Sports (& music) Sunday

I took Hilda home and I am relaxing. The Blues Festival was outstanding ... to me, at least. Hilda does not share my fascination with all the myriad types of musical expressions extant. In fact, I am now watching Austin City Limits on PBS ... with Ivan Neville and The New Orleans Social Club. With special guests "Sweet" Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball and Cyril Neville. But, back to Hilda. She loves me enough to go to all these musical events, even if she doesn't enjoy all those types of music. She does like the crafts booths and all the people wandering around. I don't know, though, if she will make the Bluegrass Festival later this month.

Cousin Dean: I am sorry that your Ravens lost a close one to Carolina today. But I hear that they didn't play their best and that Steve Smith had a great day in his comeback for Carolina. In the 'Best of the Day' stuff on the sports channels I saw a couple of great, weird bounces the Ravens got. I see also (didn't get to watch any games .... except the beginnings of the morning games, Seahawks-Rams and Cowboys-Texans) that New Orleans beat the Eagles and Eli Manning's Giants beat Michael Vick's Falcons. This year seems to be a year of lots of wins or no wins. There's like 5 teams who are still winless I think. My long time team .. since 1964 .. the Oakland /L.A./Oakland RAIDERS, will not be good again until Al Davis either dies or gives up control of the team. Old Al used to be a great football mind ... but he lost it a few years ago (5 +) and has never regained control of whatever intelligence and/or football knowledge that he once possessed. He was the original coach ... early 60's ... before he bought into and eventually bought the team. And tonight, the news that the coach suspended Jerry Porter for insubordination. They need to rid themselves of all these problem child / head cases. As do most of the pro teams in all sports. There is no such thing as a "TEAM" sport in the U.S. anymore. It is the "stars" who dictate what the team and the coaches do. It's a sad time in sports.