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(I had no other reason to use this photo, but I like it.  Kendall celebrated her fifth birthday a few weeks ago…and we “posed” for a picture, taken by Carrie).

It’s not politically correct to say this, but I still like Don Imus.  He’s one of the main people who got me so into radio all those years ago, back when he was “nuking” things, and featuring characters like Skip and Muffy and Geraldo Santana Banana and Crazy Bob and Moby Worm and Right Reverend Doctor Billy Sol Hargus (with the emeralds and the rubies just a-dripping off of him, got a ring on every finger of his hand).  Those later evolved into real life people like Nixon, Clinton, Walter Cronkite and so on.

Then came the “nappy-headed hoes.”  Things changed.  HE became more politically correct and the characters have changed.  The show is still solid, when I get to watch or listen.  Maybe not quite the old mean-spirited I-man that I loved (where EVERYBODY got skewered), but still better than anything else in the morning.

Anyway, I’m babbling.  He’s writing a blog now.  It’s one of the few free parts of his new website (if you join, all of the money goes to his ranch…and that’s one of the great things people forget about the man).

All of this Brett Favre picture stuff is nuts.  NEWSFLASH…people do this.  A lot.  I’m not saying I ever did it (I haven’t) but if you think it doesn’t go on, you’re wrong.  Eric Deggans, via the National Sports Journalism Center, wonders if this is the sad, unfortunate future of sports journalism.

By the way, I’m not going to defend Favre (I have my own guess to his guilt or innocence).  Just keep an eye on Jenn Sterger, the “victim” in this.

And once again, Emperor Goodell will have his say, hiding behind that “personal conduct” crap.  Just in time for Big Ben to return to the ‘Burgh.

Jeff Pearlman won’t put Favre in his top 10 quarterbacks of all time.  Correction, his list begins in 1985.  Thus no Bradshaw, Unitas, Graham, Starr, Tittle, or Baugh.  Among many others.  Favre probably would be in my 10 for the same era, but that’s an opinion for you.

This is fascinating.  The 25th (WHAT?) anniversary DVD of “Back to the Future” is coming out, and will include the usual extras, including footage of the original Marty McFly, Eric Stoltz.

Eventually, the Academy will award a Lifetime Achievement to Huey Lewis for his appearance as the judge in the band audition scene.  An amazing performance.  Of course, HL and the News got jobbed on their real Oscar, for “The Power of Love.”  I still haven’t forgiven the Academy.

To sports now (and hey, why not?).  The Rangers lost a terrible game yesterday, but the Islanders showed they have some goon in them.  James Wisniewski had words with the one and only Sean Avery, and decided to take matters into his own hands, by miming a particular kind of hand-to-mouth gesture. 

Everybody remembers Boom Goes the Dynamite, right?

Well Deadspin says Brian Collins has a new job.  Good for him.

The new Bill Gonillo Five is out.  Pat Pickens of the Fairfield Citizen and I are apparently the only ones who show our choices.  Goody for us.

Get ready for a visit to Darien by a quarterback who is in the 8th grade, and is already committed to USC.  It’s kind of shady, folks, even though the kid is apparently the goods (thanks, Tim Parry).

John Nash of The Hour has some problems with the high school officiating around Connecticut.

Stuck in the 80’s has a link (so this is a link to a link) to a Vanity Fair gallery of photos of the making of The Empire Strikes Back.  Cool stuff.

Johnny Damon wants to come back to New York.  That’s what MLB Rumors says.  If there is room and a place, HEEEERE’S JOHNNY!

The new Disney movie about Secretariat is out, and supposedly it is pretty good, albeit “Disneyfied.”  For my money, let’s see the real deal:

From Tom Hoffarth, the Sporting News has come up with their annual list of the best sports cities.  This is so arbitrary to me.  Atlanta is the EIGHTH best city?  EIGHTH?  How many empty seats were there at Turner Field last night?  Miami 11th?  WHAT?  Houston 14th?  Wow.  Just.  Wow.

By the way, Wappingers Falls, NY being number 378th made me laugh.

Lastly, Ken Fang has perhaps the worst list of baseball movies ever.  He agrees that Turner Classic Movie’s so-called top 10 is just awful.  They are:
 Speedy (1928) with Babe Ruth.  Whatever.
The Pride of the Yankees (1942).  There are a lot of holes in that story for my taste, but OK.
The Stratton Story (1949).  A wonderful movie.  I’m a big fan of this one, with Jimmy Stewart as Monte Stratton, who loses his leg in a hunting accident.
Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949).  There are a lot of big names involved here (Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Esther Williams) but this is basically “Baseball: The Musical.”  Sigh.
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950).  I don’t have the words to say how laughable this is.
Damn Yankees (1958). “Baseball: The Musical…The Sequel…to Beat the Hated Yankees!”
The Bad News Bears (1976).  Love it.
Bull Durham (1988).  One of my favorite movies.  Ever.
Eight Men Out (1988).  Love it (historically accurate).
Field of Dreams (1989).  Still makes me cry. “Hey Dad.  You wanna have a catch.”  F***!

But as Ken points out, where are Major League and Bang the Drum Slowly?  Not to mention The Natural?  I just got done watching some of For Love of the Game and that’s far more enjoyable than some of these others.  A terrible list.  Just bad.