Federal Plea

It seems like a pretty big story, but I'm not particularly interested in the plea of guilty to corruption charges by former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. (Although members of Congress are apparently getting a little nervous). I was more amused of this outfit that he showed up for court in. Uh, can you try not to look like a gangsta?

It's Time

Texas. USC. I've got my Baylor pennant out and sitting on the couch. I'll make my super-sports-brain prediction (which I promise not to remove if I'm ridiculously wrong). USC 32, Texas 17

Shocker

If you were up after 11:00 p.m. last night, you were bombarded with news accounts that all of the trapped West Virginia miners were found alive. Apparantly, that is the headline of the USA Today and various other newspapers this morning. At around 2:00 a.m., the news broke that all were dead. An account of the media bungle is here. To see the turn of events last night on The Blog, look here.

Team 88

As a high school kid, I hated to watch Pittsburgh Steeler receiver Lynn Swann catch passes against my beloved Cowboys in the Super Bowl. A heck of a receiver. So that makes him qualified to be . . . uh . . . oh, no.

Say Hello To The New Boss, Same As The Old Boss

Carole Keeton Strayhorn announced yesterday that she will run for Governor as an independent. Say hello to your next Governor (pictured). Maybe getting Kinky is a good idea.

Looking Bad

Not to be a pessimist (which I am), the situation of those miners trapped in West Virginia does not look good.

Want To Feel Old?

The top grossing movies . . .

• 10 years ago are listed here
• 20 years ago are here
• and 30 years ago are here

Cotton Bowl Rehash

Random thoughts about yesterday:

• Parking cost $15
• The face value of the ticket was $80
• I bought a ticket off of a nice Alabama guy for $60
• The kickoff time was 10:00 a.m.
• Beer sales started at 9:00 a.m.
• The Cotton Bowl is old but the worst stadium I've ever been to is Neyland Stadium in Tennessee
• Tech has come very far in a short period of time
• Tech coach Mike Leach is one weird guy (random thought only - I didn't talk to him yesterday)
• In 1981, I saw Baylor play Alabama in the Cotton Bowl. Baylor lost and has never been back

Orange Bowl

The halftime show at the Orange Bowl tonight featured Ciara. Me likes me some Ciara.

Hey, All You Conservatives . . .

. . . that claim you are "to the right of Ronald Reagan", I've found your candidate for Texas Governor. His biography sounds like a good old Wise County kind of guy. But then read his position on the issues. You support his positions, right?

Cool

New Year in lights : Bianca Sinchongco, writes 2006 with sparklers during New Year celebrations in Manila. (AFP/Jose Lapu)

I Know I'm Right

The Star Telegram is running a story about the death of an ex-stripper who was associated with Jack Ruby, the killer of Lee Harvey Oswald. Her name was "Candy Barr" (good name) and this is an actual photo. That aside, I was stuck by this sentence in the story: "Her career was derailed in 1959 when she was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a Dallas judge for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana." That was 47 years ago. Today, Possession of Marijuana under 2 ounces is a Class B misdemeanor and 99% of the time results in a probation and a fine. I wonder if 47 years from today the public will be equally shocked by reading a sentence of "Her career was derailed in 2006 when she was sentenced to 15 years in prison for possessing less than an ounce of methamphetamine." I bet they will.

So I Decided To Go To The Cotton Bowl

And took a few pictures: Elderly Alabama Fan Cody Hodges Short Pass Alabama RB on the Run Funny Tech T-Shirt Blocked Field Goal By Tech in First Quarter Incoming Almost TD Catch By Tech in First Quarter Tech Block of 'Bama kick (split second after the block) Right Before Big Collision (on 'Bama's game winning drive) Game Winning Field Goal Gutsy Guy Wearing Inflamatory T-Shirt If Bear Bryant Were A Girl Wonder What the Sky Cam Looks Like? Think She Knows I Took Her Pic? And some artsy ones: Cotton Bowl Deterioration Empty Seats And A Tuba Rangerettes Victory

Gone

Gettin' Silly

I went to "Pete's Dueling Piano Bar" in downtown Fort Worth on Friday night. It was really fun. But oddly, the crowd seemed more "into it" earlier in the evening when the dueling piano guys simple sang 70s and 80s crowd pleasers with the audience joining in with glee. I had a good time.

Cowboy Thought

Today the Panthers won and the Redskins won which means the Cowboys have no chance of making the playoffs. As I watch the Cowboys game tonight on ESPN, the atmosphere is equivalant to the "dance of the living dead".

Scott Sams

From Steve Blow's column in the Morning News today: Former Channel 8 anchor Scott Sams, who was fired over a year ago, is still unemployed.

Heck Of A Job

How would you like to have a job that simply involved photographing Lindsey Lohan at the beach in Miami over the last few days. See his handy work on this day, or this one, or this one. Is that Joe Duty I hear crying?