"Two Weeks Notice"

The next two weeks could easily tell us if the Philadelphia Phillies will actually be in the playoffs or not. They play many playoff teams including LA who they are in the mix with for the wildcard spot and the Mets who they are chasing for the divison title. Lets go PHils!

"dropping like fly balls"

What the hell,???!?!? Can we just play one game with out someone getting hurt? Is the evil ghost of William Penn using some sort of voodoo pin cushion thing?

"The Dead Will Rise this Fall"

The dead will rise this fall on TV.

I am not talking about that new show about a detective who also happens to be a VAMPIRE! (its really going to be show). I am talking about two of "my shows" that I watch on network tv. I don't have time for many shows, and I don't watch many of the real popular ones like Heroes or Lost.

So two of the shows I watch I are bringing back people from the dead. Which is always pretty ridiculous.

The first such show is Scrubs. (SEASON 6 Spoilers) Last season towards the end of the year Nurse Roberts was killed off. The big christen lady nurse died in car accident. I couldn't understand why they did this. But it was revealed later that series creator Bill Lawerence thought at the time that it was going to be the final season. So, they figured they needed something dramatic to happen. So, the killed her. BUt Lawerence said to the actress who played her that if NBC had a change of heart and brought the show back for another season, he would bring her back.

Bill was good on his word, and Scrubs will have 19 final shows this season and the actress will be coming back. Apparently the ultra christian goodie nurse roberts had an evil twin the whole time, that was never mentioned, or even showed up for her own twins funeral. She will be a druggie, a slut and a heavy drinker. Good thing there is only 19 shows left, right? I guess its cool he didn't go back on her word, but what a stupid story line.


Even more strange is CSI: Miami. Now I started watching this show going back to my outlet days when I would come home from work and my mom would have it on. I only watched it once in awhile the 1st season, and later got really into the show with my now ex-girlfriend. The first two seasons were really cool, gritty at times, but a little far fetched. I decided to go back actually and rent the first two seasons this summer off netflix. The character enjoyed the most on the show was the character known as Tim"Speed" Speedle. He was played by Rory Cochrane (the dude from Empire Records and Dazed and COnfused) I like his character on there because he was smart ass. He was the most realistic character too, didn't really like his job that much, and the actor was just better than the rest of the cast for the most part.

Well it appeared after season 2 that Cochrane couldnt take the 12 hour shoots, and being stuck on the west coast most of the year. He wanted out of his contract. If CBS did let him out that would mean he couldn't do tv for 3 seasons. The writers had a tough choice to make to write out a popular character. They went with killing him off. He and David Caruso's character got fired on in a jewelry store. Because, Speed was a bit lazy and apathetic he didn't clean his gun right(he almost died in season 1 for this reason I guess he didn't learn his lesson), and his gun didn't fire. He got shot and killed. Caruso character held him as he died in his arms. Later, the autopsy girl cut him up on her table. Cant get any more dead than that. It was hard for fans of the show to watch, but since he wanted out what else could you do? It made for a powerful season 3 opener. Anyway, I think his death made a bigger impact on the fans than if he would have been alive in season 5. It was unexpected and rocked the show's structure. He went to cool character tv heaven with Uncle Pussy, Deep Throat from the X-files, and Wheel Jack.

Season 3, went on to introduce a new character, and by season 4 the show started to trail off in a more and more over the top direction. They married the lead character off only to have his wife killed, in one of the most unbelievable romances in the history of TV. Last season had someone get eaten by a black bear (In Miami Really?!?), triplets killing twins, one character get shot in the head and report to work like nothing much happened in two weeks.


Anyway, I really started to think I was going to bail on the show all together. Sometimes it was a chore watching last season. But, I figured I would check out season 1 and see some I missed and revisit season 2 (I am currently watching and I guess I missed a few there too). There the show was still far fetched, yet fun and down to earth. Any Speed was still alive. I really enjoyed watching the earlier shows, while it was fun it was grounded still.

Now there is pretty big rumor that Speed will be back a few times in season 6. How on earth could this happen? He was cut up? Shot. Burried. Flashbacks? A Ghost? Faked his death? Wait, they already faked the main character's brothers death. Maybe a Zombie? Now I have to come back for season 6 to see how they do this. There is no way at all that it can not be totally ridicuolous.

"Another 9/11?"

Anyone else have a bad feeling about all this news on new attacks or is it just? http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8QALM9G2&show_article=1

"Hope Skates"

The past weekend I went to the SKATE ZONE for the Flyers Mini-camp. Basically a bunch of young players including the teams recent first round draft pick were invited to work out and do some hard skating drills. I was there for the first round which included Steve Downie who is pegged to be a big part of the Flyers future down the line. Downie is 20, so he can actually play for the PHantoms this year. You can tell it was a long off season so far, because a lot of people were there for the mini-camp. The camp had others like Ryan Pounltny, Parent, and Jars Johnson. Fans gathered and talked about their high hopes f0r the 2007-08 season. People were all talking to each other about the next year's porspects. There was a group of late 30 to 40 yearold women who knew amazingly alot about the sport. The one girl that I talked to knew pretty much everyone on the ice, which is more than I can say for myself(they were nice enough to give us a roster sheet though). I do feel though that she like Poultny for different reasons than I do though. All, and all a nice way to hold me over till training camp. Kind of hoping Dan the Man would have randomly showed up, but if he did he was hanging out in the locker room.

"Sharkys"

So, Sharkys wont close after all, just slowly change hands and become the Jersey Sports Bar. Glad to say, they are keeping the same wings! It will basically be the same old sharkys with an upgrade. They are sinking money into the old bar, and getting some big screen flat TVS, and eventually putting a deck up top. So, it will be like Sharkys going EXTEREME! It wont close during construction! Awesome!

"Ho-Hum Summer"

What everyone thought would be a huge summer is so far off to a So-so start. No real bombs yet, but nothing near the pie in the sky expectations people laid out earlier in the year. Read here/.

"Fathers & Sons"

This past father's day I went down to the campground where my parents have trailer at all summer long.

Now anyone that knows me knows that I pretty much have zip desire to every have children. It's simply just not something that I want out of life, or see myself needing to fulfill my life. Not only that I have trouble wrapping my brain around why it seems like 99.9 percent of the people on this planet earth are hell bent on having kids. Is it to validate their own existence? Because they think its a sign of success? Obligation?!?

Not sure.

Anyway, my father and I were outside (another perfect day down there) talking. He was talking to me about how he wasn't feeling good (he had a touch of something) at first we though maybe it was just from working to hard at the campground that made him sore. But, at one point he just simply told me. "Maybe he is just getting old".

He told me about how quite a few of the people from his high school graduation class has passed away in the past year. Well my parents had married and had kids much later in life than people did back then. Although its a bit more normal for people to wait till they are well into their 30s to have kids,back than it was not that common. So, as a result my parents were always older than my friends parents.

So, I have spend time worrying about when my parents become "elderly" and start to decline. Not a happy thought, mind you but something you have to prepare yourself for I guess. My brother came down with his trio of kids (a 6 year old, a 2 year old and an almost 1 year old). So, of course as usual he had his hands full.

Since, my dad wasn't feeling too well. So, I started the campfire. Now, I have started many a campfire in my day, but usually my dad would just take it over. However, for the first ever really, he let me take over the fire for the whole night. Even when he joined us later when he was feeling better. It was that time that I looked over at my six year old nephew, and thought to myself, hey not terribly long ago that was me. He was just overwhelmed down there with the swimming lake, fire, and just running around. Yeah, not TOO long ago before rent checks, 6:30am alarms, and sitting at an office all day, each day was an adventure really. He was making memories down there, and my brother is having his whole family down there later that summer. I started going down there when I was in infant basically. So, I have long ties to the place.

For a brief moment, I think I got it. Eventually you lose your parents, but your kids you can pass on stuff that your parents gave to you. Even if it just a good memory. Eventually your memory of your parents will hopefully live on in your relationship with your own children.

Now, don't think your humble blogger has sold out or anything. Besides unless if any little Tucker is on the way it would be the result of some sort of horrible decision if not a flat a medical miracle.

It lasted a few days, than when I was at a store with my friend Cathy. The kid near us in line would not stop screaming. Which pretty much erased all that other stuff. Jeez, why do they have to scream so much?

"Sharkys Bites the Dust"

Despite the fact that I had an awsome weekend down the shore(Don't think the weather could have been any better at all) a bit of sad news arrived at the tail end of my 3-day weekend. Rick was upate our local bar Sharky's and found found out that the bar had been sold. Sharkys is no longer as of Weds.

The bar that I went to many a night, and I swear have the best wings in all of South Jersey. Thankfully, though I guess I can still chow down on the wings at the location on route 42. But, the Sharkys that is closing was my local bar.

Many a night we spend there for a Phillies game or Flyers game. Drinking cheap ass beer, and eating at the bar that served food till 2am. I picking out songs on the jukebox or shooting some pool.

From what Rick heard the bar was sold, and will remain a bar, but who knows what the new owners will do. They are said to be wanting to put a deck on there and sink a lot of money into it. I would imagine they invision something totally different than the kind of bar they had there.

Since the bar industry in general is been in poor shape in this area for a few years now, its no shock really. But, still a sad day. The bar serveved its purpose many a night. Many times there to meet a friend who had a lousy day, a break up, or whatever. Met a friend there when he first got back from Iraq. Had many nights that ended there just for the hell of it.

I was pretty much cool with all the people up there, and all the help knew me any my friends on a first name basis. It was also kind of convient for me to grab a bite after work since it was on my way home, on days I didnt feel like cooking and needed a drink.

Many nights of my early (and as much I hate to say it now mid 20s were spent there) so now it will just become a place of the past. The bars name will always follow "Remember When". I have serious doubts that this bar will ever get off the ground. Seeing many people try to sink money into bars and it just seeing the wheels come off in the first month and just closing again. Maybe these people will go after the "Hey was just turned 21 crowd" I don't know. Kind of an odd spot for such a place. I remember when I first started hanging out there and people used to call it "Doms" that used to hang out there. Or would keep calling it "DOms". Mostly people that didnt hang out there anymore, and relating the glory days.

Yeah, another bar will be there in the same spot. But, it wont be the same for me, likely time to leave the torch there for another group of guys to take over. If I ever hear people talk about the new place, I can tell them that it used to be a place called "Sharkys" and they had kick ass wings.Obviously in the summer we dont hang out there that much, but my friends and I talked about if we were going to find another official bar. Its doubtful, I would imagine. I think when the new place opens up, it will be best to let the next batch of dudes take it over, and debate if the philly sports curse will end this season, where all the girls are at, why they hate their jobs, or what the deal is with that creepy guy giving out stuff animals to all the females at the bar.

Tomorrow (unless they do it early) should be the last night up at "The Tank", and I am debating to go up or not at all. RIP Sharkys. Its a sad day that the bar will close its doors, but as Tony Soprano once said "Focus on the Good Times"

"Bike Lane Narrows"

Maybe one of the most pointless things I have ever seen as far as construction. Down Atlantic Ave, that goes through many Camden County towns, there is a strech where they were doing construction for awhile. I assumed at the time they were just making the road wider. I could not really understand why though. Turns out they wanted to put in a pike lane. Okay, thats quaint idea. There is one out in I think Marlton, but its a long strech of road where no one is, and an actual nice place to take a bike ride with the weather is nice. But putting a bike lane on this streach of road is curious to say the least. For one reason, it only lasts maybe 2 miles if that. SEcondly, a about 3 times in the short lane, the lane "narrows". There are signs warning the poor guy on the bike that his lane is about to become just small enough to fit a bike if he stays perfectly inside the lines. It just looks like they couldnt paint straight, or they ran out of room. Than after about 3 times of narrowing, the bike lane just ends right before a busy intersection. They ask the drivers to share the roads with the bikes! Thereis even a picture of the bike indicating harmony. But basically what its saying, is "Good luck guy on a bike, this was a pretty half-assed idea. Now your relaxing ride will end in you trying to get across this intersection. Now, when your need the bike lane the most, its not there for you. Mocking you, with a short lived private lane just for you. Now you have to go back to driving on the road, with guys that apperently need signs to remind them, that they shouldn't run you over. Oh yeah the lane is really short and doesn't start back up. Maybe you can just ride back and forth like a moron on the same section of road." The sad thing is, people got paid to do this, I imagine tax money was spent on it. People voted on this. There are like close to 10 signs in a small section of roads giving you updates about "The Bike Lane" By the time you went the distance from one intersection to the other, you are already sick of reading about the bike lane. You would have th ought they would have asked other towns if they wanted to get connect tot he bike lane. But, it doesn't appear they did. So, its just pointless.

"Flyers Trade"

I could write a whole bunch about the Flyers trade, but it could be summed up in one word. That word is awesome.

"Bada Bing"

So I am sure you have all been waiting to hear what I thought about the Sopranos finale. Well I am sure you heard by now (if you were not one of the millions watching) that the show cut to black in the middle of a scene and thats how it ended. The final scene had Tony waiting at a resturant for his family. He puts on a Journey song, first his wife Carmella enters than his son AJ. Meadow his daugther finally makes it in after trying to park her car.


Now this pissed many people off but, before that I want to adress the big theory out there about what happened. Many people thought it was black because Tony got whacked and thats whyey everything stopped. Okay, thats a good theory, but already many of the email or whatever going around on the internet just have things flat out wrong. The shifty guy with the Members Only jacket was not Phil's newphew and the black dudes that walked in were not hitman from earlyin the series. In fact they looked almost nothing liked those guys and were a lot younger. Also, people bring up the line in the season 6B opener "Sopranos Home Movies" with Tony and Bobby on the boat, the scene was replayed in the next to last show "The Blue Comet" so there might be
some meaning to that. However, he does not say "Everything goes black", he simply says I bet you never hear it coming. So, that quote got messed up by people sending emails out.

Here are other theories:

The audience got whacked

Tony was going to jail and just soaking in what little time he had left with his family thats all there was to the last scene.

David Chase hates everyone

Despite some plots being tied up, Tony's fate will forever be left up to the viewer to decide. If its a happy ending for Tony his family you want, than thats how it ended. If you think it would have been cool if Tonys brains got blown out all over his oninon rings than thats how it ended for you.What David Chase did really got people talking and angered most. It started up debates on the internet. I honestly, after being puzzled about it first actually didn't mind the show. In fact over all the episode was good and the final 9 shows as a whole were great.

Now most people that fight on the internet are saying that they think anyone that didnt like the ending is stupid. I dont agree with that, it is what it is. The people that hated the ending are being told they kiss David Chases ass, or whatever. The show really stayed true to itself for the most part, it was always about the Tony's double life. His family at home, and his crime family. "Made in America", the finale, focused more on his home family. The show really made people realize that tv can be better than movies, and broke new ground. It did it really by making its own rules, and than breaking some of them. I always spent much time after each show talking to friends about the show, about the meaning behind certain things and where the show is going. I was sad that it was over. But, really the show has left us with the gift to do that forever. Talking about Tony's fate.

Now, I am not saying thats how I always wanted it to end. But aside from the ending scene. There was quite a bit of closure in the final show. Anyone that watched all the shows (some like 3times) like myself couldn't help but find the Tony/Uncle Junior scene emotional, the NY/NJ conflict was resolved, and Paulie had some classic moments. The show was always about the peoples everday lives really. Really, The Sopranos isnt like anything that was ever on tv before, and likely nothing will come close to it for a long time. It was a great ride really, and if you think about it the fade to black was pretty much what the Sopranos for the most part was all about, like it or not.

"Penny's Loves Tucker"

I got a letter from Penny's saying how much they love me! They said the really value me as a customer, included with the letter was a check for $2.27! No, reason for why they did this, but whatever. Lets go to the mall everybody!

"Lazerbeak Eject, Eject!"

Eject!

"How Sweep It is"

Phils Rule!


Mets Drool!

"The Blue Comet"

Here are two great YOUTUBE links to hype you up for the final Sopranos. Quite simply one of the best shows in tv history. First up a link of all the characters with the tradmark "OH" "HOOO" lines. Here is anther great link that pays tribute to the show, manly the cast the amazing cast of this show lots of times these fanboy videos dont work, but this coldplay song is perefect with the clips. Lastly, here is an old commerical for Dunkin Doughnuts with Paulie Walnuts, playing ..you guessed it. A wiseguy! I plan to post some more about the show before the week ends. It will be a very long time before a show comes a long that I love this much. Fired up for Sunday, but in the same way a little sad. Including a picture of paulie. For some reason this guy always points with two fingers. The old Paulie two point. I hope he does it one last time this week, cause I always get a kick out of it. He does it in almost everyshow.

"Many Happy Returns"

Well for those of you still reading, you may have noticed that there has been a huge drop in the amount of posts lately. Well I guess over the course of almost five years of writing this blog there have been peaks and valleys. Obviously, there has been a big valley

I plan to get back into my groove with writing on here. Hopefully, most of you have stuck around. Anyway, seems my going back to blogging full time isn't the only thing that has made a return. Many awesome stuff is making a come back.

If you are like me, you were mighty pissed when Y-100 died. There was simply not rock stations anymore. Sure there is MMR, but honestly they play only like two bands. Although I dimissed, WYSP as a talk radio station years ago, I am told that they still play music on weekends.

Anyway, since Y-100 went belly up. I found 91.5 Camden County College's radio station. Punk heavy, but really got some good music on there. Sadly, it fades away if you get like 20 miles or less away from campus. 88.5 XPN has I have listened to for a few years, started doing Y-Rock (a reference to the fallen Y-100) at night. Some really great occassionally hard stuff. When XPN isn't playing that. They are playing some really good indie stuff. Not for all tastes granted but I really enjoy it. A few months later I found 106.5, almost the same problem that 91.5 has. You can't get it all places. What rocks about it, is that you can get it on the way to the shore. Now 106.5 is more like DRE was or Eagle 106, no throw a bone to the people who don't really like rock crap that Y-100 did. I think it would win in a fight with Y-100. Two weeks ago, yet another rock station showed up on the dial. 104.5, they are like the tube network of radio. No talk, just music. When was the last time MMR played Alice in Chains? 104.5 has a great rock set, and digs deep to the vanished 90's bands. Check it out, no need to buy one of those fancy smancy XM thing a bobs.

At Shady's a few weeks ago. I bumped into a long lost friend Chris Arter! I figured he was on a tour bus like in Almost Famous for the past two years. Turns out he never really left south jersey. The two of us caught up and it didnt seem like we didn't see each other for years. We ended up hanging out later that weekend.

Now I know very little about music compared to Chris and he knows pretty much nothing about sports compared to me. So, that always made for interesting or funny conversations. I imagine if we keep hanging out that I still have my work cut out for me. Since Chris asked me during the cup finals game, if the players ever start beating up their teamates during a game, or when he admited he never heard of Ryan Howard.

Anyway, another return was the same day. Chris and I went to little ceasears. Now for those of you that forget, little ceasars was pizza chain around here in the 90's that apperently is trying to come back! It had been many many moons since I had one of their pies, or their trademark crazy bread. They offer a great deal. Pizza that is 5 bucks, and ready. You go in, and say give me a pizza, and they hand it to you and its 5 bucks. I think its bigger than Dominos "large" pizza that costs like 17 bucks or whatever now. Of course, I know by my age that ma and pa places usually have the better pizza, but pizza for 5 bucks. Well they should name a road after the person who came up with that idea!


Tucker is back look out internet world!

"RIP Jose Chung"

One of the best X-files ever.....

"100 Quotes"

This link is awesome. Someone put together a video clip of famous movies with people saying numbers. Starting at 100 and going all the way down 1. Pretty cool. I liked most the movies too. There is a list of the movies, but its more fun trying to see if you can figure out the movies yourself first. Check it out.