Sunday

Hangin' out at SB's. Just like the college kids.

The ice has shrunk from the streets and any high traffic area. Now they are saying that cooler weather is on the way, so we may see the stuff on the edges stay around for the week. Welcome to Winter.

Looks like the annual trip to Cabo will be a no-go this year. My pal Roy needs to stay in a US area code. Maybe a long weekend to Scottsdale, if the spirit moves us.

3 sent me a text, and later a call, last night from the Bulls' game at the United Center in C-town. She and some friends had come into some comp tickets from another friend who works for the team. Turns out the seats were in a box actually above the SRO area. At least you have TV monitors in those areas. I know that when I go to Arrowhead in KC with my pal Jake's Pants that I usually sit inside the box and watch the game on the tube. Sounds like 3 had to buy her own $5 beers as well.

The local fishwrap this morning had a story in the business section about a QC company that gives employees a 30 day sabbatical (paid, I think) after 10 years of service. It's a fairly progressive concept, and I'm sure allows some longer-term employees to do some things that they otherwise just wouldn't be able to do. And I'm sure that there are some "recharging of the batteries" benefits to the individuals that may indirectly benefit the company. (As I recall, some colleges and universities have similar programs that extend to at least a semester in length.)

While such a program may make the HR hit parade, there has been no complementary impact on the Investor Relations side of things. The stock has been in the tank for years.

The Frederic Remington program that 2 and I attended on Thursday night at the museum was a bit of a let down. The speaker was a doctoral candidate at Iowa, and her presentation was mostly just read from her notes. I could have learned as much from a little time on Wikipedia. The speaker was actually more of a fan of the other Old West artist featured in the exhibit, Charles Russell. And the paintings/canvasses/sculptures in the exhibit hall were just so-so to me. Live and learn.

The DaVinci exhibit, on the other hand, is worth a visit.

Rick Reilly has announced his departure from SI and will be moving to ESPN in June 2008. He is a very popular sportswriter, but I have never been a huge fan, mostly because, I suppose, that I don't like sportswriters. He does have a good sense of humor, and he's done some good charitable things. He's adept at pulling the "heart strings" of readers on little human interest stories that come to his attention.

Reilly is in a fairly select group of sportswriters that would include Dan Patrick and John Feinstein, among others, whose works tend to become the story rather than the story itself. I attribute this phenomenon to the post-Watergate condition in the mainstream media where the writers have pietiously (sketchy word usage) become the Protectors of Truth, Justice and The American Way. In a bit of stilted logic, it could be argued that we have Richard Nixon to blame for all of this. And to think that upon his departure,Tricky Dick had the audacity to say that we, "wouldn't have him to kick around any more".

If it were not for RMN's arrogance, Robert Woodward and Carl Bernstein may have had nothing more to report on other than routine Pentagon malfeasance. This after a decade of Viet Nam. The public was ready for real dirt, and Bob and Carl delivered. And those glory days of investigative journalism spawned a generation of wannabees. With steroids, HGH, and other doping story lines, not to mention rap sheets (music or criminal, you pick), unwed mothers, Bobby Knight, and the likes of Pacman Jones, Latrell Sprewell, Reilly and his friends will be able to opine from On High for years to come.

I guess I have become as judgemental on sportswriters as they have on sports. I can live with that.

Speaking of sportswriters, the local guy writes (I use that term very loosely) a catchall Sunday column that is nothing more than a collection of primarily negative items about mostly college or pro coaches/players in various sports. Zero creativity. If it was a football game, he would be flagged for piling-on after every paragraph. Do these guys think such efforts qualify as journalism?

Sorry about that tirade. It was too easy.

I'm off to find Nirvana. Have a great day.

BCOT