While the sagging economy is impacting Super Bowl Sunday to some extent
you can probably count on one trend continuing…more people will call out sick Monday than any other single day of the year. This Sunday is a national holiday, even though it’s not on the calendar and does not come with a day off. Super Bowl 43 will feature the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals and while it’s a far cry from last year when the Giants played in the game, it is still a very big deal.
About 60% of Americans are expected to watch the game Sunday and of that group, 62% will do so at home and another 21% will attend a Super Bowl party. Last year’s game between the Giants and Patriots was the second biggest TV event in history behind only the series finale of “MASH” in 1983.
Super Bowl Sunday is the second biggest pig-out day of the year behind only Thanksgiving. 8 million gallons of guacamole will be consumed and washed down with about 13 million gallons of beer. Sales of antacids will be up about 20% the day after the game.
More than 1.5 million large-screen TV’s were purchased last year in the week leading up to the game.
The average 30-second commercial on NBC has been sold for between $2.4-3 million dollars and the network is expected to take in over $200 million.
A survey taken last year of those watching the game revealed that only 32% picked the game itself as the biggest part of the day. 18% said the commercials are what draws them to the TV and it has to be the only event in which people go to the bathroom during the game and remain in their seats during the commercial breaks.
Nearly 20% of office workers will participate in a box pool at work which will leave many rooting for the numbers they have drawn and not the Steelers or Cardinals.
Super Bowl Sunday has become such an obsession that the NFL is looking to extend the season by two weeks so the game can be part of President’s Weekend…that would be crazy.
I want Arizona to win but in the end the Pittsburgh defense may be too tough so I’ll take the Steelers 20-17. You can let me know who you like this Sunday from 7-11am when I host Bob Levy’s “Topic A.”
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Kurt Warner Story
There is a widely e-mailed story going around about a supermarket stock boy who goes on a date with a cashier who is a bit older then him. At first Brenda turns down Kurtis because she could not afford a babysitter for her two young children. However he offers to pay and she finally accepts but when the babysitter does not show it looks like there will be no date. Kurtis refuses to quit and wants to take the children along but she explains that’s not possible as her son is a paraplegic with Down syndrome. However he won’t give in, convinces her they should all go out where he takes care of the boy like he’s his own. A year later they are married, he adopts the two children and later they add two more and live happily ever after. So what ever happened to the stock boy and check out girl? Well Kurt Warner is getting ready to play in his third Super Bowl this Sunday where his wife Brenda will be rooting him on in Tampa.
Unfortunately while the premise of the story is true most of the details are not. They met at bar one night while he was playing at Northern Iowa in 1994. The next day he wanted to meet the young children she had talked about the night before. Zachary who was then 5 years old was actually a healthy infant at birth. However when he was four months old his father dropped him and he suffered severe brain damage and battled for his life. Through hard work he learned to walk and talk and while legally blind attended school. After a five-year courtship (not one as the fabricated story goes) Kurt and Brenda were married in 1997 and he did adopt Zachary and his younger sister. They have added five more children to their family.
What is true is that both are part of a great story. Kurt did after being cut by the Packers in 1994, stock shelves in a grocery story for $5.50 an hour. It was three years later after stints in the Arena League and NFL Europe that he ended up in St. Louis and went from 3rd string to Super Bowl MVP. Brenda herself had to overcome obstacles after he first husband deserted her. She finished her nursing training while pregnant with her second child and the brain-damaged Zachary. She got by during this time with the help of student loans and food stamps. The year before marrying Kurt both her parents died in a tornado.
Warner of course is the biggest reason why the Arizona Cardinals are in their first-ever Super Bowl this Sunday against Pittsburgh. They are a touchdown underdog but you probably should not bet against him….after all the stock boy is on his way to the Hall of Fame.
Unfortunately while the premise of the story is true most of the details are not. They met at bar one night while he was playing at Northern Iowa in 1994. The next day he wanted to meet the young children she had talked about the night before. Zachary who was then 5 years old was actually a healthy infant at birth. However when he was four months old his father dropped him and he suffered severe brain damage and battled for his life. Through hard work he learned to walk and talk and while legally blind attended school. After a five-year courtship (not one as the fabricated story goes) Kurt and Brenda were married in 1997 and he did adopt Zachary and his younger sister. They have added five more children to their family.
What is true is that both are part of a great story. Kurt did after being cut by the Packers in 1994, stock shelves in a grocery story for $5.50 an hour. It was three years later after stints in the Arena League and NFL Europe that he ended up in St. Louis and went from 3rd string to Super Bowl MVP. Brenda herself had to overcome obstacles after he first husband deserted her. She finished her nursing training while pregnant with her second child and the brain-damaged Zachary. She got by during this time with the help of student loans and food stamps. The year before marrying Kurt both her parents died in a tornado.
Warner of course is the biggest reason why the Arizona Cardinals are in their first-ever Super Bowl this Sunday against Pittsburgh. They are a touchdown underdog but you probably should not bet against him….after all the stock boy is on his way to the Hall of Fame.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Football Field Death
A story that originates in Kentucky is one that you can be sure will be followed by those involved with the sport of football right here at the Jersey Shore. David Jason Stinson, the head coach at Pleasure Ridge High School pled not guilty yesterday to reckless homicide charges in the death of a 15-year old player in late August. Max Gilpin died of complications from heat stroke, three days after collapsing on the practice field. Stinson, who was in his first season as head coach, was released Monday without having to post bond but faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
Gilpin, a 6’2, 220 pound offensive lineman collapsed during the end of practice when players were running sprints called “gassers.” Reports say coaches were pushing the players in the 94-degree heat, denying them water and promising to end practice if at least one player quit the team which did occur later. 15 minutes before Gilpin collapsed a teammate went down and was sent to a nearby tree for shade where he was treated with water and ice packs.
It’s believed this is the first time criminal charges have been brought against a high school or college coach for an incident like this one and it does raise many questions. Pushing players in the summer to get them ready for a season has been the norm for decades and despite awareness over heat-related problems there were six deaths in 2008 associated with heat on the high school and college level. There can be no denying more information is available today on the importance of hydration as I can tell you during my high school days we didn’t even know the meaning of the word. You also now have athletic trainers involved in the process, often working with coaches to make sure the proper precautions are taken.
Obviously none of us really knows what took place on that practice field in Louisville last August and that will come out during the trial. The death of a 15-year old is tragic and not to be taken lightly. However the precedent that could be set in this case will also have major ramifications for years to come and you can be sure coaches from all over the country will be watching.
Gilpin, a 6’2, 220 pound offensive lineman collapsed during the end of practice when players were running sprints called “gassers.” Reports say coaches were pushing the players in the 94-degree heat, denying them water and promising to end practice if at least one player quit the team which did occur later. 15 minutes before Gilpin collapsed a teammate went down and was sent to a nearby tree for shade where he was treated with water and ice packs.
It’s believed this is the first time criminal charges have been brought against a high school or college coach for an incident like this one and it does raise many questions. Pushing players in the summer to get them ready for a season has been the norm for decades and despite awareness over heat-related problems there were six deaths in 2008 associated with heat on the high school and college level. There can be no denying more information is available today on the importance of hydration as I can tell you during my high school days we didn’t even know the meaning of the word. You also now have athletic trainers involved in the process, often working with coaches to make sure the proper precautions are taken.
Obviously none of us really knows what took place on that practice field in Louisville last August and that will come out during the trial. The death of a 15-year old is tragic and not to be taken lightly. However the precedent that could be set in this case will also have major ramifications for years to come and you can be sure coaches from all over the country will be watching.
Monday, January 26, 2009
A Football-less Sunday
The last Sunday we did not have a pro football game to watch was August 31st so if you suffered yesterday it’s just a preview of things to come. I was out most of the day and did not get home until late in the afternoon and it was strange to turn on the TV and not find a football game, although A&E did offer a Sylvester Stallone marathon. Of course there is one more game left in the season…that being Super Bowl 43 Sunday night. The Steelers & Cardinals arrive in Tampa today and it certainly is not like last year when there was so much buzz over the game with the Giants playing and of course winning. However there seems to be plenty of Pittsburgh fans in our area as I have seen numerous vehicles and even homes displaying logos and other signs of their allegiance.
If you ever wanted to know how fast one falls from the spotlight just think about President George Bush….for the most part gone and forgotten.
So Joe Torre has a book coming out next week in which he takes a couple of shots at Alex Rodriguez and Brian Cashman. When word of this got out yesterday many Yankee fans were quick to question why Torre would go negative when his stint in the Bronx was so successful. First you need to read the book before you draw any conclusions but let’s be honest...the Yankees pretty much ended the relationship between the two and did not even mention Torre during the closing ceremonies at Yankee Stadium. Of course this so-called controversy will help sell books and maybe that was the intent all along.
Of all the subjects I have talked about in my “Hometown View” the one that has generated the most feedback has to do with kids returning home from college either during the holiday break that just ended or for the summer. I can’t even tell you how many times over the past month people approached me to comment about the changes in their sons and daughters especially when it came to things like staying up at night and sleeping during the day.
Of course they are now back at school so you can take the “out of sight, out of mind attitude” but remember…. they’ll be home in just four months.
If you ever wanted to know how fast one falls from the spotlight just think about President George Bush….for the most part gone and forgotten.
So Joe Torre has a book coming out next week in which he takes a couple of shots at Alex Rodriguez and Brian Cashman. When word of this got out yesterday many Yankee fans were quick to question why Torre would go negative when his stint in the Bronx was so successful. First you need to read the book before you draw any conclusions but let’s be honest...the Yankees pretty much ended the relationship between the two and did not even mention Torre during the closing ceremonies at Yankee Stadium. Of course this so-called controversy will help sell books and maybe that was the intent all along.
Of all the subjects I have talked about in my “Hometown View” the one that has generated the most feedback has to do with kids returning home from college either during the holiday break that just ended or for the summer. I can’t even tell you how many times over the past month people approached me to comment about the changes in their sons and daughters especially when it came to things like staying up at night and sleeping during the day.
Of course they are now back at school so you can take the “out of sight, out of mind attitude” but remember…. they’ll be home in just four months.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Football-less Friday
A couple of random notes heading into the first weekend without pro football since early September.
I still love broadcasting high school sports and one of the reasons why is doing a basketball game from Gepp Gym at Monsignor Donovan High School. It’s no Ritacco Center but always makes me feel nostalgic about the way things used to be as it serves as both a gym and auditorium and we broadcast last nights Donovan-Central game from the stage. There is nothing like that gym packed with fans that are right on top of the court and of course in good times the student section called “The Pit” makes it a nightmare for visiting players. Many years ago we had a basketball team at the radio station and the WOBM “No Stars” would annually play a game against the Donovan faculty and it was comical to have those students rip you each time you did something wrong. It was also great to see former Griffins coach and Athletic Director Steve Gepp at the game. He is truly one of the best people I have met in my years covering sports and he
was a lot of fun to watch on the bench for so many years. By the way the Griffins rolled to an easy win and they are a team to watch as six of their top seven players are underclassmen. Included in that group are a pair of impressive sophomores in guard Sean Grennan and 6’5 center Anthony Duszczak, who scored 18 points and was our player of the game.
January is National Mentoring Month and the theme for that at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County is “expand your universe; mentor a child! Right now there are 75 children, most of them boys on the waiting list for a mentor to come into their life. If you have even thought about getting involved now is the time to find out how you can make a difference. Big Brothers Big Sisters will hold an Open House at their office in Lakewood on 85 Williams Street on Wednesday, January 28th from 3-7pm. You can meet the staff, Board of Directors and “Bigs” and “Littles” to find out more about a program that has changed lives. For information you can call the office at
(732) 905-5349 or visits bbbsoc@optonline.net.
I still love broadcasting high school sports and one of the reasons why is doing a basketball game from Gepp Gym at Monsignor Donovan High School. It’s no Ritacco Center but always makes me feel nostalgic about the way things used to be as it serves as both a gym and auditorium and we broadcast last nights Donovan-Central game from the stage. There is nothing like that gym packed with fans that are right on top of the court and of course in good times the student section called “The Pit” makes it a nightmare for visiting players. Many years ago we had a basketball team at the radio station and the WOBM “No Stars” would annually play a game against the Donovan faculty and it was comical to have those students rip you each time you did something wrong. It was also great to see former Griffins coach and Athletic Director Steve Gepp at the game. He is truly one of the best people I have met in my years covering sports and he
was a lot of fun to watch on the bench for so many years. By the way the Griffins rolled to an easy win and they are a team to watch as six of their top seven players are underclassmen. Included in that group are a pair of impressive sophomores in guard Sean Grennan and 6’5 center Anthony Duszczak, who scored 18 points and was our player of the game.
January is National Mentoring Month and the theme for that at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County is “expand your universe; mentor a child! Right now there are 75 children, most of them boys on the waiting list for a mentor to come into their life. If you have even thought about getting involved now is the time to find out how you can make a difference. Big Brothers Big Sisters will hold an Open House at their office in Lakewood on 85 Williams Street on Wednesday, January 28th from 3-7pm. You can meet the staff, Board of Directors and “Bigs” and “Littles” to find out more about a program that has changed lives. For information you can call the office at
(732) 905-5349 or visits bbbsoc@optonline.net.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Charitiable Events
More than 100 people attended a special luncheon Wednesday at Woodlake Country Club in Lakewood as the Toms River-Ocean County Chamber of Commerce honored Matt Smith along with Ed Sunday and Gateway Toyota.
Both received the 2009 Pinnacle Philanthropic Leadership Awards for their
continued service to the Chamber and the community. Smith, a partner in the consulting engineering firm of O’Donnell, Stanton & Associates and Gateway Toyota were previously honored as Distinguished Citizens and Organizations of the Year, which is part of the criteria for the Pinnacle Award.
Previous honorees who attended yesterday’s luncheon included attorneys Harvey York and Bob Novy, developer Gary Lotano, Nina Anuario of OceanFirst Bank, Toms River Police Chief Mike Mastronardy and Community Medical Center, represented by Rick Palllamary.
Also announced yesterday were details of the 46th Annual Reception and Dinner Gala which will be held on May 14th at Eagle Ridge Golf Club. Retired Superior Court Judge Eugene Serpentelli will be saluted as Distinguished Citizen of the Year while the Presbyterian Church of Toms River has been selected as the “Organization of the Year.”
The Atlantic Club in Manasquan and the Muscular Dystrophy Association will host a benefit on Friday, January 30th with all proceeds going to Augie’s Quest, which is the MDA’s ALS Research Initiative. WinterQuest will feature food, music, dancing, ice carving, silent auctions and more. Also on hand will be the authors and promoter of the children’s book, “A Glove of Their Own” which tells the story of kids who play baseball for the love of the game. What’s so special about the book is that each sale results in donations to help “Play it Forward.” For tickets and more information on WinterQuest you can call (732) 292-4357
Both received the 2009 Pinnacle Philanthropic Leadership Awards for their
continued service to the Chamber and the community. Smith, a partner in the consulting engineering firm of O’Donnell, Stanton & Associates and Gateway Toyota were previously honored as Distinguished Citizens and Organizations of the Year, which is part of the criteria for the Pinnacle Award.
Previous honorees who attended yesterday’s luncheon included attorneys Harvey York and Bob Novy, developer Gary Lotano, Nina Anuario of OceanFirst Bank, Toms River Police Chief Mike Mastronardy and Community Medical Center, represented by Rick Palllamary.
Also announced yesterday were details of the 46th Annual Reception and Dinner Gala which will be held on May 14th at Eagle Ridge Golf Club. Retired Superior Court Judge Eugene Serpentelli will be saluted as Distinguished Citizen of the Year while the Presbyterian Church of Toms River has been selected as the “Organization of the Year.”
The Atlantic Club in Manasquan and the Muscular Dystrophy Association will host a benefit on Friday, January 30th with all proceeds going to Augie’s Quest, which is the MDA’s ALS Research Initiative. WinterQuest will feature food, music, dancing, ice carving, silent auctions and more. Also on hand will be the authors and promoter of the children’s book, “A Glove of Their Own” which tells the story of kids who play baseball for the love of the game. What’s so special about the book is that each sale results in donations to help “Play it Forward.” For tickets and more information on WinterQuest you can call (732) 292-4357
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Inauguration Of Barack Obama
Change has come to America and whether you were in Washington DC Tuesday or glued to your TV you witnessed it in its entire splendor. A day that really can’t be summed up in just words saw Barack Obama become the 44th President of our nation with the pomp and circumstance that at times seemed more appropriate for the coronation of a new King.
Regardless of who you voted for in November you have to admit that yesterday was not only historic but a day full of hope at a time when we need it the most. Sure much of the theme is the fact that Obama is the first African-American to serve as our Chief Executive but it’s much more than that. He is youthful and mature, serious but with a smile that radiates and while he may be humbled by the task before him you don’t get the feeling he is afraid to take it head on.
Another indication of the change is the First Family who will now call the White House their home. Michelle Obama was described yesterday as the
“woman who could save the fashion industry” and she clearly will not be in the shadows. Daughters Malia and Sasha will grow up right in front of us which reminds many of the JFK days in Washington. Don’t think despite their young age they don’t have influence because J Crew’s website was jammed when people found out the First Daughters were wearing clothes from their kids line. Many were disappointed when they learned that the clothes were especially designed for the girls and are not available….at least not yet.
Obama’s speech to the nation and world yesterday may not have given us a historic line like “ask not what your country can do for you but rather what you can do for your country” but it did set a tone for what’s about to come in his administration. We can only hope that he is the right person to set a new course because we are heading in the wrong direction. All Americans biggest hope should be that Barack Obama does not just go into the history books because of the color of his skin but rather because of the greatness of his presidency.
Regardless of who you voted for in November you have to admit that yesterday was not only historic but a day full of hope at a time when we need it the most. Sure much of the theme is the fact that Obama is the first African-American to serve as our Chief Executive but it’s much more than that. He is youthful and mature, serious but with a smile that radiates and while he may be humbled by the task before him you don’t get the feeling he is afraid to take it head on.
Another indication of the change is the First Family who will now call the White House their home. Michelle Obama was described yesterday as the
“woman who could save the fashion industry” and she clearly will not be in the shadows. Daughters Malia and Sasha will grow up right in front of us which reminds many of the JFK days in Washington. Don’t think despite their young age they don’t have influence because J Crew’s website was jammed when people found out the First Daughters were wearing clothes from their kids line. Many were disappointed when they learned that the clothes were especially designed for the girls and are not available….at least not yet.
Obama’s speech to the nation and world yesterday may not have given us a historic line like “ask not what your country can do for you but rather what you can do for your country” but it did set a tone for what’s about to come in his administration. We can only hope that he is the right person to set a new course because we are heading in the wrong direction. All Americans biggest hope should be that Barack Obama does not just go into the history books because of the color of his skin but rather because of the greatness of his presidency.
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