Getting my Etta James on!

"At last my love has come along


my lonely days over and life is like a song


Ooh, yeah, yeah


At last the skies above are blue


My heart was wrapped up in clover


the night I looked at you "



Finally it has happened, the nightmare that was Tony Kornheiser is no longer going to befoul Monday Night Football. His fear of flying finally getting the better of him Tony K announces he will not return to the TV staple.


As if that news was not good enough, ESPN announces they will replace the King of the stupid bomb with the King of the F bomb.


That is right legendary curse master Jon "Chucky" Gruden will join the three man team on Monday Nights!


"This is a tremendous opportunity and I am very excited to be associated with ESPN and Monday Night Football," Gruden said in a statement released by ESPN. "I grew up a fan of Monday Night Football, and whether I've coached on Monday night or watched, I've hardly missed a game all these years. "To join Mike and Jaws in the booth and to work alongside this top-notch team is going to be a real thrill."


Now I am sure we can all agree this is a short lived gig. Gruden will no doubt go back to collecting QBs on the sideline either in the Pros (Philly, Cinncy) or in college (Notre Dame) but for this season he will bring his big boy vocabulary and little boy hair cut to the booth!

As for Kornheiser, unfortunately he will continue to spare up the sports universe with his existence on Pardon the interruption, but that show is so easy to ignore I will not even know it. More important is the fact that the 65 pound putz whose football knowledge extends as far as the jocks he sniffed in junior high school and the jocks who administered swirly to him every WED, is gone and never again do we have to experience him sparing us to death during God's gift to humanity football.

Happy days are here again!

Prayers

At all times we each have something or someone to pray for. I assume each of you, like me do that praying in your own way and feel uncomfortable putting your burdens on others.

Some where Mark Herlich is doing the same thing. Herzlich is a 6'4 240 pound wrecking ball All American LB. With 110 tackles, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries last year on the way to being named the ACC defensive player of the year. No small feat when you consider one of the men he beat out, defensive teamate BJ Raji, went #9 overall.

He seeks and destroys ball carriers, quarterbacks, and all things offensive on the football field. A projected first rounder in next years draft, Herlich was considered a top 45 player in this years draft had he declared.

Today it was announced that Herlich has Ewing's sarcoma, a cancer found in soft tissue and bone. The rough and tumble LB known for his war painted face (as emmulated by EO Jr in flag football) and 410% motor is not going quietly however...

"Obviously, I was shocked. I had been extremely focused on preparing for my senior season at Boston College and for life beyond that. Now, I must channel all that energy into facing my toughest opponent yet, and that is exactly what I will do," Herzlich said in a statement released by the school.

Nor is Herlich ready to give up his football days...

"At this point, I do not know what this means for my football future, but I am determined to rid my body of this disease so that I can put that uniform back on," he said. "Thank you in advance for your prayers and concern. Together, we will fight this and win."

Obviously football is not the priority any more and to see a awesome physical specimen like Herzlich struck with a disease like this puts life into perspective for all of us, but it is good to see his fire and drive alive. That passion maybe what it takes for him to win the biggest battle of his life.

I for one will be adding Herzlich to my prayer list and I hope anyone that reads this also has room. I too will pray for the rest of my list and for each of your list.