The Blog @ http://www.terrylyons.com

Improv at the Garden...

2009-12-01T15:09:00.001-05:00

The Knicks and the NBA will go to great lengths to entertain their fans. Bad basketball game? How about a little improv? Yes, here's a new way to be entertained at a sporting event:

This clip came to my attention via ESPN's TrueHoop. Thanks Henry.

Mark Cuban Remains Clueless on Olympic Basketball

2009-12-01T04:13:00.004-05:00

Mark Cuban remains in the dark with his broken-record denial of the fact that the Olympics actually help the NBA in its endless quest to promote itself and the sport of basketball to people "other" than the very core fans the league is constantly reaching on a regular basis.
The Olympic Games reach a far broader audience than the NBA and its 200+ broadcast outlets can ever reach, even during the annual All-Star Game or NBA Finals. Cuban refuses to recognize that the broadcasters that have Olympic broadcast rights are far superior in scope and reach than the limited audience of the NBA's niche rights holders. (A good example is the broad reach of NBC relative to the limited audiences of the likes of Comcast SportsNet New England, MSG Network, TNT/Turner (via Cable).

See Cuban's myopic, mindless, -- not to mention boorish and repetitive -- viewpoint in his recent blog post:

There was a note in today’s NY Times saying that European Soccer leaders have unanimously backed a proposal to limit participation in future Olympics to players under the age of 21. (Currently, the Olympics are limited to under 23 plus 3 overage players. ).

All I can say is Amen.

I have argued why its crazy for the NBA to loan its best players to the USOC , which is first, last and middle a for profit organization that is using our players to generate billions of dollars of revenues. Not millions, BILLIONs.

Its crazy on every level.

Now that the European Soccer Community is pushing to remove their most highly paid and best players from the Olympics, we should support their efforts.

For the major revenue generating sports, the Olympics are no longer about Patriotism. They are a business.

If we want to find out which country has the best basketball, lets create a competitive tournament that is honest about why it exists and make it a profit making entity that shares the profits with its participants. A notion that is foreign to the Olympic Committee .

When we sent the Dream Team in 1992, it was the right thing to do at the right time. Our competition was sending what were essentially professional teams to face our collegiate players. Today, that is no longer the case. The NBA and professional basketball has become an international sport.

We could still send our under 21 players to the Olympics. They will represent our country admirably, Im sure. More importantly, it would be a great business move for the NBA. Those players we send will get far more branding and marketing assigned to them then their current one and done collegiate careers (and the prospects of playing in the Olympics may incent them to stay in college as well).

The incremental branding the Olympics would provide the players would make them far more valuable to, and marketable by the NBA should they make it to our level. To those who can’t, as young Olympians, their opportunity to continue their careers as pro players in other leagues would improve as well.

NBA fans, and this owner are tired of players who are unable to play to their full potential because they play for other profit seeking enterprises . Its not just about Mavs players. Its about players for all NBA teams. Its harder to sell tickets when a star on the other team cant play due to injury. Its time we follow the lead of these European Soccer leaders and ask our players to only play for the profit seeking enterprise that pays them and limit the Olympics to players under 21. IF the Olympics can make billions using our under 21 players, more power to them.

In case Cuban hadn't noticed, FIBA has a tournament that he describes and its called the World Championship. FIBA has organized Under-21 world championships, Under 20 world championships, Under 19 world championships and Under 18 world championships. At the last U21, the US finished fifth. For history, click HERE.

Sully on Tiger

2009-11-30T11:25:00.002-05:00

This from a Kevin Sullivan blog now featured on Yahoo.com:

Tell it first, tell it yourself and tell it all. That is the tried and true formula for handling a messy public relations crisis in the smoothest possible way.

When Tiger Woods let 13 hours lapse after Friday's early-morning accident without issuing an explanation, he ceded control of his story not only to legitimate news outlets, but also to celebrity gossip mongers on the hunt for a tale –- made up or otherwise -– of adultery and mayhem. The story of Tiger's first major off-the-course bogey was in their sights and the race was on to fill in the juicy details.

Woods hired attorney Mark NeJame, which shouldn't raise eyebrows -– after all, the police are investigating Woods' crash -– but repeatedly declining to be interviewed by the police makes it look like he has something to hide.

When Woods finally responded with a Sunday afternoon statement, he called the rumors false, malicious and irresponsible. Good for Tiger, who has a track record of successfully taking on the tabloids. But while he took responsibility for the crash, he provided scant information. ”I want to keep it (private),” Woods said of the details surrounding the middle-of-the-night incident. Good luck with that.

Woods' strategy leaves many questions unanswered, which has ignited a media frenzy to fill in the blanks and take down the world's most successful and well-known athlete.

Tiger's problem is that we've seen plenty of public figures in hot water make stern denials only to later be backpedaled into confessions after third parties talk or more information is unearthed. Remember the cases of Marion Jones, Michael Vick and Pete Rose, to name a few -– along with a parade of politicians, most recently former Senator and Presidential candidate John Edwards –- who misled and later came clean.

I want to believe Woods that all those salacious rumors are false. I certainly don't blame him for wanting to keep private whatever happened that night between him and his wife, Elin. But it's unrealistic. The state police want answers about the incident. The media won't let it go. And while Rachel Uchitel has denied the National Enquirer report that she had an affair with Woods, watching the video of her at LAX Sunday standing silently before the cameras alongside celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, it's hard to imagine that we're not going to hear from her soon.

So here are three suggestions for Woods:

1. Don't delay. Hold your scheduled press conference Tuesday to kick off the Chevron World Challenge, which, since it benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation among other charities, makes it the perfect backdrop. Without going into every private detail, provide a sense of what led to the collision. Give an explanation, take a couple questions, and then move on to previewing the tournament and how it will benefit the work of your foundation.

2. If you have something to own up to, do it completely and you will be forgiven. Just ask Kobe Bryant.

3. If not, disarm the skeptics with your sense of humor. Gary Peterson of the Contra Costa Times had a suggestion: Say you were excited about a Black Friday sale and got carried away. Then give a sincere explanation.

Anything that actually addresses the incident will bring Woods one step closer to putting it behind him. Otherwise, he better get used to seeing the TMZ.com van hanging around his subdivision.

this from:

Kevin Sullivan is the founder of Kevin Sullivan Communications, LLC. He was White House communications director under President George W. Bush, and before that was a communications executive with NBC Universal, NBC Sports and the Dallas Mavericks.

Monday Morning Music ...

2009-11-30T10:39:00.001-05:00

From the Rose Bowl, courtesy of U2:

Ramble On ... Thanksgiving Sunday Musings

2009-11-29T11:52:00.011-05:00

Okay? Who had the worst Thanksgiving weekend? Tiger Woods and his wife, Elin or the PR guy for Chevron World Challenge golf tourney?

Our online community has hit new levels of cyber-chase with the Tiger/Elin Woods car crash story. PR execs and crisis communications gurus are using the news frenzy to waive their business cards and grab public attention in the 48-hours since the initial report of the early Friday morning incident.

I'll choose to stay out of the commentary business but I will offer two or three cents of viewpoint:

1. Like everyone else, I think Tiger and his IMG handlers have blown this in epic proportions. The silence - all day Friday, all day Saturday and well into the afternoon today, has fueled speculation from every precinct from the PGA to TMZ. Addressing it no later than Saturday morning, then referring all additional questions to one single spokesperson (IMG's designee in a city other than Orlando) who could schedule one daily update which would've provided Woods with total control over the media coverage.

Also, announcing the site of a scheduled meeting with law enforcement officials at a location other than his home, would have allowed the authorities to secure his home and rope off an area to keep media at a distance to provide a reasonable amount of privacy for Tiger and his neighbors.

2. Obviously, one of those neighbors - whoever called the 911 - is a first-hand eye witness of the incident. Now that the story has fueled possible wrong-doing, the eye witnesses are a major part of the story.

3. During instances like this, I often wonder what would happen if the circumstances were different, and say, it were an NBA player and his wife or girlfriend, rather than a golfer. Can you imagine the coverage? The differences? Or, if the roles were changed and Tiger's wife was the one in the car and he was found standing over her with a golf club in hand?

Let the speculation continue. It's past 2:00pm est.

***

Notice? Not a world from the PGA Tour and its commissioner?

***

On another subject, St. John's is 5-0. including consecutive victories over (ranked) Siena on neutral court and a road win over Temple.

***

Mareen Dowd on Abe Pollin is worth a read.

***

Tale of Two Teams, Two Very Different Philosophies

2009-11-28T09:19:00.003-05:00

The opening minutes of tonight’s Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics game told the tale of two teams, two styles, two philosophies. The Raptors, who took to the parquet floor of Boston’s TD Garden with six international players, tore the leather off the cover of the official NBA Spalding basketball with 18 points in just under seven minutes of non-stop, offensive action. Toronto’s repertoire ranged from the workman-like inside moves of 6-10 (American) power-forward Chris Bosh to rainbow three-pointers by 6-10 (Turkish) swingman Hedo Turkoglu to a driving lay-up by 6-3 (Spanish) point guard Jose Calderon.

The Raptors shot the lights out early, hitting for better than 64-percent from the field. Not bad, you would think?

The problem? Let me count the ways and list the lay-ups and dunks from the first quarter play-by-play sheet:

9:45 - Ray Allen lay-up
9:16 - Rajon Rondo lay-up
8:48 – Paul Pierce lay-up
8:25 – Kendrick Perkins lay-up
7:51 – Kevin Garnett dunk
7:25 – Paul Pierce lay-up
6:25 – Kevin Garnett dunk
5:57 – Paul Pierce lay-up

It wasn’t until the 4:34 mark of the first quarter when Celtics forward Ray Allen settled for a jump shot off a Rondo pass when the Raptors let up a bucket other than a lay-up or dunk. That resulted in the Celtics shooting 12-for-13 over the opening stanza of the game, a torrid 92-percent from field goal range. After trading a few baskets and actually missing a shot or two, the quarter ended with another Rondo driving lay-up, a buzzer buzzer-beater to give the home team a 33-27 lead on 15-of-18 shooting (83-percent) with nine assists coming from the 15 field goals.

Not to be overlooked, the Raptors were raining down jump shots and scoring at a clip that would result in a full 18 points over the 90.8 points per game (ppg) that the Bostonians hold their visitors to on a nightly basis.

“We were having a feel good game at that point,” said Celtics Coach Doc Rivers. “You know, you score, you pat them on the back and they score.”

It was another Friday night fight for the Celtics on their home court, an unpleasant scenario for Rivers’ all-night video-tape sessions as his club held a entered the game with a dismal 1-3 mark within their friendly confines.

Of course, the Celtics took to the court without a single international player on their roster. The 2008 NBA champions fashion a large part of their game on the defensive end of the court, anchored by Kevin Garnett, one of the league’s best interior defenders. Danny Ainge, the popular team GM and executive director of basketball, together with Rivers, a proven veteran coach who stresses strong team defense with ball movement and unselfish play on the offensive end, orchestrated one of the NBA’s boldest series of off-season moves prior to their 2008 championship. They added to the player personnel file this past summer when free agent forward Rasheed Wallace and free agent guard Marquis Daniels were acquired to strengthen the team’s second unit and provide added interior defense alongside KG.

“Defense wins championships and offense sells tickets,” said Wallace in a recent Boston WEEI-Radio interview, echoing a statement he made frequently when he was on the Detroit Pistons’ NBA title team of 2004. Wallace’s quote, however, was really a paraphrase of famed Alabama college football coaching legend Paul “Bear” Bryant who was quoted as coining a similar, “offense wins games, but defense wins championships” line.

So the Toronto Raptors, hailing from a diverse and truly international metropolis, come to play games in the NBA with six international players, a Canadian coach in Jay Triano, an Italian Assistant General Manager/Player Personnel director in Maurizio Gherardini and the worldly viewpoint of team president Bryan Colangelo, who once orchestrated the high-octane offense of the Phoenix Suns and now wooing global talent to his new, cosmopolitan city.

The problem? Guarding.

“The Raptors can not guard anyone,” said one veteran NBA scout who has as much global experience as anyone in the game. “Bosh is not a very good defender. (Anrdea) Bargnani poses match-up problems but just can’t guard and Calderon can’t guard anyone.”

When it comes to tough, seven game series basketball in the playoffs, the Raptors must hit their shots. Otherwise, they will fall victim to teams like the Celtics who dialed up their defensive pressure in the third quarter to outscore Toronto 25-4 to put this particular game, played over the American Thanksgiving weekend, out of reach.

So, a look at the two teams and two very different philosophies tell the tale. The theory of tough defensive pressure and team defensive dominance seems to triumph over high-powered offensive might. A 25-4 run will prove the point every time.

Yet, high scoring, spread the defense and hit three-pointer style offense has doomed the Celtics on a number of occasions earlier this season. The Phoenix Suns’ 110-103 victory over the Celtics on November 3 provided a blue print of Boston’s vulnerabilities for the rest of the NBA. The question for Celtics’ opponents to ponder is simple. Can you consistently hit shots? Can you play 48-minutes of high-octane offense against a team that has superior defensive capabilities?

Do you want to play the run, shoot and score, international style or the rock ‘em, sock ‘em, shake down street NBA championship style defense?

Need Stuffing? Well, You Just Can't Make This Stuff Up...

2009-11-27T06:04:00.001-05:00

"Who knew you needed to go down to the loading dock to ask questions in the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

-- Marg Delahunty, by Mary Walsh, one of Canada's most entertaining comedians.

I don't even need to write a word of set-up to this one. Just read it and weep with the fact that this person was actually nominated to be the VP of the United States of America:

The headline to the story read:

Palin tells Marg Delahunty Canada should reform its public health-care system

But, it should have read:
PALIN A DISGRACE to the Citizens of the USA:

By Lee-Anne Goodman, The Canadian Press

WASHINGTON - Marg Delahunty has braved the wilds of the American Midwest to come face-to-face with Sarah Palin.

Comedian Mary Walsh's beloved character button-holed the former Alaska governor at a recent book-signing in Columbus, Ohio, only to be strong-armed away from Palin by a cabal of security guards.

The action was documented on Tuesday night's "This Hour Has 22 Minutes," but four days later, Walsh was still marvelling at her close encounter with one of the most controversial politicians on the planet.

"We told her we're from Canada, and we're just looking for a few words of encouragement for the Canadian conservatives who have worked so tirelessly to destroy the socialized medicare that we have," Walsh recalled Tuesday from St. John's.

"Four huge big burly guys started pushing, and I pushed back, but I got her attention, and she told us to keep the faith, something like that, and said we're all trying for the same thing."

After being kicked out of the book-signing, Walsh and her crew then waited outside at a loading dock close to where Palin's bus was parked. When Palin emerged from the Borders bookstore, Walsh said, Delahunty - dressed in a more toned-down version of her trademark warrior princess costume - called out to her.

"Hey, remember us, we're the Canadians! We came all the way here from Canada!" Delahunty yelled. "When we asked you that question, we didn't hear your answer."

Palin strolled over, looking down on Walsh and her crew to tell them that "Canada needs to reform its public health-care system and allow private enterprise to get involved and turn a profit."

"Basically, she said government should stop doing the work that private enterprise should do," Walsh said.

In addition to those comments, Walsh said, she found it equally bizarre that no one was allowed to ask Palin any questions at the book-signing.

"It was great fun, but also very strange," Walsh recalled.

"We're in a bookstore, at a public event, in a place one would think was a bastion of free speech. And no one was allowed to ask questions. What are they afraid of?"

***

This is pretty scary... see: HERE

***

For the direct link to this story, please note the letters/phrase in the URL and see: http://tinyurl.com/palindimwit

It doesn't get any worse than this:

If you retire AI's #3, it better go up with Velcro ...

2009-11-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

The major news report this evening came from Philadelphia where former NBA columnist Stephen A. Smith released a statement from former NBA All-Star Allen Iverson, announcing Iverson's plans to retire from the NBA. The 10-year NBA All-Star guard, who made stops in Denver and Detroit before playing only three road games for Memphis this season, walked away from his contract with the Grizzlies and was later waived by the team.

I will believe that AI is "officially retired" when he is still un-signed come the "dog days" of the NBA season this January or early February, a few weeks after the 10-days contracts are open season. Instead, I would predict that Iverson signs up with an NBA team desperate for help in the scoring and attendance columns.

It's been all downhill for the former 76ers star since he forced a December, 2006 trade to the Denver Nuggets. In that deal, the 76ers acquired guard Andre Miller and forward Joe Smith, along with two first-round draft picks used in the 2007 NBA Draft. Surprisingly, the two draft picks were for marginal players acquired and quickly shipped out during draft day deals where one provided Philadelphia with forward Jason Smith. Smith, the only player left standing from the blockbuster Iverson trade, started his first game on November 25 when the Sixers had two veteran starters sidelined and Smith filled in for power forward Elton Brand.

After the move to the NBA's Western conference outpost in the State of Colorado, Iverson failed to meld with Denver's offense which was full of motion schemes favored by Coach George Karl. The Nuggets figured to be a perfect match for Iverson's high-octane, jump-shooting skills but he joined the team immediately after suspensions to Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, then never found the chemistry necessary to blend in with Karl's offensive sets. Then, after the unsuccessful stint in the Mile High city, Iverson was shipped to Detroit.

In a surprising move in November, 2008, Detroit's Joe Dumars sent forward Antonio McDyess and guard Chauncey Billups to Denver is a deal that plotted some $20-$22 million in cap room after the Pistons left forward Rasheed Wallace (Wallace signed with the Boston Celtics).

Iverson is left with very few options. The logical spot to sign was with the New York Knickerbockers, only an hour and 19 minutes from Philly's 33rd Street Amtrak Station, where a stress-free train-ride would bring him and his family straight under New York's Madison Square Garden. But, when NYK GM Donny Walsh passed on signing Iverson (at the veteran's minimum salary of about $1.4 mil), the music stopped and the 10-year all-star was left standing without a chair. After he cleared waivers and no NBA team stepped up with an offer, the only move to make was to "officially" announce his retirement with the caveat that he would cherish the time with family. However, the message posted was pretty clear, as Iverson believes he can still contribute at a high level.

In other NBA locales, the only option for AI to consider would be a stint with the New Jersey Nets. Iverson has a lot of respect for Nets team president of basketball operations Rod Thorn and could establish a solid relationship with Nets no-nonsense coach Lawrence Frank who undoubtedly would appreciate some instant offensive fire-power from the 10-year vet who could limo straight up the famed New Jersey Turnpike for games at the Izod Center in the Meadowlands.

The only other possibility to consider would be a headline grabbing "AI to Europe" manuever where Iverson would return to "Rock Star" status in the Euroleague where he would surely sell plenty of tickets and attract plenty of attention, especially if he were to join the baloncestro-crazed Spanish fans of FC Barcelona or Real Madrid. Iverson and the 76ers sold-out the Palau Sant-Jordi in Barcelona during the NBA Europe Live Tour of 2007 when FC Barca defeated the Sixers in a preseason friendly before some 20,000 fans.

###

Eddie House with 1.8 ... Game Over

2009-11-25T22:12:00.004-05:00

Eddie House hit two final FTs to put the C's up 113-110. Seems like yesterday when I was predicting that Celtics opponents wouldn't be scoring 60-points on trips to the TD Garden.

Doc Rivers had Paul Pierce foul to avoid a potential game tying three-pointer. Kapono to the line and he missed the first of two and then bricked the second to end the game.

Final score 113-110.

Look for a nice piece on Iverson to come in the AM, along with another blasting of Sarah Palin to come this Friday.

Good night. Over and out.

Final 2.7 secs...

2009-11-25T22:07:00.002-05:00

Crowd on its feet and barely a fan has left the building after Rondo fouled Iguodala and the 76ers forward (25-9-9) hit both FTs to make it 111-110. Celtics failed to inbound on first try and called a :20 second timeout.

I only wish I could call a :20 second time-out when things got tough!

Time-Out with 34.3 left at TD Garden

2009-11-25T22:01:00.002-05:00

Exciting finish to what was one of the 100-200 NBA games that just don't pan-out during the season. Full house, great crowd and two teams ready to compete. But, tonight, it just didn't happen...

Ray Allen missed a gimme and the 76ers took off on the break only to have Iguodala turn the ball over after an offensive charging foul. (Good call).

Down the other end, the Celtics ran the clock, failed to execute once more, but guard Rajon Rondo improvised and hit a turn-around pop from the corner to put the Celtics up 109-105.

It's not over 'til it's over, they say, as Iguodala nailed a three to bring it to 109-108 with 3.3 left. The 76ers fouled Ray Allen who drilled the two free throws for a 11-108 lead.

Two minute warning...

2009-11-25T21:58:00.003-05:00

Celtics up 107-103 with two and change left. Seemingly in control but certainly not impressive during the game, especially with the 76ers down two starters.

Celtics failed to execute in their last possession, then fouled Iguodala with 1:20 left. We're now at 107-105 and anything can happen...

Mid-Fourth Quarter ...

2009-11-25T21:42:00.002-05:00

After tapping out a column for Basketball24/7 in Britain, I am back on the NBA game at hand. Celtics lead 98-90 after a three by Rasheed wallace and a pair of buckets by Rajon Rondo.

Rondo continues to struggle in the stat category and currently has an eight-point, two-rebound and six-assist line. Paul Pierce leads all scorers with 25 points, along with five rebs and five assists.

Pretty Funny...

2009-11-25T20:23:00.001-05:00

I just noticed that Google Ads has placed a Sarah Palin book ad on my Blog site. Pretty funny as the search engines don;t realize that I have been ripping her to shreds. They just search the name and place the ad!

Back to the drawing board Google.

T

Phila 76ers 38- Boston 33

2009-11-25T20:19:00.002-05:00

Celtics sluggish in second quarter and 76ers take lead. Andre Iguodala leads Sixers in scoring with eight points. Shooters like Jason Kapono (Five 2ndQ points) and Rodney Carney (Five pts in game) are spreading the Celtics defense. The scouting reports and game tapes from Boston losses to Phoenix, Atlanta and Orlando tell the tale.

End of First at TD Garden

2009-11-25T20:06:00.003-05:00

Celtics 27-Phila 76ers 23 at the end of first. Sixers, without Lou Williams and Elton Brand, certainly holding their own vs the Celtics. C's shooting 10-for-20 from field, but 3-of-8 from 3PT land. Pierce leads scorers with seven.

Thanksgiving wishes going out in all directions tonight as Brian Scalabrine took the mic in pre-game to thank fans for support. Also, Ray Allen and his Ray of Hope Foundation spent yesterday providing Thanksgiving meals to the less fortunate. TD Garden served some 500+ in their annual Tuesday before Thanksgiving feast.

My friend, Leah Wilcox, had a great idea to give something back and that was to take a simple trip to Boston Market and buy a gift card for $30+ bucks and to hand that to someone down on their luck who might take their family for a nice lunch or dinner this weekend.

Iverson to Retire?

2009-11-25T19:54:00.002-05:00

Stephen A. Smith and Yahoo Sports are reporting that All-star NBA guard Allen Iverson is planning to retire.

Here is the text of his statement on Stephen A.'s site:

TO ALL OF MY FANS:

I would like to announce my plans to retire from the National Basketball Association. I always thought that when I left the game, it would be because I couldn’t help my team the way that I was accustomed to. However, that is not the case.

I still have tremendous love for the game, the desire to play, and a whole lot left in my tank. I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level.

Stepping away from the game will allow me to spend quality time with my wife and kids. This is a reward that far exceeds anything that I’ve ever achieved on the basketball court. I have prayed for this day and I see it as my greatest gift.

I want to thank the people of Reebok International Ltd., for always allowing me to be me and for supporting me my whole career through all the ups and downs. I have enjoyed 13 wonderful seasons in the NBA, and I am grateful.

I want to first acknowledge my fans everywhere, who have been with me throughout my entire career. Without you, there would be no me. You should all know that I appreciate your support from the bottom of my heart. Thank you!

To Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Charles Barkley and Larry Bird, you guys gave me the vision to play the game that will be forever in my heart.

To my Mom, who encouraged and inspired me to play every day, and to all of my family and friends who stood by me from the beginning. Thank you!

To my high school coach, Michael Bailey, Coach John Thompson at Georgetown University, Coach Larry Brown and to all of my other coaches, teammates, administrators, owners and staff who’ve been a part of my career, Thank you as well!

I’d like to give a special thanks to the people of Memphis. I never played a home game for your beloved Grizzlies, but I want you to know how much I appreciate the opportunity given me by a great owner in Michael Heisley, and the support of the city. I wish the Memphis Grizzlies’ organization all of the success that the game has to offer.

And finally, to the city of Philadelphia: I have wonderful memories of my days in a Sixers’ uniform. To Philly fans, thank you. Your voice will always be music to my ears.

God Bless all of you,

ALLEN IVERSON

A little LIVE BLOGGING from TerryLyons.com ... 76ers at Celtics

2009-11-25T19:49:00.002-05:00

Here's a little pre-Thanksgiving Day treat, live from courtside at TD Boston Garden where the Boston Celtics are out to a 14-9 start against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Paul Pierce has scored half of the Celtics' 14 points.

The pregame buzz in the press room was all in reaction to the announcement by Allen Iverson that he is planning to retire from the NBA. More on that in the next post.

TL@50 - A time to ? Life and Times

2009-11-25T08:20:00.031-05:00

Here are TL's recommendations on Life & Times @ age 50: Learn and enjoy life in the formative years; Take stock at age 27 and take a MAJOR look at age 50. When in doubt, turn to Rock music.

By TERRY LYONS

The pages of the calendar are turned one at a time. The second hand of life keeps on ticking and the seconds become minutes become hours become days, then they become weeks and months and years before decades pass by one grain of sand at a time through the hourglass of our very lives.

With that in mind just yesterday, I took a good look at TL@50. And, looking within, I asked myself some pretty tough questions. Not all of the questions had answers, and, many of the answers hopefully will come in 2010. I can live with that.

Overall, the message I send out to one and all from my 50 years on this earth is this: "I feel very, very fortunate." I have a great family, great Mom and Bro, tremendous wife and kids, and so many friends that I can really count on - with dozens of friends living all over the globe. I've learned so much through all of them. I've travelled the world, spreading the gospel of NBA basketball and I am now embarking on an amazing journey to build a business and tackle new opportunities as a true entrepreneur, albeit during one of the toughest times in American business history. I am happy to face a gallant and challenging task. Need I ask for more?

The microscope lens underneath all of my questions provided one clear answer: "The best things in life are free."

That's what they say, anyway, and I believe it to be true. But those "free" things come with a pretty serious price tag. They come with a price tag of passing time, of aging, they come with a lot of stress, frustration, worry, disappointment, and, sometimes, failure. The rewards far outweigh the cost and its nasty, toxic by-products. The big paybacks in life come wrapped in wonderful, living, breathing packages.

For me, those packages are named Victoria and Alexandra, and, it's just great to see them grow and to let them flow.

After 50 years on this planet and countless opportunities in my own personal wacky, revolving world which includes so many wonderful relationships, family, friends, religion, education, sports, business and everything else you can dream up, I took a little stock yesterday afternoon and quickly realized that the best things in my life were my two daughters and their wonderful but amazingly different personalities. As they go out to the world, their lives reflect everything about my own life.

So I started to ask myself a million questions.

Did we bring them up the right way?
Are they happy?
Are they healthy?
Are they well educated?
Are they good kids?
Will they be ready for life?
Will they succeed?
What hurdles will be thrown our way?
Will I see them grow up?
Will they meet great guys or creeps?
Will they choose to be married?
Will I walk them down the aisle?
Will I see them turn 50?
Will they find true happiness?

Many of those questions already have answers while most do not.

My mind drifted to an exercise I sometimes play: Let me pose the questions of life and turn to music to help me seek the answers, and find some insight and maybe even discover some comedic relief along the road. To assist, I sent an e-mail to a few trusted friends of rock 'n roll. And, as I so often am reminded, my friends came through for me in a huge way and with tons of info and support.

The simple e-mail was this: "I am writing an essay on the "great questions posed by Rock n' Roll artists and their lyrics (or song titles). Please send any and all suggestions.

The answers were terrific and I thank Spy, Howie, Chris, Jan, Mike, Ian (from Britain) and a few others.

One theory proved out, in spades. The big questions of life are nearly all addressed in some shape or form, in rock music. However, the answers are never written in the lyrics but are hidden between the lines. So, without further adieu, here are the important questions of rock n' roll which can be pondered for eternity: (I will first list my personal favorites, then a bunch of great suggestions sent in by the boys).

TL Favorite All-time Questions of Rock n' Roll:

"Crossroads, will you ever let him go?
Will you hide the dead man's ghost,
Or, will he lie, beneath the clay?
Or, will his spirit roll away?"
- The Allman Brothers Band, with the song, "Melissa" - written by little known Steve Alaimo and very well known Gregg Allman.

And, here's a few other gems... my 'runners up' of the lyrical questions of life and times in rock:

"What's going on? - Marvin Gaye

"Who are you?" - The Who

"Woah, oh, what I want to know, will you come with me? ...
Woah, oh, what I want to know, where does the time go? ...
Woah, oh, what I want to know, how does the song go?" - Grateful Dead

"Have I told you lately that I love you? - Van Morrison

"How long has this been going on?" - Van Morrison

"Do you want to know a secret?" - The Beatles

"Should I stay or should I go?" - The Clash

"Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?" - Chicago

"Lord, lord, Miss Sally..why all your cryin'? - Allman Brothers Band

"Can you see the real me, can ya, can ya?" - The Who

"Do you think it's alright?" - The Who

"Tommy, can you hear me?" - The Who

"(Goodbye Ruby Tuesday) - Who could hang a name on you?" - The Rolling Stones

"Angie, Angie, when will all those clouds disappear?" - The Rolling Stones

"How bad do you want it?" - Don Henley

What in the world ever became of sweet Jane?
She lost her sparkle, you know she isn't the same
Livin' on reds, vitamin C, and cocaine,
All a friend can say is "Ain't it a shame?" - Grateful Dead

And now, a full list of great suggestions from the boys:

"Why do fools fall in love?" - Dion

"Who wrote the book of love?" - The Monotones

Why does love got to be so sad? - Derek and the Dominos

"Who'll Stop the Rain?" - and "Have you ever seen the rain?" - Fogerty for Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Do you want to dance?" - Beach Boys - "Do, ya, do ya, do ya - do you want to dance?"

"Have you seen your mother, baby, standing in the shadow?"

"Is a dream alive if it don't come true, or is it something worse?" - Bruce Springsteen

"Are you experienced?" - Jimi Hendrix

"Is there anybody out there?" - Pink Floyd

"How long, how long must we sing this song?" - U2

"Whose gonna ride your wild horses?" - U2

"What difference does it make?" - The Smiths

from the Scottish band, Travis, courtesy of Ian W:
Why does it always rain on me?"

"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" - REM

"What is Hip?" - Tower of Power

"What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?" - Nick Lowe

"What ever happened to those good times we used to have?" - The Buckinghams

"How can you mend a broken heart?" - Al Green, who posed a number of other questions, like:
"How can you stop the rain from falling? How can you stop the sun from shining? What makes the world go 'round? and the all important... How can a loser ever win?"

Of course, rock n'roll posed some pretty silly questions, too. For example:

"Why don't we do it in the road? - The Beatles

And, as I often do, I will leave you with the lyrics for an important message on an important day in my life. Here's Eric Clapton to sum it all up:

Standing at the crossroads
trying to read the signs
To tell me which way I should
go to find the answer
And all the time I know

Plant your love and let it grow.

Let it grow
let it grow
Let it blossom
let it flow
In the sun
the rain
the snow

Love is lovely
let it grow.

Looking for a reason
to check out of my mind
Playing hard to get
a friend that I can count on
When there's nothing left to show
Plant your love and let it grow.

Let it grow
let it grow
Let it blossom
let it flow ...

ABC News Salute to Daniel Beltra

2009-11-24T08:59:00.003-05:00

Please take a second or two from your busy day to watch this ABC News story about Daniel Beltra, the brother of my good friend, Marcos. ABC's Bob Woodruff spent some time with Daniel on the job. Click HERE:

Sign of the Apocalypse ... in the Heartland

2009-11-23T20:40:00.002-05:00

This is a line of Indiana-based book owners seeking the autograph of former Alaska Gov and failed USA VP candidate Sarah Palin....

Fahrenheit 45.9

2009-11-20T10:37:00.010-05:00

It was a nice, quiet Friday evening and I remember the scene as though it were yesterday. I packed up my computer, some books, papers and material for work and walked to the elevator bank on the 14th floor at Olympic Tower/645 Fifth Avenue near Rockefeller Center in Manhattan.

The long summer of global events, which included a 40+ day trek resulting in the bronze medal performance by the USA Basketball men's Olympic team in Athens, had dissolved into a busy preseason of 2004 when we staged the first-ever NBA China Games in Shanghai and Beijing. I was back home in New York City after a long streatch of travel and the NBA regular season was in full swing.

Most people do not understand that working at the NBA league office -- especially on the international goal of globalizing the game -- means that a ton of work needs to be done in the offseason. That multiplies ten-fold when you do events on three or four continents and toss in an Olympiad for men's and women's basketball. When the first two or three NBA regular season games are in the books, the work-load at the league level actually slows down and the great people at the team-level take on the bulk of the work. With that in mind, I would always take Thanksgiving Week as a break, as three vacation days would provide a wonderful ten-day break.

That was the scene as I exited Olympic Tower that Friday night, five years ago, on November 19, 2004.

Coincidentally, when my elevator doors opened on the lobby level at Olympic Tower, none other than NBA Commissioner David Stern was standing by the lobby level elevator, he too, on his way home. I don't think I'd seen him since we stood together in Beijing about four weeks before, giddy as two little children, laughing and threatening to pinch each other to be sure the NBA China Games experience was happening and that we weren't dreaming a wonderful dream together. We looked at each other and both shook our heads, saying, "Yes this is happening and we could never, ever have imagined it twenty years ago, when David had become the NBA commissioner and dispatched me and a few other loyal NBA soldiers off on a six-week sojourn called the NBA China Friendship Tour."

Remebembering the evening in '04, I recall that David was smiling and in a particularly jovial mood as he asked what I had planned for the upcoming Thanksgiving break. I was happy to tell him that I was looking at a nice 10-day break that was beginning the moment I walked out to 52nd Street and I quickly tossed in a point of business that I had met one of the original NBA Properties sales guys, Mike Suscavage, that afternoon. Stern laughed and said that he saw Mike as well and we took a second or two remembering some of Mike's antics and the days gone by. We walked to 52nd Street together and were joined by Noreen Reilly, another longtime NBA executive who ran our administration offices. Noreen joined the NBA in 1978 after assisting Stern back when he worked as the league's outside counsel for his law firm, Proskauer. David and Noreen had some 52 years of NBA experience between them which made my 23 years of service to the league seem like a fortnight or two on that fall day back in 2004.

I was homeward bound, where I enjoyed a little dinner with the family, helped put the kids to bed, chilled out to some quiet time, and then I turned on the NBA on ESPN late in the third quarter to watch some ball.

With 45.9 seconds left in that game, everything changed. And, it was not good.

All of the replays, all of the talk radio and all of the print and electronic media coverage of the incident at the Palace of Auburn Hills became a living nightmare for anyone who cashed a paycheck with an NBA logo on it and the weekend was a bad dream and blur which will always will be etched in my mind. That fight, call it a riot if you want, along with the disgrace that convicted felon Tim Donaghy thrust on the league, were the two worst days of my long and winding road with the NBA. At other points in time, we had ups & downs. Great thing were reported by the media to be greater than they actually were in reality. Terrible things, like drug indictments or altercations, injuries or sixth place finishes in the 2002 World Championship were all a part of the job. A fight like the one that took place in November of 2004 and the utter disrespect for the game that the phony felon of Philadelphia had for the NBA by his illegal actions, were, by far, the two incidents that set the league back.

I took them both hard and personally. For whatever reason, I looked upon both the Ben Wallace/Artest/Detroit fans incident and the chump-change excuse for a referee crime, as people tearing down what I had worked half a lifetime to build up. It was that simple. They were messing with my life's artwork and I didn't and still don't appreciate very much.

Stern, giddy that evening was a combination of shocked, disappointed, let down, angry and outraged as midnight fell. And, while I was deeply involved in the crisis communications mode we operated that weekend, I could not even fathom what he experienced in the days & hours leading up to the Commissioner taking the podium that Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden where the Knicks were playing a game and the media were assembled. Rather than r-create the wheel, it made more sense for the NBA to go to the media rather than drag the media out to a separate news conference.

The rest has been documented and re-documented far more than I care to get into in this blog entry.

I will say this ... and I believe I have written it before.

There is only one person on the face of the earth who performed well that terrible night in Michigan. As you review the vdeo, there was only one person who kept his cool and did the right thing the whole time.

That person's name is William "Wes" Wesley and - in the video - you can see him in a what once was a very nice, blue suit, a suit that he probably had to throw away that night because it was soaked with blood stains, human sweat stains, beer stains, soft drink stains and who knows what else. "Worldwide Wes" did one thing and one thing only that night. He did his best to take players who were and still are about 10-times bigger and stronger than he is and he hauled them towards secure areas or away from danger. He did as much as he could and he kept on doing it. In the video, you see him get a guy to the locker door, then leave and go back to assist in another way.

I knew Wes before then and I've hung with him since. We are not friends, we are acquaintances and colleagues. That night, Wes gained my friendship for the rest of our lives. A few others lost that offer of my friendship forever.

You mean they'll actually check?

2009-11-17T01:14:00.001-05:00

Here's how the conversation might've taken place this weekend:

Author: "You mean, they wont just read the book and believe everything I say?

Publisher's PR guy: "No, they'll go page-by-page and they'll check the facts."

Author: "Huh?"

***

Here is an AP story for your reading pleasure:

(AP) Sarah Palin's new book reprises familiar claims from the 2008 presidential campaign that haven't become any truer over time.

Ignoring substantial parts of her record if not the facts, she depicts herself as a frugal traveler on the taxpayer's dime, a reformer without ties to powerful interests and a politician roguishly indifferent to high ambition.

Palin goes adrift, at times, on more contemporary issues, too. She criticizes President Barack Obama for pushing through a bailout package that actually was achieved by his Republican predecessor George W. Bush - a package she seemed to support at the time.

A look at some of her statements in "Going Rogue," obtained by The Associated Press in advance of its release Tuesday:

PALIN: Says she made frugality a point when traveling on state business as Alaska governor, asking "only" for reasonably priced rooms and not "often" going for the "high-end, robe-and-slippers" hotels.

THE FACTS: Although travel records indicate she usually opted for less-pricey hotels while governor, Palin and daughter Bristol stayed five days and four nights at the $707.29-per-night Essex House luxury hotel (robes and slippers come standard) overlooking New York City's Central Park for a five-hour women's leadership conference in October 2007. With air fare, the cost to Alaska was well over $3,000. Event organizers said Palin asked if she could bring her daughter. The governor billed her state more than $20,000 for her children's travel, including to events where they had not been invited, and in some cases later amended expense reports to specify that they had been on official business.

PALIN: Boasts that she ran her campaign for governor on small donations, mostly from first-time givers, and turned back large checks from big donors if her campaign perceived a conflict of interest.

THE FACTS: Of the roughly $1.3 million she raised for her primary and general election campaigns for governor, more than half came from people and political action committees giving at least $500, according to an AP analysis of her campaign finance reports. The maximum that individual donors could give was $1,000; $2,000 for a PAC.

Of the rest, about $76,000 came from Republican Party committees.

She accepted $1,000 each from a state senator and his wife and $30 from a state representative in the weeks after the two Republican lawmakers' offices were raided by the FBI as part of an investigation into a powerful Alaska oilfield services company. After AP reported those donations during the presidential campaign, she gave a comparative sum to charity.

PALIN: Rails against taxpayer-financed bailouts, which she attributes to Obama. She recounts telling daughter Bristol that to succeed in business, "you'll have to be brave enough to fail."

THE FACTS: Palin is blurring the lines between Obama's stimulus plan - a $787 billion package of tax cuts, state aid, social programs and government contracts - and the federal bailout that Republican presidential candidate John McCain voted for and President George W. Bush signed.

Palin's views on bailouts appeared to evolve as McCain's vice presidential running mate. In September 2008, she said "taxpayers cannot be looked to as the bailout, as the solution, to the problems on Wall Street." A week later, she said "ultimately what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy."

During the vice presidential debate in October, Palin praised McCain for being "instrumental in bringing folks together" to pass the $700 billion bailout. After that, she said "it is a time of crisis and government did have to step in."

PALIN: Says Ronald Reagan faced an even worse recession than the one that appears to be ending now, and "showed us how to get out of one. If you want real job growth, cut capital gains taxes and slay the death tax once and for all."

THE FACTS: The estate tax, which some call the death tax, was not repealed under Reagan and capital gains taxes are lower now than when Reagan was president.

Economists overwhelmingly say the current recession is far worse. The recession Reagan faced lasted for 16 months; this one is in its 23rd month. The recession of the early 1980s did not have a financial meltdown. Unemployment peaked at 10.8 percent, worse than the October 2009 high of 10.2 percent, but the jobless rate is still expected to climb.

PALIN: She says her team overseeing the development of a natural gas pipeline set up an open, competitive bidding process that allowed any company to compete for the right to build a 1,715-mile pipeline to bring natural gas from Alaska to the Lower 48.

THE FACTS: Palin characterized the pipeline deal the same way before an AP investigation found her team crafted terms that favored only a few independent pipeline companies and ultimately benefited a company with ties to her administration, TransCanada Corp. Despite promises and legal guidance not to talk directly with potential bidders during the process, Palin had meetings or phone calls with nearly every major candidate, including TransCanada.

PALIN: Criticizes an aide to her predecessor, Gov. Frank Murkowski, for a conflict of interest because the aide represented the state in negotiations over a gas pipeline and then left to work as a handsomely paid lobbyist for ExxonMobil. Palin asserts her administration ended all such arrangements, shoving a wedge in the revolving door between special interests and the state capital.

THE FACTS: Palin ignores her own "revolving door" issue in office; the leader of her own pipeline team was a former lobbyist for a subsidiary of TransCanada, the company that ended up winning the rights to build the pipeline.

PALIN: Writes about a city councilman in Wasilla, Alaska, who owned a garbage truck company and tried to push through an ordinance requiring residents of new subdivisions to pay for trash removal instead of taking it to the dump for free - this to illustrate conflicts of interest she stood against as a public servant.

THE FACTS: As Wasilla mayor, Palin pressed for a special zoning exception so she could sell her family's $327,000 house, then did not keep a promise to remove a potential fire hazard on the property.

She asked the city council to loosen rules for snow machine races when she and her husband owned a snow machine store, and cast a tie-breaking vote to exempt taxes on aircraft when her father-in-law owned one. But she stepped away from the table in 1997 when the council considered a grant for the Iron Dog snow machine race in which her husband competes.

PALIN: Says Obama has admitted that the climate change policy he seeks will cause people's electricity bills to "skyrocket."

THE FACTS: She correctly quotes a comment attributed to Obama in January 2008, when he told San Francisco Chronicle editors that under his cap-and-trade climate proposal, "electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket" as utilities are forced to retrofit coal burning power plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Obama has argued since then that climate legislation can blunt the cost to consumers. Democratic legislation now before Congress calls for a variety of measures aimed at mitigating consumer costs. Several studies predict average household costs probably would be $100 to $145 a year.

PALIN: Welcomes last year's Supreme Court decision deciding punitive damages for victims of the nation's largest oil spill tragedy, the Exxon Valdez disaster, stating it had taken 20 years to achieve victory. As governor, she says, she'd had the state argue in favor of the victims, and she says the court's ruling went "in favor of the people." Finally, she writes, Alaskans could recover some of their losses.

THE FACTS: That response is at odds with her reaction at the time to the ruling, which resolved the long-running case by reducing punitive damages for victims to $500 million from $2.5 billion. Environmentalists and plaintiffs' lawyers decried the ruling as a slap at the victims and Palin herself said she was "extremely disappointed." She said the justices had gutted a jury decision favoring higher damage awards, the Anchorage Daily News reported. "It's tragic that so many Alaska fishermen and their families have had their lives put on hold waiting for this decision," she said, noting many had died "while waiting for justice."

PALIN: Describing her resistance to federal stimulus money, Palin describes Alaska as a practical, libertarian haven of independent Americans who don't want "help" from government busybodies.

THE FACTS: Alaska is also one of the states most dependent on federal subsidies, receiving much more assistance from Washington than it pays in federal taxes. A study for the nonpartisan Tax Foundation found that in 2005, the state received $1.84 for every dollar it sent to Washington.

PALIN: Says she tried to talk about national security and energy independence in her interview with Vogue magazine but the interviewer wanted her to pivot from hydropower to high fashion.

THE FACTS are somewhat in dispute. Vogue contributing editor Rebecca Johnson said Palin did not go on about hydropower. "She just kept talking about drilling for oil."

PALIN: "Was it ambition? I didn't think so. Ambition drives; purpose beckons." Throughout the book, Palin cites altruistic reasons for running for office, and for leaving early as Alaska governor.

THE FACTS: Few politicians own up to wanting high office for the power and prestige of it, and in this respect, Palin fits the conventional mold. But "Going Rogue" has all the characteristics of a pre-campaign manifesto, the requisite autobiography of the future candidate.

Monday Morning Media Mania

2009-11-16T00:12:00.002-05:00

In the summer of '69, there once was a rock show, a three-day extravaganza, known as Woodstock. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Woodstock this summer, I frequently ran a video clip on Monday morning and referred to it as my "Monday Morning Maniac Music."

That has run its course.

So, now, I will take a minute of your Monday, Monday to post an interesting media clip. Sometimes it will be news, sometimes, music, sometimes sports and sometimes a combination of all.

To start it off, I am posting a clip about Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic who took part in the NBA's Basketball without Borders program this past summer. Both Dwight and the program are dear to my heart. He is the perfect example of a human being who benefitted more from giving his time to the Basketball without Borders program than he would have ever imagined before attending the camp.

Here is the first "Monday Morning Media Mania" newsclip:

NBAE:

Ramble On... Readability

2009-11-15T06:12:00.005-05:00

TIVO is the best invention to help TV viewing. Readability is the best thing that's ever happened to the World Wide Web. Yes, it's the single best email I have ever received and the tip came from LI/Denver's Tom Green as he passed along this info from the NYT:

Click HERE:

***

They've got my vote...

Istanbul to Organize bid for 2020 Olympic Games

After four unsuccessful Olympic bids, Istanbul will enter the race to host the 2020 Summer Games.
Turkish government sports official Mehmet Atalay said Tuesday the country has decided to launch another Olympic bid and believes the city's chances are much stronger this time.
Istanbul mounted failed bids for the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics. It sat out the race for the 2016 Games, which were awarded last month to Rio de Janeiro.
Cities in Japan and Italy have expressed interest in the 2020 ames, and Dubai and Qatar are also considering bids.
Bid submissions to the IOC are due in 2011. The IOC will select the 2020 host city in 2013.

***

Calling Bill Russell, callling Bill Russell?

Damn, if any number in the NBA is going to be retired forever, it has to be #6 and then #13 (for Wilt Chamberlain). MJ would be a close third, for sure. See Lebron's take via CBS Sportsline and AP:

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James wants NBA players to give up their No. 23s to honor of Michael Jordan.
The Cavaliers superstar, who has worn 23 since he was a high school sophomore, says players should pay tribute to Jordan for the Hall of Famer's long-lasting impact on the game.
"I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized in some way -- soon," James said. "There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade -- you name all the best players in the league right now and the last 10 years, there would be none of us without Michael Jordan."
James made the comments following the Cavs' win in Miami on Thursday night. The news was first reported by the Plain Dealer.
James said he has been considering the change for some time. He's willing to switch next season to No. 6 -- his U.S. Olympic team number -- and wants to start a petition to get every player in the league wearing 23 to give up the number.
"It's time," James said. "He's the best basketball player we've ever seen. Mike does it on the court and off the court. If you see 23, you think about Michael Jordan. You see guys flying through the air, you think about Michael Jordan. You see game-winning shots, you think about Michael Jordan. You see fly kicks, you think about Michael Jordan. He did so much, it has to be recognized, and not just by putting him in the Hall of Fame."
Jordan sat courtside on Thursday when James scored 34 points to lead the Cavs to their sixth win in seven games.
"He can't get the logo, and if he can't, something has to be done," James said, referring to the NBA logo that's modeled on a silhouette of Jerry West. "I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. Nobody. If I'm not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it."
The reigning MVP frequently wears No. 6 as a practice jersey with the Cavaliers. He wears that number because his second-favorite player is Julius "Dr. J" Erving and it holds other special meaning.
"I wore 32 back in high school because Dr. J wore it at first," he said. "My first child was born on Oct. 6, my second child was born in June. If I'm not going to wear 23, I'm going to wear 6.

***

Notes on Internet use and the over use of Social networking sites are a little scary. Check this out:

Status updates, photo tagging and FarmVille aren't just for adults or even teenagers anymore.
Researchers say a growing number of children are flouting age requirements on sites such as Facebook and MySpace, or using social-networking sites designed just for them.
Facebook and MySpace require users to be at least 13. But they have no practical way to verify ages, and many young users pretend to be older when signing up.
Some scientists worry that pre-adolescent use of the sites, which some therapists have linked to Internet addiction among adults, could be damaging to children's relationships and brains.