Bruschi Returns

Being at last nights Patriots game and seeing Tedy Bruschi return after suffering a stroke earlier this year was amazing. As always, the team came onto the field as one, not with individual introductions like most other teams. But they did announce each name on the starting defense and saved Tedy Brushci's name for last and there was probably the loudest and longest ovation Gillette Stadium has seen. He acknowledged the crowd, then he was all business. He played so much more than anyone expected and seemed to be everywhere. Every time he took the field or his name was announced for making a tackle - the whole place went nuts all over again. Very cool.
Meanwhile at Red Sox Nation - I was stunned that boy wonder GM Theo Epstein is leaving. This morning's Boston Globe was saying an announcement of a new three year deal for him would be announced today. And now Manny is demanding to be traded. Again. Looks like another 86 year wait for the Sox to be champs again.

What The?!?!?

Holy crap! Its snowing. And it isn't even Halloween yet.

Cedar Point is Totally Sick!

We got back yesterday morning from a weekend of smashing our brains into our skulls at Cedar Point in Ohio. Cedar Point has won Best Amusement Park for the 8th year in a row and most of their 16 roller coasters broke records when they first opened. Plus the whole park was done up for Halloween with many haunted houses and fright zones. We brought all our water proof gear and were prepared for horrible weather. It was 50 and raining on Friday night, which kept the crowds low and added to the creepiness of the whole park. Was really weird seeing white caps breaking on the shore just feet away from the rides. With wind and cold rain whipping at us it seemed like we were at some amusement park in Iceland. Riding the coasters at night next to the pitch black and eerie Lake Erie was really cool. Felt like you just being tossed out into nothingness on Magnum XL 200 (#3 rated coaster in world and probably my favorite), and being pelted in the face with rain made the coasters even sicker. We were at the park for full 13 hours on Saturday - it was cloudy and drizzly at first, but then never actually rained again. We got on every ride multiple times, rode each coaster from first and last seats, and even did the water rides since we were still dressed for rain. Crowds picked up as the day went on we had our our first and only long wait of 90 minutes for Millennium Force (#1 rated coaster on planet) at end of the night. By midnight my head was killing me from being bashed about so many times on Raptor, Mantis, Wicked Twister (Lori's favorite), Gemini, Corkscrew, Blue Streak, Wildcat, Mean Streak (the hardest, roughest ride I've ever been on) and even the lame by comparison Iron Dragon and we thought of blowing off Sunday, but in the morning it was actually sunny so we went for it. The place was empty. We walked in at 9am and there wasn't anyone else entering. We got three rides on Millennium Force in the first hour and got on every other ride without a wait until we just couldn't take anymore and headed out around 2pm. The only bummer was that two rides (MaxAir and Top Thrill Dragster) were down for the whole weekend - but that just gives an excuse to return. And Larry The Lizard wasn't tall enough for any of the cool rides. Check out some photos.

Even after being totally coastered out, we might head to Six Flags New England this weekend just to be able to ride the top 3 coasters in the world in one week. Six Flags is home to #2 rated Superman. We've been on it before but not in a few years. Then Sunday night we'll be at Gillette Stadium for the return of Tedy Bruschi!

Another Exotic Adventure

This is the bye week for the New England Patriots, so it's the only weekend we dare go away until the NFL season is over. After visiting such places as Nepal, Iceland and Belize the one glaring hole in our adventures was obvious. Ohio. Sandusky, Ohio to be exact - home of Cedar Point Amusement Park.

Cedar Point has been the top rated amusement park for 8 years running and has 16 roller coasters. We thought about going in the summer, but they go sick for Halloween. A few years ago we did Universal Islands of Adventure in Orlando at Halloween and it was awesome. But of course October in Ohio can be a little different than Florida. This weekend's forecast is for rain and highs in the 50's. At least the lines won't be long. We can always end up at the Sell-Out, I mean Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland if it's a total wash out.

Tedy's Back!

Patriot's All Pro linebacker Tedy Bruschi is returning to football this week! Just months ago all of New England was wondering if he was going to live, let alone play again. I know I can't expect his return to suddenly make the defense amazing again. But I sure wouldn't be surprised. Just the emotional impact of his return could trigger quite a winning streak. You can't doubt anybody who goes from suffering a stroke in February to playing in the NFL in October. All hail Bruschi!!

Brushci's press conference statement from today and some Q&A highlights.
Patriots statement from yesterday on return of #54.

No More Baseball That I'll Care About

Wow, the Sox and Yankees are both gone in the first round of baseball playoffs. I wonder if teams that get swept in the first round (like the Red Sox this year) wish they had missed the playoffs entirely. If you miss the playoffs you can at least dream about what might have been if you got in. But if you do make it in and then get sent home without ever winning a game, you just have to accept that you sucked. Congrats to George Steinbrenner for surviving the season. I was sure he was gonna give himself a heart attack this year. And Boston's own caveman/Jesus, Johnny Damon, better be back next year or we'll have one boring team.

At least the Patriots have righted their ship. This year will be a dramatic season, Indianapolis should still be undefeated when the visit the Pats next month. Hopefully we're done with losing now too.

Saw the movie "Flightplan" last night. I thought it was really good, a solid suspense thriller with good twists and turns. Jodie Foster made it work. In the hands of lesser actors the movie would have been a bad joke. Some may think this one is anyway when it ends. Once the master plan is revealed it isn't really logical, but it still makes for a fun movie. I like to go along for the ride and just let the movie pull me in instead of second guessing everything and trying to decide who is good and who is bad. I hate people who claim "I knew it all along" at the end. So what! It's a freakin' movie, not physics. If you can read some physics text book and say "I knew it all along", then I'm impressed.

Mixed Weekend

It was painful to watch the Patriots game yesterday. The San Diego Chargers spanked us big time yesterday with a final score of 41 - 17. Haven't seen a loss at home since Gillette Stadium's first year and this stops the home winning streak at 21. The loss of too many coaches and players has finally caught up with us and made the New England Patriots mortal once again.
The Red Sox are headed into the playoffs as the Wildcard team again. Those Damn Yankees pulled out the division title again, but at least the Sox made them earn it this year. Both teams ended the season with the same record of 95 and 67, the Yankees get the title due to being 10 & 9 against the Sox in head-to-head battles this year. Bastards!

Ever since I had to pull my postings from my time on the "Illegal Aliens" set, everyone who has emailed me has assumed it was Anna Nicole Smith behind it for some reason. Just want to clear her name - she had nothing to do with it. Anna continues to write about the movie shoot in her column, this week she mentions an incident that was also featured in one of my banned postings - perhaps the very one that ruffled some Hollywood feathers. If you haven't heard, she will be appearing before the Supreme Court next year. Anyone know how you get to be in the audience for the Supreme Court? Are there ticket scalpers hanging around outside when there is a popular case? Should be an interesting time.

Back to Reality

I seem to have finally recovered from the Illegal Aliens movie shoot. No more searching the house for craft services, no more yearning for Napoleon Dynamite references and 80's sing alongs. Thank God I've finally stopped moving all the lights in the house around and have gotten used to sleeping without the sound of idling trains and the slamming of rail cars into each other all night.

Speaking of the movie I can't speak of - here is some info on it from someone (Anna Nicole Smith) who still has the freedom of speech and throws some props to a girl who rocks. Also found this little blurb regarding A Current Affair's visit to the set.

The big excitement while I was gone was Homer getting sprayed by a skunk. He must have been inches away from the thing, Lori said the spray was dripping off his face. He is still kinda stinky, as is my office. Thanks Homer.

The baseball season is ending perfectly with a season ending, pennant clinching showdown between the Red Sox and the Yankees. Everyone is on hand to root against The Evil Empire - even Chewbacca. Actually he threw out the first pitch on Wednesday against the Blue Jays. He must not have a correct schedule. Sunday we are off to the Patriots - Chargers game at Gillette Stadium. I've seen so little football this season, it feels like the home opener. And my beloved Pats are once again besieged with injuries. Tedy Bruschi will be joined on the sidelines by Rodney Harrison, Matt Light and Kevin Faulk. If this was any other team, I'd say the season is lost. But the Patriots have earned the right to never be doubted or counted out. The last Sox-Yanks game (unless there is a one game playoff due to season ending in a tie) will be happening at the same time Sunday. Gonna be a sick weekend.