Isiah Thomas dreaming of a return to the Knicks is my nightmare

So I eased into the day today and eventually checked the headlines on ESPN.com and noticed that there is a story about Isiah Thomas posted.  I haven't been a fan of Isiah Thomas for many, many years now for a multitude of reasons (e.g. allocation of minutes for a particular center in the Atlanta NBA All-Star game, destruction of the once highly respected New York Knicks, foolish bravado).  However, since my morning started off good, I thought I'd read the article.

Evidently, Isiah is "itching" for a return to the Knicks.  Fan-tas-tic...  ****  For those of you that don't know me that well, or can't hear my voice when you read my words, that's SARCASM.  Are you even kidding me?  He might be itching, but if he actually returns to the Knicks I might vomit or go into a rage like no other. 

Honestly, how self-unaware can an individual be?  How can he not realize what he did to that team?  Does he not recall all the "Fire Isiah" posters and the rallies, petitions from New York Knicks season ticket holders requesting refunds?  I will tell you right now, that I used to love the New York Knicks.  I was a huge Patrick Ewing fan.  In fact, the Georgetown Hoyas losing to Villanova Wildcats in 1985 still devastates me til this day.  I rooted for Ewing, Oakley, Starks, Mason, and yes even Charles Smith (i.e. until he missed those bunny shots) for YEARS.  Despite my dad telling me that the New York Knicks would never win me an NBA Championship, I stood by that team when Reggie Miller made the choking signs Jordan went "Jordan" on them.

Isiah's reign at Madison Square Garden is something I'd like to forget.  In my quest to make it to every professional sporting venue for basketball, baseball, and football ~ would you believe I have yet to make it to a New York Knicks home game?  I've seen the Big East semifinals and a New York Rangers game, but I have yet to watch my once beloved Knicks.  I can't bring myself to do it, and New York is close enough where I can make a day trip out of it. 

I really should check the Knicks' schedule now that Amare Stoudemire is on the squad and the season looks to have more promise....  ****  OK, I just checked the schedule and it looks like the Washington Wizards are visiting the Knicks tonight ~ but there's no way that I can make it to the game in time, with the travel that would need to occur.  Yeah, that's just how my life works sometimes ~ but I'm fine with it, since I'm not really a Wizards fan.  I just need to check out John Wall eventually this year...  It's a long season.   I need to pace myself.

Back to Isiah and his delusions.  Am I really supposed to believe that if Isiah was the president of the Knicks that LeBron James and maybe Dwyane Wade would be wearing New York Knicks jerseys?!?!  Seriously?!?!  Really?!?!  Come on, now.  It's no secret how I feel about LeBron taking his talents to South Beach, and I don't want to start fighting a bunch of New Yorkers who believe that the New York is the greatest place on Earth to play sports ~ but of all things that factored in free agency this year, I doubt that the lack of Isiah Thomas' leadership played a factor.  I'd bet on it.

I don't know what kind of power Isiah Thomas has over James Dolan, but it's sickening.  The fact that Dolan appears to have a short-term memory with regard to Isiah's performance and still tried to bring him on as a consultant is bewildering to say THE LEAST.  It's almost like a co-dependent, abusive boyfriend-girlfriend relationship where both parties kick the crap out of each other, but never officially end things because they're too connected.  It's CRAZY. 

Even if Isiah has basketball merit, the man already cost the organization millions of dollars in a sexual harassment case.  I mean, come on....  What else is left for him to do?  Oh, that's right ~ he's the missing link in the Knicks recruitment of top NBA talent and the reason why the LeBron is LeGone...

Give me a break.


THE WIRK

Sports: Athletes and houses ~ free agency, trades, and real estate

It's been a rough day...  I woke up this morning after having a nightmare that my parents bought the house I used to live in, when I was engaged a million (ok, so it wasn't really a million) years ago.  The house is the one he and I picked out when we were dating.  He actually proposed to me in the backyard on the deck by the water. 

The house is also the same house where he and his current wife (i.e. who I used to hang out with and was once engaged to his former teammate) resided once I left town and they coupled up.  But, that's all neither here nor there for the purposes of this blog...

Needless to say, I was bothered by the nightmare.  I woke up angry.  Later in the day, I decided to Google my old address and wouldn't you know that house is for sale?  Actually, it was listed 10 days ago!  Scary coincidence... 

I've always been someone who can sense when there's a problem or when something is happening.  I get a feeling about people and things and most of the time I'm right.  Obviously, I'm not batting a thousand or I'd be wealthier and more successful in my professional and personal relationships ~ but I've learned not to ignore my gut feelings.

The owner of the house has always said that Cleveland will always be "home".  He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1996 (i.e. 1st round, 20th pick).  Based on the effort to sell this house, all signs point to that not being the case.  I can't speculate on what I don't know, so I'm not going to say for sure that he hasn't purchased another home in Ohio.  I don't really care.  Obviously this won't garner as much attention as LeBron's decision to leave Cleveland, but for someone like me, I have to say I'm a bit surprised. 

I looked through the pictures on the house listing and am surprised to see so few changes in the house that I once called "home".  Of course, the woman that "replaced" me tried to renovate it and make it hers (e.g, redoing the kitchen, expanding the terrible closet space), but at the end of the day ~ that's still the house that he and I picked out for our life together and the house that she moved into AFTER I left. 

Admittedly, I wanted the house in Gates Mills, but he always wanted to live on the water.  ****  I conceded since he was only my boyfriend at the time and life was hard enough with him injured and on crutches.  When we were house-hunting it was my job to climb stairs or descend downstairs to check ceiling heights to make sure that a 7 footer could stand upright without hitting his head.

That reminds me.  One of the coolest basements I'd ever seen was John Hart's.  He's the former General Manager of the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers.  Damnit, ironically I just read his wikipedia page and it says that he currently serves as senior adviser, baseball operations, for the Rangers. Ugh, I was just in Texas for the World Series!!!!  Anyway, John Hart had one of the best collections of baseball memorabilia I'd ever seen.  Baseball posters, stadium seats, signed baseballs and bats. It was awesome.  I remember walking down there and calling up the stairs to my guy, "You really need to come down here!" and watching him precariously negotiate the stairs and low-ceilings on his crutches.

It's not uncommon for athletes to sell or rent their homes to other athletes.  Free agency, trades, seasonal work, and retirement are part of the business of sports.  I watched MTV Cribs before and saw Shaquille O'Neal's Miami house.  It used to be Rony Seikaly's and Shaq put his Superman touches on it.  I remember Shaq and Shaunie remarking that it was nice to move into Rony's house because things were built/customized for a taller man (e.g. door heights). 

Here's one for you...  In the master bathroom the sinks were higher than your average sinks, to make it easier for him to wash his hands.  Um, that's fantastic.  What about people who have normal heights?  Do you know how gross and annoying it is to have water drip down your arm onto your sleeves?  I wonder if the toilet in the master bathroom of my old house is still raised.  It was elevated to the point that Danny Ferry once gave me a "step stool" as a joke for Christmas, since he was concerned my feet would dangle.  I never used it, but I still have the stool.

When a veteran Cleveland Cavalier moved out of his home after being traded, Damon Jones a "new Cleveland Cavalier" (i.e. at the time) moved right in.  That house was featured on an episode of MTV Cribs.  Seriously?!?!  I've been in that house many times (i.e. numerous parties, dinners, and random nights).  It's not that extraordinary.  I can't find the episode anymore. I can only find the unaired clip.  See for yourself with the following link.  Never Been Seen: Damon Jones: "Damon Jones lets us look behind his fully stocked bar, and gives us a spin in the chair in his private barber salon."

When I get around to it, I might post some pics of the house from back in the day or I might not, since it doesn't really matter.  I'm debating on whether or not I even want to post a link the listing, and at this time I'm deciding against it. I don't need/want my former address published. 

Mi "old" casa, es su casa ~ for almost $2 million.  The stories I could tell ~ priceless...


THE WIRK

Margarito v Pacquiao is a sad substitute for Mayweather v Pacquiao

It's obvious if you've been checking this blog, that I've had Dallas on the brain.  I was just there over the weekend and I couldn't help but notice the billboards that were up for the Antonio Margarito v Manny Pacquiao fight, which is slated to take place at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Saturday, November 13.  Is this fight appealing to me?  Eh.  The answer isn't simple.  I'm curious since I would like to see Pacquiao fight.  A month or so ago, I noticed he was working out in Baguio (i.e. in the Philippines, where I have family).  I practically begged my cousins to run out and send me some pictures, but they never came through for me.  I have another cousin in Dallas who went and saw Pacquiao fight Clottey the last time he was at Cowboys Stadium, and he relayed that the experience was awesome.

I've been to the new Cowboys Stadium.  I saw the Dallas Cowboys defeat the Philadelphia Eagles during last season's NFL playoffs.  This year, I also saw the NBA All-Star game at Cowboys Stadium.  Thank goodness I had a pass and a good seat to take in the game and the entire scene, otherwise I may not have enjoyed the experience as much since the building is HUGE.  I never realized the difference in size between a basketball court and a football field until I saw just how many people they could pack in for the basketball game.  There were chairs EVERYWHERE.  Since a boxing ring is even smaller I really can't imagine how that will look in such a large space.  If it weren't for that monstrous overhead screen, I can't fathom how anyone could enjoy watching a boxing match at the venue.

I remember where I was when Manny Paquiao fought Joshua (aka "Blood" <-- sorry, my joke) Clottey.  I was in Atlantic City with friends and the action on the casino floor basically came to a stop as the rounds ended one after the other.  Supervisors, pit bosses, waitresses, customers all stopped and watched the TVs.  I need to talk to my boxing friend, John, to see if that's the same reaction the Margarito v Pacquiao is anticipated to evoke.

Margarito v Pacquiao...  Is it just me, or is this a bit of a sad substitute for the marquee match-up that most boxing fans desire?!?!  It's no secret that people would prefer to watch Floyd "Money" Mayweather v Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.  I was playing online and found a poll.  The poll simply asked when people thought Mayweather and Pacquiao would fight.  With over 40% of the vote, the respondents answered "Never".  The other two choices were: 2011 and when they're both washed up.  Out of curiosity, I'm going to poll the readers of this blog and see what they think ~ so feel free to vote on the right-hand side of this post.

I'm not going to lie.  I was curious and looked at the tickets available for the Margarito v Pacquiao fight.  There are definitely some good ones available and I've been wanting to see Pacman fight live.  Margarito has been in trouble in the past for his hand wraps and accused of using a plaster like substance to gain an unfair advantage.  As a result, Margarito and his trainer had their license revoked by the California State Athletic Commission.  If you want more information, check out the following link: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=3897765.  Needless to say, Margarito acquired a license to compete in Texas.

I've never seen a live boxing match.  It might be time to think about returning to Texas, to see if Margarito can redeem himself and fight "fair" but in all seriousness, I think Pacquiao will dominate and win.  To be honest, I have to question why Pacquiao is even fighting Margarito (i.e. who I'll admit I had to research heavily as if I was doing a grade school book report to even write anything remotely knowledgeable on the man), when Mosley or Martinez would have more cache in the world of PPV.  I mean. let's face it, I'd imagine that my cousins would be among the faithful Filipinos and boxing fans who might invest in the fight (i.e. to share the nation's pride, when Pacquiao wins <--  yes, I wrote "when") and Margarito should receive support from his Mexican fan base, but I can't imagine that this fight would really be a good one.  Plus, even though I'm not the most patient person ~ I might be willing to pass/wait for the match-up that over 40% of the people polled believe will never happen (i.e. Mayweather v Pacquiao).  I guess time will tell...


THE WIRK

My favorite pictures from a visit to the Fort Worth Zoo

Here are a few of my favorite shots at the Fort Worth Zoo on Monday.  I enjoyed the day with Rami, who's a very serious photography hobbyist.  I'm very curious to see how his pictures turned out.  These are mine.  Enjoy!

Gorilla admiring the waterfall

Warthog devouring a cantaloupe

The King of the Jungle

On its hind legs grazing

Beautiful blue colors

The least modest kangaroo is on the left

Check it out!

Hippos

So tall, look how it has to spread its legs to bend

The giraffe's reflection was too cool not to shoot

  

Elephants are so cute and playful

Can you see the baby bonobo, Layla, that was born on April 12?

For those of you that are wondering where the sports tie-in exists, I have to remind you that the this blog also covers my thoughts on music and travel.  If you absolutely need a sports angle, think of the law of the jungle and natural selection.  Create an analogy such that the Lakers, Yankees, or whomever are the Lions and the lazy kangaroo is an athlete that rests on his laurels since he's already on stage...  Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy.  Oh, and in case you were wondering...  I'm happy :-P

I forgot to mention that at the zoo, Rami and I both got hit with bird poo...  Awesome, right?  Hahaha.  They say it's good luck, but honestly - what are they supposed to say?

THE WIRK

The Dallas World Aquarium ~ Easy like Sunday afternoon

I went to the Dallas World Aquarium over the weekend.  For someone like me, who absolutely loves aquariums and fish, this was a great idea.  Armed with our cameras, Rami and I were ready to take on the venue and see what shots we could capture.

If you've never been to the aquarium, I recommend you check it out.  If you have a sweet tooth, you should indulge and try the little cafe.  We indulged in the banana and pineapple fritters with coconut ice cream, and the dessert was fantastic.  

Ok, back to the aquarium and the animals...  Here are a few of my favorite shots.

  

Doesn't it look like it has a face? 

He has great ideas...

I've been to a bunch of aquariums and although the Dallas one isn't the largest one I've seen or the most comprehensive, I still found it fun to visit.  I especially enjoyed the "predator tunnel" where you can stand and the sharks and turtles swim around and over you.

I did a quick search to find the top aquariums in the country, and this is the list that I found:
1. Discovery Cove - Part of Seaworld in Orlando
2. Sea World - California , Florida, Texas
3. Georgia Aquarium - Atlanta <-- been there
4. Living Seas - Epcot, Orlando <-- been there
5. National Aquarium - Baltimore <-- been there
6. Monterey Bay Aquarium - California
7. John G Shedd Aquarium - Chicago <-- been there
8. New England Aquarium - Boston
9. Tennessee Aquarium - Chattanooga <-- been there
10. Aquarium of the Pacific - Long Beach, CA
10. The Texas State Aquarium - Corpus Christi.
10. Ripley's Aquarium - Myrtle Beach
****  Who knows why there are 3 #10s.  It's not my list. 

A visit to the Dallas World Aquarium was a great idea for a Sunday afternoon!

THE WIRK

In Dallas for the World Series, but never made it into Rangers Ballpark ~ Rangers rally today

I went to Dallas for the World Series, but I never made it to the game.  

****  Incidentally, last year I was working in London and on vacation in Rome for Halloween weekend.  I visited the Roman Colosseum and many other sites during that weekend, but being the sportsfan that I am, I have to say that the Colosseum was definitely my favorite destination on the trip.

OK.  Enough about that.  Back to Dallas...  I was planning on going to Game 3 on Saturday (i.e. and looked forward to seeing my friend from school, who was also in town with his kids).  Game 3 was the first home game for the Texas Rangers and they were 0-2 after losing both away games to the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.  Prior to arriving in Dallas, I did what I always do.  I called a couple of my contacts and began hawking ticketing sites.  I looked on Stubhub.com on Friday and I was ready to pull the trigger, but I hesitated.  In addition to going to Dallas for the World Series, I was there because I wanted to get to know someone better and wanted to spend time with that person.  Therefore, when it came to the game I hesitated. 

I never hesitate.  Correction:  I've hesitated one time before, and I have never forgiven myself.   Til this day, I still remember forgoing a concert for a birthday party, and til this day I want to kick myself.  I can't lie, those feeling are creeping into my brain again, and I'm beginning to turn sour.

If it were me, JUST ME, I would've had a ticket in hand on my way to the ballpark.  I had the money I won in Vegas earmarked as the funds for the the ticket to the game.  If it were just me, I would've been prepared.

It wasn't JUST ME, this time and I was accommodating someone else in my plans.  When we walked around the park it was clear that there weren't many people selling.  The fans of the Texas Rangers were obviously excited since the team was in the World Series for the first time EVER.  Yet another reason to go to the game since it would be so compelling for the fans.

Before going to the game, while sporting my presents, a new Rangers T-shirt and a new Rangers hat, my new person of interest and I had a quick bite a Charlie Palmer at the Joule.  The lobster corn dogs and beef skewers were my favorite.  I must disclose that the sauce for the beef skewers was a bit salty though.

After our meal, we headed towards Rangers Ballpark to scope out the scene.  Around the stadium there were various scalpers, but their inventory was scant, undesirable, or even fraudulent.  There were a few guys that purchased fake tickets that wouldn't scan or were printed out numerous times so that the bar codes were no longer any good.  There were only about 3 pairs of upper level seats that were up for grabs and the going price was $500/ticket.  Standing room only tickets were also up for grabs, but there weren't many (i.e. less than 10 were being offered by the scalpers outside).  SRO tickets were going for $400-$500 also.  ****  There was a Goldentickets.com bus parked near the stadium, but I never checked their inventory.  I've used them before though, and I've been satisfied with their service.

Saturday was a beautiful night for a baseball game.  We saw the fireworks light up the sky when the Rangers hit a home run.  There were plenty of people tailgating for the game and enjoying the game from the nearby parking lots.  They'd set up the power cords and had the game on TVs for other fans to watch and enjoy.  Guys on rickshaws were transporting people from the lots to Rangers Ballpark and charging a minimum of $10.  Have you ever ridden one?  They can be fun and the guys get a good work out as they pedal you to the park.

After giving up on getting a ticket into the game, we headed off to dinner at the Dallas Chop House.  If you haven't been to the restaurant yet (i.e. it's about 8 months old), I recommend that you check it out.  The food was fantastic.  For appetizers, we enjoyed a lump crab cake and an avocado, ahi tuna, and cucumber appetizer  and a dry aged sirloin for my main course.  I think it was a sirloin, but I could be wrong.  Whatever the cut of meat was, it was very tender and juicy...  In addition to the food, the restaurant's design is appealing.  The outdoor bar and seating area at the Dallas Chop House had an outdoor fireplace that was very sexy and offered warmth when temperatures started to fall at night. 

My Saturday night in Dallas didn't go as expected, but great food and company helped ease the disappointment.  This blog started with the NFL Playoffs and covered my adventures at the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Game, The Masters, NBA Finals, and most recently covered my run during the the MLB Playoffs...  Wouldn't you know, Game 3 was the ONLY game the Rangers won in the World Series, and I missed it...  Ain't that a kick in the head?!!?!? 

Looks like I exhausted all my luck during the New York Yankees v Texas Rangers ALCS series, when I happened to have the best seat in the house next to someone special... C'est la vie :-P

I received an email today about the Texas Rangers rally that will be held today Wednesday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. in Lot J on the west side of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.  The rally will feature President Nolan Ryan, Manager Ron Washington, and a number of the players from the 2010 American League Champions.  The Rangers Rally is free and open for all fans. Free parking is available in Rangers MetroPCS Lot A, Academy Sports + Outdoors Lot B, Lots C, M, and N and Cowboys Stadium Lot 4 beginning at 2:00 p.m. Fans should note that Nolan Ryan Expressway between Road to Six Flags and Randol Mill Road will be closed today beginning at 8:00 a.m.


THE WIRK

Man claiming to be a US Census worker seems fake and suspicious

So last week, I came home close to 9:30PM to find some random man in my building's lobby who was talking to the concierge.  I went past him and went straight to the mailboxes and sure enough he was over by the mailboxes "just looking" at them.  He went by me and then saw mailbox I was pulling my mail from and 2 minutes later, he knocked on my door.

Since I just saw the man and he looked relatively non-threatening, I opened my door.  He flashed my a green badge with no agency seal, no name, and only his picture.  He said his name was Richard Butler" and that he worked for the US Census Bureau.  He asked me about my neighbor(s) across the hall and whether or not I'd seen them.  I said, "No," and shut the door.

Immediately I felt like something wasn't right so I called someone to sound off.  I wanted another opinion as to whether or not that situation was strange.  After having my feelings validated I went down to the lobby to talk to the concierge and explain what just had happened.  Sure enough, she was taking notes and recording the incident with the man, because she thought he was suspicious also.

We called the police.  While waiting for the police, the man came back down and then saw me behind the desk.  I asked him to show me his badge again and he said, "Yes," but then never produced it and instead tried to enter the office where the lady and I were standing.  Immediately, I panicked and went to close the door ~ but the door was stopped and wouldn't close.  I retreated and was ready to hurdle the desk as the lady stood between the man and me.

He said he couldn't show me his badge because of Title 13.  Title 13 is the law under which the Census Bureau operates. The law guarantees the confidentiality of census information, and establishes penalties for disclosing this information.  Seems to me that the man is just spinning a story, because to me ~ Title 13 doesn't mean that he doesn't have to show his badge to people he encounters, when he's on official business.

When the police came, the man decided to talk to them outside.  I have no what story the man gave them,  but somehow he was able to prove to them that he worked for the US Census Bureau.  I guarantee, if he was able to do that it wasn't by showing them the same bogus badge that he showed me.  The whole experience was suspicious.

I told the police my story and they said that since he worked for the US Census Bureau he was allowed to be in the building and wasn't trespassing.  The police told me that he didn't have to show me his badge.  Just because a man works for the IRS, doesn't mean he can go door-to-door collecting taxes and I'd be willing to bet a lot of money that even if he does work for the US Census Bureau that he's abusing his power and acting inappropriately.  I find it incredibly hard to believe that coincidentally he was looking for my neighbor across the hall, after he saw me check my mail.

My sounding board told me to take a picture of the man, and that was the best idea he had.  The man claiming to be a US Census Bureau worker is pictured at the beginning of this post.  All I can say, is that if you see this guy ~ don't answer your door, and if I cross paths with him again, I'm still going to call the police.

According to the following website:
If someone shows up at your home claiming to be from the Census Bureau, check for these indicators.

• Census employees will carry a bag marked with the Census logo.
• They wear a specific badge with the employee’s name, and if they’re driving, they will have a placard in their car.
• They will be able to supply more identification if you ask.
• You can verify their identity by calling the Census Bureau at 1-866-226-2864. You will need to provide the worker’s name and the Case ID number.

Needless to say, the man couldn't not provide any of the following information.

****  Update:  After talking to the local census bureau, it turns out the man is legitimate.  They asked him for a copy of his badge to see what he's carrying and had a talk with him about the experience and following proper  procedures.  The lady from the office in Charlotte, NC said she called me back and left me a message.  Funny.  I never received a voicemail from her.  Great.  Now I  wonder if I'm getting all my messages...


THE WIRK