Amici:
A couple of Happy Birthdays this November 8, 2013 … 34 years ago, mia figlia was born …
What a doll …
Nicole Hope with her bros … Charles Thomas and Dustin William Stella …
Here they are again …
And again …
Nicole and her niece, Evelyn Amelia Stella …
Nicole and Momma Stella …
Buon Compleanno, bella figlia.
And one more November 8th birthday, amici …
And Big Jim LaCugna, teammate, roommate, best man and artist extraordinaire, turns 58 oggi … that picture above is from Goodfellas … Jimmy painted it. How cool is that?
Buon Compleanno, Jim!
Movie Review …
The Big Picture (foreign movie) … started off rather routine, but quickly become a thriller as a lawyer/wannabe photographer discovered his wife is having an affair with a photographer … things whip up fast, accidents occur, and the movie takes flight along with the lawyer/photographer … all the way to the very end … TK enjoyed this one quite a bit … a pleasant surprise.
Book Review:
Kitten with a Whip … talk about your basic nightmare … a guy wakes up and finds a young hottie on his couch … the problem, she’s just escaped from a juvenile joint and she’s street smart, diabolical and clever enough to play the poor SOB like a fiddle … the pic above is from the movie they made of the Wade Miller classic, but I won’t watch it because of the way they tore the story apart (making the poor SOB a politician—sorry, had enough of them to give a shit). The book, however, is wonderful … as is the forward by the best in the business, Rick Ollerman. An absolute page turner that takes you from San Diego suburbia to Mexico and back. Rick provides the interesting background. Wade Miller is actually two childhood friends, Bob Wade (1920-present) and Bill Miller (1920-1961), who produced 33 books together until Miller’s premature death from a sudden heart attack. Wade and Miller attended San Diego State and edited the campus newspaper together. After a stint in the Air Force, they joined forces again, eventually producing the book that Orson Welles adapted as the classic noir film, Touch of Evil.
Kiss Her Goodbye … okay, so Wade and Miller obviously had a thing for good-looking women … in this one, a beautiful eighteen-year-old (Emily) with the mind of a twelve-year-old is the cause of her brother’s (Ed’s) never-ending grief … too many men want to be with her … and she has a violent temper … put that in your mind and follow the Darnells as they try as best as possible to escape what is inevitable … and they almost do … another relentless page turner that will keep you focused and guessing.
Rich Incognito … the new personal trainer in Knucks’ Chest Beating for Bully’s course. He benches more than 600 pounds … he eats steroids the way I eat pizza … he’s been suspended from two different colleges, named the dirtiest player in the NFL, and has been tossed from NFL teams for being a big dick … but here you can click on the link for this bozo’s drunken rant in some bar …
Bottom line: Nobody knows what the hell this Incognito situation is all about … it’s hard to imagine an NFL player (never mind a starter on the offensive line) being called “weak” … but whatever is going on, the Miami Dolphinations have some big-ass problems on their plate. Aside from the lawsuits and whatever else may come their way from the league and the courts, they’re going into week 10 without two of their starting offensive linemen (and they weren’t doing too good pass blocking with those two guys in their lineup) … I guess this is the next sports drama to be played out over the next few weeks with leaked information about this or that … but I feel safe in assuming one thing: Rich Incognito, whether it’s steroid rage or one too many hits to the head, appears to be a certifiable psycho.
This week in the NFL … last week was our bye week so yous were spared some of the most horrific football picks ever … I managed a 4-9 in my wife’s office pool … oy vey … this week, I promise better results … even with the spread? Oy vey …
The Washingtonians (screw Daniel Snyder) cover the 2.5 over the Vikingless (30-20).
Jacksonville plus 13.5 is a winner against the Tennessee Tuxedos (Tennessee wins 24-14).
The Rodgerless Pack may lose outright to the Dog Killers, so they’ll never cover the 9.5 (Dog Killers, 27-24).
My beloved New York State Buffalo Bills will conquer the Steelerless (so take the 3.5 points): Bills 24-17. *THE LOCK OF THE WEEK!!!!!
The Raiderettes need to rebound, but won’t (although they may cover getting 7.5). Moonachie Blue 24-17.
We like the Ramettes getting 10.5 against the Coltless. Colts win 28-20.
Seattle has been playing sloppy, but covering 6.5 over the Falconless won’t be an issue. Sea Pigeons, 27-17.
The Wes Cravens at home will surprise the Bengalis, so take the 1.5 … Cravens win, 20-16.
The Lionettes should beat Chicago, but won’t cover (-2.5) … or win. Cubbies, 24-16.
The 40-whiners are still too good … especially at home … they’ll cover (-6.5) and win, 30-21.
The Texas two-steppers are a complete mess … Arizona covers (-2.5) at home, 24-14.
The Broncettes barely win (never mind cover the -7.5) over the Chargerless, 27-24.
The Cowgirls at the Aints … oy vey … the Aints are laying 7.5 … and must be pissed about losing to the Yets … they’ll cover, 30-20.
Monday night it’s Rich Incognito night in Tampa Bay … Bucks roll over the fish, 27-13 (and you can probably scratch Tannerhill after this one).
—Knucks
Maria Callas … from Gianni Schicchi … O Mio Babbino Caro ... some a’yous will recognize it from some dopey fugazy gravy (sauce to yous nons) commercial …
From one of the first two Led Zeppelin albums (the only ones worth listening to) … Heartbreaker ...
Charlie Musselwhite … I don’t believe a word you say … (how unions and the working man must feel about Mr. Obama about now) …
