Day 231

I was hoping that this post was going to be talking about either Leah being in labor or the birth of our son, but unfortunately, I've got nothing to report. Yesterday morning we had our weekly doctor's appointment. We were hoping that the doctor would tell us that Leah was at least dialated. Much to our chagrin, she was not. There are ways to start the process, one is what the doctor calls "stripping the membranes." I don't need to get into how that all works, but he was unable to do so. We were obviously very disappointed. Everyone has their own antidotes on what brought on labor in their situation. Eating spicy food, long walks, driving down bumpy roads, sex, etc. Nothing seems to be working for us. The doctor told us that the baby still hasn't dropped yet and we are almost at Leah's due date, February 26th. Our next (and final appointment is February 28th, six days from now. If nothing has happened then, he told us that he wants Leah to check into the hospital on Sunday March 4th and induced March 5th. March 5th seems a long way off. I wrote this before, but now its more true than ever - this last month feels like a year. I cannot take this waiting anymore. Leah's mom arrived from Arizona and my mom came back from Florida yesterday. So anytime our son wants to come out, its all good by me. Leah's dad is coming in Friday for the weekend as well. We all assumed he would be here by now. But you know what they say - you should never assume, it makes an ass out of u and me. Leah's dad is travelling for work next week, but using Cleveland as his home base.

I never thought I'd say that I enjoy travelling for business, but since I haven't in a month, I now realize that its healthy for me. Its good to get away from time to time. I was not built to sit at a desk all day in front of a computer. I just cant do it, I get too antsy. That is what I have been doing now for a month. Living here without the majority of my friends or even things to do for that matter, doesn't help. I know, I should be enjoying my last few days like this because everything is about to change, but as a wise skinny man with glasses once told me, "it is what it is." I am bouncing off the walls here. The good news is that I'm going to the Cavs/Bulls game tonight with floor seats. I'm very much looking forward to that.

I don't know if you have done any reading about NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas. Details are starting to leak out about what was thought to be a relatively quiet weekend. Now you hear of mass violence, shootings, beatings, and robbery all throughout the city. AOL and Kansas City Star Columnist Jason Whitlock was there and in his article today, describes the chaos that ensued. Other columnists such as ESPN Page 2's Bill Simmons agreed with Whitlock's assessment. Whitlock's most chilling description: There were so many fights and so many gangbangers and one parking-lot shootout at the MGM Grand that people literally fled the hotel in fear for their safety. I talked with a woman who moved from the MGM to the Luxor because "I couldn't take it. I'll never come back to another All-Star Game." The cab lines at all of the major hotels were an hour and 45 minutes long all weekend, so many patrons chose to walk down the strip to their destinations instead. Bad idea. The Strip was described as a free for all where police did little and hundreds of visitors were beaten and robbed. As Simmons wrote in his piece: Here's the lingering question: Since Vegas' ultimate goal was to win everyone over and prove its worth as an NBA city, and since All-Star Weekend has previously proven itself as a destination spot for every gangbanger and troublemaker within a 750-mile radius, why not import extra policemen and National Guardsmen like New Orleans did before Super Bowl XXXVI, just to make sure everyone felt totally safe? Why would they want visitors saying stuff like "I don't care how long this cab line is, there's no way I'm walking the Strip" and "I wonder if we'll have the biggest riot in the history of sports this weekend?" Simmons also said that on his 25 minute walk down the Strip Saturday night, he was only "scared about 375 times."

Then comes the worst. Tennessee Cornerback and resident bum Adam "Pac Man" Jones set off a riot in a Vegas Strip Club that was so bad, it led to two men being shot, including a bouncer at the club who is now paralyzed for the rest of his life. Read this crazy story here. Pac Man brought a garbage bag full of cash to the tune of $81,000 with him to the club and began to drop it like rain all over the girls. One of the ladies started to pick up the money. According to the owner of the club, Rob Susnar, Pac Man grabbed the girl by the hair and slammed her head into the ground, then punched her in the face. A bouncer grabbed him to restrain him, but let go after Pac man's girlfriend hit the bouncer over the head with a Champagne bottle. A full sclae melee broke up and the club was cleared. As it was cleared, with five witnesses there, Pac Man told the bouncer "I'm going to kill you." An hour later, the club was re-opened and everyone had to go through a metal detector. A man in Pac Man's entourage fired a gun at the bouncer at the door of the club, hitting him in the chest and shattering his spine. I have several questions. 1. Who brings $81,000 in cash to a strip club in a garbage bag. 2. Who punches women in the face, let alone in public with hundreds of witnesses around? 3. After being arrested and linked to not one, not two, but EIGHT different crimes in the last two years, when does Adam "Pac Man" Jones finally have to do jail time? Bottom line - this guy is a piece of shit and should be locked up. As for All Star weekend, next year it is in New Orleans. Can you imagine the crime that is going to take place down there next year? You couldn't pay me enough to go there. Above is one of his several mug shots.

Speaking of Vegas, for the last two years, I have been down in Vegas the week before the NCAA Tournament. Most likely, that same weekend this year, I will be witnessing the birth of my child. Now that is a scary thought.

RIP out to one of my all time favorite NBA players, Dennis Johnson, who died at age 52 today. I love DJ. He was so smooth on the floor. A sad, sad story.

I've got nothin left today folks...

Song of the Day: "Perfect Gentleman" by Wyclef Jean