Last Post?

I watched it, I cringed and I screamed like a little girl when the second tight end ended up with the ball in the back of the end zone with time expired on the clock. That was a magic moment. One of many in week 1 of the 2008 NFL season. I enjoyed the power running attack of the Panthers, but am still wondering why they abandoned the running game on 4th down in the 2nd quarter and then for most of the 3rd quarter. DaAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart look like worldbeaters behind the cat's upgraded and bulked up offensive line. I'm also enjoying the "power" of unranked schools like ECU (defeated NC State & WV) and the swagger of Wake Forest while everyone else projected at the top of the conference are looking human. Yeah, it's early, VERY early, but I'm gonna have my fun with it. Aaron Rodgers' doubts erased, Tom Brady's season over and the Falcons discover Matt Ryan is for real. All in week one. And hey, there's ANOTHER Monday Night game on tonight. Life is good.

I didn't witness it personally, but nevertheless, I was still shocked at the descriptions told to me by wrestler's wives and fans alike Saturday night in Greensboro after the main event at SuperBrawl III. The bad guys were shaving off the trademark beard of the champion and the kids were screaming and running around like crazy. One kid's "father" grabbed him around the throat and punched him in the face in full view of everyone in attendance. The Guilford County Sheriff deputies on hand were alerted by a wave of fans and the offending "father" was handcuffed and placed inside of the squad car. The guys wife came forward and explained that the child was not theirs, but was a foster child removed from a violent home. Then she said the child suffered from ADHD and her husband was getting his attention the only way that worked. The officers eventually left the ballfield with the man in custody, sending the child home with his foster "mother".

Time for a change? I find myself more and more automatically pulling up MySpace whenever I'm wanting to vent or make some sort of announcement concerning my websites or wrestling ventures. I've got the domain name HeddRoxx.Info attached to this blog, but more and more I'm considering switching it over to my MySpace account. Yeah, I have a G-Mail account, one which I've not checked in over 3 weeks, and am still stuck in the 80's using AOL as my regular mail client. Yeah, I got some Road Runner too, but I hate that whole interface and the only email EVER coming in there is from Time Warner anyways. For the record, all of the "freebies" offered by Road Runner should be avoided at all costs for most people. I've downloaded several utilities, none of which will operate properly. I used their freebie anti-virus on this computer up until a year ago when I went to renew it and discovered the copyright on the program was 2001, meaning the freebie was an OLD one. RR Photo Gimmick won't load and won't let me delete it. It still attempts to pop up whenever I plug a camera into the comp. So take it from an agitated RR customer and don't even consider the freebies they offer. Seems they're mostly well-aged garbage. Ciao, baby.

Bits & Pieces (With Apologies to the Dave Clark Five)

Well, this is a first, me missing an entire month on ths blog! I've been busy, between work, wrestling and websites, I've been hopping. Set up yet another MySpace account, this one is at myspace.com/hondafitnation, check it out if you get a second, it's a tribute to the Honda Fit, which I have two of.

Racing Notes: The Indy race totally blew chunks. I mean it sucked royal arse. Did anyone on the broadcast mention that there were EMPTY SEATS there and the speedway folks were a little embarrassed about that? I mean, it didn't sell out (like many NASCAR events of late have, either), and they expect a full house. I think all they need to do is hire Jim Nabors (TV's Gomer Pyle) to sing before the race. Also on the racing front, I have discovered why Michael Waltrip pitted on the first lap at Pocono. They've decided that's the best way to guarantee not being involved in the first wreck of the race...Poor Mikey, he still finished last.

We're having a great deal of conflict behind the scenes in CWF Mid Atlantic the past few months, basically with a battle line drawn between 2/3 of the CWF Board of Directors against the other 1/3, which includes the promotion's Commissioner, William L. Cross. The rules stipulate you cannot remove a seated Commissioner without a unanimous vote by the Board, and the Gemini Kid remains a steady roadblock towards that goal. Several Board members have met via teleconference and met with the attorneys for CWF Mid Atlantic to look into alternative means of handling the problems that are confronting the Board through the rulings and actions of Commissioner Cross. The six-member Board, which consists of Commissioner Cross, Gemini Kid, Senior Official Charles Richardson, GeeStar, Grant "StatMark" Sawyer, and myself, have yet to be able to come to a workable decision concerning the matter and the process is ongoing.

The Ups & Downs Of the US Mail

Plop plop. Fizz fizz. Oh what a relief it is. Today has been a rollercoaster of emotions all delivered in one little white envelope from the North Carolina Department of Revenue. Yes, it seems that the powers that be "up in the state cap'tal" decided that I owed even more taxes than I'd already paid, but what do I know, I've never filled out a tax form in my whole life. I called Karen at work and she freaked as well, calling me back several times to ask about how the letter/bill was worded, etc. We both thought all kinds of dark thoughts about the nature of this bill until she gets home from work and gets into her cancelled checks. Hmmm. Seems that both her state and federal tax payments were posted as well as my check for federal. Lo and behold, the state's check has yet to return to the bank, so somewhere between here and the capital (or Bugtussle TN for that matter) rests both my tax return form and the check to pay the damn thing off with. It wsa nice for our kind and loving state to send a bill with five options to pay it off immediately but nothing not contained in the fine print on the back about how to contact them about a problem. Nice work. That's why the state makes the big bucks.

I read online somewhere that .INFO websites are usually forwards for spamming and phishing operations. OK. I can see that. No wait a minute, I can't at all. Why is one suffix more likely to lead you to a "bad" website than another? This website's address (HeddRoxx.INFO) was purchased when everyone was yelling "buy your own name on the internet" like it was an investment. Hey, I do own RandyHedrick.Com too, and considering I've not updated that dinosaur in years, I may remove it and forward that domain here as well. Or not. I dunno, where else could I put all my pics of Cristina Scabbia? Jeez. It's all a bandwidth issue anyways.

I didn't see it coming. I didn't see my pal "the 1st" Ric Converse being the one to turn on his friends. See? That's why Converse had became the man of the people again in the first place, because all of his friends had turned on him. I also didn't see another buddy Rob "Boogie Woogie Man" McBride taking the Mid Atlantic Heavyweight Title from him either, not with Commissioner Cross running around ringside with a steel chair. Between the "three amigos" I really could not pick one to turn on the other two, with Brass Munkey finishing up the triangle. Munkey was instrumental in the heavyweight title change and stood with his remaining "bird-dog" when their friendship could have become a suspicious one at best. What lies ahead? No idea once again. How long can McBride hold on to the title now that he's won it for the second time in his storied career? The real question is "will Kingfish kick ass in the Rock 92 Bubbalympics this year?" Don't challenge my man to a buck-buck contest if you like having your spine working properly! Booya Kingfish, good luck!

Life Is Beautiful

I don't want to jinx anybody, but it would figure that using the CSA's sound system for a wedding would a piece of wedding cake, but of course...The CD player refused to read the first song on each of the FOUR CDs the bride provided, including one which was to be played during the candle ceremony. Thank goodness for Andy Maness, the bagpipe player who played for the rest of the wedding. I never would have thought I would be thanking a piper for saving the day, but there it is. You saw it here first! I did say bagpipes, complete with kilt and those crazy traditional Scottish stockings.

OK, the wedding was actually one of "the guys" who I will only call "Caleb" here for purposes of his privacy. When the time came for the garter toss, about 25 BIG guys got in a tight circle in the center of the room awaiting the opportunity to battle for the ceremonial garter. Yes, about all of these guys were pro wrestlers and the plan was a brawl for the garter. However, one of the young guys in the wedding party dove in to the short garter toss, catching it sliding on his back. He immediately looked up to see the deranged Gemini Kid stomping him in anger. The young man made a hasty retreat out of the building's side entrance, only to return later victoriously. What a memorable wedding.

In case you've been under a rock for the last few days, a so-called "viral video" has emerged, garnering quite a bit of attention all across the internet, and today, cable television. The video, about 30 seconds, is WXII TV reporter Kathy Cheek doing a live remote from the scene of an independent pro wrestling benefit event. She names several of the wrestlers invloved with the event and suddenly (and Rob I SWEAR I'm quoting the internet sites) this "redneck homeless guy" kisses the report on live television! OK OK OK. Damn right. I was there, it was from Gibsonville NC's CWF-PWS Brian Headen Benefit, which was graciously advertised in advance by WXII as well. The gentleman running in behind the reporter at the end of the full-size live shot is Brian Headen himself! And the "homeless redneck guy?" That's wrestler Rob "Boogie Woogie Man" McBride, a long-time pal and cohort. We figure that before YouTube removed the video and through the other 15-20 websites showing it at least a million folks have seen it by now. Not to mention that CNN Headline News ran the video "all day long" accoring to several, including the family of a friend of McBride's who resides in Germany. Remember where you read that first! Click Here To Check Out The Video On EbaumsWorld.Com!

I am a Braves addict. I have watched almost every game televised since Time Warner first ran a wire to my dad's television. I have watched faithfully through YEARS of them being downright bad, I saw the string of consecutive pennants and the pitiful number of World Series wins. I've watched them rebuild and watched the return of former heroes. Then Ted Turner's namesake cable company decided to "go another direction" and leave them without their customary coverage. A couple of days back I see the Braves listed on the sports page of our paper with the notation "Peachtree TV - Only available in select areas". OK. That's not going to help. But tonight, in a rare moment of true clarity, I program up the cable's listings flipping into the higher numbers until I run into one marked "BRAVES". Huh? Yeah, Braves. And lo and behold, the live Braves-Marlins game from Peachtree TV live and in color. The voices, like that of Joe Simpson, are a tonic to Brave fans, and I can only hope to soon hear my all-time favorite, the rebel Skip Carey back behind the tv mic talking Braves baseball. Life is good. Hell, it's incredible!

My son, the doctor!

What has nothing but desolate scenery and dead racoons littering the roadside? The correct answer: Ohio. Had a great road trip up to Owosso Michigan to visit Josh and go to the convocation at Michigan State University. Man oh man, I would have NEVER guessed in a million years that he would end up as a teacher, much less one with a SUPERIOR pedigree in training future educators, in primary, secondary and special education. He already has an amazing portfolio with some very strong recommendations from his professors at MSU as well as some great momentos of his time teaching the 4th grade as a student teacher. His 4th grade class had their regular teacher deliver a hand-made valentine card from each of his students, all wishing him well and many asking him to come back months after he had began teaching high school. I won't make any bets now that he's got his Masters, but I suppose the next step if/when he continues his education will ba a doctorate. Then I'll ba able to drop the phrase "my son the doctor." hehehe

Fit Report Card: A+. The blue sport delivered us to Owosso in ten and a half hours on a tank and 3/4 of gas. We averaged over 41 miles per gallon, much better than the sticker's estimates, but lost that edge going home leaving the frozen north in about a 50 mph headwind. I've termed the return home "nightmarish" for reasons beyond our control. Damn train. Damn directions. Damn them to hayull! Yeah, the other extreme, driving straight through from 4 in the afternoon until 5:30 the next morning. It wasn't exactly Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, but it was a long process for sure, clocking with a thirteen and a half hour trek.

So, I wasn't a math whiz in school...And now I see the price of everything shooting through the roof. I see gas going up 7 or 8 cents a gallon a couple of times a week sometimes. I see the price of food going up. I see the rent's going up. I see that my tax bill is the largest in my life for 2007. I see the postage going up that I have to buy to pay some of my bills with. I see everything going up except my income. Go figure. It doesn't take a math whiz to realize that the runaway inflation is making life difficult for some and making life for others just plain suck.

Thumbs

Smart Car. Finally saw a couple of the new "Smart" cars. One on the road and one on the floor at Hanes Mall in Winston. It looks like an enclosed golf cart and I can only imagine the powerful burst of speed you'd have with the three-cylinder powerhouse of an engine. The car looks as if the back half of a small sedan was cut off flat and it's WAY too expensive for the toy that it is, but being made by Mercedes Benz you can't expect it to be less than BMW's Mini Cooper. Thumbs Down.

Cristina Scabbia Duets. Another nice surprise surfaced as Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia followed up her collaboration with Megadeth ("A Tout Le Monde - Set Me Free") with a duet with the very popular band Alter Bridge (Creed minus their former big-headed rock-star singer). The latest is called "Watch Over You (Duet)" and is basically everywhere already. Thumbs Up.

Kansas Spanks UNC & Benedict Roy. What a moron. Wearing a Kansas sticker on his sweater cheering like a school-girl for the team that had two nights previously eliminated his OWN team, UNC basketball coach Roy "Benedict" Williams cheered on his former team to a national championship while flaunting his "fanhood" on ESPN during intermission. Thumbs down.

Edguy. I got the wild hair and downloaded about 25-30 random songs by Edguy, one of Tobias Sammet's projects. The reviews I've read before listening all stated Sammet wasn't serious in his songwriting until his latest, "Avantasia - The Scarecrow" may have a little merit, but I have to admit I enjoy the spirit in which the "non-serious" tunes are written and performed. Songs like "Lavatory Love Machine" (a tune about being terrified of flying) and their anthem "Superheroes" have great video presentations (Superheroes is a bunny-hunting expidition). Thumbs up.

What the Heck's Wrong With These People?

There comes a time in every person's life when they have to take the bull by the tail and face ths situation. So here it is: What is it with Carolina fans? I mean, seriously, I know several Carolina GRADS who make very little noise about their current run in the NCAAs and their #1 national ranking. But once again, the enigma in this whole situation is their fixation on Duke University. I sat and watched a "fan" in the chatroom the other day going on about how Roy Williams "owned" Duke's Coach K in winning percentage, etc. and so forth. So I went into the NCAA's Mens Basketball Tournament Records and lo and behold. Someone wasn't being truthful in his statements. In the NCAA tourney, Coach K has won MORE GAMES THAN ANY ACTIVE COACH. He's won four more tournament games than Carolina legend Dean Smith and has already won three national championships to Smith's two. Sad part of all of this is that if by some "miracle" Carolina gets beat before winning it all, these same authorities on college basketball records will probably be nowhere in the vicinity of a chatroom (just like when Duke beat Carolina in the Dean Dome - gone for a week). So, what's the point? Isn't Carolina been lauded as the top pick to win it all? Celebrate after you win it, because if your team does fall at some point along the way, we all know from history that there will be another Kleenex lint blizzard in Chapel Hill from all of the tears shed by the baby blue faithful. And I own Kimberly-Clarke stocks. HA!

What I'm Listening To Now: 1. Tobias Sammet's Avantasia - The Scarecrow; 2. Pagan's Mind - God's Equation; 3. Coheed and Cambria - No World For Tomorrow; 4. Brainstorm - Downthrust; 5. Rebel Meets Rebel - Rebel Meets Rebel; 6. Kamelot - Ghost Opera; 7. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli; 8. Mother's Finest - Black Radio Won't Play This Record; 9. Riverside - Rapid Eye Movement; 10. Rob Halford - Metal God Essentials Vol. 1

What's wrong with the people that run TV Land? I've already got 600 channels of lame movies and stupid set up reality shows. I turn to them for one reason: CLASSIC TV. I'd rather watch the same two seasons of Beverly Hillbilly episodes over and over than to have to sit through one of the movies these people are putting on in place of the classic TV that I love to watch. Movies? Hell, I've still got DVD copies of X-Men II and Spiderman II which are UNOPENED. Had it not been for my son MAKING me watch all three episodes of Lord of the Rings, I'd have never sat down long enough for them either. I'm sorry, I've not seen the 40 Year Old Virgin or The Hills Have Eyes or any other weird remake like Dukes of Hazzard. Jeez. Only person that makes me want to buy a DVD any more is that nut Will Ferrell. Who can hate on some Ricky Bobby?