Revisit the Greatest Game Ever Played...

Today - Saturday, December 13, 2008 - you can revisit and relive the greatest National Football League (NFL) football game ever played, the 1958 Baltimore Colts - New York Giants NFL Championship Game. ESPN is broadcasting this two-hour overview at 6:00 P.M. Pacific and 9:00 P.M. Eastern. The program features newly colorized game footage of the game that went into overtime at Yankee Stadium, and interviews with surviving players and some current pro football stars.

This was the finest moment in the career of the great quarterback Johnny Unitas, and will hopefully introduce the Hall of Famer to a new generation of fans.

Is San Jose California's Most Improved City?

I remember I used to really dread traveling to San Jose in the late 1970s and early 80s. Downtown was falling apart - especially when compared to Sacramento's downtown which was then on the rise - and seemed to be unsafe. The then San Jose State College (now SJSU) appeared to be isolated from the rest of the community, and most of the best lodging was near the airport.

Things are much different now, for the better. Downtown San Jose is highly developed, with both fine and inexpensive restaurants, very good high-rise hotels with state-of-the-art wireless hot spots within easy walking distance of the McEnery Convention Center, theater venues for live drama and films, The Tech Museum, a great light rail system, and other attractions such as the still-fascinating Winchester Mystery House and shopping at Santana Row.

SJSU has also benefited from a lot of attractive new buildings on campus and high quality condos surrounding the campus. SJSU and the City of San Jose joined in co-constructing the ultra-modern Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, which serves both residents and students. The King Library serves as a true town and gown facility.

Downtown San Jose now feels alive and hopeful, especially when compared to downtown Sacramento which continues to feel the effects of a poor economy. I'm headed back there next week and looking forward to my stay; yes, I know the way. Most of all I'm looking forward to having dinner at Don Pedro's restaurant at 43 Post Street, which offers authentic and very reasonably priced Mexican food.

While downtown San Jose now feels mostly brand new, Don Pedro's is a pure 1960s era style eatery. At Don Pedro's the regular patrons drink Mexican beer, speak Spanish and watch either Spanish language soap operas or soccer on the non-state-of-the-art fuzzy-picture TVs. What more could one ask for?

When it comes to Seattle, we're in agreement!

Back on October 18, 2008, the seventh-ever post on this blog asked the following question: A perfectly timed marathon? At that time I noted that the new Rock 'n Roll Marathon will be held in Seattle on Saturday, June 27, 2009, and the answer appeared to be in the affirmative.

The January 2009 edition of Runner's World magazine just hit the stands and notes - on page 70 - that: "The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon franchise's Seattle debut seems to have perfect timing." Validated!

Because, yes, we still need photos of cute...

Animals to get us through the day. Here are pictures of three lion cubs - one highly enjoying the warmth from a room heater behind him; and a pure white baby lion with a more standard cub - and (in the top photo) of Bandit the female dog and Satchel the kitten. You see, Satchel was brought home from the pound to join Bandit's home and she decided to nurse him. So, Satchel is sure that Bandit is his mom!

So I'm sitting in Starbucks...

Cruising the web on my new Acer Aspire One wireless netbook and catching up on some reading. I'm a bit surprised to see an article in the Wall Street Journal (from a prior day) about Starbucks, "Starbucks Moves to Cut Costs, Retain Customers."

The WSJ article noted that the company, "... is changing tack after discovering that its most faithful customers are saving money in part by making fewer visits to the chain. New figures released by the company show that, instead of the bottoming out Starbucks predicted in October, the company's same-store sales have gotten worse. ... sales at U.S. stores open at least a year fell 9% in October and November from a year earlier."

I think the almost-free wireless service offered by Starbucks - not quite free because you have to buy and periodically reload a coffee card - is great. But I do have two small and humble suggestions for the company. First, start selling its Seattle's Best Brand brew, a wholly owned subsidiary, at Starbucks and not just - as is scheduled to occur soon - at 1,900 Subway Sandwich locations. Second, drop the awfully weak Pike Place Roast that tastes like the coffee once offered at McDonald's. I've heard several Starbucks customers say the coffee sold there is just not strong enough these days. The company should focus on dark blends like Verona (which I'm drinking as I type) and Sumatra to see if the old customers return.

Starbucks, go forth and BE BOLD!

It only looks like...

Munchy the creative cat is being tortured here. Actually, he absolutely loves to be brushed; apparently, the hard bristles succeed in moving the fleas around!

Photo: Joseph/Munchy Archives (Click on the photo to see a larger image.)

It's Coming Up - A New Choice for Runners

The extremely competitive running shoes market is about to get even more so...

On January 31, 2009 - Super Bowl eve - Under Armour, generally known as a creator-manufacturer of performance sports apparel, will simultaneously release six new runners. The shoes will range in price from $85 American to $120. (Pictured here is the Under Armour Spectre.)

So is Nike worried? Not at all, responded the Swoosh's spokesman Derek Kent, "We thrive on competition." Let the battle be joined.