thanks Jim Jones

I am at a loss to think of any other beverage, let alone food item that has found itself burdened with the the metaphorical albatross of doom as our friend in the smiling jug. "Drinking the Kool Aid" has solidified itself in our popular lexicon as committing a willful act of harmful self delusion. Two generations of American children have thus grown to adulthood having a strange cultural weight attached to what is essentially a bag of food coloring and sugar. What's more, it seems the tragic throngs at Jonestown were in fact drinking a generic version of the stuff, known as "Flavor Aid".
Sorry Kool Aid Man....

Gridiron lexicon

I would love to watch a football game with George Lakoff and get his take on the some of the peculiar and oft used metaphors. For now though, here are a few terms I would love to see retired from NFL commentary-

"Studs"
"Field Marshall"
"Gunslinger"
"Weapons"

Goodbye Smash

Overall, the Tennessee Titans should feel good about this year's draft. This is a team that's getting hungrier and younger, with a reborn Vince Young, a promising cast of up and coming receivers (Kenny Britt, Lavelle Hawkins, Jared Cook), and arguably the best running back in the NFL. There is no doubt that the Titans suffered from an anemic defense last year, and with the addition of Derrick Morgan, who can't wait to sack this guy, things on the other side of the ball are looking up.
There was a lot of speculation in the last few months about Lendale White's future. He was understandably not a fan of being largely inactive for most of the 2009 season, and it makes perfect sense that he is reuniting with Pete Carroll in Seattle. While I am not sure that he will be remembered here for much more than enjoying a Dixie level of calorie intake and classless behavior towards a silly piece of rust belt fabric, he did serve as an admirable foil to Chris Johnson. But it looks as though it will be all dash from here on out, no smash.

Major League Hair

I don't think enough credit is given to Tim Lincecum's pate presentation. This guy is my new favorite baseball player, and it has nothing to do with being a Cy Young winner twice. It's the fact that he is unafraid to sport "Process of Weeding Out" length hair on the pitcher's mound in a day and age when professional sports has a sort of Buddy Rich approach to the matter. Plus, he always looks high.

The Long Weekend

A few days ago, I heralded the coming weekend as the most exciting 96 hours in American sports. Was I wrong? Ali Farokhmanesh has found himself as the most famous Persian American whose name has been mispronounced countless times over the past few days.

The almost Cinderella story, area code 615

Tomorrow commences with the most exciting 96 hours in American sports. And here is one of the myriad reasons of historical-why. Only four times have 15 seeds upset the deuces in the first round, and two years ago the boys from Belmont almost became the fifth.

Candy Cummings

As we approach spring training, I thought I would drop in a few of my favorite early baseball heroes....Today it's Candy Cummings, long credited as the inventor of the curve ball, who had his eureka moment whilst pitching for the Brooklyn Excelsiors in 1867. It was said that Cummings had developed the throw after observing the curved motion that sea shells made when tossed.
However, as in any instance of baseball lore, there is a bit of controversy. Fred Goldsmith, who pitched for a number of teams, most notably the Chicago White Stockings, is also given some credit for developing the famous throw. These stories of a pre-professional Goldsmith and the unique pitch date roughly to 1870, which would still be three years behind Cummmings' supposed achievement. Either way, Goldsmith has faded into deep sports lore and died in 1939, the same year Cummings was inducted into Cooperstown for an innovation both men believed they had pioneered.