i won

My influenza is finally over. It really was an awkward flu: it was all about themes. First there were the Vin Diesel days with some problem with my throat making me talk like Vin Diesel. Then the blowing up my nose days. After 10 days, I thought it was going away but no. I had the strange cough days. No sore throat, no nose traffic, only some weird coughing.

I thought maybe I have lung cancer (here’s a cool map of the distribution of lung cancer cases in the USA. Or tuberculosis (here’s a list of cool people who died from it). Or pneumonia. Maybe I’m doing to die like an 19^th century cursed poet.

But finally it’s gone. After almost 3 weeks. Good.

the most useful web page ever

How to Prevent Varicose Veins. Rarely painful having them but always awful seeing them. Thank you, thank you so much, Ben Rubenstein, Lucas Halbert, Nicole Willson, Nathan Wong, Jack H, Krystle and Brett Capewell and others, marvelous writers of this precious page. Thank you, really.

goodfellas: random thoughts

If someday I own a movie studio I’ll do a remake of every Martin Scorsese movie. I can’t believe how many potentially good movies he screwed up.

How this average looking girl with horrible hair turned into an awesome women as Loraine Bracco in the Sopranos ?

Why did we need to see Samuel L Jackson in yellow underwear ?

It’s awkward to watch this movie after watching a lot of Sopranos DVD: Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, Vincent Pastore (briefly but this guy seems to be in EVERY gangster movie)… Did I miss any ?

Ray Liotta: ever heard of acting lessons ?

as requested

A few people came on my blog trying to find which position Vince Papale played. As you may know, the new movie Invincible tells the story of Vince Papale. Isn’it obvious in the preview ? He played wide receiver. And also a bit on special teams, as many WR do.

One people came here with the request “biggest sloth in the world”. I don’t know if there’s any organization giving this recognition but if so I may apply. Or think about the application and do nothing about it.

One interesting question: “why tom brady was drafted late”. I called Tom and asked him but he yelled “fuck you, I won 3 superbowl !” and he hung up the phone. Unfortunately, Wikipedia doesn’t give much explanation about it. His file on the Pats site seems to have been written fast. I call him back to complain about his file but he yelled the same thing than the first time.

Finally, a few people are searching for Murray Bookchin. I’m very glad because I thought I was the only member of the “I know who Murray Bookchin is” club. The wikipedia article about him is full of relevant links.

nothing but children

Two nights in a row with a dream about children, what does it means ?

Night one, the mother decides to give to our kids – they are twins – the names of two bullies I had to deal with at high school.

Night two, some mother – now the kids aren’t mine – puts herself into trouble in an airport with the new security restrictions.

one more…

Maybe having completely unpublishable books ideas is more annoying when you’re unemployed.

green turned ugly

Last week, Elizabeth May became the new leader of the Green Party of Canada. She also became the ugliest political leader in Canada. Maybe the ugliest of Canada’s history, easily in front of Jean Chrétien.

I tried to think of other contestants but I don’t have anything in mind…

taller means smarter ?

 

 

According to a new study, taller people would be smarter. That’s nice to hear when you’re 6 feet 2.

But strangely, in a comic duo, the taller is often the dumb one: Astérix and Obélix, Laurel and Hardy, Terrence Hill and Bud Spencer, Itchy and Scratchy…

So, the small ones have nothing left for themselves ?

the dumb of the day

A woman stole 2,3 millions dollars from her employers and spent the money on lottery tickets.

Hey, darling, if you have 2,3 millions, you don’t need lottery tickets, you’re already rich  !!!

pluto, 1930-2006

Well, to me Pluto will always be a Planet. I refuse to unlearn this. This is ridiculous: for 76 years, Pluto has been a planet. My grandfather, my father and I learned Pluto was a planet and then, the astronomers changed their mind. Sorry, too late. We could argue it also takes about 76 years for an astronomer to get laid, but it wouldn’t help the debate.

How many books are now inaccurate ? How much school, college and university libraries will have to spend to replace their dictionaries, encyclopedias, scientific books ? Actually, I’d be curious to know how many still have documents about USSR…

unemployed

carbon cards

 

I’m pretty skeptical about the application but I like this carbon card idea. Every citizen would be controlled for their carbon consumption. Big carbon users would have to pay for additional rations, which would finance alternative energies.

The idea of getting the individual involved is good. Each would be aware of the cost of their own lifestyle. And would be more concerned about global environmental issues. They could choose environmental friendly politicians to avoid more severe controls.

Totally unrealistic right now but maybe someday. When we’ll have the proper technology and some human politicians. And maybe before the Earth will turn into a vast desert.

hold the parade

 

I guess Quebec is not different that any other place when it comes to cover a local athlete. Often, the journalists don’t resist the temptation of turning into cheerleaders. These days, it’s the Rogers cup  – feminine tennis – in Montreal and all the journalists made a big deal about two local girls, who won their first round game, Stéphanie Dubois and Marie-Ève Pelletier. The last one women who did so here was Hélène Pelletier back in 1984. Ok, that’s nice but cool off: that a first round victory. Plus, when you win because of luck and/or because you didn’t play well but the other girl played so bad, this is not a great victory ! Yesterday, Stéphanie Dubois and the journalists were triumphant ! She won against the top 2 Kim Clijsters. How ? Clijsters gave up at the beginning of the second set because of a wounded wrist (after winning the first set 6-1). That’s great luck, not plain great.

So far, the best performance from these girls this week is the first round game of Stéphanie Dubois. She defeated Tathiana Garbin, ranked 73 in the WTA, 6-4 6-4. That was a great game. But, still, a first round game.

Glorifying the rest is bullshit. Wait until the quarter-final for the trumpet and the confetti, please.

what it’s all about

Floyd Landis wrote an open letter to his former and now dissolved team Phonak.

There’s this nice little sentence in the letter:

“I will not relent on my pursuit of the truth”.

Here, truth means keeping the 700 000$ he got when he won the Tour de France.

qb late picks

 

If I was a sport journalist, I would be curious to know how NFL rookies are dealing with a position change. Most players are drafted to play the position they played at college. But not all of them. How does it feels to be told you’re going to change your position ?

Last year, we saw how much Steelers made a good decision when they converted Antwaan Randle El from the QB position to the WR position a few years ago. They knew what they were doing – or it turned out well.

I was curious about this year draft. OK, let’s be clear, I didn’t even intend to check if the players drafted by the 32 teams through the 7 rounds seems to play to their normal position – I don’t have that much time to waste. I only checked for the QB for the rounds 3 to 7.

Probably the biggest NFL story over the last years is how Tom Brady, a 6th round pick who also considered to play professional baseball as a receiver, step up when his team needed him to eventually win 3 Superbowls.

QB is a tough job. Maybe the toughest position of all sports. That’s why every QB rookie needs commitment from his team.

Obviously, we mostly care about first round QB. Those Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Jay Cutler… A first round QB is meant to change a team for several years. But even them needs time to get fit for the job.

If we have a look at the QB drafted at rounds 3 to 7, there’s 8 players. Most of them are already the 3rd QB of their team. Ingle Martin, 5th round, is the 4th QB at Green Bay but there might be some changes next year at this team’s position. Let’s mention that Brodie Croyle, 3rd round, is the 3rd QB for Kansas City. That’s too bad for Casey Printers, the former impressive QB of the BC Lions (CFL), he’s 4th. But Trent Green is getting old.

Two of those 8 QB drafted at rounds 3 to 7 won’t play QB.

First, Michael Robinson, 4th round. He will play running back for San Francisco. Actually, he’ll be the 4th (!) running back. When you look at his scouting report it seems the kid has some potential. He could learn behind the young Alex Smith and turn out as an nice second QB. Does the team have a plan for him ? Or it’s just show me what you got until we draft some good RB to take your job ?

Second, Reggie McNeal, 5th round, who will play as a wide receiver. Great athlete, no doubt about it, but his scouting report shows some concerns about his potential as a QB. He could be a terrific receiver. In this case it seems more like a good idea. But what about the team commitment ? He’s about the 7th or 8th WR on the depth chart. Sounds like he won’t play on the regular season. Ok, that’s not Jesus, that’s a 5th round pick, but I hope the team won’t waste his potential just because other players can do the job better right now. In the other hand, just because he played QB doesn’t mean he’s more important than a WR. But when you ask a player to play another position, it should be because you believe in his athletic abilities, not because it turns out you drafted him and you feel this way about him.