents" more than $350 million since 1997. Since New York's lead, Florida and Texas have followed. And I suspect other states will soon follow. In my opinion, I think that this form of tax relief helps out the rich and not the poor for the following two reasons: 1. Rich people have the excess money to go out during these days and buy the extra clothing to add to their already stuffed walk-in closets. 2. Poor people do not have the excess money to spend on extra clothing, so they buy what they need when they need it. Wrapping things up here, I feel that the "sales tax holidays" are more of a vehicle for political gain than a way of brining relief to the less fortunate. Why else would they have these "sales tax holidays" so close to election time? Why not have them a week or two during the busiest shopping time of the year, Christmas, and exempt clothing, toys, electronics ect.?

Research tax-exempt organizations YOURSELF

2004-08-11T10:36:00.000-04:00

The following is a comment issued by Sen. Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, regarding the announcement made today, by the IRS, regarding a new effort to identify and halt abuses by tax-exempt organizations that pay excessive compensation and benefits to their officers and other insiders. "For too long the IRS has been the dog that doesn't bark when it comes to tax-exempt organizations. So it's good to see the IRS pay more attention to this neglected area. That said, given the weak regulations and guidance that exist today, what's actually legal when it comes to executive compensation and insider deals is likely to be surprising. The closer we look at charities in our Finance Committee investigation, the stronger the case gets for meaningful legislative reforms that shut down exorbitant pay for charity executives and sweetheart deals for insiders." I do not know about you, but I feel it is it not the job of the person who is giving to a specific charity to research that charity to see if it is on the "up and up". I realize that there needs to be an organization out there to patrol for the common good of the people. But they do not need to lay out every single detail of who I choose to give money. Where does it end? If I researched an exempt organization and found out that the executives were being paid 95% of the total amount brought in by the charity and only 5% was actually going to the people that need the money, simple enough, I would choose not to give the money.

First Posting

2004-08-11T09:19:00.000-04:00

Welcome everybody, I mean anybody. Today is the day that I stop reading other blogs and start writing my own. Well I am not actually going to STOP reading but I am going to start writing today. I figure that I need the practice. the reason that I need to practice is becasue when my brother and I were born, he received all the writing skills and I got left with the math and science genes that were left over. Which is not a bad thing. Anyway, I decided that I would start writing today. This is going to be a bit rough at first, but I hope it will get better as time goes by. On this blog I will try to stick to the two things in which I have some sort of backround. Accounting and Sports. I will try to post one of each when and "if" I post. Hopefully the sports will be entertaining and the accounting will be, let's just say, informative and not boring.