Writers Strike: Day 87

Enjoy ALL eight episodes of “Lost” that start tonight. Wow eight big ones. Well I guess you could justify nine if you count the hour-long recap from last season which airs at 8:00est.

Oh, “The Office” is a repeat again.

Let's see, what reality program can I watch tonight?

Richmond & Baseball – From Left Field to Left Out?

Proposals and action from the City of Richmond seem to move slower than a fat catcher rounding third base. But now area owners and GM’s are taking notice and learning how an Atlanta suburb stole home plate.

Right now it’s all talk, and some investigating. But talk could become action if Chesterfield Board of Supervisors Chairman A.S. "Art" Warren thinks a minor league baseball team is a viable option for the county.

Earlier this month, when Gwinnett County, GA announced the Richmond Braves were packing up and moving south, every city and county official in the Metro Richmond area seemed to be caught off guard.

But after learning that the Gwinnett deal was accomplished in less than a full baseball season, it made Richmond look really bad, and many want to use Gwinnett's success as an example. That list includes Warren.

"Chesterfield County has the largest population in the metro area, and I have asked for information on what [Gwinnett County, Ga.,] is doing so well. And I'll leave it at that," Warren said in an article published in today’s RTD.

Meanwhile, Richmond Mayor Wilder has made promises that there will be minor league baseball in RICHMOND in 2009. But if the surrounding counties follow the lead of Gwinnett, Wilder might be 100% wrong leaving the Boulevard full of broken dreams.

Not only will the R-Braves head out at seasons end, but the Poseidon Swimming Club has dropped its intent to move to Richmond and instead announce plans to build an $8 million aquatics center in, where else, Chesterfield.

One might think the swift exit of the city’s minor league club could get the government wheels turning a little faster around City Hall. After all, the Braves have called Richmond home since 1966. But once again, Richmond strikes out and the surrounding counties look like young prospects.

Son of a Mill Worker Calls it Quits in Race for President

The Son of a Mill Worker has decided to drop out of the race for the White House. He was lagging in the polls behind two other candidates and really wasn’t a threat. Expect an announcement today, possibly in front of a mill, at 1:00 EST.

The Son of a Mill Worker had previously sought the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2004 presidential election, but instead became the party’s nominee for the vice president position.

Born in South Carolina, The Son of a Mill Worker was hoping for a good showing in the Palmetto State, which recently held primaries for the Democratic and Republican parties. But it wasn’t to be. The Son of a Mill Worker could only muster 18% of the vote.

It was a clear warning sign that time was running out. The Son of a Mill Worker gave his all, but he could never take the spotlight away from the other candidates, settling for third in every state besides Iowa.

Oh Canada! RIC Int’l Airport will have Int’l Flights

Unless you’ve been flying under the radar, you know that Richmond International Airport has experienced incredible growth in recent months. Along with a nice face lift, RIC has seen more passengers (3.3 million in 2006), more flights and more low-cost carriers. This past weekend the airport received more great news. Starting May 1, Air Canada will begin offering two daily direct flights between Toronto and Richmond through its regional partner Air Canada Jazz.

It’s a-boot time.

RIC can finally live up to its international moniker once again. According to airport spokesman Troy Bell, these daily flights will be the ONLY non-stop international flights originating from Richmond.

Which raises the question, before this deal was announced, why was Richmond considered an international airport? Were there any other international flights since 2002, when Air Ontario stopped flying out of RIC?

Better yet, what makes it an international airport, and not a regional airport?

After some research on the always trusted (haha) Wikipedia, this explanation might fit RIC B.C. (before Canada)

Some airports which call themselves international airports, especially in smaller United States cities, in fact have no scheduled international airline passenger service but do have customs and immigration facilities serving charter, cargo and general aviation flights. At many of these airports customs and immigration services are only available with several hours advance notice.

A few years ago, Richmond might have been described by passengers as a regional airport (even if it technically wasn’t).

But with the reemergence of direct flights to Canada, those days seem to be behind us now. Wanna fly direct out of RIC? Click here to see where you can go until the service to Toronto starts.

Where were you on Jan. 28, 1986?

Although alive, I have no recollection of this:

What’s the BIG deal about the Winter X Games?

Oh, besides the fact those guys have some SICK moves. I was glued to the tube last night watching the finals in the Super Pipe. Oh man. There were 1080’s, 960’s, and 2472’s all over the place. I couldn’t stop watching the snow get shredded on ESPN and ABC. Did I mention the moves I saw were SICK?

And to think these dudes only get four days to show off their skills. Meanwhile, at the Olympiad in Beijing this Summer they get 16. Not cool bro.

But back to Winter. What about the snowmobiles? Holy smokes. Now I know what people do for fun in places where you don’t see the grass until March!

It came to the point where I was wishing the Blizzard of 2008 would hit (but somehow I would know about a week in advance so I could go buy a radical board) and find some great hills in the Richmond area to get Xtreme on!

Wait, I can just go to west to Wintergreen. All I need to do is buy some gear, put hundreds of decals on my clothes and board and maybe grow my hair out and add a bit of stubble for the face and I’m set for the slopes. Throw in some flannel and an iPod and down an energy drink and I believe the word SICK comes to mind.

Friday Fhoto

Sorry Matt Cassel, but the guy is gonna play next Sunday. We all know you had four completions for 38 yards and a touchdown this year, but you don't get to go home to this:

No New Office Tonight, But We Can Still Laugh at Andy

The Office is still closed tonight, but here's a clip from the 2007 Office Convention in Scranton, PA. It's Ed Helms, also known as Andy Bernard in the paper biz, doing a mix of Rainbow Connection/Tom Brokaw/Gay Al Gore.

Won't you watch?




Happy Birthday Mr. Helms!

Yellow Plates - A Scarlet Letter for your Car

Virginia drivers have hundreds of license plates to choose from. If you want an Adopt the Greyhounds plate, DMV has it. If you want a Jimmy Buffett Parrothead plate, paradise found, DMV has it.

However, there’s one plate that DMV might start carrying that nobody wants on there car – a yellow one.

There is legislation in the 2008 Virginia General Assembly that would require people with three or more DUI convictions to keep the plates on their cars for five years after getting their licenses back.

Welcome to HB1281. And best of all, it’s being sponsored by my main man, Delegate Lionell Spruill. Now if you know anything about politics on the state level in Virginia, you know Del. Spruill. From the droopy drawers bill of 2005, to the truck testicles bill of 2008, the Chesapeake Democrat definitely knows how to make a splash when the GA is in session.

When it comes to the yellow plates, Spruill thinks the plates will send a clear signal to other drivers that they should be cautious around the boozer’s vehicle. A similar bill was filed last year but it died in committee.

First of all, I’m not so sure yellow would be an appropriate color. Using yellow as a color of distinction is nothing new. Jews in Nazi Germany were forced to wear a yellow badge on their garments so they could be noted in public. Yes, the color attracts the eye, but there are other vibrant colors to choose from.

And the plate might not be necessary. An ignition interlock device, or car breathalyzer, is a good way to keep offenders off the road. If the device detects a certain amount of alcohol, the car simply will not start.

Spruill’s bill sounds good in theory, but the bottom line is anyone with three DUI convictions shouldn’t have a driver’s license anyway. Operating a motor vehicle is not a god-given right. If you abuse, you lose.

Possible Hope for Ongoing Writers Strike

It’s an all too common occurrence these days. You turn on the tube. You check to see what the prime time lineup consists of with the handy dandy guide function. And all you see is Repeat (2007) in front of every single non-reality based show description.

Welcome to the thick of the writers strike. By now most channels have emptied the vault on shows that have been produced for the 2007-2008 television season. No more CSI: Miami. No more of “The Office.” And heck, 24 never even premiered.

But all news isn’t bad news. A tentative deal was struck last week between the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) containing a new 3-year collective bargaining agreement. This glimmer of hope is possibly something for the writers guild to work with.

And informal talks have resumed this week between the writers guild and “other side.” But most hope for shows returning for the second half of the season is just that, hope.

If you’re still not up on why your favorite shows have been and will continue to be in reruns, watch this short clip produced by United Hollywood. You’ll see why the writers deserve a new deal!

Spiders Net Another Promising Football Coach

Mike London wasn’t going to stay at the University of Virginia forever. In fact, his second stint in Charlottesville was more like a nice addition to a resume University of Richmond Athletic Director Jim Miller wanted to get his hands on (again)

This past weekend, UVA’s former defensive coordinator was named the head coach at the University of Richmond after Dave Clawson bolted for the University of Tennessee a week earlier to take over as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in Knoxville.

London inherits a team that went 11-3 last season and reached the semifinals of the I-AA playoffs. Needless to say, expectations are high for 2008. Here are just a few reasons why Spider fans should be very pleased with this hiring:

The 757
Hailing from Hampton, VA, a hotbed for college football recruits in the state, London has good connections in the area with high school coaches and is known for his ability to recruit. Granted many of the top players from this region choose big time programs in the ACC, SEC, Big East, etc, but London can create a list to work with and find players that fit his program.

A Spider from the Start
London knows UR. He played defensive back at Richmond from 1979-82. He led the Spiders with six interceptions as a senior captain in 1982. He also racked up some accolades in earning All-State honors, chosen as the team's MVP and received the Coaches Award. London knows what it takes to succeed on the field and in the classroom after receiving a degree in sociology. And at Richmond, the term “student-athlete” is pretty accurate.

New Digs
Let’s face it, UR Stadium isn’t exactly the kind of place that’s going to win over recruits that are on the fence. But that’s all going to change in 2010 when the team begins to play home games on campus. The stadium will be configured on the site of the existing First Market Stadium (adjacent to the Robins Center), where the men's and women's soccer teams play now and the football team practices most of the time.

Working on Sundays
While it might have been for only one season, London knows what life is like in the NFL, serving as the defensive-line coach for the NFL's Houston Texans in 2005. For promising high school and college players the ultimate goal is making to the big show. London can relay his experience in the NFL to his players.

A Different Face, A Different Race
While this shouldn't be an issue, it is. By accepting the position to lead the Spiders football program, London becomes the first African-American head coach of a major program in the school’s long athletic history. But stats like this aren’t uncommon on college campuses. In 2007 only 13 of 241 head coaches on the I-A and I-AA levels were black. Click here to read why RTD columnist Bob Lipper thinks UR found a “beacon” in hiring London.

Henrico Del. John O’Bannon – I'm a PC

When he’s not representing the 73rd District in the Virginia House of Delegates, Republican Del. John M. O’Bannon III, spends much of his free time wondering why he’s a PC and not a Mac.

Right now Del. O’Bannon is preoccupied with laws, lobbyists, and lunches down at the General Assembly Building. It’s what he’s been doing for January, February and most of March since 2001.

In addition to having an awesome license plate letting everyone know he’s a delegate, O’Bannon is regarded as one of the best neurologists in the Metro Richmond Area.

Yet while the good doctor is top-notch when it comes to diagnosis and treatment of diseases involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems working, he can’t seem to figure out why Windows Vista keeps freezing on him.

At age 59, O’Bannon realizes the younger Mac has an edge in when it comes to innovative technology, especially in the world of multimedia. But the chairman of the Health Welfare and Institutions Committee is getting pretty tired of hearing the letter I in front of every word his competitor utters.

Life as a PC isn’t easy. But O’Bannon doesn’t have to think about that until March rolls around. That, and wondering if his party can maintain control of the House of Delegates.

(I have no clue if O’Bannon is a PC guy. Heck, he might be proficient with a Mac. Or maybe he chooses to use a typewriter or Dictaphone. But he does a great job in the commercials.)

Friday Fhoto II

Friday Fhoto

Ballparkreviews.com says it best. "If you like concrete, you'll love The Diamond. It is as if the builders took a chunk out of old Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta and transported it to Richmond."

I’ll Survive When the Braves Head Home

The Richmond Braves have officially said goodbye to the River City, the ball club’s home since 1966. The team is heading south to Gwinnett, Georgia, closer to the home of the parent club, the Atlanta Braves.

Gwinnett County, Georgia accomplished in 60 days, what Richmond couldn’t accomplish in 60 months - a plan for a beautiful new stadium, and a way to finance it. Just look at the artist rendering above, it puts any plans for the Boulevard to shame.

From my perspective, I won’t shed a tear the last time we hear the crack of a Richmond Braves bat next fall. I guess most of those feelings come from the fact that I’m not a Braves fan on any level. Although I might purchase a nice fitted R Braves hat for the childhood memories of studs like Andy Tomberlin and David Neid.

But the Braves departure, could, and it’s a BIG could, actually set things in motion to bring a A or AA team to the area. Richmond is a market many teams would love to settle down in. And it would make sense for a lower level affiliate of the Washington Nationals or Baltimore Orioles to call Richmond home.

With all due respect to Damon Hollins, I’d much rather see prospects in AA that actually have a good shot at a major league career than the washed up AAA guys still hoping to get called up or pitchers on rehab assignments.

Like many Richmonders, I’ll go from seeing two to three games a year, to zero.

What would bring out local fans to the games besides fireworks? A new venue that’s much more enticing than the dump that is the Diamond. A new stadium would be more than just baseball. It would give non-baseball fans to enjoy themselves with other activities like restaurants, bars, common areas and shopping.

Right now that’s just a pipe dream.

The other side of the baseball banter is the idea of waving goodbye to the Braves and not bringing another team to the area. But rather spend the tax money that would go towards a new team on roads, education, etc.

That’s a fine argument on paper, but when was the last time the City of Richmond actually cared about schools and fixing potholes and sewer lines. Never.

The Braves are gone, but the departure of the team might make the city wake up and realize there is potential for a new team and a new venue. But as of now it’s just potential.

Andy Jenks Doesn’t Just Report on Crime…

…Metro Richmond's main man on mailbox bashings and carjackings also stars on the big screen!

Yes, that’s right NBC12’s Andrew Jenks is a star on a rival network with three letters that are consecutive in the American alphabet.

Starring as Dougie on the laugh-out-loud comedy “Carpoolers” Jenks clearly steals the show from the more-famous Jerry O’Connell. Jenks would still be seen on the hit show if it wasn’t for the ongoing writers strike, but for now he settles for hanging with Gene, Sabrina and Sagay at NBC12’s South Richmond studio.

So the next time your neighborhood is featured on the neighborhood crime watch section of the 11:00 broadcast, know your watching a star in action!

(ha ha, not really)

R-Braves Officially Chopped from RIC

If you would have built it, they would have come. That’s probably true in the case of Richmond, VA and its soon-to-be-extinct AAA baseball team, the Braves.

After months indecisiveness among city leaders, Richmond was finally caught in a run-down today, when the R-Braves parent club, the Atlanta Braves announced the team would be relocating to Gwinnett County, Ga, a suburb of bustling Atlanta. The move could take place as soon as the 2009 season.

Richmond deserves to get picked off. The city scuffled its feet about venues for a new stadium or rebuilding the dilapidated Diamond for quite some time.

Logistically, the move makes sense for the Atlanta team. It will be much more cost-effective for the top minor league affiliate to be close to the big leagues, but it will be a big loss for Richmond.

The Braves' AAA affiliate has played in Richmond since 1966, the year the major-league team moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta. Before that, the Braves' AAA team was the Atlanta Crackers.

The R-Braves experienced one of its best seasons in years by winning the 2007 Governors Cup this past Fall.

With Gear from B.C. Still on Walls, A&N Set to Close

I read in the RTD this morning that Henrico-based retailer A&N will be closing up and start liquidating its assets beginning today.

The retailer cited increasing competition (See Dick’s Sporting Goods), slowing sales and mounting losses for its decision.

They forgot to mention lack of reason to shop there or the fact that the clothes that never came off the racks were popular when New Kids on the Block was topping the music charts.

I could’ve sworn slap bracelets were at the checkout counter and baja jackets adorned the walls the last time I entered the “sportswear” chain. (And that was this century) Not to mention walls of Levi and Army Navy blue jeans. When I think of sportswear, the first thing that comes to mind is a comfortable pair of stonewashed jeans.

A&N was doomed before the big boy Dick’s Sporting Goods entered the Richmond market. But the retailer had its chances to hang around.

For years sporting goods chains came to the area and left on what seemed like a yearly basis. From Galyan’s to The Sports Authority, big chains didn’t stick allowing local stores to survive.

Take for example Disco Sports.

Even though its location has hopped around the West End for years now, the family-run operation has been able to stay afloat. Why? They have a niche in the market with custom sports gear embroidery and equipment. Not to mention the apparel that hangs on the walls (of what used to be an awesome Darryl’s restaurant back in the day) is actually stylish.

Soon the dim lights will be turned off, the wood paneled walls will be empty and the boom box will go silent as A&N heads off into oblivion – a decade too late.

Friday Fhoto

Edmund Hillary took this photograph of Tenzing Norgay as they became the first human beings to set foot on the summit of Mt. Everest on May 29, 1953, the highest point on earth. Hillary died Friday in New Zealand.

Another Sad Thursday Night

Today is Thursday, in case you didnt already know. Usually I'll give my loyal readers and fellow "Office" aficionados a taste of what’s to come later in the day on the NBC hit comedy.

That hasn’t happened for a while now because the office is closed (see above). The writers strike (god bless’em) continues to wreak havoc to the nightly TV viewing schedule.

I never thought I’d get so pumped to watch American Gladiators version 2008. But I was and I was severely let down. Seriously, everybody loves the Hulk, but Mike Adamle and Larry Csonka were the best.

While the writers picket for a larger share of online and DVD revenue, “The Office” has been replaced by “Celebrity Apprentice.” Awesome. I’m on the edge of my seat.

What’s the deal with turning every show into a celebrity form? Of course they don’t cast the celebrities we want to see. It’s filled folks Stephen Baldwin and Marilu Henner.

Memo to the producers – do what it takes to get the writers back. I’m already tired of looking at Militia, Titan and Justice in spandex.

Bring back Dwight and Jim.

Kansas Gets Some Bad Newz

Mike Vick is no longer in the Commonwealth. He's been transferred to Leavenworth, Kansas. Ironically, it’s the state his alma mater (if you want to call it that) fell victim to in last week’s FedEx Orange Bowl in Florida.

But that’s neither here nor there.

While residing in one of the flattest states in the nation, Vick will be participating in a drug treatment program. Isn’t being in prison by itself supposed to be drug rehab? Yes, drugs are smuggled in, and if anyone can get their hands on them, it’s the hands of a man that electrocuted and shot Fido.

I know prison can be a dog-eat-dog kinda place, but Vick might not be in shackles very long. According to Yahoo! Sports, if Vick successful completes the program at Leavenworth, he could be released after serving just 12 months of his sentence that was originally scheduled for 23 months.

Or if Mr. Mexico is counting days, that equals quite a few.

Don’t toke up Mike. Maybe read a book instead. I hear Green Eggs and Ham is pretty good, and on your reading level.

Striking a Chord

I don’t get it. My quest to find Guitar Hero for Nintendo Wii is not going well. Retailers have zillions of Guitar Hero games for XBOX and PS2 and PS3, but where’s the Wii? I thought it was the console that couldn’t be found, not the games!!

Better yet, every time I enter a Best Buy or Circuit City in the area, not only are all the sales associates gathered around in their matching polo shirts, BUT there’s always an emo kid rocking at the “Guitar Hero station” set up among the hundreds of games.

This guy just wants to kick it to some GNR or Whitesnake. I don’t see the problem.

Ebay is always an option. But do I want to pay about $40 bucks more to have my plastic Les Paul or Fender now?

I’ll wait. But tell the emo kids to share the experience.

55

If you were in Richmond on January 1, 2006, you witnessed one of the most horrific days the city saw in years. The slaying of the Harvey family in the city’s Woodland Heights area shook the city. The stigma of being one of the most dangerous cities in America looked like it was going to stick for years to come

But in the past two years, Richmond has rebounded. In 2007, Richmond recorded 55 homicides. It’s an amazing stat – and hopefully not just a blip.

Richmond used to be talked about in the same sentence with cities like Gary, Detroit, and New Orleans. In 1994, the city recorded an astounding 160 killings. Maybe those days are behind us for good.

The 55 killings is 26 fewer than last year's total of 81 and the lowest total in 26 years.

The drop in violent crime should create a domino effect. With a greater police presence, people will feel safer, want to enjoy Downtown Richmond, and subsequently help the city flourish.

One man helping the revitalization is Richmond Police Chief Rodney Monroe. Monroe recently received the 2007 Richmonder of the Year Award for the staggering drop in violent crime. But Chief Monroe will be the first to tell you that 55 is due to the work of the entire police force and greater community involvement. He's right.

But when the time comes to receive the accolades, it’s Chief Monroe in the spotlight. Hopefully he won’t leave for a bigger job elsewhere.

Fifty-five is a great benchmark. Here’s to 54 (or less) in 2008.