Weighing at the gym and on the latest steriod with hunt

Hi There. Well today is the day. D-Day. My fitness challenge weigh in. I might just go to church and light a prayer candle and hope for a little divine intervention before Combat class. So if you're going to church I could use all the help I can get. Its gonna be close. Wish me luck.
First it was Alex Rodriguez and now Big Papi and Manny Ramirez are on that list of 103 players who were found to have P.E.D's in their system in a 2003 confidential test to determine if testing for steriods should happen. Does the idiot who is leaking these names to Selena Roberts and other New York Times staffers know he's breaking the law! Normally I'm against the MLB Players Association in most labor matters but this time if they have gripe, I'm backing them. Whoever this person is should go to jail and rot with Bernie Madoff. The test results were not supposed to be released! Besides how can you call the players who did it cheaters if there was nothing in the collective bargaining agreement saying they couldn't do it!
Hopefully this little rant I've just written helped me burn a few more calories...Leccese out.

Christmas in July has arrived

Hi there. Its been a while since I wrote a Wednesday entry, but so much has happened in so little time. Where to start?
How about a double dose of this weeks sign of the apocalypse. G-Force, a movie about guinea pigs as spies was number one at the box off beating Harry Potter; and Bubbles the chimp maybe on a hunger strike. Boy, it doesn't get much better than those two right there to get things rolling.
Has the soap opera, "As the Brett Favre Turns" really come to an end now that he told the Vikes he isn't coming back after all? Stay tuned. A third sequel maybe in the works. Brett do us all a favor. Sign a one day contract with Green Bay and officially announce your retirement as a Packer.
I think it would be in the best interest of Michael Vick to lay low for a while and not return to the NFL. Right now even you're still a freak among the side show acts at the circus.
Onto my favorite baseball team the New York Mess...I mean Mets. Tony Bernazard's firing was long overdue. He's smart guy, but his fiery personality at times is what the Mets need on the field. He needs to go to charm school for some lessons on tact. As for Adam Rubin, Omar Minaya shouldn't have called him out like that during the press conference. His choice of words was a train wreck and he used really poor judgement. The foundation is crumbling around Omar's tenure as GM. Shame its not CitiField's foundation that's crumbling. Sorry SK, I know you went to see Paul McCartney there and told me how great the place is, but I'll never be convinced.
I haven't talked about the Phantoms lately, but with Greg Gilbert being named head coach it seemed like a good time. Solid choice. Besides, how can I not like a guy who played for the 1994 Stanley Cup champion Rangers. The schedule breakdown is fine although I would have liked to seen that extra home game from the Atlantic division go to either Portland, Providence, or Hartford and not Bridgeport.
Today is Christmas in July. Start of Saratoga season. I talked to Kyle Brownell for a few minutes and I told him it doesn't get any better than this. He agreed. It's a good time if you're a horse racing fan. You got Del Mar going on in California, Mine that Bird will run Saturday in the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer. The Haskell at Monmouth featuring Rachel Alexandra and Summer Bird on Sunday. I was telling Dan one thing was missing to make it even better for me. Football. I'm starting to get that itch to do a high school game or least watch some football. I'll have to look for some CFL or Aussie Rules games on the tube to hold me over til NFL pre-season or the start of college football.
If you plan on making a donation to one of our staff members who will be driving in the go-cart race on August 18th, give it to either Dan or Dave Thomas. Thanks.
The Princeton Review name Union College number 13 on its top party schools list. Alright Dutchmen! Next thing you know they'll be calling it a jock school.
Three days til weigh in at the gym and the measuring cups have been working overtime. Between the measuring and drinking all that water, I feel like an amateur wrestler trying to make weight for a match.
One last reminder. If you go to the track, don't bet on the steeplechases or the 2 year old filly first time starter races. Hope you cash 'em and not trash 'em...Leccese out.

Football and Saratoga is getting oh so close

Hi There. Hope everything is well and you're enjoying the summer. Hard to believe but its almost half over. Leading off, I want to take this time and apologize to all the loyal readers of "The Greenhouse Effect" that come away disappointed that you never see a picture of me with some attractive blonde in every entry unlike one of my colleagues. My brother in law Mike pointed that out. Just the usual talk of my mundane, average life and witty observations of the world around me.
My family was in town for a couple days and my Mom was in heaven. She had her kids and got be Nana and all of us had a great time. Morgan Pavlot is turning into quite a neat little kid. She's almost 4 years old and I learned a lot from her, especially who Walter the farting dog is. F.Y.I It is a children's book O.K.
My mom has been taking care of my Uncle Al's estate and getting things organized and in order. He recently past away on July 4th and was really good guy. He was a diver in the Navy and first time I really got to know him I was 11 years old. He took our family to a museum in Norfolk Virginia and showed me some of the stuff he recovered as a diver. It was cool. I also have an autographed baseball he got for me that I keep in my office here at the radio station, so I think of him everyday.
Bristol Tech is in an uproar over the sick perv who reenacted a scene from Porky's and decided to video tape sideline reporter Erin Andrews naked through a peep hole in her hotel room and post it online. I would be pretty pissed off to. I have to admit she's very attractive. However I was watching Sports Center this morning working out and Hannah Storm was wearing what looked like a black cocktail dress. Why do I feel that doesn't help the situation. Also the ESPY's have become this black tie/red carpet dress up affair. I know sex appeal sells but after the Joe Namath/Suzy Kolber incident, Bristol Tech should know better by now.
Here's why the Open Championship is the best of the four majors in golf. They don't trick up the course, they play in the elements and Tom Watson turning back the clock made it worth watching. You didn't need Eldrick in contention as the reason for tuning in.
Phil Mikelson is thinking of buying 105 Waffle Houses. There's nothing wrong with that. Waffle Houses are like Friendly's without the ice cream. Just don't have the employees wear some of those scary looking pants you've been donning lately, Phil. Phil Mickelson and John Daly should have a battle on the catwalk to determine the ugliest looking pants on the PGA tour.
One more fashion statement from golf. What's up all these players going into their uncle's closets and stealing the white belts? I thought white belts only came out with the matching white shoes for weddings at the VFW hall.
A sign that football season is getting closer and closer. Driving home Wednesday night I saw a Warrensburg football player running on Main Street with the ball tucked in his left arm. Even though hockey is my favorite sport, there is something special about Saturday's in the fall knowing I'm calling a high school football game that day.
More football news. The Yankees are bringing back college football to the stadium. Army will play a game at the big ball orchard in the South Bronx for the next four years. They start with Notre Dame in 2010 and then in 2011 my boys from Piscataway come calling. The so-called experts are hyping Rutgers. I'm not buying it just yet. I'll believe it when I see it. They lost too many skill position players to graduation and the NFL
Saratoga opens next week and here's a couple of betting tips for you. Avoid the steeplechase races (Thanks Shep), and races that feature 2 year old fillies who are first time starters. I will be watching a lot of TVG the next 6 weeks. Hope to make it down to the track at least once. I say that every year, but I never make it down there.
The Body Combat challenge at the gym is nearing the end and I will have those 10 classes done Monday. The 10 pound challenge is really frustrating me and the final weigh in is next Saturday. I don't know if I'm gonna make it.
Finally from the comic strip "Luann." If Luann's brother Brad can hook up with that cute female firefighter Toni, maybe there's hope for me yet. On second thought, Charlie Brown never did get the little red haired girl to notice him did he...Chuck Brown, I mean Leccese out.

Only 31 more days til football practice

Hi there. Yes its hard to believe but my sabatical is almost over. Fall sports and football practice is one month away. The process of figuring out the games we'll be doing on WWSC has begun. Hopefully by the beginning of August it will be finalized and on the website. On to other things.
This weeks sign of the apocalypse. Hong Kong Phooey is being made into a major motion picture. Hanna Barbara cartoons of the 70's aren't classics like the ones of the 60's. Shows like Inch High Private Eye, Clue Club, Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch and others didn't have the staying power the Flinstones or the Jetsons had. If you were going to make a full length feature from the shows of the 70's, my choice would be Valley of the Dinosaurs. On second thought after the disaster that was Land of the Lost, that would only be adding fuel to the fire.
So Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson have split up. As long as Tony doesn't go back to Carrie Underwood (that chick really freaks me out.) However you won't see me consoling Jessica. I'm on the line willing to console Richard Jefferson's ex fiance Kesha Nichols. Richard got cold feet and blew about 2 million bucks on the non wedding. He also forgot to tell some of the guests that the affair was off.
After watching some of the British Open, I need to know who makes John Daly's pants. I'd like to buy a pair for Cloutier. They would look good and fit in perfectly with the rest of his wardrobe. Also would some major network please try to hire Ernie Johnson away from TNT.
Got to love the people of Minnesota. First they elected Jesse "The Body" Ventura as governor, and now have decided that Al Franken should be one of their two senators in Washington D.C. You read correctly Stuart Smalley is now in Congress because he's good enough, he's smart enough, and gosh darn it people like him.
Those 22 Emmy nominations for 30 Rock should make it easy for Tina Fey to forget she won't be impersonating Sarah Palin anymore.
Bernie Madoff went off to jail. He should have been sent to Colorado to that maximum security prison where all those terrorists and mass murderers are kept, instead he gets to go to some farm in North Carolina.
Well midway through the Combat challenge at the gym I've dropped 4 1/2 pounds and I've done 6 classes. Only 4 more classes and 5 1/2 more pounds to go.
Get to play Uncle Kenny this weekend. The Carolina crew is coming up for a couple days...Leccese out.

Its been a real slow week and other observations

Hi There. Its been a real slow, boring 10 days since the last entry and mean real slow and boring. Where to begin. There's nothing better than July 1st. It's Black Friday for NHL and NBA teams when free agency starts. The rush to sign players to contracts. The money burning holes in teams pockets like a raging wild fire. One team that won't win the Stanley Cup is the Chicago Blackhawks. They signed Marian Hossa. Lets see in the last two years he's played for the Penguins and Redwings and they've both lost in the finals the years he's played for them. Sorry 'hawks fans the Stanley Cup drought will continue. On a positive note, it's still not as long as Cubs fans have been waiting.
The Rangers signed Donald Brashear to a two year contract. If you can't beat up the bully, pay the bully to beat up other people for you.
Eldrick won the tournament that he hosts which was his tune up for the British Open in two weeks. Interesting stat note. He has won the tournaments that were played 2 weeks before the Masters and US Open, and so far he's gone 0 for 2 in those majors. Make it 0 for 3 at Turnberry.
Tennis needed a kick in the pants and they got it with the men's final Sunday. Bristol Tech should go to NBC for the tape of that match and re-air it as an, "Instant Classic." Andy Roddick and Roger Federer played one of those knock down, drag 'em out 15 round championship fights for 5 sets and over 4 hours. You have to feel for Roddick though. I hope he's gotten over it, but after putting it all on the line and battling like he did, this loss is gonna hurt for a long, long time. A real long time.
I was stunned to learn of the death of boxer Alexis Arguello. Saw him box Ray Mancini and Aaron Pryor and he was good, real good To quote Arthur George Rust, Jr. "Heck of a fighter."
Everybody's favorite hot hockey mom decided to hang it up as Governor of Alaska. Thanks for playing Sarah Palin. Here's a copy of the home game as your consolation prize. So what's Tina Fey gonna do now in her spare time?
Note to CBS. Please return The Big Bang Theory to its original 8pm time slot instead of placing it at 9:30 after Two and a Half Men.
It's July 8th and I've now officially given up on the Mets. Listen to me Omar Minaya. Become a seller at the trade deadline and off load Santana, Reyes, Church, Pelphrey, Wright, Beltran and K-Rod for some top notch prospects to re-stock that barren farm system of yours and while you're at it, blow up Citi Field for me. The All-Star break can't come soon enough...Leccese out.

Draggin my a-- to the gym at 6am to accept a fitness challenge

Hi there. Its been an interesting week. Usually celebrity deaths come in 3's well in the past week we had count 'em 5! Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, pitchman Billy Mays, impressionist Fred Travelina and of course Michael Jackson. I'll talk about M.J. in a second, but first I have to mention Farrah. As an impressionable young male growing up in the 70's, Farrah ranked up there with Cheryl Tiegs as probably having the most popular poster on a boys bedroom wall. Lee Majors, the 6 Million Dollar Man was married to her during that decade. How cool was that! Sorry to admit this guys, so please don't take my man card away for this revelation. Farrah wasn't my favorite Charlie's Angel. I'm in the very,very small minority who preferred Kate Jackson over her and Jaclyn Smith and later on Cheryl Ladd. Sorry, but Shelly Hack and Tonya Roberts don't count.
I'm going to try to keep it brief on Michael Jackson's passing. He was an amazing performer and talent, but his celebrity became so enormous that it must have been impossible to be able to handle that kind of pressure and the demands that came with the kind of fame that only Elvis or The Beatles had attained. I wouldn't wish that level on anyone. He kind of reminded me of Howard Hughes in a sad, eccentric sort of way. One good memory of Michael. His appearance on "The Simpsons."
On to sports. The U.S. Open. At what point do we stop feeling sorry for Phil Mickelson and bring up the fact the guy has taken the gas pipe on more than one occasion when it really counted. Also did anyone see the pants he was wearing Monday? Who ever the heck is picking out his clothes and I know its not his wife Amy should be fired for choosing those ugly trousers. They looked like someone stole curtains and made pants out them.
David Duval made an appearance from the dead to play well at Bethpage, but one thing hadn't changed about Mr. Duval. His personality makes watching white paint dry exciting.
I did watch both the NBA and NHL drafts. First the NBA affair. The Nets have officially returned to being the Clippers of the Eastern Conference with their trade of Vince Carter to the Magic, and I know the Timberwolves needed help at guard, but drafting 4 of them in the first round?
As for the NHL draft, I thought the Flyers would use their first pick to draft a goalie. I didn't anticipate that pick to be in the 3rd round! There must be ghosts of Redwings drafts past still at the Civic Center. The new parent club traded away 2 first round picks, a former first round pick and a guy back to his original team for Chris Pronger. No help for the farm club. Some things never change.
From this weeks absurd file comes this beauty. A guy in Chicago called 911 to complain to police that a fast food chain did not put enough cookie bits in his kids milkshake. We're talking about pieces of Oreo in a milkshake! We have murders, assaults, robbery's and other real emergencies going on around us and our police are getting calls over petty things like cookies in a milkshake, or in another instance of real genius calling 911 to complain to police because the restaurant ran out of chicken nuggets.
The state of Rhode Island is considering officially changing its name and dropping the "Providence Plantations" part because it might be offensive. I believe that 97 percent of the citizens of this great land wouldn't know or could care less that our smallest state is officially known as "The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations." Hey, I use it all the time when I announce I'm going to visit to my aunt and or my cousin and his family who live there... NOT!!! The PC police investigative units are out there boys and girls looking for its next victim.
Good news. Bernie Madoff got 150 years in jail for his ponzi scheme. Hope orange is your favorite color you worthless piece of dung.
Another worthless piece of dung is saying goodbye. Don't let the door hit your a-- on the way out Donald Fehr. I won't miss you one bit.
I mentioned last week how I've accepted this 6 week 10 and 10 Body Combat challenge at the place I work out at. Part of the challenge is taking 10 classes, the other part is losing 10 pounds. I take class Saturday mornings and the only other time I can take it is Monday at 6am. So there I was bright and early. I was surprised to see 13 other people. I must be freakin' nuts to wake up before 5am to do this. Only 8 more classes to go.
Guess who's coming to Proctors November 15th? The man. Anthony Bourdain. I am so psyched and I'm so going to be there for that appearance.
I end this entry on a lighter note. I been playing The Game of Life on my laptop. While playing the game, you actually have to get married. It doesn't have a "She only likes you as friend and therefore stay single forever" spot on the board...Leccese out.

Being Ken Leccese's son and other weekend observations

Hi there. First off Happy Fathers Day to all the dads, grandpas, and uncles out there. Since I mentioned my Mom prominently on Mothers Day, equal time goes out to my Dad, the first Ken Leccese. Yes, I'm a junior and proud of it. Often times when a family names their son after the father, the son will use the middle name so to give him his own identity. My cousin Andy's son Thomas is like that. He's Andrew Thomas Junior, but he goes by his middle name. Thanks Mom for not going that route with me. Don't get me wrong, Edward is a fine name. But Eddie Leccese? I don't think so. I love my Dad. He's my hero. Some times I wish I was more like him and not like my Mom, but there's a lot of him in me. He doesn't show the emotion that my Mom does but when he does, watch out. When you do good, he lets you know and the same happens when you do bad. He also has a goofy side to him that he shows on occasion. He overcame a lot. Worked real hard to be the success he is and now he's semi-retired and enjoys being Papa to my niece. His golf game sucks, however he's tough to beat when it comes to horse shoes and bocce.
It was a good weekend to watch other sports besides baseball. The U.S. Open Golf and Nascar on the road course at Infeon. Road course racing is like inter league baseball games. It's different. A nice change of pace from the norm and I like them both. I wish Nascar would add a 3rd road course race during the final 10 Chase for Cup races. As for the golf, I'll comment on it after it's over.
The only thing missing from the Mets/Rays series this weekend was seeing Scott Kazmir starting one of those games for Tampa. I'm still steamed over that trade. That deal ranks up there in Mets infamy like Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi.
Outside the Lines did a great story on the NBA's minimum age requirement. You know how I feel about that. If the NBA would put a minor league system in place similiar to what baseball and hockey have, I would have no problem with 18 year old kids who want to play pro ball and not go to college. Have two-way contracts and call ups just like they have in the other sports.
Had to replace some plants in the garden. The eggplant I started from seed inside weren't responding the way I'd hoped, so I picked up some more healthier looking ones.
The weight loss has hit a brick wall. I'm stuck between 212 and 214 pounds. I know I've lost 30 since the beginning of the year, but I want to lose 40! I talk about the Body Combat class I take at the health club I work out at. Well they've got a new 6 week Body Combat challenge that I'm going to accept to drop that last 10 pounds that don't seem to want to come off. I've been good with not eating ice cream, but my weakness has been plain and or peanut butter M and M's. The M's won't be touching these lips and gut for a while.
Sandra Bullock has the top movie at the box office this weekend with "The Proposal." I find it hard to believe she's married to the guy from Monster Garage. Talk about opposites being attacted to each other. Summer officially started Sunday, so where's the 80 degrees and sunny?..Leccese out.