Roddick is a U.S. Open Contender Again

He's quicker, lighter, smarter, and all that makes him a contender again this year at Flushing Meadows.  His Wimbledon final vs. Federer screamed to the world this wasn't the Roddick of 2007 and 2008.  Credit new coach Larry Stefanki; credit being newly married.  I don't care what it is, but now reaching the semis of Montreal the other players are on notice.  I like his record in tie breaks and I like his chances in a close 5 setter.  His serve is huge, his forehand is more consistant, as is the return of serve.

Michael Vick Lands in Philly

And they can have him, and all the problems that come with it.  I can't wait until December when the Eagles come to the Georgia Dome to play the Falcons.  The game on the field will be secondary to what will be happening in the concourses of the dome and in the stands.

Motorsports Sponsors Hurting like the Rest of Us

One thing us sports fans have learned is that Sports and specifically Motorsports are feeling the effects of the bad economy like the rest of us.

Take for example NASCAR and the NHRA.  In NASCAR several of the top teams with top level sponsors have pulled or are in the process of pulling the plug on their sponsorship deals.  Among those affected, Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray

The NHRA has had to get creative with keeping current sponsorships intact and trying to find new ones.  Several top drag racers have been on the sidelines in 2009 looking for backing.  Those watching 2009 go by include Hillary Will, Melanie Troxel, and Tommy Johnson Jr.  While the NHRA is about as fan friendly as you can get, teams have been even more accommodating of their fan bases then before.

Racers and teams aren't the only ones affected.  Race tracks and races have been caught with their pants down the past couple weeks.  Lowe's has pulled out of their multi year deal naming rights agreement with Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte.  and The Brickyard 400 now has lost Allstate as their title sponsor.

I, unfortunately don't have the solutions to fix this crisis.  I guess they will have to join the rest of us and put a band aid on and try to get through this with the rest of us.  As sponsors continue to change, and we go around and around drivers have to look at this as a new opportunity and a chance to better themselves and their sports in the long run.

Unfortunately "There Goes the Neighborhood"

The only question I had after watching this hour long show last night was "Why!"  Why did they make this show, why did I watch it, and why is anybody going to watch the remaining episodes.

"There Goes the Neighborhood" takes place a few miles from where I live in Metro Atlanta.  It takes place in Kennesaw, in a nice development called Legacy Park.  I drove by and saw the wall after it started getting talked about in the Atlanta newspaper.  It pits family vs. family and the last family standing stands to win a cool $250,000.  The families were blocked off from the world and all extras taken away from them.  it's a good premise, but CBS fails to pull this reality show off.

The ratings were average, it came in third on Sunday Night TV behind a rerun of "Family Guy", and a preseason football game.  That doesn't look good for this show in the coming weeks when real football starts, and people wrap up their Summer vacations heading into Labor Day.  I haven't read one even semi favorable review of this show, and I have to wonder if all of the remaining episodes will be shown on network television.  I won't be wasting anymore of my time tuning in.

John Hughes Will be Missed

Part of my childhood and teen years, and adult years were spent watching John Hughes movies.  Many of today's youth may not know John Hughes, but they know his movies although he hasn't directed anything of note since Uncle Buck in 1989.

From Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club to Planes, Trains & Automobiles and the remake of 101 Dalmations, what John Hughes game to my generation was every bit as important as as what Michael Jackson did.

Even though I have seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off maybe 75 times, anytime I stumble across it on cable I can't turn it off.  I even named one of my fantasy football teams "The Sausage King" as a tribute to Abe Frohman, the fictional sausage king of Chicago Ferris claimed to be at Chez Quis French Restaurant.

John Hughes wrote the National Lampoon Vacation movies, and other scripts like Mr. Mom and Weird Science.  Many times I felt like he wrote these movies for me, they were funny, they were serious.  Hughes' commentary on the Ferris Bueller DVD gives great insight to what a genius he was.

Hughes was a very private man who bolted Hollywood and moved to the State where I grew up, Wisconsin in 1994.  I wonder if he ever missed Hollywood as much as it missed him.  Save Ferris!