ZuDfunck

NBA Finals Mojo Enhancing Post, Get Your Mojo Working Here!

USAToday has some of the best sports media coverage I have come across and today is no exception. Sir Charles, Van Gundy and the guy I call the Sports Media God all have columns:

Sir Charles:

Don't try to convince me about home-court advantage. Yes, it has been a difference-maker this postseason. But, no, it does not serve Boston well. I've always believed that the 2-3-2 format is a significant disadvantage for the home team. Yes, the Celtics could play four games in Boston, but they need to win the first two. Advantage: road team, baby.

Van Gundy:

As far as the 2-3-2 Finals schedule format, I still think the best team wins. But without question, that format benefits the home team. If you split the first two games and win one of three on the road, you come home down 3-2 — but with two home games to close it out. That's a great advantage to the Celtics.

Michael Hiestand:

Then there's the series' big selling point: It will let baby boomers marinate in the resurrection of the once-famous rivalry that will let them reminisce about their youth. Plus they can tell today's youngsters about the great stars of the good old days, and today's youth presumably will have to play along if those baby boomers are paying for the game-time snacks.

So there you have it. If your like me after the lull since the conference finals you may of lost your Mojo for playoff basketball and have difficulty getting it flowing again. But hopefully you get it back before 9pm EDT when the ABC network will bring you one of the best NBA Finals ever.

ZuDfunck Widens Focus of His Blog and Monday Night Televiewing

Random Thoughts as we enter yet another change in focus:
The multi-faceted realm of Popular Culture
The niche of NASCAR was just to narrow!
Popular Culture according to my notes is:

Popular culture (also known as pop culture) deemed as what is popular within the social context — that of which is most strongly represented by what is perceived to be popularly accepted among society. Otherwise, popular culture is also suggested to be the widespread cultural elements in any given society that are perpetuated through that society's vernacular language or lingua franca. It comprises the daily interactions, needs and desires and cultural 'moments' that make up the everyday lives of the mainstream. It can include any number of practices, including those pertaining to cooking, clothing, consumption, mass media and the many facets of entertainment such as sports and literature. Source: Wikipedia

So that about covers everything I blog about. Pretty clever, eh?

This Week In NASCAR:
Chad Knaus, Jimmie Johnson's crew cheif was on with Michael Waltrip and Chad took a shot at Mikie!
A viewer question had to do with what happens to the scrap that falls off cars after a wreck and Michael went into this long thing bout how they become souvenirs for the fans. And then out of the blue Chad brings up sway bars. Well Michael recovered quick and asked Chad if he had any cause he was short a full set, but the shot was felt I think.

MSNBC's Hardball w/Chris Matthews:
Chris was like a Pig in Slop. Interviewing or spewing , sometimes he just rants with Scott McClellan. All kind of Detailed under the hood, behind the scenes questions that eventually just made my head hurt. But for the political junkies and Matthew lovers it was a grand moment

WWE's Monday Night RAW:
At the beginning of the main event between John Cena and Jeff Hardy some huge Mark Henry looking dude climbed in the ring and started going for Cena. An official and some other equally huge security person swooped into the ring and took him out. Difficult to say how they managed because the camera immediately panned away to Jeff Hardy to avoid showing the guy. JR and King joked it was live TV and Cena and Jeff had smiles as they tried to get back in character and proceed with the match. Oh yeah it was a first contenders match and it determined that Cena will fight Triple H at the next pay per view. No surprises there.

So there is your random viewing for Monday night, some say I am merely justifying my over watching of my Plasma but you know better don't you ZuDDies. It's because I am providing a service to all my precious subscribers of my feed who do have a life and can't watch this stuff themselves.

 

Budweiser Shootout 2008 Results

ZuD isn't  stat guy but I know some you are here ya go:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Order of finish for Saturday's   Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway (Lap length: 2.5 miles;   Starting position in parentheses):

 1.  (7) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 70, 143.3.
 2. (10) Tony Stewart, Toyota, 70, 108.5.
 3. (18) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 70, 79.2.
 4. (22) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 70, 80.1.
 5.  (6) Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 70, 102.3.
 6. (16) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 70, 85.7.
 7. (19) Dave Blaney, Toyota, 70, 99.4.
 8.  (2) Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 70, 76.0.
 9. (12) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 70, 68.9.
10.  (8) Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 70, 62.5.
11.  (3) Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 70, 66.3.
12. (20) Carl Edwards, Ford, 70, 79.0.
13. (15) Dale Jarrett, Toyota, 70, 38.1.
14. (21) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 70, 50.1.
15. (13) Ken Schrader, Dodge, 70, 45.9.
16. (11) J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 70, 43.7.
17. (23) Ryan Newman, Dodge, 70, 42.4.
18.  (1) Kurt Busch, Dodge, 70, 55.3.
19.  (5) David Gilliland, Ford, Accident, 48, 69.0.
20. (17) Greg Biffle, Ford, Accident, 48, 33.6.
21.  (9) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, Accident, 47, 58.7.
22.  (4) Jamie McMurray, Ford, Accident, 24, 90.4.
23. (14) Bill Elliott, Ford, Accident, 15, 23.3.

---

Race statistics 

Time of Race: Average Speed of Race Winner: 140.751 mph.
Time of Race: 1 hour, 14 minutes, 36 seconds
Margin of Victory: .136 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 4 for 16 laps.
Lead Changes: 17 among 8 drivers.

Lap Leaders: M. Waltrip 1; D. Gilliland 2-3; M. Martin 4; M. Waltrip 5; D. 
  Earnhardt Jr. 6-22; C. Edwards 23; D. Earnhardt Jr. 24-27; D. Blaney 28-31; 
  D. Earnhardt Jr. 32-37; T. Stewart 38; D. Earnhardt Jr. 39-41; J. Gordon 42; 
  D. Earnhardt Jr. 43-49; D. Blaney 50-52; D. Earnhardt Jr. 53-60; T. Stewart 
  61-68; D. Earnhardt Jr. 69-70.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Led, Laps Led: Dale Earnhardt Jr. 7 times for 
  47 laps; Tony Stewart 2 times for 9 laps; Dave Blaney 2 times for 7 laps; David 
  Gilliland 1 time for 2 laps; Michael Waltrip 2 times for 2 laps; Carl Edwards 
  1 time for 1 lap; Jeff Gordon 1 time for 1 lap; Mark Martin 1 time for 1 lap.

Awaiting Daytona 500 Qualifying

As we paused to grab our breath from that excitement filled Bud Shootout and await qualifying today on Fox at 1pm EST I wanted to share the experience and elation I felt when I flipped on the HD channel of Fox and saw in High Definition the Old Daytona Track in the splash of lites and depths of color that must be truly awesome to see in person.

Man what I felt being 1500 miles away must be just spectacular up-close in the stands. The sounds sights and smells must be magnificent but yet and still it is all that in my living room. I can’t think of any sport except for football that provides that kind of intimacy via TV and in HD it’s breathtaking!

So I will have my Bacon and Eggs, Ruffles and Dip, Coke and Ice ready at 1pm to soak in all the drama that comes with making the big one or packing up and going home…

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins Bud Shootout

Junior wins! His first in two Years!

Image courtesy: Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie The "On Pit Row" Nascar blog

ZuDfunck, NASCAR Fan, Y'all

As I await the Bud Shootout tonight at 8pm EST on Fox and transform my four-year-old blog into a NASCAR blog I thought I would officially proclaim my self a NASCAR Fan. For those who don’t know me I am an over fifty hippy of some repute who in my earlier years developed alternate content via telephone answering machines in the seventies and eighties and used the web in the years of this decade to delight and inform all generations on what is hip and important. So I am taking a huge sidestep to devote my energies toward NASCAR, but I do it both on a casual basis and in a fundamental political way to proclaim that one needn’t be from the Southeastern United States to be a NASCAR fan.

In yesterdays Trading’ Paint episode on the Speed channel Kyle Petty spoke to that exact point that NASCAR needs to return to it early ways but also grow its base and I think its important as did he that Fans down south have an inherent right to dis anyone that isn’t their neighbor. Just as Hockey fans shouldn’t dis southern US fans. As a politically entrenched liberal with a strong distaste for what President Bush has left us I shouldn’t be disqualified from being a welcome member to the NASCAR fan base.

I would like to get your reactions to what I am saying and hope you welcome me as I welcome you to this blog.

Bud Shootout Preliminaries 2008, Get Stoked!

I am so stoked to be in the month of February not only did we last weekend have one of the best Super Bowls ever with the denial of supremacy and perfection to the Patriots but we also have the second Super Bowl coming up rapidly and if last nites practice for the shootout is any indication we have another anxiety ridden set of broadcasts to come out of Florida the next eight days.

I am trying to capture the footage and link to it but until I can take my word for it and set your clickers on Fox at 8PM Eastern and settle in for some rockem sockem Racing courtesy Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch…

I am watching Speed right now and Dave Despain just said there were some fisticuffs! All right! Hope he clocked Busch. Speaking of Despain he is anchoring some of the hundred hours of coverage down there with one of the old time announcers Ken Squier and he kind of has this John Madden/Andy Rooney thing going for him.

ZuD's Nascar Viewing Guide for Saturday 2/9/08

Lost: Oh Yeah, where were we?

Fox Goes SRO Ad-wise for Super Bowl

Lets just hope the ads are funny:

Sources at Fox confirmed today (Jan. 29) that the final in-game Super Bowl commercial spot for the Feb. 3 telecast has been sold, but officials at the network were mum as to who it was sold to. And some within the network indicated that it might have not been sold to a new advertiser but instead to an one already in the game, either as another unit or as an add-on, boosting a 30-second spot to a 60-second unit.

Via MEDIAWEEK

Oceanic Airlines Billboard Sighting

Call your travel agent or click here

R Rated NFL Commentary

 Announcer: "And Powers hands off to Johnson, left side, gain of       maybe 1."   

 

      Commentator: "Are you f------ kidding me? That stupid s--- hasn't worked all day. This coaching staff needs to get its head out of its ass."

 

      Announcer: "No argument there. That brings up third and long. Powers drops back, looks down field, pressure's coming ... and he's sacked by Sanderson."

 

      Commentator: "Nice job, a------. Powers, you f------ suck in the pocket. You gotta get rid of it quick, d---head. Three years since he's left Texas State, this turd-hammer still hasn't figured that out."

 

      Announcer: "Here comes the punting unit. Kick's away, but ... oh, f--- me gently with a chainsaw! I think we're going to have running into the kicker. Powers and company better gets their d---- out of their hands, because they are heading back on to the field."

 

      Commentator: "That sucks s--- through a straw."

Source: HardyVision

Chancellor of Basketball Commercial Dude

You know that commercial where the dude is talking smack in front of a bridge and the guy is shooting hoops in the background. The actor is Terry Crews here is his bio on IMDB. 

Blu-Ray Disc The Adjunct to your HDTV

To go along with your newly purchase HDTV you may want to consider this site that makes a case for ts Purchase if DirecTV or Cable doesn't scratch:

Who's the 'Bobby Kennedy' in 2008?

Who in this coming campaign draws the adoration and energy like Bobby did back in '68? The times are different so it may be difficult to compare but who has that wow factor or more importantly, who is inspiring you?

Via Schapiro's Heroes

ESPN Bowl Games Start Thursday, Oh Boy!

To Quote the USA Todays Sports Media God:

Bowling:  ESPN, with 23 of college football's 32 bowls, starts the long march with Thursday's San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.

Don't laugh. ESPN, which owns five bowls, usually gets its highest-rated week from bowling over viewers. Last year, five of its bowls drew more than 4% of U.S. cable households — an audience level that tops just about everything else on ESPN except NFL games and the league's draft, Home Run Derby and very few other events.

New this year: All ESPN and ESPN2 bowls will also be streamed live to ESPN's broadband service as well as to cellphones — which proves pageantry can be miniaturized. ESPN doesn't have bowls scheduled opposite Sunday afternoon NFL games, but does have ones opposite NBC's Sunday night NFL games. Says ESPN programmer Dave Brown: "College and pro football have different audiences. Besides, we just want to keep going."

Dick Vitale Off Until February Recovering From Throat Surgery

Initially when I heard about that famous voice being silenced temporarily I thought of making this post be a request to make it permanent. Putting a petition or fund drive together to get the surgeon to make it permanent. Having grown up on Vitale first as the U of D and then Piston's coach, you can understand how one may campaign to silence it, but after reading the letter he wrote of which follows is an excerpt, I thought better of my original thought and realized such mean spirited discussions are better suited to Fark.com or other hate demonic sites.

So here I go wishing him the best and hope he gets well soon so I can again wish him ill without really wishing him ill. What follows is the letter to fans of which I am sure there are a few:

Letter to my fans
Dick Vitale
SPECIAL TO ESPN.COM

 

To: My favorite people, all of the fans who make college basketball special!
From: Dick Vitale
During the past month and a half, I have had a very difficult time with discomfort in my throat. Personally, I want to apologize to all of the fans and all of the beautiful people at ESPN who have been fantastic to me during my 29 years working at the network.

I have been blessed to have the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people, especially my current teammates, Dan Shulman, Doris Burke, coordinating producer Dan Steir and director Doug Holmes, whom have all been so understanding and supportive.

The past six weeks have been very emotional for me and for my family as we've visited some of the most outstanding throat specialists. Fortunately, I am currently under the guidance of Dr. Daniel Deems in Sarasota, Fla. and he is an outstanding ear, nose and throat specialist. Dr. Deems strongly recommended that I visit Dr. Steven Zeitels, who is recognized as one of the premier throat and voice specialists in the nation.

Dr. Zeitels serves as the director for the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. After an examination, it was determined that I had lesions on my left vocal cord and that they should be surgically removed. Dr. Zeitels said his goal is to have me back sitting at courtside in early February.

There is nothing professionally that I love better than sharing insights about the players and coaches that make college basketball so unique. I can't wait to get back with all my colleagues at ESPN. Visiting college campuses and interacting with the fans has kept me so young and energized. I can't wait to get back out there, having a blast with all of you, who are so vital to our game.

Will Ferrell's Viral Video, The Landlord and Outtakes

Check out this Video with Out takes

DirecTV's High Definition Channels

With all the bombast and Beyoncé signing 'bout upgrading your HD service you may be curious just which channels make up that number. Here is a partial list:

My bias against satellite remains strong but that's a pretty powerful selection...

NFL Network on a Blimp Above You

Pic from SPORTSbyBROOKS ("SbB")

From the Sports Media Guru USA Todays Michael Hiestand:

DirecTV, a satellite TV provider, will announce Wednesday the most imaginative tactic in the hubbub over how viewers might get NFL games that air on the NFL Network. DirecTV will show them on the giant video screen on its blimp as it flies above towns whose cable operators don't carry the league's channel.

Don't laugh. TV sports on a blimp probably will be as good as other platforms for TV sports — such as the tiny screens on cellphones — that have emerged through the miracle of technology. The appeal of DirecTV's idea could blossom, eventually, if viewers would be able to shadow its blimp on giant inflatable couches.

But for now the blimp is just trying to exploit the hubbub over most U.S. households not having access to the NFL Network's games. DirecTV, which carries the network, is trying to tout the appeal of its games — including the New England Patriots potentially going for a perfect season against the New York Giants in the regular-season finale — to try to win over cable TV subscribers who can't get the channel from their cable operators. (Only about one-third of U.S. households get the NFL Network.)

So, for the network's prime-time Denver Broncos-Houston Texans game Thursday and Cincinnati Bengals-San Francisco 49ers game Saturday, the DirecTV blimp will air the games — its first live video — on its 70x30-foot screen, which is billed as "the largest aerial digital screen."

The blimp, which can fly as low as 1,000 feet, will sail over the Tampa-St. Petersburg area showing those games and next week will show NFL Network games while floating above Orlando. Those locales, DirecTV senior vice president Jon Gieselman says, were picked partly because the blimp was slated to be in Florida anyway — and also because cable operators in those areas don't carry the NFL Network.