Berry Berry Bliss Busting those Bedtime Blues

It's easy to let bummer bombs like the 12.7 million people and 8.2% unemployment rate or tragic deaths of Whitney Houston and Dick Clark get the average person down, but that doesn't mean it has too.  The solution?  A tasty late night treat that sends you to sleep in a good mood before allowing those negative thoughts drown your dreams.  For all those readers avoiding the rest of this Blog because they think it’s an easy excuse to gain weight, hold your horses because this dessert serves something sweet but also encourages you to try on discount bikinis at Target.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: Berry Patch Pie!  Calling for manageable ingredients of sugar, corn starch, lemon juice and the four heavenly berries of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, this recipe brings a delightful aroma that announces summer is in the air with something easy to prepare, quick to cook and simple to clean.  With a berry filled body bursting multiple taste buds craving refreshing flavors and a low calorie count (250 a slice) with powerfully replenishing antioxidants, this sweet smakeral keeps consumers satisfied and smiling for the entire night.  Those excuses of “I’ve had a long day and don't have the time or energy to bake anything” won't work with this recipe, so simply accept it, embrace it.  When life gets you down, what should you do?  Just keep baking, just keep tasting, and let these berries beat your bedtime blues!

It's Gonna Be Nothin', but A Good Time

First, Meryl (not surprisingly) stunned us with her voice in the cinematic adaptation of Mamma Mia and John Travolta tickled us pink with his cross-dressing performance in Hairspray, but nothing will raise our sing-along-voices more than New Line Cinema’s promising film Rock of Ages entering theaters on June 15.  With so many recent Broadway adaptations entering theaters these past years, people can’t help but ask what makes the switch from stage to screen a hit?  Obviously big names like Streep and Travolta alongside heartthrobs like Efron promise initial blockbuster audiences.  Still, something more than stars singing on screen make fans groove to their beats.  Take one guess…right you are…it’s THE MUSIC!  Go ahead gentleman, pretend you don’t hum to those jazzy beats after taking your younger sister or girlfriend to that last film, but be prepared to accidentally MAKE SOME NOISE after watching Rock of Ages and having one too many whiskey drinks.  Big names like Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx and Alec Baldwin promise charm, chuckles and cheers to the audience snarffing on that butter popcorn as they chair dance in their cinema seats.  Mamma Mia and Hairspray are fun, but Rock of Ages is going to power crowds to their feet striking them with a musical MADE for the movies.  With all the lights, dazzle, and ROCK n’ ROLL beats bumping this underdog story, it teases a treat that tempts movie buffs of all genders to the ticket line; inevitably giving them entertainment far from the “same old, same old!”  Hold on to your panties ladies and gentleman, the Bourbon Room might get stripped from the LA streets, but it’s sure to get you “WILD WILD WILD” at your closest Regal.           

It’s Saturday Night Live! With Your Host…

Eli Manning!  Coming off his second Super Bowl win, New York Giant’s two-time Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning, will be the 11^th NFL player to host Saturday Night Live on May 5, with a 3^rd time musical guest appearance by Rhianna. The commanders of the 30 Rock Stage know championship athletes like P. Manning, Armstrong, Phelps and Brady drive high ratings (Peyton and Brady collecting 5.9 and 6.0 household ratings).  The BIGGER question is: can Eli pull off the feverish fun and flavor his brother Peyton razzle dazzled when hosting in 2007?  Everybody loves a little sib competition, but it’s going to be tough tittles for Eli going up against pee-your-pants skits like his big brother's “United Way”.  Even Eminem probably smirked when Manning banished a kid to a portable bathroom for 20 minutes while hitting others with passes in the back and stomach in this, “Spend time with your kids so Peyton Manning doesn’t” skit.  With no stage experience, Eli admits he is “a little nervous about it, but excited also”.  In public, he doesn’t rock the spotlight naturally and enthusiastically like his big bro’, but father Archie Manning remains confident Eli will deliver come the big night.  SportsCenter commercial, "The Manning Family" hints he has such goofy potential, but I’m still hoping Peyton pulls out that closet humor with a guest appearance.                         

A Football Fairytale

Fans know Trent Richardson, the highest rated running back to enter the draft since Darren McFadden in 2008, is an exceptional athlete and the smart No. 4 draft choice for the Cleveland Browns; but few realize he’s as classy as Prince Charming after the clock runs out.  When most juniors of Hueytown High School in Alabama stressed over approaching SATs, Courtney Alvis courageously vowed to beat cancer, and did in time to attend senior prom.  Only one problem remained---nobody asked her to go.  That’s until Richardson (A.K.A. Football Charming) got wind of the situation, stepped onto the field and laudably changed the direction of her game.  Richardson’s mother also battles cancer so he understands how it inflicts many pains.  This relation also makes his claim of wanting to escort Courtney, absent of its inevitability to brew his publicity before the draft, extremely believable.  Well, Mr. Richardson, want it or not, you’re going to get such publicity.  It’s awesome to see chivalry exist under all the pads and powerful pounds on star athletes.  In the end, it didn’t matter that Courtney wasn’t a top demand, similar to most running backs sharing positions with three or four receivers.  Richardson confessed he was proud to escort a lady “willing to fight” and giving hope to her team until victory.  Hopefully the Browns will follow her example of patience when they draft in 13 days.  Courtney wasn’t a first pick, but she was the right choice for prom queen last Saturday, as Richardson would fit into the Browns.  The Browns might panic and scramble to pick a QB like Ryan Tannehill first; he is a potential franchise QB but offers no source of guarantee.  Instead, they should zero in on Richardson, collecting an athlete of speed and a gentleman of class certain to arm a mediocre QB like Colt McCoy, who they can pick up later in the draft.  

Expect Big Moves from Alex Smith

Coach Jim Harbaugh took a big risk at shaking Alex Smith’s confidence (finally having a breakout season in 2011 with 3,000+ yards) when he tried to sign Manning as the 49er’s new quarterback.  If he offended Smith so he signed elsewhere and Peyton turned him down (he did), Harbaugh would have been left with Colin Kaepernick to start.  Fortunately, Smith shook off the team’s attempt and even admitted he would have, “relished the opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback job with Peyton Manning” (noted in the San Francisco Chronicle).  Defensive captain Patrick Willis further reassured fans concerned for Smith’s confidence by emphasizing Smith understands this deal was business and nothing personal.  Contrarily, the 49ers maintain a strong family-like relationship that gives them an edge and Smith’s confirmation that Harbaugh and he remain on good terms launches a likelihood that Smith (craving the challenge) will work even harder in 2012; making him a top prospect for FF fans constructing their drafts.       

What is the worth of a Rookie QB?

Fantasy Football Fans should focus on rookie QBs as they get ready to make their drafts.  With Peyton off to the Broncos, the Colts turn to Andrew Luck for their first pick.  Passing over 3,500 yards in the 2011 season, the Colts hope he can bring the accuracy, drive and confidence needed to fill Manning’s shoes and save them from another pitiful 2-14 season.  Meanwhile, Robert Griffin III’s insane speed and athletic anticipation seem to make him the Redskins top choice.  All FF fans know QBs are unpredictable, which makes them especially hard picks.  That’s why it’s crucial to watch who goes where in this April draft.  You don’t want to nab players on teams that mess up their picks, but you do need to lap up those athletes that are quarterbacks, and not quarterbacks masking athletes.  Chemistry, speed and accuracy are everything in the game, so pay attention come April 26 and avoid missing sleeper superheroes like last season’s Cam Newton, who nabbed crucial points for the Panthers in some unpredictable tight-niche situations.