The Detroit Lions continue to blow...Up the roster

The first of many moves in the Detroit Lions offseason was announced today. Guard Ross Verba was released.

This is not unexpected, or earth shattering, news. Verba, as his MO had been for his entire NFL career, couldn't stay healthy. Verba ends up as just another in along ass line of free agent busts signed by Matt Millen. It also gives the Lions another roster hole that needs to be filled, along with the one in Millen's head.

In other Lions news, rumors are beginning to fly about the future destination of Dre' Bly. The current rumor has Bly heading to the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have players of their own that are supposedly on the trading block...

QB Jake Plummer - God no! Plummer is a turnover waiting to happen, and the Lions already have their own turnover machine under long term contract in Jon Kitna. Never going to happen.

OT George Foster - A former 1st round pick that the Broncos have completely soured upon. Just what the Lions need, someone else's 1st round bust. The Lions have enough of their own.

RB Tatum Bell - A 1000 yard rusher in '06, has averaged 4.9 YPC as a Bronco. Bell might be the best bet for the Lions to pick up. But we all know the question that comes with any Broncos back. Is he a product of the system? I don't need my magic 8 ball to see that "All signs point to yes!" I don't think I want to trade my best defensive back for a player who's stats are a mirage, and would be a back up to Kevin Jones.

There is also talk that the Broncos have an extra 3rd round draft pick that they would send to the Lions in return for Bly. I'd be tempted to ask for that, if only I wasn't so convinced that the incompetent boob would blow the pick.

Obviously, there is interest in Bly. Considering that Matt Millen is the one puling the trigger, other GM's are probably lining up to see what never-was, used-to-be, or low round draft pick they can unload on the in over his head Millen. Considering the huge haul (Tongue planted firmly in cheek as I type) the Lions got for Joey Blue Skies, I can only imagine the rejects and low draft picks that Millen has to pick from.

The Wolverines beat Sparty, keeping their dreams of a 1st round NCAA knockout alive

In what was not all that entertaining of a game, the Wolverines kept their slimmer than slim NCAA hopes alive. At this point, they're still on the bubble of being on the tournament bubble.

Sparty looked more than a little uninspired, which is surprising for a rivalry game. Maybe we should have seen this coming, considering Drew Neitzel was at death's door with the flu, and MSU had all the symptoms of suffering from an emotional hangover. Winning 2 very mentally draining, high energy home games against Wisconsin and Indiana seemed to take quite a bit out of the Spartans.

Michigan still doesn't look like a NCAA team. Beating MSU was about as close to a "Signature win" as Michigan has this year. But is winning at home, against an overachieving Spartan team that is a middling NCAA seed, in league where home court is an overwhelming advantage, a season defining win? No.

The Wolverines need to beat tOSU this weekend, getting their must have "Signature win," to even be considered for the NCAA's. Win a couple of games in the Big 10 tournament on top of that, and they'll be seriously considered, maybe even a lock. Realistically, a Michigan loss to the bucknuts leaves them having to win the Big 10 tournament as their only option of not getting 3 home games in the Tommy Amaker Invitational NIT.

Even with the loss to the Wolverines, I'm currently thinking the Spartans are till safely in the big boy's tournament. Winning their opening game in the Big 10 tourney should lock the Spartans into the NCAA postseason.

But if they lose to Wisconsin on the road this weekend (A definite possibility), and then get knocked out of the Big 10 tournament in the opening round, the Spartans may fall back to being one of those dreaded bubble teams.

It's going to be fascinating to watch how things fall into place over the final couple of weeks of the Big 10 season.

Liveblogging the Red Wings trade deadline...

2:15 est - Let's see, the Sports Inferno is mulling over tonight's Wolverines - Spartans game. Before that though, the talk is that about all that's left out there is Todd (Neck breaker) Bertuzzi. ESPN News has had the Blues trading Bill Guerin to the Sharks "Breaking News" up for a good hour now.

2:20 est - Nothing on the Wings front. Let's surf the web... Motownsports.com has a poster saying that WDFN reported the Wings get the neck breaker from the Panthers, no other details. Switch to WDFN, and they are back to Jim Rome. Nothing about Bertuzzi on WXYT as of yet.

2:30 est - WXYT is now reporting the same, Bertuzzi is a Wing. I'm not sure hat to think of this, depends on what Ken Holland gave up. ESPN News is reporting on the baseball HOF veterans committee didn't elect anyone. What about the NHL!?! Oh yeah, it's ESPN...

2:35 est - WDFN saying draft picks and possibly a prospect is the cost for Bertuzzi. More details to come, obviously.

2:35 est - For all things NHL, let's go to Kukla's Korner. Bingo! A little more info, there are medical issues to yet be sorted out, a draft pick and a prospect is the cost.

2:38 est - Browser crashed! AAAARRGH!

2:45 est - TSN.ca says it's a conditional pick. Also a little more on the contract, he's in the last year of a 27.8 million dollar deal.

2:50 est - "Breaking news" replacing the Guerin trade on ESPN News! Jon Bon Jovi and John Elway are coming up at 3 pm!

2:54 est- One of the best Red Wings bloggers, iwoCPO over at A2Y, has a post up. His take?

I like it. I’ve liked it all along. I’m assuming a physical will determine when or if Bert actually dons the Winged Wheel.

Anyone want to guess how long it will take little Little Mitch to pen a sobbing column of outrage? I’m betting 24 hours.

3:00 est - It's over... The deadline has now passed. Still waiting to hear more trade details.

3:02 est- Mullet boy, Barry Melrose, is on ESPN News. His take is that it's a good move for the Red Wings, as the cost wasn't much. His exact words were, "A can't miss for Detroit." Well, if Melrose likes the deal...

3:06 est - Stoney & Wojo lead with Bertuzzi. "PANIC IN WESTERN CONFERENCE TOWN!" I hate radio Wojo...

3:07 est - Wojo finally calms down, likes the trade. Stoney says the pick could be a number 1 if the Wings make the WCF, and Bertuzzi plays.

3:11 est - Kevin Allen of the McPaper tells S&W he likes the deal, Bertuzzi thinks he's healthy, and the Wings will give him all the time he needs to be ready for the playoffs. Says the Wings wanted grit, and they got it with the 2 trades.

Wings fans love to hear that word, "GRIT."

3:18 est - Tune over to WXYT, and the Sports Inferno. Mike Valenti LOVES LOVE LOVES the deal, saying the Wings "Got a beast!" So far, from everything I've read and heard in the MSM, both the expert and not so expert, like the deal.

3:21 est - Wings play by play announcer and mouthpiece, Ken Kal, comes on the Sports Inferno. Likes the 2 deals, "Terrific" was the word used. But would he actually say anything other than that? I think not.

3:30 est - WDFN reporting that if the Red Wings do resign Bertuzzi, who's a free agent at the end of the season, an additional 2nd round pick goes to the Panthers. Nothing new on the trade at the 2 Detroit fishwraps, other than that Bertuzzi is a Wing. Almost forgot, the prospect is Shawn Mattias. But as A2Y would say, "Kahn!" Anser Kahn is all over the trade at Milive.

The full details of the trade....

It's official, the Red Wings have acquired Florida's Todd Bertuzzi for prospect Shawn Matthias and up to two conditional draft picks, the club announced.

Florida will get either a first-, a second- or a third-round pick in 2007 based on Bertuzzi's performance and the success of the team. Florida will also get a second-round pick in 2008 if Bertuzzi, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, re-signs with Detroit.

Kahn! also gives his opinion, which is favorable...

The Wings had to do something, especially after San Jose acquired Guerin from St. Louis earlier today. If Bertuzzi is fine and healthy, he'll go a long toward solving the Wings size and toughness concerns. With Bertuzzi and Kyle Calder, acquired on Monday, the Wings are much more gritty and tougher to play against, which has been their objective all season.

There's that word "GRIT" again...

3:45 est - Ken Holland is interviewed on WXYT. Uses "Grit," "Gritty," "Grittiness," or some variation thereof, countless times when talking about both trades. Even the Red Wings GM LOVES that word...GRIT!

4:00 est - God damn f'n browser locked up! Grrrr.

4:15 est - My thoughts... The Wings had to make a move. Absolutely had to. Considering the insanely high prices paid for the likes of Geurin and Forsberg, the Wings did pretty damn well. Bertuzzi is still young, has GRIT, and unquestionably very talented. A power forwards power forward. When healthy, that is. As someone with huge back problems, I have to wonder just how healthy can Bertuzzi be? You're never quite the same once you start having back issues, so it's a huge concern.

As for the elephant in the room...


As I'm sure most any Red Wing fan is this afternoon, I'm torn. I'm in a moral gray area. Bertuzzi's cheap shot on Steve Moore was one of the worst I've ever seen. It was damn near evil. It was a despicable move. Moore will never be the same.

But the NHL has seen fit to allow Bertuzzi to play again. He served his suspension. Bertuzzi is in the good graces, for better or worse, of the NHL, and has every right to play. If he can help the Wings, and their braintrust obviously think he can, I'm going to defer to their judgment.

If they think Bertuzzi will fit in the locker room, and win them some games, then I'm for the trade. I may not like Bertuzzi, but I do like the Wings. So I'll root for Bertuzzi. I'm not sure I'm going to like myself afterwards, though.

Then again, I once despised Chris Chelios too, and actually grew to appreciate him. Maybe the same will happen with Bertuzzi...

"A person is smart, people are stupid."

Agent K couldn't have been more correct. In regard to "Fans" of the Pistons, let me paraphrase Agent K, and put it this way.


"A fan is smart, fans are stupid."


Why am I saying such a thing? Because the Chicago Bulls' Ben Wallace was booed in his return to the Palace on Sunday. It proves that fans, as a whole, are dumbasses. They definitely have very short memories.

Why did Ben Wallace leave? Because the Bulls overpaid. Also because the Pistons recognized that the NBA is changing to an offensive game, and Ben Wallace's offensive game is very offensive...to the senses. Both teams had a need. The Bulls needed defense, the Pistons offense. Thus, goodbye Ben Wallace, and thanks for the memories.

They should be ashamed, especially the guy wearing the TEAL uni.

Was I happy about Wallace leaving? No. Has it worked out for the best, for both parties? Since the Pistons finally found a most capable replacement in Chris Webber, yes.

Fans need to remember all Ben Wallace did for the Pistons. 1 NBA championship, 2 Eastern Conference titles, 4 All-star games, 4 defensive player of the year awards, 2 rebounding titles, and that just naming a few accomplishments. The man was the face of the Pistons for his entire tenure. Ben Wallace WAS the Pistons.

To boo and jeer that kind of effort is to just show how silly fans as a whole can be. Without Wallace's efforts, the Pistons aren't the team they are today.

Please. As if you wouldn't have left for the additional Brinks truck of coin the Bulls offered.

"Fans" have a right to do whatever they want, within reason. They can boo and jeer Ben Wallace. They paid their money. But this "Fan" says doing so doesn't make them right, or smart, or especially clever. It just makes them small, petty, and clueless.

The Pistons rose out of the ashes of irrelevancy on the shoulders of Ben Wallace. Wallace deserved better from the "Fans" of Detroit.

Why are the Lions on the fast track to nowhere?

Because Matt Millen was busy being Matt Millen this past week.

Not to beat a dead horse, but after this past week, do you get the same feeling as me? That the Lions' season is over...before it even starts? Read the evidence that follows...

First, Millen said, if drafted, he'd play Joe Thomas at right tackle. What? Left tackle is where you put your STUD lineman, as that's your QB's blind side. The 2nd overall draft pick sure as Hell better be a STUD, so playing him on the opposite side would be a complete waste of his talent.

Considering that also means Jeff Backus, of whom you can best say doesn't get hurt, and rightly say is overpaid, and average at best, and the last thing you can call him is STUD, plays the left side.

I hope Rod Marinelli isn't on the same wavelength as Millen in regard to Thomas. Or anything else in regard to the Lions, for that matter. God forbid for all we Lion fans if so...

The only people on the same wavelength as Millen are John Kruk and Forrest Gump. That's a very scary wavelength, indeed.

Millen also said that he liked Gaines Adams. an undersized defensive end, who has trouble against the run, and would be a pass rush specialist. Millen was quoted as saying, "You can teach him the run stuff."

Can you say, "Kalimba Edwards?" We all know how productive Edwards has been, so why not put his doppelganger on the other end? It all somehow makes sense in Millen's feeble mind.

Millen is supposedly in trade talks involving 5 players. The 5 being Dre' Bly, James Hall, Marcus Bell, Ross Verba, and Marcus Pollard. Bly has some value, but has an expensive contract. Hall hasn't had a good season in 2 years, but you might get a 7th rounder for him. What could Millen get for Verba, Bell, and Pollard? Jack and squat.

I still have to ask, where is Millen going to find players to replace these guys?

There's only 7 rounds in the draft, for chrissaakes. Millen doesn't exactly have a sterling draft track record, definitely not one that would lead me to believe that a successful draft is in the cards.

As for free agency? The Lions are well under the salary cap, but so are most other teams, thanks to the cap going up. Where would you rather play? 3 win Detroit? Or anywhere else? Anywhere else wins every time.

At this rate of player attrition, I'll expect Millen to be suiting up at middle linebacker. Considering their dire straits at that position, Millen's more useful there than in the front office.

This coming season has disaster written all over it. Commence beating said dead horse, people.

Matt Millen's draft strategy is to not screw up. Here's how he most likely will...

In the weeks leading up to the 2007 NFL draft, otherwise known as the Detroit Lions' Super Bowl, rumors are running rampant. Rumors don't mean a thing to Lions fans, as we already know the incompetent boob running the Lions is going to blow another draft.

Despite knowing what the future holds, humor me. Let's talk about the 3 most often heard Lions draft strategies, and cut through all the BS.

The Lions want to trade down: Of course they want to trade down. A team with more holes than than the number of times Jon Kitna was turfed obviously needs bodies. Lots of 'em. Preferably with talent. At very least, breathing.

So who wouldn't want to trade down for a handful of extra picks? But saying you want to move, and actually doing so, are 2 wholly different things.

Haven't we heard this same draft song and dance every year of the Millen regime? And nothing ever comes of it. We fans hear the same platitudes, and know them by heart.

"We are keeping all options open." "We are talking with every team." "We'll listen to any offer."

And you know when the best offers will come in? While the Lions are on the clock, which will be either after the Raiders sign their new QB before the draft, or on draft day.

Till then, nothing is going to happen Nothing. Even then, I don't think dropping down will be an option. Read on as to why...

The Lions are open to drafting a skill position player: First off, anything the Lions say at this point is nothing more than a pre draft smokescreen. In other words, believe nothing, and if Millen's, Marinelli's, or Martz's lips are moving, they're lying. But the odds of the Lions drafting a QB, WR, or RB are longer than the list of Millen personnel miscues.

Thanks to Millen's boneheaded buffoonery in past drafts, the Lions are only going to take a offensive or defensive lineman (There will be one exception, more on that later). Millen will get pilloried for taking a skill position player, even if that player (JaMarcus Russell, Calvin Johnson, Brady Quinn) is the highest ranked left on the draft board. Considering the past track record, deservedly so.

Rod Marinelli has been saying that they need to build from the inside out. Marinelli's track record was built upon interior line play. That means going the safe route, and picking the likes of a Joe Thomas, Jamall Anderson, or Gaines Adams.

The one exception? As the Killer says in his excellent combine blogging, if Kevin Jones shows he's not going to be recovering from his foot injury as fast as currently expected, the Lions interest in RB Adrian Peterson will rise exponentially. A full season of Shawn Bryson, Brian Calhoun, and a washed up veteran free agent back to be named later as your backfield options is a legitimately scary thought. Kitna will have to throw for 5000+ yards, as there will be no running game without a healthy Jones or a drafted Peterson.

Other than that one exception, I think the entirety of the NFL, the MSM, bloggers, fans, and even our mothers, know that the Lions are taking an interior linemen.

Speaking of such, that's another reason the Lions won't be able to trade down. If you know the Lions aren't taking one of those highly ranked skill position players, NFL GM's are going to be lining up to talk with the number 3 picking Browns. That's a team who legitimately could pick a QB, RB, or WR, and not be laughed out of the league. Unlike our Lions...

As usual, the Lions past futility will come back to bite them on the ass.

The Lions need to do well on day 2 of the draft: Duh.

Here's the Lions 2nd day draft picks for this decade. If you have a weak constitution, or if there are children in the room, I'd advise you not to read the following...

2006: Rd 5 - Jonathan Scott OT, Rd 6 - Dee McCann CB, Rd 7 - Fred Matua OG and Anthony Cannon LB

2005 : Rd 5 - Dan Orlovsky QB, Rd 6 - Bill Swancutt DL and Johnathan Goddard LB

2004: Rd 5 - Alex Lewis LB, Rd 6 - Kelly Butler OT

2003: Rd 4 - Artose Pinner RB, Rd 5 - Terrence Holt S and James (Dirty) Davis LB, Rd 6 - David Kircus WR, Rd 7 - Ben Johnson OT and (You're my boy) Blue Adams CB

2002: Rd 4 - Jonathan Taylor DE, Rd 5 - John Taylor TE, Rd 6 - Chris Cash CB, Rd 7 - Luke Staley RB, Matt Murphy TE, and Victor Rogers OT

2001: Rd 5 - Scotty (Where are your testicles?) Anderson WR and Mike McMahon QB, Rd 6 - Jason Glenn LB

2000: Rd 5 - Todd Franz CB, Rd 6 - Quinton Reese DE, Rd 7 - Alfonso Boone DT

Today, it was reported that Sgt. Marinelli said the Lions need to "Hit some major league home runs" with their day 2 picks. To continue to mix metaphors, the Lions haven't even gotten more than a 2nd day bunt single in this decade. Definitely no one who could be considered a star, or even a solid starter, just a handful of barely serviceable backups, special teamers, and practice squad roster filler.

In fact, the last 2nd day "Home run" was Cory Schlesinger, who was a 6th rounder in 1995.

The odds of the Lions going yard, hitting a tater, taking it deep, or swatting a big fly on day 2 of the draft are longer than the amount of home run metaphors I can find. Truthfully, I'm expecting a day 2 Lions "Golden sombrero."

RIP Dennis Johnson

Any Detroit sports fan over 30, one that is truly worth their salt, will admit that they despised the Boston Celtics of the 80's. I'm not talking about a mere dislike, or finding them annoying, you out and out HATED the Celtics. Passionately. I'm sure if you ask any Celtics fan, and they would say the same about the Isiah Thomas led Pistons. (Just read any Bill Simmons column...)

I can still tell you the starting lineup. Larry Bird, Robert Parrish, Danny Ainge, Kevin McHale, and Dennis Johnson. I doubt there was a team I hated with such fury as that group of players.

The Celtics didn't merely play games against the bad Boy Pistons, they were outright battles filled with hand to hand combat.

Life's funny though. As you mature, you begin to appreciate what once was, and will never be again. Which is why it really saddened me to hear of the passing Thursday of Dennis Johnson, at a much too young 52.

Everyone remembers Bird stealing Thomas' inbounds pass against the Pistons at the end of game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. But no one would remember Bird's steal if Johnson hadn't had the foresight to cut towards the basket, allowing Bird to make the pass for DJ's game winning lay up. It's a play only a heady ballplayer makes. Otherwise it's Bird heaving up a desperation shot, and odds are the Pistons make the finals. Thanks to Johnson, that didn't happen. It's one of the few plays that I still can't bear to watch again, even to this day.

DJ was a vastly underrated player, one you could argue was hall of fame worthy, and should be considered the glue to those great title winning Celtics teams. I'm just glad I was able to watch Johnson, and the rest of the Celtics of the 80's, at the peak of their considerable skills.

RIP Dennis Johnson, and thanks for the (Painful) memories.

Postscript: (The Worldwide Leader dot com's Simmons has a nice take on DJ from the perspective of a Celtics fan)

Why the mainstream media is OK: Reason 1

I know I'm one who normally bitches to high heaven about the clueless MSM, the previous post being my latest cry for help.

But I want to give credit where credit is due. Mlive's Lions beat guy, Killer Kowalski, is doing a bang up job in his Lions Weblog, with constant updates from the NFL combine.

Killer has posted about everything from Josh McCown trade rumors (He calls them total BS), to Charles Rogers running a 4.8 40 in a workout for the Chiefs (Killer believes Rogers is done with football), to a short interview with Mike Martz (Claims Martz said a ton of things off the record, criticizing several players).

I don't always agree with Kowalski, as his Lions' opinion columns sometimes spin out of control (Such as his saying a couple of seasons back that the Lions would cut Joey Harrington, which was pure speculation on his part), but I'm really enjoying his stuff from the combine.

Speaking of the combine...

The News' Mike O'Hara, not to be upstaged by the Killer, has his own combine scoop.

Joe Thomas, currently the consensus pick for the Lions in the current mock drafts, says "I'd love to play for Detroit." He also added "I think they're an organization that just needs a couple pieces, I think they're going to take off."

My thoughts?

As it's more than obvious the Raiders will take a QB with the first pick, Thomas will say and do ANYTHING to be the number 2 pick overall in the draft, even if it means coming off as delusional, if not insane.

On the other hand, Thomas may truly be certifiable, and believes everything he's saying. God help him...

Why I hate the mainstream media: Reason 185

What's the BIG news coming out of MLB spring training today?

A. A big name player retired?
B. Someone suffer a serious injury?
C. A trade?
D. Roster cuts?
E. An east coast big market pitcher with an overinflated sense of self announces his plans to file for free agency...At the END of this coming season.

If you answered E, welcome to today's column inch and air time filling non story.

In other non-news, the MLB news cycle still revolves around the east coast biased baseball axis of evil that is the BoSox, Yankees and Mets, and Curt Schilling still loves the media spotlight.

Remember when I said Michigan was still in the hunt for a NCAA tournament seed?

Never mind...

Good news: The Lions are blowing up the roster. Bad news: Matt Millen is doing the blowing

With the NFL combine starting, there has been a scattering of Lions news over the past few days. Rumors aplenty are turning up in the MSM versions of of those pesky things called blogs.

Terry Foster:

"If you believe Profootballtalk. com seven is the magic number for Lions President Matt Millen to keep his job. According to the web site that is the number of wins the Lions must get in 2007 for Millen to keep his job. Anything less and supposedly owner Bill Ford Sr will pull the plug on Millen. There is something to the number seven. There are others close to the Lions who believe the same thing."

First off, Profootballtalk.com is the Weekly World News of NFL rumor web sites. There's more BS and half truths floating around that site than you heard in San Diego Chargers Norv Turner presser. They occasionally do stumble into a scoop, but their track record is about as checkered as Millen's.

Considering that the Lions haven't shitcanned Millen after 6 losing seasons, are we really supposed to take that rumor seriously? If the Lions only win 6 games, Millen is gone? But get 7 wins, and everything is Peaches and Herb? Please, I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday. If Millen can't get his ass fired after a 2006 fiasco of a season that ended 3-13, it's obvious the incompetent boob has more job security than the damn Queen of England, 6 wins, 7 wins, or no wins. We're stuck with that clown for the long term. Very long term...

Mike O'Hara:

" Gone are cornerback Dre Bly, defensive linemen Marcus Bell and James Hall and guard Ross Verba. They've been told they can arrange trades to other teams."

OK, that's all well and good, the Lions are finally cleaning house. But who on God's green earth is going to play defense?! And why were we first told that Bly demanded a trade? It now sounds more like Bly was encouraged to seek employment elsewhere. Much like Tony Soprano "Encouraged" Big Pussy to confess he was a snitch. Encouraged? More like shown the door...

It also goes to show how incompetent Millen really has been in player procurement. Bly, Verba, and Bell were all Millen free agent pick ups, and Hall was an unsigned free agent signed in 2000, who became a starter in Millen's first season in 2001. Out of those 4 players, you could safely say that the Lions got a total of 3 good years total out of them. 2 Pro Bowl seasons from Bly, 1 11.5 sack year from from Hall, Bell was a solid depth guy, but nothing special, and Verba was a total bust.

I wouldn't trust Matt Millen to safely boil water, let alone try and overhaul an already depleted roster...

Killer Kowalski:

"Poor attitude is part of the reason the Lions are allowing Dre Bly, James Hall and Marcus Bell to seek a trade."

"It would be folly to believe that Marinelli is willing to jettison starters like Bly and Hall and is just fine with the antics of Damien Woody and Mike Williams. There are two issues here -- both players will be given the opportunity to lose weight, get in line and get their heads straight."

"These potential roster moves tell me one very important thing -- Marinelli is trying to build this team the right way, even if it's going to take some time. People who believe that Marinelli -- and, by association, Matt Millen -- must win this season to keep their jobs are kidding themselves."

Build the Lions the right way? What? It took them 7 DAMN SEASONS to realize this? At that rate, when Killer says "It's going to take some time," he might as well say that the Lions are in worse shape than an expansion franchise. The Lions are going to be literally building over from scratch, led by a GM with worst the worst track record in the history of sports, and a head coach who is more likely to be collecting Social Security before the Lions even sniff .500.

As for Mike Williams and Damien Woody, I'm guessing that they are gone too. Woody has never come close to living up to his sizable contract, and do I even need to go on about the heaviest wide receiver on the planet? If you are going to blow up the roster, you might as well, as Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok of Farm Film Report would say, "Blow it up good! Blowed up real good!"

They also used to say, "May the Good Lord take a likin' to ya' and blow ya' up real soon!" Unfortunately, the Good Lord hasn't taken a likin' to we long suffering fans of the Detroit Lions.

Drew Neitzel = Big 10 Player of the Year

If there is a more valuable player in NCAA D-1 hoop than Michigan State's Drew Neitzel, I haven't seen him. I'm not saying he's the best overall, or that he's got the most NBA upside, just that Neitzel is the most vital player to his team's success in college basketball.

A face only a mother, or a Sparty, could love

Last night's hugely entertaining Spartan victory against the number 1 ranked (Not in the eyes of TWWLiS, but the AP) Wisconsin was just the latest example as to why Neitzel is so valuable to MSU.

Neitzel took over the game in the 2nd half, burying 3 pointer after 3 pointer. I don't think I've seen any better shot this season than his driving, going against the grain, one hander with no time left on the 35 second clock. Neitzel's final trey, which hit every damn inch of the rim, let alone the backboard, was the sort of shot you only see fall in bad sports movies. But fall it did, the Breslin went ballistic, and the rest is history.

The Spartans don't beat Wisky without Neitzel. They don't come within a missed buzzer beating 3 pointer of beating tOSU on their home floor. Honestly, I doubt they are an over .500 team without Neitzel carrying almost the entire scoring load. MSU sure as Hell isn't a NCAA tournament team without Neitzel's heroics. And last night was the game that cemented the Spartans' place in the NCAA field. Neitzel has been at a Craig Monroe beating the Yankees level of clutch recently, and considering how much TWFE loves us our Craig Monroe, that's saying something...

This year's most annoying Worldwide Leader buzzword in college hoop is "Signature win." Without question, Sparty got their "Signature win" against the Badgers.

Even the most jaded Wolverine fan had to feel something (A twinge of jealousy, at the very least) when you saw Tom Izzo come "This close" to breaking down in tears in the post game interview, while utter student pandemonium was breaking out all around him. The emotional outpouring by Spartans, the Izzone, and seemingly all of East Lansing, was everything that makes college basketball such a great game.

As for those who question (The jokers at TWWLiS) the Spartan faithful rushing the floor at the buzzer, as Bugs Bunny would say, "What a bunch of maroons!"

For all of the talk that the Spartans are an "Elite" program, and rushing the court should be beneath them, they ignore the fact that this season the Spartans are unranked. They have been a NCAA bubble team for several weeks, and the making the tournament was far from a sure thing. Let alone those same jokers kept pounding the viewers over the head with the fact that MSU had NEVER beaten a #1 ranked team at home, and had not beat a #1 period since the 1979 NCAA title game, when they knocked off Indiana State and Basketball Jesus.

I think celebrating was more than justified. Christ almighty, let the students have their fun. Bunch of anti-fun, asshat, buzz killing maroons...

While I was away...

Bear with me, as I wanted to add my 2 cents to some of the topics that made news while I was away from TWFE...

Dre' Bly wants a trade, and the Lions are willing to listen to offers: If things couldn't get any worse for the Lions, we learn that Dre' Bly wants out of Detroit. Why couldn't it be Matt Millen making that demand? Damn...

If that wasn't enough of a hoot, I then read that many fans are saying, "Don't let the door hit you on the ass, Bly!" The one question I want to ask those fans is, "Just who do you think is going to replace Bly?" You hear any manes, other than "Bueller?" I sure don't.

Bly isn't the prototypical Tampa Two corner, but he is still the best (When Shawn Rogers is taking the play off, that is...) defensive player on the Lions. If Millen lets Bly go, they best have a replacement under lock and key, let alone under contract, and get more for him than what they got in return for Joey Blue Skies from Miami. (That being a 2nd day draft pick, Ricky Williams' bong, a gift certificate to Shula's Steakhouse, and a Betamax copy of the pilot to "Miami Vice." Millen sure played hardball with the Fish...)

I doubt Bly isn't the only veteran, on either side of the ball, who wants out of Detroit. He is damn near the only one worth anything in return. Put Fernando Bryant on the block, and the silence from other NFL teams would be deafening.

To put it simply, the Lions are a joke, wrapped in a clusterfuck, surrounded by a fiasco.

Tomas Holmstrom signs an extension with the Red Wings: Good, good, good! In my mind, this is another nice move by Ken Holland.

Since the Wings renaissance over a decade ago, there has been one constant with their roster. That being the lack of players who are willing to do the dirty work of pissing off opposing goaltenders by working the front of the net. Save for Homer, of course.

I was thrilled to see that the Wings will have Homer for another 3 seasons. He's sacrificed his body for the greater good more times than any other Red Wing this side of Steve Yzerman. I'd bet that Psycho Eddie Belfour alone has carved up the back of Holmstrom's legs to the point of leaving them looking like a road atlas. I'm happy to see a blue collar player who does whatever is necessary to win get rewarded.

Scottie Pippen contemplates a return to the NBA: Migraine Boy wants to come back to the league? Amazing! Even more amazing was reading NBA writers were actually taking Pippen seriously, thinking he could actually contribute to a playoff team! Who in the NBA would want a 41 year old used-to-be, who has never won a damn thing unless he was acting as Michael Jordan's caddy? Well, other than Pat Riley. I know there are a boat load of incompetent GM's in the NBA, but there's no GM that certifiably stupid.

40-somethings don't improve your chances of winning a NBA title. Players who retire, then con someone into giving them a shitload of money to return a few years later don't improve your chances either. Jordan couldn't do it. Magic couldn't do it. And Pippen is nowhere near as good as those two. (Don't get me going on Pippen being on the "Top 50 NBA players of all time" list. A travashamockery of the highest order) It's sad to see players tarnish their careers by attempting to come back, even though they are only a shadow of their former selves.

Michigan is still in the hunt for a (very) low NCAA seed: Honestly, I'm not all that thrilled about it. What does the fact that U of M is still on the NCAA bubble prove? Just that the Big 10, save for Wisky and tOSU, is God awful. (Considering that God awful state of the Big 10, just how good are Wisky and tOSU? Probably not as good as their records) Say the Wolverines do somehow manage to sneak into the NCAA's as a double digit seed. I'll give you odds that Michigan gets knocked out in the first round, and it won't be in a close game.

It's sad to see how far the program has fallen, hoping against hope to get one of the last at-large bids. It's obvious that Tommy Amaker is not the coach to make the Wolverines a NCAA tournament regular, and the sooner Michigan AD Bill Martin realizes as much, the sooner this embarrassing farce of a Big 10 program can move on.

NASCAR throws the book at Michael Waltrip's team for cheating: I thought that NASCAR was actually going to begin enforcing their rules with an enthusiasm they have never shown before. Get caught with an illegal car in the past? NASCAR will fine you 25K, and say "Tsk, tsk, don't do that again." When a top tier team spends 15-25 million a season, that's probably what they spend on baseball caps for one weekend. Big damn deal.

But they actually made an example of Waltrip, and Toyota for that matter, when inspectors found some sort of combustible substance (Jet fuel, Hank Hill endorsed propane, Micheal Jackson's hair, NASCAR's not talking) in Waltrip's intake manifold. Waltrip got a 100K fine, 100 drivers and owners points were deducted (That really hurts, his chance at a championship ended right there), indefinitely suspending his crew chief and team manager, and impounding the car. I thought, "Good for NASCAR, about time they started doing more than just giving slaps on the wrist for cheating violations."

Then Jeff Gordon's 24 car was found to be not quite kosher after his qualifying race. NASCAR's ruling? "You can keep the win Jeffy, you aren't disqualified from the Daytona 500, you just have to start next to last. 'K?" Same old same old. Then there was the fiasco on Sunday, when NASCAR just plain ignored their rule book at the end of the race.

I'm sorry, but if NASCAR wants to be taken seriously by more than the hardcore race fan, the series has to be consistent with how, and when, they apply their own rules. Get caught cheating? Make it hurt. Hurt the owner, the driver, and most importantly, the sponsor. If that means sitting a team for a week or more, so be it. Send home a team with a big dollar sponsor for a week or three, and you'll see cheating become the exception, rather than the rule.

For example, say Chad Knaus, the crew chief for defending Nextel Cup champ Jimmie Johnson, who has a long history of bending the rules, gets caught again. Do you think that their big time sponsor, Lowes, would be happy to hear that the 48 team, the team they give an enormous amount of money to, the team that is literally the face of their company to much of the public, was sent home for blatant rules violations? I think there would be Hell to pay in the boardroom of Lowes, and that Hell would roll all the way downhill to Johnson, Knaus, and Hendrick Motorsports.

Penalize the sponsor, and you'd see the teams follow the letter, not just the spirit, of the law in Nextel Cup. As it stands currently, the old racing adage, "If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'" is still true.

Why do Tiger fans love Jim Leyland? Today's reason: Answering Da Meat Hook

I find it hard to believe that Dmitri Young is clean and sober, as he currently claims, for a couple of reasons.

One, he's trying to make the roster of the Washington Nationals, a National League team. Where in the Hell is he going to play? Left fry cook? 3rd bartender? Designated drinker? The NL is no place for a player whose only true position is as a light switch hitting DH.

I remember the claims that Da Meat Hook was going to play several positions with the Tigers. 3B, 1B, OF, DH were all mentioned. Only it turned out that Young's best position was with his legs spread and hands against the wall. He showed more boxing that baseball ability last spring with his mistress beating ways. The only hitting Young did last season, other than belting around women, was hitting bottles of Wild Turkey. He sure as Hell didn't hit fastballs. Probably because he was seeing 3 of them, along with a pink elephant on the mound...

To think that Young would be an asset to ANY team, let alone a team in a league where you have to more than occasionally whip out the leather, is ludicrous. Young and glove leather mix like Barry Bonds and the 25th man on the Giants roster. Never the twain shall meet...

Then again, the Nats' GM is Jim Bowden, which explains why Young is under contract. This is the same GM who somehow managed to NOT trade Alfonso Soriano, despite the fact that he was going to become a free agent, and would be priced much higher than the Nats would be willing to pay. Bowden then let Soriano walk via free agency, receiving absolutely nothing in return, thus leaving the Nats with players like...Dmitri Young.

It must be God awful to be a Nationals fan. But I digress...

Second, is Young's claim that the Tigers hung him out to dry, and did not support him during his season long "Troubles."

"They were probably saving their own tail, because they thought that the whole court thing there was going to be a distraction for a team that was winning," Young said. "I thought it was a little (unfair) on their part, especially (because of) the time that I spent with the Tigers and represented them in a positive manner. I would have figured they would support me in the same manner, but they didn't."

As Jim Leyland would say, "What a bunch of @#%$!*&$@!!!" Speaking of which...

Today the Marlboro Man confirmed what we all were assuming last September. His response to Dmitiri Young's claim that the Tigers hung him out to dry last season was classic Cigarette Smoking Man. He was blunt, honest, and straight to the point.

Leyland begins his comments as if he's going to step cautiously when addressing Young's problems with the Tigers...

"I like Dmitri Young very much, and I wish him the best, but in my opinion, Dmitri Young was not an asset on the field last year and he also had to take care of some very important issues for the welfare of Dmitri Young."

He continues, while taking full responsibility for Dmeat's release...

"You can hold me totally responsible for his dismissal last year. Don't put it on the organization or anyone else. "

Then Leyland lowers the beer bottle boom...

"The part that upsets me is that this guy missed a lot of the season taking care of a problem he created, not one the Tigers created. The fact that we didn't support him is (wrong). We supported everything."

But the Marlboro Man doesn't stop there...

"For Dmitri to criticize the organization for lack of support is totally out of line. That's uncalled for. If you want to know the truth, it appears that Dmitri feels the organization disappointed him, and I'm sorry he feels that way. But I feel Dmitri disappointed us."

I think Leyland throughly closed the bar book when it comes to the Dmitri Young era.

What's interesting to note is that on WXYT this afternoon, the Freep's Drew Sharp claimed that what we are seeing in print is actually the PG version of Leyland's diatribe. Now that's the Jim Leyland we know and love, that God damned glorious son of a bitch!

Seconding Sharp was the last line of John Lowe's article...

Leyland read aloud that passage (The Young quote at the top of this post) of the interview to reporters, then delivered his own comments on it.

I'll make an educated guess, and say that's when Leyland began to swear like a 62 year old manager who is secure in his position, and thought he had heard it all.

When all is said and done, it seems the only person who believes the Tigers screwed Dmitri Young is Dmitri Young. Maybe his umpire clubbing brother Delmon, and Jim Bowden do, but no one else with even a modicum of sense (Which explains Delmon and Bowden) believes Dmeat's revisionist history.

NASCAR: A thin line between love and hate

As I've said in the past, I'm a NASCAR fan. And the Daytona 500 was a prime example as to why I'm a fan of stock car racing, and why it also makes me want to pull my hair out.

Hey y'all, look at this!

Even if you didn't watch the race, I'm sure you all have seen the finish, as it's the lead story everywhere today. It was exciting as all Hell, maybe the best Daytona finish since Richard Petty and David Pearson crashed in the final stretch of the 1976 500. Good Lord, armageddon broke loose on the final lap. Cars spinning everywhere, Clint Bowyer sliding across the start/finish line on fire while on his roof, and an amazingly close finish between the sentimental favorite, Mark Martin, and Kevin Harvick, who literally came out of nowhere to win.

Even the GF, who had been napping through the majority of the race, and as far from being a NASCAR fan as there is, watched the final laps on the edge of couch. When she is making comments asking, "What is Kyle Busch thinking?!" and "Why did Matt Kenseth push Harvick to the front like that?!", you know it was an exciting race. Just what NASCAR wants...

But, the finish was exactly why critics, and fans who are not blindly devoted to all things Earnhardt and NASCAR, think stock car racing is nothing more than a sideshow on "Real" sports landscape.

First off, you had both analysts calling the race, Larry McReynolds (Who should know better) and Darrell Waltrip (Who doesn't know any better, and needs to just clam up), openly rooting for Mark Martin. It was Waltrip at his overly verbose worst, and McReynolds was sucked in along for the ride. Hardly the impartiality you would expect from the announcers of what is supposed to be a marquee sports event. Even one broadcast on FOX.

Then you had the finish of the race. Thrilling as it was, if you watch any stock car racing at all, you got the feeling that NASCAR bent their own rules. Again.

Great finish, but was it fair?

As there was a big wreck with 6 laps to go, the race was red flagged. For those who don't follow racing, in other words, the race was stopped so the track could be cleaned up and after a couple of warm up laps under caution, the race could end as the "Rules" of NASCAR states. That being, the race ended on what is known as a "Green/White/Checker," which is basically a 2 lap sprint to the finish. The "Rules" also state that in that scenario, if there is a caution before the checkered flag is thrown, the field is frozen at the moment the caution comes out, and the race is over. Waltrip, McReynolds, and Mike Joy continually said as much during the final laps.

When the huge melee broke out on the final lap behind Martin and Harvick, Martin was still in the lead. Not by much, but he WAS leading. I expected the yellow caution flag to come out, ending the race. The GF, who as a non-fan could only go by what I, and the announcers as well, had been saying over and over, that the race would end at that exact moment, expected the yellow. (She immediately brought up the issue, by the way. She's a sharp cookie, that one)

You have to think that everyone watching expected the yellow. Joy, doing the play by play, was expecting the yellow. Mark Martin, being interviewed after the race, said he was expecting the yellow. Yet the yellow was NOT thrown till Martin and Harvick crossed the finish.

That's not enough carnage for a yellow flag? Only in NASCAR...

NASCAR decided to ignore their own rules, and the safety of the racers back in the pack, for that matter, to allow FOX to televise a photo finish.

It made for high drama, but what about their rule book? That same rule book that earlier in the week allowed the NASCAR France family powers that be the leverage to punish Michael Waltrip's Toyota team for cheating with a huge amount of malice.

Yet, when the rules expressly state, for reasons of safety, that the race ends when the yellow is thrown, NASCAR decides to be extremely slow on the trigger and wait for the 2 lead cars to race to the line before issuing a caution? That's NASCAR at its "We change/bend/ignore our own rules as we see fit" worst.

It's the equivalent of MLB allowing umpires to each have their own version of the strike zone. Whoops, bad example! But you get my drift. You wouldn't see the NFL literally change their rules in the middle of a game. But with NASCAR, it's their well known M.O.

I'm sure we'll get some lame ass excuse from NASCAR as to why the yellow wasn't thrown. And not to disappoint, NASCAR did come up with some outright vague BS to give the appearance that they follow their own rules...

"When the 07 [Clint Bowyer] went sideways on the track, the yellow came out," said NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston. "At that time, the 29 [Harvick] was ahead of the 01 [Martin] and was declared the winner. The vehicles that were involved earlier in the incident [the wreck that preceded Bowyer's] were already off the track and on the apron" and therefore didn't merit a caution.

I guess NASCAR wasn't watching the same race the rest of the WORLD was watching. If you believe that, then you probably also thought that the Worldwide Leader's film of Dale Earnhardt's life, "3," was a masterpiece of film making.

Unfortunately, there are enough those blindly devoted fans of all things NASCAR who don't care that the ruling organization of their favorite sport makes decisions based on what would be more dramatic, rather than what's in black and white in their own damn rule book! That's also why I'm just a tad balder today...

WARNING: TWFE will return very soon!

I'm settled in my new place, and I have finally regained full internet access. I'm just glad the whole housing thing is over and done. It's pained me to let the blog sit for a week plus, as I've prided myself in keeping TWFE updated on a daily basis.

But that's neither here nor there. I plan on having TWFE back to normal very soon, I'm guessing that sometime over the weekend the snarkiness will return. I appreciated everyone's kind thoughts over the last couple of weeks.

And as always, thanks for reading...

More housekeeping: Attempting to stay in touch...

I've been playing with Blogger before I call it a night, and managed to figure out how to use Blogger Mobile. Even though odds are good that won't have cable internet access for the next several days, I'll still be able to access the internet via my Sprint Fusic. (Thanks for the freebie, Sprint!)

Since it will be difficult, at best, to access TWFE, I'll be using my photog skills, or lack thereof, with The Mobile Wayne Fontes Experience instead. Now there's an additional blog I'll be able to play with, thanks to the phone's camera and email capabilites.

I have no idea what I'll be posting there, but I'm thinking that my moving adventure might be a fun thing to document thru a blog. We'll see what happens, as your guess is as good as mine...

I'll try my best to keep updating. As always, thanks for reading...

The "Worst Columnist in America" reaches a new low

Things have been quiet on the Wobb Parker front recently. Me thinks mostly due to the fact that the "Worst Columnist in America" was busy trying to hitch his sorry ass to "Cold Pizza."

Now that he's done, and most likely failed, with his social climbing, Wobb comes back swinging with his most asinine and utterly insipid column since his attempt to slander the Tigers' Dave Dombrowski, by calling him the worst GM in Detroit.

In fact, I think Wobb has reached a new level of ineptness. Parker reached for the brass ring of stupidity, and has grasped that stupidity with a death grip.

Why am I waxing rhapsodic over the cluelessness of Parker? Wobb turned in a column, printed in today's Detroit News, that has even the most rabid Michigan basketball fan saying, "What the fuck?"

I quote...

Tommy Amaker shouldn't be fired.

Not today. Not next week. Not after this season.

Every blogger, newspaper columnist, Michigan apologist, and fan had long concluded that the Amaker era has been a spectacular failure, and that his coming back for this season was most undeserved. So the thought that Amaker "Deserves" even more time as the face of Wolverines hoop must come from... 1) A lunatic who should be committed 2) The functionally retarded or 3) The worst columnist in America.

About the only line in this entire column deep, sloppy French kiss to Amaker that makes any sense is, "The program truly is clean."

Other than that, there should be no defending the results of Tommy Amaker. But how Parker tries...

He continues to land A-list recruits.

Who either plateau, or actually regress, rather than improve during their careers.

Parker uses Daniel Horton as a shining example of Amaker's coaching acumen. Horton was a great freshman, unfortunately he was never better. Michigan fans know that Horton never truly lived up to his potential. He was basically the same player all 4 years. Horton came to Michigan as a good player, who after a Big Ten Freshman of the Year award, looked like a NBA 1st round pick. Horton left Michigan as a good player, who wasn't even drafted.

The other example Wobb uses is DeShawn Sims. He of the 3 points, 2 rebounds and 33.8% shooting, all in 9 minutes a game. If you go by Amaker's MO, judging by how players like Horton and Courtney Sims have turned out, DeShawn Sims is not going to get all that much better.

The column takes a turn for the bizarre with this paragraph...

Those who say Amaker hasn't done anything are grossly misled. With Amaker at the helm, Michigan won an NIT title in 2004 and lost to South Carolina in the NIT final last year. That doesn't sound like players who don't want to play for a coach. In fact, it's the opposite. It tells you what kind of a motivator he honestly is.

To defend Amaker by using his "Success" in the NIT Michigan Invitational Tournament, is ...Well, I don't have a word that describes the absolute idiocy of that paragraph. Michigan does well in the NIT, a losers bracket whose only reason for existence is to fill time on the Worldwide Leader, and give the mediocre teams that go some extra practice time, so that proves he's a "MOTIVATOR?"

That's jaw droppingly dumb.

The college basketball world revolves around one thing, and one thing only. Making the only tournament that matters, the NCAA's. For a school of Michigan's stature, with a history of good to excellent basketball teams, to not even sniff the true basketball postseason for the entirety of Amaker's tenure, is unforgivable. Unless, of course, you're Rob Parker.

Wobb really begins to stretch for reasons to keep Amaker with this nugget.

Amaker, who took Seton Hall to the NCAA Tournament in 2000, probably would have made the tournament twice by now if injuries didn't ravish his team two years in a row. It's not an excuse, it's just plain fact.

So Amaker has made the NCAA's in the past? 7 YEARS AGO?! Whoop-de-God-damn-do! Look closer at his record, and it shows that in his previous 9 seasons coaching in both the Big East and Big Ten, 2000 is the only NCAA his teams have made. And to blame injuries? Considering the Wolverines' creampuff scheduling, they were NCAA bubble teams at best, injuries or not. Last season's Big Ten tournament collapse, a fiasco against an awful Minnesota team that kept them from consideration for a lower seed at-large bid, is conveniently ignored.

At this point, it appears that Amaker making the NCAA's was nothing more than a fluke. 4 of his teams were .500 or worse, another was 1 game above break even, and one was 4 games above. If you include this season, that leaves only 4 teams that could be even considered remotely successful. And it's common knowledge that Michigan built their winning records under Amaker thanks to an embarrassingly easy out of conference schedule, playing the likes of community colleges, directional schools, orphanages, intramural teams, and Ann Arbor Pioneer high school. Pardon, me, I got carried away. Michigan's schedule wasn't even THAT tough...

Still, Parker continues to praise Amaker, by comparing him to...Gary Williams at Maryland?

Maryland gave coach Gary Williams time to fix its troubled program. Williams took over in 1989. Five years later, the program's first season off probation, the Terrapins received their first NCAA bid since 1988. Williams led Maryland to a national championship in 2002. Hence, it wound up taking Williams 13 years to accomplish his ultimate goal.

Hold it. Sure, Williams had to take over a probation hindered program, as did Amaker. But Williams took over a program that is in what is generally considered the toughest basketball conference around, the ACC. Before you compare Amaker to Williams, let the stats talk. Williams - 11 consecutive NCAA's, became a perennial Sweet Sixteen participant, two Final Fours, one championship. Amaker - One NCAA appearance, 7 YEARS AGO.

Saying that Michigan should keep Amaker because he MIGHT turn out to be as good as Williams, despite massive evidence to the contrary, is comparable to saying the Lions should keep Matt Millen as GM because he might be as good as Ron Wolf. Both are laughable comparisons.

The entire column is laughable. As laughable as one of Parker's Joe Dumars' mandated Pistons love-ins. It never ceases to amaze me that a big market fish wrap continues to print such non thought out, ill researched, slanted, crap.

Addendum 2/3/07: Ian has a great take on Wobb's column as well...

Housekeeping, we got housekeeping!

First off, I want to thank all of you for the good thoughts you've sent about my current life crisis, that being my housing situation. I HATE the thought of moving, but I didn't have any choice in the matter. Keep thinking the good thoughts, folks.

As for TWFE, I'm thinking there will be a post(s) tomorrow, and hopefully one over the weekend. After that, it's up in the air. I honestly think that I'll be attempting to post regularly, but till I'm on surer footing, nothing is set in stone.

So, despite all this going on in my life, the blog will continue to function. But for the next couple of weeks, I can't be sure how often I'll be able to update. Searching for somewhere to live that fits in my limited budget, the purging of items that I don't need/want/have room for, packing what I do keep, getting the stuff I need but don't yet have, and the stress involved with the whole damn thing, well, it isn't conducive to a good writing environment. Or even keeping up on the latest news and views, for that matter. Life gets in the way of the fun stuff. Wonderful, just wonderful...

Still, things are looking up. I'm hoping to have word quite soon as to where I'm going to be hanging my hat. Cross your fingers, everyone.

As for good news, I may also be doing some writing for another website soon. I'll let you know the site, what to expect, and when I'll start appearing there, when I have all the details nailed down. As always, you all will be the first to know. After the GF, of course.

Thanks for reading!