Snow greets Sox, Guillen: 'Very stupid to play in Cleveland'

CLEVELAND -- Mark Buehrle, Alex Rios, Ramon Castro and Jeff Cox combined to made a snowman, and Matt Thornton threw snowballs.

That was the extent of the Chicago White Sox's outdoor workout Thursday at Progressive Field, as they were relegated to performing most of their work indoors in preparation for Friday's season opener.

"Very stupid to play in Cleveland right now," Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Nothing against Cleveland. We expect that. When you play in Cleveland on opening day ... a couple of years ago they canceled like 30 games here. (But) we are here, and we have to play through snow.

"A lot of players, they have to be prepared mentally to play in cold weather. That’s no excuse. You want to play in nice weather? Sign with the NBA, you play indoors and you are fine.

"You play baseball, you will play in rain, snow, (heat) and (humidity). Don’t make that as an excuse. I don’t expect my players making any excuses or complaining about it. That’s a no-no for us. We know it’s cold. We all know that. That’s two teams out there battling."

Buehrle, who will start his ninth opening day, also was baffled by starting the season in snowy Cleveland.

"That’s why I don’t understand why teams don’t start in domes or on the West Coast for the first couple of weeks," Buehrle said. "We’ll just have to deal with it and hopefully they can clean it off and be ready to go."

Another Great Video by the Best Actor

More Walken

Happy 68th Birthday!!!!

Pageviews by Countries, 2010 May – 2011 April

United States 674 Canada 208 Germany 16 Denmark 10 United Kingdom 9 Ukraine 5 Singapore 4 Czech Republic 3 France 3 Argentina 2

Happy Birthday, MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This

This Day in History, 1981 – President Ronald Reagan is shot outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John Hinckley, Jr.

Happy 53rd Birthday

Mike Rotunda aka I.R.S. (Irwin R. Schyster)

Happy 55th Birthday!!!!

Do you want to touch my snake?

Happy 49th Birthday Hammer-Time!!

Smoque BBQ Brisket: Part 1 of 3

Smoque BBQ Brisket: Part 2 of 3 (HD)

Smoque BBQ Brisket: Part 3 of 3

13 Places to Eat Before You Die – Anthony Bourdain

Men’s Health ran an article a while back (June of 2009) where Anthony Bourdain, author and host of No Reservations on the Travel Channel, chose the 13 Places to Eat Before You Die. I have the list below with links to the restaurants (it’s an impressive list and interesting to click over to the restaurant websites to see the amazing food they are putting out), but since #13 was a BBQ Joint, I wanted to highlight the piece again.

#13 Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue (Kansas City, Kansas) People may disagree on who has the best BBQ. Here, the brisket (particularly the burnt ends), pulled pork, and ribs are all of a quality that meet the high standards even of Kansas City natives. It’s the best BBQ in Kansas City, which makes it the best BBQ in the world

From the article Tony says, “Any seasoned traveler can tell you that the “best” meals on the planet are the result of an ephemeral confluence of circumstances. A table at the most expensive restaurant in the world does not guarantee a truly great meal. That said, if you’re planning on dying in the near future and want to knock off a list of final, glorious dining experiences, these places would make a very respectable binge. Start with one. Make a reservation today. Go on an empty stomach. Trust me: This is livin’.”

Here’s the list (note he wrote his reasons why after each one which you can see at the link below):
1 – St. John (London)
2 – elBulli (Girona, Spain)
3 – The French Laundry (Napa Valley, California)
4 – Per Se (New York City)
5 – Sin Huat Eating House (Singapore)
6 – Le Bernardin (New York City)
7 – Salumi (Seattle) , Yes
8 – Russ & Daughters (New York City)
9 – Katz’s Delicatessen (New York City)
10 – Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain) Victor
11 – Sukiyabashi Jiro (Tokyo)
12 – Hot Doug’s (Chicago) , Yes

13- Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue (Kansas City, Kansas), Yes

I have been to 3 of the 13, not bad.

You can read the entire piece here

So what are your 13 places to eat before you die? Or even 5 places? I’m working on my list which I’ll share soon.

RIP, 1986 – James Cagney

Happy Birthday, 1853 – Vincent van Gogh (d. 1890)

Earl Campbell's Great Runs!

The Church Police were founded in 1882.

Knights of Columbus

RIP, "Big Klu" Ted Kluszewski, 1988.

Ted Kluszewski was born in Argo, Illinois and attended Argo Community High School.

The White Sox won the 1959 American League pennant, and faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. In the first game at Chicago's Comiskey Park, Kluszewski hit two home runs and drove in five in an 11–0 rout of the Dodgers. However, the Dodgers would win the next four out of five games to win the series with pitching that neutralized the White Sox, except for Kluszewski, who hit .391 with three home runs and ten RBIs (tying Gil Hodges' mark set in the same series). Around that time, Sox owner Bill Veeck introduced uniforms with players' names on the backs. During a road trip to New York, Ted Kluszewski became the first player to appear in a game with his name misspelled with a backwards "z" and an "x" instead of the second "k".

Happy 56th Birthday, Earl Campbell

Happy Birthday, Vincent Gigante "The Chin"

Vincent Louis Gigante ( March 29, 1928 – December 19, 2005), also known as the "Chin", was a New York Italian-American mobster in the American Mafia. Gigante started out as a professional boxer who fought 25 matches between 1944 and 1947. He then started working as a Mafia enforcer for the Genovese crime family. Gigante was one of five brothers: himself, Mario, Pasquale and Ralph all became mobsters in the Genovese family. Only one brother, Louis, stayed out of the crime family, instead becoming a priest.[1] Gigante was the shooter in the failed assassination of Frank Costello in 1959. After sharing a prison cell with Boss Vito Genovese following his conviction for heroin trafficking, Gigante became a caporegime, overseeing his own crew of Genovese soldiers and associates that operated out of Greenwich Village. Gigante quickly rose to power during the 1960s and 1970s. By 1981 he was the de facto boss of the Genovese crime family while Anthony Salerno served as front boss during the 1980s. He also ordered the failed murder attempt of Gambino crime family boss John Gotti in 1986. With the arrest and conviction of Gotti and various Gambino family members in 1992, Gigante was officially recognized as the most powerful crime boss in the United States. Dubbed "The Oddfather" and "The Enigma in the Bathrobe" by the press, Gigante often wandered the streets of Greenwich Village in his bathrobe and slippers, mumbling incoherently to himself, in what Gigante later admitted was an elaborate act to avoid prosecution.[2] The act worked for over 10 years and Gigante was determined to be mentally unfit to stand trial. However, by 1997 he was tried and convicted of racketeering and was given a 12 year sentence. He died while in prison custody in 2005 at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners.

Happy Birthday, to the inventor of Pabst Brewery, Frederick Pabst

That's me Right Now!!!! Can you See Me???

A Hidden Gem of Peruvian Greatness

This is a co-workers restaurant that her & her husband run. If you get a chance to go, Go!! They have been on Check Please, Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives, and Chicago's Best just filmed there.

http://chicagoist.com/2011/03/25/a_hidden_gem_of_peruvian_greatness.php#photo-5

Quite possibly the most unassuming of Chicago’s 2011 Bib Gourmand restaurants also touts one of the zestiest, most vibrant menus. Taste of Peru, in Rogers Park, has been a Chicago favorite and Peruvian staple for nearly half a decade. Taste of Peru has a distinctly Peruvian menu with fresh seafood and meat entrees, and is well worth the trip to the far north side. Taste of Peru is an unexpected as you going north on Clark Street, as it’s sandwiched between a nail salon and laundromat in a small strip of stores. This doesn’t deter patrons from going to this charming BYOB on weekday nights. Taste of Peru hosts live music two nights a week, and on Wednesdays it draws an unexpectedly large number of couples and groups. A simple two-man band softly plays a guitar and zampoña, or panpipe, as diners revel in their meals. Each table is given a small loaf of bread and an tangy aji chili sauce. Don’t let the mild-looking green color fool you-this small bowl of green sauce is an incredibly spicy mixture of jalapeno and mustard spices mixed with salt until a creamy texture emerges. The appetizers are predominantly seafood and of these, the ceviches are a great choice. There are a variety of ceviche choices. Each ceviche is plated in the shell of a large clam, and bright colors from red onion slices, sweet yellow corn and savory sweet potato make this dish look as vibrant as it’s zesty limey flavor. Peruvian classics like seafood paella and lomo saltado (beer-braised ribeye steak with vegetables and rice) are menu favorites, with bold Peruvian flavors balanced by savory rice and vegetables. Every dish at Taste of Peru seems to cry “go big, or go home!” as portions fill every corner of the large plates and is usually toppling over with either full-sized crab legs, hearty portions of vegetables or both. While their grilled seafood and meat entrees make great options, but a must-try dish at Taste of Peru is the sopa de viagra soup. Albeit a pricier order ($25), this creamy soup with mixed seafood is truly unique in it’s broth filled with Peruvian spices. This dish with the funny name has serious flavor, and although it has no connection to the drug, it’s hearty portions of vegetables and nutritious seafood (known aphrodisiacs) combined with the romantic ambiance of live Peruvian music might just kick your libido into gear. Taste of Peru is located at 6545 N. Clark St. Live music on Tuesdays and Wednesday nights.

Tim Bowen's Dad with the One Man Gang

One Man Gang was billed as being from Chicago's Halsted Street on the North Side. No wonder why he was a big fan.

Happy Birthday to Mr. Perfect!!!! RIP

Notre Dame reaches Frozen Four

Frozen Four 2011: Bracket Set, With Michigan Facing North Dakota, Notre Dame Meeting Minn. Duluth

The 2011 Frozen Four will place April 7 and April 9, 2011 in St. Paul, Minnesota at the Xcel Energy Center. It will be hosted by the University of Minnesota.

Anheuser-Busch to take over Goose Island

Goose Island Beer Co., the Chicago-based brewing powerhouse, announced this morning that it will be taken over by Anheuser-Busch (A-B) for $38.8 million. Goose Island, whose legal name is Fulton Street Brewery LLC, is selling a 58 percent stake in the company to A-B for $22.5 million. The Craft Brewers Alliance, in which A-B holds a 32 percent stake, has agreed to sell its own Goose Island stake to A-B for $16.3 million. The Craft Brewers Alliance owns the remaining 42 percent of Goose Island. St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev N.V. (AB InBev), the world’s largest brewing company based in Leuven, Belgium. AB InBev was formed when InBev NV bought Anheuser-Busch Cos. in 2008. As part of the deal, A-B will also invest $1.3 million in the Fulton Street brewery to increase production capacity. Goose Island sold approximately 127,000 barrels of beer in 2010. Brewmaster Greg Hall will be stepping down. Founder and president John Hall will stay on as CEO. “Demand for our beers has grown beyond our capacity to serve our wholesale partners, retailers, and beer lovers,” Hall said in a statement. “This agreement helps us achieve our goals with an ideal partner who helped fuel our growth, appreciates our products and supports their success.” He added that the “new structure will preserve the qualities that make Goose Island’s beers unique, strictly maintain our recipes and brewing processes.” If approved by regulators, the deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2011. “These critically acclaimed beers are the hometown pride of Chicagoans,” said Dave Peacock, president of Anheuser-Busch, said in a statement. “We are very committed to expanding in the high end beer segment, and this deal expands our portfolio of brands with high-quality, regional beers. As we share ideas and bring our different strengths and experiences together, we can accelerate the growth of these brands.” A-B’s move comes at a time when craft beer sales have surged, while major brewers’ sales by volume have been flat or decreased. Big brewers have been hoping to tap into craft beers’ growth without alienating drinkers who prefer craft brews to more mainstream ones. Craft beer is expected to make up 11 percent of total beer consumption this year. Although the Craft Brewers Alliance’s 2006 investment in Goose Island has technically exempted the brewer from craft-beer status, the company’s popular brands have shared the problem of other craft beers: increasing capacity to meet surging demand. Goose Island is best-known for its 312 Urban Wheat Ale, and respected in craft circles for other products like Matilda and Bourbon County Stout. Goose Island has been outsourcing some production and seeking additional investment to expand capacity. In an interview with the Tribune last month, brewmaster Greg Hall said the company’s sales had “outpaced our forecast in 2010, so that we weren’t quite ready for all of the growth we got.” Goose Island also hired an investment banker to assist the family in securing funds for expansion. “Our long-term goal is to have a new brewery in Chicago,” Hall said. He said the company is buying new tanks for the current facility, “but you can’t just go to Wal-Mart” and buy them. Several craft brewers have recently cut distribution in the face of straining capacity. The brewer Dogfish Head, which is based in Milton, Del., announced earlier this month that it would pull out of Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin and Rhode Island. “The glass-half-full view is that we (and a handful of other U.S. craft breweries making similar moves) have to do this because the number of U.S. drinkers buying and enjoying craft beer are growing so quickly!” Dogfish founder and president Sam Calagione wrote on the company’s blog. “This decision will allow us to still get many different, exotic, Dogfish specialty and seasonal beers into our slightly smaller footprint. It will also ensure that more cases and kegs of our core, year-round beers will be available closer to home.”

32 years ago Van Halen II was Released

RIP, Buck Owens 5 years ago

Happy Birthday Jeff Healey, God rest his soul.

Good news for Gary, National award from Steve Harvey puts Big Daddy's BBQ on the map

Gordon "Big Daddy" Biffle's restaurant Big Daddy BBQ in Gary, Indiana was named Best Barbecue in the Nation by Steve Harvey's Hoodie Award. Fred Culbreath, cook at right turns some of the Rib Tips, St. Louis style Ribs, Beef Short Ribs and Jerk Chicken in the slow cookers at the BBQ.

Kevin Pang
March 24, 2011

Last August, Gordon "Big Daddy" Biffle arrived in Las Vegas with no expectations, a man who a year prior was working in East Chicago carrying 50-pound pieces of sheetrock in steel-toed boots. Now, actor Michael Clarke Duncan and reality TV personality Omarosa were onstage at the Mandalay Bay Theatre, name-checking his business. This was the Hoodie Awards, Steve Harvey's annual ceremony recognizing black-owned businesses and organizations. The production-value-relative-to-awards ratio is impressively high, the glitziest presentation of best church choir or best fried chicken you've ever seen.

Barbecue is Biffle's trade, and the competition was formidable — Kansas City's legendary Gates Bar-B-Q had the prestige, Chicago's Robinson's No. 1 had Mike Royko's blessing. Big Daddy didn't even have a restaurant. He was cooking out of steel drums in a strip mall parking lot in Gary, between a church and a Family Dollar store.

Then, improbably, they announced the winner: "Big Daddy's BBQ!" Biffle threw two hands to the sky and took to the stage. In front of a TV audience of millions, he stood as owner of what had been voted the best barbecue restaurant in the country. (Granted, this was less critical adjudication than ballot-stuffing popularity contest. Still.)

Biffle proclaimed: "I'd like to thank Gary, Ind., and the Chicagoland!"

The award, the pageantry of it all, his late mother on his mind — Biffle strode off stage and broke down in tears. He fell into the first arms available to embrace.

"I looked up, and I was like, 'What?!' It was Judge Mathis."

What do you glean driving through a city of shuttered businesses, a place where fried shrimp houses and fast-food chains define its food scene? My lasting memory of Gary happened several years ago, when a Bennigan's opened at the U.S. Steel Yard baseball stadium, and city officials were ecstatic a national restaurant was entering their market. It has since closed.

Barbecue might not be a healthier option than a cheeseburger, but just finding a restaurant in Gary that prepares food from scratch is reason for praise.

Biffle is a son of Gary, 40 years old, with a likeness to actor Anthony Anderson and a frame that says: I know my food. In high school, he was a prep cook at a Chinese restaurant, peeling shrimp and assembling egg rolls. Out of curiosity one day, he combined barbecue sauce with neon sweet-and-sour sauce, then tasted his concoction. Smoky, sweet, a pineappley tang and vaguely exotic — he'd stumbled onto something good, and bigger still, sparked a culinary ambition that encouraged constant experimentation.

How Big Daddy's BBQ came to be is a familiar tale: An eager amateur cook makes food for friends and family, hears enough praise to stoke the entrepreneurial fires, says no thanks to his thankless job and opens a restaurant to fulfill a dream.

And so a week after returning from Las Vegas, Biffle moved the operation from the parking lot — where it was a flea market on weekends — to a sit-down restaurant. The bulletproof counter is a reminder of its location.

"People think everything that comes out of Gary is bad, but they don't hear the good things," Biffle said. "Like the 4,000-member church next door. We've got a lot of good people there. We've got a beautiful beach. We just need people to put some money into this city.

"I applaud Biffle's ambition. Constant experimenting means specials pop up on the menu: barbecue lamb, gumbo, beef short ribs. He could have served instant-mix mashed potatoes, but he opted for collard greens, a rudimentary recipe but one that requires a pot and manual stirring (smoked turkey tails in the greens leave a rich coat on the palate). I still think Uncle John BBQ or Barbara Ann's are better bets, but Biffle is presenting food with an ingredient lacking from many surrounding restaurants: the passage of time. Patience isn't merely a virtue for pitmasters; it's a prerequisite.

An aquarium-style smoker, favored by finer South Side Chicago barbecue institutions, sits in the kitchen but serves mostly as a warming tank. The real action takes place behind the restaurant, where steel drums billow steady smoke and ribs are cooked two hours at a time.

Purists may take issue with the restaurant's usage of the term "barbecue" if defined by wood smoke infusing meat. Turkey legs, pork butt and brisket get a hickory and oak finish, but for pork ribs (the bulk of the business), only lump charcoal is used.

"They want that flavor as if they cooked it in the backyard themselves," Biffle said.

Unlike wood, charcoal offers less influence on its thick spare ribs, just a trace of the carbonized, DIY-grilled taste. Its exterior has a saliva-robbing amount of MSG, but with a masculine pork taste on first bite, slightly fatty, tender-with-a-tug and delicious. With rib tips, diners' experiences will vary depending on time of day. At its best, minutes off the grill, the tips bear two textures: the crusty bark where heat met meat and a moist, succulent pork interior. Big Daddy's house sauce — Biffle's East-meets-West sweet-and-sour barbecue sauce with chunks of pineapple — is ladled generously on top, a mild distraction for people like me who prefer sauce on the side.

This isn't groundbreaking cooking. But it's honest food, reflecting the taste of a community, from a man who refers to himself in the third person but is selfless enough to try, fail and try again. Chicago has far better barbecue within the city limits. But Gary can always use positive news, and Big Daddy's BBQ is worthy of a shoutout. There's an award displayed at the counter as validation.

This one is better video.

Rock On

Listening to it right now, Awesome

Happy Birthdays, Jack Swagger(29) vs. The Undertaker(46)

Happy Birthday Steve McQueen

Wow!!!! Lisa Made the Blog Twice in less than a year.

Happy 51st Birthday

Happy Puppy Day!!

Ditka & Jake

Happy Chip & Dip Day!

John Cena's Says Happy OK Day!!!

Happy 32nd Birthday!!

Happy 80th Birthday, William Shatner!!

Happy 49th Birthday Ferris!!

Happy 48th Birthday!!!!

RIP, Angelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno mobster who ran the Philadelphia crime family for two decades.

Several factions within the Philadelphia family began conspiring to betray the aging Bruno. On March 21, 1980, the 69 year-old Bruno was killed by a shotgun blast in the back of the head as he sat in his car. It is believed that the killing was ordered by Antonio Caponigro (aka Tony Bananas), Bruno's consigliere. A few weeks later, Caponigro's body was found stuffed in a body bag in the trunk of a car in New York City. About $300 in bills were jammed in his mouth and anus (to be interpreted as signs of greed). The Mafia Commission had reportedly ordered Caponigro's murder because he assassinated Bruno without their sanction. Other Philadelphia family members involved in Bruno's murder were tortured and killed.
After Caponigro's murder, Philip 'Chicken Man' Testa led the family for one year until he was killed by a nail bomb at his home. Testa's death resulted from an attempt by Peter Casella, Testa's underboss, and Frank "Chickie" Narducci, a capo, to become the Philadelphia boss and underboss. After Testa's death, Scarfo took over the Philadelphia family. In the ensuing years, the Philadelphia family would be decimated by government informants, more infighting, and the prosecutions of Scarfo and other mobsters.

Happy Belated 52nd Birthday!!!! Yesterday

He is a fourteen-time world champion: a six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WCW International World Heavyweight Champion, two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, three-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion, and one-time WWA World Heavyweight Champion.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy 52nd Birthday!!!!

FLAVA FLAV

Happy 62nd Birthday!!!!

Iven J. Kiser Trucking

Iven's truck.

RIP, 26 years ago today.

"Old Time Hockey Coach"

Happy 68th Birthday!!!!

Mr. Camel clutch

Zbikowski challenges Ochocinco to charity boxing match

Perhaps fans in Baltimore will see a Raven-Bengal showdown at M&T Bank Stadium this year even if there is a protracted lockout.

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski, an accomplished boxer who will lace up the gloves Saturday in Las Vegas as part of the Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Mayorga undercard, said today on the Dan Patrick Show that Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco is the NFL player he'd most like to go toe-to-toe with in the ring.

"I'd let it go for about 45 seconds," Zbikowski said. "I'd let him know what a real jab feels like."
Naturally, No. 85 -- who's also expressed interest in squaring off with UFC's Anderson Silva -- has already responded, tweeting: "you wana go nite nite, you want to box me, for 1 your feet are to slow and you've no hand speed to even be competitive."

Zbikowski punched back on Facebook with this: "Dear Ocho Cinco ... thanks for following my career ... You and me at M&T Bank Stadium, charity four-round boxing match. You wear Orange and Black and I will wear Purple and black. If we do it in May, that should give you enough time to get ready ... You game?"
Zbikowski (75-15 as an amateur fighter) made his professional debut nearly five years ago, knocking out Robert Bell in the first round at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2006, months before his senior season at Notre Dame.

Zbikowski (2-0) scores a first-round TKO with a body shot. Bring on Ocho!!!

Las Vegas _ Tom Zbikowski is accustomed to crushing ribs when he's on the football field. He used the same principle tonight in the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Zbikowski, a safety for the Baltimore Ravens, drilled Richard Bryant with a left hook to the ribs. The flabby Bryant stood for a second and then crumbled to the floor. He rose to his feet at the count of seven, but referee Russell Mora didn't he feel he was able to go on. Zbikowski picked up his second professional win at 1:45 of the first round.

Zbikowski, a former All-American at Notre Dame, last fought in 2006. With the NFL lockout looming, Zbikowski decided it was time to step back in to the ring. He fought 100 times as an amateur and said before the fight, he's always wanted to get back in the ring.

As an opponent, Bryant was about what you'd expect a guy with one pro fight to face. Give Bryant some credit, he stood toe-to-toe with the NFL player and blasted him with a few thumping rights. Zbikowski, giving away 32 pounds, walked right through the shots. If Zbikowski chooses to makes a run at a legitimate boxing career he'll have to go to battle at cruiserweight, one of boxing's least glamorous divisions. He plays football around 215 pounds. He weighed in yesterday at 193.

Not all NFL players are interested in simply managing their money during the lockout, some are out to make sure they're earning while the pads are in lockup.

For the time being, Baltimore Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski has taken up a side gig. Zbikowski, a three year NFL veteran with a long amateur boxing career, won his second professional fight on Saturday night. You think his $50,000 payday was some sort of publicity stunt? Think again because he's already got another fight scheduled in less than two weeks on Mar. 26 in Atlantic City.

"It's fun boxing because it's only you. You can't look to your left or right for teammates, you gotta be ready," Zbikowski (2-0) said. "Football is a lot fun to play but here's nothing like fight night. It was the first time in a long time. It's gonna be a very good learning experience."

Zbikowski's first pro fight since 2006 didn't last very long. With a body shot, he floored and took out Richard Bryant in just 1:45. "Tommy Z" showed he can roughhouse. He stood toe-to-toe banging away with the pudgy Bryant. At one point, Bryant tried to clinch and Zbikowski tossed him on his like a running back.

Zbikowski even ate a few solid right hands from Bryant. The former Notre Dame star was asked if he was looking for something more spectacular than a finish on a body shot.

''I was looking to get a little more work but you take a win any way you can get it. I know I hurt him with the hook, you could feel the air come out, '' Zbikowski said. "You're never disappointed in a knockout. It felt good to deal with the adrenaline drop and know without a doubt I was going to be able to go four rounds. I felt like i was in very good shape."

Fighting in front of 7,247, the adrenaline drop worried Zbikowski the most. Boxers and MMA fighters often talk about "gassing" themselves because they get too excited early in a fight.

"You have to control it in boxing, because in football maybe that first series you get real excited. The warm up in boxing is far, far more important than in football," Zbikowski. "I learned a lot from that first fight in not going out and bum rushing the guy. Give him a couple of moves, feel him out a little bit. A lot of guys aren't used to the pressure of the bright lights. You gotta use everything to your advantage."

Zbikowski said it's a wait and see deal with the lockout. He's happy the players are sticking together in this struggle vs. the owners.

"We're not sure with what's gonna happen next year, but it's awesome to see the team unity. It's a real brotherhood," said Zbikowski.

Zbikowski fights on the undercard of an HBO telecast featuring Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Jorge Solis in the main event.

Happy Steak & RH Day!!

Happy Pi Day

Happy 61st Birthday, Rick Dees

Obama greets hometown Stanley Cup champs

Obama welcomes Hawks to White House

RIP, Dino Bravo 1993

On March 11, 1993, Bresciano was found shot to death.[1] He was 44 years old. Bresciano was thought to have been shot up to 7 times with 2 shots to the head by a gunman while watching hockey in his Vimont, Laval, Quebec apartment. It is widely believed that his alleged role in illegal cigarette smuggling in Canada led to his murder. Rick Martel has stated in interviews that because of Bresciano's notability from being a popular professional wrestler, he was able to attract many customers (specifically Aboriginies) to switch over to having him as a supplier of illegal cigarettes, thus crossing the mafia. According to Bret Hart's autobiography Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling, right before his death Bresciano had confided to close friends that he knew his days were numbered.
He was a nephew by marriage of Montreal crime boss Vic Cotroni, and was believed by authorities to be involved in his organization for some time.