My busy season has begun

Hi there. Here I am typing away on my laptop pondering the world around me. I spent most of the weekend laying in front of the TV watching horse racing on TVG. There's nothing better in late July or August with nothing to do than watching the races. Even NBC and Versus will be showing an hour long Saratoga show on Saturdays. August 15th and football practice begins.

So Saturday morning I had one of those mornings that was just totally awesome. Had a great air shift on the sister station. If you didn't know by now, I work Saturday mornings on Hits 95 Nine from 6 to 9am. Afterward, headed to the track to pick up my media credentials and take care of a little radio station business that went perfectly. Then took care of something that hopefully this coming Saturday will make me to quote Barney Stinson, "Legen-dary." Finally, I picked up that big record you see in the photo which I had framed. It's a transcription disc from 1948 and its only one 2 pieces of radio memorabilia I own. Thanks to Chip Ordway for giving it to me. It will look great hanging on the wall over my desk at home.

One side note about my trip to Saratoga. On my way from the track I stopped by the East side recreation fields and checked out the football field. If I even mention wanting to broadcast a Saratoga Catholic home game, Dan and JP you personally have my permission to invoke the slap bet commissioner and give me 5 hard ones all at once to knock some common sense into me.

We had two horrible tragedies this weekend. First was the massacre in Norway. Norway of all places! The more and more we're hearing about this guy who acted alone, I've come to the conclusion that this hate filled individual was an almond or two short of a full can of mixed nuts!

Then there was Amy Winehouse who had such unlimited potential and an amazing talent but couldn't beat the horrible demons of drugs, alcohol, and other things that might have been inside of her. She was too young to die this way.

So what's going to drag on longer? The NFL labor talks or the national debt debate? Come on now lets get our spending under control and start playing some football damn it!

Note to Steve Williams. In the real world people do get fired. For 12 years you had the best gig in golf being the caddy and on course body guard to "Eldrick the Gimp" Woods. If you want some sympathy, go talk to Mark "Fluff" Cowan. You know who he is don't you? He was the guy that you replaced after Eldrick canned him. Not all caddie/golfer relationships last like Bruce Edwards with Tom Watson, Joe LaCava with Freddy Couples, and Herman Mitchell and Lee Trevino.

You think suffering a lower back impingement not once, but twice was tough? I'm in for the longest 5 months of my life. Gym freak exile here I come and I can't do anything about it. Well at least the track and high school football will keep me busy til November. I'll explain in the next edition...Leccese out.

Was that Jim Cantore or Mike Seidel I saw at the British Open when the heavy rains and wind hit

Hi there. Hope you had a nice week. We start with the British Open or The Open Championship as they like to call over there on the other side of the Atlantic. Darren Clarke is a good guy who deserved to win a major. Felt bad for Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson who took the gas pipe. Sort of like my putting performance at Kingswood Sunday. Decent off the tee, rock solid with my irons, but on the greens...fuhgett about it! 3 was a magic number when it came to my putting. The hi-light of the tournament for me was seeing 61 year old Tom Watson hit a 178 yard 7 iron one bounce and in for a hole in one during the second round. The other was seeing the conditions that the golfers often played in. The wind and the rain. At one point I thought that Jim Cantore or Mike Seidel would be providing on course reporting following the leaders. Playing one of those links courses in the Britian, Scotland or Ireland is high on my bucket list.

What is wrong with our justice system? Roger Clemens perjury trial was declared a mistrial for some video that was seen on the second day of testimony. Casey Anthony is acquitted of murdering her 2 year daughter because the jury felt their wasn't enough evidence to convict her. Yet Plaxico Burress goes to jail for 21 months because he accidentally shot himself in the groin with an unlicensed gun in a nightclub.

In the last edition I wondered about Brian Wilson the Giants closer. Well after seeing the outfit he wore to the ESPY's, its has been confirmed that he is certifiably a freak.

I know we should be disappointed that the U.S womens' soccer team lost in the finals of the World Cup, but considering all the stuff that Japan has been through with the earthquake and tsunami. I'm kind of glad they won to boost the country's moral.

O.K. so doing the right thing and receiving a reward for being a good person happens to be taxable. Christian Lopez the lucky young man who caught Derek Jeter's 3000th hit not only got 4 tickets to every remaining home game regular season and play-offs in a luxury suite and some autographed items from Jeter, he was hit with a $14,000 gift tax bill from the IRS.

So tell me football fans, are we really gonna be that upset if we miss one meaningless exhibition game if the work stoppage goes on for another week or two. I didn't think so either.

Want to take a moment to wish nothing but the best to two of my good friends and fitness instructors who have big days coming up. First is Jenn Carbone. Congratulations on your wedding Tuesday. Many of us gym freaks who you teach wish you all the best for a long, happy marriage. Secondly, Jason Gardner is doing the Iron Man triathlon this weekend in Lake Placid. I know you'll do great. Next time I see you at gym freak get together, I'm buying a round and we'll toast your success. I won't take no for an answer either

Saratoga season starts Friday and in less than 30 days its the start of football practice. I am so psyched. Hi to all the rest of the gym freaks and instructors...Leccese out.

A new entry about a lot of nothing. Kind of like a Seinfeld rerun, but not as funny

Hi there. So here I am in a really good happy place enjoying a Sunday afternoon writing this entry while watching a "No Reservations" marathon on the Travel Channel combined with the Guinness that I'm drinking by my side. This entry was inspired by one of Mike Lupica's columns, who I read religiously every Sunday morning before I watch, "The Sports Reporters."
Let us start with a trip to the dentist. Next to driving over bridges and open heights, I'm deathly afraid of the dentist. Thank god I didn't need braces growing up. That would have been a disaster! I fear and dread those trips to have my teeth examined twice a year. I'm not good in a dental chair. I will need some implants and cleaning done. I'll be O.K. since I'll be knocked out cold while the surgery takes place. Somehow I managed to survive and when the doctor put his arm around me and said, "I will help you get over this fear and I expect to see you sooner rather than later" I felt just a little bit better. Not really, but at least he tried to ease some of the fear.
Another thing I'm not good with are tools. Somehow I channelled Mr. Fix-it and actually replaced the ignition box in my Char-Broil professional 4 burner stainless steel grill. I love that grill! Any good cook or foodie knows the value and importance of a great grill and I've got one of those. Tim Allen and Bob Villa would have been proud of me. Took out some screws, removed a couple of side plates, opened up it up and got that bad boy working again like a finely tuned instrument. I felt so invigorated about my triumph that I wanted to head to the Craftsman Tool department at Sears and start looking at cordless power tools and ponder my next challenge.
Watched a Mets/Giants game hi-lights and I took one look at Giants closer Brian Wilson and wondered if that guy is in the witness protection program with that freaky looking beard of his. I've seen Halloween costumes and masks with better looking facial hair than his. Are you really growing it that way Brian, or is the government hiding you from somebody and is Brian really your name?
Derek Jeter who is the epitome of class got his 3,000 hit Saturday. You could be the biggest Yankee hater on the planet, but still like Derek Jeter. What was even classier was Christian Lopez, the young man who ended up with the prize ball, gave it back Jeter and really didn't want anything in return. The Yankees and Jeter gave him a lot of cool, good stuff. He made out O.K. However people are skewering this young man for not keeping the ball and making a fortune by selling it. You know what, there are still a lot good people in this world who are not consumed by greed or trying to get their 15 minutes of fame!
On a sadder note, you know by now what happened in Texas where a fan died trying to catch a ball thrown in the stands by outfielder Josh Hamilton. Leaned over the railing too far to grab it, fell about 20 feet, landed on his head and lost his life in a horrible tragic accident. You should say a prayer for both the family of this guy and Josh Hamilton. He feels real bad about this. I remember several years back a young hockey fan lost her life when a puck shot by Columbus BlueJackets forward Espen Knutsen accidentally struck her in the side of the head. Knutsen was never the same player.
Michael Douglas is one hell of an actor. Saw the sequel to "Wall Street" and it was an amazing film. Loved every minute of it. Really enjoyed the scene where Gordon Gekko bumped into Bud Fox at a charity function. "Greed is good, now it seems it's legal." to quote Mr. Gekko from the sequel.
I'm finding it hard to believe that their are that many women who really like camping. My idea of roughing it is not having room service, continental breakfast, or pay per view movies in the room at the hotel I'm staying at.
Political opinions aside, Anne Coulter is one attractive, woman who has the intelligence to go with the looks. The total package. And that's not the Guinness talking right now either.
Must watch music video, "Deer in Headlights" by Owl City. Any video that has the DeLorean time machine from "Back to the Future" is a good thing. The song itself isn't half bad either.
I mentioned this product in one my recent Facebook entries. Neutrogena Ultimate Sport SPF 70+ sun screen spray or lotion. It's good stuff...Leccese out.

Some thoughts on the 4th of July

Hi there and Happy Birthday U.S.A. I celebrated the day that the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence (remember, it wasn't signed until August 2nd) by doing nothing after being on the air. In doing some deep thought I realize that I take some of the freedoms our founding fathers fought the British over for granted. I don't vote, even though I should. I don't believe its an honor to serve on a jury. I think it should be an option, like military service to our country. As a member of the media, I am privileged to be afforded a Bill of Rights amendment that allows for Freedom of the Press, but in many cases we abuse those freedoms and over step the boundaries of respect and good taste. We should learn to use restraint more often than not.
I try not to talk politics in this blog, but its a different story when the topic is the national debt. Enough with the bi-partisan bickering and lets gets this spending in a down cycle economy under control. You want to why I don't vote? Here's why. Because no politician on any level from local, state, or federal has given me an answer on what we should do eliminate the national debt! Its O.K. to tax the wealthiest Americans more and eliminate many corporate tax breaks. These people made money because they are smart and they've already got a team of good accountants with knowledge of the tax laws who can easily figure out how to outsmart the I.R.S! I also think congress should re-instate the line item veto. If the president thinks we can't afford something, cut in out. That will eliminate some or even a lot of the pork barrel spending we hear so much about.
The last time I saw a zoo of reporters and analysis outside of a courtroom like I've seen during this Casey Anthony trial, there was a white Ford Bronco and a pair of bloody gloves involved in some double murder trial back in 1994 and 95.
Just when I thought the Phantoms' parent club were going be twiddling their thumbs this off season, the Flyers make a huge splash like an over weight guy doing a cannonball off the high dive. Trading both Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, then signing 39 year old Jaromir Jagr? The goaltending situation is more cloudier than a rainy day. They now have Bryzgalov, Leighton, Backlund, Boucher and Bobrovsky. We still don't know who Joe Paterson is going to have play in net for him.
The NBA is in lockout or work stoppage. Who cares.
Congrats to Jimmer on being picked 10th overall. My advice to him is to rent and not buy a place in Sacramento, since the Kings maybe heading to Anaheim next year.
As a Mets fan, I feel bad for Jason Bay. This guy has been nothing but a class act and I wish he would get his stroke back. I want him to succeed sooo bad. He's fought through injuries and having to play home games in that joke of ballpark Fred Wilpon built to pay homage to the Brooklyn Dodgers doesn't help. The game winning hit over the Yanks Sunday might just get some of that confidence back.
Another level of fitness hell has frozen over. The guy who is trying to make friends with the weights is taking a second Body Pump class during the week. That is one more than the Body Combat class that I love so much.
I have this feeling I'm going to have a lonely next couple of months. A new gym is opening up owned by some of the fitness instructors who teach the Les Mills classes I take and many of my gym freak friends are defecting over. Unfortunately my contract doesn't end til early next year and it doesn't have an out clause I can invoke. I am so screwed big time.
Finally Joey Chestnut ate how many hotdogs at this years Nathan's Famous Contest on Coney Island? 62 of them....Leccese out.