Words you never thought you would hear from me...

OK - I hate to admit it, but I have to say something that is going to hurt me.

You ready? I'm not sure I can do this... here goes nothing.

Way to go Gary Bettman!

No, your eyes aren't seeing things and your browser is working well. I said it - the NHL commissioner is doing ONE thing right. Problem is right now, it's the ONE thing that every other commissioner in sports would kill to swap places with Gary on.

His league isn't dealing with a federal indictment that can really hurt his league. Now some may throw out the gambling mishap with Rick Tocchet, but it's no where near as crippling as the other leagues fun stories.

Let's start with baseball and Bud Selig. Hank Aaron's record is about to be passed by Barry Bonds, who is still under indictment. Matter of fact they got a six month extension on that one - congrats boys. Now can you get the info fast enough to save the Hammer's record? Out of all people, why does it have to be him? It's not often in life I root for the government, this one is an easy cheer for the U.S. and Hank.

We then move to the NFL where Roger Goodell is dealing with Michael Vick's fun. Have to say this much - Goodell is the strongest commissioner in sports by far. He stepped in and told Vick to stay away from training camp until the NFL finds out what's up. It's a paid suspension, but who cares? The money will just go to legal fees anyway. The happiest person with that decision? For sure Arthur Blank. He didn't want to have to cut Vick and then have all of his season ticket holders go postal on him and ask for their money back. Which trust me, in Atlanta, that is what would have happened if Blank cut him before due process.

And if you think we couldn't get any bigger and better than the NFL, good ol' David Stern in the NBA is hoping to wake up tomorrow to find that he is dealing with a cruel joke. Unfortunately for Stern, ex-referee Tim Donaghy's case is only going to get worse. Now Donaghy needs protection from some bad guys that want him to stay quiet...permanently! If he spills the beans on others involved in the NBA in any way, shape or form, we are looking at a scandal as big as the Black Sox in 1919. Not sure that I would bet .10 on him ever making it to witness protection, but I heard Vegas has him on the board as a 6-1 to make it to trial.

Did you read everything I just laid out for you??? How insane is all of it? Sports is supposed to be our escape. Now for these folks, they are just trying to escape jail and the repercussion of their mistakes.

Thank CBS for Big Brother 8. At least with that, you know what you get from Day 1. Stupid television to make you feel better for not being those people.

I am just thankful I am not a commissioner of a sports league. Hey, has David Beckham been indicted yet on anything?

Hey Gary Bettman - don't get used to it, but good job.

A picture says a thousand words....

I laughed when we saw this picture originally. Now that I look back at this picture from the AP that ran in Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback, I can only think about how it's partially Arthur Blank's fault.

Not the charges specifically, but he hasn't held Michael Vick responsible for any of his antics. And don't tell me he fined him or yelled at him - if this was one of his Home Depot folks, would he have let this come down this way? Probably not.

Many people say that new coach Bobby Petrino wants to just start the season with Joey Harrington as his quarterback and not deal with all the drama and craziness that will surely follow Vick until all of this is decided in a court of law.

And that still needs to happen and we shouldn't pass judgement before we know the facts. And please don't make this a race issue. If he was white and doing all this supposed stuff, he would and should be in the same boat. This is an issue of a man who had thought he was bigger than he is. Just a sad, sad thing.

Only thing sadder is that people think Harrington is the "safe" way to go.... at least until his first pass in a regular season game. He's a better pianist that he is a quarterback.

What a long, strange trip it has been

Morning all - back in Hotlanta and I think I am finally back on the Eastern Time Zone with my sleeping pattern as well.

Let me recap my last three weeks. It started at the end of June for the Red Lobster trip to Boston. We shot our SMT on a Coast Guard Cutter and it was just awesome. Last week we just launched the new RL website and chef's blog. Within a week or so, our first video casts and the video from the trip to Boston will be up. Take a look and tell me what you think about the site/pages.

From Boston, came home for 36 hours and then left for Israel. If you haven't read my past posts from that great trip, start on July 1 and read on. Just an incredible trip from our experiences with Wexner to our anniversary (7th) to my birthday. For those of you scoring at home, I am the exact same age as Red Lobster. Anyone know that answer? How about my Jack Benny reference in my past post? OK, the answer is 39. Next year is a biggie according to most folks - to me ... it's another year on the planet and that is all I ask for.

That being said, there will be a few special occasions throughout the year to celebrate. Details to come down the road, but I can tell you two places to look for me ... and both are so obvious: Las Vegas and Chicago. Might have to throw a stop in Denver for the Frozen Four for the first time in a few years.

OK - so back to the travel month from hell. I came home from Israel for three and a half days and then hit the road to Los Angeles for GCI Digital Media meetings this past week. Stayed at a great hotel called Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, but didn't get to really spend much time there as we were in a conference room most of our waking time.

But I was able to close out my trip in big time style. Left the meetings around noon and headed to meet a good friend Justin Simon, who interned for me at CNNSI.com (by the way, CNNSI.com launched 10 years ago this past week! Man time flies). Justin has been working on this idea for a long time and I have been helping him as best I can for a few years. At lunch he brought me his idea packaged and ready to go - it's called AlwaysLit. It's a product for smokers - it attaches your lighter to your pack of cigarettes, bong or pipe. The idea is that you won't lose your lighters anymore. Going to be a huge hit - check it out on the website and buy some. The price is $5 per unit. So excited!

From there - off to see the Stanley Cup with David McNab and his family. What an incredible afternoon this was. Kari threw the party at their community clubhouse and it was just a beautiful area and a great day. David's roommate from college and now Denver coach George Gwozdecky was there with his daughter for the day and we had a blast.

The highlight for me is the picture you see below of the McNab boys. David to the left, Max his dad, who won the cup with the Red Wings in the 50s and his brother Peter, who lost three times in the finals. Peter wouldn't touch the cup because of tradition/superstition and had to explain to his girls why he wouldn't, but said that because their uncle won it, they could touch it.

You can see all the photos from the day with the cup at my Photoworks page. There will be more coming as David had the team photographer there as well and we took a picture of David, George and me with the cup. Can't wait to see that one!

From there, I grabbed a red eye back to Atlanta and was home Friday morning. When I got in my car, it hit me what an awesome ride I just had and how lucky I was for all of it.

OK - about to get the kids up and going for a fun Daddy Daughter Day ... have no idea where to, but it's just great to go anywhere with them.

A Day with Stanley

Greetings from Yorba Linda, California. There are days in your life that you will always remember - today was one of those days.

I had the pleasure and honor of going to David McNab's Stanley Cup party. His bride, Kari, put together a beautiful party at their clubhouse of their community.

The party started at 3 pm with close friends and family. Thankfully, I fit into that category and got there early. When I arrived, it was great to see David, Kari and their girls, Ali and Erica.

Some of you know the story of Ali's boyfriend, who got drunk for the first time ever the night the Ducks won the cup. Got to meet him and he's a great kid. He laughed when David told him I knew the story.

I took a few more steps in and I saw another old friend George Gwozdecky and his daughter Adrienne. Gwoz and McNab have known each other since 73 when their were freshmen at Wisconsin together. Gwoz has won at every level he has been at and he won't touch the cup because he might win it someday.

Adrienne took a sip of champagne from the cup as did David's girls and it was awesome. McNab let anyone drink from the trophy and it was awesome to watch.

It was also great to see David's father Max, who won the cup with the Red Wings in 1950 and his brother Peter, who lost the cup three times in the finals. Peter didn't touch the cup as well - but he let his girls touch it.

Then at 6 p.m. David let a bunch of folks from his community and the girls friends. He spoke about how this isn't going to be a crazy party - but a respectful one because of the cup. I couldn't agree with him more.

During the night great hockey songs were being played. Best of the night was the Brass Bonanza - McNab worked for the Whalers and the girls love the song. It is a classic among classics.

It was my third night where I have been around the cup and it's better each time. This is better because David waited 29 years to have this night and I am so happy I could crash it!!!

What an incredible night.... Pics will be up later.

Off to party more with Stanley before catching the 11:55 p.m. Delta back to the ATL!

Do I really need to say anything else???

California Dreamin'

Hey - sitting in Santa Monica and the weather is great. Staying at The Shutters and it's right on the beach - just an awesome property. Highly recommend if you head out this way.

In Digital Media meetings today and tomorrow and have a great story to tell about Thursday.

For those regular readers, you know hockey is my passion outside my family and friends. You also know that my friend, David McNab, is the assistant general manager of the Anaheim Ducks. They just won Lord Stanley's Cup and each member of the team gets a day with the cup.

Amazingly - I get off the plane in LA and David is calling me. It just so happens that Nabber's day with the Cup is Thursday. As in this week when I am here!!!! He tells me that he wants me to come to his party and drink from the Cup.

Karma baby! My beautiful bride gives me the OK to take the redeye so I can go spend the day with the one thing she knows I love that isn't my family.

OK - back to meetings..... Off to Santa Monica Pier later.

Pics with me and Lord Stanley on Friday!!!

Consistency is why Bonds is where he is

We should be getting ready to celebrate the passing of one of the greatest numbers in sports within the next month or so. The home run record is about to fall. This should be a happy occasion that all of us at the water coolers should be celebrating and laughing about.

But for the most part, America isn't laughing. Most of us baseball fans are angry that one of the greatest records in sports is going to go into the hands of an absolute ass.

Sorry, I wish there was a better word in the English language to describe Barry Bonds, but there isn't. He is what he is. He has never made any bones about it either. He was not kind before the steroid era and he's gotten worse since he started taking whatever he told us he isn't taking.

Defenders of Bonds? Are you there? Watch the video from yesterday's game and see the two-faces of a great baseball player. He signs a ball for a fan because that's what the whole team does before the game and then after he berates a sportswriter in the locker room.

"It's an embarrassment for me to be wearing this [expletive deleted] uniform 'cause of the way I'm playing. There, that's it. Now go away," Bonds said at his locker.

Look, I understand that going hit less in a series you got swept in can bother you, but this isn't his first rodeo. He has done this crap on a regular basis and therefore deserves the public scrutiny.

Here's something to ponder. If Ken Griffey, Jr. stays healthy and is neck and neck with Bonds right now for the record, could Bonds be a bigger ass than he already is? I guarantee that 95% of the country would be cheering for Junior to break the record first.

As if that weren't enough, Bonds is going to break the record of a great man named Henry Aaron. The Hammer had death threats and all kinds of garbage that he had to go through because of racial tension in our country. He was graceful and decent throughout it all and now his record is going to fall to a cheater and an ass.

It just isn't right. Bonds may be a great baseball player, but he doesn't deserve to wear this crown and own this record. Sorry Bud Selig - but sleep well, it's on your head and your watch that all of this has gone down. When you are dead and buried we will be cursing you for turning a blind eye to the Steroid Era that put Bonds over the top. Bonds may get a standing ovation when he hits 756, but you should take a bow as well for helping him.

The saddest part of all of this is that now I have to cheer for Alex Rodriguez to catch up to Bonds. He's the only one that can catch him and if my choice is between the two, I would choose the Yankee (or whatever he will be next season) or the cheater.

Somewhere Babe Ruth is laughing and having another beer and cigar.

Alarming welcome back

So last night we put the kids to bed at 8 p.m. and we went to sleep at 8:20. We were just wiped out ... we started to catch up on television that we missed, but fell asleep in the first minutes of watching.

At 3:15 a.m. the house alarm went off saying their was a fire in the basement. I went flying out of bed scared half to death and the kids never woke up. Not even a peep from them. Luckily, there was no such fire and I searched the whole house and everything was fine.

ADT called and everything was cool except the woman told me that I had no zone 15 where it said there was a fire. I called this morning and I went through this exercise of trying to figure it out, but of course a technician has to come out to find out what's up.

We went back to sleep and got to sleep until about 6:15 - so we are close to being back on schedule. This trip to LA may be a bit fun for my system next week.

Couple of things I forgot to mention that I noticed while in Israel. First - we walked by a tattoo parlor and I laughed. You aren't allowed to be buried in a Jewish cemetery if you have one, so it's funny that there is one in Jerusalem. Still not as funny as the sign I saw years ago in Tennessee - "Tattoos while you wait." As if there was another way to do this?

The other thing is cats. There are cats EVERYWHERE in Israel walking the streets. All I could think about was the final episode of the Sopranos where the cat followed Paulie everywhere. Just funny.

Great to be back in the States - missed the kids, my bed and all the other comforts of home. It makes what my new friend, and Israeli soldier, Zach Nussbaum did that much more incredible. Here's his picture for those who wanted to see him. Keep him in your thoughts and be thankful we have kids like him on our side! Have a great weekend.

Back in the saddle ...

What a great way to start the day but landing at Hartsfield Airport. It was great to be home ... until we were randomly picked to have our bags searched. I have to tell you that the morons at the airport that run security have no clue. If you want to see how security is done right - go to Israel.

The woman who was checking us out FIRST was asking us all kinds of questions like where did you learn Hebrew - where are you from - why are you here ... and more. Then your checked bags go through a high tech machine to make sure they are clear of all issues. Then you check in and they ask more questions. You then go through security and get this - don't have to take your sneakers off. I am telling you - when you get through security there - you know you are in a safe place.

Unlike Atlanta where this moron of a woman asks me to open the suitcases and then asks me about everything I bought. Do you really think she knows what a havdalah set and a talit are????

To my liberal friends out there ... open your eyes and realize that you are wrong on security. PLEASE.

Once we got through and got out of there, I was happy. We got to the house and the girls were sooooo happy to see us and I know we were soooo happy to see them.

At the office for a little bit - hitting a wall right now, but I will fight to make it through the day.

More later....

Homeward Bound

Sitting at the airport in Tel Aviv. Man do these guys do security right. If Americans pulled their heads out of their you know what ... We might get it right.

By the way - I am serious about this. What good are civil liberties if you are DEAD??? I am all for profiling - NOT racial profiling - profiling for everyone. No one here questions anything for security - they know the importance of it. Why can't we as a society figure that out?? The day we do we will live a better life.

Sat by the pool this afternoon and chilled out. Weather was great - we haven't seen a cloud in the sky all week. Just beautiful. If you haven't been here - make it a priority.

Anyway - can't wait to get home. Service in Israel is pretty slow and after 11 days here - it's enough. You know it's time to leave when I cannot wait to see Delta.

OK - more later from seat 1C.

All my bags are packed ... I'm ready to go....

For those of you that are as old as I am, you remember Peter, Paul and Mary's Leavin' on a Jet Plane. Well we have about 7 more hours until we leave for the airport and as great a time as we have had here, we are ready to go home and see the girls.

Woke up and went to Yad Vashem - haven't been here since they reopened it. It's beyond words - very powerful and very scary. For those of you who know me a tiny bit, I will warn you know that I am recharged and ready to get on my projects for the Atlanta community more than ever before. And if I call you and/or email you about giving or getting involved in something, you had better be ready for me. After seeing what I have seen and studying what I have studied - don't give me excuses because I am not going to hear them.

We are living in serious times and we need serious people and I am serious about making sure our community, our children and our family in Israel get whatever they need to keep us going. L'dor V'dor - from generation to generation ... it's our time and it's our turn. As Newt Gingrich told us - what would you do or give if Israel was hit by a nuclear bomb tomorrow? Why would you even wait for tomorrow when you can try and save her and the U.S. way of life today?

If you come to Israel and don't get charged up - not sure that you ever can. To finish the song, "don't know when I'll be back again ... oh babe, I hate to go."

OK - off the soapbox for now... but I will be knocking on doors in Atlanta soon and you better answer because I won't stop until you answer our call to our mispaucha.

Some random thoughts from Israel. First, cell phones. These people all have them and NONE of them know the word vibrate. In Yad Vashem and they tell everyone to turn them off, but of course the Israelis don't care. Walking through and you can hear rings from time-to-time.

Second - driving. These people may the NY cabbies look timid. They are all nuts and they honk more than Neil Barkan ever has (mom, I ain't kidding!). They scream, they yell, they drive like madmen. You have to see this for yourself to believe it.

Third - the David Citadel hotel is a nice spot. Highly recommend it to all of you.

Fourth - went to buy a challah today at the bakery we love and they had none. Don't sell them except on Shabbat. Disappointing - but very interesting. I am sure we aren't the first ones or the last to ask for them on a non-Friday.

Lastly, the funny moment from the day. As we came down from breakfast this morning we saw Howard Friedman, AIPAC's President. He was walking with someone and he introduced Elizabeth and me to. We shook the man's hand and said hello and then they left. A minute later Howard comes back to tell me that we just met the new Prime Minister of the Palestinan Authority. Elizabeth looked at me and I looked at her and we wiped our hands off and laughed. Only Howard Friedman could pull that one off. Just classic.

OK - off to the pool for a little bit... more before we leave.

Last tango in Jerusalem...

Well it was a great birthday. We got back from Safed and went shopping for a little bit.

After we got cleaned up we went out for dinner at Darna - a Moroccan restaurant and it was great. Only problem was that the service here is horrific. It took 2 1/2 hours for dinner. The other night we went to another place and it took 3 hours. If you order a drink at the David Citadel bar - you better have 30 minutes to wait for it. It's unreal how slow it is here - no matter where you go.

The only other issue with the trip is the showers here - for some reason they just can't figure out the drains in the shower and the water builds up and runs into the rest of the bathroom.

Otherwise - it's perfect :-)

Time for bed - one more day here and we are going to Yad Vashem and the Menachim Begin Museum as well as a few more special stops before seeing Delta on our way home to see those cute kids that we miss terribly! Our longest time away from them and I can't wait for Daddy Daughter day with Abbie this weekend.

More tomorrow and then we will see ya stateside.

Jack Benny, I am here...

Good morning - July 10th - and I have successfully made it to another birthday. And the chance to spend it in Israel is pretty special. For those who didn't get the Jack Benny line, I am 39. Seriously.

Last night we had our Wexner graduation ceremony. It was a great night with our new families in Cleveland and Los Angeles. The one thing that has made this experience even more special is that we have made lifelong friends in those cities as well as Atlanta. I am going to Los Angeles next week for business and I am going to see a bunch of the Wexner LA folks. Been invited to stay and have dinner at some folks homes as well as joining in a mitzvah of the birth of a child. It's just awesome to make the kinds of relationships that we have made.

Came back to the hotel last night and Howard Kohr and Howard Friedman from AIPAC are sitting in the lobby. We knew they were coming and glad to catch up with them.

It's 8:46 a.m and the Cohen's (yes Mr. and Mrs. Witt - they are still alive and well!) and we are heading to Safad for the day. It's a place of mysticsm which Seth will love and Elizabeth and I have been before and are going to see an artist we like.

Have a great guide named Danny that Seth got from UJC. Riding in a minivan and having a blast. Off tonight to Morocan restaurant called Darna - favorite place here for dinner.

That's it for now....more later.

Syrian border

Good morning all - spent the night at a kibbutz for our anniversary. We met up with the group that went to the Golan Heights for dinner at a restaurant owned by a former Colonel in the army named Kobe. Great guy.

So after dinner Rabbi Jay Moses, who is charge of our program, gets up and announces our simcha. So the two man band starts to play music and the next thing you know we are up and dancing. Was classic way to spend our seventh anniversary. We will always laugh about it.

Woke up this morning and went up to the Israel Syria border. Funny part is that there was a ski slope/alpine slide near it - was awesome.

We then went to the outpost where we looked over Syria. It was so close to where we stood it's insane. Kobe said we were 24 miles from Damascus. Just wild stuff.

Cindy Chazan and I walked over to talk to the two soldiers in the outpost. Cindy is originally from Montreal and started talking to one of these young men who spoke great English. So she asked where he was from and he said Toronto. His name is Zach Nussbaum and he made ayliah a year ago and is here by himself. When we asked why his answer was simple, yet floored me. "I am Jewish - I felt it was my responsibility to do it."

Wow. 20 years old and he sums up a feeling of why we do what we do in our community standing on the border of Syria. Wild.

Think of the sacrifice he made? And to do it all by yourself??? He left everything he had because he felt this was something he had to do. He could be in college drinking a Molson Canadian dating coeds and look where he is.

Just makes you proud to know kids like this exsist. Hope is here in Israel - I'll say it again - American media sucks!!!!! Anyone from the New York Times or Canadian Post talk to this kid???? Just absurd. Stop trying to sell news and show the truth.

OK - soapbox moment - and now the moment is over.

We took his picture on someone cell phone and we have Zach's parents number. We are going to call them to let them know he's doing well. We will them get their email and send them his picture. This is a call that usually would seem weird - but I am sooooo looking forward to making it and letting them know about their son. They should be very, very proud of him.

We also gave him and his partner Vladimir from the Ukraine bottled water, m&m's, ruggalah, and a GQ magazine. If we had it on the bus we gave it to them.

After wishing him well and saying goodbye - he went back to work and got back to watching his post. I hope he knows how much the short visit meant to us - and I hope it made his day if nothing else. I know that I am going to tell his story to everyone at home. Zach earned that respect and opportunity in my mind.

Off to lunch now and back to Jerusalem for graduation. Only two days left here - where did this trip go? Time does fly when having fun.

Until later....

Border Patrol

So we just stood literally on the border of Israel and Lebanon. And it was wild.

Yes Wendy - I avoided all international incidents and am still alive and well!!!

Stood on the exact spot where the Israeli soldiers were captured. It was eerie but very cool. It's nice to be able to see these things without the filter of American media. It's embarrasing to even talk about how what they show us isn't what you see on the idiot box. Someday -maybe one of them can get it right. I seriously doubt it - because it won't sell ad space or get viewers.

Anyway - we had a great view of Lebanon and have some pictures coming tomorrow. We also will have great pics from all the other cities soon. All going to put up on web and share links with each other.

We met some soldiers and one worked in and lived in Atlanta for a bit running a kiosk in Lenox Mall. Small freakin' world.

OK - that's it for now - off to next stop. More later....

Lunch with soldiers

It's not 1:46 JST and we just got done having lunch with soliders at an army base near the border.

We sat with a young man who's originally from South Africa. He has been in the Army for a year and was in tank commander school. He literally was new to the base - he had been there three hours when we ate with him. Food wasn't bad - schnitzel. BTW - the flies here are huge - can saddle these suckers up.

But I digress.

The soldier and all of the other soldiers were carrying their machine guns. Placed it at his feet when eating.

By the way - we have a retired Colonel who is giving us our tour... He also led our discussion with UNIFIL officers from India and Italy. I would write more about the conversation - but I would have to kill you. Seriously though - I wish I could tell you differently - but they were useless.

The man from India said that they could stop a car, but not search it. Yeah - that's gonna work?! Just nuts.

I asked Ezra our guide if Israeli's think the UN is as useless as we in the U.S.A. think and he said they like them a little - but not a ton.

OK - back on the bus and the ride continues.... More later.

Seventh Heaven

Live from the bus ... The question of the day - brought to you by Barkan Wines of Israel - where were you 7 years ago today?

Mmmm ... I know my answer....and I better know it or Elizabeth will kill me!! I was walking down the aisle at the Temple getting hitched. Amazing how quickly time flies huh? Have to tell you this is the best anniversary trip yet. Although Napa the first year didn't suck.

Went to dinner last night at a place called Eucalipsys. Good dinner - but I wanted to rename the place the S.S. Minnow because it was a three hour tour..... And the chairs were not comfortable. Food was good and the chef was a cool guy. He kept explaining everything - which I think is why it took so long!

As I said we are on a bus heading North towards the Lebanon border. We are meeting with UN (booooo!!!) and IDF officers. We will see where the two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped. We will be at Misgav Am where Mike Ginsberg lived ... Hopefully get to see his wife Chaya.

Our tour guide Ezra Korman is from Ithaca, NY originally. He went to Cornell and is friendly with Dan Berman from the ATL.

We are going to spend the night at K'far Bloom - the hometown of our Atlanta friend Tovah Cohen.

Going to be a great, great trip up North. Can't believe that we will be home in four days - trip has just flown by sooooo quickly.

OK - got the iPod on and Little Feat's "Oh Atlanta" on.... Makes me miss the girls and home.

Ezra's on the bus pa giving us background for our trip...

Till later ....

Good Morning America

Well hello out there in Blogland ... how the heck are ya?

Things here on the other side of the pond are just fantastic. Thanks to those who have commented and if you have any question - send 'em along. Good to know that someone out there is reading. Hope you are enjoying the pictures as well. We just added the Karlin's pictures to the site - so check em out... trying to load as many as I can to share. Haven't had the time to put taglines on them - but you can see we are loving it here.

We had the morning off and slept in until 10 a.m. - cannot tell you the last time I did that. Woke up, had breakfast in the Executive Club and then hung out until lunch. The group is down in Torah study right now and I am just burnt on sitting in a room with no windows ... so I am sitting on the balcony over looking the Old City and blogging away.

Funny thing happened this morning - I woke up and I was about to leave the room and I grabbed my kippot to wear. Don't know that I am doing it more for anything than spirituality during Shabbot but there's something to it. Couple friends even asked me about it at lunch and all I can say is that it just feels right. And isn't that what religion should be - what feels right. When talking to my new friend Avi from Tel Aviv - he told me what he thought was amazing during his time in the U.S. was that we have different levels of Judaism and here it's pretty Black Hat or not. He enjoyed seeing all the differences and how we all still love our base of Judaism. There's something to it - but still - we in America look at the Orthodox differently than we do the Reform folks. But here there's a serious disconnect between Secular Jews and Religious Jews. Just sad.

I have had a little time to digest last night's trip to the Kotel. Didn't say in the post last night - but I teared up when I got there. I was thinking about all of my ancestors and family that came before me to give us the opportunities we have.

I thought about my dear friend, Brian Fishman, that never had the chance to see what I have seen and it hit me hard then. He passed 8 years ago - I came to Israel for the first time 6 months after his passing. That trip was as emotional a trip as I ever have had. Since that trip I have gotten married (7 years as of tomorrow), had two wonderful children with a third on the way, done some great work in our community and have met some incredible people with whom Elizabeth and I have shared an awesome experience with.

As I stood there yesterday it came back to something that I said in my original writings from my trip to China, "but for the grace of God go I."

So here I am - living Brian's and my dream. Doing my best to live every day as well as I can for the two of us. I know that he's on my shoulder guiding me through this journey.

OK - off to class.... more later.

The Wall on Shabbat

Not to be redundant, but WOW! Just went to the Western Wall right before sundown here in Jerusalem and it was just incredible.

Seth got to see it for the first time and seeing his reaction to the Orthodox at the Wall was just awesome. For those that haven't been there - new photos are going up right now at Photoworks. The women and men are separated at the Wall. We gave sedukah and had an incredible moment at one of the most spiritual places on the planet.

We walked back to the hotel and are about to go have Shabbat dinner and Oneg at the hotel.

Funny part is that the original episode of Friends is on television here right now. I saw Elmo yesterday and guess what, he spoke Hebrew really well.

Hard to believe we have been here for five days already. Time flies when you are having fun - even more in the homeland. Get here soon...

Lila Tov.

Shabbat Shalom

Wow - hey Teaneck are ya listening? Mr. and Mrs. Witt - you there? Hi Abbie, Miriam, Morgan and Danielle - we miss ya!

Just another amazing day in Jerusalem.

We met with our groups of people from each city in Wexner and our Israeli friends from the Wexner Fellows group and had a great conversation.

After that, from 11 a.m. until 2:30 we walked around Jerusalem. We started by going schook - Mahane Yehuda - it's a huge outdoor market with all kinds of incredible things. From fruit to fish to meat to kippot, - you want it you can get it there. Elizabeth brought us to a wonderful bakery called Marzipan and it was awesome. Got a challah from there... oh man, it's awesome.

Seth Cohen and I went to a great store to by tallis' and found ones that we loved. The man who sold them to us was great and Seth asked him what he thought about Americans and whether we should make aliyah or come visit ... he said that if Americans came to visit once every two years - everyone would be very, very happy.

Side note - this is Seth's first trip here - my second. It's awesome to be able to watch someone so involved in our community (and one of my best friends) experience Israel for the first time. I know Elizabeth enjoyed taking me here 8 years ago and now I get to see what she saw through me. Hope. Life. Love. Amazement. Joy. It's something everyone should experience with mispaucha!

While walking around - the spirit of the city was hopping and just incredible. Don't listen to those morons on television - Jerusalem is alive and doing very well. Get off of your butts and come visit - there's nothing like being here. Tel Aviv is like New York - but this city is just incredible and so spiritual (for you Karlin!) I love it. I cannot wait for the day my girls will come here for USY or whatever they want. Elizabeth had a chance to study here for 6 months and loved it. I will do everything in my power to make sure that this city will be here and this vibrant for my girls to come to.

Got back to the hotel and Rabbi Goodman and Rae were in the lobby. They looked good and it was great to see them. Also ran into Tim and Sandi Wulinger from Cleveland who we know through AIPAC. Sad to say, Sandi broke her ankle here. But she was in good spirits nonetheless.

Ida and Irwin Haber - you are sorely missed and often thought of and spoken about. We hope and pray for your father's good health! See ya soon.

Tonight we are going to the Wall and to the Kotel. I am sooooo excited about it... going to be great. We have such a great group of people in Wexner from our sister cities and we have had a great time talking and learning with them. For those who want an incredible learning experience - check out Wexner and if it is coming to your town. I recommend this more than anything I have done.

So much so that when we get home we, along with Cohen's, have decided to look into finding someone to teach us Hebrew. With our girls starting day school, it's important for us to learn and we have decided to jump into the pool. Sure it won't be easy, but I would LOVE to come back to Jerusalem with my girls and be able to speak the language.

That's it for now ... about to clean up and get ready for a spiritual night. Good night and good luck from the David Citadel Hotel.

Awesome night in Jerusalem

Howdy ho campers - just got back to the room at 1 a.m. JST and we had an unreal evening.

We blew off dinner with Marci and Seth Cohen and two couples from Cleveland and walked to dinner in the German Colony for Falafel. We found a great little joint and it was just awesome. It was great to get out of the hotel and conference after being in meetings and lectures all day long.
We got to interact during the day with people from other cities and with Israeli members of the Wexner program that study at Harvard. My group had two great Israeli men names Baruch and Avi. They shared their thoughts with us as to why we as American Jews are so important to them in Israel. It was a great jumping off point to a great conversation as to why the Israeli's are so important to us and beyond.

Avi is an IDF officer and is married and lives with three children in Tel Aviv. He and I have hit it off and I can tell from just this one night that we are going to have a relationship of some sort after this trip. He is the type of man that in a few years time, I can see him making a major difference in the Israeli government if he wants to.

Then we went to dinner. We walked back and were treated to a concert from Israel's hottest band called Hadag Nahash. They were awesome and are well known for The Bumper Sticker song. People were up and dancing and the place was rocking. Sorry to say we have pictures to follow of Michael Karlin and Seth Cohen getting down and funky in the front of the stage. It was absolutely hysterical.

After that, there was a group of about 10 of us from Atlanta that went back to the bar at the hotel and talked about everything going on with our program. A few of us went out on the patio and I treated to some great Cuban cigars. We sat and watched the moon over the Old City as we talked about topics from A to Z.

It has been a great trip and tomorrow we go to the Kotel for Shabbat. It's going to be an awesome night tomorrow that I know I am going to be emotional at for so many reasons. Most likely for the fact of who has walked these streets and have been in these areas. We are beyond fortunate to follow in their footsteps and it's just something that everyone should experience. So if you haven't been to Israel - no matter what religion you follow - what the heck are you waiting for???

More tomorrow - good night and good luck from Jerusalem!

Thursday Thoughts

Great day again. Been having a great group discussion of folks from each city and from Israel about Jewish life. The conversation was just awesome. We will meet again after lunch and another great speaker.

Ruth Calderon spoke to us. She is the founder and head of Alma College in Israel.

Ami Ayalon is here with us and is on his phone during the introduction. Classic.

She has us reading a poem called Rabbi Love - very interesting text and we are discussing it meaning. Just like we do in our Wexner classes.

Rav Rahumi used to sit
In front of Rava in Mehoza
He used to come home (wife)
Every Yom Kippur eve
One day the shma'ata attracted him.
His home (wife) was waiting:
Now he is coming, now he is coming.
He did not come
Her mind weakened.
She dropped a tear from her eye.
He was sitting on the roof;
The roof collapsed under him,
And his soul rested.

She says the words "used to" in text means someone will die in a few lines....classic.

In Aramaic - Woman means home. If you aren't married - you are homeless to them. She then quotes REM - "it's the end of the world as we know it." All from context of poem.

She is comparing Israelis to American Jews and asking who is the house and who is the man sitting on the house.

It's a great conversation that will lead to better discussion later in our group.

Until later....

Thursday morning

Boker tov - sitting listening to President-elect Shimon Perez. The twice former Prime Minister is addressing us on Jewish leadership.

The man looks incredible - must be in his mid-80s and is sharp as well. Great opportunity to hear from one of the greats of Israel.

He's talking about how he never thought race issues would get solved in U.S. - now Oprah and Condi are so powerful.

The Israeli economy is booming according to him. Changing to individuality and it's working. Says terrorist scary because doesn't matter if the live or die - paradise either way.

Scary. Talked about changing to hybrid cars. Global warming big issue. He spoke about not looking back but look forward and be curious about the future.

Stayed to take questions and was great.

Great speaker - great man.

More later.

Back in Jerusalem

Great day again ... I know you are shocked. Went to a pre-army academy that was just awesome and then we went to Ariel. Met with Ron Nachman the Mayor of Ariel and the founder of the settlement.

Some of the pictures you will see are how close we are to Ramallah from the Gush Emunim settlement. Just wild - not at all like you see on that Crappy News Network based in Atlanta.

Have a bunch of pictures from today online at Photoworks. There are photos from me and Seth Cohen - downloading as many as I can to share with y'all.

That's it for now - have more later but off to another group meeting and then dinner with family friends in town.

By the way Mr. and Mrs. Witt - Marci and Seth are doing well and eating properly.

Out and about....

While you are sleeping on the other side of the pond ... We are out seeing Settlements.

Just went to Psagot to the Settlement of Gush Emunim. It is 30 years old and it overlooks El Bireh and Ramallah. Literally as you will see from the pictures later - it's a stones throw away from Ramallah.

We met with one of the founders of Gush Emunim, Aryeh Felheimer. He let his know that he is about to celebrate his 60th wedding anniversary.

The settlement is very pretty with nice homes and a beautiful shul.

Now driving up Route 60 to see more Settlements. More later....

Boker Tov!

Happy 4th to one and all. Off to see the Settlements today - very interested to see what we see.

Pictures up from yesterday's visit to artist/poet Rivkah Miriam's house and she was very interesting. Look at her house - very old school. Drawings on the walls - wild stuff. The dogs wouldn't leave us alone. One is just hideous looking. The other was licking the floor.

Got a great picture of Steve Koonin listening to her and working at the same time. Classic.

Ami Ayalon spoke to us last night was very good - only issue was his voice was putting us all to sleep. Finally got a good night sleep.

OK - off and running the way we always do.

Sunrise on the Old City

Boker tov campers ... woke up at 4 a.m. time here in Jerusalem. Was going to take an Ambien and then decided to try it drug free. Boy did I mess that one up.

Have a breakfast meeting at 8:15 and then some things in town we are doing before free time around 3 p.m. For my wife, probably means shopping. But for me it probably means afternoon nap time.

The sun is just starting to rise on the Old City and I will take picture later from the room and post them on my Photoworks page ... stop by and see what we are seeing as we go. It's been eight years since I have been here and it feels like a lifetime ago.

There's no doubt that no matter what your religious beliefs are - you must come to Israel once in your lifetime. It's a life altering trip for sure.

Until later ... enjoy.

A league of their own

I used to love to watch highlights from the old days of sports. One of my favorites is a Vince Lombardi scene when he was pacing the sidelines for the Green Bay Packers. He's walking back and forth and sees another horrific mistake made by his team and screams out, "what the hell is going on out here!"

Right now, I'd like to borrow that line and give it to Gary Bettman and the NHL after the first day and a half of free agency,

I am trying to figure out why the NHL sat out the season two years ago only to cry poverty and explain how the league cannot go on the way it has. They need a new economic system was a rallying cry for owners. Hey Gary, after the NY Rangers spent 80 mil on two plays, what do you say about that great new system of yours?? Now that the Atlanta Thrashers and Nashville Predators are going to keep it to the lower end of the payroll scale - how's that going to sit in those cities? And if you are in the city of Brotherly Love - your suffering looks over soon thanks to a bunch of moves and spending some serious coin.

The NHL is a great product since the lockout. The rules changes are awesome for the game and the fans. But they have no real television contract and that won't change anytime soon. So unless you are a die hard fan - why would you even know or try to find Versus?

We are heading down a bad path again for the league as far as financials are concerned. And Gary, don't gimme the economic crap anymore. These owners and general managers know exactly what's up. Some can make the money with the higher payrolls and others can't and adjust to it.

So it's a league of haves and have not's once again. Glad we wasted a year to solve this problem.

Wow

Sitting poolside at the David Citadel Hotel having dinner with everyone from Atlanta, LA, Cleveland, Chicago, San Francisco and Houston.

It's a picture perfect evening - if I tried to draw it up - couldn't even come close. View of the Old City right behind us - and our room over looks it as well. The picture attached is from the balcony of our room. Just awesome.

To know that we are fortunate is one thing .... Must give back to make it mean something.

Until later .... Toda raba

Live from Israel...

It's 6 pm here and we are on the bus on the way to Jerusalem. Got here an hour early on Delta ... I know you are shocked as we are to hear that.

Absolutely beautiful here - been eight years since I have been here and it's as pretty and scenic as ever. We are sharing a bus with our bretheren from Houston and singing in Hebrew as we drive to hotel.

Weather is awesome - mid 80s and sunny. Will update as we go.... Shalom!

Off to Israel

At the Crown Room on the E concourse - wife is driving me nuts already asking if I am scared we are flying together with the girls here. Answer is I hate flying any way, shape or form.... I just try not to think about it.

Anyway - should be a great trip. Will update daily so stay tuned for wild, fun stories.

36 hour layover

Home sweet home ... nice to see ya, at least for a short while.

What the hell is going on in the UK? Lots of scary things going on in the world and people blame the U.S. for all of their issues. Look, there's no question the man sitting in the chair right now isn't a wonderful example of diplomacy, but when he leaves, do you really think this crap ends?

It's been going on for thousands of years and it's not going to stop because Bush leaves the White House. Sad but true statement.

OK for those of you who need a good laugh ... and I think the boys in the world will like this a heck of a lot more than the girls. Check out one of the funniest people on the planet - John Valby - known as Doctor Dirty. He's a singer/songwriter of songs for drunken idiots and I used to go see him with friends in college. While searching iTunes - found him again.

While in Boston, I was thinking back to my days of stand-up comedy - one of my all-time favorite people is DJ Hazard. Best line of his was, "this is off my album if an octopus had a big dick, how would he know? Would it be step, step, step, step, step, step, step, step, ouch ...?

That's it for now ... off to bed and then fun with the kids tomorrow before catching the late flight to the homeland. Should be a great trip.

Fenway baby!!!

Sitting behind home plate at Fenway - went to the Cask and Flagon - life is good!!! Had a great day on a coast guard cutter for our Red Lobster SMT.

Now enjoy a beautiful night at the ballpark and then a 715 am flight home to unpack and repack for the homeland.

Drove by Northeastern and stopped by Newbury Pizza (twice!). Always good to come back to Boston.

Boston sunrise

Morning all - watching sunrise In Boston from the the USS Seneca on Boston Harbor. It is a beautiful day at 5 am and the sunrise is spectacular.

The Red Lobster team is rocking and rolling - smt to start at 545. On in Atlanta and round the county on WB and local morning show - look out for chef Michael LaDuke.

More later... Fenway tonight!

Have you ever noticed...

Walking to use the facilities on the flight, I noticed that most folks are either on their laptops or on PDA's playing games.

Also noticed about 40 percent of the plane has an iPod or some sort of music gizmo.

By the way - my streak is in tact - baby sitting right behind me. There's always one within two rows.... Have 5 more segments in three weeks. I'd bet on 3 of the 5 having it. Not sure about Israel flight, in the front of the bus.

Very cool to be back in Boston ... Nothing better than flying in and seeing the Prudential Building.Off to work and to drive in a town built for doing everything but that.

Off to Beantown

Well - here goes nothing... Off to my SMT for Red Lobster and it takes me to my college home. Very excited - been a while since I have been there. Hard to believe it's been 21 years since I went there to check into Stetson Hall West.

Standing in line at Hartsfield Airport security. Line goes all the way back to baggage claim. Good to see they have got this figured out by now. Good thing I am here with 90 mins to spare.

That's all for now. I am sure I will have a good travel story later ... I am flying Delta. And most of you know what that stands for ... Don't Ever Leave The Airport.

Hasta manana...

Now that could be a great hole in one...

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070626/NEWS/706260335

Been a while for a great story of the day.... this is a classic.

And then I was reading USA Today and found this one...

Sweden OKs prison porn for rape convicts

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Convicted sex offenders are free to read pornography in their cells, a Swedish court ruled, saying the country's prison system had no right to deny an imprisoned rapist access to his porn magazines.

Officials with the Swedish Prison and Probation Service had argued that reading porn would interfere with the man's rehabilitation program. They also said the magazines posed a security problem for staff and other inmates because they could increase the risk of the man relapsing into criminal behavior.

But the Supreme Administrative Court in Stockholm, whose ruling last week cannot be appealed, said the prison service failed to prove that the magazines could "jeopardize the security of the institution."

Prison officials said they had asked the government to change the law so that they could continue to ban porn magazines at the Nordic nation's prisons.

"It increases the risk of assault for other inmates and it is provocative for personnel," Elisabeth Kwarnmark, a prison service psychologist, said in response to the ruling.

Kwarnmark said that other pornographic material, such as adult movies, channels and websites, is not permitted in Swedish prisons. Child and violent pornography are also banned.

Why NASCAR is so smart

So Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants his number 8 to come with him when he changes teams next season. Sounds good right? His new employer Rick Hendrick was going to offer his old employer and his stepmom Teresa money to buy the number. Heck, Hendrick was going to trade his number 25 to them for the 8 and money. Not bad - no issues right?

Wrong.

NASCAR told the Charlotte Observer that numbers aren't for sale and belong to NASCAR not the driver or owner.

Wow. All I can say is brilliant. Totally brilliant.

Why you may ask do I say that? Why is it so important that NASCAR has this on the books as a law and why it's important.

Simple ... let me steal the line from Jerry Maguire and Cuba Gooding, Jr., "Show me the money!"

Does anyone have a clue how many fans Dale Jr. has? Does anyone have a clue how many of those folks already own EVERYTHING with the number 8 on it? Heck folks even have tattoos of the 8.

So imagine when Dale Jr. gets his new number. Think any of those people will spend money to buy his new stuff? Heck yeah. And by the way, does NASCAR get any of that money? You betcha.

When the release the new number, color and car sponsor - the money will just fly in and NASCAR knows this and that's what this law has been on the books for a while.

Not bad for a bunch of "good ol' boys."

Monday thoughts and ramblings

Happy happy all! What's new in your world? You know you could leave a comment once in a while and make this thing interactive from time-to-time.

Oregon State won the NCAA baseball title last night for the second straight year. First time done since LSU 10 years ago. They did it after barely making the tournament and with only two position players starting from last year's team. Nice job Beavers!

The Atlanta Braves can't score in a whore house with a fist full of 50s. They have scored one run in five games and just got swept by the Detroit Tigers. Elizabeth and I went Saturday afternoon and it was the hottest day I have ever spent in a sporting event. Thanks to Fox for moving the game from 7 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Felt like an egg in a frying pan for the first six innings when the sun went down.

Who in their right mind is going to give Andruw Jones $15 mil a year when he is hitting .200? You know that someone will do it ... just a matter of which big market team will do it.

Hey the Cubs just swept the White Sox ... they are only 7.5 back of Milwaukee. Still a chance baby!! Don't give up Cubs faithful ... weirder things have happened.

And how about a shout out to my pal Andrew Silver in GCI's NY office ... as of today, the Red Sox are up 11.5 games on the Yankees. We have dinner at the Palm riding on the Yankees making the playoffs - they are still 4.5 out of the wild card. As far as I am concerned, he can keep the food, I just want all Yankee fans to suffer.

Then on the other side of the office in NYC is Steve Bonsignore who is one of them Met people. They are going to win their division by default because everyone sucks unless the Phillies wake up and I am not sure they can.

One week until NHL free agency - should be interesting to see how teams like Buffalo will deal with Daniel Briere and Chris Drury. I think they should focus on Briere as Drury will likely land with the Kings, Rangers or Sharks. Before the draft, I would have said the first two - but now that Doug Wilson cleaned out some salary - he's going to take a hard run at Drury.

By the way - be interesting to watch the Atlanta Thrashers situation. If I were a gambling man, I would bet on them missing the playoffs. And speaking of betting, how's Roger Federer look to you on the grass at Wimbledon? Yeah ... I like him too.

Back-to-back in the NHL Draft for USA

Somewhere Herb Brooks is smiling today.

For the first time ever, American born players were taken 1-2 in the NHL Draft. Not only that for back-to-back years Americans were taken number one. It's the first time that has ever happened. There were 10 Americans selected in the first round for back-to-back years. The most ever.

When the USA National Team Development Program was started in Ann Arbor about 10 years ago - people laughed and didn't think it could work. Since then the U.S. Junior team has won gold and more Americans are drafted higher and becoming better hockey players. Great job being done by Scott Monaghan and Ron Rolston. Have to give props to Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson and Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves that put the program on the map.

Funny part was that one of the Americans kids, who wasn't even born yet in 1980, idolizes Herb Brooks.

Somewhere Herbie is smiling.

By the way - if you ask me who the big winners were last night in the draft, I have three.

Third is San Jose. Doug Wilson came into the draft with NO first rounders and leaves with two - while trading away Vesa Toskala and Mark Bell. Great day for the Sharks.

Second - I love what St. Louis is building. They came away with three first round picks to add to Erik Johnson from last year. Hey St. Louis fans - you aren't far off from saying something that your President John Davidson made popular on MSG for the Rangers broadcast, "Oh....Baby!"

And to me, by total twist of fate and good fortune, the Pittsburgh Penguins ended up with Angelo Esposito. He's was the pre-season top player by Central Scouting and he was ranked eighth on the final list. Dave Molinari of the Post-Gazette with the story of how Espo got to the Burgh. Give him some time with Sid the Kid, Malkin and Staal - wow, the firepower is insane.

By the way, anyone see any of my former cohorts from the Thrashers? No first round pick and barely any television time. Saw the backend of the table once as someone walked by on the way to making their pick. Don Waddell should have been the TSN commentator just to show us that he was there.

Still the one

Got to watch AFI's Top 100 movies of all-time last night. It had been updated from 10 years ago when the first did the list.

There were many things that I questioned on the list - like why 12 Angry Men and the Shawshank Redemption weren't higher. But I will not, cannot and never will argue with the top three chosen:

1 CITIZEN KANE
2 THE GODFATHER
3 CASABLANCA

To me - you can throw them all in a mixer and I would have no issues any which way. These are by and far the best and I watch them every time they come on the dish. Matter of fact, I think I can say that about all of the top 10. I can't help myself.

The list is very interesting and it's wild to see the new additions and what fell. Some of it shocks me. To check out the full list, go to the AFI website .

Also - did anyone notice that Sammy Sosa hit his 600th home run last night? He might be a Hall of Famer - but he won't be on the first ballot for sure.

Best video of the week - Mike and Mike in the Morning - Mike Greenberg milking a cow from Stew Leonard's on set. Just classic.

Getting older, wiser

OK - so I went back to walk at Chastain Park this morning and they did it again. All of these people say good morning ... haven't even had my coffee and I have to talk to them. Crazy.

Anyway, as I was walking I realized that today is the 26th anniversary of my bar mitzvah. Which means I am getting old, but it made me laugh to think about what a pain in the butt I was back then. I was 13 and I knew it all - all of course except my parsha for my bar mitzvah. As I was walking, some of it came back to me. I remembered the opening lines and laughed that all these years later I actually remembered something.

I am leaving for Israel in 11 days and I am very excited to go back. For those of you who read my blog, I will be writing daily from Israel and I promise not to go to crazy on the soapbox. I know I have a tendency to do it in these kinds of situations, but I will fight the urge as best I can.

It has been eight years since I have been there and it was six months after the loss of dear friend Brian Fishman and I was a bit emotional. It's funny, but I was thinking about Brian yesterday and I got emotional again thinking about going back to Israel because it was one of the places we spoke of going to. It's been eight years since his passing and I still smile and think about him often. I miss him and wish he were here.

OK - so I have set the table for a solid 12 days of blogging from the homeland. Make sure to share them with people. Have a great day.

Southern Differences

OK - so how many of you have ever been to Central Park? Cool place - but not the friendliest place in the world. People don't stop and say hello to strangers. It just doesn't happen and if it does, you look at the person like they have five heads.

Which brings me to today when I went to walk with my friend, Harris, at Chastain Park. Started for a 45 minute walk around the park and along the way passed a bunch of people. Almost everyone of them said good morning to us. Half even did so with their iPods on.

Harris and I laughed about it - but it's one of the best parts about living in the South.

Y'all need to try it out ... weather ain't bad either...

NHL thoughts and ramblings

So - there's a hot rumor coming out of Ottawa that John Muckler is out as GM and that Bryan Murray will be GM/coach of the team. It's interesting considering the team made the finals and Muckler has done a great job putting the pieces together. Hey Muck - wanna blame Ted Nolan for this one, too???

Still trying to figure out what they are doing in Boston after firing coach Dave Lewis after his first year. Why wait till mid-June to do it?

And speaking of nuts, the Canadiens found someone to take Sergei Samsonov's contract off of their hands. Hey Chicago - good luck with that one.... let me know how it works out for you.

Happy Father's Day!

Good day here - had fun with the kids and went to the in-laws for dinner and to watch the end of the U.S. Open.

Interesting to see Tiger struggle down the stretch with the putter and yet only one shot back. Still wondering why Jim Furyk pulls driver on 17 - think he does too.

Can't believe we are going to Israel in two weeks. Been eight years and a lifetime ago since we went in 1999. Should be a great trip.

Quiet time

So since Sunday I have been a bachelor. The family went to the beach for the week and I have had complete silence in my house.



Insane thought isn't it? Haven't had silence like this in a while and it's interesting.



Sunday afternoon I kicked back sat by the pool, read, drank a beer and smoked a cigar. Did all of it without interuption. Scary. Can't even tell you the last time I did that.



Now, while I joke that it has been great - it's a little strange to be all alone. I am so used to having a rugrat around me or my wife near by.

Sopranos ending

Well - I have watched it twice and I am still torn.

Love the way Phil went out - but the rest of it, not sure. Paulie with the cat was great. Almost as funny as when he sat with the kids at Bobby's funeral and unzipped his pants. Classic.

A.J. is great too - just when the kid has a shot to get a hot girl - the car catches on fire. Just funny.

I still think there's a movie coming. With Carlo flipping to the feds - it can center around the trial of Tony and have flashbacks.

Could be good. What do you think?

Quacking up!!

OK - tell me you watched last night???

Tell me you saw Scott Niedermayer pass the Stanley Cup to his brother Rob? Every kid that plays this game and has a sibling doing the same dreams of that moment.

Tell me you saw Teemu Selanne crying with his wife on the bench embracing after he realized his dream? A kid from Finland - where they dream of winning Olympic medals first and foremost, raising the cup over his head with a smile wider than the Pacific Ocean.

Tell me you saw the Cup skated around the rink and you don't realize why this is the GREATEST trophy in sports.

Scott Niedermayer was the only Duck to have won before so it was great to watch all the newbies with the trophy. By the way, great story on SI.com on the brothers with the cup.

As my loyal readers know, I picked the Ducks to win the cup in August. I put some money down in Vegas and it came in nicely. I then picked the Ducks to win the series in five against Ottawa - heck, I even called scores for most of the series and described the games. No, I don't have any mighty powers that gave me the vision to see the future. I did have the vision to see one thing - Brian Burke built a team based on goaltending, defense, speed and strength. And they were too big, too strong and too much for Ottawa's finesse team.

Burke is a brash man with incredible vision. I can tell you that he went into the 1999 NHL Draft with Vancouver with a few picks and he was brash enough to tell all his fellow General Managers that he was "the only one who was going to walk out of the draft with the Sedin twins." Know what - he was right. He was the only one with enough players and picks and the smarts to get the deal done with the Edmonton Oilers for Chris Pronger. Heck he stole Francois Beauchemin from Columbus (and don't think Beauchemin won't thank him forever for getting him out!).
Asst. General Manager David McNab found college kids along the way like Andy MacDonald and Dustin Penner and thus a solid Cup contender was born.

Oh by the way, how the hockey world could have been different. The three finalist for the Atlanta Thrashers GM job - Don Waddell, Dallas' Les Jackson and Burke.

Obviously you need breaks along the way and the Ducks got most of them. Twice they had to play without Chris Pronger due to suspension and they won both of those games. They have never lost a Stanley Cup Finals game at home and they clinched every series this year at home.

Now Burke will be the first to say that his predecessor, Bryan Murray, left him an incredible team when he went to Ottawa. If you saw Murray's post game interview, he knew that he got beat by his own team after waiting his whole career to get to the finals. Sorta unfair.

As great as it was to see the Ducks win, I felt bad for Murray. One of the class acts in the sport and when his own team knocked a puck in their own net they cut to Murray and it was if he was going to start laughing because he couldn't believe what he saw. Hopefully he will have another kick at the can, but if he doesn't bring a tougher, more physical team ... the same result will happen.

And by the way, I keep hearing folks talking about the rest hurt Ottawa and that a bunch of them were hurt. Last night, Scott Niedermayer won the Conn Smythe trophy, played a ridiculous amount of minutes throughout the playoffs and did it all with supposed hairline fracture in his foot. Odds are he had one for a while and it looked like it hurt him at times ... but hey, somehow he got through it. Why now in losing to I have to hear from the Canadian writers about injuries to their team. Heck - last night, Pronger separated his shoulder DURING THE GAME and he came back to play well in the second and third periods. It's the playoffs, everyone is hurt and banged up. Get over it.

Sorta like I have to get over the fact that the season is over... have to wait till September to see more hockey... ughhhhh!


For the best coverage of the cup post game - TSN.CA and ESPN.COM

Great story on my pal David McNab...

From CBC Sports.com

Going to school
Smart scouting paying dividends for Ducks

Doug Harrison, CBC Sports
Seeking another diamond in the rough, Anaheim Ducks assistant general manager David McNab packed his bags early in the 2003-04 hockey season.

He wasn't heading for the junior leagues in Canada, or to scout elite squads in Sweden, Russia or the Czech Republic. Instead, he was leaving for the University of Maine, one of a host of U.S. colleges McNab sees as fertile ground for future stars.

While scouting the Black Bears, McNab was intrigued by the play of six-foot-four, 230-pound freshman Dustin Penner. After the game, McNab picked the brain of old friend Grant Standbrook, an assistant coach at Maine.

"Grant told me about Dustin, that he found him at a summer evaluation camp in Saskatoon in 2002," McNab told CBC Sports Online. "I said, 'he's a pretty good player.' I think he wished I hadn't said as much, but I was actually there looking at someone else."

McNab returned to Anaheim and raved to then-Ducks GM Bryan Murray about Penner, a left-winger who went unnoticed in the NHL Entry Draft a few years earlier.


About three months later McNab signed Penner, one of 11 players to skate for the Ducks this season who had played some U.S. college hockey.

In his first full NHL season this year, Penner scored 29 goals and 45 points skating on the Ducks' second scoring line alongside Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. He has added five points and a plus-2 rating in 18 playoff games.

While Penner has been the poster boy for Anaheim’s philosophy to sign undrafted college players, linemates Chris Kunitz and Andy McDonald have made key contributions in the team’s run to the Stanley Cup finals.

Lesser-known types such as Ryan Shannon and Ryan Carter, whom the Ducks also signed out of college in 2005 and 2006, respectively, have also been valuable additions.

Anaheim certainly isn’t the only team to go the college route, as 17 of the 30 players to play at least one game for New Jersey in 2006-07 were former collegians.

But the Ducks are gaining notoriety for scouring the college ranks, with three of their top six forwards entering the 2007 post-season having spent time in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

"We decided it was an avenue for us," said McNab, an original member of the Ducks who began his tenure in 1993 as director of player personnel. "There were always college free agents over the years – Ed Belfour, Mike Johnson and Curtis Joseph.

"We thought maybe it was a good way to get players. The draft is such a long process. You have to watch the top players and there is so much pressure to do it right, especially in the early rounds.”


In 2000, McNab and company targetted McDonald, a speedy five-foot-10 centre at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y.

McNab hadn't seen the native of Strathroy, Ont., play until his senior year when he scored 25 goals and 58 points in 34 games.

"In 2000, I think Andy McDonald was not only the best free agent but the best player in college hockey," said McNab, a former goaltender at the University of Wisconsin.

McNab said NHL teams that have been successful over the years had homegrown players, a core group they developed together.

“But we didn’t go into [the college ranks] thinking, ‘let’s sign five guys and hope one makes it.’ We really didn’t feel we had to sign somebody every year,” said McNab. “If we didn’t get the player we wanted, we didn’t sign anyone.”

Alain Chainey, Anaheim’s director of amateur scouting, told CBC Sports Online that college players are attractive to teams because of their maturity.

“They go to school, practise every day within a good system and work hard off the ice,” he said.
Shannon, who collected 45 points in 38 games in his senior year at Boston College, had 11 points in 53 games in his rookie season for the Ducks.

And Carter dressed for Games 4, 5, and 6 of the Western Conference final against Detroit after posting 36 points in 76 games this year for the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League.
"[Ducks coach] Randy [Carlyle] had no problem putting him on the ice [in must-win playoff games]," Chainey said. "The fact he put Ryan out there, he thought he was good enough to play [in the NHL].”

Like McDonald, Kunitz, Penner and Shannon before him, Carter wants to play for the Ducks.

"What I'm happiest about with these [college] guys is that they chose to come here," said McNab. "Anaheim wasn't their favourite team growing up, they weren't drafted here, they didn't get more money from us. They were getting the same offers from other teams.

“It was their decision and I'm happy they have had success here.”

Tonight is the night

The title is stolen from one of my all-time favorite movies, Midnight Run ... and it's changed so that it's not with the curse word that Dennis Farina added.

But NBC tonight will have Lord Stanley's cup will be skated tonight after a dominating 5-2 win by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. If Andy MacDonald does anything great, he could have a shot at the Conn Smythe, but I will take J.S. Giguere in the pipes for that honor.

If you don't like hockey, I would ask you to Tivo the game and add an hour past the time slot so you can see the greatest trophy in sports skated and see how grown men turn into little kids around it.

I only wish I have the Canadian coverage for tonight - CBC and TSN do it by far better than ANYONE ELSE!!!!!

Tuesday sing-a-long

C'mon - you know you want to sing it with me...

Andy MacDonald scored two goals ... E I E I O!!!!

Can't you just hear Chris Berman doing the highlights and singing that???

Which by the way, you want to know what the NHL sucks??? NHL diehards like me are DYING to watch post game coverage and we get ZIP, NADA, NOTHING!!! I know I am nuts, but I am not the only one wanting to wind down after a great game with some anaylsis and interviews. Mr. Bettman - please for the love of God, step down after this year. Owners - don't let Bill Daly take over - just be the same old same old...

OK - not to say that I know my hockey, but I have this thing pegged dead on. The Ducks are 7-0 in closeout games of a series at home. Plus Chris Pronger is back in the lineup and don't you think he wants a little redemption. I am sure he was thanking J.S. Giguere last night something fierce after the game he played.

The game was over after the first period when Ottawa couldn't muster more than a goal and they got that with 0.3 seconds left on the clock. Anaheim stepped up and just played their game - kept it simple and physical and took advantage of their opportunities.

On the game winner, it was a nice play by the Ducks, but the Sens got caught with three men in the offensive zone - two trying to make a hit and missing the puck. As if that weren't bad enough Wade Redden made a horrible read and turned to the boards and got beat by Teemu Selanne, which set-up the odd man break for the Ducks and the Dustin Penner goal.

The only issue I had with the game is that there was no penalty called on Daniel Alfredsson on his bush-league shot at Scott Neidermayer at the end of the second period. If you saw the overhead NBC had, there was NO way to dispute he changed his shooting angle in his back swing. The league better look at it and think about suspending him for the next game - there is NO PLACE in the NHL for that kind of behavior and needs to be dealt with quickly. Just a farce if he, or anyone who would do this, gets away with it.

For the first time in NHL history, the Cup will be skated in the Pacific time zone and more importantly in California. And this time Giguere can win the Conn Smythe on the winning side of the ledger.

Let me close with my song of the day ...

Anaheim will skate the Cup on Wednesday night ... E I E I O.... (my dear friend Anaheim Asst. GM) Dave McNab will be drinking from it all night ... E I E I O.

Happy Monday

Hope ya had a good weekend. All good in Barkan household, but hey give me time to mess it up.

Went swimming with the kids yesterday and it was just fun hanging with them. Abbie and I played croquet - someone gave her a kids set for her birthday. Was classic.

So weekend news and notes - LeBron is going to the NBA Finals. No one should be rooting for him more than David Stern. If the Spurs win, the MVP should be Stern and the league for the Suns series. Just a joke.

Chris Pronger got suspended from game four for an elbow to the head of Dean McAmmond. Call was close - but fine, suspend him. The last time the league did so, the Ducks won and they will do it again tonight. Jean-Sebastien Giguere won't have two bad games in a row and he will win the game for the Ducks, 3-1.

Yanks took two out of three from the Red Sox and still look no better. Roger Clemens may look good in the pinstripes, but he cannot help the problems this team has. Hey, does anyone remember the April A-Rod had? It was good, but not as good as the blond he was with in Toronto that everyone is speaking of now.

So Billy Donovan wants to go back to Florida? Gee what a shock. What is wrong with these power hungry moron college coaches that think more money will make they happy? Donovan has a great gig and can call his own shots at UF. The Magic are an OK team - but they will never be his. They will always be Dwight Howard's team and if Donovan goes there, when they win it won't be because of Billy, but if they lose it will be.

Story of the day - the Yankees could get out of the Roger Clemens deal if they want to. Might be worth saving the money at this point George.... or maybe you can deal him to Houston for Roy Oswalt. NOT!

Has anyone decided who they are voting for in the 08 Presidential election? If you have, how and why have you chosen that person? I keep looking and watching and wondering

Of all the gin joints in all the world....

Why do I have to be in Orlando today?? I mean seriously.... I have to be here on the day that the Orlando Magic hire Billy Donovan. It's front page news on the Orlando Sentinel.

And while friends of mine who are Gators and will remain nameless, send out emails of how it will be "OK" - I sit back and laugh at them. It's going to be interesting to see who they hire next - do you stay in the Donovan family of coaches or go outside. You never want to be the coach to follow the great coach - you want to be the one to follow the man who followed the great coach.

I can't get away from these damn Gators ... even on a business trip, geez.

OK - back to the more important subject - Stanley Cup Finals! Tomorrow night 8 p.m. on NBC - prime time ... YEAH! Even better - Don Cherry will be on the NBC broadcast. For those that are used to watching him on CBC I am sure he will be more tame on American television ... I hope not, but I am sure he will be.

Back to game 2 for a moment - every broadcaster has said the same thing about it, they have never seen a more dominant performance in a 1-0 win and they are soooooo right.

Ottawa's Bryan Murray is going to have to do something with his lines to get some kind of sustained offense going. But I don't think he has the team to pull this one off. Anaheim is just to big, too strong and with the best goalie. I think Ottawa will get an early lead and then hang on to survive a 3-2 win.

I will say this, if the Heatley, Alfredsson, Spezza line doesn't get a goal they could very easily go down 3-0. I think they break out a little and keep the series alive for another day or so...

Still say Ducks in 5 - won't give it up.