Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Here Comes Speed Racer and EGCG

Hi There...Just to let everybody know this entry is not violating the "Bro Code." Another solid episode of "How I Met Your Mother" last night, but "Big Bang Theory" may have been better. The time machine and action figure storyline was great. Dan and John think I'm Sheldon. They're probably right. However I don't own a Geordi LaForge action figure. Wil Riker was my favorite character on Star Trek TNG. There's a part of my childhood being torn to shreds by the upcoming live action movie, "Speed Racer." Speed Racer will always be the coolest Japanese anime cartoon ever. From the Mach 5 with the design etched into the windshield, to Racer X who is really Speed's brother, Trixie, even the monkey ChimChim. The theme ranks up with cartoon's greatest. Time to sing along. "Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer, he's a Demon on wheels." "He's a demon and he's gonna be chasing after someone." I once helped a friend win a bet because I knew those words. I should try it as a pick up line. "Hi there just like Speed Racer, I'm a demon on wheels." "How would you like to be my Trixie." One more thing. I've become a Green Tea freak. I drink a cup in the morning with breakfast and down another glass iced at dinner. My favorite smoothie at Ridge Street Coffee is the Peach and Green Tea. Now I've discovered Green Tea soda flavored with Tangerine or Pomegranate. It's good stuff. Go Rangers...Leccese out.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Re-discovering the warrior in me and spending the afternoon with Mel Kiper, Jr. draft expert

Hi There. Normally I don't do an entry on a Saturday night, but today I'm making an exception. My day started waking up with the hangover of the Rangers blowing a 3 goal lead to the Penguins and eventually losing 5 to 4. Are NHL officials taking lessons from their NBA colleagues in regards to protecting its superstars? Sorry Uncle Dick, but CYO officials do a better job calling a game than you guys do in the Association. Then it was off to the gym formally known as Tropical Fitness for Body Combat class. Its one of those kick boxing type workout classes and I love it. Well its been almost 5 months since I've taken it and I had to re-channel the inner warrior in me. The first 15 minutes I felt gassed and I was wondering what the hell was I thinking. But the moves and rhythm manage to come back and I survived. There were some very attractive women in class and they looked real good. You could see it through the window looking into the class: Beauty and the Geek. Then it was the mind numbing practice of sitting down in front of the TV and watching the NFL draft on Bristol Tech. Hopefully I'm not the only one who thinks Chris Berman is becoming a caricature of himself. I'd follow along with the picks. Some surprised me and some didn't. I didn't see the Giants make their selection because I had to attend a function with my parents and some of their friends. I was pleased with their choice and even more pleased they didn't trade Jeremy Shockey. If you're a hard core sports fan, one of the things you should do is attend is a draft. I did it in North Carolina when the NHL draft came to Raleigh a few years ago. I have some great stories about that experience that involve Wayne Gretzky and Ric Flair. Now there's odd couple. Well got to see who's left on my draft board. Until next time...Leccese out.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

If this blog lasts longer than 4 hours, consult a physician immediately

Hi There. In an earlier edition of the Greenhouse Effect, I mentioned the incredible amount of email I receive regarding male enhancement products and the humorous subject lines that often accompany them. Well with some help from my co-workers and Dan who came up with the title of today's entry, here's some of the best. Just to let you know some of these are on the edgy side.
Only losers have small male machine
You must be the real man with huge dignity
Most popular jang enlargement
I want to relieve blue balls
Don't let women laugh at you, make sure your manhood is something to be proud of.
I was embarrassed of my small equipment in the men's locker room, but not anymore.
Your 6 incher will become a 9 incher
Make your trouser mouse a monster.
Heat up her loins with your massive fire stick in your pants
Nips, slips galore at your finger tips
Whip out your giant women pleasure maker. All the women will want you.
Amplify your precariously small manhood today and enslave the girls with your monstrous unit
Bed so well you can convert a lesbian with your new found manhood.
Too much sperm for sperm bank
I raised her a little as my manhood had no more room to go and she moaned softly
and here's one more: Your new device will rock her to ecstasy. Is this Pulitzer Prize material or what? Enjoy the laugh...Leccese out.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Mark Twain may be right after all and weekend observations

Hi There. Hold on, I've got to put some more aloe on the back of my sunburned neck. Okay, with the weather in 70's and 80's, I hit the golf course for the first time. Mark Twain once said, "Golf is a good walk spoiled." For the first time in the 30 years I've been playing the game; he may just be right. I admit I will never be Tiger Woods or any other PGA pro, but there are days when you want chuck your clubs into the metal recycler at the local transfer station. The other thing I've discovered that my game is definitely old school. I don't carry a driver with the club head the size of a small watermelon. My putter doesn't look like a star ship from Star Trek. My putter cost a whopping $7.50. I still hit irons from the fairway and rough and I don't own hybrids or a 7 and 9 wood. On to more pressing stuff. I'm sorry but I don't care about the NBA playoffs or basketball in general. David Stern has worn out his welcome as the Commish. Between the Super Sonics being allowed to leave one of the best sports towns in America for OKC and his refusal to implement stricter rules for college underclassmen to leave school to join the Association. I'm fed up with him. If I was in charge, you would not be allowed to leave school until at least after your junior year. A lot of parents take out loans, second mortgages, work additional jobs and dip into retirement funds to send their children to college. The college experience is worth it. I remember my college coach Bruce Kirsh telling us to treasure those four years. If you're given a free education and you get to play sports. Take advantage of it. You get the best of both worlds. Friday night was a great night for me. Great take out food for dinner and the Rangers put away the Devils in five. Take that Kevin Smith of "Jay and Silent Bob" fame. Hard to believe we grew up in the same hometown. So what if Marty Brodeur didn't shake Sean Avery's hand. Islander great Billy Smith never did it either. You gotta love the sports fans in the city of Brotherly Love. Only they would boo Santa and cheer a player getting a possible concussion like Jose Reyes almost did against the Phils. "How I Met your Mother" and "No Reservations" are on the tube tonight...Leccese out.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Its Your Fault Steve Carroll

Hi There. I'm writing this today because someone I know is moving and I wanted to wish him well. My friend Steve Carroll. Steve was the owner of the health club that I've been a member of the past 7 years. It started out next to Cumberland Farms in Warrensburg and eventually made its made its way to the Mt Royal Plaza in Queensbury. I wanted to get in better shape, and it was on the way home, so it was convenient. You would go in, not have to show some membership tag or have to sign up to use the equipment. I would go workout after a long day and the familiar faces would be there. Cathy, Trish, Cappy and his wife, Dan, Wendy, Nick, Will, the list goes on. The evening crew. It was Cheers only with Precor exercise equipment, protein bars and water instead of bar stools and beer. You'd watch people stare at you through the window as you worked out and you'd stare back. They'd be thinking, "they're crazy." We'd be thinking, "You need to be in here more than I do fatty." That little place could get crazy at times. Thursday evenings were "Survivor" night. You didn't dare talk while the show was on and if you did. Never mind. I would try to finish working out before the show started or just avoid the place completely that day. If you want to why I can't stand Warren Zevon's song "Werewolves of London," it's because of that place. It's also Steve Carroll's fault that I'm addicted to Glaceau Vitaminwater. He got me hooked on the stuff. I drink on the average a bottle a day. Sometimes more. It goes where I go. Its in the radio station with me. I bring it into the places wherever and whenever we do high school sports broadcasts. I've put bottles in my luggage on airplanes. On the golf course, its my beverage of choice. When I would do stand-up, I'd take a bottle of the Energy flavor up with me. Ron White brings scotch and a cigarette on stage and I bring Vitaminwater. It gets a good laugh. Back to Steve, over the years he's become more than the health club owner. He's a trusted friend I could talk to that's not in radio. We would go out socially with some of the other people from the gym and just be ourselves. I didn't have to be the radio guy. That's part of the reason I've stayed there for so long. I'm big on the loyalty thing. Now Steve is off to the big city to be with his wife and start a new job at some health club. I just hope he doesn't forget us. Another one of my close friends who used to be an instructor left about a year ago and I haven't heard from him since. Take care Steve, keep in touch...Leccese out.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Thoughts from the Cardio Room

Hi There. Normally you don't get something on Friday, but for some reason there was smoke coming out of my head and I didn't want the fire alarms to go off. I work out at a health club. They just changed ownership and I haven't come up with a new name to call them yet so they won't get free mentions. In the cardio room, they have TV's you can watch while sweating away on a treadmill, bike, or elliptical trainer. Maybe you've done this too. Did you ever laugh at the Closed Captions that show up on the bottom of the screen while watching? I could be real bad during reruns of "Frazier" or "The Simpsons." Well its gotten worse. Now that I work out in the morning, I've become a fan of the game show "Crosswords." I will watch the show during my cardio workout and answer the clues out loud. People give you the strangest looks. Kind of like when you watch Jeopardy at home and answer the questions. One of the toughest things about changing office hours is you miss the people you would normally work out with. You look forward to seeing them after a long day and you would hope to see them. Last night I went in to sign up for a group fitness class and four people remembered who I was. It was nice feeling knowing that I haven't been exiled after all. One more thing. Those body sprays like Axe, Tag and others; they really don't work. Enjoy the weekend...Leccese out.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Midweek Musings

Hi There. Here it is another edge of you seat edition of the Midweek Musings. Before we start I have to correct an error I made in an earlier edition. The Kansas chant is, "Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk." Not "Rock, Talk, Jayhawk" as I originally stated. Sorry Kansas fans and alum, my bad. On to the show. Don't you think the NHL has better things to do than to make light of Sean Avery and his antics in front of Marty Brodeur Sunday night. How can you call what he did bush league when he was within the rules. He wasn't in the crease. He chose a different method of screening the goalie. He looked at him face to face and was moving his arms Whatever. Now flipping off a TV camera during practice, that was stupid. Can you believe the folks at Bristol Tech dedicated 2 hours of live programming Tuesday on the release of the NFL schedule? Oops, I forgot, they along with the NFL network will air every pick of the draft next weekend. Yeah I'll watch, but since the Giants are picking 31st; I can do other things for at least 3 hours before they go on the clock. For all my sports acumen, I don't get lacrosse or wrestling. " How I Met Your Mother" Monday night was not up to its usual standards. When the main storyline revolves around Marshall, it doesn't have the same punch as it does when its the other main characters. If you are a fan of the show, go to the CBS website and check out Barney's Blog...Leccese out.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Weekend Observations

Hi There. So many thoughts and soo little time. Where to begin. Leading off, the Masters. It is nice to know that even the greatest golfer in my lifetime can have a bad putting day like I have most of the time. Augusta's greens are brutal to begin with, but dry them out with difficult pin positions and wind. I'll pass. When the final group finishes with a combined 8 over par for the final round. That's not pretty. I liked the fact that Trevor Immelman finished at 8 under. That's a reasonable score for a major. These major events (except the British Open) have this obsession with tricking up a course making them too hard even for the best players. What TV network has the biggest hangover from the weekend this morning. CBS, for the final round of the Masters and Tiger unable to make a move. Fox for bumping the end of the Yankees/Sox game Saturday to FX so we could hear DW say, "boogety, boogety, boogety lets go racing!" and watch the start of the Sprint Cup race, or NBC on Sunday for airing Caps/Flyers instead of Rangers/Devils. The NHL TV heads just don't get it. Speaking of hockey, checked out the highlights of Calgary/SanJose and I didn't realize that Owen Nolan and Curtis Joseph had been resurrected from hockey's dead and forgotten. Yo Tiger fans its way too early to be jumping off the Windsor Bridge. Met fans had the right to boo Johan the Great. Give up 3 dingers in your first home start. I was booing him from 220 miles away. Did I ever tell you that I really hate Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson. After hearing about the David Ortiz Jersey buried by a Sox fan working on the new ball orchard being built in the South Bronx, I felt embarrassed to be a sports fan. People really need to get a life. That guy must be a Doctor Phil fan. I'm trying to figure out who is stupider right now. Dr.Phil or that guy. What some people will do for 15 seconds of fame and publicity. Stab me in the eye with an ice pick please. Finally, my parents returned to the area after spending the winter in North Carolina and yesterday morning sometime between 8:30 and 9 the heavens opened up with some form of mixed precipitation. You know, snow, sleet, hail, the whole works. Welcome back Mom and Dad...Leccese out.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Midweek Musings

Hi There. Well, if you took my advice on the NCAA basketball championship games, you'd have grounds for a lawsuit. 0 for 2. I told you Memphis needed to improve shooting free throws. During the tournament the Tigers averaged 80 percent up until the title game, then the brick laying returned. Couldn't it wait until afterward. I would have looked good. As for Stanford, they made a nice run but the Lady Vols are the best women's program around. Sorry UConn fans. Pat Summit is easily the best women's' coach of all time and she ranks up there with John Wooden and some of the other great men's coaches. The Frozen Four takes place in Denver and no I'm not picking a team. I like watching college hockey. Before I had a satellite dish and my choice of endless sports and movie channels, I could get just two on air channels. Channel 13 in Albany and WCAX Channel 3 in Burlington VT. That station was the most boring on the planet. They would air UVM hockey on weekends during winter with Tony Adams or JJ Cioffi doing play by play. I kind of root for the Catamounts. Last night I wished I'd had picture in picture. Rangers/Devils, Mets/Phillies and the Yankees/Royals. Whatever morons decided to play that game in Kansas City during a monsoon last night should be fired. If players are whining about playing a doubleheader, why not adopt what the minors do and play two 7 inning games, instead of the day/night thing. Trust me nobody in baseball is crying poverty. The Masters is taking place and I'm surrendering to the fact that someone named Tiger and I'm not talking about Tiger Chung Lee will win. In my perfect world Mike Weir, Woody Austin or my man Freddie C recaptures the magic and is Boom Boom just one more time before joining the senior tour wins. Finally I have to get this off my chest. The articles about Donkey basketball in the Post Star really irritated me. I've been lucky to take part in 3 donkey basketball nights at North Warren Central School. I've gotten to know the handlers. They treat the animals like they were family members and wouldn't let anything bad happen to them. It's fun. The organization that is constantly protesting (I won't justify naming them) needs to really look in the mirror at themselves, lighten up and actually try to help animals instead of nitpicking every little thing. Pick your fights better. Your little group is doing more harm than good. Enjoy the weekend.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Weekend Observations

Hi There. If you had UCLA and North Carolina in the Mens Basketball Championship Game tonight. You lost. Now onto the weekend observations. I thought Kansas could beat UNC and they did. I can't believe Kansas fans felt betrayed when Roy Williams left. If it were any other job I could understand their disgust, but UNC is his Alma Mater. You should forgive him for that one. Get over it! Rock Talk Jayhawk is a stupid chant by the way. The Memphis Tigers are definitely playing with a chip on their shoulder. More basketball news. Hall of Fame inductees were announced. Sorry Dickie Vee, you don't belong with the likes of Pat Riley, Adrian Dantley, Patrick Ewing, and Hakeem Olajuwon. You're not a PTP 'er in this class. Two sure signs of spring. The Masters golf tournament in Augusta, GA and the Stanley Cup playoffs kick off this week. The first round match-ups in the Eastern Conference are making me very excited. Bruins vs Canadiens, Caps vs Flyers, Rangers vs Devils, and Pens vs Sens. It doesn't get any better than that. Watch out for the Caps. The guy who wears No. 8 for them is named Alex Ovechkin and he is the league MVP. Bruce Boudreau should get consideration for Coach of the Year. The West has some intriguing first rounders: Wings vs Predators, Sharks vs Flames, Wild vs Avs, and Ducks vs Stars. Remember the Ducks are the champs, so don't count them out. a big thank you to everyone who showed up for Bowl for Kids Sake, we raised some good money and had a lot of fun doing it. I actually tried bowling with the ramp for one shot like Pete did. It wasn't easy. The only thing I can compare it to is playing pool and having to use the bridge to make a shot. When I got home, there was a "No Reservations" Mini Marathon on the Travel Channel. Anthony Bourdain is so cool. The snow is finally melting, maybe golf season will come after all and take Memphis over Kansas in the men's final and Stanford over Tennessee in the women's final....Leccese out.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Midweek Musings

Hi There. I know you've been waiting for it, here comes the Midweek Musings. We start with Monday's "How I Met your Mother." Easily one of the five best episodes in the history of the show. Between stealing the blackboard, the brackets, Lilly making a scrapbook of the whole affair, the Ted Moseby is a jerk website and Barney apologizing to a girl he never slept with, it just all clicked. The best part was seeing Barney doing his blog like the end of "Doogie Howser" music and all. In fact when I do my entries for the Greenhouse Effect, the theme from "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" plays. You know; "People let me tell you 'bout my best friend." On to some other observations. We get a lot of community events here at the station and I have a question. What's the obsession with Coleslaw? It seems every church dinner or community supper has Coleslaw on the menu. Even the Spaghetti and Meatball ones have it. If you didn't know Cathy Lee Gifford is returning to daytime to co-host the fourth hour of the Today show. Originally I thought it was a good idea, because she wouldn't be talking about Cody and Cassidy now that they've grown up and she might have to actually say something meaningful and informed. Unfortunately, Cathy Lee will end up telling us how Cody's new girlfriend is not right for him and does not want her taking advantage of her little boy. I hope he brings home some girl who doesn't believe in god, has tattoos and a police record just to give her a heart attack or a stroke. Final four predictions: UCLA over Memphis and Kansas over North Carolina. UCLA wins the whole thing. One last thing. Thanks to everyone who has helped us with donations for "Bowl for Kids Sake." If you can make it, Team CKM will be bowling Sunday at 10:00am at Sparetime in South Glens Falls. Bowling is one of the few sports I can actually hold my own in...Leccese out.