2016 Primary/Caucus Calendar

So here is the 2016 Primary Caucus Calendar along with my $0.02 in italics. To clinch the nomination,the Democrats need 2382 delegates out of 4763 total. The Republicans need 1237 of 2475. Some states divide their votes proportionately.  For example if a state has 100 delegates, and Martin O'Malley wins 40% of the vote, Bernie Sanders wins 35% and Hillary Clinton wins 25%, then O'Malley gets 40 delegates, Bernie gets 35 delegates and Hillary gets 25 delegates. If the same scenario presents itself in a winner take all state, O'Malley gets all 100 delegates and Hillary and Bernie get bupkis. 

There are a whole bunch of other scenario's with super delegates and stuff that quite honestly, I have not a clue about. I seem to recall a couple of instances in 2008 where Hillary won the most votes in a state but somehow Barack Obama came out with more delegates. Someone much smarter than me with a lot more time on their hands than I have can explain that to the class. One thing I will say, I like how there are no more than 2 weeks between most contests in this cycle. Should keep it fun and interesting. 

Anyway, without further ado, here is Weekly Mail's guide to the Primaries and Caucuses. 


Monday, February 1    

Iowa caucus     52 D, 30  R

First state to cast votes for the nominees. Rick Santorum won here in 2012, Mike Huckabee in 2008. Do with that what you will

Winners:  Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz

Tuesday, February 9


New Hampshire     32 D  23 R

First in the nation primary. Mitt and McCain won here in 2012 and 2008 respectively. Hillary won here in 2008. 

Winners:  Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump


Saturday, February 20  


Nevada caucus (D) 43

Winner: Hillary Clinton

South Carolina (R) 50

Winner: Donald Trump

Pollsters usually put much stock into South Carolina because it's first in the South. Newt Gingrich won here in 2012.  If Trump wins here....uh-oh. 

Tuesday, February 23  

Nevada caucus (R) 30

I think the Nevada caucus has some funky rules about how they nominate, so not sure how much stock I put in these caucuses. Now watch as the historians say the Nevada caucus decided the 2016 election. 

Winner: Donald Trump


Saturday, February 27  


South Carolina (D) 59


Pollsters usually put much stock into South Carolina because it's first in the South. Barack Obama 
won here in 2008.  

Winner: Hillary Clinton

Tuesday, March 1-Super Tuesday

Alabama   60 D, 50 R.     Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Alaska caucus (R)28.       Winner: Ted Cruz

American Samoa caucus (D)10. Winner: Hillary Clinton

Arkansas                37 D, 40 R.   Winners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Colorado caucus    79 D          .   Winners: Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz

Georgia                   116 D, 76 R. Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Massachusetts        116 D, 42 R.   Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Minnesota caucus    93 D, 38 R.    Winners Bernie Sanders and Marco Rubio

Oklahoma            42 D, 43 R.        Winners: Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz

Tennessee            76 D, 58 R.          Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Texas                    252 D, 155 R.      Winners: Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz

Vermont               26 D, 16 R.           Winners: Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump

Virginia                110 D, 49 R.         Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

By this time, we'll know if Hillary is going to waltz to the nomination or will Bernie Sanders give her 
a fight. The only prediction I'll make on the Republican side is that at least one political commentator will declare "We could have a brokered convention!!!" I hear THAT every year. I have yet to see one. 




Saturday, March 5

Kansas caucus      37 D, 40 R                Winners: Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz

Kentucky caucus      (R)45                    Winner: Donald Trump

Louisiana           58 D, 47 R                  Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Maine caucus (R)23                              Winner: Ted Cruz

Nebraska caucus (D)30                         Winner: Bernie Sanders


Again with the caucuses. I'll find the fountain of youth before I figure out how the caucuses work





Sunday, March 6


Maine caucus (D)30.                  Winner: Bernie Sanders


Puerto Rico    (R)23.                     Winner: Marco Rubio

Who votes on a Sunday?



Tuesday, March 8


Hawaii caucus (R)19.                   Winner: Donald Trump

Idaho     (R)32.                              Winner: Ted Cruz

Michigan    148 D, 59 R.              Winners: Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump

Mississippi   41 D, 40 R.              Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Bunch of delegates up for grabs in Michigan and Mississippi. 




Saturday, March 12

Wyoming Caucus (R 29).                        Winner: Ted Cruz

Guam (R convention) 9.                          Winner: Ted Cruz

Northern Marianas caucus (D)11.           Winner: Hillary Clinton

District of Columbia caucus (R)19.        Winner:  Marco Rubio

"The convention in Guam can turn the tide of this election cycle", said no one ever


Tuesday, March 15


Florida   246 D, 99 R.             Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Illinois   182 D, 69                  Winners:Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Missouri  84 D, 52 R.              Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

North Carolina  121 D, 72 R.   Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Northern Mariana Islands caucus (R)9 Winner: Donald Trump

Ohio  159 D, 66 R.                       Winners:   Hillary Clinton and John Kasich

This could be called Super Tuesday II, and could wrap things up. Ohio, Illinois and FLA are big delegate states. 


Saturday, March 19


Virgin Islands caucus (R)9 Delegates unpledged till convention



Tuesday, March 22

American Samoa (R convention)9 Delegates unpledged till convention

Arizona    85 D, 58 R Winners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Idaho caucus   (D)27 Winner Bernie Sanders

Utah       37 D, 40 R. Winners: Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz


Lets see, I can campaign in Utah, where there's no booze and its freezing or Arizona, where it should be 72 and sunny, (with twice the delegates to boot) 



Saturday, March 26

Alaska caucus (D) 20.    Winner: Bernie Sanders

Hawaii caucus (D) 34.     Winner: Bernie Sanders

Washington caucus (D) 118 Winner: Bernie Sanders

If I'm Hillary, and I haven't put Bernie away yet, I'd send Bill to Alaska and head to Hawaii. 


Tuesday, April 5


Wisconsin   96 D, 42 R.         Winners: Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz

Cheesus!


Saturday, April 9


Wyoming caucus (D)18          Winner: Bernie Sanders



Tuesday, April 19


New York   291 D, 95 R.            Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

I really hope my vote means something on this day. Most years I would say it wouldn't, but do you see any Republicans running away with it? 



Tuesday, April 26

Connecticut  70 D, 28 R.       Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Delaware      31 D, 16 R.        Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Maryland      118 D, 38 R.      Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Pennsylvania   210 D, 71 R.  Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Rhode Island   33 D, 19 R.     Winners: Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump

I really do hope that Bernie and Hilary are still slugging it out at this point. 


Tuesday, May 3

Indiana  92 D, 57 R.               Winners: Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump



Saturday, May 7

Guam (D) 12.                          Winner: Hillary Clinton



Tuesday, May 10

Nebraska (R)36.                      Winner: Donald Trump

West Virginia 34 D, 37 R.       Winners:  Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump




Tuesday, May 17

Kentucky (D)61                        Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Oregon 73 D, 28 R                    Winners: Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump



Tuesday, May 24

Washington (R) 44                     Winner: Donald Trump*



Saturday, June 4

Virgin Islands caucus (D )12     Winner: Hillary Clinton



Sunday, June 5

Puerto Rico caucus (D) 67         Winner Hillary Clinton

Tuesday, June 7


California     546 D, 172 R        Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Montana       27 D, 27 R            Winners: Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump

New Jersey   142 D, 51 R          Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

New Mexico  43 D, 24 RC         Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

South Dakota   25 D, 29 R          Winners: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump    

North Dakota caucus (D)23        Winner: Bernie Sanders 

It would be an absolute miracle if either party doesn't have the nomination locked up by now. But if it does get to this point, it will be wild watching the candidates crisscrossing between NJ and California for votes. If it somehow, someway comes down to Trump vs. Christie, they'll spend more time in Cali than the Kardashians. How about if Ted Cruz has to grovel for those New Jersyians with their NY values. Again, I'm pretty sure we'll have our nominees long before it comes to this, but I've seen some $h-t in this cycle that I've never seen before so stay tuned. 

Tuesday, June 14

District of Columbia (D)  46          Winner: Hillary Clinton


  

Weekly Mail January 17, 2016

Editor's Note: Typed this up on January 16 and never posted it. Weekly Mail regrets missing deadline by two weeks. 

The night I was out at Donovan's with Ray, Karl and Auggie, the conversation of course came around to the 2016 Presidential race. Being the only Republican of the 4 of us, the guys were itching to know who I would be voting for when the primary came along.

I'll get into who I'm going to vote for as the vote gets closer, but I decided to start with who I wouldn't be supporting. And while they were a bit surprised at the fact that Donald Trump didn't top my "No way I'm voting for him" list, my choice for that title, Ted Cruz, was met with tacit approval.

And this is before that tool derided Trump for having "New York Values."

Now maybe I should give Terrible Ted some credit here. At least he had the balls to come out and say what the rest of these goobers running for the Republican nomination are thinking.."We have no use for New York." My father in law always says "I think they are all biased against NY" Usually when he says that, he is referring to sportscasters. (Joe Buck, Jon Miller and Joe Morgan are his usual suspects)  But it also applies to the Republicans.

And it's true that there are some social positions that my elected officials here support that don't necessarily jive with some of my beliefs.

But this is my hometown. And I'll be damned if some slimebag from Texas (by way of Canada) is going to smear my peeps. In addition to mocking NY values, he voted against the Zadroga Bill for 9/11 responders, and against funding for Hurricane Sandy victims, while also sticking his hand out for victims of Texas natural disasters. Not to mention that he's always looking to raise campaign cash here in NY.  I mean, how rich is that, ripping the city while your trying to shake it down for money?

I guess his attitude is that if he gets the nomination, he's not going to get NY's electoral votes, so he might as well rag on NY to garner more national favor. Well that's all well and good, but you have to play in the LCS before you get to the World Series,you clown. And there are people in NY who can vote to make that happen.

I happen to be one of those folks. It's only one vote, sure, but its one vote you a'int gettin. You Texas turd.



David Bowie (1947-2016)

      There has been so many tributes, written and spoken for one of the true pioneers of music, that anything I write is probably going to be redundant. But even though I wouldn't call myself a huge fan of his, this man was simply incredible.

      When he came on the scene in the late 60's/early 70's, it had to have been a shock to the system. The hair, the costumes, the make-up, was he gay, straight, androgynous?  In this day and age, they would make a reality show about him, 45 years ago? I'm sure people were ducking and covering.

      And then there was the music. Space Oddity I'm sure, blew everyone's mind. And it only went on from there. What I find amazing to this day, is that almost no 2 David Bowie songs sound alike. Not in music style, shoot not even in voice. It was like different people singing. That he could pull that off so smoothly spoke to the depth of his talent.

     And wasn't it just like David Bowie, who came into the biz in such a spectacle, went out as quiet and simple as someone not nearly as famous? By the end, he was just a simple transplanted Englishman, living in New York City, with his wife and teenage daughter,  minding his own business while not letting anyone in on his own...namely that he was dying of cancer. My first reaction when I woke up Monday morning was, "I had no idea he was sick" Well neither did anyone else apparently.

      Several years ago, there was a commercial for Sirius/XM, if my memory serves correctly. It featured Snoop Dogg, who was looking for his big diamond encrusted D necklace. He was stopping in all the studios, encountering, amongst others, Derek Jeter. The last person he asked was David Bowie, Bowie plead ignorance, then when Snoop left, pulled it out from under his shirt. I wondered if any of the people in the commercial realized just how big of a deal David Bowie was. I mean, you had one of baseball's best players and a huge rap star, but Bowie was such an innovator.

Bowie once referred to John Lennon as the last great original. Lennon was an original no doubt. But so was David Bowie. When they made him, they threw away the mold.


Alan Rickman (1946-2016)

"So it looks like this is like High Noon. Except this time John Wayne doesn't walk off into the sunset with Grace Kelly."

That was Gary Cooper, a$$hole.

That exchange between Hans Gruber, played by Alan Rickman, and John McClaine, played by Bruce Willis, is one of my favorite of all time. I never really saw any of the Harry Potter movies, so my points of reference are Die Hard and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. In both of those movies, Rickman played the bad guy in such a way that part of me actually liked the bad guy. He delivered these performances with a sharp sense of humor to go along with the evil. And judging by the outpouring of love from his former cast mates, he approached his work much the same way. Like David Bowie, gone too sudden and too soon.

I'll try to start handicapping the primaries and caucuses before the Raucous Iowa Caucus on february 1st.

Have a Great Week.

The Challenger Explosion 30 Years Later

           For years I told people that I actually saw the Challenger explosion when it happened because I was home from school sick that day .  The truth of the matter is I was actually watching the Price is Right which was interrupted by Dan Rather to break the horrible news . Until 9/11 I considered it the biggest news story of my life.

           For the next several hours that day they replayed the tape over and over and over again .  I'll never forget the voice of the guy from mission control, calm as can be, calling it "obviously a major malfunction". He made it sound like it was the engine not starting on a car, and not a billion dollar spacecraft having been blown to bits over the Florida sky.

           For years I knew their names by heart.  They were ingrained into my brain . As years went by,  I had forgotten most of them. To be honest with you the only one I remembered clearly was Christa McAuliffe .  But reading through all of the remembrances today,  the names came back to me .  Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair,Judith Resnick, Michael Smith, Greg Jarvis and Ellison Ozinuka.

            I'm  not one to throw to unequivocal praise on President Reagan the way many conservatives do, but the speech he gave that day, as well as the eulogy he delivered later that week, were quite possibly the most eloquent of his presidency. They called him the great communicator, that week he was the national healer.

            17 years later, almost to the day, the Space Shuttle Columbia blew up on returning from a trip into orbit .  President George W. Bush at the time was ridiculed by many for suggesting that we continue our trips into space .  There were many reasons to criticize George Bush, but I don't believe this was one of them .  Like President Reagan before him President Bush believed that despite the tragic deaths of the astronauts, we should not abandon our space program .

 And we shouldn't .

           The seven that we lost shared one thing in common... their desire to continue the great work that had been started by the astronauts that came before them .  I wasn't alive when Neil Armstrong first stepped  foot on the moon but anybody who was remembers the feeling of unbelievable pride that accompanied that that historic night.  I can't believe that had Christa McAuliffe survived her flight, that she wouldn't of come home and told any kid who dreamed of becoming an astronaut to shelve the dream because it was too dangerous .

            It's hard to believe I can remember something so clearly that happened 30 years ago. It really doesn't seem like it was that long ago .  People my parents age always talk about where they were the day President Kennedy was assassinated .  I  always considered the Challenger explosion to be my Kennedy assassination experience . My mom told me there was nothing that could compare to that day.

  I believe her .  And certainly 9/11 would make the Challenger explosion pale in comparison.

 Still 30 years later, it's something I'll never forget.

Weekly Mail January 10 2016

Happy New year:

Hope you all enjoyed the 2015 Year in Review.

Timmy started an intramural basketball program this week. Unlike soccer, which I know nothing about, I played basketball for years. Not that I was any good, but pretty much from third grade through sophomore year of high school, I either played CYO or for one not so glorious year, I was on the freshman team in high school. So at least when I'm watching the coaches work with him, I have an idea what is going on. I'm not coaching, so I just have to keep my big mouth shut.

NEWS: Obama's Executive Action on Guns.

       I've avoided the gun debate on here for many many reasons. Mainly, because it usually flares up right after something tragic happens and I really don't feel like that's the time and the place to debate it.
       Personally, there have been times where I thought having a gun in the house would be a good idea, especially after a series of thefts in Woodside when I was a kid. The fact of the matter is, I wouldn't know what to do with a gun if I had one and I'd probably end up hurting myself more than the perp I was trying to stop.

      The President last week called a press conference at the White House to announce that he was enacting  executive orders to strengthen criminal background checks for anyone looking to purchase a gun.
       We can debate whether his measures will help any or even if President Obama had the power to do what he did. I think what bothered me, was those who questioned his authenticity, when he became emotional talking about the kids who were killed at Sandy Hook. Look, I'm the first to admit that Obama at times comes off like a robot, that he is useless without a teleprompter. But I would never, could never question his emotion when talking about those kids and their families. You'd have to be inhuman if you didn't.  I know he met with all those families, I don't think he did that to push an anti gun agenda. And if anybody in office didn't want to meet with those people because it would hurt their standing with the gun lobby, well screw them.

        (And BTW- As for those pieces of crap who think Sandy Hook was a hoax.... You know how I feel that people who think 9/11 was an inside job are lower than the scum of the earth? Well, I think those people are living saints compared to anyone who thinks Sandy Hook was a hoax)

When I watched Bowling for Columbine, Michael Moore's anti-gun movie, I felt that he was bashing America a bit too much for my liking. I felt he was more anti-American in Bowling for Columbine than he was in Fahrenheit 911. But seeing whats happened here since that movie came out, and you can't help but wonder if some of it made sense.

I know its going to take more than some executive orders, more than even Congressional legislation to solve this issue. Bleeding hearts on the left and gun loving zealots on the right aren't helping. Common sense regulation, more effective mental health treatment and overall compromise are the only things that can truly fix this problem.

President Obama gave it a shot last week. I can't knock him for trying.

SPORTS: Farewell 2015 Jets.

For most of the season, I avoided the Jets in particular and the NFL in general. In fact when they beat the Patriots on December 27, I was in Long Beach watching Star Wars, (review to follow). Of course their winning that game set up a win and they're in scenario for the following week, against none other than Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills.

Anybody who knows me and has been following my writings for a while knows how much contempt I have for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. The way Belichick weaseled out of his contract with the Jets, and went on to dominate the sport, with not just a little help from rule breaking, in one of the main reasons I am trying to stay far away from football.

But I honestly don't know what would have ticked me off worse. 1) Losing to the Pats and rendering the game against the Bills meaningless except for hanging another loss on Rex who didn't do much for the Bills this year. Or 2) What ended up happening. They upset the Pats, only to lose to a Bills team they had no business losing to. A Bills team with a lousy QB, and no defense? At least there's no shame losing to the Pats. I mean I would have been pissed, but 10-6 with two losses to the Patriots is somehow easier to stomach than 10-6 and two losses to the Bills. (By the same score nonetheless)

And unlike the Mets, who I could take some solace that they have a young roster, the Jets are made up of older guys, some of whom had career years and will never approach those stats again. I should be grateful that Ryan Fitzpatrick got the Jets to the cusp of the playoffs, but that game against the Bills showed why he's played on all those different teams and is the textbook definition of journeyman. You get what you pay for when you buy your QB at Dollar Tree. And some of the papers were anointing him the best Jets QB since Joe Namath. (The paper that made that proclamation will go nameless)

They signed Darrelle Revis in the offseason and everybody jumped for joy. Poor old Woody Johnson even got himself in trouble for saying he wished he had him the year before. They gave him a big contract with guaranteed money. And he went out and laid an egg this year. None more so than the game against the Bills. he made those receivers look like the great Bills receivers of the early 90's. And the other big off season acquisition in the secondary, Antonio Cromartie was worse. They are talking about him being a salary cap casualty in this upcoming off season.

And that leads me to this. Why the hell should there be any cap casualties. Didn't they have millions in cap space last year? Wasn't that everybody's bellyache with John Idzik? he didn't spend any money? Now they need to cut players to make cap space? Am I being crazy here? And for what? They missed the playoffs anyway. And next year the schedule will be tougher than it was this year.

The other thing that annoys me about the Jets is that every time they switch regimes, the virtues of the new guy in contrast to the old guy is hyped up. For instance, when Herm Edwards took over for Al Groh, Edwards was praised for running a loose, fun team. When Herm got canned after going 4-12, they brought in Eric Mangini, who was praised for being a disciplinarian. When Man-genius  missed the playoffs a couple of times, in came Rex Ryan and we had fun fun fun till daddy took the T-Bird away. Now Todd Bowles is here and the discipline and class is back and blah blah blah.

I'm sick of it. I don't want to hear it. Win the f-cking Super Bowl, then tell me how great the coach is. Till then spare me.

        **MOVIE REVIEW**MOVIE REVIEW**MOVIE REVIEW**MOVIE REVIEW**

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Starring Harrison Ford, Dasiy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac.
Saw it at Long Beach Cinema 4
Saw it With, Tara and Timmy

So no, I wasn't one of those geeks who bought my movie tickets 6 months in advance and went to the opening night showing. Look, I love Star Wars, it was the first movie I ever saw in a theater way back in 1977. But I wasn't going to go crazy to get there.

The trick of course was to avoid any and all spoilers, any big mouth who was going to give it all away.
And now that I've seen it, I certainly don't want to be the big mouth spoiler either. So basically what I can tell you is that the movie didn't disappoint, it was fairly easy to follow and the new characters that are introduced are easy to like (or hate depending on which side you are on)

When The Phantom Menace came out in 1999, I decided I would wait till all three came out and then binge watch the whole trilogy one Saturday afternoon. Well by the time Revenge of the Sith came out, I didn't have the same kind of time I had in 1999, so that plan went by the wayside. Now, we have to wait till 2017 for the next installment. Till then I had to explain to Timmy what a spoiler is, and how he doesn't want to have that label put on him. I think he's got it.

4 aces.

One last sports note, Mike Piazza finally got elected to the Hall of Fame this week, on his 4th try. It's a travesty he didn't go in on the first ballot. I'm not going to rehash the whole ordeal here, (though I will set up a link to the articles I wrote after rejections 2 and 3) Lets just say this was a long time coming, and I'm happy justice was finally served.

Again a Happy and a Productive New Year to you all.

Have a Great Week

Weekly Mail 2015 Year in Review (Part Two)

June 6-I never thought I would see it. WTG American Pharaoh.

       Phil Mushnick of the Post loves to get on Mike Francesa's case about making bold, no doubt about it predictions that almost inevitably go south. He usually calls Francesa's losing touts The Land of the Lost Tapes, because WFAN claims not to have copies of the shows where Francesa gets things wrong. 
       As a writer, I don't have that luxury. If I write it, and I get it wrong, the evidence is right there on the screen. I can't run, can't hide. I try to be careful about it, but sometimes I just can't help it. 
        I worked for OTB from 1996 till 1999. The three times I worked the triple Crown races, the horses who won the Kentucky Derby went on to win the Preakness. All three times they lost the Belmont. In fact, it would happen 6 more times after that. And overall since Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978, it would have happened 13 times. 13 horses won the first two legs, none had won the Belmont. And I honestly thought it would never happen.
         I figured it was something in the ways the horses were trained, or even in the way they were bred, but for 36 years, it didn't happen. Watching American Pharaoh finally break the curse, I felt like I was in bizzaro world.  But as much as it pained me to be wrong, I have to admit, I was sure glad I got to see it.

June 9-Mets about to get no-hit.  What a joke they are.

       And then it happened again in September. Just reminded me of something else I predicted would never happen. (Thank you Johann Santana)


July 4- Took Timmy to the park this morning and blasted this song. I mean how could I not? Happy 4th everybody! Be safe.

       The song in question was Saturday in the Park by Chicago.What with the 4th of July falling on a Saturday this year.  Ironically the day before, I had taken Timmy to a different park, and there was indeed a man selling ice cream. (He wasn't singing anything, much less an Italian song. 


July 5- WTG USA!!!!! The World Cup belongs to us!!!!

         A few days later I was watching the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Sports Awards and a week later watching some of the ESPY's, and all I could think of was "How cool would it be to be Abby Wambach right about now." She just looked like she was having the time of her life, enjoying every minute of being an American hero. She deserved all the fun, hell, the whole team did. They did us proud, all of them. I know that I take sports too seriously, I know in the long run, it doesn't make a difference. We still have to get up and go to work and raise our families regardless. Still, this made us feel good to be Americans. Every once in a while, its nice when sports can do that for us. 

July 8- Well, I guess this means no more Sam and Cat reruns for Timmy. Another brainless Hollywood twit.

         And after the US Women's soccer team made us proud to be Americans, there was Ariana Grande bringing us back to earth. A surveillance camera caught the squeaky voiced skankasourous saying she hates America and licking a tray of donuts, at a Wolfee Donut shop in California. Grande later apologized saying that while she loved her county (sic) she was just disgusted by our high childhood obesity rate. (which I have to admit, she has a point about) Still, she was rude to the staff at Wolfee, and disgusting for licking the donuts. I mean based on some of the outfits she wears, and some of the lyrics to her songs, (for example Bang Bang) who knows where that tongue has been? 

July 29- WTF?

        This was regarding the trade that wasn't. I shut the TV off believing that Wilmer Flores and Zack Wheeler were en-route to Milwaukee for OF Carlos Gomez. Checking my phone one more time before I went to bed, I saw that Mets GM Sandy Alderson was saying no deal. wha, WHA, WHAT? 
Apparently the Mets saw something in Gomez medical records that scared them off. I believe they saw something in his contract that scared them off, namely lots of extra zeros at the end. So the deal was called off, I was banging my head against the wall, and two days later, they made a better deal for Yoenis Cespedes that saved their season and got them to the playoffs. 
It also did my heart good to see Wilmer Flores so sad about leaving the Mets. It wasn't that long ago guys were dying to get out of Flushing, it was nice to see someone who actually wanted to stay. 

August 7- If Donald Trump is going to get this wound up over Megyn Kelly, how the hell is going to handle people like George Stephanopolis, Candy Crowley and the schmucks at NBC News?

         Donald Trump, love him or hate him, he made what is usually a TV wasteland into must-see TV, I don't know about you, but I have never tuned into a Presidential debate more than a year before the election. Yet there I was, tuned in to Fox News on August 6th watching the fireworks.  But while I felt he was grasping at issues that I find important, much of the good was drowned out by the bad. Securing our borders? Good. Securing our borders by insulting Mexicans? Bad. Calling for better care for our veterans? Good. Insulting John McCain's time as a POW bad.  Wanting to take the fight to ISIS? Good. Banning Muslims from entering the US, regardless of whether or not they have ties to terrorism? Bad. 
        But what really annoys me about Trump is that he feels the need to get into pissing matches with every dope who says something negative about him. It never fails. If I were interviewsing him, I'd as him this question "Mr. Trump, you have a trophy wife who is half your age, 5 kids, none of whom think you're an a$$hole, and a couple of billion dollars in the bank. Why do you get bent out of shape when someone not nearly as successful as you gives you a hard time?" And as a follow up, if you can't handle Megyn Kelly, or for that matter, Jeb Bush, how the hell are you going to handle Vladimir Putin or Bashar Assad?  

August 22- WTG Daily News! Since you decided to splash these bare-boobed bimbos all over your front page every day this week, every horndog/tourist in Times Square was lining up 6 deep to get their pictures taken with them. Making my already treacherous commute through the crossroads of the world even more so

      The Daily News made it their mission to get rid of the so-called desnudas prowling Times Square looking for tips in exchange for pictures. When I would see them on Saturday afternoons, I didn't notice too many people looking to have their pictures taken with them. But after a week in which the News put them on their cover at least 4 times, they were all lined up to get their pics taken. You know how much you want something when someone tells you they can't have it right? Well that's what happened here. 

August 30- Happy Birthday to our amazing nephew. Hope you have a great day! Lucky 7-Kris Eller

Lucky 7. Holy crap, where did that time go. 7 years of fatherhood. 

September 1- I just want to go on record as saying that I think that it is ridiculous that kids have to go back to school before Labor Day. I can tell by some of the pics I've seen on FB today, that not everyone shares that view. 

The first time I had to go to school before Labor day was August 28, 1991, my first day of college. Timmy started back on Tuesday September 1. Look, I get one lousy week of during the summer, if I'm lucky. And I know that parents that have to stay home with their kids during the summer can be a royal pain. But shoot, I still get depressed when the summer ends. The Tuesday after Labor Day is one of the most depressing days of the year for me. Ending summer one week early was just uncalled for as far as I'm concerned. Long live summer!

September 12-Cespedes is UNBELIEVABLE!

A few days after I wrote this, he got plunked by a pitcher on the Marlins. From there on in, he was below average. And now he wants 20 million a year, and nobody has signed him yet. 

September 12-Trying to start up a new blog. Let me know what you think, and I'll try to make it weekly.

I brought Weekly Mail back. The feedback has been very positive. Thanks so much for all your support. You guys make this fun. 

September 26- I've been through The Beltran Strikeout, tweo collapses,Jerry Manuel, Jason Bay, and a Ponzi Scheme. I'm gonna enjoy this moment! (A FB meme with Grandpa Simpson)

They could have put about 20 more things here, (Luis Castillo comes to mind) but that list was enough. And I promised that whatever happened from here was gravy. 

September 27-"For this is not the end, for you and I my friend. Yet we don't know what fate has in store. For you, there'll always be an open door. And we'll hold this day in our hearts, for evermore."

This is from Erin's Pride's version of the Irish Blessing. A song Pete always played on Donovan's jukebox.

Until we meet again my dear friend Pete , may God hold you in the hallow of His hand.

Weekly Mail was made up of two sections, the first section was the weekend recap, usually involving crazy nights out, and then the second part was my spouting off about sports, politics, gossip, what have you.   As much as I miss the nights of partying in the city, or Yonkers, the nights I really miss were the easy ones in Donovan's hanging out with Pete McGuinness. Pete was old enough to be my father, but treated me as if I was a contemporary. Never had a bad word to say about anybody. He was my Knights of Columbus sponsor, and just an all around good man. I had just seen him a couple of months before at my niece's communion, and I'm glad he got to meet Timmy. Another friend whose passing knocked me for a loop. 

October 15-ON TO THE NLCS!!!!!!!

Most of my posts in early October dealt with either Chase Utley or Justin Turner, the former a dirtbag whose dirty slide injured our SS Reuben Tejada, the latter, an ugly little troll who was awful when he played for the Mets, but turned into Barry Bonds when he played against them. But it was all for naught as the Mets sent the Dodgers packing in a 5 game nail biter. And I promised that anything that happened from here was gravy. 

October 20 I'm not a Mets fan but I have to say this guy is entertaining. Thanks Bill Gallagher for sharing.-(Padraigin Aine Fitzsimmons.)

The guy that Patti-Ann is referring to is Jim Breuer, who was a cast member when SNL was unwatchable. My cousin in law Rian O'Shea, started posting his videos after Met games during the season which were hysterical, and by the time the playoffs started, it was required watching. I wouldn't turn in till he posted his video, which led me to create the hashtag, No Sleep Till Breuer (#seewhatididthere?) 

October 21-LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR 2015 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPION NEW YORK METS! !!!!!

To tell you how awesome Breuer's videos were, for this one, the one he recorded after the Mets beat the Cubs to advance to the World Series, he and his friends sprayed his kitchen with champagne! They had goggles and the plastic wrap around the appliances and everything. What a night. And I promised that anything that happened from here was gravy. 

October 27- They may win this game, they may lose this game. The fact that that they didn't lose this game in the 12th inning actually makes me feel better. That flashback to 2000, I didn't need.

Well it went 14 innings and they lost. So what, it's one game. 

October 28- Royals 7 Mets 1. Plus the reason I wasn't home for the first pitch on what was just an overall crappy day.

Forget for a minute the fact that the Mets got their a$$es handed to them this night by a pitcher who stunk, the worst part of this night was spending the first part of it at a CCD Meeting, being lectured on how to act in church, a speech I hadn't gotten since the guy I was sitting next to's mom was my teacher. (Anyone who gets this trivia question right gets a free one year subscription)  29 years earlier I missed the beginning of Game 3 of the World Series because I was making confirmation. At least they won THAT night. 

October 30- Hey Bill Gallagher! You are quiet tonight. Where the f--k are you?-Keri D'Angelo

Where the f--k was I? I was at Timmy's Halloween dance. Sure I wanted to be there for first pitch, but this was more important. And as it ended up being a great night anyway, I got to hang out with some awesome people (espcially Danny and Sue) and the Mets won. And whatever happend from here was gravy. Except if they don't get the WS back to Kansas City,then I might be a bit PO'ed. 

October 31-Royals 5 Mets 3. Recap and a desperate plea to the Mets for Sunday night.

And that plea was very simple. Don't f-cking lose. 

November 1 Ken Dashow dedicated this song to Matt Harvey this morning. That goes double for me and the rest of us Mets fans.

Don't Let me Down-The Beatles. 

November 2- Not for nothing, but I asked just for one thing, and one thing only. And you blew it. Thanks for nothing.

And the insults started pouring in. And you all know who you are. At least I never said I wouldn't blow my stack if they lost, right? 

November 7-Is it just me, or does Dr. Ben Carson look like Venus Flytrap from "WKRP In Cincinnati" in this picture with Jesus? And who wouldn't want "Trap" in the Oval Office?

Here's a link to the pic. http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/gallery/2015/nov/07/ben-carson-house-homage-to-himself-in-pictures#img-4

And to really enhance the experience, here is Jesus is Just Alright by the Doobie Brothers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEvy8mROAj0

November 11- Happy Veterans Day to all who have and are still serving our country. Especially Timmy's Pop and Grandpa.

Amen. 

November 12- So here's how I figure the Jets season will go, they may end up with a halfway decent record, but they are going to lose ALL the games I desperately want them to win... Like to the Patriots, and the Bills and to really make me miserable , the Giants on December 6.

I could pull a Francesa and just delete everything I post, and hack into your e-mails and delete them too. I could say it was my evil alter ego Barry O'Hallaran. Or I could just suck it up and admit I have no idea what I'm talking about. 

November 26 To Those Working This Thanksgiving We Thank You-Especially my amazing wife. We love you and miss you, but most of all we thank you!!! 

Can't thank you enough..

December 5 -What a fantastic night out with my favorite people. Lifetime friends. I am blessed. A lot of great laughs and memories. Thank you so much for an awesome night.-Padraigin Aine Fitzsimmons

Of course we got home around the same time we used to just be gettin started, but such is life in your 40's. 

December 12-I'm so glad she kept her word on this. WTG Ronda!

Ronda Rousey, the formerly unbeatable UFC Middleweight champ, had promised Marine Lance Cpl Jarrod Haschert, that she would accompany him to a Marine Corp Ball, if he promised to behave as a gentleman and get a couple of dates for her friends. 

The issue arose when Rousey was beaten soundly by Holly Holm in a stunning upset. Apparently, she was so badly hurt, her face was all messed up. In other words, she had every excuse in the book to blow off Lance Cpl Haschert. 

But she didn't. She showed her true class and true patriotism by coming out and supporting our troops. She even went so far as to admit that being at the ball cheered her up from the stunning defeat. I'm hoping she comes back and knocks this Holly Holm person into the middle of next month and gets her title back. 

December 13-These Santa Con drunks have to be sweating their Jingle Bells off!

I wrote that while I was in Penn Station on another unseasonably warm December night/morning, watching a bunch of drunkards dressed in heavy Santa outfits staggering for the LIRR. I've done my share of stupid stuff in the name of boozing, but I never did that. 

December 21 Celebrating Mom's retirement. 

Yep. Mom's jersey was raised to the rafters at PS 12 in Queens, who was nice enough to throw her a party at Vetro in Howard Beach. The speech given by mom's friend Fran was incredible. I already knew my mother was amazing, to hear her colleagues say it was very special. 

December 24- Christmas Eve 2015 in Oceanside. I had to capture the clock at the Christopher's for posterity's sake. Who is going to believe it was 66 degrees on December 24?

The clock outside the Oceanside Christopher's Credit Union read 66 degrees. At 5:15 PM. On Christmas Eve, I felt like we were having a destination Christmas. To the Bahamas. 

December 24. I've never seen Mr. Magoo's version of a Christmas Carol before. Good Lord this is sad!!! 

I don't know what got into me, but this was on TV on Christmas Eve and this scene just got to me. Not sure if it was everything I had been through, or what, but I almost had to turn it off. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7qOFB4IXA8

December 30-I can't believe it's been 10 years. It's gone by quick, but when you think of all that has been packed into those 10 years, it amazing it hasn't been longer. I know one thing, there isn't anybody I'd rather have gone through it all with than this amazing lady. 10 years ago tonight, we walked down the aisle. Happy Anniversary Tara. And thank you for being so incredibly awesome!

Oh what a night. 

Late December in 2005, 

didn't think it happen while I was alive. 

As I remember,What a night. 

Hope you enjoyed it.

Have a Great Year.  

Weekly Mail 2015 Year in Review (Part One)

So I went back through my Facebook posts to try to put together a year in review. Here's what I came up with

January 3- I believe the children are our future...and that we are screwed (Keri D'Angelo)

This bleak look at tomorrow was inspired by a bunch of tweets from Kanye West fans who supposedly had never heard of his collaborator on his single Only One. It was some guy named Paul McCartney. Some of these dimwits actually suggested that thanks to the kind heart of Kanye, that this McCartney fellow would rise to fame. Well, one can only hope.


January 11-The Lions got robbed last week, the Cowboys got robbed this week, so does that mean the Packers get robbed next week? 

If only sloppy officiating was the only problem facing the NFL. Wife beating, child beating, drunken driving, concussions etc, I was never more turned off by a sport than I was after the NFL's 2014 season. Little did I know when I posted this, that the worst was yet to come

January 27- And while I'm riled up about what the Islanders did to my Rangers tonight, I'd like to send a shoutout to all those "meteorologists" who told us that we were going to be buried in 6 feet of snow today. Seriously in my next life I'm coming back either as a weather person, GM of the Knicks, or WFAN afternoon drive host.

They were predicting the storm of the century. They closed down schools, even considered postponing that night's Islanders-Rangers clash at the Coliseum, but it was all for naught, we ended up with hardly anything. I suppose it's better to over estimate and be wrong, than underestimate and be wrong, but this was outrageous. These guys didn't leave any room for the possibility they might be off. These guys have no shame. At least when I make my sports predictions, I leave open the possibilty I may be wrong. Which as you will see, happens more often than not. (I also don't get paid millions of dollars to be wrong or right for that matter.) 

February 1-  In many ways it was the perfect end to a horrible football season. The most despicable team in football, if not if not all of sports, walking off with the championship trophy. A season in which the NFL suffered more off the field embarrassment that usually does. Another season where Bill Belichick reminds us that little things like contracts and rules don't necessarily apply to him. The season in which the Giants were bad and the Jets were awful. In the Post today, Mike Vaccaro wrote that no matter how bad things get, America will never get off its football jones. That's something to think about, after season like this what's the point?

And has it gotten any better? This year we had Dallas Cowboy Greg Hardy, who was arrested for domestic violence only to be praised by Cowboy owner Jerry Jones as "one of our leaders." But as Mike Francesa always says "as long as they keep growing the brand" it probably doesn't matter. 
Sad. 

February 7- With the possible exception of my sister Katie, no one hates Chipper Jones more than I. But when I saw this this morning, I said to myself "Someone HAD to have hacked his account." And now he admits he tweeted it? Wow. What a POS.

This one is almost too painful to write. Chipper Jones is someone to thinks that the massacre at Sandy Hook in 2012 was a hoax. I thought John Rocker was the biggest POS of the Braves in 1999/2000. What a creep. The Yankees and the Cardinals did the world a favor by making sure those dicks didn't win the World Series in those years. 

February 17- This makes me proud to have moved to Nassau County. 

Joy Rosen, an original Islander season ticket holder, actually went on TV and said the following...

“Back in 1982, my son was conceived back in that parking lot here at an Islander game,” “I went into labor during the Stanley Cup game [during] the 1982-83 season. [I] forced labor and was able to come back for the last game and watched the Islanders win their next Stanley Cup.”

I'll take  "Information I didn't Need to Know" for $500 Alex.  Can you imagine how that now 33 year old man feels about Mom telling the world she was doing the nasty in the Nassau Coliseum parking lot? For crissakes, there are a ton of hot sheets motels right down Hempstead Turnpike she could have gone to if she was that horny.  (not that I know anything about them)  Maybe I'm becoming a prude in my old age. More likely, I think some stories are better left unsaid. 

March 21-Congratulations to my cousin Deirdre Name-Was Cassidy and her new husband Chris and thanks for an awesome wedding!

What a blast we had at this wedding in Fishkill, NY. We drove up in the middle of a blizzard on Friday night, did a shopping spree at Wal-Mart Saturday morning, followed by breakfast at Cracker Barrel and a long dip in the hotel pool. Oh, and besides all that, my cousin Deirdre got married. An awesome wedding. Timmy stuck it out to the end, but had the line of the night when they brought out the Venetian Hour.  "More food?" he asked incredulously. 

April 4-  OK folks there are two things I don't believe we will ever see in our lifetime..1)A triple crown winner in horse racing and 2) a undefeated team in men's college basketball. If ever a team was going to run the table, it was this Kentucky team. Robert Montgomery Knight and his 76 Hoosiers can rest easy, they're the last ones you'll ever see.

I'm standing by the latter statement. The former...? 

April 24- Someone asked me today if I was going to watch the Bruce Jenner interview. I told them that my Rangers have a chance to send Sidney "the crybaby" Crosby home from the playoffs, the Mets and the Yankees are battling in the Bronx, then I plan to watch Steve McGarrett shoot bad guys in Honolulu, and Frank Reagan and his family defend our fair city. Whatever Bruce has to say to Diane Sawyer , I'll read about it in the paper tomorrow.

People may be offended by my lack of interest in Bruce/Caitlin Jenner, but I think I'm actually doing him/her a tremendous service. If all he/she wants is to be accepted, than fine, consider yourself accepted. I consider Bruce Jenner one of the greatest athletes in American history. I actually cringed the few times I saw him on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, seeing how poorly those bimbos treated him. "He's the only one on that show that actually accomplished anything, and they treat him like a freakin joke" I complained to my wife one night. If this transition is going to bring inner peace for Jenner, than that's fine. But if Jenner wants to parade all over the media and make herself a reality show, I'll take a pass. 

April 28-  Friends will come, and friends will go... But the St. Mary's survivors will always have your back! No matter how many years have gone- we will always be there for each other! (Jenn McGowan)  

I don't want to re-hash this too much, but I felt like I had to stick by big beak into a debate, where someone in an attempt to discredit Autism Speaks, took a shot at the daughter of a gal I've known since I was 6 years old. I always say You can say what you want about me, but don't f-ck with my kid. And while your at it, don't f-ck with any of my classmates kids either, especially one who is trying to make a difference in this world. "I only regret that I had but one opputuinty to tell her off".-Keri D'Angelo

April 30-Tim took it upon himself to forge Tara and I signatures on his homework.

Now as my sister Kris Eller points out, he didn't forge our signatures, the line said Parent's Name, and he simply wrote Tara and Billy on the line provided. His explanation was that he was saving us the trouble, but either way, it made for a funny picture. I remember back in St.Mary's, the teachers saying to us "Maybe your parents think your cute, but I don't." While I still think that'a a rotten thing for a teacher to say to a kid, I never understood what they meant by that. Till I became a parent. 

May 22- Tara, her parents, Timmy and I went to a hibachi restaurant in Lynbrook to kick off Memorial Day Weekend. Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals was about 2 hours away and the Rangers were in a must win. I was a bit edgy, a lot like Howard Hessman in this classic clip from Police Academy 2...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iPGIlBV8HI&sns=fb

May 30- Of all the people I've had the pleasure of working with at the Post, few were as enjoyable to be around as Rob Walsh was. Anytime someone would comment on a good Post headline, I'd think of Rob. Even though I only work there on Saturdays, Rob always made me feel like part of the team, always asked for Tara and Tim, and just always put a smile on my face. RIP my man, you left way too soon.

Too many people died this year. Maybe statistically it was like any other year, but I just felt like more people I knew, either personally or in the celebrity world, died in 2015. Going through my FB page, I saw how many people I saluted with an RIP. The first week of January alone someone I knew died each day. 

This one though hit close to home. I had many a good laugh with Rob Walsh, and while there were many awesome people at the Post (as well as a couple of real lousy ones) Rob was one of the best there was. After I hadn't seen him for a few weeks, I asked someone who worked during the week, and they assured me he was still here, just not working on Saturdays. While I was watching the Rangers getting eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning, someone posted on FB they heard a rumor that Rob had died. I tried to get more info, but couldn't find anything on line. The next day I went to 7-11 and picked up the Post and there it was. And I thought that was going to be the worst thing that happened to me that week....