Grand Theft Auto IV: A Whole New Level In Gaming Experience

After months and months of delays, today finally marked the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. The game is glorious and filled with the usual aspects that make the franchise one of the greatest; sports cars, AK-47s, prostitutes, and marijuana usage.

For years, Rockstar Games and its GTA franchise have been the focal point for critics that fear violence in video games warps the minds of young players and turns them into real-world thugs or killers. So-called "experts" such as Jack Thompson firmly believe that violence in games can directly be associated with violence and aggression in adolescents. Both sides of the debate can be seen below, as Dr. Paul Levinson, a professor of mine at Fordham University, tries to instill some reason and sensibility into Mr. Thompson.



To put it simply, those critics who truly believe this notion are idiots. They are morons who most likely have never touched a video game and are bitter that they grew up in an era void of such amazing entertainment.

In fact, there is little evidence to prove the link between violent video games and aggressive behavior in youths even exists. On the contrary, there have been several studies composed by universities and credited scientists that say otherwise.

Rockstar is predicting to sell at least 6 million copies of GTA IV in its first week alone. If Thompson's assertions are even slightly true, that means we are in store for a massive wave of crime and violence some time in the near future. I sure hope he's wrong.


As for the game itself, the newest installment in the GTA series is nothing short of brilliant.

To start, the landscape is breathtaking. Liberty City (an almost perfect knock-off of New York City) looks amazing. You almost feel as if you are walking the streets of Manhattan as you stroll down a sidewalk, searching for pedestrians to mug or cars to steal.

The cars are equally as amazing. The attention to detail mimics that of the Grand Turismo series. And since GTA IV takes place in a modern day metropolis, you will see cars that look very familiar (Porches, Chrysler 300s, Range Rovers), all with different names, of course. You'll also see older model cars, such as t-top Firebirds and old Monte Carlos.

The rag-doll technology used for characters in GTA IV adds to the games realism. Running down Liberty City citizens is fun to do and watch. Their movement in the air as they strike the pavement or other cars or lamp posts is unbelievable. The game is loaded with realistic detail. For example, if you shoot a motorist while they are driving, blood will splatter on the windshield and the limp body of the ill-fated driver may set off the blinker or rest on the horn.

My friends and I were particularly amused during a free roaming session in which I wreaked serious havoc upon unsuspecting civilians. In one instance, I ran down one poor guy who ended up resting on my windshield and holding on for dear life as I sped up and then suddenly slammed on my brakes. The civilian went flying through the air and we watched in complete joy as his head splattered on the pavement.

After that, I decided to change vehicles and carjacked another unsuspecting victim who attempted to reenter his stolen car as I was pulling away. In a valiant effort, the man maintained a grip on his car's door handle as I raced down the street. Seeing an opportunity, I swung the car swiftly toward a parked car and the swinging body of the civilian smashed into it (which just so happened to be a police car).

Doing these things brought about feelings of rage and aggression in me and I felt a need to get in my car and start running people down on the streets of my town. Just kidding. Of course it didn't.

It's this extreme realism, coupled with a story line that resembles an award-winning drama that makes Grand Theft Auto IV the game of the year, without question.




As for the critics and naysayers, in the end, there lies a simple solution for parents that feel a game of this nature is not suitable for their children: Do Not Buy Your Kids The Game. The ESRB rates thousands of games a year, and obviously GTA has a M (mature) rating. Thus, only kids 17 and older are allowed to purchase it. If you, as a parent, feel that your 9 or even 16 year old should not be exposed to the same sort of violence, sex, and drug use that is ubiquitous on television, film, and the internet, then feel free to buy them Madden 2009 or Mario Kart Wii.

As for everyone else, enjoy the game.

2008 NFL Draft Thoughts

So, the NFL draft weekend is finally over. It was a rather uneventful draft, the top picks went as predicted and all six players in the green room were drafted as planned, 1-6. For the first time in quite a while, fans did not have the pleasure of seeing a top rated player squirm, a la Brady Quinn in 2007, as he slips further and further into the first round. Here are some points of note from the 2008 draft:

In the third round, the Giants selected Mario Mannigham out of Michigan, a talented wide receiver with big play ability and a Pacmanesque knack for getting into trouble. GM Jerry Reese worked wonders in last year's draft, selecting players like Ahmad Bradshaw, Kevin Boss, Aaron Ross, Steve Smith, and Jay Alford, all who contributed to the Giants championship run. So, Giants fans have to trust that Reese did his homework with Manningham, who many feel may be the biggest steal in the draft.

Rutgers RB Ray Rice, a New Rochelle guy, was selected in the second round by the Ravens. This was much higher than most expected, but I think he and Willis McGahee will combine for a pretty formidable RB tandem, which most teams in the NFL are implementing nowadays. As far as rookies go, RBs tend to make the biggest, most immediate impact on their team. Just look at Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson last season. I think Rice will put up solid numbers.

Perhaps the most intriguing story of the draft came late in day two during the seventh round. The Detroit Lions drafted Caleb Campbell, a safety from Army.

Campbell is attempting to become the first football player to take advantage of a recently implemented rule by the US Military Academy that allows athletes to play professional sports immediately upon graduation.

On his off day, typically Tuesday's, Campbell would be required to speak to local high schools about opportunities in the army.

The new rule has been received with mixed feelings. Some people feel it is great that cadets
graduating from Army are able to pursue a pro sports career immediately. These people also believe their required duty to recruit while playing the sport will have a great influence on high school kids, who would see the army as a legitimate opportunity to make it in the world.

Others, however, believe Campbell is doing a great disservice to his country and fellow graduates and classmates, especially those who are sent into combat. Critics contend that Campbell, who trained to be an officer, has an obligation to his Army comrades first and foremost, and is abandoning them during a time of need.

In my opinion, this is a big deal over nothing. For all we know, Campbell might not even be on the Lion's roster come the start of the season, after all, he is a seventh round pick. Plus, not all cadets necessarily go into combat after graduating from the academy. Army grads go on to serve in the military in a myriad of ways. They become engineers, consultants, doctors, and so on. Campbell is simply choosing a different path, one that still allows him to serve his country in the form of recruiting.

In the end, let's face it, the bigger story here is that Matt Millen didn't draft a WR with his first pick. Way to go, Matt.

The Longest Yard Sequel ... Starring Michael Vick

According to reports, Michael Vick is playing football again. That's right, the once highly touted Atlanta Falcons quarterback is throwing around the pigskin ... in prison.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank has been communicating by letter with Vick, who is at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., incarcerated at the facility's minimum security satellite prison camp.

"He is staying in shape,” Blank told The Daily News. "Apparently, there was a prison football team and he played quarterback for both sides.”

This is truly an amazing story. A troubled professional quarterback goes to prison and remains in the public eye by playing quarterback for the penitentiary's football team. Sound familiar? Well it should, because it's the exact story line from The Longest Yard, a classic sports movie remade by Adam Sandler several years ago. Vick resembles Paul "Motley" Crew, a pro QB who lands in prison, and leads a rag tag team of football playing cons against a team comprised of prison guards.

In the movie, Sandler's character, Crew, wasn't lacking help in the talent department. He had speedy and shifty rapper Nelly in the backfield carrying the ball and real life criminal Michael Irvin out wide to throw the ball to.

It remains uncertain as to whether Vick is surrounded by similar talents at Leavenworth. If things keep up the way they're going lately, he may be joined by some NFL players himself. "Pacman" Jones, Tank Johnson, Chris Henry (and half his teammates) are just a few pros that may be filling up the roster alongside the dog fighting ringleader.

One thing is for sure, Vick better watch his blindside ... and his backside.

Nats Fans Boo On Opening Night ... But Not Their Team For Once

Opening day is finally upon us. Technically, the MLB season began last week, as Boston and Oakland played two games in Japan, but who was actually up to watch those games anyway?

North America's version of opening day was last night, as the Nationals took on the Braves in their brand new, beautiful ballpark.



The new stadium was christened with boos, as President Bush took the mound to throw the ceremonial first pitch to Nats manager Manny Acta. This time, Washington fans were not booing their home team, but instead, the leader of the free world and the very man who runs this country. The President's throw was a bit high, perhaps due to a lack of concentration caused by 40,000 booing citizens. Immediately after delivering the pitch, Bush bolted off the mound, evidently trying to leave the field as quickly as possible. You would too if you were being booed mercilessly.

Later in the game, President Bush joined Joe Morgan and Jon Miller in the ESPN booth and spent some time talking baseball. Throughout his entire stay, Bush sounded and appeared as if he did not want to be there, giving brief and shallow answers to most of the questions he was asked.

One of his few long winded comments involved the need to bring baseball to inner-city youths across the nation. These words seemed insincere and very much planned, as though the President was told to talk about it (and he probably was). The insincerity of the comments was affirmed during the very next commercial break, which included several spots for RBI, an organization predicated on spreading the sport to children living in inner cities and urban areas. Coincidence? I think not.

Another notable moment occurred when Jon Miller asked the President if he had any interests in rejoining the Rangers organization after leaving office. Bush responded by saying he would most likely focus on being a fan, and that's all. No kidding. Something tells me George is going on a long and much needed hiatus once his term is complete. The last thing he wants to do is remain in the public eye, especially in the form of running a major league baseball team, and a really bad one at that.

All in all, Opening Night wasn't too bad. The game ended up being pretty good, as the Nationals beat the Braves on a Ryan Zimmerman walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Plus, we got to see the most memorable ceremonial first pitch since Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory put on one of the worst displays of athleticism the world has ever witnessed. What a way to kick off the brand new season.

The Drunken Yankee Fan

The baseball season is almost upon us ... Let's not forget what the sport is really about ... Consuming massive amounts of alcohol and being too inebriated to watch your team attempt to make a ninth inning comeback in Game 4 of the ALDS ... but ultimately fall short, again. Priceless.

(*Notice the rally cap)

Politicians And Prostitutes: It Just Sounds Right

What is it about politicians that compel them to partake in lewd, wrong, or just plain illegal acts? Is it the money? Is it the fame? Is it the power? The answer to this question very well may be all three of these things, considering many a politician have money, power, and fame and for the most part, cannot stay out of trouble. These days, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find a politician that is acting in an acceptable manner and in accordance with the law. Case and point; Gov. Eliot Spitzer. While it's true the Governor made a living putting away wrong-doers as attorney general, it still comes as no surprise that Spitzer has been caught up in a prostitution ring. After all, politicians and prostitutes are like peanut butter and jelly, you can't have one without the other.

Spitzer, however, won't be the first powerful politician who could be dethroned by scandal, particularly in the Tri-State area.

The Democrat joins a list that includes politicians and officials from Rockland and Westchester counties, as well as New Jersey and Connecticut.

Who can forget the exploits of former President Bill Clinton? The Chappaqua resident saw his tenure as Commander-in-Chief severely tarnished following a fling with infamous White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Clinton's exploits, which include allegations of adultery with other women, go back to his years as Arkansas governor.

In Rockland County, former Assemblyman Ryan Karben, D-Monsey, resigned while being accused of having improper relationships with male interns. What's more, Karben was recently arrested for driving while intoxicated. His lawyer for the DWI charge is Kenneth Gribetz, the former Rockland district attorney felled by scandal in the 1990s after more than two decades as the county's top prosecutor.

While Gribetz pleaded guilty to minor federal charges of tax invasion and misusing money in 1995 after a long corruption investigation, he was taken down by his sexual relationship with a woman.

The woman provided federal prosecutors and the media with documents and salacious photos and tape recordings involving her and Gribetz, who is married with adult daughters.

Another prosecutor smeared by scandal was former Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro. Many like to blame Pirro's downfall on her husband. Al Pirro, who seemingly could not stay out of trouble during his wife's tenure as DA, boasted a laundry list of troublesome issues, including connections to organized crime, tax evasion, and driving while intoxicated. As if all this wasn't enough, Mr. Pirro also fathered a child with another woman while still married to Jeanine.

Pirro's husband certainly did not help her cause. However, he was not the entire problem, considering Pirro was not exactly a model citizen. I would know on a more personal level. When I was in high school, an otherwise normal day ended in tragedy after an inexplicable power outage forced school officials to close school early. As a result, a great deal of students with the means to leave campus went to various unsupervised houses to celebrate the impromptu day off from school. Several students, including some acquaintances and classmates of mine, attended a party hosted by the daughter of one of Pirro's family friends and campaign contributors. The day resulted in tragedy, as a young man was killed following a series of unfortunate events. The story contains considerable depth and detail, but that is the very basic summary of what had happened on that terrible day.

What followed, was nothing short of a cover-up, as Pirro looked to preserve her own reputation, the integrity of her child, and the image of the DA's own good friends and campaign contributors. To this day, no real severe consequences were felt by any of those people at fault, teens or adults, involved in the incident and it's subsequent actions. Shocking, considering Pirro was the acting DA in charge of the case.

Not to be outdone by Clinton, Karben, Pirro and fellow misbehaving New York political figures, former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey resigned in 2004 when his affairs with men became public. McGreevey, governor for nearly two years, was married and had two children.

His successor, former Sen. John Corzine, has fought off accusations of favoritism and payments to a lobbyist who had been his lover. He was divorced at the time.

Former Waterbury, Conn., Mayor Philip Giordano was convicted in 2003 of using an interstate device, his cell phone, to arrange sexual contact with two girls and of violating their civil rights. He is serving 37 years in prison.

This list can go on for a while, but there is only so much one can write on this subject. Mr. Spitzer is certainly not alone during his time of crisis. When this is all over, perhaps he can get in touch with any of the aforementioned politicians and get some advice on how to handle a tainted and/or destroyed career.

In the end, Spitzer's actions, along with those actions of his peers, shows that maybe the process by which we select politicians is not succeeding in choosing the most honorable, trustworthy, and law-abiding people.

Perhaps we should use comedian Lewis Black's method of selecting the next American president, something he devised in light of the current dope residing in the oval office. It goes as follows: Have the American Idol winner throw a dart at a map of the United States. Then, put a monkey on an airplane and have him parachute down on the town or city the dart landed on. The first person the monkey holds hands with upon landing will be the new president. Maybe Black is on to something.

Chris Berman Flips Out ... Hilarious

Chris Berman Loses His Cool - Watch more free videos

I actually can't believe how funny this video is ...

Desperate Times ...

So, I think the fact that Barack Obama's name sounds very much like Iraq Osama is a dead horse that's been beaten mercilessly. As is the case with his middle name, Hussein, which completes his entire name as a sort trifecta of taboo Middle East/Muslim/terrorist sounding words. It amazes me that this is still an issue being discussed. Even Jon Stewart got in on the act while hosting the Academy Awards, joking about the Presidential candidate's name. He referenced back to a fictional candidate in the 1944 election, Gaydolph Titler, who "had good ideas", but suffered because of his name. That was pretty hilarious.

Still, as I said, the joke is getting old. No doubt, though, the Clinton camp if not perpetuating this name calling, is certainly loving it. And whether this sort of smear campaign is working or not, sadly enough, there may be people out there that will not vote for Barack simply because of the sound of his name, among other things.

Clearly, the Democratic White House race has detoured into name-calling and accusations of "fear-mongering". As if the Obama name thing wasn't enough, Monday, Hillary Clinton scrambled to save her teetering campaign from annihilation by allegedly leaking a photo of Barack dressed in traditional Somali dress during a trip to Africa in 2006. The average person, when viewing this photo, makes an immediate connection to the Muslim faith, and some might draw a direct line to people like Osama bin Laden, who dresses in a similar fashion. Obama has already been dogged by false rumors that he is Muslim. If it really matters, he is actually of the Christian faith.

Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, Monday accused Camp Clinton of stooping to a new low in an increasingly desperate attempt to keep her campaign upright by circulating the photo.

Naturally, Hillary's people denied doing such a thing. What's next? Maybe Hillary and company will claim Obama is a member of Al-Qaeda and his campaign for president is the group's attempt to insert a terrorist into the White House. If that's the case, who will his first political appointee be, Osama bin Laden as Secretary of Defense? Somehow, I don't think the Senate will approve.

Hank Steinbrenner: Steroid Problem Worse in the NFL

Hank Steinbrenner is fed up with all the scrutiny that the MLB is under these days regarding steroids and HGH. The NFL, Hank claims, has a much higher frequency of players taking banned substances. For the New York Yankee exec, it's fairly obvious. "Look at the speed and size of those players," he told the AP.

Steinbrenner may have a point that steroid and HGH use in pro baseball is talked about and investigated far more than steroid and HGH use in pro football. People forget that one of the NFL's premier linebackers, Shawne Merriman, was suspended four games for failing a test. Rodney Harrison, the notorious New England safety sat out the first four games of this past season, and yet few, if any, remember or mentioned this minor detail during the Patriots' run at a near perfect season.

What Hank failed to mention, however, is that the NFL has had random, year-round testing since 1990, complete with numerous suspensions since that year. Steroid testing in the MLB, on the other hand, was not a major issue until 2005. Prior to that year, testing was ineffective and punishments were light, at best. In the 1990s and early 2000s, while the NFL was cleaning up its image and at least attempting to rid its sport of steroids, the MLB, its commissioner, and its owners turned away as baseball players took performance enhancing drugs. The league began to prosper, as home runs became plentiful, and MLB continued to avoid the subject. That is, until the matter began to spiral out of control.

Hank also has to come to grips with the fact that football players contain a sort of anonymity that baseball players simply do not have. Furthermore, because of their natural size, violent nature, and covered faces, NFL players are not as easily relatable to fans as baseball players, who enjoy plenty of face time during games and appear to be normal people like you and me. Naturally, when these players start to exhibit bulging biceps and growing heads, people are going to notice and begin to wonder what is going on.

So, Hank Steinbrenner has two things to realize. First, the massive problem that is steroids in MLB is partially the fault of people like his father, who turned a blind eye in the late 90s and on as revenues increased along with players hat sizes. Secondly, the immense scrutiny experienced by baseball simply comes with the territory. Seems like someone is just jealous that the NFL has become far and away the nation's most popular sport.

Congress ... Investigate Zeke and Dolan

There's a serious scandal going on in professional sports today. No, it's not Roger Clemens and the rampant steroid and HGH use occcurring in the MLB. No, it's not Spygate and the NFL's handling of the situation. The scandal is the New York Knicks and maybe Isiah Thomas and James Dolan should be summoned to Capitol Hill to testify why they are ruining a franchise with so much history in a city that was once considered the basketball town.

For one, Dolan hasn't been to a Knick's home game in weeks, a sign that maybe he really doesn't care what happens to the team. New York fans are so loyal and devoted, they still pay the ridiclous ticket prices and fill seats in MSG. So what does Dolan have to worry about?

Thomas, a horrendous GM, may very well be an even worse coach. We'll give him the recent talent he's drafted in the past several years: Lee, Robinson, Balkman, but you cannot overlook the mistakes: Jerome James (who's contract is 5yrs $30 mil by the way), Steve Francis, Jared Jeffries, and so on. You can even begin to question Eddy Curry, who lacks any type of energy or defensive presence. As a 6'11" center, the guy is averaging 4.8 RPG this season. Just to put that in perspective, Jason Kidd, a 6'4" point guard, is averaging 8.1 RPG. Let's not even talk about Curry's blocks per game.

You can question Zach Randolph all you want, but the fact is, he gives a great effort every night, though he may lack defense at times. He is a double-double machine and has a knack for scoring around the basket.

Curry, take notes.

At 15-37, I think it's safe to say the season is over for the Knicks, despite being in the Leastern Conference (only five teams have a winning record). With nothing to lose, then, Isiah should test out some of his younger players. For all we know, they may be able to make a late season run and steal the 8 seed. If not, they will gain valuable experience. So let's see a line-up that resembles this: Mardy Collins, Crawford, Wilson Chandler, David Lee, and Zach Randolph. It's small, but it has to be better than what is on the floor now. With Nate, Balkman, and Fred Jones coming off the bench and seeing decent minutes.

Or maybe Isiah and Dolan should be called into Capitol Hill to speak before some obscure congressional committee filled with politicians that don't know what they're talking about and just want to showcase their power. That'll work.

One Last Tribute

It's been nearly two weeks since the Giants won, but this stuff never gets old.

Needles, Nannies, and Bloody Pants

So, who was telling the truth and who was lying? It sure was hard to tell, altough the Rocket's body language sure did not look like he was very comfortable at any part during the proceeding. One thing is for sure, however, the highly antipicated congressional showdown between Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee resembled a soap opera more than an inquiry into the use of steroids and HGH.

First, the fact that Clemens' "good friend" Andy Pettitte was not present at the hearing shows what kind of guy Pettitte really is and essentially doomed Roger from the beginning. Is Andy going to be mentally ready for the upcoming baseball season? One thing is for sure, the Yankees desperately need the lefty to produce at the two spot in the rotation with huge question marks in Hughes, Kennedy, and Mussina.


We learned way too much about a certain "palpable mass" that appeared on the Rocket's bum. This lovely visual apparently led to a bloody pants display in question. According to Clemens, this occurred due to a bad B-12 shot. Yeah, sure.

Wait, there's more. Forget Spygate, that's old news. We are now witnesses to a brand new controversy, what journalists and other media types are calling Nannygate. When will the "gates" end? This aspect of the investigation, however, is certainly important and worth following. Along with Andy Backstabber, this can have serious implications on the investigation and potential negative ramifications for Clemens.

Finally, we learned that a number of the members on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform are complete morons and were way out of their element. I believe it was Rep. Darrell Issa of California that referred to the popular sports gear brand Under Armour as "Under Armour-All." Sounds like a great idea: stay warm while playing football and shine your tires afterwards.

When everything is all said and done, Rep. Dan Burton was correct in his stuttering tirade that ripped poor Brian McNamee to pieces and labeled Clemens a "baseball uh t-uh-t-titan." This whole thing was a circus. It really bothered me too.

I Spy

Leave it to congress to find another way to put their two cents into yet another controversy enthralling a professional sports league. Just when everyone thought Spygate was over, several members of the Senate Judiciary Committee declared their discontent with the handling of the situation and its potential ramifications.

Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania is working to finalize a meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss the Spygate controversy. Specter, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been critical of the league's handling of the controversy and wants to question Goodell about the destruction of tapes turned over by the New England Patriots as part of a spying probe last September. He has also expressed frustration over the NFL's slow response to his Nov. 15 letter inquiring about the league's investigation.

Adding insult to an already injured Tom Brady, Specter also has said he might be interested in speaking with the Patriots quarterback to determine if Brady benefited from any illegally gathered material. Does anyone honestly think Tom Terrific is going to say that he benefited from the tapes? The way the circus is playing out with Roger Clemens and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, a question to ask is whether or not Mr. Specter is going to ask the NFL MVP for an autograph.

So, this week, if all goes as planned, congress will be investigating problems facing the MLB and the NFL. While they're at it, they should check out the NBA and bring in Isaiah Thomas and James Dolan.

Houston, We Have A Problem

The Rocket, Roger Clemens, and his former trainer Brian McNamee are scheduled to testify publicly Wednesday at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. In what will no doubt be a cotinuation of the same old story, the seven time Cy Young winner will vehemently deny ever using performace enhancing drugs. This is certainly something we've seen before.

Wednesday's session will be held in the same wood-paneled hearing room baseball fans have become so familiar with. In March of 2005, we painfully watched several big name players essentially ruin their careers and reputations. This list includes Sammy Sosa, who forgot how to speak English, Mark McGwire, who forgot how to speak period, and who can forget the finger-waving Rafael Palmeiro.

In a weird twist, McNamee recently turned over used needles and gauze as evidence. Why would he even keep those things lying around for that long? What's more, the former trainer is now claiming he even injected Clemens' wife with HGH. Wow. The plot has certainly thickened in the past several days.

With all this said, the future does not look bright for Roger Clemens. Appearing before congress did not exactly bode well for players like Palmeiro and McGwire. The once hallowed slugger Palmeiro tested positive for steroids five months after testifying in front of the committee and quickly slipped into oblivion. The former home run king McGwire also fell off the face of the earth following his testimony. These two have a questionable chance of gaining entry into the Hall of Fame, and saying questionable is being generous.

Wednesday, then, will be yet another chapter in the Steroid Era Saga. Will The Rocket follow suit and crash and burn like his predecesors, or will one of the greatest pitchers of all time keep fighting and clear his name for takeoff into the Hall?

Super Super Tuesday

I have been privileged to begin this brand new blog in a time when sports and politics are clashing with great vigor. Yesterday, I made my way to New York's Financial District to partake in the Giant's Super Bowl parade. There are few words to describe the scene occurring in Manhattan on that day. Some come to mind though: mayhem, chaos, bedlam, pandemonium. Above all else, however, the parade was breathtaking, a truly amazing experience. Hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of people lined Broadway and surrounding streets and avenues to cheer for the new NFL champions.

Unfortunately for the likes of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the parade happened to fall on Super Tuesday. I first realized how this would affect the day's media coverage and the overall reception of the nationwide primaries as I entered the train station early in the morning and saw several Clinton supporters equipped with campaign pins, signs, and flyers attempting to engage potential voters as they walked by. These poor people fell to the wayside as droves of fans dressed from head to toe in Giants gear roared passed them, paying them no mind, and occasionally shouting at them, "G-Men!!!" and "Go Giants!!!"

My friends and I decided to establish our position at City Hall, normally a venue for politics and an area filled with business types and politicians. On this day, however, the entire area was mobbed with Giants fans. Scattered in between the masses of parade goers were several of these working men and women, pushing and shoving their way forward, screaming they had to get to work.

After surviving the parade, I returned home and put on the television and was not at all shocked to see the event in Manhattan was the leading story and gained a considerable amount of news coverage. It goes without saying that the actual parade was telecast on all the major networks.

On a day typically dedicated to politics, my TV screen displayed Michael Strahan's rousing speech in front of City Hall, followed by his hilarious words at Giants Stadium later in the day mocking Howard Dean from a few years ago. At least Strahan tried to bring some essence of Super Tuesday back into the conversation.

For this one time, politics, at least in the Tri-State area, took a back seat to Eli Manning and the Super Bowl XLII champion New York Giants.