Keefer Madness

The Final Four in 3D

// March 24th, 2010 // No Comments » // HDTV Bits, Sports Stuff, Tech

Call me a typical Tar Heel, but with the Heels being banished to the NIT this year instead of the NCAA tournament, the tourney doesn’t hold as much excitement this year. But how excited can I get seeing the Final Four in three dimensions? OK, not a bunch, but I am a fool for new tech, and would love to sample this at least once. Unfortunately, as it stands now, there’s not any theater anywhere near us to sample it. If it were to come close by, I’d want to check it out, but it’s not worth it to me to travel. I’d also like to sample some other sports in 3D in a similar venue — football and baseball (pro and college for both)

Wanna Watch the Final Four in 3D? Better Have Wheels

ESPN's Tony Kornheiser's Disparaging Remarks About Cyclists

// March 18th, 2010 // No Comments » // Cycling, Sports Stuff

So I haven’t actually heard the comments Tony Kornheiser made regarding cyclists on the road, etc. I’m about to hear the comments on YouTube here, but sounds like his comments were pretty crappy about biking on the road and that people should make contact for fun. A local morning shock jock DJ made similar comments a few years back that got him a lot of heat in the cycling community.

Amanda said that Lance Armstrong is going to go on Pardon the Interruption to address it. Correction: It’s not PTI I think it’s Kornheiser’s radio showI’ve got to TiVo that. But it’s sad that 1) educated people are so hostile to cyclists — fellow human beings and more vulnerable on the road and 2) that people focus and make examples of the few bad apples in the cycling community out on the road, while there are so many more bad drivers on the road. But there, people are quick to discount bad drivers and bad apples behind the wheel. Just my .02.

Here is what Versus’ Bob Roll had to say about the situation:
Bob’s Beef With ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser

Specialized Joins Forces with Astana in 2010

// January 1st, 2010 // No Comments » // Cycling, Sports Stuff

It seems with the clout of Lance Armstrong gone, his long-time sponsorship with Trek has also left team Astana. It’s cool to see that in its place my favorite bike company — Specialized will be sponsoring Astana. It will be interesting to see how many other ProTour teams are Specialized for the 2010 season.

Specialized Joins Forces with Astana in 2010 (download PR PDF)

Fox NFL Sunday Almost One Big Ad

// September 13th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Sports Stuff

Ah… and the 2009 NFL regular season has begun.Sports are truly back! Part of our Sunday football rituals included watching the Fox pre-game show — Fox NFL Sunday featuring funny in-studio banter between Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson and Michael Strahan. They’ve got a good variety of football experience and it’s a funny hour of TV, especially with a little time shifting.

Fox has always been disgustingly self-promoting, and I mean disgusting. The cast of the new hit Fox sitcom always just happen to be in the stands of the baseball game Fox is covering, or they just happen to be in the American Idol audience. Fox NFL Sunday this year kicked off even worse though. Within the first five minutes, there was less football than a Sunday afternoon in an Amish living room. Those first five minutes included a sad self-promotion out of Strahan’s Fox sitcom, a blu-ray/dvd release of the new Wolverine movie (also Fox BTW) and a big plug for Ford. Is this NASCAR or the NFL? Are financial times that tough that everything has to either be a sponsor, sponsored or self-promotion. Stick to the football and leave the ads in the commercials.

Armstrong: I'd Bet on Colorado Stage Race Happening

// August 17th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling, Sports Stuff

It’d be great to see another pro cycling stage race happening in the United States in 2011 as a and Lance Armstrong is the right guy to get some of these races to happen. For me personally, it be even better if races like this would help show promotors cycling has a growing domestic fan base and the something closer to home would pop back up (read: Tour of Georgia).

It looks like Lance is also on the fence for the 2010 Tour of California (at its later date for the first time) or the Giro d’Italia. I’d put my money on Armstrong going for the domestic race, especially with Radio Shack as his 2010 sponsor. Hmm, maybe I can convince Amanda for a 2010 California trip.

Armstrong: I’d Bet on Colorado Stage Race Happening

Lance Armstrong Wins Leadville 100

// August 15th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling, Sports Stuff

Here’s a twitter-like post tonight before crashing for the evening. (Up early for the 2009 Tri-Cyclists Criterium)

Congrats to Lance Armstrong winning the 2009 Leadville 100 — a record winning time on a flat rear tire!

Lance Armstrong Wins Leadville 100

Ways to Save Some Money Out of the Federal Budget

// August 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // General Posts, Sports Stuff

There’s all kinds of ways Americans waste money — but the federal government wastes dollars on a whole other scale. As I’m sitting here with ESPN, I’m realizing there’s a wonderfully simple way to cut some cash every single weekend. Every single sporting event seems to have some branch of the military presenting the colors. That in itself has to have some money attached for transportation, etc. But the real money waster comes in the form of those flybys that happen over so many sporting events nationwide. Every NASCAR, numerous Major League Baseball, National Football League games, etc. How about cutting that all out? You think it costs a lot to fuel up the unleaded in your car? How about to fill the jet fuel tanks?

I’m not anti-American, nor unpatriotic, but in a time where everyone’s continuing to tighten their belts, how about the federal government starts finding some obvious ways to cut some obvious non-essentials like this?

Enjoying Contador / Armstrong Drama via Twitter

// July 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling, Sports Stuff

So I already said on Sunday that I thoroughly enjoyed the Tour de France here in 2009. Part of it was some real quality and clean racing. Part of it was the return of Astana to the Tour. A big part of it was pulling for some quality American racers — Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie and Tyler Farrar to name a few. Plus, the return of Lance Armstrong to the pro peloton was huge for me, and a lot of other people around the world.

But some of it’s the tech too. I got to watch the race daily live at work via Versus’ web site. RSS feeds from VeloNews to cycling blogs kept us all up-to-date on the race, the hardware, the stages, etc. I got to Here on the day after the 2009 Tour de France, I’m enjoying the continued and escalating drama of Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong unfolding on Twitter for the whole world to see. The two are still on the same team through the end of the season right?

It’s all setting up to be an exciting 2010 pro cycling calendar.

It's Great Being a Cyclist When…

// July 26th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Cycling, Personal Crap, Sports Stuff

Ideas for posts for Keefer Madness pop up at the weirdest times. I’ve been mulling doing something like this for the past couple days, as I’m riding down the road in the saddle — commuting, training, etc.

There are so many sad stories and annoyances as a cyclist, but man, there are a ton of great feelings that come out of being a cyclist as well — so many more that outweigh the negatives, the tragedies, injuries, etc. These are the things that make it worth the time, the risk and the efforts.

So this is a post that I’m hoping with generate a lot of comments that can help expand the article, list. Basically, I want it to grow and consist of a bunch of sentences, paragraphs, etc. of reasons why it’s great being a cyclist. I’ll start out posting a few tonight, and then will add new ones as they come to me, are experienced, etc. I’m hoping you all will contribute as well via the comments.

There only two simple rules: 1. Keep it clean 2. Start your comments with the idea being “It’s Great Being a Cycling When…”
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Inside the Tour – Weary Peloton Ready for Paris

// July 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling, Sports Stuff

Congrats to Contador, Armstrong and the rest of the Astana crew for an amazing and exciting Tour de France. I’m sure they’re more than ready to ride into Paris. I was glued to the Tour this year unlike any Tour of the past and am kind of sad it’s already wrapping up. It really flew by!

Inside the Tour – Weary Peloton Ready for Paris