Saturday, January 31, 2015
The NHL All Star Game and Why It Gets No Attention
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Dr. Dre Finds His Latest Rap Protege In Texas
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
#CancelWWENetwork and A Raw Snow Day, Rumble Recap and More
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
FrancesaCon 2 Review: Exclusive Videos and Photos, as Mongos Make This Event An Enawmous Success!
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on the Twitter
Welcome everyone to another blog here on DOINOW.com. As always, check out the archives on the right hand of the site for previous columns and opinions.
For the past week, I've had various friends and my girlfriend ask me, "What exactly goes on at Francesacon?" I didn't know how to answer the question. I figured it would just be anywhere from 100-200 people dressed up in bad gray wigs, slugging diet coke and finishing their sentences with the word "ok." When I left Francesacon, I knew how I would be able to answer this question next year - Francesacon is one of the greatest experiences ever.
Francesacon, the brainchild of Ron Haraka and Michael Leboff, two young bucks, was created last year. On an aside, it turns out I've actually known Michael for a while, as he bartends at one of the bars I visit! Who knew he was one of the biggest mongos of them all? Maybe it's time to walk away from the Broadway machine & Miller Lites and talk about Mongonation instead with young Mike! And for Mike - just give me 5 minutes and I'll be out of heah!
Last year, during Superbowl week, Francesacon was a bar crawl for Mike Francesa fans. Bill Buchanan, who does the Mike Zaun American history videos, as well as Michael Benevento, who does a great Chris Russo impersonation, were the stars. It was for the fans, by the fans.
You can watch our interview with @BizzaroZaun, as Hip Hop ShortStop had the honor of sitting down with the man himself, last year in New York City, right here.
This year, when Francesacon II was being discussed, interest was so high, that Haraka & Leboff booked an enawmous venue for someone who can't truly only be yumen, the sports pope himself, Mike Francesa. Francesacon II, held on January 24th at Irving Plaza drew 1000+ mongos. For myself and the 1000 or so people in the building, it was one of the greatest sports experiences we've ever had.
Myself (Sean McCaffrey) with Dana from HipHopShortStop.com & Pro Wrestler, The Revolting Blob
As a customer and fan, Francesacon 2 was a raving success. In fact, it was such a success, I think the event coordinators are going to need a bigger venue. Benevento, the Russo impersonator, joked about MSG, and while that probably isn't feasible due to costs, it is no joke that Francesacon 3 will need more space.
From 12pm-2pm, Francesacon 2 was just an excuse to day drink on a Saturday with fellow Mike Francesa fans. What made it great, aside from the sea of Francesa fan made t-shirts and people dressed up in various costumes, in tribute to Francesa, was putting faces to some of the twitter names and realizing that there are people just as insane as you. Even minah Francesa related trivier and minutia were all discussed. When Francesa would eventually take the stage at around 2:45 I felt like I was at a white power rally and professional wrestling show all at once. From the non-stop chants in unison to people cheering like Stone Cold Steve Austin stunning Vince McMahon, you couldn't bottle the phonetic energy at Irving Plaza on that Saturday afternoon.
If you weren't there, and shame on you if you weren't, you can view Mike's full appearance on stage right here below.
Before getting into the meat of the show, let's get the biggest positive fact into the limelight. All profits from the event went to two charities - the Children's Network for Hope and the Theodore Atlas Foundation. Both charities work with sick and needy children. I don't know what it costs to rent the Irving Plaza, but with 1000 or so people there at $15 bucks a pop, I'm sure sizable monies were raised. Even better, a portion of the beer sales was going to charity as well. When you drink expensive $9 beers, at least you feel better about it. Trust me, I'll drink like a pig at Francesacon and be happy about it, knowing the money is going to a good cause. I never have that feeling with those $10 beers at MSG! Screw you Dolan!
From 2pm-2:30pm, Mike Zaun & Michael Benevento took the stage. Their material was a hit, as everyone loved the shots at that cocksucker wannabe, Michael Kay. When Mike Zaun opened up talking about "BAWLZ," the crowd was roaring. Honestly, Zaun & Benevento could've done a racist, homophobic, communist, terrorist bit and people would've been cheering like a winner on "Price is Right." It was their day. It was their audience. Nothing was going to fail with this crowd. The crowd ate it up and the two impersonators delivered the best steak & lobster any Mongo could've ever asked for. Making things even bigger, was that Carl Banks even showed up to play off the impersonators. It was the perfect cherry on top.
At around 2:40pm, a roar broke out from the upper section of the Irving Plaza. A gray haired man with teeth whiter than ivory tusks parted the sea of people like Moses. How fitting for the sports pope. Mike Zaun saw it coming and you could hear the glee in his voice. Listen, I did independent professional wrestling for 10 years. I understand a positive crowd reaction. In the wrestling business, we call it a "pop." When Mike Francesa's feet hit that stage, the crowd erupted like Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania 3. Being at the Irving Plaza, I felt like I was at an ECW show. It just had that vibe of everyone being united and on the same page, for the same cause. It was pure electric.
I posted Francesa's appearance in the video above. The pope spoke. The congregation praised him. You can see how much this really hit Mike. I don't think Mike truly understood what MongoNation was or the effect he has on people's lives. He's with us 25+ hours a week.
What really hit me, at near 33 years old, is that I felt like I was one of the oldest fans there. I feel like most of the crowd don't remember the Yankees without Derek Jeter. That's how I peg myself as old! I'd say the majority of the crowd was 21-27 years old. I knew that most of the social media mongos were younger, but I didn't realize how many of them there were either. I think Francesa finally realized as well, how vast his audience is. You're not gonna get the Bruce from Bayside's or Brett from Long Island, or any other famous older caller, going to, what basically boils down to a frat party for a good cause, you're going to get another demographic of Mike's huge numbah one fanbase.
It's amazing how Francesa, who is truly numbah one in the ratings and paychecks, has this demographic. It's hard for twenty-somethings to relate with a 60 year old man who sometimes resembles a grandmother with his choice of clothing, but the connection & bond is there. The love is there. Mike, who watched his impersonators riff for a bit, was into it. He gets it. While he may sometimes act ornery or stubborn on-air, at the root of it all, he loved this. You can see it in his face he truly appreciated it and didn't know what to expect. I wish I could hear the big guy, when he got home, describe to his wife what Francesacon 2 was all about. The guy had to be beaming the whole way home and probably didn't mind if Julio hit a little LIE traffic.
What really impressed me is how Mike knew the audience and how to work this crowd. Like a politician or a babyface professional wrestler, Mike made it clear that the fans weren't gonna line up to get a picture- he was going to come into the crowd and walk right into the smell of sweat & stale beer cans. Despite there being 1000 people, Mike took a picture and signed anything. Keep this in mind - this was a for the fans, by the fans, convention. Mike didn't have to show up. He didn't have to visit with his legions. While he's known as "The King," he was a man of the people. For people who already were fans of Mike, this was just a great experience, as it's always great to know your heroes are good people. For the people who are not Francesa fans, his appearance here would've turned you.
*EDIT* Incase you missed Mike on the FAN this Monday, you can watch his 10 minute recap of FrancesaCon below. #HumbleZaun
If there were any negatives about the event or suggestions I would make to the coordinators, I would put more stuff up for sale. Maybe next year Mike can sign 500 8x10's before the event and sell them off for charity. Selling different color T-Shirts would be good too, because it just looks like the same T-Shirt as last year. As this craze continues to grow and grow, I think you're not far off from having vendor tables and other people from the sports world attending. I don't see Francesacon ever going "off duh aiyah," as a day like this and great word of mouth, will make this event be something everyone looks forward to. I know I am. Let the countdown begin for Francesacon 3!
Mongonation, you did everyone proud. Heah's Mr. Mink, Back Aftuh Dis!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on the Twitter
Exclusive Video: Manolo Rose and Sonny Digital Take Over SOBs on MLK Day
Yankees Will Try to Void A-Rod's Milestone HR Bonuses
Twitter: @ChristineeeeO
Image Credit: bronxbaseballdaily.com
Alex Rodriguez, who is fifth on the all-time home run list, has 654 career home runs. If he hits six more to equal Willie Mays' 660, Rodriguez would be in line for a $6 million bonus. He would then make another $6 million each time he ties Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762).
The bonuses, set as incentive to partake in public relations and promotional campaigns during the record chase, are tied to a deal Rodriguez signed in 2007 that is separate from his player contract, which still owes him $61 million over the next two seasons.
When the Yankees and Rodriguez came to the agreement back in 2007, the Yankees saw it as a marketing opportunity. They could sell merchandise, sell tickets, create excitement and make it something worth watching. But now with the off-the-field spectacles with Rodriguez, nobody will care if he reaches 660 home runs because those numbers are tainted. The Yankees see these bonuses as worthless because they won't be seeing the revenue from him reaching the milestones.
But the Yankees now consider the marketing bonuses invalid after Rodriguez's suspension for violating the MLB's drug policy, the report said. His tactics to launch attacks against the team and the league only further alienated Rodriguez, and the
Yankees will argue that he signed the contract under false pretenses, severing his right to the bonuses based on his lies and eventual admission to the use of PEDs.
Rodriguez, along with the MLB Players Association, would have the right to file a grievance that could return the ugliness from the Biogenesis investigation. This could reopen Rodriguez to questions about when and where he has done PEDs.
This news should add another layer of awkwardness to the team's spring training camp. The Yankees already have said that Rodriguez, who also is coming off a second hip surgery that limited him to 44 games in the 2013 season, no longer will be their starting third baseman. That job belongs to Chase Headley, whom the team re-signed during the offseason.
Nothing in here seems even the least bit surprising, since Rodriguez and the Yankees have been at odds in public for the better part of the last two years now. Presumably, the Yankees will pursue every reasonable angle for getting out from their monetary commitments to A-Rod, and A-Rod will try everything he can to salvage what’s left of his reputation and get back on the field. There will probably even be more legal proceedings.
With what we saw with the team's offensive struggle of the 2014 season, if A-Rod hits enough home runs to earn his bonuses, the Yankees should be more than happy to pay them.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Dipset: Reunited! Upcoming Tour, and more.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Exclusive Interview with Top Hip-Hop Producer, Sonny Digital! Sonny Weighs in on the Lil Wayne/Birdman Beef, the ATL Scene, Other Top Producers,and more.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Are The Yankees Done Spending This Off Season?
Is It Time For Kobe Bryant to retire?
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
The 2015 NBA All Star Weekend in New York City
Article by: Christine O'Connor
Twitter: @christineeeeO
Image Credit: nba.com
Image Credit: lakersnation.com
A Look At The NFL Pro Bowl
Christine O'Connor
Image Credit: nflcommunications.com
The NFL held its coin toss leading up to the 2015 Pro Bowl on Tuesday, and NFL Media's Michael Irvin won.
Following Tuesday’s press conference and initial captain selections, 26 players (13 per team) were subject to pre-draft selection from the position groups: guards, centers, fullbacks, interior defensive linemen, placekickers, punters, return specialists, and special team players.
The second-ever Pro Bowl Draft will continue with 56 players yet to be selected during a nationally televised primetime broadcast on NFL Network at 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, January 21. The 2015 Pro Bowl Draft is being held at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. All 88 Pro Bowl players are expected to be in attendance for Wednesday’s live show. won the coin toss and chose the pair of Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray and Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden as his captains. Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter in turn has Texans star defensive end J.J.Watt and Steelers receiver Antonio Brown.
The captains are determined by being the players receiving the most votes among those no longer playing after the Divisional Round who are also healthy and participating. In this instance, J.J Watt, the defensive player receiving the most votes, was paired with the offensive player receiving the second most votes and meeting the above criteria, which was Antonio Brown. The offensive player receiving the most votes and meeting the requirements (DeMarco Murray) was paired with Joe Haden.
Image Credit: timesunion.com
TEAM CARTER (THROUGH DAY 1 PRE-SELECTION)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh (Captain)
GUARDS
Evan Mathis, Philadelphia
Mike Pouncey, Miami
Josh Sitton, Green Bay
CENTERS
Jason Kelce, Philadelphia
Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh
FULLBACK
John Kuhn, Green Bay
DEFENSIVE ENDS
J.J. Watt, Houston (Captain)
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Marcell Dareus, Buffalo
Dontari Poe, Kansas City
Kyle Williams, Buffalo
SPECIALISTS
Justin Bethel, Arizona
Devin Hester, Atlanta
Pat McAfee, Indianapolis
Cody Parkey, Philadelphia
TEAM IRVIN (THROUGH DAY 1 PRE-SELECTION)
RUNNING BACKS
DeMarco Murray, Dallas (Captain)
GUARDS
Kyle Long, Chicago
Zack Martin, Dallas
Marshal Yanda, Baltimore
CENTERS
Travis Frederick, Dallas
Nick Mangold, New York Jets
FULLBACK
Marcel Reece, Oakland
CORNERBACKS
Joe Haden, Cleveland (Captain)
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Geno Atkins, Cincinnati
Aaron Donald, St. Louis
Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets
SPECIALISTS
Kevin Huber, Cincinnati
Darren Sproles, Philadelphia
Darrell Stuckey, San Diego
Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Raw Reunion restores faith in WWE just in time for Royal Rumble
Monday, January 19, 2015
The Current Situation of the New York Yankees
Article by: Christine O'Connor
Twitter: @christineeeeO
Image Credit: Fansided.com
The New York Yankees have been less than exciting this offseason, but there has been some action in the Bronx. They haven't made the playoffs in two years and, if they are going to return to the postseason, it very well could be with their new additions from this winter.
Let’s take a look at what the Yankees have done so far this offseason:
Jeff Pentland, Hitting Coach
After letting go of Kevin Long, the Yankees found a new hitting coach. Pentland has been a hitting coach for five major league clubs, most recently with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011. He seems to be enthusiastic, but he certainly has his work cut out for him.
Didi Gregorius, SS
Everyone raves about his defense. Listening to scouts, it is apparent Gregorius is going to be great at shortstop. Gregorius is still developing at the plate, which is something fans are unaccustomed to witnessing at short in the Bronx, but scouts seem to have a lot of faith in him. Yankee Fans need to get used to having someone new at shortstop.
Nathan Eovaldi, RHP
Scouts seem to love Eovaldi's young arm, which allows him to bring the ball to the high 90s. But unfortunately this 24-year-old doesn’t seem to have much more than a fastball. Scouts seem to be optimistic. Hopefully this youngster will improve with some work with the Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild.
Andrew Miller, LHP
Miller has a four-year, $36 million contract to live up to. If he continues to perform like he did last season (2.02 ERA), Miller could combine with Betances to be the Yankees' greatest weapons in more ways than one have one of the best back of the bullpen in the league.
Justin Wilson, LHP
The former Pirates 2009 All Star might be the set-up man the Yankees need.
Chase Headley, 3B
Chase Headley was one of the few positive aspects during the Yankees 2014 season. Flashing a great glove and showing some power at the plate, the Yankees saw something that they couldn’t afford to lose. They signed him to a four-year, $52 million contract. While he hasn’t always been on winning teams, he has a winner’s attitude.
Stephen Drew, SS
Struggling at the plate during the 2014 season, Stephen Drew is nothing more than an insurance policy for Rob Refsnyder and Jose Pirela at second base and Didi Gregorious at shortstop.
Garrett Jones, 1B
Jones seems to be a solid back-up option for the frequently injured Mark Teixeira at first base and the aging Carlos Beltran in right field. This lefty might have some pull power that could play well at Yankee Stadium.
Chris Young
Chris Young made the switch from the Queens to the Bronx after the Mets let him go in August. The Yankees then signed him to a $2.5 million one year deal with incentives. He will act mostly as a back-up for an injury-prone outfield.
With the team looking a little younger, it seems to be a step in the right direction. No one knows what will happen in 2015, with many new faces and an aging, newly active Alex Rodriguez showing up in Tampa next month, but we can only remain optimistic.
Are the Bombers rebuilding or retooling? Call it what you will ... but will it work?
Friday, January 16, 2015
This Week's NFL Preview- Colts vs. Patriots
Article by: Christine O'Connor
Twitter: @christineeeeO
Image Credit: bostonblogger.sportsblog.com
The Colts are coming off 3 consecutive wins. Now they have Brady, a gridiron assassin going into his ninth AFC Championship Game after the largest playoff comeback victory in franchise history. Since Andrew Luck entered the league in 2012, the Patriots have crushed the Colts by an average score of 48-22 in three meetings. Brady is 60-7 in his last 67 home games.
Image Credit: nypost.com
All of the signs and numbers point to the Patriots getting the win.
So why should we believe Indianapolis has a legitimate chance to get the victory? Andrew Luck, for one. They have the best young quarterback in the game, a magician in the pocket who makes more spectacular throws and works more defenses than any other passer.
Beyond that, the Patriots realize this is a completely different Colts team than the one they crushed in Week 11. With young players such as versatile tailback Daniel "Boom" Herron, versatile tight end Colby Fleener, deep threat Donte Moncrief, star cornerback Vontae Davis, pass rusher Jonathan Newsome, and the talented threat T.Y. Hilton, this team is firing on all cylinders.
Image Credit: Fansided.comThis should be a great game to watch.
Players to watch:
Patriots:
Tom Brady (surprise, surprise), Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Darrelle Revis.
Colts:
Andrew Luck (but of course), Daniel Herron, Donte Moncrief, Vontae Davis