Tuesday Grab Bag: Football? But it's April!

I was in the car Friday, stuck in traffic on US 36 (a shitshow of epic proportions, btw), when I decided to try out some local sports talk.  You know the station. It's not a frequent occurrence that I turn to Denver's view of sports, and I should've known what I was getting into, but I was aghast at the content.  A rehash of the NFL schedule release, an early (exhaustive) look at the NFL draft, and nary a non-football thought.  In April.  *sigh, throws things*

I understand that the NFL is a dominant piece of the sporting landcape, and the absence of local playoff entrants in either of the two tournaments currently being played hurts, but this continuing myopia, from a supposedly 'major' market, is criminal.  I hear a constant refrain that the NFL is a 24/7/365 league, which only makes me weep for this once proud, diverse sporting country.  It's only a topic of conversation 365 days a year because our sports media has grown tired and lazy, either unwilling or unable to stretch their legs and come up with unique segments.  We should be demanding more.

What else is there to talk about, you ask?  Why, how about baseball?  Denver even has a team in that sport, one that is currently competitive (go Rox).  Not a seamhead?  The NBA and the NHL playoffs are in full swing, and well worth your consideration.  Even without either of the Nuggets or Avalanche competing, they're full of drama and intrigue. Still wanting more? Well, the Kentucky Derby is this weekend - i.e. the only weekend a year we as a nation pretend to still care about horse racing.  Oh, btw, there's also the latest 'fight of the century,' golf is in full swing, college basketball's Hot Stove is boiling, and I heard a rumor that NASCAR and MMA are still things. If you can't find 3-4 hours of non-football content each day out of that pool, you're just not very good at your job.

'But they should be giving the people what they want,' you counter, 'and the people want to talk Broncos!' First, I don't believe that people really want to talk Broncos in April, I think they've just been conditioned to do so.  A pseudo Stockholm effect, if you will.  Secondly, has anyone even tried to provide an alternative, local voice in this market?  In drive time, when people are actually listening to radio?   I'm not saying you can't talk football - some discussion of the draft is warranted - but talking of nothing but the NFL for an entire show proves the shallow mind behind the wheel.

But, maybe that's the point.  In the age of the podcast and satellite radio, maybe sports talk in a market such as this is an anachronistic dog.  Feed some red meat to the morons in order to squeeze the last advertising drops out of the medium, and watch it wither and die in silence.  As someone who grew up listening to sports talk in the 'golden age,' I find that notion sad, but at least understandable.  But, in that case, don't pretend to be a 'sports' station; just bite the bullet, take the football-only mantle into the light, and end all doubt.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking a bunch of playoffs.  First, some NBA talk, before jumping out onto the ice of the NHL.  I'll finish with women's lacrosse, because I'm a huge homer like that.

Click below for the bag...

Tuesday Grab Bag: Derrick White is Official

What's that?  The NFL schedule just got released?  I ain't got no time for that garbage; I'm late with this week's bag!

Today I'm talking Derrick White and a whole load of early playoff action from both the hardwood and ice.

Click below for the bag...

Monday Grab Bag: A true grab bag of topics

Yeesh, there's nothing going on right now.  Outside of a smattering of football recruiting updates (which I flat refuse to spend time on), the only revenue sport news that's hitting right now is the continuing transfer saga of Ben Mills and Shannon Sharpe.  Even the Pac-12 Meetings are devoid of any juice.  It's just a down time for CU sports conversation.

And so, I turn my lonely eyes to women's golf.  Yep, women's golf.

Today in the bag, I'll be setting up the golf team's pursuit of a regional title on their home course, shoveling some dirt on the rotting corpse of the Chicago Bulls, and calling Floyd Mayweather a coward.

Click below for the bag...

Monday Grab Bag: A Rose with a broken stem

Ah, what a busy weekend!  I got some sun, ran a bunch of errands, and saw My Bulls lose any shot at a title... all within a few hours.  How fantastic!

Today in the bag I'll be talking up the Buffs headed to the NFL, mourning the loss of the Bulls playoff hopes, and taking a quick swing around the world of baseball.

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Post-Memorial Day Grab Bag: I can see clearly now, the rain is gone

I spent the past 5 days holed up in my cave of a room, trying to recover as quickly as possible from eye surgery.  I had grown tired of my glasses, and decided that now, as an adult, I should take control of that shit.  Luckily, everything seems to be progressing fine, although a little haziness persists, and I'm seeing 20/15.   For the record, the first thing I did with my new eyes was run upstairs to check out the Flatirons in new razor-sharp RumblinVision; it was awesome.

Today in the bag, I'll be turning my newly improved sight towards the growing ugliness in Columbus, the disaster that was the Bulls final 4 games with the Heat, and baseball standings.

Click below for the bag.

Monday Grab Bag: Same bag taste, just with less filling

Happy pre-Memorial Day week, everyone!  Try not to be distracted by the start of grilling season as the hours tick by to the upcoming 3-day weekend.  The bag today will touch on recruiting news, a Bulls loss, the White Sox surging to mediocrity, and Boulder softball.  Such is life over the summer.

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Monday Grab Bag: It's Tuesday, and I'm back edition

I'm back from California, and rearing to go!  I'm sure there's plenty of Buff news to dissect...what's that?  You say that since it's the middle of May essentially nothing is happening?  Hrmmm... I guess I'll have to talk recruiting news and pointless coaching rumors.  Additionally, I'll touch on the Bulls being awesome.

On with the bag...

Monday Grab Bag: "We're not done yet"

The Buffs basketball team held serve this past weekend, beating the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the final Big XII regular season game either team will ever play.  NCAA Tournament hopes still alive, the Buffs will head to KC buoyed by a pretty strong performance against a pesky team.  This week in the bag I'll recap the game, look ahead to the Big XII tournament, and quickly touch on some teams that only I care about.

Click below for the bag...

Monday Grab Bag: Moving sucks

Yeah, so I spent the whole weekend moving. Total Bullshit. Anyways... on with the bag.

Blackhawks, Niemi, pounded in game 1: Antti Niemi, who many questioned because of his lack of playoff experience, was shelled in two periods against the hated Canucks Saturday night. He gave up 5 goals. 5... on only 25 shots in two periods! (It's just glaring to see the difference between Niemi and Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo.) It's not like this was the first chink in his playoff armor, either. He's just been giving up too many easy goals early in games (Remember back to those junior-league-level goals he gave up in game 1 of the first round). But, despite all the trouble Antti's been having, Coach Quenneville is sticking with him... for now.

(Niemi riding the pine.... if only he'd stay there. From: The Trib)

Sox continue their struggles on the road: Margalus has a good writeup. (That BABIP is awful. After a month it stops being a stat based on luck and become reality) Everyone was all excited to see Pierre get dropped in the order.... only to see Mark Kotsay lead off on Sunday. Ughhhh. Yeah, Juan is terrible and all, but Mark Kotsay isn't a viable replacement for anything other than my fat ass sitting on a couch. I'm starting to believe that there is little to no hope of seeing .500 this season, let alone playoff contention. Bad lineup construction, bad player choices, bad performance. That a trifecta of what Charles Barkley calls "Turrbul." Now what am I going to do all Summer?

(Ozzie, in order to tell someone to "talk to the hand," you actually have to put it in their face... From: The Sox Machine)

Buffs add two players: Tad Boyle didn't let the month end without adding two players that will secure the post Higgins/Burks year.

• Carlon Brown is heading to Boulder after transferring from Utah. He was Utah's best player the last few years; yet, weirdly, they had him coming off of the bench (his reason for transferring). He even went as far as to declare for the NBA draft, before deciding to become a Buff. Unfortunately, he only has one year of eligibility remaining (after he sits out this next year due to transfer rules). There's a good write-up on him here. Sounds like he'll be a good replacement for Higgins/Burks; a big guard with the ability to attack the rim.
• Andre Roberson will be coming to Boulder from deep in the heart of Texas. A 6-8 swing forward (I love me some swing forwards), Roberson will add much needed size and athleticism. Lot of good reports on him, and his "also considering" list included UCLA, UNLV, and Clemson. I see him as a replacement for Keegan; a tall lanky swing forward who may be able to show some position versatility. Since he'll be a true freshman next year I wouldn't expect him to play too many minutes right away, but I never look a 6-8 freshman in the mouth. The only holdover from the old staff, Tom Abedemarco, stayed on Andre and was able to lock down his commitment.

Now all we need is a JuCo big man to come in and grab some boards late in the game. Too bad one of our targets (who wouldn't have come anyway because of the same-old credit transfer bullshit) is now looking at Indiana.... where Steve McClain ended up. Sigh.

Mayweather fight: My new roommates are luckily boxing fans. Saturday night after 3 straight days of moving, I was afforded the opportunity to sit down, have a beer, and watch the fight. Too bad Mosely only showed up for one round. Everyone got all excited when Shane popped "Money" in the 2nd. What I saw was Mayweather take the punch, get that smirk back on his face, and regroup before anyone else noticed. When I saw him sitting in his corner between rounds 3 and 4 looking bored as hell, I knew the fight was over. While it went the distance, come the 12th round, even Mosely's trainer was admitting defeat. Oh well, at least I didn't have to pay to see the fight.

This just in - Vinny Del Negro will probably be fired: As I've talked about repeatedly (I've devoted far more attention to this than the Bulls deserve), Vinny Del Negro is on the verge of the unemployment line. He met with Jerry Reinsdorf this past weekend, in an apparent attempt to beg for his job. Fat load of good that'll do him. Looks like his head gets chopped off tomorrow. The word is that former Bulls coach Doug Collins, who started the Jordan years off, may be the front runner. I'd be down with that.
(Save your breath Vinny; it's already too late. From: the Trib)

LeBron got jobbed: 7 idiots, 3 from Orlando, voted for someone other than LeBron James to win the NBA MVP award. WTF? The NBA is usually a joke, but this is garbage. No, it's not as bad as Karl Malone winning the MVP over MJ in '97, but LeBron was far and away the MVP, and should've been the unanimous choice. Kobe? He's starting to put in inconsistent outings as he desperately tries to save his legs. The Durantula? His season was impressive, but LeBron brought the whole package in a more dominating way. Howard? Don't make me laugh. One asshole even put Steven Jackson on his ballot. I think I may have even gotten an "honorable mention" somewhere. I know that no one takes this shit seriously, but that's the problem. For an honor to mean anything, the people bestowing it must at least pay attention.

(If LeBron was anything like MJ, he'd be plotting his revenge right now.... From: ESPN)

Cal Borel is really good at being small: Calvin Borel won his 3rd Kentucky Derby in 4 years this past weekend on the muddy track of Churchill Downs. I may not follow horse racing too closely, but even I can see that's a pretty impressive feat. There's a good wrap here. I always like watching the Kentucky Derby; it seems like a spectacle worth watching, if only for the history involved in the event.
(How can they see through all the mud? From: ESPN)

Happy Monday!

That needed doing

Thank God the Bulls lost last night. The season's over, and the real focus of the year can begin. Simply stated, the team, as currently constituted, isn't capable of competing for a championship. So, as I alluded to on Monday, the focus of the season needed to have been positioning the team for a vital off season. The Reindorf-ian mandate to always compete meant that a Bill Simmons-esque tanking for a lottery pick was never an option, but big time Free Agency acquisitions are definitely possible. Along those lines, here is a list of 3 things the Bulls need to do in order to better position themselves for the future:

• #1) Fire Vinny Del Negro: This essentially can go without saying. He needs to go. After being the only thing between the team and an awesome 1st round upset of the Celtics last year, Vinny only compounded his coaching inadequacies this year. To quote Trib writer Steve Rosenbloom "Now the only question is whether the Bulls let Vinny Del Negro on the team plane." Everyone, including Vinny, knows this is going down, so now all the Bulls have to do is avoid firing him in an unprofessional manner. (Which, apparently, is tough for the organization to do)
  
• #2) Find that illusive interior scoring option: The story of the Bulls big-man search is a long and storied one. Not since the days of Elton Brand has there been a truly NBA-level offensive force residing in the "man-in-the-middle" post at the UC. Years of trying to acquire the likes of Kevin Garnett and Amare Stoudemire have achieved nothing. (Don't be confused: the new-age Bill Laimbeer, is awesome and all, but his scoring is on the Rodman-ish level.) Obviously big-man scoring is always at a premium, but at some point the Bulls have to actually have something to show for effort in the category, right?
  
• #3) Sign massive free agent: I'll say this now, LeBron isn't coming (The chants of "King James sucks!" at the UC this past week couldn't have helped). Chris Bosh would help with category 2 as well as satisfying this category, but I think it's time to bring native son Dwyane Wade home. The good thing is that GM Paxson has put the Bulls in the position to go after a star-quality scoring option through proper cap-space management. As long as it's not Joe Johnson, I'll probably be satisfied.
  

Monday Grab Bag: A good weekend

A little late with the bag, but a lot of stuff to touch on...

The Sox always come from behind: I mentioned a few weeks ago that with the awful hitting, and awesome pitching, the Sox will be in a lot of close games this year. Thankfully, they won each of the 3 close ones they played over the weekend. After having been written off by this guy, the Sox get late homers in each game to win. Friday night, it was Andruw Jones (who hit his just as the internet radio feed cut out.... that sucked) hitting a blast in the 9th. Saturday, after a solo shot from Captain Paulie earlier in the inning, Alex Rios slammed a 2-run shot to complete the improbable 3-run 9th inning comeback. Capping it off yesterday, Captain Paulie was back to hit a solo shot in the 8th to give the Sox the lead they'd eventually head home with. 3 cardiac wins certainly makes everyone feel better about themselves.... except for this guy. Yeah they still suck, but let us fans feel good for one frickin' day.... yeesh.

(Andruw Jones is very happy that Alex Rios hit his blast on Saturday. That old man on the right is our "Utility Infielder,"Omar Visquel. From: SouthSide Sox)

Speaking of Captain Paulie: He's definitely hammering the un-holy heck outta the ball right now. Watching his two homers from Saturday and Sunday, I can't shake the feeling that he's getting an extra 15ish feet on his swings this year. Both of those swings would be warning tack (if not worse) outs last year. Now, they're massive confidence building bombs. Before you ask, the dude's not on HgH (While not fat, per se, the dude is definitely not caring around extra muscle). I can only figure that this is the last gasp his bat has before it peters completely out for the rest of his career. I'll take it while I can get it.

(Paulie's game-winning shot from Sunday. From: The Trib)

The Blackhawks also come from behind: That game should've been over. With less than 2 minutes left in the game, and control of the series on the line, the Hawks were not only down but Marian Hossa had committed a stupidly rash 5-minute major penalty to put the Hawks against the wall with a man down. It was such a foregone conclusion, in my mind, that the Hawks would lose that I turned the TV off and went back to listening to the Sox game. Then, out of the blue, fans started cheering at a random moment at Comiskey. The announcers surmised "The Hawks must have won, because the fans in the suites are going bonkers." Nope, they hadn't won, they had just improbably scored. Short handed, the Hawks got a loose puck and raced down the ice. The puck just happened to find Patty Kane in front of the net with 13.4 seconds left. Incredible. Feeling like a dope for leaving the Hawks in such dire straits, I didn't even change the channel during the overtime intermission for fear that the hockey gods would punish me for my wandering thoughts. In overtime, Hossa redeemed himself by screaming out of the penalty box, and straight to the open weak side of the net. After a shot/pass across ice, he gleefully tapped in the easy opportunity to send the UC into pandemonium. Frickin' awesome! The Hawks regain the series lead 3-2, and I learned yet another lesson in playoff hockey. As for Hossa's hit on Predator Dan Hamhuis: while stupid, the NHL deemed it legal.
(Winning is awesome. From: The Trib)

The Bulls also come.... no wait, they suck: Well, at least the Del Negro era is almost over... couldn't we have at least gotten another lottery pick out of this mess? Also, this just in: LeBron James is good at basketball.


NFL Draft: Outside of the whole "Tebow" thing (giggle), the draft had some interesting surprises. Wow, Carolina got Claussen cheap. Even if he "busts," in previous years he would've gone first easy. Teams really are freaking out about the whole "character" thing. Just look at how far guys like Claussen and Dez Bryant fell... but if the whole league only values "character" and "intelligence," then why did Myron Rolle not get drafted? Because Oxford is scary, i guess... How can you question a guy's passion just because he wanted a once-in-a-lifetime chance to forward his education. That's bullshit.

Buffs draft news: There was none. Not a single Buff got even a flier 7th spent on them. Sure, some players like Pat DeVenny (Seattle), Ben Burney (Browns) and Riar Geer (Broncos) will get a UDFA shot at the NFL, but it's kind of sad to be the only Big XII team without a draft pick (Especially when the league got the first four picks of the draft). Neil Woelk has helpfully put together this list of shitty schools with draft picks to make us Buff fans feel bad. Thanks Neil! At least the Gary Barnett era is officially over, and we can get back to focusing on how terrible Dan Hawkins is.

Happy Monday!

The Bulls just won't let me not care

The Bulls are a franchise stuck in neutral. I've understood this since the day they traded known quantity Elton Brand to draft Tyson Chandler and Eddie Curry (yikes). Rebuilding project after rebuilding project has ensued. The Bulls have always lacked an identity in the post Jordan years, having always stuck with a collection of good (never great) role players. First it's the aforementioned "twin towers", then it's noted motorcycle enthusiast Jay Williams, followed by the Kirk Hinrich/Ben Gordon years, the trade of future star LaMarcus Aldridge for the very average Tyrus Thomas (yawn), and finally the signing of Ben Wallace (wtf?). An entire decade lost to the mediocre.

Essentially, I blame this mess on John Paxson. While the Bulls have largely been in contention for playoff berths the last 7 years, that in-of-itself is not that big of a deal in the Eastern Conference where sub .500 teams routinely reach the post season. Even the drafting of Derrick Rose means nothing since that was essentially a lucky circumstance and Rose was the no-brainer 1st choice. Seriously, what's the high-point of Paxson's tenure with the Bulls? Shafting Isiah Thomas in the Eddie Curry deal? A 5-year old could pull the wool over that guy's eyes. (I'll give him credit for Joakim Noah. I was dead set against that guy amounting to anything in the NBA. Now, he's essentially Bill Laimbeer with skill!) Routinely the Bulls under Paxson's watch have failed to get a real centerpiece to build the team around, and in a league in which your success rests on your best player being spectacular, leaving it up to Ben Gordon is just stupid (at least he didn't re-sign him).

All of that brings me to the events of the past month. It was revealed yesterday that Pax got into a shoving match with coach Vinny Del Negro over Noah's playing time. Everybody knows that these guys have had a contentious relationship (with some good reason. Vinny is a awful coach, and I would've tried to drop him off the back of the bus too if I had the chance), and everyone is using the events to talk about the problems with the Del Negro era. But this should not just be a referendum on Vinny, but one on Pax as well.

(Watch out Vinny! He's right behind you! From: the Trib)

Outside of the fact that this incident was basically criminal assault, Pax's record gives him nothing to fall back on, and he has previously acted un-professionally with his various coaching staffs. He has to go. (Vinny has to go as well) I know Jerry Reinsdorf protects "his guys," but loyalty can't cover up for the fact that two men who suck at their jobs just gained national attention for almost stumbling into a bare-knuckled fight in front of their co-workers and underlings. When is the Bulls organization going to realize that Pax is not cut out for this job, has a uneven managing style, and a lack of professional perspective. Yeesh, the better part of a decade is enough.

Monday Grab Bag: Could it have happened any other way?

Tons of stuff happening over the weekend. Early April is never boring. On with the bag...

The Masters: Last week I was predicting (not on this site, just take my word for it) that Tiger would have a Fuck You tournament. Pissed at the world and the media for delving into his personal business, I figured he'd just stomp the floor with everyone in a Jordan-esque onslaught of awesome. Would-a, Could-a, Should-a; the rust proved too great for him. (Emblematic of his slight off-nes was his disastrous short 3-putt on Sunday.) When trying to hold onto some semblence of competition with the leaders, he just couldn't maintain the focus and hit the shots when needed. Sprinkled in amongst his 4 days of golf was a masterpiece; he just couldn't figure out how to fit the pieces together. Seriously, if you figure he was maybe playing at 75% ability (which I think is generous), imagine what he would've shot had he been on his game; -20? Think about it.

("Woof, after this long weekend I'm really gonna need some time with my stripper.... family, I mean family. Yep, that's what I meant." From: Tigerwoods.com)

I wanted to care about Phil winning, I really did. It certainly does make for a nice story (his wife having cancer, and all), and he's a nice guy who I'm happy to see win. But the story was, and should've been, Tiger's return to golf. I'll just have to be content with "Lefty" winning his 3rd Green Jacket. Not too bad for a guy previously known as "the best golfer never to win a major." (This was a contrived media phenomenon from earlier this decade, essentially created to give them something to ask Phil at boring tour stops while they waited for something interesting to happen. Phil should'a slapped the asshole who came up with that in the face.)

(Much like Chuck Norris, Phil's tears of joy can cure cancer. Boy, was she lucky she married that guy! From: ESPN)

On a personal note, I love the Masters. It's got a lot to do with the fact that it's always around my birthday, but it's the only golf tournament that can hold my attention. Lack of commercials, a perfect course, and a stellar field; the Masters has it all. If all golf could be like Masters weekend, maybe I'd be able to get into it on a more consistent basis. Oh well, back to not caring for the next 360 days.

Jeff Bzdelik leaving CU for Wake Forest: I'm going to have a more comprehensive post on this tomorrow (When he actually accepts the job), but, in the mean time, I'll jot down my quick thoughts. This is a good move for Jeff, and I wish him well. His daughter goes to school there (and she's had some health issues), he wants to retire there, and he's familiar with the athletic director (Jeff and Bohn have had a rocky relationship here). I have feel no ill will towards Jeff over this move, and, as long as Steve McCalin is the next head coach, CU is in good shape and good hands.

("Peace, I'm outta here." From: The BDC)

Spring Game: Yep, didn't go. Don't hate, I'd just rather not notice the football program until the fall; it'll just give me a hernia if I think about it too much. From all accounts the team looked good (Defensive line aside). Offensive wrinkles added some spice to the festivities, and many of the young players (Quentin Hildreth, Nick Hirschman, Parker Orms, etc.) flashed some playing potential. Fall-ball starts in August. I'd really rather not to have to think about the team till then, thank you very much.

You may run like Mays, but you hit like shit: After the first week of baseball, I think I have a pretty good handle on the '10 Sox. The starter will go 7 innings, probably giving up 3 runs or less each time. The bullpen might even hold the opponent down the rest of the way (which, considering the last few years, is a damn miracle.) But it won't matter cause the offense can't do shit. Every game this year will be close, and I've put a cardiologist on call.

If it wasn't for the Cubs, my Sox would be the worst hitting team in baseball (.203 to .197, and 3rd to last in RBI's.) Yes, it's only a week, but I'm sick and tired of the "it's cold in April" excuse. These are games against AL Central opponents! Both teams are playing in the same stadium! You're professionals, damnit! At least they're walking, and strikeouts are down. But, if all you can muster is a weak pop-fly to center field, it's not much of an improvement. Greg Walker needs to be fired. 5 years of this shit is enough.
(Here's Paulie, straining with the weight of the entire team's offense on his shoulders. From: The Trib)

Hawks stumble with opportunity to clinch Home Ice: With home ice throughout the Western Conference Playoffs on the line, the Blackhawks choked in overtime against the hated RedWings. Even more important, a win would've set up a series with the Avalanche and guaranteed me the ability to see my 'Hawks in the playoffs (for a lot less than if I was still living in Chicago. Oh well, I still like the 'Hawks chances to make the Stanley Cup Finals, and Nashville is probably the easier of the 2 opponents (the 'lanche are young and hungry). Goalie Antti Niemi says he's "almost as ready as I can be," (Almost?) and shouldn't be held up by the OT goal last night. Here's to the 'Hawks, and good luck!
(Thanks a lot dude. I coulda gotten to see my 'Hawks in the playoffs. Good luck this week, though. From: The Trib)

The Bulls chaotically inch towards the playoffs: Despite the recent turmoil surrounding Joakim Noah's playing time, the Bulls have somehow pulled themselves into the 8th playoff spot with their win over Toronto last night. Two games to go, and this chaotic season might have a payoff (albeit a short one, since they'll most certainly be bounced out of the 1st round). Vinny Del Negro may be the worst coach in basketball (Watch the Celtics series from last year. Just awful), and he may have no control of his team, but, assuming the Bulls pull it together and make the playoffs, he will have coached 2 straight playoff teams (not without desperately trying to keep them from making the playoffs.) That and 5 bucks will get you a hamburger. Just saying, I'll do his job for $50 grand (and I'll have just as good a chance of succeeding as he does).

Happy Monday!