Happy New Year!

From all of us........at 5 on Five...

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays........From all of us......at 5 on Five..

Transmission.......or....Transitions?

Transitions.....????

Transmissions.....????

That .......be the question.

Here we are. In between.

As in..........in between computers........

We.........or.....should I say........I........am ....in between. Why no posts?.......A mere computer crash....no less.

So......I .....have ..........bought a ........brand new........Lenovo...........

So.....I.......am ........in between....transmissions.........in a sort of ....transition.......

The first computer....I have ever had to buy. A 500 G hard drive...........

State of the art..........The posts.......should be much easier.......

Just give us ..........(me).......a couple of days.

"I'll........be back"

On The Road........Again

Yes..........we.....are back!

Been a while..........

Some thoughts..........on a Friday...

After several thousand miles.......traveling I-85......north and south.....

We find ourselves back in this small southern college town.......with new challenges.......new opportunities........new horizons........

I promise............5 on Five........will go on..........maybe not in the quantity of posts.......but the quality will go on.

And here we are..........9/11........

A historic date.

Remembering...........reminiscing...........thoughts of that dreadful day.......in 2001.

Stay tuned..........

Things.....We Learned.......From the Week-end...

MLB Umpires.....are the most sensitive people.....On the planet!



ESPN - Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino was ejected from the outfield in the top of the seventh inning on Sunday.

Victorino threw his arms up after a pitch by Rodrigo Lopez to Florida's Wes Helms was called a ball.

Home plate umpire Ed Rapuano promptly tossed him. Victorino ran in from center, but was restrained by teammates.

Are you kidding me? 50,000 screaming fans.......a batter in the box........both dugouts yelling....and this umpire sees the center fielder..........raise his arms in discuss........and tosses him from the game?

Hey ........Ump.......try paying more attention to that strike zone.......and not a guy 300 yards away. Whatever made these guys think they are the kings on the diamond? There has never.....and will never .....ever be a ticket to a major league game.....sold.......because.......of the umpires.

Wear your blue.......call strikes and balls........safes and outs.....fairs and fouls.....and then....just go........preferably..... away..........and preferably........quietly.



Maybe..........Junior........is .......just not....that good!

Dale Earnhardt ....... (rest his soul) was a great race car driver....."The Intimidator".....fearless........driven.....NASCAR fans most popular guy. Dale, Sr. has passed on . And the the NASCAR gods named his son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr as the heir apparrent to the racing throne.

And while Dale Jr. remains NASCAR's most popular driver to date...........We here at 5 on Five.....beg to ask.......why? No wins this year...... one in 2008.......none in 2007..........and one each in 2006 and 2005. Not since 2004.......has Jr. won more than once (6 times in that 2004 season) while still racing with DEI (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.).

Since then.......Dale has had a falling out with his step-mom.......Left DEI........fired a crew chief....and still has trouble finishing in the top ten.

Today at the Watkins Glen road race.....his breaks locked up......at other races this year, he's blown engines.......over run pit stops.......destroyed tires.......and all the while.....rarely competing for the wins.

Maybe........Dale, Jr.......is just not that good of a driver..........bad luck is one thing........and bad driving is another.

As equal as all these NASCAR cars are..........it is the driver ....that makes the difference.

And it's becoming very clear........there is a distinque differerence........between Dale, Sr. .......and Dale, Jr.


Some stuff.......we're thinking.....

My beloved Atlanta braves took 3 out of 4 from the L A Dodgers.......should have swept...

Michael Vick..........remains .....unsigned....surprised? We're not.

In Georgia this weekend.......two teens were playing with a gun....they thought was not loaded..... Guess what happened?

We love you, President Obama....we voted for you.......but please, take a deep breath....take two steps backward........and chill.... you cannot solve all this country's and the free world's problems in six months.

I finally cut our grass Saturday........I started at 8:30 in the morning.....and was done by 11:00........Caution though.......the mower does not respond nicely .......to wet grass.

Finally......Here's to my parents.......and their 54th wedding anniversary.......

Finally, finally........54 years?????

54 years............a half a century..........plus four.......54 years......two scores, a decade, and another four years.

54 years...........that's 648 months...........19,710 days............waking up .....with the same person.........

Everyday.

Wow!

Have a great Monday......

We're Baaaacccckkkk!

Yes........we are.....5 on Five.......

After taking a couple of weeks off..........we.....are back!

Since our last post, we have had my daughter, Madison (pictured) graduate from the University of Georgia........here in this southern college town.

We have celebrated all of our "Moms".....on Mother's Day.....

We mourned at the funeral of a dear friend of the family........

We saw our beloved Atlanta Hawks......go on vacation.....by losing 4 straight to Cleveland....

The Republicans........are still "hatin'" Obama........

Nancy Pelosi is in deep doo-doo........

Manny Ramirez.......has been suspended.......

The L A Lakers will play a game seven.....as will the Boston Celtics......

Waymon Tisdale (former Oklahoma and NBA star) passed away..........at age 44!

So much........"stuff" ...........going on........

Stay tuned....

Repost..........From a Daylight Savings........Post

Springing............Forward

Daylight Savings Time.....

To be quite blunt.......Daylight savings time sucks! Tomorrow....check that...today..... at 2 am we will set our collective clocks forward 1 hour. Why? Our time pieces in our body will have to adjust needlessly for this ridiculous attempt to cheat mother nature.

How......exactly....... are we .......saving......daylight? And.....what are we saving daylight from? Is .....daylight ..... in danger? Does......daylight.....need to be rescued? Oh, my bad. We're not saving the daylight from an unknown enemy........We are saving daylight........for future use. So....should we freeze it ........or can it? Or put the daylight in a bank ....and earn interest.

Now, personally, I happen to like daylight. And for years now, I have done what most Americans have done for the last 30 years.......In March........I save an hour..........of daylight.

Only to give it back in October! And when I give it back........I have no return on my investment. I just........don't get it. Spring forward...........fall backward......why? And for.......whom?

Daylight.........could care less.......In a 24 hour day..........daylight shines for how ever many hours.......regardless if we humans manipulate a doggone clock.

Meanwhile.........the moon is watching all of this........and thinking........."Hey....what about "moonlight" savings time....... We want equal representation". We too..... want to be saved.

Imagine that..............then again.......just set that darn clock ahead ......save that hour of daylight........and be a zombie for a few days before your body adjusts......

Daylight Savings Time............

Yuck!!!!

Hump Day News & Views

Okay..... Alright, already.......

We're back......With one of the favorite features of 5 on Five.......

If it's Wednesday, it must be Hump Day!

On to the ......News & Views...........


Major League Baseball..........

Still .....doesn't get it. On a day when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell took a 20% pay cut, (NFL Reduces Staff, Goodell Cuts Pay), Bud Selig, baseball's commissioner got a pay raise. And people wonder why baseball........America's game.......has fallen below the NFL, NBA, and college football in popularity among us sports fans. MLB........still just doesn't get it....and sadly.....it never will.

Charles goes to jail......

Yes, Sir Charles Barkley has to do 5 days in jail for his DUI in Arizona. It could have been worse. But the punishment fits the crime. Do the time........seek counseling.......be back on TNT in time for the play-offs.


Happy Trails .......Stephon Marbury..........

The New York Knicks have finally cut ties with Mr. Marbury...........ending a rather strange relationship with the former all-star guard. Marbury had been making millions of dollars by not playing..........NBA | Knicks, Stephon Marbury arrange buyout........


Iverson and the Pistons..........it ain't working.....

When this trade first went down.....I was leery........now.....I have seen the light. Detroit screwed up. As much as I like Joe Dumas (Pistons general manager)........this was a bad move. "A-I" is in his late 30's.....And the offense still revolves around him. Bringing in Iverson meant the benching of Richard Hamilton..........a true shooting guard....now having to come off the bench. The end result? The Pistons .......with last nights loss .......fell under .500 for the first time in .......years.


Things..........I think........I think........

Now, there are two plum trees blooming in the back yard.........Does "Mother Nature" realize.......it is still early February?

I don't care what Fox News thinks........President Obama sure looked "presidential" last night.

For the shortest month of the year.......February sure has made a statement this year.....Super Bowl.......Presidential inauguration........black history month........and all in just........28 days!

Make it........9 straight..........as in 9 straight Georgia high school wrestling state champions for my alma mater , Jefferson High School..........Even after moving up in class (from A to AA) my Dragons slew all of the competition. And to think........me and 6eVoice.......started this whole thing........back in the 70's.

Glad to be back.......

Have a great "Hump Day"............

Thoughts.....on a Friday....

Yes.....we took a vacation......As if anyone noticed.......we have been away for a few weeks. This blog, 5 on Five, took some much needed time off. We met our goal of last year by posting an article a day. That is hard work. But in the real world of working for a living.....January is the toughest month of all in my line of work. But.....we're back....and more focused than ever.


President Barack Obama.....Yes , it is a reality......So much history.......so much uncertainty. But oh .......so fulfilling.

This is the coldest January I can remember for some time. And I used to live in upstate New York.

I have received my w-2 form........on line of course.......completed my federal and state tax forms........on line of course.....and.....am awaiting my refund........what about you guys?

Tiger Woods came out of hiding.......and spoke at an inaugural function in behalf of President Obama. It's about time, Tiger.

TNT and our friend Charles Barkley have a temporary separation going. Let's hope Sir Charles is back on the airwaves...........soon.

Mark McGwire's brother is sure showing some "brotherly love".....by promoting his new book trashing his bro' and his use of steroids......and you thought your family was dysfunctional.

John Smoltz is no longer an Atlanta Brave...opting to take he and his 41 year old arm to the Boston Red Sox........Let him go! The Braves paid this guy $4 million last year and got 28 innings!

Well ........it's Friday........the weekend is here........and .......there is no football.....

Bummer........

Hump Day News & Views

Mission accomplished.....a solo act...366 days.......366 posts.......

And ..........a toast.......to me....

Our goal for 5 on Five since January 1st of this year, was to post at least one article each day. There were droughts........and there were days with multiple postings. But in the end we got our 366 posts. I use the word "we" rather loosely .....as this writer authored all of the 366 post for 2008. No promises or goals for 2009, if we feel a blog........we'll post it. If not, we won't.


New Year's Eve, 2008..........

Today ..........or tonight, we bid farewell to the year 2008. What a year it was. An African-American president elected.......the meltdown of the economy.....In sports, the Super Bowl to the Beijing Olympics........2008 was awesome. Check out MS NBC 's

The Year in News Pictures

Odds are.......A home team is bound to win.......

For maybe the first time ever..........at least the first time I can remember.....all four road teams are favored in this weekend's wild card play-offs in the NFL. Here's the Vegas odds:

NFL Lines Wild Card Playoffs - NFL Football Line Wild Card Weekend Playoff Games - NFL Game Lines 1/3 - 1/4, 2009

Date & Time	Favorite	Line	Underdog	Total
1/3 4:30 ET	Atlanta	-2	At Arizona	51
1/3 8:00 ET	Indianapolis	-1	At San Diego	51
1/4 1:00 ET	Baltimore	-3	At Miami	37.5
1/4 4:30 ET	Philadelphia	-3	At Minnesota	41.5

I see Arizona and Minnesota playing over their heads in front of frenzied home crowds to defeat the Falcons and the Eagles straight up. Then again........

Another day.......another coach fired?

DENVER (AP)—Over the past few years, Mike Shanahan, the vice president of football operations, didn’t do Mike Shanahan, the coach, any favors.

In the end, both got fired.

The Denver Broncos parted ways with Shanahan on Tuesday following a late-season fizzle that knocked the team out of the postseason for a third straight season.

Read full article at :

Broncos fire coach Shanahan

And now, some breaking news about our friend, Charles Barkley........

From the Associated Press & Yahoo Sports:

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP)—Charles Barkley was arrested on suspicion of drinking and driving early Wednesday.

An officer with a law enforcement task force that targets drunken driving saw the former NBA star run a stop sign around 1:30 a.m., said Gilbert police Lt. Eric Shuhandler.

Barkley declined to submit to a breath test but was given a blood test. The results weren’t immediately available.

After Barkley was processed, he was cited and released. He left in a cab, Shuhandler said.

Shuhandler said there was nothing remarkable about the 45-year-old Barkley’s arrest and that it is customary to release people after they’ve been arrested on suspicion of DUI.

“There was nothing unusual about how he was taken into custody,” Shuhandler said. “He was treated exactly like we treat anybody else.”

Barkley was arrested in Scottsdale’s Old Town area, one of the trendiest spots in the Phoenix metro area.

A television commentator for NBA games, the former Auburn player was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame last month.

He played 16 NBA seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, and played on the 1992 and 1996 Olympic teams. Barkley was an 11-time NBA All-Star and league MVP in 1993.

Selected one the NBA’s 50 greatest players in 1996, he was inducted into the 2006 Basketball Hall of Fame.

Reminder guys/gals..........tonight is New Year's eve.....don't drink and drive....live to enjoy 2009.....

Have a great night!

We're Baaaacccckkkk!

After a 1 week hiatus ........

We are back.....

5 on Five took a much earned and much deserved vacation. We all went north....as in North Carolina.....for one of those "Norman Rockwell" styled family gathering which included a Thanksgiving dinner and all the things that come with it.

So..........there was no "Hump Day News & Views"..........no "Friday Picks"...........no nothing....

If I was on a computer this week...........it was not to blog.......

But now..........we're back!

Stay tuned........

Let's Get.......Political!!!!

Not to be confused....with "Let's get physical".......


We here at 5 on Five are of the "non-violent" persuasion .....

The election for the presidency of the United States........and ruler of the free world is a mere 2 weeks away.

Are you registered? Will you vote?

Today, I received my new voter registration card from this great state of Georgia. All I had requested was a change of address ..........and this took a startling 3 weeks!

Remember folks.....in order to vote....you must be registered.

And ..........if you don't vote.....you don't matter.

Race.......does matter.....

Regardless of what you have heard, read, or seen.......The fact that this race pits a white man versus a black man..... race matters. ......

Think about it .......both Barack Obama and John McCain are US senators..........both want to give us tax breaks........both want to distance themselves from the present Bush administration....

So.......what gives?

We think it is simple........

Barack Obama is the most presidential .......the most intellectual ...........the most communicative ..........the most compelling candidate since JFK.....

But........he's a black man..... his ancestors were slaves.......

Some of white America.......especially those who get their only news .....from FOX News and Rush Limbaugh.......see him as a threat.

They..........are just not ready for a black man to lead the free world. They are still stuck in the 1950's and '60's.......Where is was okay for a black man to "shine your shoes"......but never be in a position of power.

There is history to be made here.....but.....

We urge all of you.......White.....Black........Hispanic.......Asian....."non of the above"..........to reach into your inter self.......and research the issues ..........make a decision........and vote.

Rush Limbaugh and Fox News prey upon the uneducated white voters in America..........For they believe whatever Fox and Rush tell them......Obama's an Arab.....he has ties with terrorist....etc.

All in an orchestrated effort.......to keep a black man down......

And you thought they hated Hillary?

The true meaning of hate will be illustrated....in the next two weeks........

Are you ready?

Happy Birthday....To Us!!

It was .....1 year ago today.....we started a blog.

We named it after the five children of our family.

I wrote the very first post. A bit crude.....raw.......but a post none the less.

Now we're closing in on our 400th post.......Amazing.

Here's our very first article.....from one year ago:


5 on five: Lloyd Carr

Random Thoughts.......From an Interesting Weekend

5 on Five went 3-2 in our Friday picks......against the spread.


The Atlanta Falcons looked like a contending football team.....But before we get excited, was it that the Detroit Lions are just terrible?


Knowshon Moreno (pictured).......is a special talent. Did you see him actually hurdle that defender form Central Michigan?


Serena Williams won the US Open........and is now ranked #1 in the world ........again.....Imagine if these ladies (the Williams sisters) ever took tennis seriously.

I think the University of Georgia now fully understands the meaning of "style" points.

Don't look now, but the Tampa Bay Rays maybe in for a monumental choke job. Their lead in the AL east is down to a game and a half over Boston.

What has happened to the Chicago Cubs? Losers of 7 out of their last 10....and limping into the post season.

Tom Brady.....lost for the season? Say it ain't so.....

The Chicago Bears sure put a hurtin' on those Peyton Manning led Colts........Go Lovie Smith!

Are you as happy as we are? The NFL is back!

Just some random thoughts.......from an interesting weekend.

Friday Picks

By now......

You have noticed we here at 5 on Five are not big on predicting outcomes of pro and college football games versus the spreads Vegas lays out weekly.

With that said......here are our...........5 "sure" winners for Saturday and Sunday:

1. Tulane (+30) over Alabama.....The Tide will win ...but won't cover.

2. Georgia (-23) over Central Michigan......The Dawgs now realize the meaning of "Style Points".

3. Detroit (-3) over Atlanta.......No rookie QB (not named Manning or Vick) can come in and transform a sub .500 team.

4. Miami (+3) over New York Jets........Miami's Chad Pennington has a bone to pick with that Favre guy.

5. Pittsburgh (-6) over Houston..........The Steelers had an awfully quiet off-season....That's a good thing.

Hump Day News & Views

And we wonder why the rest of the world hates us...

Leave it to Americans.....to always try to make a point. Yes, Beijing, which is hosting this year's Olympics......has a slight smog problem. Seems the air might be a tad unsafe at times.

Well, our USA cycling team arrived Wednesday wearing black pollution masks. Of course, this immediately pissed off all of China.

Has the cycling team ever heard the term "Ugly American"? China knows it has a smog problem. They have been shutting down plants and manufacturers for months now, and didn't deserve the "rub it in your face" actions of a few snobbish, spoiled, American athletes.



A much needed win........

The Atlanta Braves won a baseball game last night. Not a big deal. They are just playing out the string........too far out of the pennant race.

But guess who the winning pitcher was? Yep! None other than Mike Hampton himself. Hampton got his first win in about 3 years......hit an RBI double....and helped the Braves defeat the San Francisco Giants, 11-4.

With the recent loss of Brave's announcer, Skip Caray..........and the stark realization this season is done.....it was good to see a win.

And it was better to see it with Mike Hampton pitching.



Who's cover ....is it?

Sports Illustrated.....is playing mind games with college football fans. The magazine has a long standing tradition of having different covers for different geographic regions.....But come on........this is .....all south.

I've seen 2 completely different covers for the August 11th edition. Which will it be, guys?

























USA Men's basketball team struggled?


Yes they did......

In it's final exhibition game against Australia, the US led by only four points midway through the third quarter and was up only seven in the fourth, but held on to win, 87-76. The Aussies rested their best player, Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut, who sat out the game.

Guys.......get real. We here at 5 on Five were bold enough to predict you would not only win the gold medal.......but dominate as well.

And dominating is not shooting 3 of 18.....from the 3 point line. Or hitting just 20 of 33 from the foul line. Let's just hope ......you needed a game like this one...to get it out of your system.




Some .....things...I think ........I think.......

I think it's hot.....my body ...knows...it's hot. In this southern college town, today....it was 99 degrees.....and humid.....and very uncomfortable.

I think ......Obama needs to lighten up with all the TV commercials.....one every ten minutes it seems. All it's doing is pissing off the conservatives......don't peak too early.....Save it for November, man.

I don't think my "DIRECTV" likes the heat either....several channels are digitally .....screwed up in the heat of the day......only to come back to normal....when the sun goes down. Go figure.

I think....I'm tired.....at least my eyelids are.......and the rest of me will follow.

Have a great Hump Day.

Happy Trails...........July

Goodbye..........July.......

You blessed this blog with a record 42 posts........Thanks!

July ......saw the NBA's Seattle team leave for Oklahoma City.......An all Williams sister Wimbledon final.......Fireworks on the 4th........The MLB All-star game.

We had .........the Reverend Jesse Jackson putting his foot in his mouth.....A-Rod's divorce.......The ESPY's..........and 4 very good "Hump Days".

We saw Barack Obama increase his lead in the polls........The USA basketball team tuning up for Beijing.......Beijing, banning blacks from bars........

You also gave us that "Brett Favre" fiasco.......you could have kept that.

July........you were indeed.......very entertaining.

And in this southern college town.......you gave us heat.......My , my, was it hot .

Could it be..........global warming? When I was a child.....it didn't seem this hot. Or ....am I just getting old?

Anyway.......happy trails........July.