Green Bay Legend Brett Favre Traded to the Jets

It’s hard to believe that I am even saying these words: Brett Favre, quarterback of the New York Jets. It still has not sunk in. The trade, which took place last night, had been anticipated, but until it was made official, no one really believed that Brett Favre could play for anyone but the Green Bay Packers, could he? Rachel Nichols of ESPN made it official last night.

The New York Times has a great article about the state of mind of Packers fans, 24 hours after what will probably go down as the biggest trade in Packers history.

From the Times:

Only a small number of Packers fans turned out at Lambeau on Thursday, when the players lifted weights and watched film but did not practice. There were no sign-waving protestors waiting for Packers General Manager Ted Thompson when he left the complex via the loading dock at about 2:30 p.m., driving a blue Cadillac Escalade and wearing a baseball cap.

Reminders of Favre are everywhere. A fan whose backyard borders Lombardi Avenue across from the stadium has this painted in green and gold on his fence: “Hawk Eyes His Prey, Victory Not Favre Away.”

And now, life without Favre begins in Green Bay. The question remains, was this in Favre’s best interest? The jury is still out.

In my opinion, Favre should have stayed in Mississippi and retired as a Packer. Coming back, while it may be what he wants, may not be the best for his legacy. He will arguably go down as the greatest player in Packer history, but he did not RETIRE as a Packer. He could come back this season, throw for a couple dozen touchdowns, a couple thousand yards, and take the Jets to the playoffs. Or he could not. Remember, he is going to a team which has had trouble winning, much less making the playoffs over the past decade.

He is also playing in New York now. And the media, and the town, will only expect him to win. A lot of pressure for a quarterback who has seen his best days in the past.

I wish Brett the best of luck. He’s going to need it in New York!

Trailer Choir: They're Off The Hillbilly Hook!

If you have not heard of them yet, you soon will. The band is called Trailer Choir and they are currently opening for Toby Keith on his current tour with Montgomery Gentry. Their first hit is called "Off The Hillbilly Hook" and it can be found on the new sound track for the movie Beer for my Horses.

CMT has a great posting today which includes the Unplugged at Studio 330 performance of "Rockin' The Beer Gut".

If you get the chance, check out this band and the album. I have this feeling we're going to be seeing a lot more of Trailer Choir in the future!

Nashville Star Crowns a Champion

After weeks of competition, Melissa Lawson, a 32-year-old working mother of five from Arlington, Texas, was named the winner of Nashville Star during last nights season finale on NBC.

From the Associated Press:

Melissa Lawson beat fellow finalist Gabe Garcia on Monday night for the title on the country music reality series. Shawn Mayer came in third.

Lawson wins a record contract after performing in Nashville for 11 weeks.

The series has launched the careers of Miranda Lambert, Buddy Jewell and Chris Young. It switched to NBC this year after five seasons on cable's USA Network.

In winning the competition, Lawson received the grand prize package of a Warner Brothers record deal, a special performance at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games on August 12 and a brand new Toyota Tundra.

As clouds of confetti blew through the theater, Lawson debuted her new single, “What If It All Goes Right”, which is produced by Nashville Star judge John Rich. The song is scheduled to hit country radio this morning and will most certainly get routine airplay.

Many felt that Gabe Garcia was the front runner going into the show. I can say that I too believed that Garcia would win the competition and believe that in the long run, will have the better country music career. Although Lawson is a talented singer and a heartwarming story, the curse of Nashville Star will more than likely be her downfall.

Look back at past winners and tell me where their careers have gone. You notice on many of the reality talent shows that in most cases, the runners up and others tend to be the bigger stars. Only time will tell how Lawson's career will play out but I only wish for the best for her and her family. I also hope to hear from Gabe Garcia and Shawn Mayer shortly. They obviously have the talent to make it, the question is, will they succeed?

Actor Morgan Freeman in Serious Condition Following Car Accident

Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman has been injured in car accident in Mississippi and is in serious condition in a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Associated Press is reporting that Freeman was in a wreck shortly before midnight Sunday and paramedics had to use the jaws of life to extract him from the vehicle.

Freeman is my all-time favorite actor from such films as Driving Miss Daisy, Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, Gone Baby Gone, The Bucket List and most recently, The Dark Knight. Known for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice, Freeman has become one of Hollywood's most popular and respected actors. My prayers are out to Freeman, his family and his fans.

Cheech And Chong to Reunite For 2008 Comedy Tour

That's right! Cheech and Chong are going on tour again for the first time since 1981.

According to the Reuters article:

"Cheech & Chong: Light Up America ..." will hit 22 cities in the United States starting with Philadelphia on September 12 and ending in Denver, Colorado, on December 20. In between they will play Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, D.C. and other places. Cheech joked that the pair had considered calling the show the "Womb to Tomb" tour, to highlight the broad age range of fans."

Go out and get your tickets! This is surely a show not to be missed!

Here's the list of shows:

    September 12         Tower Theatre               Philadelphia, PA

    September 13         Warner Theatre              Washington, DC

    September 19         Murat Center                Indianapolis, IN

    September 20         Fillmore State              Detroit, MI

    September 26         Tabernacle                  Atlanta, GA

    September 27         Fillmore Jackie Gleason     Miami, FL

    October 24           Westbury Theatre            Westbury, NY

    October 25           Orpheum Theatre             Minneapolis, MN

    October 31           Verizon Wireless            Houston, TX

    November 1           Majestic Theatre            Dallas, TX

    November 7           Chevrolet Theatre           Wallingford, CT

    November 8           Rosemont Theatre            Rosemont, IL

    November 14          Dodge Theatre               Phoenix, AZ

    November 15          Austin Music Hall           Austin, TX

    November 21          Memorial Auditorium         Sacramento, CA

    November 22          Berkeley Community Theatre  Berkley, CA

    November 28          Copley Symphony Hall        San Diego, CA

    November 29          Paramount Theatre           Seattle, WA

    November 30          San Jose PAC                San Jose, CA

    December 6           Gibson Amphitheater         Los Angeles, CA

    December 12          Orpheum Theatre             Boston, MA

    December 13          Borgata Music Box           Atlantic City, NJ

    December 19          Silver Legacy Casino        Reno, NV

    December 20          Paramount Theatre           Denver, CO

Concert Review: Carrie Underwood

Ok. It's my hope and goal that I will stop drooling by the end of this review of last nights Carrie Underwood concert.

First of all, I must thank my sister in law Katie and her boyfriend Shaun for allowing me to go to this show at Konocti Harbor. Unfortunately, they were not able to attend with the tickets that they won from Ken & Corey on 95.7 The Wolf so I made the 2 1/2 hour journey to Clearlake instead.

The night began with up and coming singer Fisher Stevenson of Big Machine Records (Taylor Swift). Although he played a short set, of which most songs were ballads, the man has potential. He has a great voice and an equally great back up band. Loved the songs "On Loan", "Lay Your Love Down" and "Learning To Live Without You". It was also nice that his wife and baby were able to attend the show. He said that he lives in Davis so right on!

Following the opening act, it was time for Ms. Carrie Underwood. Pardon me as I wipe the drool from my chin once again.

It's been a couple years since she came on the scene winning American Idol and she has taken the country music scene by storm! Last night proved that she has the talent and the voice to dominate the country charts for years to come. She has a stage presence which brings the crowd to life and did not let us down.

The set list included a mix of her classic hits as well as a few new tracks. The audience was definitely into the show and was singing along with every word (especially the four pre-teen girls in front of us who were dressed in Carrie Underwood clothes head to toe).

Songs during the set included: Wasted, Twisted, All-American Girl, So Small, Jesus Take the Wheel, Last Name and a great rendition of Don't Forget to Remember Me.

Carrie had some fun with the audience: "If you feel like singing - sing," she told the crowd of over 4,000. "If you feel like dancing - dance. And if you feel like kissing the person beside you just make sure it's OK with them first".

It seemed like everything was going right for the crowd, and for Carrie. And then she swallowed a bug. I'll admit, this is the first time I have seen this happen during a show. She seemed pretty grossed out by the whole thing, but she laughed and had a good time with it. A fan even pointed out to her that it was a firefly, not just a bug. Only in Lake County!

For the encore, Carrie and her band performed a great rendition of Guns N Roses' Paradise City. This may have been the highlight of the night as the music was loud and the crowd was even louder. The night concluded with crowd favorite "Before He Cheats". I would be willing to bet that everyone in attendance was singing every word to this song.

Overall, a great show! I had never seen Carrie in concert before but I would love to go again. The scenery was beautiful with the amphitheater located right on the shores of Clearlake. The only thing more beautiful than the sunset over the lake would probably be Carrie herself. Wow! The word beautiful is hardly an accurate description!

Concert Review: Toby Keith/Montgomery Gentry "Biggest and Baddest Tour"

Shoreline Amphitheater: July 25, 2008

Perfect night, perfect crowd, perfect show!

The night kicked off with Trailer Choir. If you have never heard of this band, you soon will. Not only will they be on the soundtrack of the new Toby Keith movie, Beer for my Horses, they play some great music. "Off the Hillbilly Hook" and "Rockin' The Beer Gut" completed a short, but fun set. You should be able to catch their music on CMT and GAC so keep a look out for them.

Carter's Chord was up next. This was unfortunately the time when nature called and I answered. From what I could hear, they were talented (sounded like a young She Daisy).

The act which I was most looking forward to was Montgomery Gentry. I had seen them on two previous occasions and have yet to be disappointed. While they played a great set at this show, i was saddened to have them walk off stage before playing my two favorite songs, Speed and Lonely and Gone. I always thought those were staples of their set and was really looking forward to hearing them on this night.

I won't complain though. With so many hits, it was hard to find anything really wrong with the set. Montgomery Gentry are showmen and they know how to work the crowd. Back When I Knew it All, Hillbilly Shoes, Hell Yeah, Something to be Proud Of and My Town were all included as well as a new song called Long Line of Losers. This is going to be a hit for sure.

Overall, a great show and a great introduction to the main event of the evening: Toby Keith!

The last time I saw Toby Keith live was at the Petaluma Fair nearly 10 years ago. I can say that while his songs have changed, his stage presence has not. He had the audience eating out of his hand all night long. With no new recent album, Toby filled a set with a long line of greatest hits that would have made any fan happy. I Wanna Talk About Me, Shoulda Been a Cowboy, Beer for my Horses, How Do You Like Me Now, I Love This Bar, A Little Less Talk (And A Lot More Action), Who's Your Daddy, Whiskey Girl, She's A Hottie, As Good As I Once Was...The list goes on and on. Hit after hit played for over 1 1/2 hours. Let's not forget a great cover of Ted Nugent's Stranglehold! Yeah!

A funny moment during the set occurred when Toby was joking around with a guy in the front row who paid "$15 for a beer". Toby said "man you got F&^%#d!" over and over again. Seriously, the price of food and drinks is getting out of hand. But then again, I wonder when the last time Toby Keith had to pay for a beer was!

The night ended with two patriotic classics: American Soldier and Courtesy of the Red White and Blue. Great finale. The audience was pumped during the final song which always gets an audience singing every word. Three soldiers were brought up on stage who the crowd saluted. Great moment, great concert!

When the tour comes to your town, make sure to get your tickets. This is not a show to miss!

Richard Simmons...Congressman? Talk About Sweating "with" the Oldies...

You think I'm joking...but I'm not....completely...

Simmons spoke to the House Education and Labor Committee today about expanding physical education in public schools to combat childhood obesity. Simmons described his approach to the hearing, stating, "I want to have the respect of a congressman, I want to talk like a congressman, and maybe, someday, I'll be a congressman."

Here's what the Washington Post had to say:

This could be the most high-energy week Congress has seen in a very, very long time. The man who is arguably America's most famous fitness icon of all time is coming to Capitol Hill to shake things up -- literally.

And while he still has his loud helium balloon-like voice and big hair, unfortunately, Simmons is hinting he won't be wearing his signature short shorts and tank top at the hearing.

Simmons won't say whether he's leaning toward Barack Obama or John McCain in the 2008 presidential race. His publicist, Tom Estey, says Simmons is "undecided."

Hey, maybe instead of an Obama/McCain town hall meeting, we can have a dance off with Richard Simmons. That would make for interesting television.

Woman Finds 8-Foot Snake in Her Washing Machine

Ok, I HATE snakes. Let me start with this. I've always had this fear that someday a snake will find its way up through our pipes or something and make its way into the house. (Maybe watching Snakes on a Plane didn't help with this fear).

Anyways, take a look at this article from the Associated Press which demonstrates that my fears aren't crazy. They could happen!

From the article:

A woman got the shock of her life when she found an 8-foot snake mixed in with clothes in her washing machine. The snake, identified as a reticulated python, somehow got into the water pipes of Mara Ranger's 1800s-era farmhouse and slithered into the machine.

Once out of the machine, the angry snake wrapped itself around Burton's hand, cutting off the blood flow. Burton then wrestled the scaly reptile into a plastic bag, tied it shut and brought it to Lewiston.

Ok, I guess Maine is out of my future vacation plans.

Should Mandatory Drug Tests be Required for Welfare Check Recipients?

Ok, we have all seen the email that has been going around for quite some time:

Subject: Urine test

Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay
my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as they see fit. In order
to get that paycheck. I am required to pass a random urine test, which I
have no problem with.

What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my tax money to people who
don't have to pass a urine test. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to
get a welfare check, because I have to pass one to earn it for them?

Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their
feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone to simply sit on
their ass. Could you imagine how much money the state would save if people
had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check?

Pass it on, if you agree."

I can agree that every job I have ever been at, I have had to take a drug test before starting the job to ensure that I am not a drug user. I have no problem taking this test since I know that there will be no issue of my passing the test or not.

I look at this email and I have to think to myself, how come a large portion of the money that I "give away" to taxes is given to those who are not required to pass a drug test? I guess this never crossed my mind until I had a discussion with some close friends about this issue just this past week.

The Associated Press wrote about this topic in January when legislation was discussed in Kentucky.

So the question remains, why shouldn't someone be asked to pass a simple drug test in order to get a welfare check? I don't have any issues at all with the government or others helping people get help or especially finding a job. In fact, I wish that I could spend more of my time helping people find work. I think this would be a contribution to society that I could feel good about, while helping others at the same time.

What I do have a problem with is the possibility that my taxes might be helping someone out who spends all day sitting on their couch, abusing drugs, and not looking for work while I spend 8-11 hours a day at work so that I can support my wife and two kids. Yes, life isn't fair but we all have to work together to make the best of it.

I do want to make it VERY clear that I do not believe that all people who are given welfare checks are drug users. This is not true at all! I know that when I was younger, our family struggled through difficult circumstances and we were given hand outs from others who knew that we were in need.

Unfortunately, there is a percentage of recipients who abuse the system and are making it more difficult for those who truly are in need of the check because they are not able to find, or are qualified, for a job. The question does remain though, imagine how much money the government could save by instituting these drug tests?

Thoughts?