LOL! Starring Cacai Miller!

Note: This is NOT to be taken seriously, and is only for fun. Please check the credits to see the bloggers I listed on the poster.

LOL!
Starring Cacai Miller & Analou DiLaura
Director/Writer: David Funk
Chief Editor: Mary Anne Velasco
Location Manager: Sheila Worthington
Emoticon Design: Mariuca M. Nor
Studio Coordinator: Katherine Livengood

Narrator: Cacai Miller has been trying to find a way to lose the baby fat off her body, and was running out of options. After literally trying all different programs to help her out, nothing seemed to work. That is until she came across a blog that was so funny, she chose over the top laughter to lose the baby fat off her body.

Cacai: I guess I don't need more weight loss pills since my baby fats will be broke already for the laughter I have reading on my email lately!
Note: She actually did say those exact words in a reply to one of my blog entries last year.

Narrator: The blog that makes her laugh is working on her very well which did give her many thoughts, ideas, and resources. In fact, her success led to being contacted by infomercials to talk to the public about her incredible story.

(Cameras show Cacai on talk shows such as Oprah as well as in commercials encouraging viewers to check out the new breakthrough blog to help you trim fat and lose weight)

Analou: Hey Cacai! Wow, you look so great! How'd you do it?
(Cacai smiles then laughs)

Narrator: This incredible journey is a must-see movie as Cacai Miller once again delivers another star-studded performance! Seeing is believing! Cacai Miller and Analou DiLaura star in LOL! Coming soon to theaters everywhere!

Note: Cacai, you look plenty good enough to me! But your comment gave you a new movie role, and the Walk of Fame will be calling your name soon! Yeah, LOL!

Previous Blogger Movie Posters:
Double Standard Starring LAINY
Seismic Blogging Starring Monica
Hit Me! Starring Dhemz
WOAFS Starring Mariuca
Bionic Blogger Starring Stacey Tee
SPAMMERS starring Mileka
Pynk Candy starring Sharon Chong
I Love/Hate America Starring Bingkee
Lady Java The Movie
Hideaway starring Chuchie

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White Horse Final on April 28, 1923

On April 28, 1923, the First Association Challenge Cup Final took place. It was on this day that the Bolton Wanderers faced off against West Ham United for the FA Cup in what was the first ever event at Wembley Stadium.

The Bolton Wanderers were founded as the Christ Church F.C. in 1874, but changed to their current name three years later. The club became one of the founding members The Football League in 1888, and it is the oldest international competition in its sport. The Wanderers had made the FA Cup Final in 1894 losing to Notts County 4-1, and ten years later in a 1-0 loss to Manchester City. So the Wanderers were looking for their first FA Cup win.

As a strong defensive team, the Wanderers allowed just two goals in five games in route to making the FA Cup Final. They went on the road to beat Norwich City 2-0 in their opening round game before defeating Leeds United 3-1 in the 2nd round at home. Their next opponent was Huddersfield Town from the First Division, and they went to a 1-1 draw which by rule prompted a rematch between the two. The Wanderers would win the rematch 1-0. They went on to beat Charlton Athletic 1-0 in the 4th round before defeating Sheffield United in the semi-final 1-0 to advance to the FA Cup Final.

West Ham United was originally Thames Ironworks F.C. beginning in 1895 before they reformed as their current name in 1900. The club had competed in the Southern League and Western League before they began play in The Football League in 1919. West Ham earned status in the First Division of The Football League four years later in 1923. This was the club's first ever trip to the FA Cup Final.

West Ham's style of play was more fast paced, and their path on paper should have been easier since they played no one above the Second Division. However, the team experienced three draws on their way to the final game. After a first round 3-2 win over Hull City, they played Brighton & Hove Albion from the Third Division to a 1-1 draw. They won the rematch 1-0, and then beat Plymouth Argyle 2-0 in the 3rd round. Southampton was their 4th round opponent, and they played to 1-1 ties on each of their home fields. West Ham finally got past them with a 1-0 in Birmingham on a kick in the 70th minute. The semi-final was easier game as West Ham defeated Derby County 5-2 to reach the FA Cup Final.

Wembley Stadium(originally called British Empire Exhibition Stadium in northwest London) cost £750000(roughly $1.13 million USD) to build which began in 1922. It was to be completed in two years, but was done in 300 days. The stadium was ready to host the FA Cup Final four days before it was take place. Ticket admissions were not used for the FA Cup Final, and that would be costly later because of the overflow of attendance at the event.

Wembley Stadium had a seating capacity of 127,000 upon completion, and that would be far exceeded for this game. Seeing that the game was the first to be played at the new stadium and that it was the FA Cup Final, people flocked in record numbers for the match-up. After the terraces were overflowed, the pitch had seen fans piling up on it. Fans then began to get on the field of play before police controlled the situation.

Police Constable George Scorey and his white horse(it was actually grey but was white due to all newsreels being in black and white in those days)) named Billie along with other policeman began to push the crowds back off the field so that the game could begin. The start of the match was 45 minutes delayed because of the crowd, and the vision of white horse would eventually lead this game to be known as the White Horse Final. Depending on who you ask, the total crowd of this game was anywhere between 200,000 to 300,000 with many having been turned away, too. Officially, the attendance was 126,047.

After the crowds had been contained, the match-up began with both clubs trying to use their own strengths to gain the advantage. West Ham wanted to use their speed with outside forwards Dick Richards and Jimmy Ruffell whenever they got the ball. But Bolton had game-planned against that. On a throw-in, West Ham's Jack Tresadern was late getting back to the pitch which gave Bolton's David Jack the opportunity to give the Wanderers a 1-0 lead when his kick got past goalie Ted Hufton two minutes into the game. When the ball hit the back of net, a spectator had been knocked unconscious when it struck him in the head.

West Ham had the opportunity to tie the game, but Vic Watson's kick sailed over the crossbar of Bolton. It wasn't long after that the crowd once again began to get out of control.

Almost eleven minutes into the contest, the crowd poured onto to the pitch which temporarily suspended play. Police came out to clear the crowd, and many were in need of first aid treatment. After play resumed, the police were there to keep the pitch clear for linesman to call the game.

West Ham had another chance to tie the game when Richards' kick on goal had been fumbled by goalie Dick Pym, although he saved it before it crossed the line. From that point on, Bolton's defensive ways took over the game.

Bolton's strong defense kept West Ham off-balance mainly because of the Wanderers switching positions to form line of five half-backs. West Ham had their speed negated because of this tactic, and never really threatened Bolton in this game as a result.

With Bolton leading 1-0 after half-time, Watson missed another chance to tie the game near the goal area. A few minutes later, Bolton added to their 1-0 lead in controversial fashion.

Jack Smith scored a goal past Hufton, but West Ham claimed the ball never actually entered the goal after they said it rebounded from the goalpost. Referee D.H. Asson stated the ball did indeed enter the goal before it struck a fan. West Ham also claimed a fan helped Bolton, but that goal did stand as the Wanderers took a 2-0 lead.

Fans began to pile out of the stadium sensing that Bolton had already won the game in which the score held up. Both teams didn't really come close to any more scoring opportunities as Bolton secured their first ever FA Cup in a 2-0 win over West Ham. King George V presented the FA Cup trophy to Bolton captain Joe Smith before leaving the stadium to a nice reaction from the remaining crowd.

The first ever event at Wembley Stadium proved to be very successful, and renovations were eventually done to address concerns of overabundance of people at this game. Tickets were issued for every single event held at Wembley Stadium after this game.

However, the White Horse Final still has the record as the most attended non-racing sports event in history. After renovations over the years, the seating capacity was reduced at Wembley Stadium to about 82,000. The stadium was shut down in 2000 where it was demolished for a newer facility in 2003.

The new Wembley Stadium opened up in 2007, and a footbridge near there was voted on to be called White Horse Bridge in honor of this match. The bridge does improve safety for its fans just as George Scorey and his horse did the same in 1923.

Football(Soccer in America) had changed on this day as Wembley Stadium became an important landmark for sporting events. The White Horse Final was a day of firsts for the stadium, Football Association, Bolton Wanderers, and for the image of the horse that played a big role in controlling the crowd frenzy that came to see history in the making. With an FA Cup trophy on the line in the first event ever held at one of the most recognized sports venues ever, it's easy to see why this game still has the record for most attended non-racing sports event ever. The White Horse Final for its record-setting game earned its spot in sports history.

Photo courtesy of Mail Online which shows Billie the horse helping to clear the Wembley Stadium pitch before the start of the game.

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Rocky Marciano Retires on April 27, 1956

On April 27, 1956, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all-time retired as undefeated heavyweight champion. It was on this day that legendary boxer Rocky Marciano officially called it a career after going undefeated at 49-0.

Marciano was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano in Brockton, Massachusetts in 1923. Because of his birthplace, he would later become known as the Brockton Blockbuster when his boxing career took off. His road to the top of the heavyweight division didn't get started until his mid-20s.

Marciano survived pneumonia as an 18-month old baby which nearly resulted in death. Later on just as many American kids had done, Marciano played sports in school which included baseball and American football. In high school, he was cut from the baseball team after violating a church rule that didn't allow players to play for more than one team at a time. He would go on to finish his sophomore year before dropping out of school.

During World War II in 1943, Marciano had been drafted into service by the Army. He took up boxing while there for the first time. He was discharged in 1946, and began his amateur boxing career as well as attend a baseball tryout.

He fought his first professional bout on March 17, 1947 against Lee Epperson in which he knocked him out in three rounds. He returned to the amateur ranks in which he had to withdraw from a tournament finishing with an 8-4 record. He stepped up to professional for good after this, and would never lose a boxing fight again.

Not long after his first professional fight in March 1947, Marciano participated in a baseball tryout for the Chicago Cubs as a catcher in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He lasted three weeks before being cut due in large part because of his inconsistency to throw from home plate to second base. He would continue to tryout for teams, but would focus solely on boxing for good not long after.

He returned to being a pro boxer in 1948 and would fight the first ten bouts in Providence, Rhode Island. It was during one of the fights that he officially adopted Marciano as his last name due to a ring announcer not being able to properly announce his birth name.

Marciano won his first sixteen fights by knockout before winning in a 10-round decision against Don Mogard.

Four fights later, Marciano had the toughest test of his career at that point when he won by decision after ten rounds against Ted Lowry. According to historians, the judges had Lowry winning at least three rounds of that fight and possibly four. The two fight again the following year with the same result for Marciano.

Marciano's opponents were tougher to overcome as his career went along. He beat Phil Muscato and Carmine Virgo with fifth round knockouts with the latter nearly being killed in the ring. He beat Roland La Starza and Red Applegate in ten-round decisions, too.

In 1951, Marciano beat Joe Louis in what turned out to be the last fight of Louis' career with an 8th round knockout in New York City. He won four more fights before he finally received a shot at the heavyweight title against Jersey Joe Walcott.

In Philadelphia on September 9, 1952, Marciano defeated Walcott with a 13th round knockout after Walcott had dominated the earlier rounds of a 15-round fight. Walcott was also the first man to knock down Marciano doing so in the opening round of their fight. Marciano connected with a right cross in that 13th round to become champion. They had a rematch in their next fights with Marciano ending it in the first round by knockout.

Roland La Starza faced Marciano once again, and the champion knocked him out in the 11th round to keep the title. His next fight was the only time he had to win by decision to keep the title.

Ezzard Charles lasted all fifteen rounds against Marciano in their first bout in 1954 in The Bronx. Their rematch ended with a Marciano knockout in the 8th round. Charles is the only man to have went 15 rounds against Marciano.

After beating Don Cockell with a 9th round knockout, he faced Archie Moore in what would be his last fight. Moore had knocked down Marciano in the 4th round which was only the second time(and last) it happened in his career. He went on to beat Moore with a 9th round knockout.

Marciano made his retirement official at the age of 32. Only a few boxers have retired undefeated, but no one has ever won as many consecutive fights as Marciano's 49 that he won.

"I thought it was a mistake when Joe Louis tried a comeback. No man can say what he will do in the future, but barring poverty, the ring has seen the last of me. I am comfortably fixed, and I am not afraid of the future," said Marciano according to the New York Times when announcing his retirement.

After considering a return to the ring in 1959, Marciano kept himself busy with being a commentator as well as referee.

In July of 1969, Marciano along with the iconic Muhammad Ali began a sparring session as part of filming a fantasy bout called The Superfight: Marciano vs Ali. The simulation of the fight had Marciano winning in 13 rounds when it aired in January the following year. Unfortunately, Marciano would not be around to see it air.

On August 31, 1969, Marciano was on a private plane destined for Des Moines, Iowa. Combined with a night flight as well as bad weather conditions, the plane struck a tree about two miles(3.2 km) short of the runway. Marciano along with three others were killed instantly at impact. He was on his way to give a speech in support of a friend's son in which there was also a birthday celebration waiting for him. He didn't survive to see his birthday which was the following day.

In 1985, heavyweight champion Larry Holmes was one win away from tying Marciano's record of wins in that division. But Holmes lost his bout with Michael Spinks, and would lose to him again in the rematch. To date, Holmes is the only one in the division to challenge Marciano's mark. Julio César Chávez holds the record with the most consecutive wins to start a career with 88 in three different weight divisions.

Marciano to this day is largely considered one of the best boxers ever, and is highly recognized by Ring Magazine and ESPN who carry coverage of boxing in their sports.

Marciano stood 5'10" and weighed about 190 pounds in his years as a boxer. No one will ever consider him the strongest or fastest heavyweight, but he was definitely one of the toughest. Probably no evidence supports that better than the two fights he was knocked down in which resulted in knockout wins for him.

According to his official site, a sports writer once said that if you locked all the heavyweight champions of all-time in a room, that Marciano would be the one to walk out of there. That describes the kind of tough boxer and champion he was in his storied career.

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Lainy's 2nd Blogoversary and Heavenly Home

Today is officially the 2nd Blogoversary of Lainy's Musings. Her theme for the project is called Heavenly Home, and it was huge undertaking by herself as well as Windy. As a result of her anniversary as well as appreciation for those who helped make it a success, they have both generously given an award and commendation letter to those who donated to worthy a cause. Here they are.


The first one came from her second part of the Blogoversary celebration. I HIGHLY recommend to please click the banner to see this incredible project and story behind it if you haven't yet.


This letter came to me from Lainy to my email. I nearly missed this because it went to spambox for whatever reason. But I happened to check the spambox to see this very impressive letter that was made up.

Thanks once again to Windy and Lainy for taking the time to post about a most worthy project and celebrate it as part of the 2nd Blogoversary of Lainy's Musing. But most importantly, thank you for the continued generosity you have shown on and offline. Your hard work and successful project is most appreciated.

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10th Photo Tag

I received this tag from my very good friend Chuchie of WhereAbouts. The tag calls for the blogger to post 10th photo that you posted on your own blog from when you started.



This photo is of NFL icon Johnny Unitas, and was used in a post to highlight what his fantasy football season would have looked like in 1959. This was back in time when I used to post nearly about fantasy sports before I changed the name of the blog in here. I didn't post many photos on my blog early on, and it was in July 2008 when it was up.

I'll pass this tag to everyone on my First Comment Scoreboard located below the chat box in the right sidebar of the page.

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Three Awards From Mariuca!

Although I received the first two awards already, my sweet blogpal Mariuca passed three more to me earlier this week. As a matter of fact, the first award was one I gave to her and she decided to give it back to me. LOL! Thanks my good friend for these awards....







Like Mariuca did, I want to give these awards to everyone that is currently on my First Commenter list for April. You'll notice the scoreboard below the chat box, so do grab these if you haven't yet. Anyone else that hasn't grabbed the awards can feel free to do as well.

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News and Changes

This has been another one of those weeks for me in the online world. Things are really shaping up to be another busy time for me coming next month. Here's some of the things.....

Going to Tampa?

As most everyone that reads this blog probably knows, I'm good friends with professional lightweight boxer Billy Bailey. He fought in the main event at the Rumble at the Rock VII in Canada earlier this month.

On Saturday, he sent me a private message via Facebook saying he can get me good seats for his fight on May 21 in Tampa, Florida. My travel schedule as well as approval for a flight would have to happen, but the fact he invited me to go is just honorable. We'll see how that goes, and you know the camera work and stories that will come out of this if it happens!

New Sports Contributor for Associated Content

Today, I found out that my application as a Sports Contributor was accepted by Associated Content. This means I get access to more opportunities with sports assignments, and increased exposure as a writer in general. As some of you know, I've been more active on there since the first of the year, and it is starting to go well for me. In fact, some of my articles have drawn real well for traffic.

I've also applied as a Travel Contributor for AC, but haven't been notified if I'm accepted for that. Since traveling is a focal point of my job, it only made sense to give that a shot, too. We'll see how that goes.

For those interested, you can sign up as a contributor on AC by clicking the banner below:



Also, you can check my Associated Content profile where you can follow me and subscribe to my latest content. It's like subscribing to a blog through Feedburner in that you'll be notified by email every time I post something new on there. I'll be using AC a lot since I'm a Sports Contributor and possibly a Travel Contributor, too.

Friend's Blog Roll and AC List

If you haven't seen them, I have a Friend's Blog Roll and AC list towards the top of the page on my right sidebar. The AC list is for those active members I follow on there, and who have posted on that site.

The Friend's Blog Roll are for my good blog friends. I mean, those friends that comment or stop by the site a lot. Or if I'm friends with you outside blogging. I'm selective with this list, but if you're a good friend of mine that doesn't have a link on there yet, do let me know. I do tend to forget those things! LOL!

Changes are Coming in May

In May, my job is going to get really busy just like it started to this time a year ago. I've been told that working in New York or Washington D.C. are possibilities beginning the middle of the month. Also, there won't be a lot of days off at all until about November with this project I'll be on.

So with that as well as my new gig on AC, my blogging activity will drop off on here as well as WBE in May. I don't know how much I'm going to be able to write, but I'm not going to quit on it though I know for a fact it won't be everyday on here. That also means I won't be visiting other blogs nearly as often, but I will when I can. I'll just have to see how things unfold when we really get things cranking on the project I'll be in.

I've got some things I want to take care of by the end of the year financially which include me getting a new car as well as new cell phone. And I'm wanting to take a vacation when the work project is over, too. I say this because you can probably see me taking as many paid opportunities as possible then, and posting on AC since I get access to better paid assignments on there now, too. As I said, I won't quit blogging on my sites, but you'll notice I won't post as often at all on here.

I thank everyone for always stopping by here, WBE, and Associated Content.

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2010 NFL Mock Draft: First Round Updated!

The NFL Draft is a week away, and will be spread over more than two days for the first time ever this year. I'm going to provide my picks for the first round as to how I see things going as the St. Louis Rams are on the clock until next week. You can check my first 2010 NFL Mock Draft as I have changed some picks here.

1. St. Louis Rams: Quarterback Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
With the release of long-time quarterback Marc Bulger, the signs are obvious that Bradford will be picked here. I was at the game in which Bradford hurt his shoulder the second time, and he looked bigger and has had solid workouts . This is a quarterback-driven league and the Rams need one. If Bradford is selected, it will be the third time Oklahoma had a player taken first overall(Lee Roy Selmon in 1976 and Billy Sims in 1980). As a Sooners fan, I hope it works for Bradford wherever he's taken.

2. Detroit Lions: Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
Suh to me is the best defensive player to come out in years, and not many have the ability to control a game on that side of the ball like him. Detroit's defensive woes have been going on long enough. They did pickup guard Rob Sims and will keep Jeff Backus at left tackle, but I still wouldn't rule out them taking Russell Okung here.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
With a need for help on the defensive line and Suh gone, Tampa Bay grabs McCoy here. Not since Warren Sapp left have the Bucs had anyone that can anchor a defensive front, and McCoy has all the makings to be the guy to do it next.

4. Washington Redskins: Tackle Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
It doesn't matter if they just traded for Donovan McNabb if Washington doesn't address their offensive line. The Redskins have long been known for their offensive line which was key to their Super Bowl success before. Okung's presence should begin the process of making their unit a solid one again. Also, Washington won't pick for awhile after this, so this is their one chance to address the offensive line.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Tackle Bryan Bulaga, Iowa
The Chiefs need help on the offensive line, and to protect Matt Cassell which was problematic for them a year ago. The Chiefs have good skill players on the offensive side of the ball, but their play upfront has to improve for them which makes sense for them to take Bulaga here.

6. Seattle Seahawks: Tackle Trent Williams, Oklahoma
This would be Oklahoma's third player taken if Williams falls here, and Seattle has the need for him. They've also got a need for some defensive help, so a player like Eric Berry could be taken here, too. However, the Seahawks have two first round picks and can address another need later.

7. Cleveland Browns: Safety Eric Berry, Tennessee
The Browns will look hard at quarterback Jimmy Clausen, but will likely go for Berry here to help continue to bolster the secondary. With the addition of Sheldon Brown, Berry gives them another play-maker. With Mike Holmgren, the Browns could go in a number of directions here.

8. Oakland Raiders: Tackle Anthony Davis, Rutgers
You just never know with the Raiders, and although Davis has had weight issues and concerns about work ethic, this shouldn't be a shock to anyone to see him go to Oakland. Davis does have great athletic ability, and could be what the Raiders need him to be. Oakland can't continue without addressing the offensive line.

9. Buffalo Bills: Quarterback Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
The Bills are another team that needs offensive line help, but I don't see Clausen slipping past them if he's available here. Should Clausen be gone, then they grab a tackle at this spot. Clausen has looked solid during his workouts, and Buffalo won't pass on him here.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Linebacker Rolando McClain, Alabama
Since the Jaguars have a few needs and no pick again until the middle of the round, the Jaguars will likely look to trade down out of this spot. If they can't, McClain is the best player available for them to take, and he'll give them a much needed boost on defense that has declined in recent years.

11. Denver Broncos: Wide Receiver Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
The Broncos just traded Brandon Marshall to Miami, and they can't ignore not replacing him here. Bryant didn't have the best combine, and there are concerns of character issues. However, he can give them a playmaker they need to help the offensive loss of Marshall.

12. Miami Dolphins: Defensive tackle Dan Williams, Tennessee
The defensive line needs to be addressed with the age issues of Jason Ferguson and lack of production overall from the unit. After the signing of Karlos Dansby and trade for Brandon Marshall, this allows Miami to address their defensive line although the thought of a pass-rushing linebacker is something Bill Parcells may look at here since he's done it before.
Original pick: Linebacker Sergio Kindle, Texas

13. San Francisco 49ers: Cornerback Joe Haden, Florida
The 49ers have two picks, and I don't see Haden slipping past this spot in the draft. The team has a needs on the offensive line which they'll address with their next pick. Haden gives the 49ers some youth in the secondary.

14. Seattle Seahawks: Running back C.J. Spiller, Clemson
The Seahawks do have pressing needs on the defense line, but new coach Pete Carroll likes guys that are Reggie Bush-type players like he had at USC. Spiller is that kind of player, and he gives them a playmaker to build around in Seattle.

15. New York Giants: Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida
The Giants could address the linebacker spot with someone that fits their scheme which is why I had Sean Weatherspoon going here before. However, Pierre-Paul continues to rise on draft boards and I don't see him falling past this spot. Pierre-Paul is a freak of nature and could be selected higher than this, too.
Original pick: Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri

16. Tennessee Titans: Defensive end Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech
The Titans need defensive line help, and Morgan fills the bill here. The Titans defense fell off in a big way in 2009, and Morgan is likely to start wherever he's taken in the NFL Draft. It is possible Morgan gets taken by the Seahawks which could mean another DE is taken here.

17. San Francisco 49ers: Bruce Campbell, Maryland
I had Iupati going here, and he could still go to the 49ers especially if a run on offensive tackles shapes up like many are predicting. The need for a tackle is obvious for San Francisco, and taking an athletically gifted player like Campbell gives them the help they need. The 49ers have to address the tackle spot with their picks.
Original pick: Guard Mike Iupati, Idaho

18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cornerback Kyle Wilson, Boise State
The Steelers would love to add someone like Joe Haden, but Wilson can hold his own at corner. The Steelers could even take a safety such as Earl Thomas or Taylor Mays with this pick since the secondary was a big problem area for them a year ago. The Steelers will go with secondary help in some way with this pick.

19. Atlanta Falcons: Defensive end Brandon Graham, Michigan
Graham has skills similar to John Abraham, but Abraham's production fell off last year and he's not getting younger. Graham gives them pass rush ability that fits the defensive scheme well in Atlanta. The Falcons do have to make sure they get the right player with no pick again until the third round.

20. Houston Texans: Safety Earl Thomas, Texas
Originally, I had Dan Williams in this spot, but I don't think he'll be here now. Plus, Houston's problems with the secondary with free agent losses and being lit up in the past, they need help especially when seeing a team like the Colts twice a year. Eugene Wilson has missed a lot of games with the team, so it makes sense Houston to take Thomas with this selection.
Original pick: Defensive tackle Dan Williams, Tennessee

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Safety Taylor Mays, USC
The Bengals should take a defensive player, but the question remains as to which position they'll address here. A defensive lineman could be a possibility, but their secondary needs to be addressed. Mays is a solid player and tackler that will help the Bengals secondary.

22. New England Patriots: Defensive end Jarod Odrick, Penn State
The Pats have a need to shore up the inside of their defensive line, and Odrick is the best available to do that as he fits into just about any scheme at the next level. Somehow should Dan Williams slip this far, that could be their pick here, too.

23. Green Bay Packers: Tackle Charles Brown, USC
The Packers defense was shredded at times last year, but a need to address a tackle is a priority. Brown has great athletic ability and is someone that can anchor an offensive front for years as the Packers offense continues to thrive.

24. Philadelphia Eagles: Center/guard Maurkice Pouncey, Florida
Originally, I had Earl Thomas going here, but the Eagles also have a need on the interior of the offensive line. With Kevin Kolb taking over for Donovan McNabb now, they need someone to protect them. Pouncey's versatility is also something Andy Reid likes in offensive lineman which makes sense for them to take Pouncey here.
Original pick: Safety Earl Thomas, Texas

25. Baltimore Ravens: Defensive end Carlos Dunlap, Florida
With the receiver position addressed in the trade that brought Anquan Boldin to Baltimore, the Ravens can address the defensive line that took a hit in free agency. A defensive tackle is a possibility, but Dunlap could be the right guy with Trevor Pryce's age creeping up now.

26. Arizona Cardinals: Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri
The Cardinals lost a huge playmaker at linebacker when Karlos Dansby left for Miami, and Weatherspoon is a natural fit at outside linebacker to replace him. The team has taken some major hits this off-season, and Weatherspoon is the best available player and need pick for them here. I had Pierre-Paul going here originally, but his stock continues to rise.
Original pick: Defensive end Jason Paul-Pierre, South Florida

27. Dallas Cowboys: Guard Mike Iupati, Idaho
Iupati's versatilty of playing guard and tackle does make sense for a team that had obvious offensive line issues a year ago. Plus, the team released Flozell Adams, so they do have a hole to fill here anyway. The Cowboys have plenty of skill players on offense, but the line has made them inconsistent at times.
Original pick: Tackle Bruce Campbell, Maryland

28. San Diego Chargers: Running back Ryan Mathews, Fresno State
Obviously with the loss of LaDanian Tomlinson and lack of depth at the running back position, the Chargers have a need to fill. Mathews is a work horse that will lighten the load on over-using Darren Sproles. With Antonio Cromartie gone, they could take a corner if a running back they like is gone by this spot.

29. New York Jets: Linebacker Sergio Kindle, Texas
I had the Jets taking a receiver here, but that is less important for them to take now with the trade for Santonio Holmes. New York hasn't gotten hardly anything out of Vernon Gholston, so Kindle could be his replacement since he brings pass-rush ability at the linebacker position, too.
Original pick: Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech

30. Minnesota Vikings: Defensive tackle Brian Pryce, UCLA
Pat Williams is getting close to retirement, and Pryce is the best available player on the board at this spot. With their continued problems in the secondary, they could draft a corner especially if all the previous defensive tackles are all gone by the time they pick.

31. Indianapolis Colts: Cornerback Patrick Robinson, Florida State
The Colts lost Marlin Jackson to free agency, and took some hits in the secondary this off-season. Robinson is very fluid and is a solid cover corner that should help the defense. It is a given to me that the Colts will draft secondary help at this spot unless an offensive lineman slips to them that they like.

32. New Orleans Saints: Defensive end Everson Griffen, USC
Even though Charles Grant is gone and Alex Brown from the Chicago Bears was signed, the team likely will draft another defensive end with pass rush skills here. The defensive line has some age on it, and Griffen is an athletic player that will help them in their rotation.

That's what I have, but I've never bet on NFL Drafts. Be sure to remember that the NFL Draft begins with first round coverage on Thursday, April 22 instead of Saturday. This should be a good one this year.

Sources for other NFL Mock Drafts:
David Funk's 2010 NFL Mock Draft Updated
Randy Inman's Mock Draft 4.0
Lester's Legends 2010 NFL Mock Draft #9
NFL.com
WalterFootball.com
Fftoolbox.com
Hailredskins.com
The Football Expert
Sportsjabber.net
Footballdogz.com

Also, anyone that is interested in following live NFL Draft coverage can follow along here. A few of us will be there to provide our thoughts about the picks.

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Lainy's Musings' 2nd Blogoversary Contest!

My very good blogger friend Lainy has her 2nd Blogoversary Contest going on now. All you have to do is subscribe to her blog, provide an email, and reply as to why the baby reacted in the pic provided with a slogan. Lainy's 2nd anniversary is officially April 26, and the winners will be announced on May 2. Click the link above to know more about the contest!

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Yankee Stadium Opens on April 18, 1923

On April 18, 1923, one of the famed venues in all of sports opened its doors. It was on this day that Yankee Stadium in New York opened for the first event as the Yankees played the Boston Red Sox. It is estimated over 74,000 were on hand for the game(although it was likely about 60,000 or less), and the ballpark witnessed the rise of the Yankees as they've become baseball's most successful franchise.

The idea for building the new ballpark came as a result of the growing resentment involved the Yankees and New York Giants, who both shared the Polo Grounds as their home facility beginning in 1913. Yankees owners Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast Huston, who owned the Yankees since 1915, took a big risk in wanting to build the new stadium. Most sports facilities in those days had a 30,000-seat capacity or less, and Ruppert and Huston wanted one to hold 60,000 which caused serious concern. However, the Yankees had an ace up their sleeve.

Baseball had a negative cloud over its with the 1919 Black Sox Scandal in which eight players were banned for life for fixing the World Series. But that off-season had seen the Boston Red Sox sell Babe Ruth to the Yankees. Ruth was exactly what the Yankees needed to prove doubters wrong.

In 1921, Ruth helped power the Yankees to their first ever American League pennant, but lost to the rival Giants in the World Series. However, the Yankees drew over 1.3 million fans which was substantially more than the Giants in 1921. Giants owner Charles Stoneham insisted that the Yankees find a new ballpark to play in. So the Yankees did just that. By the end of the 1950s, the Yankees were the only team left playing in New York.

Beginning in May 1922, construction for Yankee Stadium began. Ownership had looked in Manhattan at the Hebrew Orphan Asylum as well as atop railroad tracks on the West Side, and to Long Island City in Queens. Ruppert and Huston purchased a lumberyard in the Bronx for $600,000 from William Waldorf Astor. The stadium cost was $2.5 million all paid by Ruppert and Huston.

The stadium had an original seating capacity of 58,000 upon completion. By the time the stadium closed in 2009, the seating capacity was less than that at 57,000. It was the first stadium of its kind to have three tiers which were all added by the mid-1920s. The wooden seats at the stadium were replaced with concrete ones that was completely done by 1938.

Yankee Stadium throughout its baseball history was known for favoring left-handed batters because of the shorter length in right field. Originally, the right field line was 295 feet(90 m), right center field was 425 feet, left field was 285 feet, left center field was 460 feet, and center field was 490 feet. Center field was given the name "Death Valley" while the right field fences were called the "short porch". After the last renovation, the left field line was 318 feet, center field was 408 feet, and right field line was 314 feet.

The first game against the Red Sox had seen New York governor Alfred E. Smith throw out the first pitch, and he would later become the Democratic Party representative in the U.S. Presidential elections in 1928.

With no score going into the bottom of the 3rd inning, the Yankees scored four times in the inning. Ruth hit a three-run home run in the inning off Howard Ehmke, and was the first player to hit a home run at the new ballpark. "The House That Ruth Built" had arrived in a 4-1 Yankees win.

The success of the Yankees coincided with them frequently drawing 80,000 at games which was largely because of the immense popularity of Babe Ruth. The Yankees became the second team in history to a win a World Series(their first) in a stadium's inaugural year. It was done in 1912 when the Red Sox won it all when Fenway Park opened up that year. It wasn't done again until 2006 when the St. Louis Cardinals won with the opening of Busch Stadium. And the Yankees once again did it in 2009 opening up New Yankee Stadium.

The wear and tear of the ballpark began to take notice by the 1960s, and renovations had to be made. They closed the ballpark at the end of the 1973 season to address the renovations, and wouldn't open it again until 1976. The ballpark had a very different look after it was done. It was the year before that that George Steinbrenner had bought the franchise for $10 million.

Mayor John Lindsay stepped in in 1972 to buy the Yankees for $24 million and lease back it to them so the renovations could be completed. The New York Mets(who were an expansion team in 1962) could not prevent the Yankees from sharing Shea Stadium because they were also owned by the city.

One of the added features that took place during the renovations was of Monument Park. Monument Park had originally been a stand-in play in center field, but they moved the plaques of legendary stars such as Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and others behind the wall after renovation. After the ballpark closed in 2008, the plaques and monument were moved to the new stadium.

Although Yankee Stadium was predominantly used by the Yankees during its history, other sports teams such as the New York Giants football team had used it doing so from 1956 to 1973. Yankee Stadium hosted some of the most notable events in all of sports history, and not just baseball. Here's some of the moments....

-November 10, 1928: At halftime of a 0-0 in the college football game between Notre Dame and Army, Fighting Irish head coach Knute Rockne gives his famous "win one for the Gipper" speech. George Gipp had died in 1920. Notre Dame went on to win 12-6.

-June 22, 1938: In one of the most famous rematches in boxing history, Joe Louis regains the Heavyweight Title by beating German fighter Max Schmeling. It was during a time of change where Nazi regime led by Adolf Hitler had taken over. Louis would fight eight times at Yankee Stadium.

-July 4, 1939: Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig gives his famous "the luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech ending his career after being diagnosed with ALS. The disease is named after him by many.

-October 8, 1956: The only perfect game in World Series takes place as Don Larsen throws one against the Dodgers.

-December 28, 1958: In what many call the most influential pro football game ever played, the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts play for the NFL Championship. The game went into sudden death overtime as the Colts won 23-17. The game marked the beginning of the rise of the NFL as the most successful pro league. It is called "The Greatest Game Ever Played".

-September 28, 1976: The third boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton takes place. Going into the fight, Norton was one of only two men to beat Ali having done that in 1973(Joe Frazier was the other). Ali boxed well late and won this fight by decision.

-October 18, 1977: Reggie Jackson hits three home runs against the Dodgers during Game 7 as they clinch the World Series pennant.

Since the opening of Yankee Stadium, they've won the most professional championships of any team in North America. In 85 years at the stadium, the Yankees won 26 World Series titles in 37 tries. They were the first and currently the only stadium to host 100 World Series games which is a testament to their success. A record 16 times a World Series title was clinched at the stadium including nine by the Yankees.

The last game ever played at Yankee Stadium was on September 21, 2008 when New York beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-3. Fittingly enough, the Yankees were founded in 1901 as the Baltimore Orioles before taking their current name and city in 1913.

New Yankee Stadium began construction in 2006, and was opened up for the start of the 2009 season. The cost was $1.6 billion to construct, and Yankee Stadium is still in the process of being demolished for parking.

Although Yankee Stadium was a risk to construct, it ended up being a very high reward in terms of success as well as financially. The Yankees have since become the most successful team in baseball history, and its most popular. The venue housed some of the greatest moments in sports history, and no single athlete impacted the stadium with drawing power more than Babe Ruth.

Not only was it "The House That Ruth Built", it was a place the Yankees built that helped bring fans back to the game of baseball after its negative image in 1919. From there on, the stadium housed some of the greatest moments in sports history. Athletes such as Ruth, Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Joe Louis were allowed to showcase their talent while becoming legendary sports heroes. Yankee Stadium will always hold its place as one of the most well-known venues ever.

Note: The first photo shows how Yankee Stadium looked in 1928 until 1936. The 2008 photo of Yankee Stadium courtesy of Silent Wind of Doom

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Hideaway starring Chuchie!

Note: This is NOT to be taken seriously, and is only for fun. Please check the credits to see the bloggers I listed on the poster.

HIDEAWAY
Starring Rechie Ruth Wilks, Gary Wilks, and Demcy Apdian Dias
Director/Writer: David Funk
Chief Editor: Mary Anne Velasco
Location Manager: Cacai Miller
Comment Manager: Cecile Kenyon
Studio Coordinator: Clarissa Candido

This movie is a parody of the movie Castaway starring Tom Hanks with it being based in the online world and with a twist.

Narrator: Rechie started her own blog and was doing very well at it. The blogging beauty and friend gained more viewership and friends as she kept blogging. You could see her talking about her life as well as her husband. But one trip away from it all had changed everything for her, and she didn't know until returning home.

(Scene shows Rechie and Gary enjoying their time away)

Narrator: An emergency landing led to Rechie's blog being cut off and hidden from viewership across the internet. This caused her to frantically get it back up, but no one was able to access her site.

Rechie: Can anyone even read my blog? How did this happen?
Gary: I hope people can read it soon.

Narrator: Stranded alone away from viewers, Rechie's determination to see her friends visiting again grows as time goes on.

Rechie: I would much rather keep writing on my blog in hopes of reaching my friends again than to let it die without me blogging!(If you've seen Castaway, you'll get that line instantly)

Narrator: Rechie's friend Dhemz has tried to reach her blog, but is told upon accessing it that it was "hidden" from view. No one had any idea of her whereabouts. As everyone continues on with their lives, Rechie is able to reach her friends again.

(Rechie is shown with a big smile on her face as she talks to friends)
(She redesigns all of her blogs, and everyone is in shock that she continued writing despite being hidden away from everyone)

Narrator: On the edge of losing it all on her blog, she wrote her way back into the lives of her friends. Rechie Ruth Wilks stars in the box office smash Hideaway! Coming August 1, 2010 to theaters around the world everywhere. Look for the DVD with behind the scenes interviews with Rechie, Gary, and Dhemz on the making of this film!

Previous movie posters and releases:
Double Standard Starring LAINY
Seismic Blogging Starring Monica
Hit Me! Starring Dhemz
WOAFS Starring Mariuca
Bionic Blogger Starring Stacey Tee
SPAMMERS starring Mileka
Pynk Candy starring Sharon Chong
I Love/Hate America Starring Bingkee
Lady Java The Movie

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About What I Do

I seen this posted at Stacey Avenue, who as most all of you know that I'm good friends with. You can know more about Stacey and what she does by clicking that link. So I'm posting my own here, too.

What’s your job about?
I'm a Merchandising Specialist where I help supervise crews with my Crew Coordinator in setting up or resetting retail stores across the country. So traveling is a big part of the job, and our busy times are in the late spring to late fall which requires a lot of flying, too. Oh, and my position isn't salary, so I get overtime and paid for travel time, gas mileage, and per diem for every night I'm in a hotel.

What’s a typical day in a week like?
I either drive or fly to the city or town I'm working in to check into a hotel the day before our first day on the job. Then we begin work the next day as early as 5am depending where we're at. We always work 10-hour days unless we get done early with the job we're at.

What are your top professional qualities?
I'm as easy-going of a boss as you can find, and I never miss work unless it is for a very good reason. I've often been told that my communication with co-workers and management at sites are a strength, too.

What are the things you like and dislike about your work?
Traveling has its advantages and disadvantages. Without this line of work, I wouldn't be given the opportunity to see America like I have. On the other hand, you don't get time off when you're at a job, and the traveling added on top of it can take its toll on some people. There are some very busy times and very slow times in the business with not much in between those.

What else is making you busy?
Either I'm writing/blogging, seeing the city I'm(going to sporting events is a definite must if I'm in a city with professional and/or college teams), and working out. I don't watch a lot of television while on the road, and I do my best to see what I can wherever the send me.

Tell us three random things about you.
1. Avid sports fan especially American college and pro football. 2. I've got zero patience for close-minded people, but am patient otherwise. 3. I started blogging on Sporting News in 2005 before I started this site in 2008. I now post on here, WBE, and Associated Content.

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Nexx Web Hosting

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Nexx Inc. All opinions are 100% mine.

Web hosting on the internet has got me thinking about me changing it on my sites. There have been times I've had problems with it on here which others have said they can't access my site. Thus, I've had my eyes open to another web hosting program.

I was notified about one that has Unlimited Web Hosting for one year. Also, you can get a .com name for $10, and the plan includes unlimited bandwidth, email, and disk space. That's a savings of over $60 for this limited time offer.

One of the very first things I look at with web hosting is customer service. Nexx has quality customer service and are available 24/7 to help you no matter where you live or what kind of questions or issues that arise. And for new customers, they offer a money-back guarantee on this promotion, too.

Combined with a North American datacenter and clustered server technology, you can be assured that your site won't falter nor will it slow down on you either.

Great features, great customer service, and a great promotion starting at $10 for the first year. Be sure to check out their site to easily navigate around, and for this limited offer now while it lasts!

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Depot Heavies Volume 3 Re-Post!

OK, some of you are asking what the heck is Depot Heavies? Well, this is where I talk about my days working at two different Office Depot stores in which many crazy and funny moments took place. I've often been told that a book could easily be written for some of the stuff that happened at both stores. Heavies is just a slang term I use for chronicles, so that you know. Since it has been awhile between posting these, I wanted to update with another here. Here are the first two volumes of Depot Heavies:

Depot Heavies Volume 1: What The Funk?
Depot Heavies Volume 2: The Image Game

After transferring to the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Office Depot store, that's where some of the funniest moments I've ever witnessed in my life took place. Birdbrainz(Philly The Kid which as you saw is in BWE and is my real-life friend who will comment on here from time to time) along with Bobby(we called him Nostrodomus) and Jeff(who was called Soupy) were just the crazy-type of people that made me fit in perfectly. It was tough to live up to the guys in the High Point store because of the stunts(especially the sendoff which is in Volume 1). But they did that in their own way in this store.

During lunch breaks, you could find these three on Tuesdays and Thursdays playing Texas Hold 'Em in the break room. If I was there, I would sometimes play as well. Out of the bunch, birdbrainz was the veteran player who was very good at the game. Bobby and Soupy weren't bad either. What made this so unique and hilarious wasn't the game itself. It was the bets that were made during the games. And no, money wasn't part of it either. They would play for most of the break, and then have a final game in which a crazy bet was at stake. It got to a point where I was looking forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays when all of us were working for the Texas Hold 'Em games.

Before I arrived in the store, Soupy lost a bet in which he was literally under contract not to slap birdbrainz for a year(they used to slap each other in the face and such playing around). This was the kind of thing I liked to see, but I give credit to those guys for sticking out the bets. Thankfully, I can say I didn't lose any bets in which I had to embarrass myself, but that was also in part because I didn't play in that many either.

One of the first bets I remember very well was something I didn't take part in. The bet was that whoever lost had to grab themselves in front of our cashier on the register that day. Bobby lost that one, and grabbed himself in front of the cashier with us watching! That literally had us all in tears! But oh, it gets better!

Another time(which I did take part in), the bet was whoever lost had to go to our store manager and tell him that you were gay. I remember very well that Soupy and I tied for the best hand which eliminated us both from losing the bet. So the bet came down to birdbrainz and Bobby. Birdbrainz lost that one, and he stumbled the words like most anyone would when he said he was gay in front of the store manager! Priceless moment that nearly had us in tears, too. Birdbrainz said this was his worst moment of all.

I think the funniest and craziest bet happened in which the loser had to wear a Darth Vader mask around the entire business complex we were in. At the time, Star Wars Episode 3 came out, and masks were being sold all over the place. Soupy is a huge Darth Vader fan(if you don't believe me, I'll give you his cell number which his message says you've reached, "Lord Vader").

Anyway, the person with the worst hand coincidentally enough was Soupy. Birdbrainz and Bobby rode in Bobby's truck to watch Soupy go around the entire complex with that Darth Vader mask. I watched and followed on the walkway and we were all in tears laughing already. But when Soupy got to the video store at the other end of the complex, two kids tried to walk outside. As soon as they saw Soupy with the Darth Vader mask on, they immediately cried for their mom as they went back inside the store! I felt bad for the kids, but we couldn't help ourselves from laughing hysterically at what just happened! Oh yeah, did I mention that it was summer time when Soupy was wearing that Darth Vader mask? LOL!

Birdbrainz told me about some of the other bets. One of them was the loser had to lick the urinal(thank God I wasn't there for that one!). Bobby lost that one. He didn't get sick though. They had some other ones, too.

I think I have to say out of all the bets, the one with the Darth Vader mask was the funniest of them all. When I went to PA during December for vacation this past year, birdbrainz, Bobby, and I hung out. We discussed just about all the funniest moments in that store, and the Texas Hold 'Em bets were right up there. As I said, I'll cover the rest of them in future entries.

While we all got frustrated at times in retail, we did do our best to have fun when time allowed us. This was definitely one of the ways in which we did. They were all good guys, but this is how we had our fun.

For those that want to know how BWE originated, then check out Volume 2 on the link provided. You'll find out just how crazy I was as well as the guys I worked with, too.

Thanks for viewing, and I hope you enjoyed this installment of Depot Heavies!

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Happy Birthday Windy!

I just found out about the birthday of Windy, who is the extremely brilliant and unselfish writer now posting on Lainy's Musings. So I want to get this out real quick.

Windy has to serve a one-day banishment sentence for his birthday. How cruel. LOL!

Windy has been most instrumental in helping Lainy with her health as well as blogging. So here is Lainy's Song Rendition for Windy's Birthday, and I'm glad to have found out about on there! Yes, Lainy says it all in her post, and sings much to the delight of her readers.:)

Television stations around the world have gotten word about Windy's banishment. As you can see here, Windy gives a candid interview about it. This was after an online protest wanting the admin at Lainy's Musings to lift the ban with those protesters not knowing it was only to last a day. Nonetheless, cameras didn't air footage of the "Free Windy Now!" chants being heard. However, I did hear they censored some of the calls coming into the newsroom, but that isn't confirmed.....

Okay, okay, okay. Time to turn off the news, but not before I say Happy Birthday Windy!

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Happy 101 Tag Revisited

I received this tag back in January, but am posting it again. The Happy 101 tag this time came from my beautiful friend KittyKat of Trends. She just recently returned to blogging after a hiatus, and was very thoughtful enough to pass this along to me. I appreciate the mention and your visits no matter how often they are. So I'm posting this tag again.....

List at least 10 things that makes you happy. I'm posting pretty much the same thing as the previous one, but a little more revised.

1. Being around family and friends.

2. Being around positive people that that can see the good all things.

3. Attending sporting events of any kind especially those that are highly anticipated as well as ones that involve my favorite teams.

4. Seeing the Oklahoma Sooners teams, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bulls, and the other teams I pull for win. That would be one of 10 things that make me unhappy when they lose! LOL! Kidding.

5. Hearing the Boomer Sooner fight song.

6. Working out especially after a bad day which allows me to ease my mind off things when doing so. That, and I workout often.

7. Blogging or I wouldn't be writing. If you're not happy writing, you're blogging for the wrong reasons.

8. Meeting new friends online and offline that don't judge differently and don't care where you're from.

9. Flying on a plane, and I do a lot of that in my line of work. The feeling of looking down below at the window is cool.

10. Happy to be alive because tomorrow is not promised to anyone.

Since I know many of you have done this tag, I'm leaving it open to anyone that hasn't done so yet.

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YouSayToo Bookmarking Challenge

If you recall back earlier this year, the YouSayToo Awards took place in which a $1,000 Dream Gift as well as fun gifts were given away. Now, YST has another contest and yet another way to build traffic to your site in the process. And it will cost you nothing to do so!

It is as easy as the three steps shown in the pic above. You just click the Awards link on their page to enter. The contest began April 8 and will end on April 22 when they announce the winners. One Tweet, Facebook sharer, and Yahoo Buzz winner will be randomly chosen and all three will win $100. You must have a Paypal account in order to claim a prize in the contest.

As far as the banner exchange program, I like it already. You'll notice in the right sidebar of the page that there is a YouSayToo ad up which rotates to different participating blog sites. Once you're in the system, your site will start appearing on YST. To me, they look like Google ads.

So sign up and register your blogs on YouSayToo to get more traffic as well as enter for a chance to win one of the $100 prizes today!

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Oklahoma Sooners Football Chronicles: 1896-1904 Years

With their first head coach in John A. Harts departing after the Sooners first season in 1895, Oklahoma University entered the 1896 without one. However, they did achieve a first in school history in 1896 at a time when Oklahoma was eleven years away from being admitted as a U.S. state.

On October 28, 1896, Oklahoma played against Norman High School in Norman, Oklahoma. The game marked the first win for the program in their history as they won 12-0. Two weeks later, the two met again with the same result - this time with a 16-4 win. Though they had won their only two games, there wasn't much fanfare for their effort.

In 1897, OU President David Ross Boyd was on his way to Chicago when he passed through Emporia, Kansas. Boyd kept his eyes open for someone to teach his English department, and happened to catch a break.

Vernon Louis Parrington had a degree from Harvard and was living in Emporia. Boyd had arranged to meet him for an interview after a train stop there in the town. Parrington rode his bike to catch the train and put it on there with him. Three miles into the trip, Boyd found his English professor. Boyd had also found the next Oklahoma football coach, too.

Parrington had the credibility of being a graduate of Harvard, who had a program that helped shape college football to the present game. Parrington's style of play would serve him well, and Boyd had enough confidence in his new coach to hand over complete control of the athletic department to him. Parrington was the team's trainer, manager, and team publicist in which he founded the school's first publication called The Umpire. But that wasn't all Parrington did.

Oklahoma's first game as head coach was a rematch of their first ever game in 1895 as they played the Oklahoma City team. This time, the result was much different although his opponents had brought banners, new yells, and horns expecting the same outcome as 1895. The horns didn't sound off as Oklahoma avenged their loss with a 16-0 win. Oklahoma wouldn't lose another game until 1899.

For the first time in school history, Oklahoma played their first game away from Norman against Kingfisher College in Guthrie. In front of a small crowd(most of which had never seen American football before), Oklahoma won the game 17-8. The game itself had been interrupted after the Logan County Sheriff arrived when it was discovered a Kingfisher player had hidden a stovepipe in his arm. The sheriff didn't even know this was an organized athletic event in which he thought it was a drunken brawl. He later signaled for the game to resume as Oklahoma won.

In 1898 when the phrase "Boomer Sooner" was initially heard, the team won their first game 5-0 against the Arkansas City town team in Arkansas City, Kansas. It was a hotbed as both teams paraded in town to promote the game as Oklahoma players stayed in a hotel nearby to take in the win with bathing in a custom-built tub after it was done.

On November 28, 1898, Oklahoma played their first game against a college team. In Fort Worth, Texas, Oklahoma defeated Fort Worth University 24-0 as Henry McGraw scored on a 70-yard touchdown run in the victory.

After winning their opening game in 1899 with a 39-6 win against Kingfisher College, Oklahoma played Arkansas in Shawnee, Oklahoma which would be their first against a state university and in their fourth different location. Rain had soaked the field for the game which meant there wasn't much of a crowd to watch Oklahoma win 11-5. Fred Roberts scored two touchdowns(worth five points at the time according to rules) in the game. The team were known as the Rough Riders, but would have their season end on a sour note.

For the first time as Oklahoma coach, Parrington lost a game which was against a Arkansas City 17-11 on the road. The 1900s were upon us, and the beginning of one of America's best rivalries had been set for 1900.

After a train ride to catch towards Austin, Texas, the Red River Rivalry had begun as they met for the first time on October 10, 1900. Texas dominated their first ever meeting in a 28-2 win against their arch-rival. Oklahoma wouldn't be scored on again the rest of the season with shutout wins Chilocco, Reno, and Arkansas City as well as battling to a 0-0 tie against Kingfisher College.

Parrington's workload at the university increased which led to him stepping down as coach, although he retained his position as athletic director. Parrington would later be the famous author of Main Currents in American Thought, a political three-volume history of America during Colonial Times, which later won a Pulitzer Prize for History in 1928 as it became one of the most influential books for American historians. Fred Roberts, the star running back in 1898, took over as head coach.

Roberts only season as coach seen his team finish with a 3-2 record in 1901 with both losses coming against Texas in Austin to start the season and in Norman to end it. Oklahoma had wanted to expand their schedule to compete with more accomplished programs, but this wasn't something Roberts stood by which meant another coaching change was forthcoming.

After another loss to Texas to start the 1902 season, Oklahoma played their first ever game at the State Fair Grounds in Dallas. The team lost 11-6 to the Dallas Athletic Club, and the city would eventually play host to the annual Red River Rivalry. Roberts had stepped down as coach after the loss to Dallas AC, and Mark McMahon took over leading them to a 5-1 record and 6-3 finish on the season.

1903 was a tough year for the program as they finished 5-4-3, but had played the most games in a season in school history. Their first meeting against Texas resulted in a tie(a first amongst the two schools) and the second was a loss to their rival. Their last loss on the season was against Bethany College 12-10 on December 3, who were coached by future Oklahoma coaching legend Bennie Owen.

By 1904, Oklahoma had yet another coach as Fred Ewing took over for McMahon. Ewing's team went 4-3-1 which included yet another loss to Texas as well as Owens' Bethany College team.

One game for Oklahoma stood out for them in 1904 as they beat Oklahoma A&M(later renamed Oklahoma State) 75-0 in Guthrie. In that game, every player on the Oklahoma team scored a touchdown. But the game was most remembered when the ball had to be retrieved out of Cottonwood Creek by Ed Cook for a touchdown in which he proved to be a strong swimmer.

Ewing stepped down after 1904, but not before he employed a strategy before its time. He had used adhesive tape on his player's ankles which wouldn't be used in sports regularly until several years later. Ewing returned to medical school in his native Illinois.

In their first ten seasons, Oklahoma had went through five head coaches including one season in which they didn't have one. Boyd had the cure by bringing in the one man that would coach the team for the next 22 seasons in Bethany College coach Bennie Owen.


This is a pic from the 1902 Oklahoma team. The man wearing the Texas sweatshirt is coach Mark McMahon.

Coming up in the next installment of the Oklahoma Sooners Football Chronicles: The Bennie Owen Era

Sources: jhowell.net, Oklahoma Football Vault book by Kenny Mossman

Previous Oklahoma Sooners Football Chronicles Series:
Oklahoma Sooners Chronicles: The Beginning

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