Author: robm

It’s Little League World Series time! The time of year that fans, parents, coaches, and ESPN put an unthinkable amount of pressure on young boys! Good times! Seriously though, these are some extremely talented kids and dedicated, caring coaches. The amount of dedication, time and expense to get to this level is insane. I coached baseball for over a decade at that level, and never saw an ounce of the pressure that these young men are seeing now. Maybe it’s just a game, but right now whether anyone likes it or not, these are games that will define these kids…

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Anyone ever have a few too many? You know, you are out with friends, one thing (drink) leads to another, and next thing you know you are doing magic tricks, singing karaoke, and dancing like no one is watching? Of course you have! Except EVERYONE is watching, and probably judging just a little if we are being honest. It’s too bad, it really is. We should all be able to cut loose from time to time and blow off steam! You know what happens to steam when it doesn’t get blown off? Yea, it blows! Recently Finnish Prime Minister Sanna…

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The X Files movie that was released in 2008, adapted from the famous 1990’s television show was entitled “I Want to Believe”. Well, considering all of the high-quality pictures and footage that has leaked out in the last couple years, do you? I do. Always have. It has just always seemed perfectly reasonable to me that if the universe was ever expanding into infinity, the odds of us being the only intelligent life were infinitesimal. Sometimes I wonder if we even qualify as intelligent life. Just look at the 2020 election! I digress. No, I’ve always felt it’s a level…

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It’s a dangerous world out there folks! We have climate change trying to murder us all, Antifa thugs in every major American city, rampant gun violence in blue cities, you have to keep your head on a swivel people! We have nuclear threats from foreign powers, BLM riots, cars that drive themselves, alligators, sharks attacking; probably best to not even leave your basement. Just be careful not to get bitten by a brown recluse spider! They live in basements and can be deadly! Yep, I’m freaking myself out here! It’s bad enough that half the food we eat is killing…

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Late night television is a wasteland, is it not? Gone are the days of Carson, Letterman, Leno; replaced by embarrassments like Seth Myers, Stephen Colbert, and the consistently unfunny Trevor Noah. Nope, just not much reason to stay up past 11 unless it’s to binge Seinfeld reruns or watch sports ball. Even old favorites like Saturday Night Live are nothing more than rotting husks of what they used to be. The focus has shifted from real humor to low hanging political fruit. Speaking of low hanging political humor, Trevor Noah, famous mostly for getting a late-night show despite having no…

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Do we really need to fly passengers faster than the speed of sound? Really? Back in the 70’s the Concorde jet famously zipped people around the globe at supersonic speed, and for supersonic prices. The average round trip price was 12,000 dollars. Mostly because the aircraft used so much fuel, approximately one ton per seat. That’s a lot of gas, kids. I remember at least a couple times as a kid hearing the sonic “boom” from the plane as it crossed my part of the country. Of course, if you didn’t realize what the boom was, it was a bit…

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I’ve never been a Sesame Street guy. Growing up, we watched more Electric Company. The thought of Morgan Freeman with an afro and platform shoes still makes me smile. https://twitter.com/GodzChild4eva/status/1452696702507421707?s=20&t=IsgeQNEXGWC8CNdrXOmNSg Maybe it’s my aversion to puppets. I don’t even like Muppets. Their dangly legs and soulless eyes freak me out. Remember Kermit the Frog riding a bike? How does that not sneak into everyone’s nightmares occasionally? I did allow Sesame Street VHS tapes to serve as a de facto babysitter on occasion, however. Hey, I was a single dad at the time, don’t judge me! Notice I said VHS tape.…

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I remember the first Indiana Jones movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 1981. It was fantastic, mindless popcorn fun. Harrison Ford was fresh off, and still in the middle of the Star Wars saga, America was deep in a recession, and the Cold War was still a thing. It was fun seeing Indy beat up Nazis! Fast forward forty-one years and three sequels later, and Harrison Ford is set to revisit Indiana Jones possibly one last time. At 80 years old, it might seem a bit of a reach for Ford to be attempting another Indiana Jones movie anyway.…

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Anyone remember when MTV actually played music? I do! It was fantastic. MTV launched the careers of so many bands that never would have made it in a pre-internet world.  Of course, that’s not ALWAYS a good thing, did we need Milli Vanilli? However, as a cultural force that helped shape the landscape in the 80’s and 90’s MTV can’t be underestimated. Sadly, it is a far cry from what it once was. The proliferation of low-cost, high-profit game shows, reality shows and similar programming basically squeezed the “M” out of MTV. Personally, I haven’t watched for years. Not even…

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Disney has had a rough 2022. First, they tangle with Heavy D, Ron DeSantis and get their bottoms spanked, then undercover audio of high-level meetings discussing their “queer” agenda in their movies is leaked. Yikes. Rough year! Of course, Disney continues to double down on the bad decisions, even as their stock prices stagnate like the American economy (thanks Brandon). After firing Johhny Depp from HIS role as Captain Jack, it appeared as if Disney was hell bent on self-destruction. Maybe not. Recently legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer hinted that a true “national treasure” might be reprising his most popular role.…

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Being a fellow of a certain age and having grown up in a rural part of Kentucky, if we got sick or injured as kids, we needed to be at deaths door before a doctor or hospital visit was considered. Part of what makes Gen Z great is our ability to walk things off. It’s not by choice, but just how we were raised. I can’t even tell you whether we had healthcare growing up, but I suspect if we did it was a very minimum amount of coverage. Basically the “Safe Auto” version of healthcare. Hence the need for…

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I still consider the movie Jaws to be one of the scariest I’ve ever seen. Not because the movie was even really as much scary as tense, but because I was about 10 years old, and it haunted my dreams. Now, whether my ten-year-old self had any business seeing Jaws is debatable. You’d have to take that up with my late parents. Good luck. What I will say, is that a movie like Jaws instilled a real fear into people about exactly what is lurking in the ocean that wants nothing more than to murder you. Box jellyfish, sharks, rays,…

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Everyone remember Lia Thomas? The shifty dude that was allowed to dominate the women in the pool, and creep them out in the locker room? You should, as Thomas dominated the news cycle, subsequently causing Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines to finally speak out in defense of women’s sports. There have been several other stories involving biological men competing and dominating more fringe sports like surfing and skateboarding, but no men have attempted to compete in any of the major professional sports. Until now. A biological male named Hailey Davidson is currently close to nailing down an LPGA tour card, taking…

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It’s that time of year folks! Football is back in the air. While the crisp fall temperatures aren’t quite here yet, all the hope and speculation and fresh enthusiasm are on full display across the country. I’m a huge pro football fan, and college to a much lesser extent, but pro football is my game. There are already a number of story lines shaping up, from a certain quarterback in Cleveland that is missing 11 games for being a perv, to suspensions for a couple other key players. One of the biggest story lines thus far is the situation with…

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I’m not a big swimmer, or a big lake guy. I have friends that are, they love nothing better than being on the lake or river for a weekend. Unfortunately, my overly fertile imagination thinks it knows what’s in there. Snakes, giant catfish that can swallow a man whole, turtles, dead bodies, trash and chemicals; no thanks, I’ll just stay on the shore and wait to call for help. Did I mention the brain eating amoebas? Probably should, because they are real, and they will eat your brain. While I suspect Democrats are safe, after all they are BRAIN eating…

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Florida is such a lovely state. Sun, sand, bikini babes, the Governor, Heavy D. I love everything about Florida. Ok, so maybe not everything. The giant bugs, the Panthers, the pythons, the pit vipers, the meth heads, Disney, lightning strikes; you get the idea? Oh, and the alligators. Don’t forget about the gators. Of course, how could you? They are literally everywhere. The country, the city, the parks, the woods, the canals, the lakes and swamps. I’ve even seen them in downtown St. Petersburg. For the most part if you respect them and leave them alone, they won’t bother you.…

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It’s been a great summer of concerts! Even Ticketmaster and their predatory practices haven’t ruined my summer. Some legends finally got back on the road after over two years of Covid delays. In fact, just a few short months ago, many were skeptical that the concert scene would ever rebound. Well, they were wrong big time. 2022 has seen strong attendance and a surge in artists both big and small getting back on the road. Of course, with people finally getting back out to see live music, I have seen more than the usual share of bad behavior thus far…

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Remember when flash mobs were a thing? You’d be sitting in the mall food court, enjoying an Auntie Em pretzel and 15 or 20 people would all stop what they were pretending to be doing and a giant dance party would break out! Fun! Well, just like everything else good and fun, criminals ruin it! Ok, so it’s not exactly technically a flash mob, but criminals are now overwhelming small businesses with sheer numbers and just grabbing and running. What’s the typical convenience store going to do when they have three employees and 15 people overwhelm them with the intent…

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It’s been a tough stretch for American pride, no? Heroes are in short supply. We have a soft generation of kids hiding behind computer screens, kids getting trophies just for showing up, and most of our college campuses are littered with “safe spaces” in case someone needs a good cry. Yep, anymore you see as many snowflakes in the summer as you do the winter. What America needs is a hero! A steady force for good to emerge from the shadows and remind us of what being an American is all about! We need Joey Chestnut! Joey Chestnut is the…

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I love a nice sunset walk on the beach. I actually like a nice sunrise run on the beach as well. Suffice to say, I love the beach. I especially love the Gulf of Mexico beaches. Don’t @ me, but the beaches on the Atlantic are trash by comparison. Rough surf that is constantly trying to murder you, colder water, shelly sand as opposed to the white powder of the gulf side. Yep, no contest for me. Did I mention the treasure that occasionally wash up on Gulf beaches? Starfish, sand dollars, conch shells, kilos of the finest Mexican booger…

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I would assume by now everyone has seen the Facebook story or the meme about the CEO of the Seattle company that took a pay cut to raise all his employees to 70K a year? He claimed that business and profits skyrocketed, and his employees were all super happy. It’s a popular meme, and one of the rallying cries for higher minimum wages, even though all the claims weren’t quite accurate. Doesn’t matter, only conservatives get fact checked on Facebook. The CEO is Dan Price, and he has the surfer dude long hair and good looks. If I worked for…

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Anyone remember taxi cabs? You know, those yellow cars zipping around large cities and ridiculous speed, weaving in and out of traffic. Usually smelled vaguely of vomit? Yea, the good old days. Taxis are scarce and hard to get in many parts of the country, having been replaced by rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. This is a good thing in many regards, as the rideshare drivers are vetted, the cars have safety and cleanliness standards, and the cost is often lower than a taxi. However, if you don’t know what you are doing, or have had a few too…

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I’ll freely admit, I don’t understand other countries sports. What the hell is cricket? I sort of looks like baseball with flat bats and weird pads. Aussie rules football? It looks like an old game we played as kids called “kill the man with the ball”. Not so much fun. Handball? Sounds simple enough, but no clue. Even soccer and hockey’s rules evade me. Rugby is a savage sport. A bunch of really large dudes with no pads, helmets, or sense it would seem beat the living hell out of each other and roll on the ground a lot. I’m…

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What’s better than a late-night run through everyone’s favorite Mexican joint, Taco Bell? Ok, lots of things to be honest, but after having beverages or hanging out late partying, a Mexican Pizza and a couple of soft tacos really hit the spot. Don’t @ me on this, but the hard shells are trash. Ever try to eat a hard-shell taco while driving? You will be stain treating your shirt and vacuuming your car for days. They literally explode. Nope, a nice soft, steamy warm flour shell is the way to go. Maybe a side of pintos and cheese. Some guac…

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Let’s face it, the golden age of funny Hollywood movies is over. Cancel culture only allows us to laugh at what they deem fit. It sucks, but we have let it get to that point. Could you imagine some of the iconic comedy movies from the last twenty years getting made now? The Hangover? Nope. Superbad? Hell no. Get Him to the Greek? No way. Horrible Bosses? Definitely not. Nope, you can’t make movies anymore unless they have gay, trans, non-binary people of all colors in it. While that may be a slight exaggeration, rest assure, it’s only slight. Jamie…

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These are some strange days folks, no denying it. Just think about what’s been going on in the world the last several years. You have a reality star president (and a damn good one), a world where you can’t find baby formula one week, and toilet paper the next, a global pandemic that turned out to be one of the biggest scams in human history, need I go on? Oh, did I mention Kanye West is selling his clothing line in GAP stores out of trash bags? Yep, you read that right. Let’s rummage through Outkick for the details: The…

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How about some good news for a change? There’s enough strife, death, sadness and turmoil going on to last us all a lifetime. We have to celebrate and hold on to whatever good news we can. Too many of the heroes and icons of our youth are dying. I understand of course that it’s inevitable, but it doesn’t make it any less sad. Everyone dies, and times change, even Alex Trebek finally succumbed to cancer. Cancer sucks. That just means when we get good news, we hang on extra hard. Anyone that has ever watched a college basketball game undoubtedly…

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I like to think I have patience and persistence. Having kids’ kind of requires it. I also hate thieves. Nothing burns me up more than knowing someone was rifling through my car or my backpack or my house. Just a completely violated feeling. One time in particular I remember some of my sons’ stuff being stolen during football practice in middle school. My kid knew what was taken and who may have committed the thievery but had no way of proving it. However, that didn’t stop my wife and I from doing some amateur sleuthing of our own. We knew…

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What’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done? Maybe a little shoplifting as a teenager? Sneak out of the house after the parents went to bed? (We always knew). Had a few too many and sent some unfortunate drunk texts? Point is, we all do dumb stuff occasionally. The key is to not hurt anyone, including yourself. Also, really not a good idea to break the law. I’d also suggest NOT jacking a car and attempting a foot race with a police dog. That is never going to work out. At least for the runner. The police dog is going to…

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People find lots of creative ways to smuggle contraband into prison. It goes beyond the old trope of a cake with a file baked inside. Gotta do better than that these days. Body scanners, x ray machines, pat downs, you have to be pretty crafty to get a couple Snickers bars and some heaters into lock up. Now, I know we all know how this is usually done. Since this is a family article, I’ll spare you the nasty details. Suffice to say, it’s a crappy job. I guess you could bribe a guard. That seems to work on television…

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