"Family Guy" Meets "Office Space"

I screamed with laughter. But then again, the bird is the word.

Check out the New Blog Picture!

Finally...and so long overdue. There it is - a real, true, honest-to-goodness Exit 55 sign. Many thanks to Interstate 287 in New Jersey for the seminal moment. I guess Jersey is good for a few things after all.

I'll let you ponder exactly what those things are.

I shot the picture today, while taking the freaking looong way from Warminster, PA back to little ol' Carmel. My eternal thanks to the New Jersey Turnpike for nothing (other than a traffic jam). It reminded me why the eight greatest words in a sentence are, "You have just left the New Jersey Turnpike."

So for you road buffs, the route was kind of like this: I entered the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276) at Willow Grove (Exit 343). I took the Penna Tpike and crossed into New Jersey, where I merged onto the New Jersey Turnpike at Exit 6, before immediately leaving at Exit 7 (US 206). This is where I saw the taillights stretched out. So from there - it was 206 north to I-195 west to I-295 north (which becomes I-95 south) to NJ 31 north to US 202 north to I-287 north. (This is where the sign picture comes in).

Then I went and got a cup of coffee at one of the 185 Dunkin' Donuts off of the highway.

Then it was back to I-287 north to NJ 17 south to US 202 north again (and it becomes 202 east in New York) to the Palisades Parkway north to NY 9D north to NY 301 east.

Thanks for reading.

We now return you to your humdrum life.

Blog News and Notes

Greetings from Warminster PA, where I had plenty of yummy Thanksgivng food (thanks again for the brownies from everybody here to Nick and Mama Angotto!).

I don't know when or if I'll be able to catch up, but kudos for a great call on the Staples-GHS football game to Nick Angotto, Nick Fox, Sean Kilkelly, and Rob Crowley...along with Matt Hamilton, Jason Intrieri and post-game guests Ricky Riscica, Jeff DeVico, Rob Catalano, Mike Lefflbine, Nancy Riscica, Rich Riscica, and Connie DeVico. Jeez...have I forgotten anyone!

Anyway, let's do some links.

Tim Parry has plenty about the FCIAC Championship (congrats, New Canaan) and his celebrity wife, Ursula!

Tim has more! Trent Allen has stepped down at Harding, and other coaching changes (there are now THREE openings in the FCIAC - Trintiy Catholic, Harding, and Danbury).

Oh, and if want to know the CIAC matchups, well go see Tim for that. Yep, as sadly predicted, no Greenwich threepeat. The shame of it is that they would have been scary good in the post-season. Greenwich-New Canaan or a Greenwich-Darien rematch would have been amazing.

That's just my opinion.

As I drove from Greenwich to Warminster, I made sure to do my anual tradition of listening to Alice's Restaurant in all its glory. That was enough to help pass the time while I was stuck in traffic on the Cross Bronx Expressway.

Despite that, I STILL made it from the WGCH studios to my nieces house within three hours. Yet at 122 miles, I should have been there in just about two. Still, the turkey was plenty was just about to be served when I walked in.

Also thanks to the aforementioned Tim Parry for his thoughts on comments via cell phone regarding New Canaan/Darien. I also thank my friend Kelly Scott for her 'net surfing skills to help me decide my travel route, and to niece Stephanie for "dinner updates."

I love a comfy drive, and that was fun. I took plenty of pictures that will be posted on Flickr at another time.

To finish, give a read to the latest CIAC mumbo-jumbo, in which an offending 50-point coach is bailed out. Thanks to Sean Patrick Bowley for his tremendous efforts.

OK, I'm heading back to the road. I haven't spoken to Sean (you know, my SON) in over 48 hours, and it would be nice to see him again.

I'm kind of funny that way.

Stay Warm, and Listen to WGCH!

It's cold here in the Northeast. You probably know that. So what could possibly be better than to listen to WGCH today, as we'll carry the Greenwich Youth Football Championships (GYFL), beginning at 11:00 AM.

The first game, the Bantam contest, the North Mianus Bulldogs meet the Putnam Generals. Game two is the Junior division championship and feature the Generals against the Glenville Mavericks. Finally, the senior championship rounds out the day, as the Bulldogs battle the Mavericks.

So many of the current and previous Cardinals have played in the GYFL, so the future of Greenwich football can be heard and seen today at Cardinal Stadium.

It's a long day of football for yours truly, as I call all three games and I normally serve as the public address announcer for the player introductions (here's hoping my voice holds out!).

Nick Fox and Rob Crowley (with a cast of others, I hope) will join me for the broadcast.

Birthday, Take 2

So in my post from this morning, I highlighted the lack of visits from Mr. Postman re: birthday number 40. Yeah, well, I should have waited a little longer.

Thanks, Tom and Janet, and Harold, Tracy, Cameron, Katie, Scrappy (the mega-awesome Super Corgi Dog) and the fishes. It means a lot.

Oh, but no thanks to the lovely letters that we received with regard to other segments of life (think: foreclosure).

And thanks to everyone who reached out today (and yesterday). Among the many highlights was the Huey Lewis interview video from "Late Night with David Letterman" in 1984, when "Sports" was the number one album in the land (such a under appreciated masterpiece). Jon sent that along.

Sean gave me a digital picture frame. That should be fun to play with. Mom, Laura, Steph, Jake, Meaghan, Michael, Conor, and Meg's friend Erin (hope I spelled that correctly) rounded out our troop. One of the more cool things was when they went around the table and talked about their favorite memories of me. Each one touched a different place, with Sean's memory being of our trip to Six Flags, riding the Log Flume and the Runaway Train.

Once again, more flags. More fun!

And please! What could be better to finish out a birthday on a freezing day (22 degrees) than ice cream at Ben and Jerry's?

There's still some hurt and melancholy, so I shall now invoke the always-popular "Rule 55." I did a search on YouTube for "40", and came up with the brilliance of the Dave Brubeck Quartet playing "40 Days" in Berlin in 1966. There's the obvious piano playing of Brubeck and the silky-smooth mastery of Paul Desmond on the alto sax, but don't ignore the rhythm section of Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. Quite a legendary act here. Consider not only their gorgeous arrangements, but further think about the makeup of this group in very different social times.

Brubeck is about to turn 88 and still performs. Amazing.

This is a Life

So here we are. My 40th birthday. As with everything, I thought about writing profound things that are normally born out of having time to think and no computer nearby.

They might have been perfectly fine posts, but I'll spare you.

Instead, I'll just take it for what it is - what it has always been.

Just another day.

I had hoped, quite honestly, that all would have been tidied up and over by now. But that's not the reality, so I just keep plugging along.

I could harp on how much has changed in the past year - negatively and positively. For instance, I think this is the first time that no birthday cards showed up in my mailbox. That's fine; I'm not that vain. It's more of a sign of how things have changed, and how people that I have loved have probably been turned against me.

That's the part that hurts.

Oh don't pity me. There are more than enough glad tidings over on Facebook and MySpace, and the actions of my friends Joy, Lindsey, and Tom at work were more than enough to touch my heart. And there will be some kind of family gathering tonight. I'm one who feels that's more for my Mom and Sean than it is for me, but we could debate that.

I had a big 30th birthday party, largely compliments of Sandi, and it was great, yet I always felt those parties were so self-serving. That seemed to manifest more than ever during 2007 when not one but two big birthday parties were authored in my family. Coming out of those parties, I realized that I had it wrong - they were about people getting together than it was about the honoree. With that knowledge, I began to rethink my whole birthday philosophy.

Although, at one of the parties, a group photo was taken, and I was not in the picture. I took the picture.

That was a sign.

I kept having these kind of, let's say, bad birthdays so I had soured on it all. Then, even after my epiphany I suffered through probably the worst one - my 39th. I'll spare you the reasons why, but will say that probably the best part of the day was the Greenwich-Staples broadcast.

I'm sure it was fear - of missed expectations and disappointment. So I laid low.

This could have been a perfectly fine time to lay it all out on the line; explain it all here in the blog finally. Oh the posts I dream up when I'm thinking! But why do it? Why? What is there to gain? Revenge? An ounce of blood? Satisfaction?

I can't get no.

Instead we carry on. We invoke Rule 55 when needed, and we remind ourselves that there are people's feelings at stake here. Besides, I know how smart this audience is. You've all read between the lines so many times, that you don't need me to hit with brute force.

Stay classy, and don't change. That's what I've been told.

As I wrap this up, let me say that I think I'm far better than I was one year ago. I've put weight back on (OK, that's not so good), and I have no idea how my health is, but my attitude and outlook are much better. I know who my loved ones are and Karma can deal with the rest.

Most of all, I've got Sean, who knocked me out with an adorable performance at the Talent Showcase in Carmel last night, as part of a dance troupe. His laughter is my favorite present; his life a pure gift.

When you get right down to it, what else is needed?

Sugar Rush! (Or I've Come to Long-Overdue Conclusion that I'm a "Family Guy " Fan)

So I'm late to this. It happens. I even jump on a bandwagon before it leaves, or come along much much later.

I resisted the "Family Guy" urge for a long time, but can no longer ignore that the show combines my brutally harsh sense of humor with the lack of political correctness.

Sean doesn't watch much of the show (it's kind of...um...bad), but he can recite this one.

I'm going to drop this into the "Rule 55" bucket as there's more to say, specifically regarding the "Star Wars" parody. Let's just say it was in the house and I never saw it, and walk away at that.

Oh, and this is post number 555 on "Exit 55", and I'm invoking Rule 55. So there.

Off The Bench...

Or as I feel like calling this edition, "Kibbles and Bits."

I don't know why. I just want to.

I've always been one to listen to music or the radio or something when working. That includes homework. Just something I do. So today I got so crazed with the "white noise" in the office that I listened to KFWB out of Los Angeles (think 1010 WINS, as they even have the same slogan- "you give us 22 minutes...we'll give you the world"). Here's what I found out: traffic on the 405 stinks.

I'm always here to help.

I can't hide from the fact that at 7:29 on Saturday morning, it will be official - I'm 40. So be it. If you know me, then you know age means very little to me. There was a stretch where I felt my age (most of it was roughly the end of last year and early this year). Now, I'm back to being a mix of young-at-heart and realistically mature.

My son seems to like this guy he calls "Daddy." That's good enough for me. A few other people give me positive reviews, so I guess I'm doing OK.

I'm not thrilled about what I'm seeing in the mirror, but I'll deal with it.

Nosy coworkers - the enemy of all.

I've said it. I feel better for it.

I had a chance to go watch the "big fight" the other night with The Killer and Nick "Sly" Fox. The Greenwich-Westhill farce...err...game kind of wore me out and the fight didn't start until after I was sound asleep. I would have liked to have gone - stuff like that is good for me, but sleep has been a minor issue of late.

Then again, my health has been a minor issue. I mean, I shouldn't have a cold that saps my voice for TWO WEEKS.

Oh, why was GHS-Westhill a farce? Well not so much because of the game action (although Greenwich kind of won big...43-14), but the technical problems just wear me out. We dealt with it towards the end of Brunswick-Trinity Pawling last week, and it happened again this week.

I'll be blunt - it's embarrassing. I fashion WGCH Sports as being the best in the biz, and stuff like this looks bad. I do have to tip the fedora to Dana DeSimone, listening intently and texting to keep me up to date as to how we sounded.

She's a good one, I tell ya. I'm glad we're friends.

Yet the problems were such that I looked at The Killer and said, "I just don't know if I can deal with it this week." Then, as I've done for 10 years, I sucked it up and moved along.

This is how we roll, I suppose.

Nick Swisher...welcome to New York. I'll say on the record that I'm glad you're here. The upside is big.

11-10 Steelers? You kidding me? Um...earth to offense...SCORE! I mean, 13 penalties for the Burgh and just two for the Bolts?

More to say...can't talk now...changes afoot. Have your people call my people and we'll do lunch.

Bobby Ray Continues to Give

I'm a week late on this one (hey, I'm a busy guy) but PeteAbe had this regarding the Murcer family:

On Nov. 18, Kay Murcer will be at City Hall in Manhattan for the launch of the Bobby Murcer ScanMobile, a mobile MRI unit that is a project of the Brain Tumor Foundation

Bobby had a role in the project prior to his passing.

Yankee Stadium Update (subtitle: God I Can't Stand It!)

Two bits from Peter Abraham:

1) The Stadium (aka "The Old Stadium") will stand well into 2009. In fact, word is that we'll see it there next summer. So I'm going to have the Harold/Boston Garden experience, where I will look at the site of my beloved House and utter those magic, shocked-yet-not-shocked words:

"It's gone."

At that point, I will commence borderline weeping once again.

2) In that same department, we have this from PeteAbe: the Babe is moving.

At this point, I think I'd just like it to get over with.

On The Road (and I'm so jealous)

The folks (or folk!) over at Greenwich Roundup do an exceptional job of gathering all of the feeds of the various blogs related to Greenwich (of which I'm pleased to say I am one, and they include me).

I really hadn't looked at too many of the other blogs that are listed, but today I wandered (as much as one can make a mouse wander) to The Blonde Excuse, where the webmistress Lauren was talking about her road trip. "Hmmm", I thought. "Road trip." "Rob like road trip."

And Mongo like candy. But I digress.

Anywho, my reading and looking at her pictures led me to the website dedicated to her trip in question, What Now Wanderers where Lauren, Sarah, and Nicole are rolling across roughly half of the USA, filming their exploits for a documentary to be shown at a later date.

You can read the genesis of the whole plan here.

They're delightful young women, from what I read, and are having a blast of a time. I enjoyed seeing their visit to Hallmark, and some of their other exploits. I hope they know (in my opinion, and if I have a vote) they can stop by the spacious WGCH studios from some publicity in some capacity after their trip has ended. Or, we can just talk, because few love the open road more than I do.

Anyway, go check the blogs out. Happy motoroing!

Want Your Game on the Radio? Here's the Secret

As is my custom, I passed along to my superiors the details of Rye High Schools' post-season schedule. They begin their defense of their Class B title Friday night at Dietz Stadium in Kingston, NY against Highland from Section 9. If they win that game, they play at Dietz the following Saturday at 4:00 (on a certain someone's 40th birthday). Win that game and they play at 1:00 on Sunday, November 30th in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse for the whole shooting gallery.

My point?

The simple answer was that if we come up with sponsors, we'll probably air the games. I'm asked all the time what it takes to get games on the air. While I've never been given a specific number, what has to be taken into account are things like salaries, equipment costs, and even rights fees (for the state playoff games, that is). Again - THIS IS NOT THE NUMBER - but I've often felt if you could come up with oh, say, minimum $300, that might do it.

LET ME REPEAT THAT I AM NOT SPEAKING FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF WGCH. I could just see this blowing up in my face.

So there you have it. It's a matter of sponsors - pure and simple. Back in the day, we cover sports because it was good for the community. If it made money, then that was a bonus. Times have changed.

I say this as I am as worried about my future as anyone. Every year at this time I hope that we can get Greenwich basketball and hockey back on consistently. Once again, that won't happen this year, thanks to our coverage of Fairfield University basketball. Before you dismiss that, let me give you two words to make you listen: Sean...Kilkelly. The Killer is your halftime guy. Selfishly, if it isn't me, then I'm glad it's him.

So be that as it may, let's do everything in our power to line up those non-Fairfield moments with lots of local flava (yes Greenwich, but I'm also looking at you, Brunswick...and I wouldn't ignore Rye or Harrison or Port Chester if they wanted in the mix).

It breaks my heart, because WGCH Sports could be so much more. I, along with Sean, have bounced around ideas forever (more girls sports, etc). But we're in an era of businessmen. We need to make money; not just put games on for giggles.

After Thanksgiving, I'm sort-of a play-by-play free agent, unless we put a schedule together to do some games. And that will only happen if we have sponsors.

I like to Move It Move It

Back when life was...you know...normal (whatever that is), we took Sean to see "Madagascar." It was his first movie in the theater.

Now, with life in the nearly new normal, I took Sean (with my mom and niece, Steph) to see "Madagascar 2." Funny stuff. Generally I'll give it two thumbs up, though I thought there were a few boring points that had the overwhelmingly young crowd getting restless. Still, I don't think you can go wrong with a Sunday morning of Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman (who isn't quite as neurotic this time, unfortunately).

The penguins are hysterical, the monkeys are funny, and King Julien and Maurice are great.

So overall, if you enjoyed the first one - go. If you have a child - go.

Here ends the review.

No FCIAC Championship This Year

I should have played the "Breaking News" sounder when we word came in via text from Tim Parry to Nick Fox. We were probably the first broadcast outlet to announce that the FCIAC football championship would be New Canaan against Darien on Thanksgiving Day.

As such, the Cardinals have been eliminated. I can't even go watch the game, as I have, you know, other responsibilities.

Like me job - Staples at Greenwich, 10:00 AM.

The Cardinals' two losses this year were just so devastating (let's leave the St. Joseph game out for a moment). When Greenwich lost to Darien in week two, you knew it was bad for the FCIAC. The loss to Ridgefield further damaged their playoff hopes, but only in the state race.

St. Joe's was just a bad loss. It finished them, realistically, in the state, but it didn't have the truly negative impact of the losses to Darien and Ridgefield - two games that they could have won.

So now, more than ever, it seems obvious that when I close our broadcast on Thanksgiving morning, we'll be done with football. I'd like to call some postseason games but it doesn't seem likely. So come Thanksgiving, I really don't know what the play-by-play future holds.

The New Stadium Patch

This is what the Yankees will wear in honor of the new Stadium in '09.

OK, I'll be the one to say it - it should include a dollar sign.

Thanks, you've been great - enjoy Greenwich/Stamford Friday night, and Brunswick/Trinity-Pawling Saturday in WGCH.

VOTE!

Today's the day. I actually know people who won't vote today, and if that's their way of expressing their dissatisfaction, then so be it. If they're just lazy, then shame on them.

Just a quick self-promotional note: if I'm well (I'm battling a cold that has not only sapped me of my strength, but has bothered my voice) then I will be part of WGCH's election coverage tonight, beginning at 8:00, anchored by Tony Savino. Please listen here.

Here's what it has come down to: vote for what you believe in. Simple, no? Don't vote based on party lines, or because of race or gender, or other pedestrian reasons. Vote with your conscience.

We could argue back and forth about it all...Sarah Palin's inexperience versus Barack Obama's inexperience...this issue versus that issue...and on and on. At this point, it doesn't matter.

I know who I am voting for. I know who I think will win. I know I will vote.

You should also.

May the best person win, and then let's move forth with helping our great nation.

I am Rob Adams, and I approve this message.

UPDATE: 12:11 AM. Senator Barack Obama is the President-elect. I'm tempted to say and write a lot more, and am ashamed by the behavior of some people who I love and respect, including the media. But never mind. Godspeed, Senator Obama. Just help restore our great nation, OK?

Reminder of Good Times and Unfinished Business

I spent the weekend at my niece's place a little less than a hour north of Philadelphia. They are understandably euphoric down there about the Phillies. Signs virtually everywhere congratulated the 2008 Phillies, and the area seems completely swept up with pride. Considering I've never thought of Philly as a baseball town, it's pretty nice.

I visited another niece at Eastern University, just outside the city limits, and she said the noise on the campus after the final out was incredible. At first she wasn't sure what it was all about (she was writing a paper). She quickly remembered that the Phillies were playing.

I saw a temporary message board on the Pennsylvania Turnpike related to the Phils. The stores in the King of Prussia malls were full of World Series merchandise. Everywhere I looked, there were people wearing Phillies hats, shirts, jerseys, and jackets.

It was kind of cool.

My niece's husband was given a "Philadelphia 2008 Champions" shirt. He gave it to me. I'll wear it. I have nothing against the Phillies.

But no, I'm not jumping on any bandwagon. I have limits.

So while trolling around the Web tonight, I came across this video of Tino Martinez's home run against the Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series. A night later, I would be there for Scott Brosius' "deja vu all over again" homer.

Think back to how heavy our hearts were and how great those games were. But oh it still hurts to have lost that freakin' series. In fact it hurts more today, as I'm convinced I sold my soul (as did many others) to beat the Mets in 2000.