Welcome to the first Steve's Blog of the New-Half-Year and Happy Father's Day to all Dads!
No, I'm not going on vacation JUST YET. I will be vacating the premises on July 1st, a Monday in case you're interested, and heading for Pennsylvania's beautiful Dutch Country, Harrisburg and Hershey to be exact, and returning the following Saturday, or July 6th, to be exact.
A few clarifications are in order: The name "Dutch" has nothing to do with Holland. When the members of the Amish sect settled in Pennsylvania and asked for their nationality, they said, "Deutsch," or German, which was eventually misinterpeted as "Dutch," and the name stuck,and as for why I'm leaving the Big Apple when they're celebrating the 4th of July with a huge fireworks spectacular, first of all, I'LL BE BACK (to quote the Governator) and second of all,I like to celebrate some of the different 4th of Julys in the many cities and towns that make up this great country. During that time, there will be no Steve's Blog, but a randomly-selected group of close,warm personal friends will receiving postcards and emails,and this Blog will return in all its glory when I come back on the 6th.
I know that Harrisburg is neither as cosmopolitan as Philadelphia or as Blue Collar as Pittsburgh, but, in addition to nearby Hershey (and its park, which has been regarded as equal or superior, depending on who you ask) to Walt Disney World, it still has a lot to recommend it, from a State Museum to Second Street, which boasts a veritable plethora of restaurants AND a comedy club. While I have nothing against Small Town USA, I often like to visit nearby cities to get a balanced travel experience.(And they DO have the Washington Nationals-affiliated Harrisburg Senators.) Thoughts?
Well, that's it for the "OK-Let's-Get-June-Over-With-And-Get-Into-July" portion of Steve's Blog, but I've got some time before that, and I'll check in before I get out of here.
Comments and questions are welcome, the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Google who has enough to worry about, portions of the preceding show were last seen looking for their sunscreen. On behalf
of the management and staff, this is your announcer reminding you,stay cool, drive carefully, and...
...BYE, BUCKAROOS!
Steve
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Steve's Postgame Report
Hi, I'm Steve,and I do a blog.
Just in case your memory needed a jog.
I've been doing this since the middle of May
With the hopes that it will brighten your day.
Every November, just before Yule,
My mom and I, neither the fool,
Send our friends a Holiday Newsletter,
In the hopes the New Year will start off better.
She relates the personal events of the year,
And I give the world news, and some Holiday Cheer.
And I'm now the boss of my own web log show,
I'd like to remind you, in case you didn't know,
2013 is nearly over, and a New Year awaits.
(We hope there's not a burly barbarian at the gates.)
So, borrowing a page from the wide world of sport,
I proudly present STEVE'S POSTGAME REPORT!
The East Coast is proving we're Stronger Than The Storm,
But Oklahoma and the Phillipines are nowhere near the norm.
As they rebuild schools and offices and try to replace each loss,
I hope you'll find it in your heart to help the Red Cross.
Bostonians beat the British at Bunker Hill,
And they are an indomitable bunch still.
They won't let two idiots cramp their style,
As they show their resillience and get back their smile.
Even though it may sound like I'm backing the wrong jocks,
Congratulations to the World Champion Boston Red Sox!
What is wrong with the sports teams of New York?
Giants,Jets,Knicks and Rangers all made me feel like a dork.
But, all other baseball fans, get your hankies,
Derek Jeter has one more year to captain the Yankees!
If, of action heroes, you're a big fan,
You'll find MAN OF STEEL to be super,man!
Two fave soaps are back, with more stories to give.
Yes, ALL MY CHILDREN, they don't just have ONE LIFE TO LIVE!
(Actually,ABC ordered the producers to kick ONE LIFE out of the house,
'Cause they OWNED the characters. How mickey-mouse!)
THE INTERNSHIP is one big Google infomercial.
It makes THE GONG SHOW MOVIE seem controversial!
Hunger Games fans, you have a new flick to savor.
Enjoy CATCHING FIRE, and may the odds be ever in your favor!
When it comes to Fall TV, LUCKY 7 was the worst.
Happy 50th, DOCTOR WHO! You'll always be on first!
I thought Joe Lhota was going to be Mayor,
But Bill deBlasio is now going to be there,
And I thought about skipping town and picking Toronto,
But they have their OWN crazy Mayor, so I guess THAT'S a no.
(I predicted their CFL team would win the Grey Cup,
But Saskatchewan is now hoisting that bad boy up.)
On a somber note, it was almost one year,
That a gunman filled a school full of kids with fear
And the rest of the nation shivered and shook.
We'll never forget you. God bless the kids of Sandy Hook.
Well, that's about it, Smurfs and Smurfettes,
Tell this blogger if there's anything that he forgets.
I'm at steveneisenpreis.blogspot.com with more takes on the news.
Happy Holidays,Happy New Year, AND...
...BYE,BUCKAROOS!
Steve
Just in case your memory needed a jog.
I've been doing this since the middle of May
With the hopes that it will brighten your day.
Every November, just before Yule,
My mom and I, neither the fool,
Send our friends a Holiday Newsletter,
In the hopes the New Year will start off better.
She relates the personal events of the year,
And I give the world news, and some Holiday Cheer.
And I'm now the boss of my own web log show,
I'd like to remind you, in case you didn't know,
2013 is nearly over, and a New Year awaits.
(We hope there's not a burly barbarian at the gates.)
So, borrowing a page from the wide world of sport,
I proudly present STEVE'S POSTGAME REPORT!
The East Coast is proving we're Stronger Than The Storm,
But Oklahoma and the Phillipines are nowhere near the norm.
As they rebuild schools and offices and try to replace each loss,
I hope you'll find it in your heart to help the Red Cross.
Bostonians beat the British at Bunker Hill,
And they are an indomitable bunch still.
They won't let two idiots cramp their style,
As they show their resillience and get back their smile.
Even though it may sound like I'm backing the wrong jocks,
Congratulations to the World Champion Boston Red Sox!
What is wrong with the sports teams of New York?
Giants,Jets,Knicks and Rangers all made me feel like a dork.
But, all other baseball fans, get your hankies,
Derek Jeter has one more year to captain the Yankees!
If, of action heroes, you're a big fan,
You'll find MAN OF STEEL to be super,man!
Two fave soaps are back, with more stories to give.
Yes, ALL MY CHILDREN, they don't just have ONE LIFE TO LIVE!
(Actually,ABC ordered the producers to kick ONE LIFE out of the house,
'Cause they OWNED the characters. How mickey-mouse!)
THE INTERNSHIP is one big Google infomercial.
It makes THE GONG SHOW MOVIE seem controversial!
Hunger Games fans, you have a new flick to savor.
Enjoy CATCHING FIRE, and may the odds be ever in your favor!
When it comes to Fall TV, LUCKY 7 was the worst.
Happy 50th, DOCTOR WHO! You'll always be on first!
I thought Joe Lhota was going to be Mayor,
But Bill deBlasio is now going to be there,
And I thought about skipping town and picking Toronto,
But they have their OWN crazy Mayor, so I guess THAT'S a no.
(I predicted their CFL team would win the Grey Cup,
But Saskatchewan is now hoisting that bad boy up.)
On a somber note, it was almost one year,
That a gunman filled a school full of kids with fear
And the rest of the nation shivered and shook.
We'll never forget you. God bless the kids of Sandy Hook.
Well, that's about it, Smurfs and Smurfettes,
Tell this blogger if there's anything that he forgets.
I'm at steveneisenpreis.blogspot.com with more takes on the news.
Happy Holidays,Happy New Year, AND...
...BYE,BUCKAROOS!
Steve
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Horsing Around On The Guyland
A FEW THINGS I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF:
First, this is not Blog Number 11, but Blog Number 10! Please update your scorecards as I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
Second, I did NOT get an interview with NBC's multitalented sports and entertainment reporter Michelle Beadle, but I promise, folks, the next time I see her in person and I can actually spend as much time with her as her retinue will allow, I WILL get her reaction on what the Garden guys (as opposed to the Liberty) should do in the off-season,Joss Whedon's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, (Is his low-budget update better than his blockbuster MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS?) and becoming the sole anchor of her NBC Sports Network show THE CONNECTION. (For all you diet freaks, I will ask her if she still likes fried everything, especially at the State Fair Of Texas.)
(Speaking of movies, MAN OF STEEL had its Metropolis, I mean, NEW YORK premiere last night at Lincoln Center! This Warner Bros.-Syncopy-Legendary-DC Entertainment epic is about to rewrite one of pop culture's greatest legends with a super-sensational cast, but you can ONLY find it at a theatre or IMAX theatre near you! Rated PG-13, which means it MAY be a little intense for Mr. Kent's younger fans!)
Now, on to our main piece of business, namely Belmont Stakes 144. The final jewel of the VISA Triple Crown Challenge, this Super Bowl of horse racing has been known as the standard by which all other races are judged. Although Orb won in "Lou-a-ville"(The Kentucky Derby) and Oxbow caused an incident in "Balmer," (The Preakness) Palace Malace earned a nice piece of change right here in "Noo Yawk."
Actually, the whole thing happened in Nassau County, Long Island, or, as the natives call it, "Lon Guyland."
Traditionally, I like to get up VERRRRRRRY early on Belmont Stakes Day, pack some reading matter and my radio in my backpack, walk over to Penn Station, and get my ticket for the Racetrack Special, as it's officially billed. This year, the Boston Marathon tragedy took precedence over everything, and, so, I had to leave the backpack home. Thanks for nothing, Borat and Borat 2.(I'm following the lead of Boston Herald collumnist and WRKO talk host Howie Carr and refusing to dignify those two by calling them by their real names.)
When I got to Belmont Park, the thing that really took my breath away was how beautiful the place looks with all the renovations that accompany every Stakes Day. Two security checks after you get off the train, (The guys know their jobs better than the TSA knows THEIRS! There was this guy who wanted to take his young 'un on a guy's trip to Belmont, but he made the mistake of loading a backpack with trail mix. That must have been a VERY short trip!) you enter the Grandstand, for the most part, a tribute to Old Belmont in all its glory,but as you go through the first of two doors, you enter the Winners' Circle, a themed area paying tribute to Belmont and its sister tracks, Aqueduct (in Queens), and Saratoga (Come for the racing, stay for the casino and American Revolution history.) as well as New York's professional sports teams. (I DO have a few complaints: The Yankee Ball-Bat-And-Hat Logo appeared above a picture taken at Aqueduct, and much as I hate the Nets for moving to Brooklyn and becoming the NBA's answer to pro wrestling's nWo, (Go to http://www.wikipedia.org for the complete story.) I also believe the New York Racing Association, Belmont's owner,made a major mistake by still using the New JERSEY Nets logo one year after they moved out of the Prudential Center in Newark.)
Another set of doors and a paltry admission fee later, you enter the Clubhouse, the closest thing Belmont has to a Hall Of Fame.Photos from past Stakes races and Breeders' Cup Days line the walls, and, although unlike other museums, there are no interactive exhibits in the traditional sense,you CAN watch replays of recent races.
On Belmont Stakes Day, THE place to be is the Belmont Backyard, right across from the turf track,and just a quick walk downstairs from everywhere. Racing fans can buy souvenirs, chow down on authentic Philly cheese steaks and Carolina BBQ, rock out to cover bands,meet racing legends from iconic jock Jerry Bailey to the Budweiser Clydesdales,win free stuff from radio station prize vans, and catch up on the action on the main track on screens large and small. (The little ones can shake hooves with Belle and Monty, the track's mascots,and have their own fun in Belmont's supervised on-premises play area right next to the music stage.) A special theatre screens simulcasts of races from other tracks such as The Meadowlands, Pimlico, Churchill Downs, parx (Spelling and capitalization theirs) in New Jersey, Santa Anita, and parks in the UK and Australia, and it, and the Backyard, are accessible from the Ground Floor of the main Belmont building,but screens all over the park carry the simulcasts.
However, TWO IMPORTANT THINGS ARE MISSING! The kids no longer have their Amusement Arcade, which featured a simulation ride which showed kids what it was like to be in the saddle and on the track, classic video games, and the "arm game," and the grown-ups no longer have their Barber Shop! On the plus side, the play area assuages parental concerns about kids getting all "videogramed" out and although I loved the barber who owned the shop, one year it was so hot HE CUT ALL MY HAIR OFF! That's right, friends, I ended up looking like Telly Savalas! When I got home, I said hi to my mom and took off my hat. Ten seconds later, she passed right out and I almost called 911! Another good thing about the Belmont Barber Shop going out of business is that the room is available to sell anything from cigars (last year) to unsold merch from past Belmont Stakes Days (this year).
"Hey, Stupid! What about the races themselves?," I hear you shout. First of all, DON'T CALL ME STUPID! (One of the nice people who suggested this blog you're reading, Phantastic Phoebe Cates,has the good taste to be married to Kevin Kline, a very talented actor famous for, among MANY other things, the comedy A FISH CALLED WANDA, wherin he spake those very words. If you saw that movie, you know that character was nobody's genius!) Second of all, for the first two races I bet, I broke one of the cardinal rules of horse racing: FUNNY NAMES DON'T WIN RACES! Eclipse-award winning journalist Sharon B.Smith once said, "If your name is Secretariat, congratulations! If your name is Suzy Slowpoke, you may have to get into another line of work." Not an exact quote, but I'm sure you get the gist.For the first race, the NBC Sports, I bet on DoIAmuseYou because I remember the way Joe Pesci delivered that line in "Goodfellas,"("WHAT KINDA FUNNY AM I? AM I A CLOWN? DO I AMUSE YOU?") but DoIAmuseYou...didn't. I tried another funny name for the fourth race, the RTN True North, (Sponsored by Racetrack Television Network,who's hitting the interwebs with its RTN Total Trackcess Online/Tablet/Mobile Package. For more, visit http://www.rtn.tv and enter promo code BELMONT2013.) and I bet the odds. I made a nice piece of change, and I kept getting cash back on the Woody Stephens (named for racing's winningest trainer) and the Manhattan, but as for the mane, I mean the MAIN EVENT,
here's how the horses did:
WIN PLACE SHOW
W PALACE MALACE $29.60 US $11.20 $6.70
P OXBOW $9.90 6.10
S ORB 3.90
Here's how I did:
I bet on Orb because (A) he won the Derby and (B) "orbing" is how Leo Wyatt, a Guardian Angel, or as he called himself, a "Whitelighter," moved between Heaven and Earth without waiting for Delta Air Lines on the TV show CHARMED. I got the short end of the stick, but my friend Alice wanted Oxbow, so, she's the proud winner of 15 somoleons. (Not a huge windfall, but still.)
All week long, the local weather guys predicted that the horses would be wearing water wings,but it turned out to be a nice sunny day with the high coming in at 75 degrees F, and the main track became Fast, which may have not been so good for the rest of the field, but it beat the heck out of Muddy.
You've been reading the "All-In-Favor-Say-Neigh" portion of Steve's Blog starring Steve "Seabiscuit" Eisenpreis. Comments and questions are welcome, and the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Google who has enough to worry about. (Reader is referred to http://news.google.com and encouraged to click the "Google,Inc." heading. I wonder why Google doesn't disclose they OWN that site? The next sound you hear is Murrow and Cronkite doing a combined 720 in their respective graves.)Portions of the preceding show were last seen at the betting window.On behalf of the management and staff, this is your announcer reminding you to log on to http://www.nyra.com and find them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more information on Belmont Park. At least you don't hear THOSE athletes complaining that they need more
money!
Bye, Buckaroos! (Which reminds me, I oughta start taking a course in Trigger-nometry! Sorry, the whole horse thing!)
Steve
First, this is not Blog Number 11, but Blog Number 10! Please update your scorecards as I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
Second, I did NOT get an interview with NBC's multitalented sports and entertainment reporter Michelle Beadle, but I promise, folks, the next time I see her in person and I can actually spend as much time with her as her retinue will allow, I WILL get her reaction on what the Garden guys (as opposed to the Liberty) should do in the off-season,Joss Whedon's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, (Is his low-budget update better than his blockbuster MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS?) and becoming the sole anchor of her NBC Sports Network show THE CONNECTION. (For all you diet freaks, I will ask her if she still likes fried everything, especially at the State Fair Of Texas.)
(Speaking of movies, MAN OF STEEL had its Metropolis, I mean, NEW YORK premiere last night at Lincoln Center! This Warner Bros.-Syncopy-Legendary-DC Entertainment epic is about to rewrite one of pop culture's greatest legends with a super-sensational cast, but you can ONLY find it at a theatre or IMAX theatre near you! Rated PG-13, which means it MAY be a little intense for Mr. Kent's younger fans!)
Now, on to our main piece of business, namely Belmont Stakes 144. The final jewel of the VISA Triple Crown Challenge, this Super Bowl of horse racing has been known as the standard by which all other races are judged. Although Orb won in "Lou-a-ville"(The Kentucky Derby) and Oxbow caused an incident in "Balmer," (The Preakness) Palace Malace earned a nice piece of change right here in "Noo Yawk."
Actually, the whole thing happened in Nassau County, Long Island, or, as the natives call it, "Lon Guyland."
Traditionally, I like to get up VERRRRRRRY early on Belmont Stakes Day, pack some reading matter and my radio in my backpack, walk over to Penn Station, and get my ticket for the Racetrack Special, as it's officially billed. This year, the Boston Marathon tragedy took precedence over everything, and, so, I had to leave the backpack home. Thanks for nothing, Borat and Borat 2.(I'm following the lead of Boston Herald collumnist and WRKO talk host Howie Carr and refusing to dignify those two by calling them by their real names.)
When I got to Belmont Park, the thing that really took my breath away was how beautiful the place looks with all the renovations that accompany every Stakes Day. Two security checks after you get off the train, (The guys know their jobs better than the TSA knows THEIRS! There was this guy who wanted to take his young 'un on a guy's trip to Belmont, but he made the mistake of loading a backpack with trail mix. That must have been a VERY short trip!) you enter the Grandstand, for the most part, a tribute to Old Belmont in all its glory,but as you go through the first of two doors, you enter the Winners' Circle, a themed area paying tribute to Belmont and its sister tracks, Aqueduct (in Queens), and Saratoga (Come for the racing, stay for the casino and American Revolution history.) as well as New York's professional sports teams. (I DO have a few complaints: The Yankee Ball-Bat-And-Hat Logo appeared above a picture taken at Aqueduct, and much as I hate the Nets for moving to Brooklyn and becoming the NBA's answer to pro wrestling's nWo, (Go to http://www.wikipedia.org for the complete story.) I also believe the New York Racing Association, Belmont's owner,made a major mistake by still using the New JERSEY Nets logo one year after they moved out of the Prudential Center in Newark.)
Another set of doors and a paltry admission fee later, you enter the Clubhouse, the closest thing Belmont has to a Hall Of Fame.Photos from past Stakes races and Breeders' Cup Days line the walls, and, although unlike other museums, there are no interactive exhibits in the traditional sense,you CAN watch replays of recent races.
On Belmont Stakes Day, THE place to be is the Belmont Backyard, right across from the turf track,and just a quick walk downstairs from everywhere. Racing fans can buy souvenirs, chow down on authentic Philly cheese steaks and Carolina BBQ, rock out to cover bands,meet racing legends from iconic jock Jerry Bailey to the Budweiser Clydesdales,win free stuff from radio station prize vans, and catch up on the action on the main track on screens large and small. (The little ones can shake hooves with Belle and Monty, the track's mascots,and have their own fun in Belmont's supervised on-premises play area right next to the music stage.) A special theatre screens simulcasts of races from other tracks such as The Meadowlands, Pimlico, Churchill Downs, parx (Spelling and capitalization theirs) in New Jersey, Santa Anita, and parks in the UK and Australia, and it, and the Backyard, are accessible from the Ground Floor of the main Belmont building,but screens all over the park carry the simulcasts.
However, TWO IMPORTANT THINGS ARE MISSING! The kids no longer have their Amusement Arcade, which featured a simulation ride which showed kids what it was like to be in the saddle and on the track, classic video games, and the "arm game," and the grown-ups no longer have their Barber Shop! On the plus side, the play area assuages parental concerns about kids getting all "videogramed" out and although I loved the barber who owned the shop, one year it was so hot HE CUT ALL MY HAIR OFF! That's right, friends, I ended up looking like Telly Savalas! When I got home, I said hi to my mom and took off my hat. Ten seconds later, she passed right out and I almost called 911! Another good thing about the Belmont Barber Shop going out of business is that the room is available to sell anything from cigars (last year) to unsold merch from past Belmont Stakes Days (this year).
"Hey, Stupid! What about the races themselves?," I hear you shout. First of all, DON'T CALL ME STUPID! (One of the nice people who suggested this blog you're reading, Phantastic Phoebe Cates,has the good taste to be married to Kevin Kline, a very talented actor famous for, among MANY other things, the comedy A FISH CALLED WANDA, wherin he spake those very words. If you saw that movie, you know that character was nobody's genius!) Second of all, for the first two races I bet, I broke one of the cardinal rules of horse racing: FUNNY NAMES DON'T WIN RACES! Eclipse-award winning journalist Sharon B.Smith once said, "If your name is Secretariat, congratulations! If your name is Suzy Slowpoke, you may have to get into another line of work." Not an exact quote, but I'm sure you get the gist.For the first race, the NBC Sports, I bet on DoIAmuseYou because I remember the way Joe Pesci delivered that line in "Goodfellas,"("WHAT KINDA FUNNY AM I? AM I A CLOWN? DO I AMUSE YOU?") but DoIAmuseYou...didn't. I tried another funny name for the fourth race, the RTN True North, (Sponsored by Racetrack Television Network,who's hitting the interwebs with its RTN Total Trackcess Online/Tablet/Mobile Package. For more, visit http://www.rtn.tv and enter promo code BELMONT2013.) and I bet the odds. I made a nice piece of change, and I kept getting cash back on the Woody Stephens (named for racing's winningest trainer) and the Manhattan, but as for the mane, I mean the MAIN EVENT,
here's how the horses did:
WIN PLACE SHOW
W PALACE MALACE $29.60 US $11.20 $6.70
P OXBOW $9.90 6.10
S ORB 3.90
Here's how I did:
I bet on Orb because (A) he won the Derby and (B) "orbing" is how Leo Wyatt, a Guardian Angel, or as he called himself, a "Whitelighter," moved between Heaven and Earth without waiting for Delta Air Lines on the TV show CHARMED. I got the short end of the stick, but my friend Alice wanted Oxbow, so, she's the proud winner of 15 somoleons. (Not a huge windfall, but still.)
All week long, the local weather guys predicted that the horses would be wearing water wings,but it turned out to be a nice sunny day with the high coming in at 75 degrees F, and the main track became Fast, which may have not been so good for the rest of the field, but it beat the heck out of Muddy.
You've been reading the "All-In-Favor-Say-Neigh" portion of Steve's Blog starring Steve "Seabiscuit" Eisenpreis. Comments and questions are welcome, and the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Google who has enough to worry about. (Reader is referred to http://news.google.com and encouraged to click the "Google,Inc." heading. I wonder why Google doesn't disclose they OWN that site? The next sound you hear is Murrow and Cronkite doing a combined 720 in their respective graves.)Portions of the preceding show were last seen at the betting window.On behalf of the management and staff, this is your announcer reminding you to log on to http://www.nyra.com and find them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more information on Belmont Park. At least you don't hear THOSE athletes complaining that they need more
money!
Bye, Buckaroos! (Which reminds me, I oughta start taking a course in Trigger-nometry! Sorry, the whole horse thing!)
Steve
Saturday, June 8, 2013
BREAKING NEWS:Here We Go, Bruins, Here We Go!
First of all, Steve's Blog is now A PERFECT TEN! (Mathematically speaking, anyways.)
Secondly, congratulations to the 2013 EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPION BOSTON BRUINS as they pack their skates and head towards the Madhouse on Madison Street, Chicago's famous United Center, with intent to scalp the Western Champion Blackhawks and win the oldest and greatest trophy in sports, the Stanley Cup.
I know what you're thinking: How can a NOO YAWKER root for a team from the home of the hated Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics? Well, O Curious One, (A) they beat my beloved New York Rangers fair and square, and (B) I can understand what the citizens of Beantown are going through after the events of the Marathon Bombing having dealt with the 9-11-01 attacks and the people of that great city deserve our support. (Mayor Thomas Menino's One Fund is still collecting donations at http://www.onefundboston.com .)
The B's have put up an incredible fight so far, but the toughest is yet to come. As a great man once said, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and while my Blueshirts and everybody else have been done in by the strike-shortened season, that has only helped the Bruins and 'Hawks power past the competition onto hockey's biggest stage.
LET'S GO BRUINS! Not just Because It's The Cup, but also because Bostonians have proven how strong and resillient they can truly be.
NEXT: A Belmont Stakes recap, and (I hope!) an interview with NBC's Michelle Beadle.
Until then, this is your announcer reminding the Bruins the Fat Lady isn't about to sing anytime soon! LET'S GO BRUINS!
(OBTW, If any of you have been following MARVEL'S ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN on Disney XD's Sunday morning MARVEL UNIVERSE block, you might have seen a hilarious episode entitled "Spidah-Man!" wherin the old Web-head becomes Boston's super protector. Can't give too much away, but it was simply MARVELous!)
Bye Buckaroos!
Steve
Secondly, congratulations to the 2013 EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPION BOSTON BRUINS as they pack their skates and head towards the Madhouse on Madison Street, Chicago's famous United Center, with intent to scalp the Western Champion Blackhawks and win the oldest and greatest trophy in sports, the Stanley Cup.
I know what you're thinking: How can a NOO YAWKER root for a team from the home of the hated Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics? Well, O Curious One, (A) they beat my beloved New York Rangers fair and square, and (B) I can understand what the citizens of Beantown are going through after the events of the Marathon Bombing having dealt with the 9-11-01 attacks and the people of that great city deserve our support. (Mayor Thomas Menino's One Fund is still collecting donations at http://www.onefundboston.com .)
The B's have put up an incredible fight so far, but the toughest is yet to come. As a great man once said, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and while my Blueshirts and everybody else have been done in by the strike-shortened season, that has only helped the Bruins and 'Hawks power past the competition onto hockey's biggest stage.
LET'S GO BRUINS! Not just Because It's The Cup, but also because Bostonians have proven how strong and resillient they can truly be.
NEXT: A Belmont Stakes recap, and (I hope!) an interview with NBC's Michelle Beadle.
Until then, this is your announcer reminding the Bruins the Fat Lady isn't about to sing anytime soon! LET'S GO BRUINS!
(OBTW, If any of you have been following MARVEL'S ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN on Disney XD's Sunday morning MARVEL UNIVERSE block, you might have seen a hilarious episode entitled "Spidah-Man!" wherin the old Web-head becomes Boston's super protector. Can't give too much away, but it was simply MARVELous!)
Bye Buckaroos!
Steve
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Mother of Babe Ruth, Is This The End of The Yankees?
Good morning, afternoon, or evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the last Steve's Blog...
..in the single digits! (HA! Made ya look!)
Hope you enjoyed that little taste of MAN OF STEEL starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon and Diane Lane, produced by Christopher ("The Dark Knight") Nolan and directed by
Zack ("300") Snyder, from Warner Bros., DC Entertainment and Syncopy,rated PG-13 and flying soon into a theatre near you! (And ONLY in theatres, accept no phony-baloney street vendor copies!) Oh, by the way, as we members of Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York are quick to point out, this movie is based on characters created by those nice Jewish boys, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster!
Ooooooooooookay, let's shift our focus from Kal-El to a real life superman, namely one Alexander Rodriguez who wears number 13 for the New York Yankees.A-Rod, as he was known to his fans in his prime, was one of the Yanks' superstars, but he was recently linked, alongside other players such as fellow ex-Yank Melky Cabrera. to a Miami anti-aging clinic called Biogenesis of America.
Alex's accomplishments are many, on and off the diamond, but recent events, and prior events, could be the Kryptonite that sends Alexander The Great crashing to the ground, possibly driving the nail into the coffin of
the once-mighty New York Yankees. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a fan of Yankee Pride and Tradition,but the players are becoming hollow shadows of their former invincible selves, and Derek Jeter, the face of the franchise, is still recovering from his off-season injuries. As a loyal Yankee fan, I would like to tell you now, folks, it does NOT do a fan good if John Sterling's crazy calls on WCBS 880 are overshadowed by Suzyn Waldman saying, "This call to the bullpen is brought to you by..." I don't mind when the visitor makes the pitching change, but I DO mind when the Yankees make the change.
Speaking of making change, the Yankee management needs to get out their checkbooks and make some trades. A twenty-eighth Yankee championship is an attainable reality only if the players and front office get their heads out of the sand and focus on the future. They may not be the 1996 Yanks with powers and abilities beyond those of other teams, but if A-Rod ditches the 'roids and returns to the peak of his super powers,the Yanks will continue their battle for truth, justice, and the World Series trophy.
You've been reading the "Alexander-The-Average-Just-Doesn't-Have-That-Same-Oomph" portion of Steve's Blog, produced by Super-Steve Eisenpreis. (Sorry, I just HAD to say it!) Your comments and questions are welcome, and the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Google, who, by the way, also has a movie coming out. ("The Internship," starring Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson, but whether anybody will see THAT is still up in the air, in a figurative sense, not like you know who.) Portions of the preceding show were last seen arguing over a road trip to Flushing. On behalf of the management and staff,, this is your announcer reminding you of the immortal words of Lex Luthor's father: "Get Out!" (Maybe the Yankee brass should say that to A-Rod!)
Up,up and away, Buckaroos!
Steve
..in the single digits! (HA! Made ya look!)
Hope you enjoyed that little taste of MAN OF STEEL starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon and Diane Lane, produced by Christopher ("The Dark Knight") Nolan and directed by
Zack ("300") Snyder, from Warner Bros., DC Entertainment and Syncopy,rated PG-13 and flying soon into a theatre near you! (And ONLY in theatres, accept no phony-baloney street vendor copies!) Oh, by the way, as we members of Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York are quick to point out, this movie is based on characters created by those nice Jewish boys, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster!
Ooooooooooookay, let's shift our focus from Kal-El to a real life superman, namely one Alexander Rodriguez who wears number 13 for the New York Yankees.A-Rod, as he was known to his fans in his prime, was one of the Yanks' superstars, but he was recently linked, alongside other players such as fellow ex-Yank Melky Cabrera. to a Miami anti-aging clinic called Biogenesis of America.
Alex's accomplishments are many, on and off the diamond, but recent events, and prior events, could be the Kryptonite that sends Alexander The Great crashing to the ground, possibly driving the nail into the coffin of
the once-mighty New York Yankees. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a fan of Yankee Pride and Tradition,but the players are becoming hollow shadows of their former invincible selves, and Derek Jeter, the face of the franchise, is still recovering from his off-season injuries. As a loyal Yankee fan, I would like to tell you now, folks, it does NOT do a fan good if John Sterling's crazy calls on WCBS 880 are overshadowed by Suzyn Waldman saying, "This call to the bullpen is brought to you by..." I don't mind when the visitor makes the pitching change, but I DO mind when the Yankees make the change.
Speaking of making change, the Yankee management needs to get out their checkbooks and make some trades. A twenty-eighth Yankee championship is an attainable reality only if the players and front office get their heads out of the sand and focus on the future. They may not be the 1996 Yanks with powers and abilities beyond those of other teams, but if A-Rod ditches the 'roids and returns to the peak of his super powers,the Yanks will continue their battle for truth, justice, and the World Series trophy.
You've been reading the "Alexander-The-Average-Just-Doesn't-Have-That-Same-Oomph" portion of Steve's Blog, produced by Super-Steve Eisenpreis. (Sorry, I just HAD to say it!) Your comments and questions are welcome, and the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Google, who, by the way, also has a movie coming out. ("The Internship," starring Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson, but whether anybody will see THAT is still up in the air, in a figurative sense, not like you know who.) Portions of the preceding show were last seen arguing over a road trip to Flushing. On behalf of the management and staff,, this is your announcer reminding you of the immortal words of Lex Luthor's father: "Get Out!" (Maybe the Yankee brass should say that to A-Rod!)
Up,up and away, Buckaroos!
Steve
Monday, June 3, 2013
A News Network Says WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Good morning, afternoon, or evening, ladies and gentlemen, fellow news junkies,and welcome to the Magnificent Seventh (Dum-Dum-DA-Dum-Dum-DA-DEH-DEH-Dum-Dum-Dum-DA-Dum-Dum-DA-DEH-DEH-DUM!) edition of Steve's Blog, Steven L. Eisenpreis here, you there, as one of my favorite sports talk hosts, (and fellow Steves, Steve Somers of SportsRadio 66 AM and 101.9 FM WFAN New York, to be exact) likes to say.
Suppose ESPN said, "If you're looking for scores and highlights of the Indiana-Chicago game, call someone who cares," or FOX said, "If you tuned in for a rock-'em-sock-'em NFL match-up, you're gonna be VERY disappointed, buddy, the game on CBS is WAAAAAAAAAAY better!" (Come to think of it, MTV has said, "If you want non-stop music, try Fuse!" ever since Snooki and her unindicted co-conspirators took over.)
That's pretty much the situation over at MSNBC, which began life seventeen years ago as a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC showcasing MS's computer and internet acumen and NBC's storied news operation which gave birth to many of the formats we now take for granted, but gravitated towards pretty much all politics all the time, or as many pundits have called it, the liberal answer to FOX News. (Read into this what you will, but MSNBC and CNN are viewed at the 24 Hour Fitness Derek Jeter locations on 26th Street and Madison Square Park and Houston and Crosby while MSNBC, CNN, AND FNC are all available to members of the 24 at Citigroup's Manhattan headquarters building. Just sayin'.) During the recent
events in Oklahoma, Texas, and Boston, MSNBC's ratings have experienced a fall of Humpty-Dumptyesque proportions as viewers have gravitated to CNN and FNC. Unfortunately, friends, that seems to be the path MSNBC has chosen for itself. I don't want to sound like Sean Hannity (Much as I respect his work and the friends I have, both Facebook and actual, who have done work for him.) or Piers Morgan, (Again, much R-E-S-P-E-C-T. I had the pleasure to be on the other side of his mic when he did a man-on-the-street interview for Aol's morning show when they were still part of CNN's parent company, Time Warner.) but if a channel promises Fair and Balanced News (as FNC has) or runs a promo showcasing important news events while a chorus encourages you to "Experience Life" (as CNN has), naturally, you're going to watch that channel instead of one that proclaims itself "The Place For Politics" when politics is (Politics are?) supposed to take a backseat to events that are infinitely more important. MSNBC's boss, Phil Griffin, has taken responsibility for his channel's abysmal ratings,(He actually said, "We're NOT the Place for Breaking News!") and now that NBC has bought MS out of MSNBC, I believe they should study the extensive NBC News library and learn from its long history of breaking news coverage from "JFK Blown Away" to the tragedy in Boston and everything in between, before and since and rededicate themselves to news coverage that would make legendary NBC TV reporters such as Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, John Chancellor, Tim Russert, and my close, warm personal friends Mary Alice Williams and Garrick Utley proud, and not wallow in politics the way TMZ wallows in Kardashians.
You have been reading the "When Is A Peacock A Turkey?" portion of Steve's Blog,and, of course, your comments and questions are welcome. The opinions expressed are STILL not necessarily those of Google, in case you were wondering. If you would like a transcript of today's show, just hit "Print." Portions of the preceding show were last seen deleting MSNBC programming from their TiVO. On behalf of the management and staff, this is your announcer reminding you that you have as much chance of seeing real news on MSNBC as you have of seeing Justin "I-Am-A-True-Artist" Bieber performing at the Metropolitan
Opera.
Bye, Buckaroos!
Steve
Suppose ESPN said, "If you're looking for scores and highlights of the Indiana-Chicago game, call someone who cares," or FOX said, "If you tuned in for a rock-'em-sock-'em NFL match-up, you're gonna be VERY disappointed, buddy, the game on CBS is WAAAAAAAAAAY better!" (Come to think of it, MTV has said, "If you want non-stop music, try Fuse!" ever since Snooki and her unindicted co-conspirators took over.)
That's pretty much the situation over at MSNBC, which began life seventeen years ago as a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC showcasing MS's computer and internet acumen and NBC's storied news operation which gave birth to many of the formats we now take for granted, but gravitated towards pretty much all politics all the time, or as many pundits have called it, the liberal answer to FOX News. (Read into this what you will, but MSNBC and CNN are viewed at the 24 Hour Fitness Derek Jeter locations on 26th Street and Madison Square Park and Houston and Crosby while MSNBC, CNN, AND FNC are all available to members of the 24 at Citigroup's Manhattan headquarters building. Just sayin'.) During the recent
events in Oklahoma, Texas, and Boston, MSNBC's ratings have experienced a fall of Humpty-Dumptyesque proportions as viewers have gravitated to CNN and FNC. Unfortunately, friends, that seems to be the path MSNBC has chosen for itself. I don't want to sound like Sean Hannity (Much as I respect his work and the friends I have, both Facebook and actual, who have done work for him.) or Piers Morgan, (Again, much R-E-S-P-E-C-T. I had the pleasure to be on the other side of his mic when he did a man-on-the-street interview for Aol's morning show when they were still part of CNN's parent company, Time Warner.) but if a channel promises Fair and Balanced News (as FNC has) or runs a promo showcasing important news events while a chorus encourages you to "Experience Life" (as CNN has), naturally, you're going to watch that channel instead of one that proclaims itself "The Place For Politics" when politics is (Politics are?) supposed to take a backseat to events that are infinitely more important. MSNBC's boss, Phil Griffin, has taken responsibility for his channel's abysmal ratings,(He actually said, "We're NOT the Place for Breaking News!") and now that NBC has bought MS out of MSNBC, I believe they should study the extensive NBC News library and learn from its long history of breaking news coverage from "JFK Blown Away" to the tragedy in Boston and everything in between, before and since and rededicate themselves to news coverage that would make legendary NBC TV reporters such as Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, John Chancellor, Tim Russert, and my close, warm personal friends Mary Alice Williams and Garrick Utley proud, and not wallow in politics the way TMZ wallows in Kardashians.
You have been reading the "When Is A Peacock A Turkey?" portion of Steve's Blog,and, of course, your comments and questions are welcome. The opinions expressed are STILL not necessarily those of Google, in case you were wondering. If you would like a transcript of today's show, just hit "Print." Portions of the preceding show were last seen deleting MSNBC programming from their TiVO. On behalf of the management and staff, this is your announcer reminding you that you have as much chance of seeing real news on MSNBC as you have of seeing Justin "I-Am-A-True-Artist" Bieber performing at the Metropolitan
Opera.
Bye, Buckaroos!
Steve
Saturday, June 1, 2013
BREAKING NEWS: Requiem For A Dingbat
Boy, the way Glenn Miller played,
Songs that made the hit parade.
Jean Stapleton really had it made.
Those were the days.
First of all,my apologies to Charles Strouse who wrote the original ALL IN THE FAMILY theme song "Those Were The Days" with his partner Lee Adams, second of all,type "Who was Glenn Miller?" on Google Answers or type "Glenn Miller" into the homepage search box, (Hey Sergey and Larry! I just engaged in some shameless cross-promotion! NOW do I get the free Chromebook?) and third of all, this is a special edition of Steve's Blog recalling the long life and extraordinary career of Jean Stapleton, or, as she was better known, Edith Baines Bunker.(BTW, Glenn Miller had a hit with "In The Mood" in 1940, the second-to-last time the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. It's almost 19 years and we STILL got nothing! But, I digress.)
Jean, the former Jeanne Murray,took her professional surname from her mother, a singer.She began her career on the stage in 1941, and her career embraced everything from musical comedy (DAMN YANKEES, FUNNY GIRL) to TV drama (THE ELEVENTH HOUR,NAKED CITY, and THE DEFENDERS, where she acted alongside her future "husband," Carroll O'Connor. She played Archie Bunker's (O'Connor's character) faithful wife Edith on ALL IN THE FAMILY, the first sitcom brave enough to address the burning issues of its time, (1971-1979) and recreated the role on its spinoff, ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE. Although Archie always screamed, "Stifle ya-self, Dingbat!" I always thought Edith was smarter than she let Archie know. When Edith "died," Jean was reborn as a serious actress playing Eleanor Roosevelt. She was also known for her roles on the PBS science series BEAKMAN'S WORLD, SCARECROW AND MRS. KING,and the TV version of the movie BAGDAD CAFE, which also starred Whoopi Goldberg.
She leaves behind two children by her late husband Bill Putch, and years and years of laughs.
Jean Stapleton was no dingbat, she just played one on TV. And that's why we'll always love her.
Happy Trails, Edith.
Steve
Songs that made the hit parade.
Jean Stapleton really had it made.
Those were the days.
First of all,my apologies to Charles Strouse who wrote the original ALL IN THE FAMILY theme song "Those Were The Days" with his partner Lee Adams, second of all,type "Who was Glenn Miller?" on Google Answers or type "Glenn Miller" into the homepage search box, (Hey Sergey and Larry! I just engaged in some shameless cross-promotion! NOW do I get the free Chromebook?) and third of all, this is a special edition of Steve's Blog recalling the long life and extraordinary career of Jean Stapleton, or, as she was better known, Edith Baines Bunker.(BTW, Glenn Miller had a hit with "In The Mood" in 1940, the second-to-last time the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. It's almost 19 years and we STILL got nothing! But, I digress.)
Jean, the former Jeanne Murray,took her professional surname from her mother, a singer.She began her career on the stage in 1941, and her career embraced everything from musical comedy (DAMN YANKEES, FUNNY GIRL) to TV drama (THE ELEVENTH HOUR,NAKED CITY, and THE DEFENDERS, where she acted alongside her future "husband," Carroll O'Connor. She played Archie Bunker's (O'Connor's character) faithful wife Edith on ALL IN THE FAMILY, the first sitcom brave enough to address the burning issues of its time, (1971-1979) and recreated the role on its spinoff, ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE. Although Archie always screamed, "Stifle ya-self, Dingbat!" I always thought Edith was smarter than she let Archie know. When Edith "died," Jean was reborn as a serious actress playing Eleanor Roosevelt. She was also known for her roles on the PBS science series BEAKMAN'S WORLD, SCARECROW AND MRS. KING,and the TV version of the movie BAGDAD CAFE, which also starred Whoopi Goldberg.
She leaves behind two children by her late husband Bill Putch, and years and years of laughs.
Jean Stapleton was no dingbat, she just played one on TV. And that's why we'll always love her.
Happy Trails, Edith.
Steve
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