Barbecue Sauce Season

Hi again everybody:
Today's blog is going to be about one of the things in life that give me the most pleasure. Barbecue sauce. See, I love summer and everything that comes with it. I love the heat, the sports, the beach, and especially the foods that go along with summer. That means grilled meats, corn on the cob, fresh local fruit and vegetables. Of course, here in the Northeast, there is a very small window for enjoying fresh corn and tomatoes. You only really get a chance to have good locally grown corn and tomatoes (and other vegetables) from the middle of July till MAYBE the end of September. The rest of the time, we get it imported from other states or countries, or you get crappy hothouse stuff.

GRILLED MEAT AND BARBECUE SAUCES
Fortunately, the same is not true for grilling season. As soon as it's no longer freezing till it begins to freeze again, we're grilling. Now I don't delude myself into thinking I'm Bobby Flay. Nor am I interested in getting into grilling stuff to the level he does. But steaks, chicken, and ribs done on the grill are a thing of culinary beauty, in my mind. I've used a variety of methods for seasoning the meat I'm grilling on a certain day. You can MARINTATE, you can do the DRY RUB thing, or you can use BARBECUE SAUCE. There is also the choice of combining any or all of the three. But beware of overkill.

Today, I'm going to talk about Barbecue Sauce. Now in past blogs I've discussed my love of Sweet Baby Ray's Original. This is the sauce I'm presently in love with. It's sweet and tangy and it complements ribs and chicken wonderfully, without taking away from the taste of the meat. Sweet Baby Ray's is available in many grocery chains across the country, so you should have no trouble finding it if you wish to try it. I think you'll be glad you did.

But there are alot of other top-quality sauces out there. One such product comes from one of my favorite Rib chains. Have you ever heard of Sticky Fingers? My buddies and I came across this place in 2005, while on a trip to the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, GA. We stayed in Columbia, SC, and found this great restaurant while looking for a place to eat on our first night. Sticky Fingers offers 5 different kinds of BBQ sauce to have on your ribs or chicken.

• Carolina Classic
• Carolina Sweet
• Memphis Original
• Tennessee Whiskey
• Habanero Hot

You can get a rib sampler platter with all 5 sauces. Each of the first 4 are awesome and should be sampled by everyone who likes BBQ sauce. The Habanero Hot is another matter. The words Hot and Heat don't begin to describe this stuff. I have no problem with spicy foods. And in truth, this sauce has some great, smoky, Habanero flavor. For about 2-3 seconds. After that, you'd better have a way to put out the fire. And don't even try to douse it with water, because hot pepper is not water soluble. You'll need cole slaw, or fries, or ice cream...something with fat. Pal, let me tell you this stuff is Flaming.

Unless you're from the south, you may not have heard of Sticky Fingers. If you'd like to try out their sauces let me recommend you go to http://www.thesaucesite.com and click on Barbecue Sauce. This will bring you to my link for Sticky Fingers, where you can purchase any of their fine products online.

One other site I'd like to suggest you try, if you're at all adventurous, is the Barbecue Store. Again, you can find the link for this site at http://www.thesaucesite.com and click on Barbecue sauce. The link is about halfway down the page. This site has everything from grills and grill parts, to barbecuing woods for your grill or smoker. And of course they have a HUGE selection of rubs and sauces. Just look for The Barbecue Store when visiting The Sauce Site.

DRY RUBS

I use different kinds of Dry Rubs when I grill steak. I'm not big on putting BBQ sauce on steak. So I like to season liberally with a good rub. I first started experimenting with your typical Montreal Steak seasoning. Of course, being the way I am, I was not satisfied with just one kind of mass-produced spice product. So Now I just make my own using whatever I happen to have on hand. Salt, pepper, granulated garlic (not powder) are 3 of my staples. I like Emeril's Original or Bayou Blast. I also like ground Cayenne pepper.

Your best bet when making your own rub is to experiment. Assuming you keep alot of different spices on hand, the thing to do is to just start mixing. Take a small bowl or tea cup and just start throwing stuff in. Use spices that you are fond of and build from there. Spread a very thin coat of mustard or olive oil on your steak. Then spread your rub mixture on both sides and gently massage the steak, making sure to keep both sides coated. Refrigerate.

ONE CAVEAT TO GRILLING STEAK--Any grilling or barbecuing book you read will tell you that before you put the steaks on the grill it is best to take the steaks out of the fridge for while before grilling and letting them get to room temperature. This, I think, ensures that the steaks stay their juiciest during the cooking process and doesn't "shock" the meat with the quick and severe change in temperature.

As i always say...Don't be afraid to experiment. You'll be surprised at what great flavors you can discover. And as you all know....LEN IS RIGHT.

Till next time, I am Len Tollerton

MY GRATITUDE AND MY APOLOGIES

Just an add-on to today's previous post. While reading through some other blogs, both on blogspot and other blog groups, it has come to my attention that my blogs are WAY TOO LONG. And though my blog is obviously the most pertinent of any blog out there, I would like to apologize to those of you who sit through my wind bag endless rants when they are posted.

And though I know YOU KNOW that LEN IS RIGHT, I will try to scale back my rants to something that can be read inside of one to two minutes.

I appreciate everyone indulging me and apologize again for the length (when will I ever be able to say those words?)

LEN IS RIGHT. LEN IS RIGHT. LEN IS RIGHT.

READ ON, MacDUFF!!

WHY I HATE ORGANIZED RELIGION

Hey World, what's up?
My last post had to do with the U.S. Open. I never mentioned the winner's name, which is Geoff Ogilvy. He did what he had to at the end, and sat by as the last two groups gagged on the last hole, to back into the title. I think you'll be hearing alot more from this Aussie youngster. But that's not what I want to talk about today.

OKAY SATAN, WHY DO YOU HATE RELIGION?
Simply stated folks, I hate organized religion because it has become the root of alot of the evil in our world today. I know you think this might just be about Islam-bashing, but read on. I will get to the Muslims in time. But I think I'll start right at home.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
I grew up a Catholic, went to a Catholic elementery school till 4th grade, sent my kids to a Catholic school for a while, and occasionally still attend Catholic church services, but only for Christmas and to be with the family. My problems with the Catholic church stem from the hoarding of wealth, and the need to hold people down with some of their foolish rules. What is a foolish rule? No meat on Fridays during Lent (why?) Get your baby baptized right away, cause if it dies it won't go to heaven. (c'mon, will ya?) You're not allowed to receive Communion unless you go to Confession (now called Reconciliation). Do you think Jesus would deny someone a meal, just because they didn't apologize for their sins? Please.

I recently saw a picture of Pope Benedict. He was dressed in red shoes, a gold lame outer robe, a high "House of Whoville" hat and a "fabulous" ceremonial walking stick or shepherd's hook...I don't know. He'll dress like that, but doesn't want people to see or read The Da Vinci Code because he thinks it'll make people think strangely about the Church. He has no tolerance for gays, but dresses like a radical drag queen with archaic and UNREALISTIC beliefs.

But as long as we give the Church our money, we can get into heaven. Toe the line and you will be saved. Isn't this why Martin Luther broke with the church in the 1500's?

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS, AND ANY OTHER FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN NEO-RIGHT WING ORGANIZATION THAT PROFESSES TO KNOW IT ALL
First, the Jehovahs. Dude, 144,000 people are all God is accepting into heaven? The rest will either be born again to live on the planet, or stay dead in their graves (if you don't accept Jesus as your personal savior)? You holier than thou snobbish bastards. I'll bet you the million dollars that I don't have that NONE of the Jehovahs I know, or know of, are on the guest list. "C'mon Marge, it's our turn to get into heaven. We've both been exemplary Jehovahs all of our lives. There must be room for us. What??!! What do you mean we can't get in? I prayed and built 5 Kingdom Halls myself! I never acknowledged Christmas, Easter, or my, or anyone else's birthday, and never sang a song for pleasure. I deserve a spot next to the Father, dammit! Oh shit, I didn't mean to say dammit! I meant to say, why me Lord? I thought I was on ther guest list. Ahhh forget it Marge. I guess they lost our Reservation. Now we have to spend eternity alongside the Tollertons. Ahhh shit!!"

This whole rant doesn't just apply to the Jehovahs. It applies to all you condescending, looking-down-your-nose, holding your hand up in the air to Jesus while you sing hymns, know it all, insufferable pains in the ass Born Again Christians and Fundamentalists who think that your intolerance of others who haven't accepted Jesus is what's going to save you in the long run.

Wake up, cause here's The Message from Jesus. Live in Peace. Love Your Fellow Man (person for PC-ness). You think you have all the answers and that you know what He would say. What Would Jesus Do? Who Knows? I can tell you he probably wouldn't be practicing Intolerance of any kind. Do you think he's going to send all Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims to hell? Some of each group probably deserve it, but I doubt the majority do, just because they haven't accepted Jesus into their lives. Crackuh Puhhleeez.

MUSLIMS AND THE ISLAMIC PEOPLE OF THE WORLD
Look folks, we know you're not all like the terrorists of the world. We know that the VAST majority just want to live in peace, enjoy their lives, raise their children without the probability of horrific violent death just like the rest of the Western world. Most of us in America realize that the people in our country go over the top with the way we act. Too much consumtion of food, gas, alcohol, drugs, entertainment, freedom. We can understand why many other nations hate our country. We know you just want to respect the Koran, and observe your own religious practices.

But tell me, WHY DOES EVERYONE IMMIGRATE TO AMERICA? Because here, you have the freedom to be whomever you want to be. You can own a bodega, you can watch TV, you can go to school wherever you want, you can take care of your family, you can practice your religion. How many Americans leave to move to other countries?

In the Islamic faith there are many different sects that claim to be the one true way. The Shiites, the Sunnis, etc...ad nauseum. They believe if they kill the Infidel they'll be guaranteed a place in heaven and be given 72 virgins to spend eternity with. Hey guys... guess what....any man that wants to hang out with 72 women everyday is either gay, deaf, or has a death wish. C'mon dude. 72 virgins? Chances are all 72 of them are fat, toothless and don't bathe on a regular basis. Jeez, Allah, sign me up for that. I want decadence in heaven with women who refuse to bathe or shave (the reason why they're virgins), instead of some gorgeous blonde, with a body that moves mountains, and has a plan for personal hygiene right here on Earth. Terrorist for what reason? Get Real!

THE JEWS
No offense folks, but let's face it. You've got ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT. You've got most of the wealth. You control most of the entertainment, sports and banking worlds. None of you are destitute. You've never been poor. You've never been persecuted. At least no one who has lived in the last 100 years in America. Oh sure, your ancestors were kept down. You didn't have your own homeland till 1948 (Israel), or the 1920's if you consider Hollywood, Long Island, and Miami (until the Hispanics took over a few years ago). Now you have a monopoly on most of the rest of Florida.

And still you bitch about EVERYTHING. My food's not right. Mel Gibson's movie made us look bad (please, it made Italians look worse). I can't get good coffee. My son married a Gentile. Who shops at Wal Mart? Oh, we can't let our kids hang out with Asians. Yada-yada-yada. Shut up and try getting along with the rest of us without hoarding EVERYTHING! You don't need to own the whole world. You can't take it with you. And your kids are probably going to put it up their nose or spend it on a (Ethnicity of your choice) stripper. How 'bout playing nice and getting along, huh?

THE BUDDHISTS
Have you ever met a violent, complaining, holier-than-thou, snobbish, pain-in-the-ass Buddhist? No. I didn't think so. Peace, harmony, happiness, and love are what real Buddhists are about. They worship the Earth and things in nature around them.

Those people I respect. If I was to bring myself to join an organized religion, it would be the Buddhists. You want to know where REAL POWER comes from? Look down. You're standing on it. The Earth, people. It's the only real, tangible, unstoppable force you need be concerned with. Did God or Allah, or Jesus or Siva, or any of the other deities send the earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, blizzards, heat waves, or humidity? NO! NO! NO! The power of the Earth sent it all to you. The planet does what it wants. It pays no attention to God or Satan. And there's not thing one any of you out there can do about it. When the planet belches lava, or cracks and swallows half a city along with 100,000 people, or Katrina storms and destroys New Orleans, do you think that was Sodom and Gomorrah? Afraid not folks. It was just the Planet Earth reminding us who is Boss. Mother Earth.

I know this because.....LEN IS RIGHT, dammit. I invite your comments.
Please click on the new links I have posted and visit my sponsors. There's alot of quality stuff there. Also, check out The Sauce Site for some great add-ons to all your meals.
http://www.thesaucesite.com

I am,
Len Tollerton
Thanks for visiting and reading my rant.

THE U.S. OPEN REPORT

Hello everyone:
Well, we made it back Friday, after a VERY long day at the U.S. Open. I hope everyone had a fun Father's Day and were able to get full use out of the warm, sunny weather we had over the weekend.

THE 106th U.S. OPEN FROM WINGED FOOT
Okay here's the journal of the day as it went on Friday. The guys showed up at my house at 5:10 a.m. We stopped at a local roadside diner for breakfast (the pancakes were the biggest I've ever seen, covering the ENTIRE plate.

We ate pretty quickly and set out. As we were approaching the NYS Thruway, Roy asks the Palooka if he has the tickets. Palooka says, "Oh shit, I left them home." So we make a detour to Palooka's house, and pick up the tickets. Okay, now we can set out. We make a leisurely 2 hour drive to Westchester Community College and park the car. Then it's on to the metal detector area. Let me tell ya, these folks left no stone unturned, don't ya know. The magnetic, handheld wands picked up the slightest bit of metal you may have had in your pocket. The stopped my for having a dime and nickel in one pocket and the aluminum foil paper that was in my cigarette pack. These people were serious....no smiles.

We then got on shuttle buses and drove for another half-hour, during which the Palooka bitched the entire time about how stupidly this system was set up. We finally got on the grounds around 10:00 a.m. After watching a few groups that were playing on adjacent holes, we began to move around the course.

CONDITIONS AT WINGED FOOT
I'd like to describe the conditions of the course very quickly, for those of you who have never been to a major tournament. First off, the fairways. If you were to picture a really thick, coarse, carpet-like piece of felt, that would describe the fairways. Really, it was like hitting off of indoor/outdoor carpeting, with a padding underneath.

The bunkers were large and somewhat trecherous, but the edges were cut so sharp that you may have been able to tear your pants on them. The greens, of course, were gorgeous, well-maintained, and VERY fast. Oh, and undulating. Not too many dead-flat areas. The crowd was polite and friendly. Then, of course there was...................

THE ROUGH AT WINGED FOOT
If you thought you were a frustrated hacker, you had to see the pro's going out of their minds over this rough. So you say, "Big Deal," rough is rough...it's just long grass. That's what I thought until I actually felt the grass. Normally, if you put your hand down into 5-6 inch-long grass it just moves around with no problem. Here at Winged Foot, I never felt anything like this. Picture, if you will, putting your hands into a large box of rubber bands. Your fingers slide in w/ no problem and immdiately get tangled up and you have to work on removing them. As you walk along, your sneaker treads get caught up in the grass. So you can see, especially if you watched the tournament on TV, why the pro's were only able to advance the ball a short distance when they were unlucky enough to get buried in the rough. I think you may have been able to find alot of lost items in the rough.

We were disappointed that Tiger Woods was rusty after his long layoff. He was never a factor and, indeed, missed his first cut, ever, in a major. We saw some nice shots, but only mediocre putting. The temperature hovered around 85 all day. Beers were $5 and $6, and the most expensive food item was $7 (a chicken Caesar wrap). Basically, we walked around, ate and drank all day, while trying to find places in the shade that would give us a good view of the action on the greens.

We finally got back to the car at around 8:00 p.m. (that after spending $154 on overpriced stuff in the Merch Tent). After a cold beer or two, we got back on the highway. Things were going great until we got a few miles north of Poughkeepsie where we came to a dead stop. There had been a serious accident up ahead. So serious, in fact, that they had to bring in a helicopter to take away the injured. We found out later that a 9-year-old was killed. So we sat for 2 1/2 hours until everything was cleaned up. We got back to my house at 1:45 a.m., almost 21 hours after we had left.

THE LEN IS RIGHT TAKE ON THE U.S. OPEN
I was hoping Colin Montgomerie, Steve Stricker, or Phil Mickelson would win on Sunday. After a tremendous birdie putt on the 17th hole, Monty faded on 18 with a double-bogey. Mickelson proceded to have one of the greatest mental meltdowns in history giving away the lead and the title over the last 3 holes. Very un-Phil-like. He will probably beat himself up over this for a while, and he should. He made inexcusable mistakes that cost him his 3rd Major title in a row. But this is what makes the U.S. Open so tough to win and so appreciated for years afterward.

All in all, it was a fun, tiring, long day. If this tournament is played in a location near where you live, and you like golf, by all means go and be a spectator at the U.S. Open The rough was CRAZY, do you hear me? The greens were slick and very undulating, and I'm sure it was an exercise in frustration for most of the golfers. I think if I had played the same conditions, I may have carded a 145. But only if I hit 80% of the fairways. If I'm in the rough, all bets are off.

Happy belated Father's Day to all of those out there who have begat heirs. Until next time, remember that LEN IS RIGHT.

I am,
Len Tollerton

THE U.S. OPEN AND THE N.Y. METS

My very good friends:
I return to post the night before the big pilgrimage to Winged Foot for the 2nd round of the U.S. Open. I have also returned to turn the screws a little tighter, whether it brings the jinx, or not.

THE U.S. OPEN AT WINGED FOOT
There's not much to say here, folks. The course just laid waste to the pro's and made them look like a bunch of us guys. Was that beautiful, or what? I mean, I probably would have carded a 145. But one guy under par? One stinkin' guy? Oh, the words that come to mind......Precious.....Sweet.....Gnarly, dude......How'd that feel? I hope I don't get any tick bites wading through the 5 to 8 inch rough tomorrow. Jesus, we might be able to find Hoffa and Amelia Earhart if we look good enough.

Do you think the members of Winged Foot let the children who live in the surrounding area go sledding on the greens in winter time? Perhaps the U.S. Olympic ski team could practice moguls and the downhill around the greens areas. Maybe Bode Miller could show up for a medal next Olympics if he were to practice at Winged Foot. Jeez, it could only bring in more membership dues money for the club, right? "I say, Harriet, is that man snow boarding off the 10th green?"
"Why yes, Reginald, I believe he's pulling a 540 tail grab with an Ollie."
"Oh Harriet, talk like that some more, I believe my member moved."
" Oh, Dahling."

Look for me, Roy, Chuck, and the Palooka on TV tomorrow as we will be the ones knuckle deep in our noses when the camera pans by as Tiger (a 6-over 76 and 7 shots back of Monty after Round 1) pulls out his new Titleist Machete Iron to negotiate a particularly tough lie on the 16th, hoping to make the cut as the sun begins to set. Soccer hooligans, my arse!!
http://www.usopen.com

THE NEW YORK METS
Oh, how sweet it is! Yeah, it may be too early to crow, but we might as well be 1986-style pains in the asses while we can. The rest of the National League, the Eastern Division especially, can just kiss our ass right now. I think we may have already clinched a Wild-Card spot (barring injury of course). It is June 15, and the Metropolitans are 9.5 games up on the 2nd place Phillies. And when, my friends, when was the last time the Mets had a 12 game lead on the HATED Braves from Atlanta? I hope the fans in Atlanta remember what it was like when Sherman came through during the War Between the States. Burn you mofo's, burn.

Hey, how're them Yankees looking right now, huh? I'd say they're looking old. Let me hear it people...."SWEEEEET." The Baltmur Oreos come to town to try to cool down the Mets over this weekend. It's been a long time coming. If I was in the stands I'd begin a European Soccer Fan chant in the stands. "Oh, We Play Hard! We give Our All! So You Can Kiss Our Bats And Kiss Our Balls!" THAT, my friends, would be the highlight to my baseball season. To hear the whole crowd at a Mets game singing like a Eurpoe soccer crowd, the words I've just written.....why I could die a happy man. LET'S GO METS!!

You can follow the goings on in baseball at: http://www.mlb.com

Well, folks, it's off to bed for your ranting blog master, as I have a 5:00 a.m. departure time. Enjoy the sunny, warm weekend. Please remember that Len Is Right.
Cause I am,
Len Tollerton

FIELD DAY AT SCHOOL AND THE WORLD CUP

Good Day my friends.
I'm hoping this post finds everyone doing well and starting to enjoy the summer. The rain looks like it's starting to ebb and we may get some decent weather up in the great Northeast. At least for the next few days.

FIELD DAY AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Today my son Jackson's school held their annual Field Day. This consists of all the classes broken into 4 teams each, and competing in 12 different events. Parents were enlisted to man the different stations and set-up food, water slide, and a host of other fun activities. I was stationed at the Tug-Of-War. We all had a great time cheering everyone on and making sure everyone had fun. I tried to make sure that all the kids were into it, but were not so competitive that they had hard feelings after losing. It turned out really well, though I was a tad hoarse afterward. I DID almost suffer a broken finger when one lovely 3rd grade girl, angry over her team's loss, tried to twist my fingers off when I went around giving everyone high-fives. Is this how soccer hooligans get their start? Or maybe youth sports parents who want to beat up coaches? "Honey, honey, you're breaking my finger!!! This is just for fun, no need to injure the nice volunteer."

THE WORLD CUP
I just got done watching a thrilling match between Poland and Germany. Germany won in Overtime, 1-0, on a late goal, with Poland a man down because of a red-card penalty. This game was played in Dortmund, Germany, in the largest soccer venue in that country. There were 67,000 screaming fans, most pulling for the home team, though Poland was well-represented in the stands.

As most of us know, the U.S. team was embarassed by the Czechs, 3-0 in the flattest, most uninspired performance I think our national team has ever put out. It's like we have all these hopes that this World Cup will finally be the one where we gain some respect in the world soccer community. As usual, we showed why our national sport is baseball. I, personally, have never been a big fan of soccer, though I will give it a try every once in a while. Today's Poland/Germany game was fast-paced and actually interesting to watch.

The one thing I dearly love about watching soccer or rugby in frome Europe, or Australian rules football from down-under is listening to the fans sing fight songs throughout the game. I mean, you may think that college football or basketball fans are rabid. You may think the Cheese-heads up in Green Bay or the redneck Nascar fans are the most ardent followers of their respective teams. But you haven't seen anything till you've seen and heard a European soccer or rugby crowd sing for, scream for, cheer for and harrass the teams playing on the field of those games. You never see national pride like you do during the World Cup. And though the "hooligans" get out of hand at times, Americans can only hope to show the outright passion of these maniacs who genuinely live and die with the outcome of their city's or country's games. It is a refreshing departure from some American sports crowds (like the Florida Marlins and their 6.700 fans that showed up at Dolphins Stadium the other night). Even if a European team sucks and is in last place, the stands are still full and their fans are still as boisterous as if they were leading the Division. Cheers to all of them. If the Americans ever field a team that gets to a Final or wins the World Cup, we had all better just prepare for the coming of Armageddon, because the world will surely come to an end when that happens. Visit all the goings on at:
http://www.fifaworldcup.com

THE U.S. OPEN
Yeah, baby!! I am off to the U.S, Open on Friday!!! Our national golf championship is taking place in Westchester County at the Famed Winged Foot Golf Club. I'm going with my friends Roy (the G.B. King), Chuck (the Edge of Darkness), and Jeff (the Big Palooka). We will be leaving at 5:00 a.m. and making the 2 hour drive to Mamaronek. The four of us went to the Masters in 2005 and the chance to actually be present for the U.S. Open is a chance we can't pass up. The 3 of them attended U.S. Opens at Shinnecock and at Bethpage Black on Long Island when they were played there over the last few years. This will be my first Open and I'm stoked. If I remember, I'll try to pick you all up a ball marker. You can check out all the goings on at the U.S.Open at: http://www.usopen.com

LEN IS RIGHT.....but....
as stated in a previous post, I SUCK at handicapping horse races. The horses I picked for the Belmont Stakes didn't finish in the money. But see, what DOES make Len Right is that I'm smart enough to know that I suck at handicapping, thus I DON"T BET.
The moral...A man's got to know his limitations.

HOW ABOUT A NEW CROCK POT OR SOME GREAT WINE?
Okay, it's shameless shill time here at Len Is Right. I'd like to point your attention to the right to the link section and ask you to check out the links to Crock Pot.com and Wines Direct.com

I don't know how many of you own or have used a crock pot for slow cooking, but they work really well and are really versatile. If you haven't checked them out before, or in a while, take a look at all the different kinds and sizes there are now. They even come in different themes (Nascar and other decorations) and there is even a table-top BBQ model, which looks really interesting.

Also, i know you wine lovers out there usually just go to the local liquor store for your favorite vino. But if you get the chance, take a look at the link for WinesDirect.com. You may find something that you haven't tried before.

Okay, that's all for now. Thanks for reading and I hope everyone has a great weekend. Look for me on TV on Friday afternoon. I'll be wearing my white Universal Studios hat, cheering Tiger Woods and the rest of the competitors (except Vijay Singh) at the U.S.Open. GOING TO THE OPEN, BABY!!!

Of course, Len Is Right.
I am,
Len Tollerton

WHAT'S UP PEOPLE!

Len Is Right is back again with a new post. It's been a few days since my last post and I've got just a few short notes, Larry King-style, to put out, just so you don't forget about me.

THE KID FROM BROOKLYN
First off, I'd like to point you to an interesting website www.thekidfrombrooklyn.com Folks, if you click on this website and go to the video page, you'll get a kick out of what you hear. The big man in the videos is this guy, Mike, who loves to go on these 1-2 minute rants on just about any topic out there. One Warning: He does use a bit of profanity, so don't watch them around the kids, okay? This guy makes me laugh, especially when he gets out of breath. He's right on with alot of his views, in my opinion, and usually makes me chuckle for a few minutes. Check him out, but beware, he's loud.

TONY'S KNEE SURGERY
Our good friend, Tony Sansone, had a scope on his knee yesterday to clean up his torn meniscus cartiledge. Now, I know about knee surgery, having undergone ACL reconstruction back in '95. A scope isn't really too bad, especially with today's technology. A major reconstruction is, obviously, alot tougher because it is invasive and you need to reeducate your muscles in that area. Rehab can take around 6 months depending on how stringent you are about going to therapy. The more you do, the faster you are back in action.

I'd also like to relate one of the really bad things about knee injuries. If you end up getting fluid in your knee and it becomes difficult to bend it, the doctor usually suggests getting the knee drained. Well I'm here to tell you that the ONLY good thing about getting your knee drained is the end result, the ability to bend your knee and walk normally again. Let me explain the procedure and why I hate it. First, they have to numb your knee. The way they do this is by sticking a novocaine-filled needle into the center of your knee. They usually have you hold onto a pillow while they do this, because it flat-out hurts. And unlike other surface-based pain, this pain is in the center of your knee and there's no way for you to rub it to ease the pain. That's the worst. Next, they take an even bigger needle with a fat syringe on it and stick that into the center of your knee, and start draining fluid. As the syringe fills up, there is some relief. That is, until the syringe is full and they have to get a new one. While they change syringes, they leave the needle in your knee and everytime they do something, the needle moves around inside your knee. There might be novocaine in there, but it still hurts and it's very disconcerting feeling something sharp moving around in the center of your knee. Finally, it's over and you get down off the table and take your first few ginger steps. Ahhh, now you can bend your knee. Hopefully your knee won't swell up again and you have to get it drained again.

THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL KNEE REHAB
There are many factors that go into successfully rehabbing one's knee. Being serious about your therapy regimen is a must. However, the MAJOR key to survivng this whole ordeal is one word. ICE .
Ice is a must. It is your best friend at the end of your therapy session. It is a necessity every day after walking around. Ice will keep the swelling down and the need for another draining kept to a minimum. Anyway, we here at Len Is Right would like to wish a speedy recovery to Tony Sansone. I know he's going to be itching to get back into the gym and back to work laying ties for the America's railroad.

THE BELMONT STAKES
This seems to be an anti-climax after the Derby winner broke his leg and Preakness winner, Bernadini, is passing on this race. Of the 12 horses entered, it seems that only 5 are given much of a chance. Right now, I'm seeing alot of press on Sunriver and High Finance. The opening line had Bluegrass Cat (2nd in the Derby) as the early favorite. I think his Derby result was a fluke. Steppenwolfer is a very late closer and supposedly has never had to deal with this long of a race. Will he be there at the end. I have absolutely no idea here, so I'm just going to throw an Exacta Box pick out there for you. High Finance and Steppenwolfer. Good Luck.

STARS I'VE SEEN ENOUGH OF FOR A WHILE
The following is a list of people whose faces I could go at least 5 years and not see, and it would be okay with me. Overexposure has just made me tired of them. Feel free to chime in with your votes.

• Paris Hilton and her balloon-headed ex-friend Nicole Richie
• Brangelina--Does anyone really care where Brad and his screwball girlfriend have their baby? Go away already.
• Barry Bonds and anything to do with steroids.
• Jessica Simpson
• Lindsay Lohan
• Tom Cruise--no psychotherapy needed there, huh? Why does Katie Holmes always look scared yet sedated?
• Dubya--How fast can the next election come?
• Protesters of the Da Vinci Code---get a freakin' life.
• Nick Lachey, Ryan Seacrest, and the rest of the self-promoter useless talking heads in the world.
• The Gyllenhall (spelling?) family...Jake and Maggie, you are a couple of creepy looking people. Please stop our nightmares.
• James Blunt--"You're Beautiful" No you're not...you suck.
• Mischa Barton--please
• Rain in the Northeast. This summer is shaping up to be a loser. Where is the sun?

Okay folks, we've about made it to the end of the schoolyear and half-days start next week. Get ready parents. Get those vacation plans set and enjoy. This is truly the best time of the year. Get yourselves outside and have some fun.

Peace to all. Talk to you soon. As always....Len Is Right. A motto. A Credo. A way of Life.

I am Len Tollerton

FINALLY BACK WITH SOME TOPICS

Hello all:
Welcome back. I apologize for not posting since May 27. Time constraints and writers block again. On Friday June2, I played in an all-inclusive golf outing with 3 of my closest golfing buddies. The outing was a scramble format with a shotgun start. If you've played in one of these, you know it is designed to give everyone a chance at maikng a contribution to the team. It's alot of fun and can end up being pretty competitive.

THE PRINTERS' OUTING AT ORCHARD CREEK
I've got to tell you about this outing because it was truly the classiest, well-planned, and well-run outings I've ever played in. First off, we checked in at 8:00 a.m. We all received a sleeve of balls and were able to buy-in to a 50/50 raffle. We then went into the clubhouse and enjoyed a complimentary breakfast of coffee, juice, danish fresh-fruit, etc.... At 9:00 we all went out to our starting holes (there were 120-140 golfers, ergo a shotgun start), and proceded to try to get a jump on the rest of the field. My group started at a 145-yd Par 3. Our closest tee shot came within 11 feet. Not bad, but not close enough to win one of the closest-to-the-pin contests. The putt was makeable, but we weren't able to grab the birdie with 4 attempts. This was a true omen for how our day would go. One of our team, Dot-Com Destroyer, is a solid 6 handicap, and it was pretty much the Dot-Com show most of the day. Yours truly can crank out drives in the 240-280-yd. range. But this guy, who is about 3 inches shorter and 80-100 lbs. lighter just blows the ball past me. Our other 2 partners, the G. B. King and The Edge of Darkness were playing injured (one with a 2 inch gash on his thumb, the other playing for the 1st time after fairly serious back surgery in the late winter).

We got hot over the last 7 holes and were able to card a 6-under par 65. On the course we were playing, Orchard Creek in Altamont, N.Y., we thought that would, at least, be good enough for 2nd place prize money. More on that later.

When we came off the course after 10 holes (the turn), it was lunch time. We were pleasantly surprised to see hot dogs, sausage sandwiches and grilled ribs, along with all the water, soda, and beer you wanted. There were also kegs going out on the course, in case anyone felt a tad dehydrated. After chowing down, we made our way back onto the course to finish the last 8 holes of our round. We did okay, but not as well as we expected. We didn't get our approach shots close enough to the holes, we didn't chip the ball particularly well, and we missed FAR TOO MANY putts. If you don't give yourself a chance to make short putts, and can't sink the 10-20 footers with 4 chances, you're not going to win a scramble. We had a great day, however, laughing and goofing around, so the golf was kind-of secondary.

After golf, the outing moved a few miles down the road to Pickard's Grove, which sits at the base of the mountain below Thatcher Park (a famous state park in upstate NY). This place is one of those classic clam-bake locations, with indoor/outdoor tables, horseshoe pits, large bar, clam bars, etc... This place was clean, the staff was very friendly, there was plenty of room, and the food was great. Food? Hot dogs, sausage, clam chowder, raw clams and oysters (as much as you could eat...and I can pound the raw bar, let me tell ya), chips and salsa, cheese and crackers, bevarages. That was for the first 3 hours.

THE AWESOMELY GREAT SUCKOUT ON THE G.B.KING (ROY LUCE)

During that time the four of us amused ourselves with a couple of $20 Hold-'Em tournaments. After 2 major suck-outs, I was able to send GBK and Edge O D packing, leaving me and the Dot-Com Destroyer to battle it out for the money. Less than 5 hands later, it was over and I was the winner. The suckout I pulled on GBK, with a suited 10-3 in my hand, was a thing of beauty as a 3 and a 10 came on the board to knock out his lower 2-pair, which he caught early on. Definitely a questionable call after GBK went All-In, but my mind was on glomming some more raw clams and my stomach made my decision for me. When I sucked-out the winning hand, GBK was left to run for drinks, shaking his head and talking to himself all the way. I believe he was seeing black at this point. If he hadn't been knocked out at that point, he would have certainly gone on TILT and busted out soon after. A second tournament found me and GBK battling it out at the end for the money, and the tables were turned as he pulled a 3rd seven on the river when CLEARLY dominated by my A-J and 2 pair. Paybacks can indeed be a bitch. But it was fun.

My only complaint of the day was the stalls in the Men's room at the Grove. When you sat down, the door was right against your knees. It made it a little tough to do your business. But what was worse was when I stood up and had to pull my pants back on. I couldn't bend over or I would have hit my head on the door and fallen backward onto the toilet. So, here I am, trying to get into Limbo dancing position to grab my underwear and pants and get myself back out to the festivities. I'm lucky I didn't pull a muscle in my back trying to get to my dropped pants.

Anyway......at 6:30, out came the dinner. Some got steak, some got lobster, plus 1 1/2 dozen steamed clams (as if I hadn't had enough clams already). While we were eating they gave out 10 50/50 cash prizes, and the awards for the winning teams and the four closest to the pin and 2 men's and women's longest drive contests. The winning team ended up shooting 12-Under 59! A great score to be sure, but on a tough course like that, they either were knocking down alot of putts, or cheating their asses offf. When 2nd place was announced with a 9-Under and 3rd was 8-Under, we realized that we just didn't play well enough. I'm sure all 3 teams didn't cheat their way to those scores, so they must have played alot better than us. I happened to win a closest-to-the-pin for the 6th hole (3 ft. 2 in) and won a $25 gift card to the golf course. After this they gave away about 30 smaller prizes, which included a grill, a cordless drill, a screened tent, a huge cooler and stand, and a host of other neat stuff. Then they gave away the big prizes, which included a 20" LCD flat screen TV, a DVD/VCR combo, and a digital camera.

After that we left because we were tired, full, and didn't want to play anymore cards. We were a little disappointed that we didn't come in to the money as a team. But we all had a great time, alot of laughs and a terrific day overall. It's good to golf with your friends. Thanks to Chuck "The Edge Of Darkness" Luce, my brother, for inviting me to the outing. I hope it will grow to be a tradition.

A COUPLE OF FINAL POINTS

• The NY Mets are still in first place (Hear that Mrs. Koehler?)
• I will soon have a Fantasy Football Directory site up and running with articles and opinions. You can see it at www.thefantasyfootballpicks.com , but it's not fully ready yet. I hope some of my friends will post their fantasy opinions on the site when I get everything ready.
• My wife, Patty, and I went to see the Da Vinci Code last week. She had read the book and I hadn't. I knew the premise and went in with an open mind. I was glued to the edge of my seat for 2 1/2 hours. What a great murder mystery and story. Whether you buy-in to the idea or not, it's a great movie. I wouldn't watch it again, however, because once all of the shocking turns and twists are revealed, there's no surprise anymore. Kind of like watching M. Night Shamawhatever's Sixth Sense.
• I am OFFICIALLY tired of rain. Things are saturated around here.
• I thought Over The Hedge was cute, but not great.
• I find a chunky Brittany Spears alot more attractive than a Paris Hilton or Nicole ("how do you like my huge head and skinny body?) Ritchie.
• I'm rooting for the Dallas Mavericks because I'm a Dirk Nowitzki fan, although I HATE the NBA.
• I listen to Mike and Mike in the Morning every weekday morning on ESPN radio.
• We are in the process of planning a LARGE 20th anniversary party for our yard in August. You had better hope you're on the invite list. We are taking applications for a lottery-type approval list now.
• Projects for this summer (if it stops raining) are painting the outside foundation of my house, painting the shed in the backyard, pressure-washing the house, and selling my 2-family house in Waterford (it's on the market now).
• Right now I'm using charcoal to grill with instead of gas. It takes a bit longer, but to me the taste is worth it.

That's all for now folks. I really need to sit down and write more often. I'm sorry if you're a regular reader and I've been neglecting you over the last week. If there's a topic you'd like me to write about, please submit to me via email or post a comment on this site. Hey Chuck, give me something REAL to sink my writing teeth into. Anyone else?

Just don't be offended by my take on things, because you know...LEN IS RIGHT.

Thanks to all my readers.

I am Len Tollerton

POKER AND YOUR BUDDIES

How many of you out there are into poker? Have you been playing regularly for more than 3 years? Or did you get bitten by the bug when Chris Moneymaker became famous for winning the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event? A large percentage of people have obviously been bitten by the poker bug since it became popular on TV. I've been playing fairly regularly for about 8 years, but became serious about my game when the boom hit. I have played alot of tournaments over the last 3 years, at low-level buy-ins of anywhere from $20 up to $100. Friendly, yet competitive tourneys, always wanting to play for more, but never really willing to part with $1000 to get invloved with a serious tournament.

The best I ever finished in a large tourney (larger than I'm used to) was 2nd place in a 76-person tourney. Believe me, after outlasting that many people, I was on cloud 9. The 2nd place finish was good, around $1600. Most times I play in 24-40-person tournaments which are played in someone's home. They are usually VERY competitive, with around 90% of the players being very experienced. The other 10% are usually fish or donkeys (if you play you know what that means).

TODAY'S HOME POKER GAMES
If you came to the game of poker over the last couple of years, and you've become involved with home games, especially if you're younger, the game you're playing at your friend's homes is most likely No-Limit Texas Hold-'Em. And you're all probably throwing in $20 per player and playing 2 or 3 quickie tournaments per night. Teens, college students, young marrieds, and even guys between the ages of 30 and 50 are sitting down and playing Hold-Em tourneys every weekend while socializing with the guys (or girls).

Why is the tourney the main game being played nowdays? Simple. You can sit down and play cards for 3-5 hours and not lose that much money. It's relaxed, it's fun. The camaraderie, the food and drinks, the laughs. No one's taking it too serious. I mean how much fun is it when a guy goes All-In with 3-4 unsuited, because he's bored, gets called by a guy with Jacks in the hole and the table watches a 2-5 and Ace come up on the board making a straight sweet enough to put up the butt of the guy with Jacks without lubrication. I suppose that's kind of crude. And truly, it gets me a little steamed when people play stupidly and sloppy and beat me. But with these home tourneys, when you've got 5-10 guys sitting around, it makes for stories that you'll remember for a long time.

Stories? Who needs that shit? Well, if you've got stories to recount from times when you were with your buds, it ensures that good times will always be remembered. That's the real purpose of these games. To hang out and share some life with your friends. So, for the casual player who goes to friends houses to hang out once a week or every couple of weeks, it's relaxation.

IS THAT ALL THERE IS THESE DAYS?
Well, of course not. There's larger weekly tournaments at the local Knights of Columbus. There's trips to the closest casino or card room to try your hand against 150 other players in weekly tournaments. There are alot of different options. But let's not forget one very important thing...

It ain't all about tournament poker. How many have forgotten the game called 7-card Stud? Do we remember how fun it is to watch the pot grow when someone calls Jacks or Better/ Trips to Win? Is there a problem with playing Limit Texas Hold-Em? I mean it's a lot different game from the No Limit game played in tourneys. And really, it's every bit as challenging, depending on what level you're playing at.

Do we want camaraderie or do we want serious competition in order to beat our friends brains in, hoping to be the guy who walks out of your buddy's house $300 richer? I've got to admit that I can honestly answer YES to both questions.

HOW CAN YOU BE ON THE FENCE ABOUT THIS?
Very easy. I was always a cash game low limit Dealer's Choice player before the craze hit. When I first learned about the ins and outs of Texas Hold-Em, it was the Limit version that I was taught. As time went, I started playing tournament-style No Limit Hold-Em. Then, one day I was reading a poker magazine or book, and the author was speaking with poker superstar Phil Ivey. Phil said the most important thing about playing poker that I think I've ever heard. He said, "Don't spend all of your poker playing time playing just one game. It's the better player, the winning player that becomes well versed in as many styles of poker as possible." Now when he talks about as many styles as possible he means, I believe, No Limit Hold-Em, Limit Hold-Em, 7-Card Stud, Omaha regular and Hi/lo, 5-card draw, 5-card stud, and the like. Even, maybe, a silly game like 7-card No Peek.

I don't believe, however, he was talking about Queer games. Excusing my lack of P.C.-ness, a queer game is one that uses wild cards ( I freakin' HATE wild cards). Or games where you have to pay to see cards turned up on the table and you aren't allowed to raise till the last card is turned over. That's not poker to me. That's Scratch-Off Lottery. I might as well go and buy a scratch off ticket. It's about as much fun and as challenging. I mean, at least make your friends do some thinking before they throw their money in.

Last night was small home tourney night with 3 friends. I came in 2nd the first tourney, 1st in the 2nd tourney (both times I played some really great cards), and then busted out early in the last 2 tourneys because I got sloppy, making calls when I knew I was beaten. I had a great time either way, and was unconcerned about the money. I was there to relax and have a few laughs with my friends.

You'll never believe what the main topic of conversation was during the evening. Why, none other than the illustrious Len Is Right blog. They wanted to know what future topics would be discussed. They wanted to chime in with comments about certain blogs they disagreed with. And they wanted to just bust my balls about Len being Right. Now, we all know that Len Is Right, don't we? If you didn't know that, then you wouldn't be here reading this, would you?

A NEW MANTRA
I've got a new one to celebrate all of you reading my blog. Since you are reading Len Is Right, YOU MUST BR RIGHT, right? So let's give ourselves a little credit for once. Let's acknowledge the fact that not only is Len Right, but so are the rest of you, my faithful readers. In light of that theorem, we must start a new mantra...a new chant, which should now be lifted, loudly, to the heavens for all to hear. "I, (state your name), Am Right!!"

Say this 5 times loudly every day and the world will start to feel right again. This exercise can only help to boost our self-esteem. Try it. Remember, 5 times very loudly................
I,(state your name), AM RIGHT!!"

Remember, by saying this, not only will you be right, but you will prove forevermore that.......
LEN IS RIGHT.

Peace, my Brothers and Sisters.
I am,
Len Tollerton

p.s. To the Edge of Darkness, the Dot Com Destroyer, and the G. B. King, thanks for the game fellas, I had a ball.

LAKE VERSUS OCEAN

Greetings everyone. Today is a gorgeous day in upstate NY. Sunny, breezy and in the low70's. Very comfortable, though the damp spring has brought alot of small green worms and skinny caterpillars dropping out of the trees. A nuisance to be sure. I'm wondering if they are gypsy moth caterpillars. These are tree destroyers, but I haven't heard about any problems from the news, so it's probably not. Anyway....

The end of the school year is upon us and with that brings vacation season. So here's the question of the day. I hope you'll post a comment with your opinion.

ARE YOU LAKE OR OCEAN, OR BOTH?
For the most part, I think people really do prefer one or the other. Now, I live in upstate New York, very close to famous Lake George. And besides this 32-mile body of summer fun there are a ton of other lakes in the Adirondack Mountains. All of these are within a 1 1/2 hour drive from the Capital District (Albany). Along with that, New York State boasts the Finger Lakes region, Thousand Lakes, and Western New York has access to Lake Erie. Safe to say New York is rife with lakes.

But I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. If you're from Minnesota, you're from the land of 10,000 Lakes. Face it, if you're a fresh water fan, you don't have to travel very far to find a beautiful lake setting to relax and have fun just about anywhere in the country.

Boating, fishing, jet skiing, and camping. And to tell you the truth, I can't stand it. I've never been a fan. I mean, I like the scenery. But I'm not a woodsy-type person. I'm not big on swimming in a lake, and I hate sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground. I realize you don't have to sleep on the ground, but it just isn't for me.

I am an ocean person to be sure. Now, I've never been west if Indiana or Chicago, so I've never been to the Pacific. And truly most of my ocean time has been spent in New England. Cape Cod and Cape Ann/Gloucester is where I've spent the most time. My family and I absolutely love the beach. And sure, you can say that many lake areas have beaches. But c'mon folks, there's no comparison. Ocean beaches are the bomb. The sand is nicer, the ocean breeze is to die for, and the scent of salty ocean air induces relaxation, as does the sound of the waves crashing on the beach. Plus, chances are, if you're visiting a beach, you're staying at a hotel or condo, or resort, so there ain't no sleeping on the ground in a tent, having to hang your damn food in a tree so bears don't wreck your campsite.

Oceans aren't perfect, however. I've found that while the girls, suntans, and warmth are better in Florida, the ocean water is so warm down there that it's hardly refreshing. Realize, please, that I'm coming from the Northeast and am used to cold ocean water. I suppose that if I lived in Florida the water would be perfect. I've found that people in Florida are generally bundled up in sweaters and coats when it's in the 40's, where as people from the Northeast can generally get by with a light jacket. So I guess it's all your environment.

Obviously, some people are in love with both the ocean beaches AND woodsy lakes. Fresh water or salt water, it doesn't matter as long as they are communing with nature. The great outdoors is the thing. We spend so much time indoors working and doing normal rat-race things, that we really need the break that the outdoors give. And in truth, we stay healthy by spending time outdoors (unless you're in a heavy urban area where it's just fumes and noise). But I digress......

SO, HOW DO YOU FEEL?
So tell me America how do you feel? Where do you stand on Lakes versus Oceans? I realize that the majority of the country lives closer to a lake than the coasts, and getting to an ocean is a once a year thing, where the lakes may be an every weekend thing.

Get back to me with your vote and maybe write a little opinion of why you like one over the other. The world awaits your response, America. Let's hear from you.

I vote Ocean...and of course you know, Len Is Right.

I am,
Len Tollerton

PREAKNESS RESULTS AND METS/YANKEES

Welcome. It is the evening of 5/20 and the Preakness and the 2nd Mets/ Yankees game is over. I've got some comments and complaints

THE PREAKNESS
What an absolute shame. Poor Barbaro broke his ankle (sesmoid bone) apparently coming out of the gate and pulled up lame on the front stretch. As I write this the horse is undergoing surgery to see if they can even save him. What a terrible turn of events for such a great athlete. I really think this horse had a chance today, but we'll never know. The jockey of the winning horse, Bernadini, who didn't know that the horse brike down, said he kept witing for Barbaro to come, so he could spur his horse into action. When Barbaro never came, he decided to make his move anyway. Something like this reminds us of how fragile life can be and how fragile race horses can be. Over 1000 pounds of animal running on such thin legs, pounding along trying to keep pace or set one.

This reminds me of The Breeders Cup Distaff race of 10 or 12 years ago when the 2 best fillies at the time Go For Wand and Bayakoa raced each other. They broke from the gate and quickly took the lead, leaving the other horses far in their dust. The two great fillies dueled neck and neck the whole way. As they came around the last turn and started down the stretch, the crowd at the track and at the OTB Teletheater where I was watching it, stood, realizing that this was a race for the ages, a classic. They were tied the whole way, with neither horse pulling ahead by more than a nose. 50 yards from the finish line, pounding down the stretch, giving their all, when suddenly Go For Wand's front leg snapped almost in two and the beautiful horse went down. The crowd gasped loudly and then became absolutely silent. The television cameras showed the horse trying to stand and flopping around before falling back down. The poor animal was terrified, and the horse ambulance sped towards her so they could put her down humanely. It was an absolutely heartbreaking sight and many people had tears in their eyes. It is something I wish I had never experienced, and something I'll never forget. Go For Wand is now buried at Saratoga race track in upstate New York.

Hopefully Barbaro will not need to be put down and can be saved with surgery. Either way, he'll never race again. Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained?!

On a lighter note, I truly showed why I am not a handicapper. The two other horses I really liked, Like Now and Diabolical finshed 7th and 8th in the 9 horse field. The horse I said was never going to impress, Sweetnorthernsaint, finished 2nd. I hope you didn't bet your mortgage payment on my recommendation.

METS/YANKEES GAME 2
After last night's thrilling come-from-behind victory by the Mets in the bottom of the 9th, I was encouraged to be watching the Mets/Yankees go to the top of the 9th with the Mets leading 4-0. Pedro Martinez had pitched very well again, and his team gave him support. Mets manager Willie Randolph had Duaner Sanchez pitch the 8th inning and he got thru with no problems. Unfortunately, Willie thought it necessary to bring in fireballing closer Billy Wagner to pitch the 9th. Sanchez pitched well in the 8th, why take him out and have Wagner pitch the 9th? It was not a save situation. The game wasn't tied and wasn't a 1-run game.

Wagner proceeds to give up a couple of hits, walks a guy, then hits a guy and all of a sudden it's Mets 4 Yanks 3. That was enough for Randolph, who removes an ineffective Wagner and brings in another guy who promptly induces a double-play ground ball from Johnny Damon. Unfortunately Damon beats the throw and the tying run scores. The game stays that way till the 11th, when the Yanks push across a run and win 5-4.

Willie, what the freak were you thinking bringing in Wagner at that point? Sanchez was doing fine. Why didn't you just have Sanchez start the 9th and THEN if he got in trouble, you go to Wagner to save it. Now you've possibly allowed Wagner to lose confidence and effectiveness. We don't need another year of Braden Looper or Armando Benitez. You, Willie, you lost that game today, not Wagner. Yes, he pitched like crap, but he was clearly brought in at the wrong time. That's your fault. We could have swept those guys and now they (the Yankees) could end up winning 2 out of 3, instead of the other way around. It's not always necessary to flex your muscles. Sometimes finesse and confidence in what's working is the way to go. We had the Phils and Braves down, and you gave them new life, or at least gave back what we gained last night. Nice job.

More later this week folks. Horseracing aside...Len Is Right.

Our good friend John Pitcheralle passed away today of pancreatic cancer. We at Amtrak in Rensselaer, NY will miss our very good friend, especially his love of the ponies and baseball. Rest In Peace my friend...we will not soon forget you.

I am
Len Tollerton

The Preakness Stakes and Gasoline In America

Hello and Welcome. Today is a rainy Friday (in upstate NY), May 19. First, I'm going to give you my take on this Saturday's Preakness Stakes from Baltimore, the second jewel in horse racing's Triple Crown. Then, a little humor as I will give you my solution to our country's gas problem.

THE PREAKNESS STAKES
On Saturday, Barbaro, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby, will attept to get the second leg of the Triple Crown. Now as many of you know, I liked Barbaro in the Derby. And just as Smarty Jones last year, Barbaro is also an undefeated race horse. Is Barbaro Smarty Jones? Well, I'm not sure. Since there are only nine horses entered in the Preakness, post position will not be a factor in this mile and 3/16 race. The reason I bring that up is that before Derby day, there were alot of people who thought that Brother Derek was the horse to bet on. And in truth, he made a valiant effort to get 4th in the Derby after starting in the 18th hole.

I really think that Barbaro can do it again. Now I generally don't like betting the chalk because there's no money in it. At this time, Barbaro is Even Money. I don't know how you can go against him until he loses. Are you willing to bet that this is the time he DOES lose? Well, that's your choice. With Brother Derek in the 5 hole this time, I think we're going to have a close race. So, prove me wrong. Barbaro's my horse. I think we're hoping that these two fine animals will wage a fierce and classic battle down to the wire. I think in any combination bet you make, you should throw the both of them in there, especially in Triple and Superfecta box combos.

Obviously if you play an Exacta of the two horses, you're not going to make any money (unless you throw $500 on it). You will be able to show your friends you had the winning ticket, but that's about it. It probably won't even cover a nice dinner out.

WHAT ABOUT A LONGSHOT?
So, if you're going to play a Triple, or throw higher odds horses in in some Exacta wagering, you need to find one that actually has a chance. There are 3 other horses out of the remaining 7 that are worth looking at. Sweetnorthernsaint is the 3rd favorite right now, at 4-1. I personally believe this horse is going to be one of those racers that just can't get it done in the Crown. Maybe a 2nd or 3rd at Belmont, but not this time. I think he's the Teaser who ends up making people go broke. Lots of potential then poof, nada.

The horse I think is going to cause some trouble is Like Now, coming out of post position #1. This horse has won and had a second at a mile and 1/16. He's also won at 6 furlongs. I think if he gets out of the gate well, he's got a chance to put his 2-cents in and at least get into the money. At 12-1, he's my Longshot pick.

Finally, if you're going to throw a deep longshot into your combos, I would be using Diabolical. Yes, he's 30-1. Yes he's coming out of the 9 hole. Here's an interesting stat. He's been in the money in 7 of his last 8 races, and has won 2, including his last one at Delmar (1 mile). Now I don't profess to be any kind of smart handicapper, and my record can certainly prove that. But to me, a horse that gets his nose into the money 7 out of 8 times, has a chance to do it again. And with the right trip, this horse could pull a stunning upset if Barbaro and Brother Derek tire each other out down the stretch. Could chaos rule the day? With a name like DIABOLICAL, you bet.

THE POSSIBLE GASOLINE SOLUTION FOR AMERICA
Gas prices near ar at $3 per gallon. The search for alternate fuels. Hybrid cars. Dependency on foreign sources and a madman in Venezuela (where gas is around 15 cents/gal.--they are one of the OPEC nations) who wants us and our government dead. Exxon/Mobil makes a record corporate profit ($360 billion in 2005 on the backs of the American public) and their CEO retires and gets a retirement package of $600 million. Where does it end?

It ends right here my friends in the good old USA. How? I have a plan to not only help the American consumer, but to help the American farmer as well. And we, each and every one of us can do our part. We have the technological minds in our country. We have scientists who've come up with great, miraculous things. So I have what I think is the answer to the high gasoline prices. Someone just needs to find a way to implement it.

The answer? METHANE. What's that you say? Methane? Yup. Good ole bowel gas. We all have it. Our creator gave us all the things on our Earth to survive, right? ( Iknow...that doesn't sound very atheistic of me.....work with me for a bit, okay?) There must have been a real reason besides comfort that we all fart. Do we fart purely for the purpose of childish humor? Do we fart to gross other people out? Is it just merely a kind of check-valve to get rid of impurities? NO!! I say, NO!!

My friends, I know people who have harnessed incredible power in their bowels and have unleashed rips that could be registered on a Geiger counter. You know who you are. And whether it's just an early morning innocuous Air Fart with little or no smell, or a pre-bowel movement blast that peels the paint off of walls or causes a person's afro to straighten, it's all good methane. We've all got it. Let's use it for good, not as a weapon.

HOW DO AMERICAN FARMERS FIGURE INTO THIS?
This is the simplest part ant the beauty of the whole plan. For a couple of decades the American farmer has needed help, right? Farm-Aid and such have been going on to supplement the incomes of thousands of American family farmers. It's a shame this has had to go on for so long. If we can harness the power of bowel gas, a.k.a. methane, we could reduce our foreign dependency on gasoline. How do we make methane? Easy. Repeat after me. "CABBAGE, BEANS, AND FRUIT!! OH MY!!.......CABBAGE, BEANS, AND FRUIT!! OH MY!! These are the basic things that get people tooting. Broccoli, corn and peanuts do, too. I believe the U.S. could be the world leader in supplying these commodities to ourselves and the rest of the world. How great would that be? If we could find a way to power our vehicles on bowel gas supplied by the ingestion of fruits and vegetables, we would not only ELIMINATE our need for foreign help, but the rest of the world would become DEPENDENT ON US!! I can see my Nobel prize being mailed out already.

THE PROBLEM
How, exactly, do we get the bowel gas out of us and into a usable form for our vehicles? How can we get this new form of energy into use for home heating? (Boy is NIMO and Con Edison going to hate me). The Answer? I have no freakin' idea. I'm not paid to come up with the technological solution. That's for the egg-heads that went to Engineering school. There's a ton of them out there. RPI in Troy has graduated thousands of techie nerds, and gadget freaks who would probably LOVE the chance to work on this project. We need some kind of pump and recepticle to harvest, or gather the methane. Then some kind of hose and pump to deliver it to a tank. Finally, an engine that will use it efficiently.

THE OUTCOME
Gas will be inexpensive, since we will supply it with our own bodies. The American farmer will flourish because of the need for their crops. The car companies will make money from the sale of new cars. Methane is not damaging to the environment. If it was we'd have found a way and made it illegal to fart. The world will need us to live. HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

Let the chanting start!! "LEN IS A GENIOUS! LEN IS A GENIOUS!! LEN IS A GENIOUS!!" Make it happen Number One!! You know this can work. It's a well-thought out plan. And above all else..........LEN IS RIGHT!!!

Please visit my sponsors' links on the right side of the page. Thank you and good luck.

STILL HERE

I just wanted to leave a short note and apologize for not posting in a few days. I have been without a topic that I wanted to expound on for a few days. I will post tomorrow, hopefully. I think it's time I carry a notepad and jot down ideas as they come into my brain, so I can remember later that I want to write about them.

For now I will say that I hope all the Moms out there had a great Mother's Day. I wish the weather was a bit nicer, so we could have all gotten outside and cooked on the grill. The weather here in New York was rainy and cool, more geared for April than May. We had a mild winter so I shouldn't complain. Hopefully the Northeast summer won't be a rainy one. Last year was excellent all summer. If you have a pool, you got a lot of use out of it last year.

Better weekends are coming, obviously, and we'll all be out there cooking up a storm. And what do we need when we cook outside? Sauce, folks, we need sauce. Barbecue, or BBQ sauce is what we need. May I suggest taking a look over at the right hand side of the page and clicking on The Sauce Site? When you enter the main area, you will find links on the left side for several places and sauces. Today, I'd like to suggest clicking on the link for Hot Sauces (even though we're looking for BBQ sauces), which will bring you to a list of sites. Try clicking on the link for Cosmic Chile. This is a website and mail order catalog that you can get that features a TON of great hot sauces and barbecue sauces.

Though I know alot of people are wary of hot sauces, I'd like to point you to their BBQ sauce section. Now, they don't sell my personal favorite, Sweet Baby Ray's Original. But they have some REALLY great sauces you can experiment with. Cosmic Chile includes a little flame symbol next to certain products that gives you an idea of its heat index. Let me help you choose a couple to try. These are Barbecue sauces that I've tried myself and enjoyed. First for those of you looking for something with a Mild heat index, please try Cowtown BBQ Sauce. There's a reason it won an award in 2001. Very nice. Next, for those of you who like a little kick to their grilling, try Stubbs Legendary BBQ sauce. You can find this in local grocery stores, occasionally. Also, for something a little less ordinary, one of my favorites is Roadhouse Hot & Spicy BBQ sauce. Now it's not extremely hot, but it does have a kick. But what makes this sauce exceptional is its sweetness. What's that you say? Sweet and hot? Yes. Roadhouse is made with raisins and pineapples, and you can see the chunks right in the sauce. If you're not afraid of a little heat, this is a great sauce to experiment with. Finally, for those of you that like thinks with a bigger kick (c'mon, don't be afraid), try Billardello Brothers BBQ sauce. This is a 2-time State Championship winner and is one of my all-time favorites. There's none in my fridge right now because I ate it all. Go figure.

Remember, these are not marinades, but grilling sauces. Meaning, that as you grill your meats, you keep brushing on the sauce and turning the meat. Brushing and turning, brushing and turning.

Often times we get into a rut with the same old, same old. I think cooking and food, in general, is something that you should keep experimenting with. Life is an adventure, don't you think? Why not have some fun when we do our cooking and try some new things? A great place to try new things is with Barbecue, or BBQ, Sauces. And you can find a ton of them by exploring the world of sauces at www.thesaucesite.com Just look to the right, there's a link right there.

Thanks for stopping by. You show how smart a person you are by reading this blog when published. Why? Because, my friends, Len Is Right.

I am Len Tollerton
Peace and Good Health to all.

MORE YOUTH SPORTS STRUGGLE

Saturday afternoon 5/13. We just returned from my son's soccer game. Earlier this week I posted some of my thoughts on Youth sports and commitment. I had been somewhat angered by the fact that last week's soccer practice was attended by 2 kids, mine and the Asst. coach's. When I got home I fired off an email to the Head coach, who had stated that he didn't intend on holding any practices for these 3rd graders because it was only a REC (recreation) league. Since no wins and losses were kept, there was no need to hold any practices. I expressed my frustration at the low turnout for practice, and I asked him to please ask the other parents about bringing their kids to practice, which the Asst. coach and I agreed to run. I apologized in the letter for putting him on the defensive, but that after years of coaching baseball, I was really tired of seeing parental apathy when it came to this type of thing. My thinking....if you sign your kid up for the sport, bring the kid to practices and the games.

So we get to the game today and I see the Head Coach showing my email to the Asst. coach, and I overhear him saying that this is REC soccer and I'm being unreasonable to think that these kids need to practice, since it's just for fun, and that he's not going to put up with this sort of thing.

So, I walk over to him and say, "Hi, my name is Len Tollerton and that's my email." I go on to tell him that I understand it's ONLY REC soccer, but ask how are the kids supposed to get better to see if they want to go further with this sport. I tell him I've coached baseball for years and I wrote the letter because I'm tired of apathy. He proceeds to tell me that REC soccer is completely different from baseball or football, where you have to practice often. This is just for fun and many of these kids are just here to run around. He then tells me that if I'm so adamant about my kid practicing, that he'll contact the travel team coach and I can have my kid go and practice with the travel team.

Now, my kid is not that talented that he needs to be working with the travel team. But I don't think it's alot to ask that a coach takes an interest in helping develop talent and helping to get his players to improve, no matter if it's for recreation or in a league. His flippant answer made me want to smack the guy...which of course is not a good idea in front of children. So I just told him that the Asst. coach and I would hold a practice every Tuesday evening, regardless of whether he wanted to take part and show an interest, or not.

So, my question to you is.....Am I being too intense for my own good? I mean, am I wrong to expect a coach to show more interest than this guy is? I would think that as a coach of youth sports you would want a parent who shows up for everything and is willing to help out. Instead, I'm being told to take my kid to another team if I don't like it. I have typed this blog WITHOUT any expletives, though I would have used plenty if I had been speaking to you in person. After the conversation with the coach, I went over to my wife and said I thought the guy was a (expletive) a**ho**. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, the coach's parents were sitting in close enough proximity to hear that and spent the whole game talking about me (badmouthing me). Perhaps I deserved some of that, but c'mon. I've had enough cutesie crap bringing up my kids to last a lifetime. Dude, how about acting like a coach? The kids don't understand what you're saying on the field if you don't reinforce it with practice. I await your responses America.

Ah...forget it!! Never mind.....I'm obviously the bad guy here.
But make no mistake people.
LEN IS RIGHT!!

Don't forget to check out www.thesaucesite.com for the best recipes and links to sauce retailers around. It's barbecue season, folks. Go getcha' self some goooood lip-smackin' barbecue sauce, or some hot sauce that you can't find in them thar grocery stores. You'll be very glad you did.

I am,
Len Tollerton

RELATIONSHIPS AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

Today is Friday, May 12. And today I'd like to send you into the weekend with some thoughts about our relationships with others. I mean our loved ones, our friends, those we work with, and even those people that we don't really like. Bear with me, because this could get a little deep. At the end, I'd like to hear from you or see some comments on your thoughts on this matter.

"LEN, WHY WOULD YOU BLOG ABOUT THIS?"
A fair question, and I'll get right to the point. In the last few years, I've experienced the deaths of a number of people in and around my life. I'm sure many of us have experienced their share of passings over the last few years. There's nothing strange about that. But for me, some of these deaths have come in the blink of an eye. You know, someone you just saw the other day just drops dead of a heart attack or brain anneurism. Or, you all of a sudden get a call that a close friend whom you haven't talked to in a while, got sick and died suddenly. When something like that happens, we're left, after the shock, wondering what we would have said to that person, given the chance, if we only knew. I often wonder what people would say, or how they would feel if they knew what you were really thinking. Would they appreciate knowing how you feel? Would a person feel sheepish or uncomfortable knowing how they are thought of by others? Would they even care?

"WHAT ARE WE TO DO?"
Let me explain a little. I know this girl (girl?,she's 43.) who happens to be my youngest son's godmother. This is ironic only because my mother is her godmother and her late mother was mine. So, suffice to say, I've literally known her all my life. Although I am an only child, I have always considered her my "adopted" sister. For a short time in my life I wanted to date her and have a romantic relationship with her, but quickly realized that she would always view me as one of her brothers. For as close as we are as friends, we had not been in contact with each other in about 5 years, save for Christmas cards. Back in January, she found out she had 2 tumors on her brain. In February, she had one of them removed and recovered well enough that, in April, she had the other one removed. She was recovering extremely well in the hospital, and was about to get moved to another room, and sent home shortly after that. For reasons unknown, she suffered a stroke while in the hospital, and it was so massive that all her brain function ceased. They harvested her organs the next day, then she died.

I was left with shock and grief upon hearing of her passing. But as the days passed leading up to her funeral, I was left feeling ashamed that I hadn't known she was sick, and sorry that we hadn't spoken over the last few years.

Similarly, my neighbor across the street, who I was friends with, dropped dead in his living room one afternoon after mowing his lawn (this happened 2 summers ago). I had just been shooting the shit with him that day before he mowed his lawn.

I am not writing this to gain anyone's pity. Instead I write this to bring you a message. And it is a message of hope. What are we to do when something like this happens? Well, instead of having to ever as that question again, be proactive and DO something instead.

...AND WHAT IS THAT, OH GREAT SAGE?
We often go through our lives trying not to be noticed. Or, we get so caught up in our daily routines and dramas that we forget the important things. This is not just cliche, but truth. And truth be told, we ARE busy. Our lives are more complicated these days, because of the way the world has become. In our haste to make our lives easier with modern conveniences, we've made our lives more hectic by having more time to do other things. We get so attached to our cell phones that we feel naked if we are without them.

What do we need to do? We need to remember to tell the people in our lives how we feel. We need to stop being afraid of closeness. Is it so hard to hug your kids every day and tell them that you love them? Is it difficult to look at spouses and tell them how much you love them and that you think they're still beautiful after all this time? Is it really so difficult to tell your friend that your friendship is important and that they mean something in your life? I think for alot of people these things ARE difficult. Some people just generally assume that their loved ones know how they feel. Men don't want to let their guards down and seem less than masculine by hugging their sons, or telling their buddies that they enjoyed their round of golf, or that they look forward to hanging out and having a couple of beers. "I can't say that to those guys, they'll think I'm queer. They'll think I'm too feminine to hang around. They'll think I'm going through a mid-life crisis."

Well, does it feel any better asking yourself if the person who just died knew how you felt about them? Wondering if your aunt knew how much you loved those ice cream sodas she'd make for you every time you visited when you were a kid? Does your grandfather or father know how much it meant to you that they took time to teach you how to fish, or play golf, or tell jokes? Does your friend know how much you appreciate them for letting you vent when you're pissed off? Does the old lady down the street know that you think she does a beautiful job with her garden every year, and that you love walking by her house just to see how nice it looks?

Is this too sappy for some of you? Too damn bad. Why? Because Len is Right. People, I think it's time for us all to take the time to tell people how we feel. On a daily basis you need to hug and kiss your kids. You need to spend quality time with them before they grow up and are gone. You need to make sure to give them lasting memories of your time together, before they grow up and move away and on to their own lives. We need to make sure that our spouses, or significant others, know how highly we think of them. Do we still think our wives are sexy? Do we still think our husband looks good in that suit? (maybe not in a Speedo, but in that tailored 3-button business suit) These are the most important people in our lives. We need to make sure that they, above all, know how we feel.

When someone goes out of their way to do a great job for you, do you just assume that it was their job, or do you show your appreciation by telling them, "Hey, that was really great work." Do we leave a waitress extra tip money because she took care of your table so well? In short, I don't think it's alot to tell those around us how we feel.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE WE DISLIKE?
What about them? "You know, I try and try, but I can't warm up to that guy." "I'm sorry, but it's all I can do to be in the same room with that bitch." I know we've all gone through that, too. It's only natural that we don't get along with everyone. I guess the best we can do in those situations is to bear-up, get along as best we can, and try not to show outwardly our utter disdain for those folks. It's not easy to focus on the positives all the time, and with some people we worry about encouraging them by going out of our way to be nice. But I guess we have to do the best we can and put on a good show.

"OH, IS THAT RIGHT, MR. EXPERT?"
I think I'm on the right track. So, let me ask you these questions. How do you feel when someone comes up to you and compliments you on something? If you're a guy and another guy says, "Hey...cool shirt.", or, "Dude, where'd you get that team jacket? I'd like to get me one of those." If you're a woman and a man came up to you in a store and said, "Excuse me, I've seen you in here before, and I wanted to tell you how lucky I think your husband or boyfriend is to be able to wake up every day and see you lying next to him. It must be a great way to start the day.", how would you feel? Would you be offended? Or would it make you feel good about yourself? Women compliment each other all the time. "Those shoes are WICKED cute." So that's really nothing new. But I think you get my point.

MY FINAL DECLARATIVE STATEMENT ON THIS SUBJECT
It's not enough to go through life on auto-pilot. We need to take the time to let others know how we feel. Even if it is to constuctively criticize our close friend or loved one about something. I really believe we should take the time to let folks know how we feel, how we appreciate the things they do, how we get a little annoyed at that sound they make.

To my good friend and "adopted" sister Kathy, I'd like to say this. It's been a month since I was shocked at hearing of your passing. I've lost close friends and family, including a parent, but I've NEVER cried so hard as I did when we left the funeral home and headed to the church on the day of your funeral. I will never forget your voice, your smile, and your infectious laugh. You always made sure the people around you felt important, felt special. I will never forget your biting, sarcastic wit, and that it was all said with humor and love. You knew the real secret of life and you lived it every day. For those of you who missed my post on Youth sports, the real secret of life is this: MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES. Let people know that you think they're important. Kathy, we never had the chance to talk before you died. I hope, wherever you are now, that you know how fantastic a person I thought you were. I always smiled when you were around and always felt better about myself when you were around. You were, hands down, THE BEST person I have ever known. And I really believe that everyone who ever knew you felt that way too. The millions of tears that were shed by everyone when you died were not for you, but for ourselves, because we will feel a little lost without you. We will always love you and I, for one, will always try to keep you in mind when dealing with others. I will hopefully make a positive impact on people I run into. And I dedicate this post on my blog to you, my very, very good friend.

Kathryn Marie Geddes D'Andrea 2/22/63--4/8/06 Rest In Loving Peace.

I am, as always,
Len Tollerton
and Len Is Right

YOUTH SPORTS

I am posting for a second straight day, much to the delight of those of you who feel that a 5-day gap between postings is too long. You people are obviously like crack addicts when it comes to Len Is Right. It may be time to develop an Ezine. But I get ahead of myself. LOL I have just returned from soccer practice with a couple of thoughts on the do's and don'ts of Youth sports.

YOUTH SPORTS AND COMMITMENT

I returned a short while ago from my son's soccer practice in a frustrated state. I am not one of the coaches, but I do go to every game and practice, and try to help out when I can. So here is the situation. We show up for practice and it ends up being my son and one other kid who is the daughter of our Asst. coach. 45 minutes of having 2 kids pass the ball back and forth and shoot on net, make for a frustrating practice, I can tell you. So, in typical Len fashion, I will go over the needs and courtesies of parents who involve their children in Youth sports.

LEN'S STEADFAST RULES FOR YOUTH SPORTS

Now listen up folks, because this is kind of serious. I'm tired of showing up to practices and games and seeing parents who'd rather be laying on the couch than showing an interest in their children's activities.

First off, you need to determine why your kid is playing a sport. Is the kid interested in that sport? Are you getting the kid involved in sports for A). the physical exercise, B). the fun and love of playing a sport, C). learning the team dynamic and helping to learn how to get along and work with others. Are you doing it to foster other interests besides TV watching and video game expertise? All of these are admirable and good reasons to have your kids in sports. But be honest with yourself. Do you get your kid involved with sports because you want the kid out of your hair, or because you're so busy with your career and your other personal dramas to spend the necessary quality time with your kid?

After determining your reasons, you need to decide how much of a commitment you're willing to make to this activity or activities. Nothing is worse than a parent who just drops their kid off at practice or a game and shows up at the end.

Are you the kind of person who says you'll coach and then just shows up for games hoping the kids "just have fun". Look, here's one of the things about Youth sports, and this is important. Yes, it's all about the kids having fun. Yes it's about trying to instruct kids in how the game is played. But at a certain point, you need to know that the fun and happy times of Tee Ball or Kindergarten soccer, or whatever, changes drastically as kids get a little older and they progress through certain sports programs. Does winning and losing matter? In the long run, no, because they're not doing it for money, and they're not doing it for glory. However, there comes a point when competition increases (in Little League baseball it's around the age of 9), and the "Oh look how cute, who cares who wins" mentality needs to fade out. Why? Pay attention, because this is important. Because to some of the kids, winning DOES matter, getting better IS important, and paying attention to what's going on shows courtesy to your teammates. Can you understand that? Can you wrap yourself around that thought and embrace it? To many of the kids, IT DOES MATTER.

What does this mean to you, as a parent? Here's a list of things that really should be adhered to if you're going to get your kid into Youth sports.

1.--If you're going to sign up as a coach, you need to be at EVERY practice and EVERY game. Alright, I'll relent a little. You can miss ONE of each. But really, if you're going to sign up, then you need to commit to hold regular practices and show up early for the games. If you don't show a commitment, your players are going to know right away that you don't really care. If you're the coach or manager, then act like one!!

2.--If you are the manager, or lead coach, then you need to communicate well with all of the parents of your players. You need to make sure that they know exactly when practices will be held, and remind them of when the games are. Down leave any stones unturned in this regard, or you give people the chance to hit you with a whole slew of LAME excuses.

3.--If you're not a coach, then you need to make darn sure that you get your kid to 90% of the practices. Why is this so important? Imagine that you're coaching a kids baseball team and you go to practice and 5 kids show up. What kind of quality baseball practice do you think you're going to have? You as a parent need to respect the coaches and the other players enough to know that the team needs to practice in the way it would play real games. All the positions need to be covered. This applies to all sports. When I managed a baseball team, if you regularly missed practice, then you didn't get as much playing time as the kids that did show up all the time. And if that meant sitting one of my better players because he missed 3 practices in a row, in favor of a kid who had no talent, but showed up to every practice, so be it. And if it caused us to lose, then maybe the parents of the kids would get the message.

4.--It really helps if you, as a parent, hang out during practices. Why? If your kid is acting up and is being disruptive, it shouldn't be on the coach's shoulders to discipline your kid and then have you find out, second-hand, what happened, or why little Bobby isn't going to be playing all 6 innings, or starting at running back this week. It's your kid, you are responsible.

5.--As I said earlier, to some kids winning and losing does matter. Getting better and improving your skills does matter. And when they see kids on the team dogging it, or not paying attention and having no clue as to what the situation is during the game, it is disrespectful to the kids that are trying to play hard and learn the game. It's like disrupting a class in school and making the teacher go back and do the whole lesson all over because you wanted to screw around with the kid in front of you. Now the rest of the class has to sit throught the whole thing all over again. What a waste of the teacher's and the rest of the class' time. So if your kid is going to play a sport, you need to make sure you tell your kid, "Hey, it's time to get into (insert your kid's sport here) mode. I need you to focus on this activity for the next hour or so. No video games, no Pokemon, no Green Day. Let's pay attention to our sport and then you can go back to that other stuff afterwards, okay?"

6. If you run the team, you need to try to keep practices to less than 90 minutes TOPS. After 1 hour, kids' attention starts to wane. So make the bulk of instruction and hard practice take place in the first 45-60 minutes. Then, after that you need to have some kind of fun activity related to the practice you just did. It gives the kids something positive to go home with and helps them look forward to the next game or practice. Give them a reason to want to come back.

7.--Fun is important. But, other factors weigh heavier as years go on and players and their talents develop.

What is the bottom line of all this? A STRONGER BOND WITH YOUR CHILD. The rewards you will reap because you take an active interest in your kid's life will pay dividends almost immediately and will carry on long into your old age. It will make your kids WANT to be around you. They will want to spend time with you and will look forward to trying new things, new activities, and will lead to them being better parents one day also.

Because here is the secret of life, my friends. MAKE A POSTIVE DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE. SHOW YOUR KIDS THAT THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU.

Trust me when I tell you...LEN IS RIGHT. Thus endeth the lesson.
I am
Len Tollerton