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Saturday, July 31, 2010

Conditioning Test

Albert Haynesworth's conditioning test.

Think it's easy?

25 yards up and back, 6 times, in 70 seconds.

Then again 3.5 minutes later in 73 seconds.

So easy anybody could do it?

Think again.

So, what started out as another "lets trash Albert" post, turned into something quite different.

Here is our Fumbled Returns trial of the Albert Haynesworth conditioning test.

In the first part, my oldest daughter attempts to pass the test, but the fear of sweating made her stop. Who knew there was a teenage girl law against sweating ...
In all fairness, she probably could have passed if she had pushed through it. But just barely.

In the second part my youngest son (4 years old) trys a scaled down version. He is only half as big as anybody else so we shortened it in half. He passed.

In the third part, my daughter and other son ( 10 years old ) attempt the test. Again, in fairness, this is the second run by my daughter (withing the 3.5 minute rest period) but she just misses this cutoff. Though, I believe she had a couple extra obstacles to contend with.

So, in all fairness, it is not as easy as it sounds or looks.

Then again, we aren't being payed $100 million dollars either...

Read more...

Friday, July 30, 2010

Sports this week . . .

Seems some of the sports headlines this week were about anything but sports . . .

Lebron can have his cake and eat it too!



Anywhere he wants,



except on ESPN.




Pitino has 15 seconds of fame








and a short shot clock…

Fat Albert,


still is . . .





And apparently dropping a deuce didn’t help clear the air either…

Terrell Owens has a new theme song


Baby, if you've ever wondered,
Wondered whatever became of me,
I'm living somewhere in Cincinnati,
Just Ochocinco, the Bengals, and me.



Got kind of tired packing and unpacking,
Town to town and the reality tv dial
Romo, Trent and Donovan weren’t meant to be,
So Carson throw to me once in awhile.

I'm at the Bengals in Cincinnati..

Read more...

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Future Fantasy ( vol 1 )

This is an idea that I have tossed around in the back of my head for a while.

Future Talent.

Specifically talent that may not show up on some of the more top sites such as Rivals or Takkle.

So here it goes, the first addition of Fumbled Returns Future Fantasy.

DeAndre Reaves (Loudoun County Virginia Dominion High School).

I personally can attest to all the good hype regarding this fine young man from the many conversations I've had with folks at work who either know his family or their own sons have played ball with him at Dominion High.

The 5-foot-10-inch, 180-pound Dominion High School rising senior is best known for his play at running back, where he has averaged more than 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns in each of three varsity seasons.

Reaves has impressed several college coaches including West Virginia, Maryland, Marshall and Fordham. Each has extended scholarship offers to Reaves, while other Division I programs – including Tennessee, Wake Forest, Rutgers and East Carolina – have expressed interest in him.

Reaves, who ran a personal-best 4.38-second 40-yard dash during the spring, wants to be able to feel comfortable at which ever school he chooses.

I’d like to fit right in,” Reaves said, I’m looking for a school that has good academic support. Football won’t be there forever.


But, just in case if it is . . or at least until he is 30 or so ...

If it was my choice, I would want to play somewhere on offense, Reaves said. But I just love the game. I’ll play anywhere. Wherever the coach asks me to play, that’s what I’ll do.


References and photos courtesy Loudoun Times

Read more...

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Notable Redskin Signings and Sightings This Week !!!

















With the start of training camp this week excitement and expectations and least we forget, speculations, are running high.

So it only goes to show that there are some important redskin signings this week to kick things off....

Donovan McNabb was at a book signing Tuesday for the "NFL Dads Dedicated to Daughters" book signing at Borders in DC.

McNabb is one of more than 70 current and former NFL players who contributed to the book, which discusses what it's like to have a daughter and what men can do to prevent violence against women. Proceeds from sales go to A Call to Men, a group dedicated to the prevention of domestic abuse. Redskins' cornerback DeAngelo Hall and former Redskin Brian Mitchell also contributed to the book and have previously signed copies.



















Then we have the notable Redskin Cheerleaders Hosting a Calendar Party Thusday July 29th at Public Bar in DC.

The Calendar Party gets underway at 7 p.m. and continues to 11 p.m. The event features performances and a fashion show by the new cheerleaders squad, as well as opportunities for autographs and photos.


Proceeds benefit, well, probably the charitable Dan Snyder bank account and the calendar is dedicated to, well, the fans ;-)

And speaking of Dan Snyders bank account and supporting a good cause...















Albert Haynesworth is expected to report to training camp slimmer and in better condition this year.

Conspiracy Theory has him doing this to get on the outside of the line and away from his nose tackle responsibilities.

Pro Haynesworth supporters say this is rather to prove his worth and dedication to football.

Me, I vote for a wait and see approach. To me actions speak louder than words and with that said, Dear Albert is not off to a good start. If he was truly dedicated to football and the team he would have shown up in the spring for OTA's like everyone else.

BTW: There was a really cool article, inspirational reading for Albert, published in the Washington post regarding the noble role nose tackle plays in a good defensive scheme.

Hopefully Dear Albert will read it.

Read more...

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

I want

My immune system, bag of chips and alcohol please...


NEWS FLASH !!!

ESPN reports stadium food is not good for you.

DUH.

Read more...

Sunday, July 25, 2010

It seems just like yesterday...


















30 years ago today, one of the funniest movies ever was released. And we have not stopped laughing since...

Read more...

NFL Stocks - Revisited

Last February I published the NFL Stock Portfolio.

Back then, its 12 month return was an impressive 70%.




Lets see how it, and the stock market, has done over the past 6 months.

DOW Jones Industrial Average Return = 4.2%
NASDAQ Average Return = 5.9%

NFL Stock Portfolio Return = 18%

At this rate, I think I might just switch official watch lists.

The Official Fumbled Returns NFL Stock Portfolio is not made up of companies who have sports related products, or sponsorships, but rather stocks that have symbols which look like they could represent a particular team.

This is my version of the monkey throwing darts theory of picking stocks and it seems to be doing quite well.

As one might imagine, it was a bit difficult to actually come up with a symbol which easily could be related to an NFL franchise abbreviation or location. But I did manage to come up with one for each team. In some cases, I have alternates listed as well. I have counted these towards the average return for the watch list.

You can look up your favorite team stock symbol below to see how they have done.

The listing below show the following:

Company Name ---- Symbol ---- 02/2009 to 02/2010 Return ---- 2010 Return Since Feb.

AFC North

Raven Industries, Inc.---- RAVN----- 24% ----- 31%
Bengal Energy LTD ------ BNG.TO--- 180% -- -14%
Cleveland Biolabs Inc.---- CBLI ----- 29% ------ -6%
BigBen Interactive ------ BIG.PA -- 43% ------- 4%

AFC South

Texas Instruments ----- TXN ----- 44% ----- 10%
Colt Telecom Group ----- COLT.L ----- 48% ----- 12%
Jaguar Minning ----- JAG ----- 86% ----- -19%
Titan Machinery ----- TITN ----- 4% ----- 22%

AFC East

Buffalo Wild Wings ----- BWLD ----- 110% ----- -9%
Dolphin Capital Inv ----- DOLHF ----- 39% ----- -31%
Patriout Coal ----- PCX ----- 200% ----- -9%
JHT Total Stock Index ----- JETSX ----- 29% ----- 6%

AFC West

Bronco Drilling Co. ----- BRNC ---- -11% ----- -25%
Kansas City Southern ----- KSU ----- 45% ----- 27%
Oakmark Equity Income ----- OAKBX ----- 20% ----- 1%
Bolt Technology ---- BOLT ---- 32% ---- -11%

AFC Conference Average Return ----- 58% ------ -1%

Alternate Names

Proshares Shortdow30 ----- DOG ----- -26% ----- -7%
Pittsburgh and WV RR ----- PW ----- -7% ----- -3%
Global Titans ----- DGT ----- 26% ----- -2%
Tennessee Power ----- TVE ----- 0% ----- 3%
Blue Dolphin Energy Co ----- BDCO ----- 6% ----- 387%
New England Bank Shares ----- NEBS ----- -26% ----- 34%
Dolphin Capital Inv ----- DOLHF ----- 39% ----- -31%
MassMutual Prem Index ----- DENVX ----- 24% ----- 5%
Kansas City Life Ins ----- KCLI ----- -18% ----- 23%


NFC North


Citi Group ----- C ----- -7% ----- 25%
Fidelity Souther Corp ----- LION ----- 81% ----- 31%
Grup Aeroport ----- PAC ----- 72% ----- 4%
MFS Intermediate Trust ----- MIN ----- 7% ----- 2%

NFC South

Falconstor Softwore Inc ----- FALC ----- -10% ----- 3%
Avis Budget Group ----- CAR ----- 1387% ----- 3%
Blackrock International ----- BRESX ----- 34% ----- 2%
The Bank Corp TBBK ----- 109% ----- 10%

NFC East

Delta Airlines ----- DAL ----- 74% ----- 1%
ishares NYSE ----- NY ----- 17% ----- 1%
Eagle Bulk Shipping ----- EGLE ----- -41% ----- -4%
Dana Holdings ----- DAN ----- 1115% ----- 20%

NFC West

Cardinal Health ----- CAH ----- -13% ----- 3%
Stifel Financial ----- SF ----- 37% ----- -8%
Seahawk Drilling ----- HAWK ----- -14% ----- -52%
Sterling Bancorp ----- STL ----- -36% ----- 27%

NFC Conference Average Return ----- 186% ----- 4%


Alternate Names

Green Bankshares ----- GRNB ----- -34% ----- 82%
Purple Corporation ----- PRPL ----- -89% ----- 1%
Russel Quantitative ----- REDSX ----- 20% ----- 1%
Formula Systems ----- FORTY ----- 154% ----- 12%

Read more...

Friday, July 23, 2010

Cashing it in...

In life, George Steinbrenner beat the Red Sox.

In death, he beat the IRS.

Steinbrenner's death on July 13 occurred six months after the federal estate tax expired.


Forbes magazine estimates the Yankees owner's net worth was $1.15 billion, so the timing of Steinbrenner's death could save his heirs up to $500 million in federal estate taxes.

I wish the rest of us could be so lucky.

In the USA today article, Sandra Block, talks about how congress inaction helped cause this 12 month loop hole and how congress inaction could spell trouble for many families starting in 2011.

The federal estate tax is scheduled to return with a vengeance on Jan. 1, 2011, imposing a levy of up to 55% on estates valued at more than $1 million.


That may not seem like much but as the article points out, especially in areas of high real estate value, that $1 million mark can be reached fairly easily by a lot of families.

Throw in the value of a home, pension, 401, investments, businesses, and that $1 million is easily reached.

So whats the big deal? Why are folks both for and against this?

Well, obviously taxes bring in money to the government which now desperately needs it but folks argue that the government is essentially taxing this money twice.

Once as it is earned or payed out, then once again via an estate tax.

Of course congress is working to propose higher limits and different rates but there are differing (democratic and republican) proposals, and if they can not come to terms on a compromise, then the rest of us get stuck with the new mess.

Read more...

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Not a Sport?













Lets look at the evidence.

- Uniforms: Check.
- OTA's: Organized Team Activities? Check.
- Hours of inconvenient and multiple practices throughout the week? Check.
- Coaches: Check.
- Competition: Check.
- Fans: Check.
- Different formations for different circumstances? Check.
- Celebration Dances? Check.
- Displays of gang team colors and symbols? Check.
- Taunting of opposing players? Check.
- Perks:
- - Free food, cars, rides and lodging? Check.
- - Money advances? Check.
- - Special Treatment? Check.

If you doubt me about the perks, ask any parent of a cheerleader.

Read more...

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

What are the odds

Louis Oosthuizen winning the British Open...
200/1

Lycian winning the 6th race at Charles Town Races (Friday 7/16)...
24/1

My lovely and talented wife placing a $6 dollar bet across the board on Lycian...
Priceless!


All three of the above actually happened :-)



Clinton Portis to win the NFL rushing title...
75/1

Donovan McNabb to win the NFL passing yards title...
25-1

Santana Moss to win the NFL receiving yards title
50-1

Reskins to win the NFC title...
20/1


Don't laugh, it could happen ;-)


Now, here are the favorites...


QB Passing Yards
Drew Brees 5/1
Peyton Manning 5/1
Aaron Rodgers 6/1

RB Rushing Yards
Adrian Peterson 5/1
Chris Johnson 6/1
Frank Gore 8/1

WR Receiving Yards
Andre Johnson 6/1
Larry Fitzgerald 7/1
Reggie Wayne 7/1

Offensive Rookie of the year
Ryan Mathews 9/2
Dez Bryant 9/2
Ben Tate 6/1

Regular Season MVP
Peyton Manning 8/1
Philip Rivers 10/1
Drew Brees 10/1

NFC Title
Dallas Cowboys 7/2
New Orleans Saints 9/2
Minnesota Vikings 9/2

AFC Title
Indianapolis Colts 7/2
San Diego Chargers 9/2
New England Patriots 9/2

SuperBowl Champion
Indianapolis Colts 7/1
Dallas Cowboys 8/1
New England Patriots 10/1


Just another "expert" resource for your fantasy football research brought to you be me, Mr. Fumbled Returns.

You can see all the rest at sportsbook.com

Read more...

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Due this week

So it is now reporting season once again and there are quite a few of my stocks from this months watch list reporting just this week alone.

ClickSoftware CKSW
Upgraded to market outperform on July 14th and reports before market open July 21.
Last quarterly reported 34% growth and no debt.


Capital One COF
Reports July 22.
One of the better indicators of the "wellness" or lack there of is this stock. No so much in its profit but the number of loan defaults and balance rates of card holders.


Microsoft MSFT
Reports July 22
With IBM missing on sales and revenue but upping forecast it will be interesting to see if Micosoft registers a gain in earnings and stock price. With new upgrades to Office and Windows 7 and anticipated corporate renewals this stock is at a very attractive price but may not yet be seeing the anticipated returns on all its new product releases.


Sandisk SNDK
Reports July 22.
Upgraded by UBS to Buy on July 12.
Low debt ratio and solid quarterly earnings. For a while it was speculated that Sandisk would be supplying iPhones but the are not. Regardless, there is an industry shortage of Flash devices due to the popularity of all smart phones, music/video devices, and cameras.


Apple AAPL
Reports July 20th.
So, what do you make of Apple? Reports record sales of multiple new products. Design flaw with their antenna. And somewhat arrogant and sloppy PR handling of the press and public opinion and reviews.
Remember, to be #1, you don’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to be the best, you just have to be better than everyone else.
I just wish Steve and Apple didn’t pull a BP with their press conference and call everyone else the little people for blowing this way out of proportion and not understanding everything that goes into a smart phone.

BTW did anybody catch the ballsy antenna song that apple aired prior to their conference?


Read more...

Sunday, July 18, 2010

NFC Fumbles and Returns

Who’s going to surprise?

Who’s going to disappoint?



If you follow Fantasy Football, you probably have seen tons of articles on sleepers and busts. You probably have one or two lists of your own.

Here is mine in no particular order. (To Start)

Matt Ryan – QB – Falcons
If you read my AFC 2009 Fumblers and Returns post, then you know much of the surprise sleepers list was dominated by folks who were injured; maybe even got the “injury prone” label and were written off. Matt fits this mold perfectly. Based on my expert research, mock drafts, I am picking Matt Ryan as my comeback sleeper of the year. It seems that he has really fallen off the radar in the mock drafts I’ve been in and I can’t believe how low he has been drafted, if at all ! Maybe I’m drafting against idiots. Maybe I’m the idiot. But that is what makes Fantasy Football so Great!

Jay Cutler – QB – Da Bears
He can’t possibly do worse than he did last year can he? Talk about not living up to potential and hype! Well, Maybe? It is for this reason that folks either are listing him as the sleeper of the year or one of the biggest fall guys in the NFL. My vote. Fall Guy.

Josh Freeman – QB – TB Bucs
How do you dramatically improve your offensive firepower? The Oakland Raiders took the “get a better QB approach” to flipping the O switch to the ON position. The Bucs took the “here are a bunch of good and fast receivers to throw to” approach. Josh has all the physical skills to be a great QB. Lets hope he develops the mental ones.

Matt Moore – QB – Carolina
OK, so you are this decent steady and good 2nd string QB who comes in at the end of the season because your all-star starter totally flops, and do a really good job. You might think that you are poised for an addition to the Fumbled Returns Surprise Sleepers award. Then your management/coaching team goes out and drafts not 1, but 3 QB’s ! including first rounder Jimmy Clausen. Sheeesh! Don’t worry. I’m sure you will do just fine. In fact I’m putting you on my surprise list early.

Calvin Johnson – WR –Lions
Make no mistake. The Lions will be much better this year and so will Calvin. I just do not know if he quite qualifies as a Sleeper. I’d be tempted to pick the QB first.

Dez Bryant – WR – Cowboys
Hmmm, why do I think T.O. with this one. He probably will be really good, but for the same reasons as T.O. , I could never like him to vote for or even draft him.

Arrelious Benn – WR – Bucs
One of the weapons and reasons TB just might be the turnaround franchise of 2010. Nobody is expecting great results, but the team is starting to put some of the pieces together. It might happen early with a bunch of rookies and unproven talent, but my money is watch out for this team in 3 years.

Mike Williams – WR – Bucs
See Above. And if you want to pick a sleeper from this team, go with the QB. But it might be a stretch. It’s a long shot but remember, you heard it here first!

Mardy Gilyard – WR – Rams
You know, the Rams just might be the “other” turn around team of the year, but I just do not think they have enough good talent in the right areas just yet. But if you have a team in a league that counts return yardage and TD's, then Mardy just might be a great sleeper for you.

Kerry Meier – WR – Falcons

I saw this picture and thought, WOW ! now there is a sleeper if ever I saw one ;-)

I have no idea why they drafted him in so high ( if they were looking for a dependable short yardage receiver then maybe they found him, but isn’t that what TE’s are for?)

But maybe they know something we don’t.

Michael Turner – RB – Falcons
Chris Johnson watch out. WHAT ? That is what some folks think happens to top touch RB’s. The mileage catches up to them. Then you get the “injury prone” label like Michael Turner. Ha! He will contend with Matt for comeback player of the year.

Matt Forte - RB – Bears
This Matt , like Ryan, performs best with a good line in front of him or an extra back to follow. Forte and Cutler, did not get enough improvement up front but If he comes back and excels, it will be because of Harvey Unga and or Eddie Williams. Not that other guy from the Vikings. Nor because of the OL.

LeSean McCoy – RB – Eagles
Yeah, he is definite prime sleeper material and the only trouble is, every know it. But if you have a chance to pick him up in the middle rounds. Do so.

Jahvid Best – RB – Lions
Injuries Injuries Injuries! The fodder of fantasy talk. In all honesty, if he had a year off I’d think he would be a shoe-in for rookie or at worst sleeper of the year. But alas, one does not get a year off in the NFL. I really like what the Lions are doing to rebuild, but I am not sold that he is the BEST just yet. Hey, I’ve been wrong before . . .

Anthony Dixon – RB – 49rs
I know everyone else has said it, and I agree. Watch out for the 9rs. The are bigger, better, faster and stronger than last year. In fact, I would not be surprised if they contend for the top spot in their division. The only thing I am not sold on is their QB. Anthony Dixon is the perfect complement to Frank Gore. And the perfect sleeper for when and if Gore gets hurt. With this tandem, who needs a QB anyway?

Toby Gerhart – RB –Vikings
So, you have a player who tends to fumble a the most inopportune times yet is one of the premier RB’s in the league. What do you do? Get a big power back. Gerhart is the perfect compliment, and decoy, to AP. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him steal a few TD’s from AP’s stats this year.

James Starks – RB – Packers
Yup. The pack is back and they have a great team and this guy got the year off that I wished Best got. No, I do not think he is as good as Best but I bet he turns a few heads. I may be picking him early as a sleeper, but he is worth keeping on the radar this year and in future years as well.


So, which team is my surprise team of the NFC?
There are some really good contenders.
49rs
Lions
Panthers
Falcons

I have two choices.
#2) The Falcons. They have people thinking that they are a middle of the pack team and yet they have quietly improved their team both offensively and defensively. The falcons have drafted good players to improve the quality and depth of their offensive line and key defensive positions. And more than one good choice for sleepers on their squad.
#1) The 49rs will win their division. Surprised? ! ! !
Runner up . . .
#3) The Lions will finish better than the Bears!

And the Bears will be the Pffft team of the NFC!

Congratulations to all who made it on to my list(s)!

Read more...

Friday, July 16, 2010

Missing the point

Sometimes cosmic forces work in strange ways and hit you over the head and saturate your life events in strange and annoying ways. And then they get people like me to post off topic posts on their blog.

First, PETA had a campaign here in Washington DC where female models clad in chili pepper bikinis were serving veggie hot dogs to locals on Capital Hill.

Provocative? Yes. Attention Getting? Yes. To the point? Maybe not . . .





Then there was the news item of Pamela Anderson’s PETA ad being canceled in Canada, (the Mecca of Prudes) for being too sexy or sexist.

Provocative? Yes. Attention Getting? Yes. To the point? Maybe not. . .





At least when I look at these ads, and campaigns, I am not thinking stop cruelty to animals.

PETA is going for the shock value, but missing the point of getting people, or men, actively supporting or advocating ethical treatment to animals.

PETA and Pamela were saying sexy. Canadian officials were saying Sexist.

Kudos To Canada!

“It is not so much controversial as it goes against all principles public organizations are fighting for in the everlasting battle of equality between men and women.”


Ads and promotions like this annoy me. They are sexist and exploit women. And yes, they are nice to look at but often miss the point of the ad and the purpose of the organization in the first place.



It would have been much more effective if they used a butcher shop as a background to this ad or showed some of the horrible conditions animals are often kept in.







Sex is good. Sexism isn't. Shock is good too. As long as it all serves a purpose.


Or how about this. Here is another PETA salad ad and my butcher shop idea.











Which one would you rather eat?

Even SNL had an offbeat but strangely effective parody which could be used.




I don’t know about you, but I still love good bar-b-que I showed this to my woman lovely wife and we both got the same impression. That chicken still looks good.

Sorry PETA.

But getting back to the wonderful banning of the ad because of sexism.


Perhaps PETA should use male models and fig leaves in their ads on a more equal basis. But, of course, they will not. Why? Because the marketers at PETA know it is a Male world and Males dominate sports and business that use animals.

So, exploiting women to get a mans attention fits their modus operandi perfectly.

I just think it will just get men to want more pictures of Pamela, not to be more active advocates for change.

Then I got into thinking that what I, and PETA, really should look for is a picture or ad that would illicit the same reaction from people no matter who they are, man or woman.

The above male model probably does not do that.

So, did a quick search on the Internet. Now, I’m really trying to help PETA out here and get us guys more involved with animal advocacy. Really.

Unfortunately this is the only universal response picture I could come up with.






















This aptly titled “Creepy Guy” picture seems to generate the same "just sick and wrong” response from everyone.

Sorry again, PETA.

I love good advertising ads and campaigns and appreciate out of the box thinking and eye catching to the point ads like the Discovery Channels Shark week headquarters here in DC.

















So, what does all this have to do with sports?

Well, not much. Except tonight my wife and I are going to Charlestown Races and Slots to celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary.

Yes horse racing. It’s my blog so get over it.

And yes PETA is against horse racing too.

They are against slaughter houses. BTW there are none in the US and yes horses are often sold to international buyers who are not bound by US rules and regulations. Retired racers are an issue with any animal, that is why we adopted a greyhound and also foster for local greyhound associations.

But, PETA is also against racing by being an advocate for better treatment of the animals which is something I am all for. They point out that the mortality and injury rate in Canada and the US is significantly higher here than in other parts of the world such as England. There they are much more strict against the use of drugs and the horses race on natural turf. There the rate is less than 1%. Here it is over 2%. The argument, and it does seem to be true, is that dirt tracks are more dangerous and hard on the horses than grass. In fact, when a race track switched, strangely enough, to a synthetic track, there was a 40% decrease in injuries.

So, when it comes to the sexist ads being used out there, I just do not get it. To me it is just another form of exploitation and does not get people involved with what is the true mission of the organization.

Knowing my luck this week, PETA will be exploiting women in scantily clad bikinis at Charlestown Races handing out propaganda. If so, then perhaps there is a cosmic force telling me I’m missing the point.

I’ll let you know . . .

Read more...

Slick Move

Now this is a picture that I am sure all of us have waited way too long to see.

No more oil spewing into the gulf!

I mentioned back on June 19th that perhaps THEN was the opportunity to actually invest in BP.

Yes invest, not boycott. Boycotting actually hurts consumers and our fellow neighbors more than BP.

Back then BP stock was $30.64

Now it just closed at $38.92

That is a 27% return.

If you invested then. . .

Time to sell.

Read more...

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Familiar, it is...

While surfing the web the other day I happened across this article about TomTom GPS and Star Wars.

Seems TomTom has been reading my blog and stole my idea.

See, I had mentioned "Turn right, you must" long before their "deal" with Lucas Films ever came out.

Confession: I have to credit my wife for reminding me of this because like the old fart I am I had completely forgotten about it. But never mind...

I actually mentioned that it would be really cool to have a holographic image of the voice over character sitting next to you.

So, feel free to steal that idea too TomTom.

So watch your step TomTom. I just might troll on over to my lawyers office and have him go postal on you.

Can you say Law Suit? Hey, we could even have do Mr. Rogers voice overs too!

But anyway, back to my point. Consider this a warning TomTom. A Cease and Desist Letter.

But, I will give them credit for the advertising campaign. Check out the video clips.

Funny they are.






Read more...

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Those Damn Yankees

Here is my memory and tribute to George Steinbrenner.

My earliest memories of George and the Yankees include plaid fashion statements, Billy Martin (all versions), and my first trip to a major league baseball game with my dad.

I don’t remember the exact date, or even who the other team was. All I remember was that I was going to Yankee Stadium to see the Yankees play. This alone was an amazing event considering my dad was born and raised in Brooklyn and was a diehard (former) Brooklyn Dodgers Fan who referred to the Bronx Bombers, like his dad, as the Damn Yankees.

He still hates the day the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to LA.

I can clearly remember my dad and I driving to the Bronx and having enterprising young businessmen boldly walking up to our car at each intersection offering to wash our windows or park our car for us. For a small fee of course.

We managed to get to the stadium in one piece, in our car, with dirty windows, and all money intact.

The game time experience was amazing. Oh the vocabulary I learned that day! I do remember seeing George, well, actually the owners booth. I’m sure he was there. Billy, well, being Billy and that the Yankees won.

And I remember the great team George assembled back then with the likes of Reggie, Thurman, Bucky and Lou.

Everything associated with the Yankees and George Steinbrenner was about greatness. About winning. About being larger than life. And I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in the midst of greatness.

Of course I have a bit of my dad in me and there is a small part of me that still occasionally thinks of them as “the damn Yankees”. Myself, being born and raised in Maryland, can relate to my dads memories of the Brooklyn Dodgers by remembering the former Washington Senators play on TV. I never saw them play in person and of course, like the Dodgers, moved out of town to someplace in Texas.

And now that I am back in the DC area, I prefer the Orioles and Nationals. Hey, I tend to be geographically loyal, OK.

But, back to those Damn Yankees. . .

The Yankees are an organization instantly recognizable and instantly polarizing. We all love to hate them and hate to love them.

AND; we all cannot deny the force and influence George has had on both baseball and the world of sports entertainment.

Ummm (cover your ears dad)

Thank you George.

You will always be remembered.

A Toast to you and all that you have done!






May you rest in peace.

And say hello to Thurman and Billy.

Read more...

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

AFC Fumbles and Returns Part 2

Who are going to be the biggest disappointments of the 2010 season?

Who will drop the ball, literally and figuratively?

And . . .


Who is going to pick it up, turn it around, and surprise in 2010?


This is the second part of my Fumbles and Returns , the predictions for my AFC Fumblers and Returns (sleepers).

Fumbled Fantasy Players for 2010:
Here is my list for biggest possible disappointments :


C.J. Spiller – Buffalo Bills RB
Face it. The Bills suck are not very good and they do not have a good supporting cast for C.J. Too Bad. Anywhere else, and he would not be on this list.

Chad Henne – Miami Dolphins QB
I know, everybody has him as a breakout sleeper and they have Brandon Marshall. I just do not think he is going to live up to expectations. Without a stud RB, they will not be able to take the pressure off of the passing duo. That is why the dolphins invented perfected the wildcat offense in the first place.

Reggie Wayne – Ind Colts WR
Yes he is an all pro and has been rock solid but there are too many young colts on the rise and Reggie is getting to the Mr. Wayne stage of his career. He is still good but will not get the attention or the stats that he has in past years.

(can you tell I never bet on the favorites to win?)

Most Fumbled AFC Team for 2010?

My prediction for the biggest AFC Fumbled Returns disappointment team still goes to the Denver Broncos.

I love what they did in the draft and I believe they will be a great team in a couple years. But they still have Orton and the QB of the future, Tim Tebow, still needs a couple years to achieve his destiny.

But, with that said, they also have the potential to be the surprise team and have a real sleeper or two in Tebow and the mighty Quinn.

But I’m skeptical . . .

As for the biggest surprises, the sleepers of 2010?

Greatest Return Fantasy Players for 2010:
There are a ton of potential picks here and any one of can make excellent later round picks or waiver wire additions.

Donald Brown – Indianapolis Colts RB (possibly)
Michael Bush – Oakland Raiders RB (Either him or McFadden, After holding on to him for the last 2 years I'm dropping him from my roster so he is most certainly guaranteed a break out year)
Montario Hardesty and Jerome Harrison – Cleveland Browns RB’s (Pick Harrison)
Ben Tate - Houston Texans RB (definitely)
Davone Bess – Miami Dolphins WR (he's the "other" guy)
Kenny Britt – Tenessee Titans WR (definitely)
Brandon Stokley – Denver Broncos WR (hardly a sleeper in my opinion - too well known)
Mike Wallace – Pittsburgh Steelers WR (ditto)
Jacoby Jones – Houston Texans WR (yup)
Chaz Schilens – Oakland Raiders WR
(another good one for the later rounds)

But, as promised, I’m going to pull a couple out of my pocket and list some true sleepers . . .

Kansas City Chiefs have a little rookie by the name of Dexter Mcluster. This little guy, yes he is tiny even for , well anybody's standard, if he makes the team, he is a true speedster and if you have a league that counts return yards I definitely can see him making a big impact. I also would not be surprised to see him in a bit of a wild-cat play or two or special trick play.

Last year the darling of the NFL was Chris Johnson from the Tennessee Titans. He had a record number of touches and although he is young and strong, nobody can continue to take that kind of punishment. So look for Vince Young and the previously mentioned Kenny Britt to make more of an impact. If you want to choose one, pick the QB. Hopefully CJ will not get hurt, but if he does look to Vince and the passing game to pick up the slack because after CJ, they got nobody to run the ball.

And for my last back pocket sleepers, Rashad Jennings and Deji Karim both running backs with the Jacksonville Jaguars are perhaps the two best backups in the conference to MJD.

So that leaves which team I predict will be the surprise team of the AFC.

If it is not Denver, then I pick . . .

Hmmm let me see, I have three choices . . .


The Oakland Raiders. Nobody is expecting anything from them. Nothing at all.
Maybe their line is a little better from the draft and that gives McFadden a chance to run and Jason a chance to throw?

But, this is still the same Oakland Raiders who picked Heyward-bey over, well just about everyone else... So I am more hopeful than optimistic.

But they did have a good draft and off season acquisition so there could be some surprises from them!

Cleveland Browns. Cleveland has two really good backs and I think they have a really decent Offensive Line, but they really need a ready for prime time QB in order to excel in their division. Perhaps some day, but not today.

Houston Texans. Every time I watched them last year I kept telling myself that all they really needed was a good defense. Well, that seems to be exactly what they went out and tried to do with the draft this year. I am going to go out on a limb and pick them as the biggest surprise. Because they will challenge the Colts for the division title!

So there you have it. The surprise team of the AFC to challenge for the division title and a handful of sleepers to add to your list.

Happy Drafting!

Read more...

Monday, July 12, 2010

AFC Fumbles and Returns

Who were the biggest disappointments of the 2009 season?

Who dropped the ball, literally and figuratively?

And . . .

Who is going to pick it up, turn it around, and surprise in 2010?


I’m starting with the AFC and saving the best for last, the NFC.
I think the NFC gets the nod for both the biggest surprises (Returns) and disappointments (Fumbles).

Fumbled Fantasy Players for 2009:
Here is my list for biggest disappointments:


Steve Slaton – Houston Texans RB
If anybody dropped the ball, it was him. He was perhaps one of the biggest reasons Houston finished where they did.

Knowshon Moreno – Denver Broncos RB
Like his team, he started out OK but seemed to not have what it takes and/or was running on empty towards the end of the season. It will be interesting to see how the rest of his career pans out.

Dwayne Bowe - Kansas City Chiefs WR
OK, maybe he dropped the ball too. Of course I put him in the same dropout league as Mr. “I need a drank” Russell.

T.O. – Buffalo Bills WR
I only put T.O. here because there are people who for some reason think he is the greatest thing since sliced bread and, lets face it; he and others were expecting great receptions up in Bills Country.
Honestly, I have never liked him, never drafted him and never did give him any credit even when he had big time games especially against the Skins.

Kerry Collins – Tennessee Titans QB
Mr. Collins (I always address elders as Mr. or Mrs) certainly gave a reasonable comeback kid story in 2008. But that was a fluke. Some people believed it, not me.

Matt Cassel – Kansas City Chiefs QB
This is why I am worried about Donovan McNabb. There was a reason he was given away on the cheap.
In Matt’s case, It was the system he was in that made him so good; not his talent. Donovan always has had the talent. So, in his and the Skins case, there is always hope.

Most Fumbled AFC Team for 2009?

The award for the biggest AFC Fumbled Returns disappointment AFC team goes to the Denver Broncos.

Yes, there are other teams with loosing records.
Yes, there are perhaps some teams which had higher expectations but did not meet those expectations.
But very few people were giving Denver much of a chance for success in 2009.

They very easily could have been the Fumbled Returns biggest surprise with starting out 6 – 0 but losing 8 of their last 10 and the last 4 in a row , well congratulations Denver – you blew it.

As for the biggest surprises?

Greatest Return Fantasy Players for 2009:
Well, you will notice that my list is very injury related. Either somebody came back from an injury (dispelling any myth about being “injury prone”) or they got their chance to shine because someone else got injured.


Matt Schaub – Houston Texans QB
Yes he was injured. So what. Football is a contact sport and folks will get hurt from time to time. That is not always a reason to write somebody off the list.

Cedric Benson – Cincinnati Bengals RB
OK, so he was not injured. He just found his place. Who knew it was going to be a match made in heaven?

Rashard Mendenhall – Pittsburgh Steelers RB
See, Matt Schaub.

Ricky Williams – Miami Dolphins RB
Now this is not an endorsement for sitting around on the pot and doing drugs, but Mr. Williams (he is an elder after all) is the exception to the rule and just goes to prove what can happen once one cleans up his or her act.

Jamaal Charles – Kansas City Chiefs RB
Either you got it and want it and make it happen or you don't. Mr. Johnson didn't.


Of course, picking stuff like this for 2009 is easy. Hindsight is 20/20.

For my next post, I will be putting on my thinking cap, looking into my crystal ball, and maybe pull a few surprises out of my pockets and pick the AFC Fumbled Return losers and surprises for 2010.

Read more...

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Gearing Up

A while back I published a post which talked about different draft strategies.

One of those strategies was to draft on the bye week. I have never tried this in a real draft or season before and thought I'd try it with a couple mock drafts.

Let me say one thing. It is really hard to do this. But after 3 or 4 tries, I finally did it and it did not turn out all that badly.

I was in the highly coveted (NOT !) spot of #6. Listed below is the results of my mock draft/team with the overall pick, player, position, and bye week.

** (6) Team Six - Michael Turner RB 8
** (15) Team Six - Roddy White WR 8
** (26) Team Six - LeSean McCoy RB 8
** (35) Team Six - Joe Flacco QB 8
** (46) Team Six - Jerome Harrison RB 8
** (55) Team Six - Jeremy Maclin WR 8
** (66) Team Six - Eagles D/ST D/ST 8
** (75) Team Six - Marion Barber RB 4
** (86) Team Six - Santana Moss WR 9
** (95) Team Six - Lee Evans WR 6
** (106) Team Six - Cadillac Williams RB 4
** (115) Team Six - Matt Ryan QB 8
** (126) Team Six - Willis McGahee RB 8
** (135) Team Six - Greg Olsen TE 8
** (146) Team Six - Devin Aromashodu WR 8
** (155) Team Six - Garrett Hartley K 10

I probably would have done better with my backups if I had not had to set the draft on autopick after the 7th round (Eagles DST)and take my son Mark here....










Now, this may not look like much, even a bit shady, but believe me, today it was THE PLACE TO BE if you are into football.

You see, this is the county's youth football equipment shed and today was the first day of equipment issue!

We do not have teams set up yet, or even all coaches lined up either...
But we do have almost all the kids we need signed up in order to have a successful season and, we have all the gear!

So Mark and I went over to meet up with a whole bunch of others eagerly looking forward to a new season and to see some old friends and to get fitted for Football!

Here is the result of our very real gear pickup.
























Is it football season yet?

Oh, and just in case you were wondering who went where in the draft and how I got sooo lucky with my bye week draft here is the complete results.

You will notice, as is the case with most every mock draft, the noticeable absence of Redskins. In fact I have yet to see any of them go much before 80th.

Round: 1
(1) Team K - Adrian Peterson RB
(2) Team choi - Chris Johnson RB
(3) Team CHO - Drew Brees QB
(4) Team Harmon - Maurice Jones-Drew RB
(5) Team Walker - Ray Rice RB
** (6) Team Six - Michael Turner RB
(7) really..... seriously...... - Andre Johnson WR
(8) Team myers - Frank Gore RB
(9) Team Longoria - Steven Jackson RB
(10) I will beast you - Rashard Mendenhall RB

Round: 2
(11) I will beast you - Randy Moss WR
(12) Team Longoria - Aaron Rodgers QB
(13) Team myers - Ryan Grant RB
(14) really..... seriously...... - Brandon Marshall WR
** (15) Team Six - Roddy White WR
(16) Team Walker - Reggie Wayne WR
(17) Team Harmon - Larry Fitzgerald WR
(18) Team CHO - DeSean Jackson WR
(19) Team choi - DeAngelo Williams RB
(20) Team K - Greg Jennings WR

Round: 3
(21) Team K - Marques Colston WR
(22) Team choi - Calvin Johnson WR
(23) Team CHO - Steve Smith WR
(24) Team Harmon - Peyton Manning QB
(25) Team Walker - Miles Austin WR
** (26) Team Six - LeSean McCoy RB
(27) really..... seriously...... - Tom Brady QB
(28) Team myers - Knowshon Moreno RB
(29) Team Longoria - Cedric Benson RB
(30) I will beast you - Philip Rivers QB

Round: 4
(31) I will beast you - Beanie Wells RB
(32) Team Longoria - Shonn Greene RB
(33) Team myers - Sidney Rice WR
(34) really..... seriously...... - Pierre Thomas RB
** (35) Team Six - Joe Flacco QB
(36) Team Walker - Jamaal Charles RB
(37) Team Harmon - Ryan Mathews RB
(38) Team CHO - Matt Forte RB
(39) Team choi - Chad Ochocinco WR
(40) Team K - Brandon Jacobs RB

Round: 5
(41) Team K - Anquan Boldin WR
(42) Team choi - Jonathan Stewart RB
(43) Team CHO - Dallas Clark TE
(44) Team Harmon - Steve Smith WR
(45) Team Walker - Joseph Addai RB
** (46) Team Six - Jerome Harrison RB
(47) really..... seriously...... - Tony Romo QB
(48) Team myers - Brent Celek TE
(49) Team Longoria - Antonio Gates TE
(50) I will beast you - Vernon Davis TE

Round: 6
(51) I will beast you - Mike Sims-Walker WR
(52) Team Longoria - Michael Crabtree WR
(53) Team myers - Vincent Jackson WR
(54) really..... seriously...... - Jahvid Best RB
** (55) Team Six - Jeremy Maclin WR
(56) Team Walker - Percy Harvin WR
(57) Team Harmon - Felix Jones RB
(58) Team CHO - Tony Gonzalez TE
(59) Team choi - Reggie Bush RB
(60) Team K - Matt Schaub QB

Round: 7
(61) Team K - Ronnie Brown RB
(62) Team choi - Dwayne Bowe WR
(63) Team CHO - Jason Witten TE
(64) Team Harmon - Hines Ward WR
(65) Team Walker - Ricky Williams RB
** (66) Team Six - Eagles D/ST D/ST
(67) really..... seriously...... - C.J. Spiller RB
(68) Team myers - Chris Cooley TE
(69) Team Longoria - Donald Driver WR
(70) I will beast you - Brett Favre QB

Round: 8
(71) I will beast you - Hakeem Nicks WR
(72) Team Longoria - Thomas Jones RB
(73) Team myers - Matthew Stafford QB
(74) really..... seriously...... - Jermichael Finley TE
** (75) Team Six - Marion Barber RB
(76) Team Walker - Clinton Portis RB
(77) Team Harmon - Pierre Garcon WR
(78) Team CHO - Steve Breaston WR
(79) Team choi - Owen Daniels TE
(80) Team K - Mike Wallace WR

Round: 9
(81) Team K - Kellen Winslow TE
(82) Team choi - Jay Cutler QB
(83) Team CHO - Tim Hightower RB
(84) Team Harmon - Justin Forsett RB
(85) Team Walker - Eli Manning QB
** (86) Team Six - Santana Moss WR
(87) really..... seriously...... - Darren McFadden RB
(88) Team myers - Donovan McNabb QB
(89) Team Longoria - T.J. Houshmandzadeh WR
(90) I will beast you - Braylon Edwards WR

Round: 10
(91) I will beast you - Jets D/ST D/ST
(92) Team Longoria - Fred Jackson RB
(93) Team myers - Robert Meachem WR
(94) really..... seriously...... - Ben Tate RB
** (95) Team Six - Lee Evans WR
(96) Team Walker - Visanthe Shiancoe TE
(97) Team Harmon - Zach Miller TE
(98) Team CHO - Santonio Holmes WR
(99) Team choi - Michael Bush RB
(100) Team K - Antonio Bryant WR

Round: 11
(101) Team K - Donald Brown RB
(102) Team choi - Dez Bryant WR
(103) Team CHO - Darren Sproles RB
(104) Team Harmon - Kevin Kolb QB
(105) Team Walker - Chester Taylor RB
** (106) Team Six - Cadillac Williams RB
(107) really..... seriously...... - Johnny Knox WR
(108) Team myers - LaDainian Tomlinson RB
(109) Team Longoria - Leon Washington RB
(110) I will beast you - Montario Hardesty RB

Round: 12
(111) I will beast you - Ravens D/ST D/ST
(112) Team Longoria - Packers D/ST D/ST
(113) Team myers - Kenny Britt WR
(114) really..... seriously...... - Jerricho Cotchery WR
** (115) Team Six - Matt Ryan QB
(116) Team Walker - Austin Collie WR
(117) Team Harmon - Chaz Schilens WR
(118) Team CHO - Cowboys D/ST D/ST
(119) Team choi - Ben Roethlisberger QB
(120) Team K - Laurence Maroney RB

Round: 13
(121) Team K - Early Doucet WR
(122) Team choi - 49ers D/ST D/ST
(123) Team CHO - Derrick Mason WR
(124) Team Harmon - Ahmad Bradshaw RB
(125) Team Walker - Wes Welker WR
** (126) Team Six - Willis McGahee RB
(127) really..... seriously...... - Vikings D/ST D/ST
(128) Team myers - Steelers D/ST D/ST
(129) Team Longoria - Arian Foster RB
(130) I will beast you - Nate Kaeding K

Round: 14
(131) I will beast you - Josh Morgan WR
(132) Team Longoria - Chad Henne QB
(133) Team myers - Vince Young QB
(134) really..... seriously...... - Correll Buckhalter RB
** (135) Team Six - Greg Olsen TE
(136) Team Walker - Carson Palmer QB
(137) Team Harmon - John Carlson TE
(138) Team CHO - Devery Henderson WR
(139) Team choi - Stephen Gostkowski K
(140) Team K - Bengals D/ST D/ST

Round: 15
(141) Team K - Kevin Smith RB
(142) Team choi - Marshawn Lynch RB
(143) Team CHO - Ryan Longwell K
(144) Team Harmon - Saints D/ST D/ST
(145) Team Walker - Broncos D/ST D/ST
** (146) Team Six - Devin Aromashodu WR
(147) really..... seriously...... - Bernard Berrian WR
(148) Team myers - Derrick Ward RB
(149) Team Longoria - Rob Bironas K
(150) I will beast you - Eddie Royal WR

Round: 16
(151) I will beast you - Heath Miller TE
(152) Team Longoria - Bernard Scott RB
(153) Team myers - David Akers K
(154) really..... seriously...... - Mason Crosby K
** (155) Team Six - Garrett Hartley K
(156) Team Walker - Matt Prater K
(157) Team Harmon - Jay Feely K
(158) Team CHO - Nate Burleson WR
(159) Team choi - David Garrard QB
(160) Team K - Robbie Gould K

Read more...

Friday, July 9, 2010

I Proclaim


How come everything now a days needs to be in the form of a Reality TV show?







How come rich and famous celebrities get to have national publicity, their own radio or TV show/special to totally embarrass themselves or their teammates or their fans?





It's not fair!

Everyone, no matter his or her social status, economic background or whatever, should be given the opportunity to do this anytime they want!

I think there should be a new cable or satellite channel called.... oh I don't know.... lets start with

"I Proclaim"
where anybody can reserve a time slot to broadcast yourself live for anybody anywhere to watch.

Viewers could vote for their favorite ones; and the best, or worst, can be shown afterwards on demand.

Read more...

Thursday, July 8, 2010

King James

Today history will be made.


A boy who was destined to be, and became, the king will rewrite history.


Leaving his mark on the NBA and Free Agency.


It’s even being published as a one hour special.










I think I like the original one better.

After all, it has lasted nearly 400 years; which, is a lot longer than an hour.

Read more...

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

I think I need a Drank



Oh the Pain !

The Humiliation !

Read more...

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

The Big Thaw

June was the warmest June in recorded history for Washington DC.

We had 18 days of 90+ degrees
The next three days of July are expected to reach 100.

All this warm weather make me wish we had Snowmagedon again.

Back in the cold old days (December 2009 - March 2010) we had record snow falls and record cold temperatures.

Between November 1, 2009 and May 1, 2010 the DOW rose nearly 15% from about 9700 to over 11,300.

Like the record heat and the memories of all that wonderful snow, all the profits we experienced during this brief recovery have melted away.

The DOW now sits at 9686.

Bye Bye Snow

Bye Bye Profits.








Two months ago I was worried that so much of the market was at 52 week highs and all the bail out and incentives for economic growth were expiring that we were due for a correction.

Now, along with all that, and a record oil spill, folks are talking about a double dip recession.

And I am still worried, not because of the abnormal record highs, but because now so much of the market is either at, or approaching, critical low support levels; that if they do not hold, we will be dipping back into a recessionary pattern.

If some of the stocks on my July watch list pan out, and the support levels hold, we could see a short term rebound. If not, well then the thaw continues and we are indeed in store for a rough ride.

Hmmm, just in case you did not notice, I just said that I was either going to make money or lose money in the stock market... Profound wisdom if I do say so myself...

So, with that said, here is my July watch list with a new, and still evolving format, (I've decided to list the Stock along with a short reason why to buy it and one reason why not to buy it )to help folks decide the pros and cons to investing in any of these ideas.

STARTING LINEUP:

MDF - Metropolitan Health Networks
Why Buy? High inside ownership, Good Cash Flow, profitable, good return on assets, Maintaining valuation in down market.
Why Not? Still within 20% of 52 week high, Uncertainty in Healthcare field and increased risk with all the new regulations.
Reports August 2nd.

NBIX - Neurocrine Biosciences Inc
Why Buy? Still maintaining good money flow and relative strength. recently entered a deal with Abbott, which paid Neurocrine $75 million upfront, with the potential for another $500 million plus royalties still to come.
Why Not? May be cooling off of recent momentum swing and like any pharm company, their pipeline is always a gamble as to whether or not the product ever gets to market.
Reports August 2nd.

CKSW - ClickSoftware Technologies Ltd.
Why Buy? Money flow and Relative Strength are increasing, may be setting up into a reversal (double bottom or W) pattern after falling over 25%. A well run, profitable, not debt company.
Why Not? Pattern may not hold up and needs to be watched. Reasons for drop include economic crisis in Europe which accounts for a large portion of their revenue and two counter intuitive prospectus filings which worried many investors.
Reports July 15th.

CNU - Continucare Corp.
Why Buy? Near low support level of 3.4 – 3.5. No Debt. High inside ownership. Not under federal investigation.
Why Not? Federal investigations into other providers in the industry has driven all stock prices lower and may spook investors. May not bounce off of support levels due to selling pressures.
Reports September 6th.

COF - Capital One Financial Corp.
Why Buy? OK, how many of you said “what’s in your wallet”. Name Recognition. Federal Bail out. May be setting up a “w” pattern with buy in support near 38.
Why Not? Economy, debt and defaults are still a problem. Money flow, relative strength and trend lines are decreasing. The “w” pattern may not pan out and may actually be the signal of a reversal pattern. So this requires a close watch. Goal would to be buy at 38 and sell around 42.
Reports July 22nd.

DD - Du Pont
Why Buy? This is actually a good recovery stock to invest in over the long term – because the recovery will be long and choppy. Pays good dividends. Look for this stock to bounce off of a double support level close to 34.
Why Not? Market uncertainty and “double dip” recession will affect this global company and the 34 support level may not hold. Money flow and strength trending lower.
Reports July 27th.

IDCC - InterDigital, Inc.
Why Buy? wireless technology and patent company expanding overseas market which is one of the larger segments of this line of business. Currently at low support levels.
Why Not? Still under selling pressure with money flow and relative strength weakening.
Reports July 26th.

IPXL - Impax Laboratories Inc
Why Buy? Great generic drug manufacturer and distributor with opportunity to expand generic pipeline and nearing attractive price point between 17 and 18. No debt.
Why Not? Competition, patent infringement law suits, and current eroding of money flow and relative strength make this a gamble.
Reports August 2nd.

RGR - Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.
Why Buy? This took off for a 40% run the last time I put it on my watch list in March and has since fallen back off of its peak. Deserves a watch to see what happens price wise between 12 – 14. Recent economic downturn and favorable court ruling make this worth another entry on to the watch list. Profitable and no debt company.
Why Not? Although it is approaching another support point, trend lines have not completely stopped their downward movement off of the high points. The 12 support level is critical and is still more than 10% difference.
Reports July 26th.

SCL - Stepan Company
Why Buy? Well run specialty chemical company making investments world wide to expand capability and efficiency of delivery to a global market.
Why Not? Payoffs to these investments are at least a year away and current economic issues weigh, like other stocks, on the price of this investment opportunity.
Reports July 26th.

BENCH:

CEU - China Education Alliance, Inc.
Why Buy? at critical low support level (triple bottom pattern with not a lot of upward momentum support) - risky play to bet going back up but worth a watch. No debt, high profit margins, and inside investors.
Why Not? The Motley Fool has articles posted galore about this stock.. ;-) . Seriously though, this is an out of favor industry lately and they do face a fair amount of competition over seas.

CMFO - China Marine Food Group Limited
Why Buy? has been falling lately but an uptic in money flow and ownership might indicate the beginnings of an upswing - watch
Why Not? There have been rumors and accusations regarding fraud with this company however the fact of the matter is that many of their actions are concerned with “empire” building and stock price rather than building up tangible value in the company. This may all pan out in the future but for now this is purely a short term bet.

GFRE - Gulf Resources Inc
Why Buy? at a low support level - look to see if it drops closer to 8 - recent article about china investing in oil reserves to help support growing economy - may be time to buy into this. No Debt, high insider investment, high rate of return on capital and assets.
Why Not? In addition to the low support level, the stock has also failed to break top resistance either and this might be a sign of continued weakness.
Reports August 9th.

ABC - AmerisourceBergen Corp
Why Buy? A financial management company in an out of favor industry that has a good dividend yield an good profit margins and is nearing a historical low point. Definitely one worth watching in my book. This falls into my ideal contrarian mold.
Why Not? A fair amount of debt, lower than ideal profit margins and low insider investing.
Reports July 26th.

AMGN - AMGEN INCWhy Buy? A big, I mean really big pharm company at a low support level with a good pipeline of prospects makes this a stock worth putting on the watch list.
Why Not? As with any pharm company, not everything in the pipeline will succeed nor is it immune from competition and patent infringement lawsuits.
Reports July 29th.

BBY - BEST BUY CO INC
Why Buy? If an economic recovery kicks in, this is a great stock to have. It is currently at low support levels and looking as an attractive buy.
Why Not? Well, if nobody gets jobs, then the economy will stall, and people will not buy stuff from Best Buy. Carries a fair amount of debt which could also put it at risk.
Reports September 14th.

CEPH - Cephalon, Inc.
Why Buy? Just like AMGN - good returns, pipeline, expanded research and all time support low
Why Not? It has been mired in lawsuits and patent infringement cases throughout it’s history.
Reports July 27th.

CRVP - Crystal Rock Holdings, Inc.
Why Buy? Well, penny stocks so rarely make my lists that I just had to take a closer look at this one. For a penny stock they have decent numbers and are at the bottom of a well established trading range.
Why Not? I do not see any long term expansion plans, or new marketing plans. Therefore not huge amounts of growth. However, they could be bought out by a large cap competitor but this is the equivalent of winning the lottery.
Reports September 13th.

MSFT - MICROSOFT CORP
Why Buy? The stock is approaching an attractive buy in price and they have recently entered into a new product upgrade cycle with Windows 7, which has good reviews, and Office 2010. Business will upgrade to these new and improved products.
Why Not? Though attractive price it has not reached a support level nor is there any guarantee exactly when business will feel compelled to spend the money on upgrades. This is obviously dependent on the economic recovery.
Reports July 22nd.

SNDK - SanDisk Corp
Why Buy? Approaching good support and buy in price of 40 with anticipated future demand for chips in the Tech market a buy for this stock.
Why Not? Tech stocks are particularly susceptible to market and economic sentiment, especially bad economic news.

Read more...

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Financial Training Camp

There was a great article in the Washington Post which talked about a financial education program Joe Gibbs is starting up initially with the Redskins but hopes to expand league wide.

The article mentioned a story about how Joe Gibbs made financial mistakes, how he recovered from that and the financial lessons he has learned. That reminded me of a book Joe endorsed, hence the picture for this post, which talks about some of the challenges we all face.

And yes, it is well worth reading and I highly recommend it.






Here is my edited version of the Washington Post Article by Mike Wise.

Joe Gibbs helping Washington Redskins players to gain the financial savvy he lacked when he was younger

Joe Gibbs spent most of two days at Redskins Park on June 1-2 meeting with many of the team's key veterans, two of their wives and about 20 players in all.

"I wanted to give back," Gibbs said in a telephone interview. "I just thought this was something I could do for the players."


Joe Gibbs talked money with the Redskins early last month. For help, he enlisted two university professors with Harvard MBAs.

He humbly spoke of how, during the early 1980s in Washington, Gibbs lost his personal fortune because of financial ignorance. How he felt helpless when several of his former players -- some in contract disputes -- confessed to him about making bad business decisions that negatively affected their careers. And how every team in the NFL needs the kind of OTA that recently transpired in Ashburn: a free-of-charge financial seminar Gibbs partnered with Strayer University to put on.

Is it needed?

According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated story, 78 percent of all NFL players go bankrupt or are in financial duress just two years into retirement.


As Gibbs learned a long time ago, banks don't discriminate at collection time.

About the time he won his first of three Super Bowls and started to become the most revered sports figure in Washington's history, Gibbs got involved in an Oklahoma real estate deal that went belly up. He lost everything because he didn't understand his liability if another person signed on his behalf.

"It probably took [his wife] Pat and me four and a half years to pay off our debts," Gibbs said. "I just didn't know anything, like the difference between a simple partnership and a LLC."

Hence, Gibbs's brainstorm a couple of months ago: Instead of one NFL-sponsored seminar players could sign up for at a certain time of year, why not bring the class to the training facility?


The next step was getting the owner and the coach to go along, which they willingly did.

"Joe asked us to support this program, and we're happy to oblige," Redskins owner Daniel Snyder said through a team spokesman. "Anything that helps players we're in full support of."

What were some of the topics covered?

"Something as simple as creating a budget, how to put away money properly, looking at our window of earning opportunity, or what kind of questions to ask financial advisers, how to set up a business to reduce your liability in case things go wrong."


"Gibbs said: 'I'm not going to charge you anything. We're not recommending any investments. We don't want to ask you for anything. This is a gift.' "

The gift of having something to fall back on once the cheering stops, the gift of not making the same mistakes a young, impressionable man made in his first steps on the way to Canton because he didn't know how to protect his assets.

"I'd really like to talk to the league and the union about doing something like this leaguewide," he said. "Just makes sense."


As usual it's hard to argue with Coach Joe Jackson Gibbs.

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Saturday, July 3, 2010

Dog Gone Spies

Undoubtedly everyone has heard about the 11 10 Russian spies recently arrested by the FBI. But a new and even bigger story that the FBI is now investigating is yet another spy ring which has infiltrated American society on a whole new level.

The professional sports entertainment industry!

The evidence is overwhelming.

One sees it in all sports and at all levels.

From the NHL,













stars such as the Washington Capitals highly decorated and awarded Alex Ovechkin.

In fact, Ovechkins one time photo of a mystery girlfriend now has a name!
















And her name is Anna! The very same one who is seen in these photos from her Facebook Page!

Here, take a look!



























There are other Russian Connections to the Sporting Spy Ring such as the high profile owner of the NBA NJ Nets and his mansion


















which is said to contain beautiful women for the entertainment of special guests.

The one thing that has stumped authorities to date is the “connection” between the two spy rings.

Yes, Alex, sadly seems to be intimately related to both, but there is yet still another mystery figure still on the loose who is adept at blending in and not only collecting information but passing it along as well!

So the FBI is calling on all citizens who may know something to come forward with any and all information.

It is imperative that authorities connect the dots between the two spy rings before the ultimate prize, the White House, is infiltrated!





















All Nigel pics thanks to Life With Dogs.

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