I've been everywhere, man ...

Goodbye, DC. Hello, Chicago.

This may be a new record even for me.

I will be leaving Washington DC after just four months to start a new job with a sports media company in Chicago's northern suburbs.

There is no delicate way to put this: it's all about the Benjamins. My new boss is someone I worked with at The Associated Press -- a good guy -- and the company made a very generous offer.

So don't be surprised if temporarily I stop writing. The next couple weeks is going to feature a lot of upheaval, but all in a good way.

Anyway, what do you think -- if you have any opinion -- I'd like to know.

One down, two to go

The Associated Press' Ron Fournier reported Monday something that should have happened a week ago.

Federal Emergency Management Agency director Mike Brown said he has resigned "in the best interest of the agency and best interest of the president," three days after losing his onsite command of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

"The focus has got to be on FEMA, what the people are trying to do down there," Brown told AP.

His decision was not a surprise. Brown was abruptly recalled to Washington on Friday, a clear vote of no confidence from his superiors at the White House and the Department of Homeland Security. Brown had been roundly criticized for FEMA's bearish response to the hurricane, which has caused political problem for Bush and fellow Republicans.

"I'm turning in my resignation today," Brown said. "I think it's in the best interest of the agency and the best interest of the president to do that and get the media focused on the good things that are going on, instead of me."

And not to keep the heat on him, presumably.

Your thoughts? I'd like to know.

Fool me once, shame on you ... fool me twice ...

So, the delayed response to the Katrina had nothing to do with race. The president said so, so it must be true.

According to a report by Jennifer Loven of The Associated Press, Bush denied Monday there was any racial component to people being left behind after Hurricane Katrina, despite suggestions from some critics that the response would have been quicker if so many of the victims hadn't been poor and black.

"The storm didn't discriminate and neither will the recovery effort," Bush said. "The rescue efforts were comprehensive. The recovery will be comprehensive.

(Just an aside here ... what does that mean, "the recovery will be comprehensive?")

Maybe the response -- or initial lack of one -- to Katrina was not race-related. You can bet, though, it was class-related.

The Bushes and their ilk have nothing -- zero -- in common with the poor people of the Gulf Coast. If it isn't the Gold Coast, Bush and his cabal want nothing to do with it.

That's the huge divide in this country.

Race relations are still a problem, but the class distinctions are the now-proverbial hurricane hitting New Orleans.

What do you think? I'd like to know.

Banda Aceh, meet Bourbon Street

There's something about the city of New Orleans. Something mystical, magical, evil.

I drove through there almost two years ago, returning from a tryout with a small newspaper in suburban Houston. I got off
I-10 and filled up my gas tank in a predominantly black neighborhood.

I was always taught to have tolerance for people of other races, religions and nationalities, so black people do not scare me -- early on in my life, I went to school with them (as they were bused in from places with exotic-sounding names like Springfield Gardens and St. Albans.)

But as I stood at this gas station in New Orleans, I could feel eyes boring into me. Those eyes said, "Boy, what are you doing here?" Nothing happened. All I did was fill the tank, get back in the car and go.

Far from a nice tale of beignets, crawfish and the French Quarter, no?

Still, what Hurricane Katrina laid on the city of New Orleans and Gulf Coast communities across Louisiana and Mississippi -- in spite of it being a natural disaster -- was horrific.

It was also inexcusable.

The United States is not a third-world nation, but you would not have known that from this past week's events. The Superdome and later the Houston Astrodome both used as refugee centers. Lawlessness leading to people being shot and killed as a matter of survival. The old, the infirm, the helpless dying in the streets. Stephen King's "The Stand" seemingly come to life.

Banda Aceh, meet Bourbon Street.

George Bush. Michael Chertoff. Michael Brown. These are three people who should pay dearly.

Anyone for a recall to get G-Dub out of the White House? Our fearless leader sees nothing wrong with spending billions on a war that makes no sense, but cannot tend to matters in his own country. He proved that on Sept. 11, 2001 by not heeding advance warnings did it again with this tragedy.

That inane smirk and the look on his face that essentially says "oh, well" that we have come to expect is the best he can muster. That and saddling us with $3.40 a gallon gas prices, but that's a story for another day.

Chertoff? Clueless. According to the Editor & Publisher Web site, Chertoff told Tim Russert of "Meet The Press" that one reason for the delay in rushing federal aid to the Gulf Coast was that "everyone" thought the crisis had passed when the storm left town: "I remember on Tuesday morning picking up newspapers and I saw headlines, 'New Orleans Dodged The Bullet.'"

Makes me long for the days of Tom Ridge and his color-coding alert system.

Brown -- also known as the head of FEMA ... the phrase to describe him right now during all this is "deer in the headlights." After all, being a former official with the International Arabian Horse Association clearly has readied him for dealing with the worst natural disaster to hit this country in a century.

All the so-called important people and those able to leave got out of Dodge. But New Orleans is perhaps the poorest major city in America. I don't think a family from one of New Orleans' poor sections was going to pack up their Lexus SUV and head for higher ground and a week's stay in the Holiday Inn to ride out the storm.

About 1 million got out of Louisiana. About 10,000 died. 9/11 times three.

We have become a throw-away society. I want to know when people became expendable.

Bad week

It was not exactly the best week for Bob Huggins or Lawrence Phillips, now was it?

Huggins will not forget the name Nancy Zimpher anytime soon. Zimpher, the president of the University of Cincinnati, apparently had enough of Coach Huggins. The fact that Huggins put Cincinnati hoops on the map notwithstanding, Zimpher had enough of subpar graduation rates and numerous arrests over the years -- including Huggins' own for DUI a year ago.

"We expect to recruit very strong students on the court and in the classroom," Zimpher said in a recent interview with the Cincinnati Post. "We expect our coaches to be role models, and we expect our students to be role models. I will not apologize for setting high standards."

I, for one, applaud her. It seems many other college presidents would not have looked at the low percentage of student-athletes graduating. They would have focused on the 399 career wins and the 14 straight NCAA appearances.

Zimpher had none of that. She left Huggins with two choices. Resign or be fired. No middle ground.

You go, girl.

Phillips ... now that's another story.

In March 1997, I wrote a column when I was working for a small paper in Oklahoma. In that piece, I referred to Phillips as a punk for humming as he was led away for a 30-day jail sentence for violating his probation stemming from the assault of a female basketball player at the University of Nebraska.

At the time, I said he should work in rehabilitating his life. Now 30 years old and as far away from a spot in the NFL as I am, it seems nothing has changed. The Associated Press reported this week Phillips -- already wanted for domestic violence (big shock, I know) -- allegedly ran a car into three teens after a pick-up football game.

Oh yeah, the car was reported stolen. Phillips also said he wouldn't be taken peacefully, the report said.

Maybe it's time for him to do some hard time. Perhaps a judge will do for Phillips what Zimpher did for Huggins.

For those curious enough to read the column, it's at: http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:rNv7opwC9XgJ:www.ardmoreite.com/stories/031397/sports/sports01.html+lefkowitz+%22Lawrence+Phillips%22&hl=en

What do you think? I'd like to know.

Royal flush

There's something about watching a team so bad -- make that so completely and utterly awful -- that it's like watching the aftermath of a horrific car wreck. You know you shouldn't rubberneck, but you just cannot help turning your head and taking in the spectacle.

Enter the Kansas City Royals.

Heading into Saturday's game at Oakland, the Royals have dropped 19 straight games -- baseball's longest losing streak since the '88 Orioles started the season 0-21.

I cannot help but think of the caption to a "Far Side" cartoon: Welcome to Hell ... Here's your accordion.

Manager Buddy Bell is only 53, but he looks like he has aged 20 years in a month. In fairness, not all of it has been baseball-related: his nephew was recently killed in Iraq.

"It's unexplainable, really,'' Bell said after Friday night's 4-0 loss in Oakland. "I don't think we're a playoff-contending team by any means, but I don't think we're this bad."

Oh, yes you are. Quick -- name four Royals. I know ... neither can I.

Let's try to put this in perspective:

--The Royals have not won a game since July 27 when they knocked off the first-place White Sox.
--They are 20 games behind fourth-place Detroit. Yes. 20. Yes. FOURTH-place.
--Here is the rest of the schedule for August: two more against Oakland, and three-game series against Boston, New York and Minnesota.

0-for-August anyone?

Anyway, what do you think? I'd like to know.

You don't say

Let's see if I got this right ... Randy Moss smokes marijuana?

What's next? Vince Vaughn is overrated? A pound of butter a day will kill you? William Shatner is a jackass?

Just checking ...

Checking in

I'm fine. I have been real busy with work, some additional responsibilities that have been taking up what little free time I have.

I promise ... there will be a post soon.

PC taken up -- or down -- to a new level?

Face it, folks: we screwed over the native Americans.

I am not going to go all chapter and verse how it was done. My problem is this ruling the NCAA came out with this week: it would prohibit teams with nicknames, symbols or mascots considered "hostile or abusive" from hosting NCAA postseason events.

The NCAA also will not allow such nicknames or symbols to be on team uniforms or clothing in NCAA postseason competition beginning Feb.1.

This is the most pressing thing on the NCAA's minds?? Please.

Max B. Osceola Jr. of the Seminole tribal council may have put it most succinctly in an article written by Steve Ellis of the Tallahassee Democrat

"It's like history -- they left the natives out," Osceola said. "They have non-natives telling natives what's good for them or how they should use their name. You have a committee made up of non-natives telling people that they can not use a native name when you have a native tribe -- a tribal government, duly elected and constituted - that said they agree with Florida State."

As far as I can tell, there is ONE offensive nickname in sports -- the Redskins. Yes, it is akin to calling a team the New York Negroes. (BTW, yes, the St. John's Redmen was an offensive name -- I'm just not sure Red Storm is much better.)

Ask yourself: are the Fighting Sioux from the University of North Dakota offensive? The University of Utah Utes? Last I checked, these were names of tribes. Proud names.

Florida State president T.K. Wetherell was livid over the decision.

"You're not going to put the name Seminoles on the scoreboard but you put the Hooters girls on it. That's just stupid.
... It's just frustrating that they don't deal with issues more important to the athletes (instead of) grandstanding on this," Wetherell said in the Democrat.

My guess is there will still be the Fightin' Illini, the Fighting Sioux, the Seminoles and the Rainbow Warriors come Feb. 1.

What do you think? I'd like to know.

When you have nothing to write about ...

I guess this is the equivalent of ad-libbing.

1. Given a choice of Brokaw, Rather or Jennings, give me the Canadian each time. Hard to believe he was 67.

2. I was driving to IKEA Monday when I was listening to "The Best of Tony Kornheiser" on a Washington sports radio station. Two words -- shut up. Listening to him prattle on to ESPN anchor Pam Ward during the past college football bowl season was nauseating at best.

3. IKEA's furniture is better than it was 13 years ago when I first bought a sofa and bed from them. And their prices are still very reasonable.

4. Rafael Palmeiro needs to retire.

5. At what point does it become to expensive to drive? I saw gas Sunday in Virginia for $2.70 a gallon.

What do you think? I'd like to know.

It's always the ones you least suspect

Rafael Palmeiro? Steroids?

Nahhhhhh.....

Of course that was the same thing many said when Marv Albert was accused of chowing down on a former lover.

No, Palmeiro didn't go Hannibal Lechter on someone. But he did test positive for stanozolol -- same thing that brought Ben Johnson down.

With more than 560 home runs and 3,000 hits, Palmeiro was a mortal lock for the Hall of Fame. This positive test kills that off.

He did do one thing Thursday -- a day when the Orioles canned manager Lee Mazzilli. Palmeiro requested the celebration for his 3,000th hit be canceled.

Classy gesture -- I wouldn't want to feel much like celebrating either.

What do you think? I'd like to know.

Death knell, anyone?

Bread and pasta eaters, rejoice. Same for fruit and veggie folk. You are free once again.

The company started by the late nutrition guru Dr. Robert C. Atkins to promote a low-carb lifestyle filed for bankruptcy court protection Monday, a further sign of the waning popularity of the diet.

The company, Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., which sells Atkins-brand nutrition bars, shakes and candy as well as offering low-carb diet information, has been hurt by waning popularity of its namesake approach, which focuses on eliminating carbohydrates such as bread and pasta to shed weight.

According to an AP report, the diet became one of the most popular in U.S. history, spawning a virtual cottage industry of low-carb regimens — but also drew criticism from experts for its focus on fatty foods and low fruit and vegetable consumption.

About time, too. This craze went on far too long.

Has anyone out there had any success with this? Failure? Your thoughts?

What do you think? I'd like to know.

Washington Follies

Thinking of something a friend of mine said a couple weeks ago, and now I am starting to wonder ... maybe Bush is a war criminal. It's clear he is an idiot.

According to The Associated Press, Bush Monday morning sidestepped the Senate and installed embattled nominee John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations, ending a five-month impasse with Democrats who accused Bolton of abusing subordinates and twisting intelligence to fit his conservative ideology.

"This post is too important to leave vacant any longer, especially during a war and a vital debate about UN reform," Bush said. He said Bolton had his complete confidence.

Great ... so G-Dub has another of his men in place to bully and cow the rest of the world.

Can someone explain to me what this war is really about? Stopping terror? Oil? Osama? 21st Century colonialization?

What do you think? I'd like to know.

I must have missed this

Just curious: when did poker become a sport worthy of being televised?

I will be the first to admit this: gambling does nothing for me. When the Powerball or MegaMillions jackpot hits $100 million, I'll buy five plays. When the Kentucky Derby rolls around, I may put $20 on a horse.

Consider I lived 10 minutes from eastern Connecticut's two Indian casinos ... and I didn't go to them for the year I was there. Like I said: does nothing for me.

But as I sit here having made dinner -- curried rice with shrimp, bacon and peas for those keeping score -- I was watching ESPN news and saw yet another commercial for some poker tournament coming up.

Again -- poker is not a sport. It's a game of chance.

Then again, I do not consider horse racing, NASCAR and all its minions, and golf sports as well.

What do you think? I'd like to know.

Just some things to think about ...

1. What is the big deal about Harry Potter? Am I missing something here?

2. Coke Zero is great except for one thing -- goes flat too quick. Then again, if it didn't, it would be Diet Coke again.

3. Two words for the New York Yankees: Next year.

4. The New York Mets may want Alfonso Soriano from the Texas Rangers. Don't start dealing prospect Lastings Milledge just yet.

5. I think the St. Louis Cardinals should take a run at Cincinnati's Adam Dunn. Lary Walker isn't going to be around forever.

6. Sarge -- remember one thing as you head to Wisconsin -- when you're in this business, it is NEVER about you. It's about your readers. No one gives a damn that you can run.

Factoid alert

Some sports feats just kind of make you sit up and take notice. Take what Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ryan Freel did Wednesday night.

Freel entered the game batting just .289 with two homers and nine RBI. Pretty inauspicious ... actually if the Reds were in the playoff race, Freel would likely be playing down in Triple-A Lousiville.

Freel stole five bases, a team record. A team that has played baseball since -- say it with me now -- 1869.

Not a bad way to be a footnote in team history.

Outta there!

Here's something baseball commissioner Bud Selig doesn't hear often: Way to go! (You thought I was going to say "No, that hair looks completely natural.")

Selig Wednesday denied Kenny Rogers' appeal of his 20-game suspension for shoving two cameramen. David Ginsburg of The Associated Press reported Selig "deemed the behavior of the Texas Rangers' pitcher to be 'wholly unacceptable.'"

The commissioner, who heard Rogers' appeal last Friday in Milwaukee, said the suspension would begin with Wednesday night's against Baltimore. Meanwhile, the players' association said it will pursue a grievance before an arbitrator to overturn the penalty.

What Rogers needs to remember in all this is he not only embarrassed himself with all this, but he embarrassed his employer -- who has been strangely quiet throughout. If you, I, or the average Joe Schmo did something egregious, like Rogers did, while representing our company, you can bet we would no longer have jobs.

Hmmmm ... I guess in trying to keep pace in the AL West, Texas is willing to overlook just about anything. With a 3-10 record since the All-Star break heading into Wednesday's matchup, it really wouldn't matter much for the Rangers now.

What do you think? I'd like to know.

It's just a bulb!

Someone explain something to me ... now, I like to cook and I like things like onions and garlic.

But when I watch Emeril (which isn't often -- he's about 5 minutes past his 15), someone PLEASE explain to me why the audience insists on hooting and hollering when he adds "gaah-lic" to everything.

And I mean everything: Confit. Pineapple. Coffee. Doesn't matter.

Just my two cents.

When do you think? I'd like to know.

Deep breaths

First thing to everyone who responded to my last post -- thank you.

Apart from those I consider close friends, others walked back into my life and perfect strangers -- people who know nothing of me and I nothing of them -- showed concern for my well being.

I have no plans of doing anything stupid. But that doesn't mean the problems that brought me to this meltdown have gone away. My voice is kind of hoarse from the silent screaming.

I need help. People who know me have told me this for years and, stubborn as I am, I resisted except for a brief time some four years ago. First thing I need to do is get health insurance from the new job and then plan some sort of strategy.

Again -- I am better than I was 48 or even 24 hours ago. Now I just need to get back on that long road. I'm not good at accepting help. I may have to change that attitude.

--Andy--

What to do ... what to do ...

Those who know me know I will go to the ends of the Earth to help those I care about when they need it.

I wish someone would do that for me. If there is anyone who probably needs an intervention, it's me.

When I was a kid -- a young one -- I used to be happy. I used to laugh. Now, I'm just miserable and its been going on far too long.

I am five weeks short of 40 years old and it's almost like a siren has gone off ... the last 10 years have passed me by and I blame no one but myself for that. Depression has been a huge part of my life, but the last decade has just been one inkset blur. One disappointment after another ... after another.

I was on anti-depressants a few years ago -- Paxil, 20 mg., once a day -- and it seemed to work, but the side effects were, shall we say, less than desirable. Earlier this year, I was back on meds -- a different kind, I don't even remember what they were -- and I craved every carb under the sun and gained about 10 pounds. There was talk therapy for awhile, but I felt more like I was onstage for 50 minutes, once a week.

This is my silent scream. I need help. I don't normally come right out and say it, but I need help. Now.