This is the fastest and easiest way I know to make amazing short bread cookies. I used unsalted sweet butter and it is so tasty. Eat it with my nutella hot chocolate, a cup of great coffee, or with a great brandy, cognac or glass of wine. With a cold glass of milk, you are in heaven.
You can’t stop eating these amazing favorites! I always try to make a double batch because they are so addicting! Enjoy and save one for me!!
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
Preparation:
Cream sugar and butter. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour and mix thoroughly. Turn out onto a surface floured with remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Knead dough until it cracks on surface. Roll out 1/4-inch thick and cut out with cutters. Prick cookies with fork tines and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 275° for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Makes about 2 dozen shortbread cookies.
Suggestions:
-I sprinkle a little sugar on the top of mine before baking. I’ve even used colored sugar for a unique look. This is not an overly sweet cookie; the key to the taste is the butter.
-Dont use margarine!
-If you dont eat them right away, let them cool and store in an air tight container and they will stay good for days. I’m sure they wont last hours though.
“Bob Wilkins Blazed Trails and Helped Introduce Anime to the U.S. and Made Creature Features an Institution”
I write this in memory of the great Bob Wilkins who was the host of a Sacramento and San Francisco Bay Area television institution, Creature Features. Most areas in the country had shows like this but none were as influential as the great Bob Wilkins version. He had a massive following which included fans like Tom Hanks, George Lucas, & Vincent Price who he would occasionally interview. It was shown on Saturday nights after the news.
Creature Features was created by Bob and it was originally shown in Sacramento KCRA television, until he was wooed over to Oakland’s KTVU in 1971. KTVU was a hip station that liked to try new and different things and the match was made in heaven. Every 70’s and 80’s kid loved it and creature feature reruns were very popular in the 80’s and 90’s.
Bob Wilkins Interview with William Shatner
Creature Features on KTVU regularly had higher ratings in the bay area than the wildly popular Saturday Night Live which was in its heyday. In time, Mr. Wilkins was credited with introducing Anime to the US television and movie viewer, showing things like Ultraman and other Japanese productions. He was famous for his Godzilla and monster movie genre that he liked to show as well, along with Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robots.
The other networks laughed when Bob started showing the Original Flash Gordon series from the 1930’s in between the movies and he even showed the first Batman Series from the 1920’s called the Bat-Man or Dark Knight which was actually silent. From Ed Wood movies to campy horror films, Bob would fearlessly show them all and his eager audience gobbled it up like freshly buttered movie popcorn.
Bob’s famous saying was, “Watch Horror films; keep America Strong!” The funny thing was every nutcase would call Bob. Many people claiming to be zombies, witches, warlocks and even a vampire would contact Bob.
A man claiming to be a real life Vampire once called him at the station and asked if he could be interviewed. Bob agreed and told him to meet him at the studio the next day at 2 pm. The vampire agreed. Bob said, “Aha! I’m not going to interview you. How is it that you are a vampire and you want to meet in the middle of the day?”
Bob also would “warn” his fans if there was a bad movie. In the promo’s for some of the bad movies he showed, he would literally say, “get some sleep tonight and don’t stay up late and watch our movie. We have a real schlocker (bad) of a movie tonight with Billy the Kid versus Dracula.” He would hold up signs showing the ratings of the bad movies with the letters PU. Of course the more he ripped on the movie, the more viewers had to watch. After the end of Jessie James meets Frankenstein’s daughter, he wiped tears from his eyes saying, “There isn’t a dry eye in the studio; that was a real tear jerker; or the worst movie ever seen on television!”
Bob’s sarcasm was way before it’s time, and he would show films that no station in their right mind would run. Classics like Ed Wood’s Planet 9 From Outer Space and the Japanese cult classic, Attack of the Mushroom People were fan favorites. Attack of the Mushroom people was barely released in the U.S. and he gained many Japanese movie fans for showing it.
Bob once said the movies were getting so bad that he was going to quit and start an ant farm which had more of a future. He would also threaten to quit unless people stopped watching. Of course the ratings went through the roof.
Bob was soon at every convention and gathering and was adored by his fans. His big cigar and soft spoken, humble nature made him even more loved. His wit was dry and he was always the coolest guy in the room.
Creature Features also had great movies in between the “schlockers”. The amazing Planet of the Apes movies, Night of the Living Dead, The Fog, Vincent Price’s House of Wax and so many others were great films. Ray Harryhausen’s Jason and the Argonauts was a huge hit as well. He was the first person to give Trekkie news before it was a term and the fans listened intensely with Spock ears fully opened.
If you get a chance, look him up on Youtube. He was a great interviewer and people called it a badge of honor to sit with Bob on Saturday nights. He interviewed the likes of Vincent Price, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ray Harryhausen, and Christopher Lee just to name a few.
Wilkins was so popular that the 10 o’clock news on KTVU begged him to be their weatherman. He did so but quit after 2 years saying he was kind of bored of it and it didn’t give him the freedom he wanted. He did win an Emmy though due to a stunt he did when he was bored.
He did a ski report from South Lake Tahoe and put in footage of James Bonds skiing scene from the movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service without telling management. The newscasters could not stop laughing and the station couldn’t keep up with the phone calls of people saying how much they loved it. The news at that time was very dry and straight forward on other networks but it was never a dull moment with him around.
Creature Features was the first television show to ever show the original movie “Night of the Living Dead” and John Carpenter’s classic “The Fog” on television. KTVU got clearance to show Night of the Living Dead at the delight of the loyal bay area audience. It was actually filmed in the bay area and it used regular people as extra’s. The movie is a total classic. It had come out in theaters 3 years earlier and it was unheard of to have a movie shown on television that quickly.
Bob was a loyal guy to the local sports teams and KTVU had a real bias towards the Oakland Raiders. He also wouldn’t be above giving a jab or two or ripping on a Raider opponent when the Raiders won, which was most of the time.
Bob’s last bay area Creature Features show was in 1987 when he came back to show The Fog. It was like old times when Wilkins was given a piece of paper in the middle of the show saying that President Reagan had a really important message to give to the people of America and that it was directly from the White House. Of course it was about 12:30 am in the morning and Reagan was probably either sleeping or on vacation somewhere.
It ended up being a commercial Reagan did years ago for Boraxo hand cleaner. It was during the Iran Contra scandal, and after Reagan washed his hands and the commercial ended, Wilkins thanked the president for this important message commenting that it was the first time President Reagan had come clean about anything all year!
Bob also did a daytime show called Captain Cosmic geared towards kids and the Star Wars craze. He dressed up in a space suit type outfit with his trusty side kick robot 2T2.
Bob launched even more Anime productions with the hugely popular Ultraman series, and in the end, some of the highest rated segments were the 103’s Flash Gordon episode. He liked to show Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. After two years he ended the show because he literally did everything he wanted to do.
Sadly on January 7, 2009 it was announced that at the age of 76, Bob Wilkins had passed away quietly in Reno, NV from complications of Alzheimer’s. It ended the life of one of the most beloved men in bay area entertainment history.
Thank you Bob for all you did. My dad worked hard and he used to work nights and it was a Saturday night ritual to mingle with him while he got ready for work during the start of Creature Features.
My mom and I had great memories of staying up late watching the good and bad movies late on Saturday nights right before he left. A snack, Creature Features and Bob Wilkins was a guilty pleasure that even today makes me smile. Rest in Peace my friend. The joy you gave others will never be forgotten, and always be treasured.
Jockocracy: all announcers, analysts, and sports reporters will some day all be ex players and coaches and no one will be honest anymore. They will say nothing controversial because they all will have connections and ties to the teams, players and leagues they report on.
Howard Cosell
The suspension of Bill Simmons by ESPN for calling Roger Goodell a liar in the Ray Rice case, lets the cat out of the bag for the rest of America that doesn’t already know that we should never trust the media.
The tax free money machine called the NFL runs ESPN. With the suspension of sports reporter Bill Simmons, THE sports leader made it clear to all of their reporters; whatever you think or whatever your opinion is, leave your brain at the door. The shield of the NFL makes too much money for anyone to tell the truth. Let’s face it, big business money runs everything including the media.
Yes it’s true; ESPN and sports television analyst Bill Simmons did the dirty. He stated in a recording that he felt NFL commissioner Roger Goodell lied about not seeing the video in the Ray Rice saga. It didn’t matter that the rest of the country pretty much thinks the same thing; Simmons was suspended.
When the video was first released on TMZ showing Ray Rice fighting with his present wife in the elevator, TMZ website founder Harvey Levin was angered when the NFL and Roger Goodell stated that they never had seen the video. When asked by media outlets how TMZ got it, Levin said, “We asked for it”.
After the video was released to TMZ by the casino, the NFL stated that they were not allowed by police to see it. Levin’s beady little eyes and smile looked like the Grinch getting ready to rip off the Who’s in Whoville. He told media outlets that he was releasing a bombshell the next day on TMZ.
Sure enough, TMZ had proof that a video was sent to an NFL representative. Roger Goodell and the NFL have been doing damage control ever since.
To all of you good people that aren’t as cynical as the rest of us; I hope you now get that you can’t trust ESPN or big time media. Fox news caters to right wingers who see only good with Republicans and only bad with Democrats. Other news outlets cater to liberals. That isn’t news and information; that’s propaganda.
When it comes to sports, ESPN is the poster child for being biased and obsessed with certain players and teams. For a while I thought ESPN was going to do stories on Lebron James views of the Ukraine or how many licks he thought it took to get to the center of a tootsie pop. Johnny Manziel was the next love child with ESPN reporting on his eating and sleeping habits along with his view points on current events. It got weird.
The NFL is the golden child for ESPN and it was greatly seen during the Ray Rice scandal. All of the ex players and announcers said the same thing; “Roger Goodell is an honest person and I find it hard to believe he knew about or saw the elevator video”.
The problem is, ESPN’s bread is buttered by the hype of sports stars, and huge television contracts that are paid by the various sports, especially the cash cow NFL. I remember the soft core reporting by ESPN during the NFL concussion hearings.
The NFL was so over the top arrogant about the whole proceedings that it was hard to watch. Until Representative Maxine Waters threatened a criminal investigation into the NFL’s denial on the dangers of concussions, the NFL refuted every study. After her threat, the NFL paid off the head NFL doctor and made him take the sword for the shield. He was blamed for everything and he resigned.
When there are labor issues, rarely does an ex player or reporter on television side with a player trying to renegotiate a contract. People love to say, “A player signed a contract so he should honor it”. It’s funny though that 75% of the contracts in the NFL are NOT honored by the teams. Many players are cut or told to take a pay cut or they will be let go. I’ve yet to hear a fan, ex player or television analyst state that the team should honor that contract.
They can’t “afford” lifetime healthcare for their players, or minimum wage for cheerleaders or full time pay for referees but they can charge $150 to park a car at a Super Bowl.
I’m being honest when I don’t agree with Bill Simmons at times, and some times I think he’s out there. But I also admit he makes you think and he’s entertaining. He has a sort of a wiseguy quality at times. He’s a smart guy and he has lots of opinions and that creates a following. I love people that have opinions based on facts and I think he’s right on with the NFL story.
Howard Cosell years ago warned us. He said that ex players would be the announcers and reporters and because of their ties to the networks, players and the NFL, rarely would real reporting ever be heard again. He called it the “jockocracy” of sports. Bill Simmons is a rare throwback that says what he feels and that is rare in today’s media.
The question unfortunately is, how can we find out the truth about sports stories and the people that are in them. Many news outlets don’t rely on facts, they rely on being biased, or what side their bread is buttered on. More than a few large news outlets don’t report anymore, but they are very good surfing TMZ, Deadspin, or BBC’s websites on the internet.
The answer to finding the truth unfortunately is not a pretty one. With lawyers, money, political correctness and reaction to the public and social media being the main focus when a story is released, it’s impossible to really know what is actually happening or has actually happened.
As fan’s we must be responsible. We must teach ourselves and the youth of America to respect and appreciate athletes talents on the field, but that’s mostly about it. We still can love the game and the great things about sports that inspire us. Fans need to be real though. Many people in America sadly look up to people only because they are good looking, talented, or rich and famous.
In reality though we should not look up to them. We need to look up to those that love us and who have good character that we know about and who touch our every day lives. And sadly; when all else fails when searching for the truth about sports and news stories; Deadspin or Harvey Levin at TMZ is just an internet search away. Somewhere I hear Homer Simpson sadly saying doh. Walter Cronkite and Howard Cosell where are you.
Julia Child would love this cookie. These delicate shortbread-style cookies are made with chopped, roasted pecans or walnuts, rolled in powdered sugar and are an elegant addition to any fiesta or party. They are also known with names and variations such as Pecan Balls, Russian Tea Cakes, Snowballs, Pecan Sandies, Swedish Tea Cakes. This is my take on it. The chocolate kiss brings it over the top. Add a cup of coffee on a cool crisp morning and it’s pick up!!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped, roasted (see below) *I prefer walnuts
An additional 3/4 cup powdered sugar to roll cookies in
OPTIONAL: An additional 1/4 teaspoon kosher, rock or sea salt (or salt of your choice)
OPTIONAL: Package of your favorite Hershey chocolate kisses.
Preparation:
Add butter, powdered sugar and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Mix at medium-high speed until completely mixed (you can do it by hand though). In a seperate bowl, mix flour and salt. Mix the flour into the butter about 1/2 cup at a time until well incorporated. Carefully fold in the nuts.
Take a small amount of dough and roll it into a one inch ball. Continue and place the balls on a lightly greased cookie sheeet, about 2 inches apart. If you are using chocolate kisses, take enough dough to completely cover the chocolate kiss.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Mix additional powdered sugar. Roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar mixture. Wait a big until cool, and enjoy!
To Roast Pecans or Walnuts- Place pecans on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.
Variations and Tips:
If you like a little salt and sweet taste, put a little sea, rock or kosher salt in the powdered sugar mixture that you put the warm cookies in after they bake. The crystals will be too big to melt and you get a unique flavor. Don’t overdo it. A lot goes a long way.
Instead of Hershey’s kisses, you can use dried fruit like cranberry’s, apricots, cherries, prunes, dates, or anything else you like.
For the decadent and over the top treat, use Ferrero Rocher chocolates instead of Hershey Kisses and cover them with the cookie dough before baking. The cookies will be large and beyond decadent. Use your imagination and have fun! They won’t last!
I think the world feels like Mr. Keating did when reading the poem at Neils desk after he committed suicide in the Movie Dead Poets Society. Oh Captain My Captain.
I remember meeting someone who once tried for 10 years to become a stand up comedian. He told me horror stories about the immense travel, drug and alcohol use, broken relationships and lonely times. He talked about living near poverty for 10 years and being ripped off by many of the people who he hoped would help him. Eventually he said he just didn’t want it anymore. He eventually married, had a child and is a very a happy man. Comedy is a rough life.
It has been said more than a few times that comedians are usually the saddest and most dysfunctional of all the artistic performers. The suicide of Robin Williams is another in the long line of tragedies involving comics. The list of troubled and tragic comedian deaths over time reads like a who’s who of hollywood. From John Belushi and Chris Farley, to Freddie Prinze Sr., Gilda Radner and Andy Kaufman. Add John Candy, Bernie Mac and John Ritter to the mix and that is the tip of the iceberg of those with great comedic talents who are gone but yet had so much more to give. From cancer to suicide, to drug and alcohol abuse to overdose; there just seems to be a sick joke often played on comedians.
I remember when I had my medical business in Marin County. I talked to a lady at my old church who had studied with Williams at the Marin Theater. She said once that the class was making fun of Robin until the teacher scolded them and said, “That guy is going to make it big someday”. She said his talent was easy to see and he was a very caring and nice person.
Robin Williams was a poster child for the lifestyle of the 70’s and 80s. He rocketed into stardom with his appearances on the hit show Happy Days, which soon turned into his own hit show with Pam Dawber called Mork and Mindy. Just like that show, Williams had a long strange trip ahead. His break on Happy Days was preceeded by a couple of appearances on the Richard Pryor show.
In the 70’s and 80’s there were no limits to the excess of the party scene. For many the drug of choice was cocaine. It allowed people to be able to party all night and yet be energized for the demands of their busy careers.
In his early years you could see the effects of his lifestyle. On talk shows he would talk so fast and so long, that you didn’t have a clue sometimes what he was talking about. Soon that lifestyle would take it’s toll and he lost his friend John Belushi in 1982 from an overdose. Two years later he would lose another great comedy friend; Andy Kaufman; who as a non smoker; lost his battle to lung cancer at the age of 35.
As with most comedians his relationships were also very hard and strange at times. He was married three times, including marrying the nanny of his son.
After entering rehab in the 80’s Williams embarked on 2 decades of sobriety. He said the birth of his son and the loss of John Belushi were key things that made him want to stay sober.
I was never a huge Robin Williams fan and I didn’t lose my mind over Good Will Hunting, but I did enjoy his talents. My top 3 films of his were Dead Poet’s Society, Good Morning Vietnam and Awakenings. Each movie had amazing casts. He portrayed an honest depth and sincerity in his roles and showed off his amazing wit and sense of humor, to go along with a passionate heart. When given the right material, he was pretty special. Williams had so many good films to go with a dud every now and then.
As with so many comedians, the demons seem to always reappear though. In 2006 Williams re-entered a rehab facility after he began drinking. In 2009 he had his aortic valve replaced but had a good rehabilitation.
Many Comedians such as Williams have hearts of gold. He was very giving of his time and money and was a big part of the Comedy Relief fundraising efforts. When his good friend Christopher Reeve was paralyzed in an accident, he visited him and his family said it was the first time Reeve’s had laughed since being hurt. He was a kind man. Reeve’s wife Dana talked about how Robin helped pay for some of his treatments after his tragic injury.
Now that he is gone, there will be a frenzy of media attention. Why did he do it? We will probably never really know. It’s hard to know what makes people do what they do, especially celebrities. Some famous people can’t handle not being on top; some can’t handle the lack of notoriety and attention. Some are just troubled souls due to the long effects of addiction and the torment and the destruction that it brings. No matter how far they’ve come or how much they’ve accomplished, they still can’t find their way. Some fans, family and friends are going to be angry and some will be overly apologetic. In the end, suicide is a terrible thing for all; and the pain for family and friends can be suffocating.
I will always have a special place in my heart for comedians though. I love going to comedy shows and it drives me nuts to see hecklers or comedy club owners who don’t treat comedians right. And even with so many who will be close to judge, in reality there is a little comedian in all of us.
And so closes another chapter in a sad tale of a comedian that we lost too soon. As a society we lose big time. Family and friends have a loss that is beyond measure. All we can really do now is say thank you Robin Williams for making us laugh and for being so kind to so many. We pray for the ones you leave behind. We hope that in some way you have found the peace that you were always looking for.
This is the poem that was read at the opening of the Dead Poets Society meetings:
“I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately
I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life!
To put to rout all that was not life
And not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived…”
My love for champagne is of legend and this is a great and tasty drink that is amazing for parties. I still love it straight but this is a great summer drink for home parties or barbecues!
Ingredients:
-Drinkable bottle or bottles of brut champagne depending on how many people are drinking.
-for one part of the juices you can use cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, guava, mango, orange, grapefruit, or any other juice that you’d like.
-large can of pineapple juice
-tall glasses filled with ice
-sliced fruit of your choice
Directions:
Put as much ice as you’d like in a tall glass. (per your taste) Add 1 to 1/2 ounces of pineapple juice. Then add 1 to 1 1/2 ounces of your favorite (or exotic) fruit juice (look above). Fill the rest of the glass with champagne. Enjoy!!
Tips:
-Add exotic fruit juices for a unique and great flavor.
-put all of the juices and sliced fruit on a side table. Put the chilled juices and champagne on ice next to it and let your guests serve themselves.
-Use sparkling water instead of champagne for the kids. Don’t leave them out of the fun!
When you say the name Andres Escobar to a longtime soccer fan, immediately the smile will come off of their faces and a sadness will be seen. The pain is still there for the memory of the murder of Colombian soccer star Andres Escobar even 20 years later.
In the 1994 World Cup held in the U.S., there was one team that everyone wanted to see and that was Colombia. They were like rock stars with the likes of Carlos Valderrama, Carlos Rincon, Andres Escobar and so many others. From the famous scorpion kick from their goalie, to the fun and amazing way they played, Colombia was definitely the team to watch. Defensive star Andres Escobar at the age of 26 was ready to sign a large contract after the World Cup with famous Italian team AC Milan. His dream of marrying his Fiance Pamela Cascardo and living in Italy to play soccer was coming true.
In an amazing 26 international game stretch before the World Cup, Colombia lost ONLY one game. In the World Cup qualifying matches they gave up an unreal, 2 goals. They were on fire dominating the World Soccer scene.
To qualify for the World Cup in 1993, they needed to tie Argentina. Instead they gave what I believe is the worst loss for Argentina in Argentina, 5-0. What was amazing is video shows as a sign of respect, the Buenos Aires fans giving rounds of applause to the Colombians after the game. It placed Colombia for the first time on the world stage of soccer. Pele and many others announced that Colombia would win the World Cup in the U.S. The country Colombia partied like rock stars and their passion was amazing. For once they would shed the reputation of being a violent and out of control country, and gain the respect they wanted.
At that time the rise to prominence for Colombian soccer was linked mainly to one thing; drug cartel money. Colombia had never been a world power. The three biggest drug Cartels, owned teams in the Colombian soccer league. Soccer was the perfect way to launder money that they had gained illegally. With that money they now could afford the great fields and players that were needed to make them a world class power in soccer. One of the drug Cartel leaders was Pablo Escobar. He was so powerful and rich that Forbes Magazine had him as one of the richest men on earth.
A house is only as good as it’s foundation and when you have a foundation built on drug money, only pain and violence will follow. That’s what happened to Colombian soccer. Colombia was a mess in general with more murders being committed per capita there, than anywhere else in the world. Public officials and politicians were bought off, and like many players said, you couldn’t trust anyone.
Pablo Escobar ran for office to avoid extradition to the U.S. for his drug running; and he won! He and the other cartel leaders used Soccer to launder the money by lying about players salaries and bonuses and also about gate receipts and ticket sales. Pablo Escobar did a lot for the poor, building housing and soccer fields and helping out the little guy. He also had public officials murdered and after one match where he didn’t like a referees call, he had the soccer referee gunned down in a parking lot after a game. Much like Al Capone did in Chicago, it created a love for him like a modern Robin Hood to cover up for the violence and pain that he created. Eventually though Escobar was killed and even a few of his family members were slaughtered; in front of their wives and kids in some cases; right before the World Cup would start. After he was killed Colombia was in a violent chaos. No more order in the underworld.
The stress on the Colombian players was now overwhelming. Andres Escobars’ great friend and teammate Chonto Herrera was told the day before their World Cup match that his brother was murdered. They began to worry about their own families safety. Some players began saying they now had to win or wonder what would happen back home. Andres shy smile was now gone. In an interview he said he finds peace by trying to read at least a little bit from the Bible every day. He found comfort in having a picture of his late mother and his fiance Pamela Cascardo in his Bible.
Andres was unlike any 26 year old you’d ever know. While many were party animals, his faith was a foundation in his life. He also loved his country and the poor. His family talked about him going to stores and buying toys and driving through the city giving them away in poor neighborhoods. Even before he signed a big contract, he set up scholarships for poor and needy kids. His father was a banker and he set up foundations to help the needy. His whole family had hearts of gold and his heart was no different. He was handsome, kind, humble and felt for those in need. Everyone loved him.
In the first game of the World Cup the joy was out of the faces of the players of Colombia. In a stunning match, Romania beat Colombia 3-1. The World was shocked. Their next game was against the U.S. who they had never lost to and who had never been a world power in soccer. Unfortunately the violence at home was getting worse and so was the stress of playing. Also there were rumors that the Colombian cartels had lost millions in bets that were placed for Colombia to beat Romania and many were not happy. There were rumors abound and you could see the fear and the pain in the players faces.
Against the Americans the impossible happened. On a simple cross by John Harkes of the U.S., Andres tried to stop the ball and he accidentally kicked it into his own goal. It was a dreaded moment that I will never forget. I told my friends right then and there, they are going to kill him. My friend said it’s just a soccer game and I was dumb to think that. Even when I was a kid I loved history and cultures and I just knew growing up what some cultures could and would do. A chill goes up my spine right now even writing this. I still feel the pain of that moment. I see Andres face on the field knowing what he had done and the possible ramifications. One of his teammates commented that you could see the fear and the pain in Andres eyes after that moment. In irony, Andres sister said that the second Andres did the mistake, her 8 year old son became upset and said that they are going to kill Andres. She said that people loved Andres and that he would be safe. Young people know more than what adults think.
Andres own goal made it U.S. 1 Colombia 0. Another goal followed and after a late goal by Colombia the U.S. had stunned the world and beaten them 2-1. Colombia beat the Swiss 2-0 in their third game but with Romania beating the U.S., it meant Colombia would go home.
There are conflicting reports but there was supposed to be a trip with Andres and his family where they would visit parts of the U.S. Andres didn’t go and he came home. Friends and teammates say that he was crushed by his mistake but he answered all of the media’s questions. In time the people of Medellin; his home city; were very supportive and caring. He began to feel better.
On one night Andres was asked to go to a club. Many of his teammates begged him not to go but he said he didn’t want to hide and that he would be alright. In a club in Medillin, the Gallon brothers; notorious Colombian cartel members; began to mock Andres relentlessly. This upset Andres greatly saying he just made a mistake and he was sorry for it. After a heated argument Andres left the club. In a chilling video in the parking lot, Andres was gunned down by cartel bodyguard Humberto Castro Munoz with a .38 caliber gun. His friends saw the shooting and rushed Andres to the hospital where he died 45 minutes later. Andres girlfriend said that the murderer was laughing and yelling goooooooooaaaaaal when he shot Andres. The World Cup was still going on and the soccer world was angered and outraged. Colombia was in turmoil.
Andres death was too much for the country to take. The grief now was unconsolable. One famous Colombian writer said, “for the first time in my life, I’m ashamed to be Colombian”. The country gave bodyguards to players with some having up to 40-50 of them to protect them and their families. One players child was kidnapped. The entire country was in pain and hope was hard to find.
The soccer team would never be the same. Many retired or just played abroad. Most vowing that they would never play for Colombia ever again for what happened to them and Andres. It was rumored that after days in jail, the Gallon brothers paid off the courts with 3 million dollars in cash and were set free. Murderer Humberto Munoz was the fall person and he did only 11 years of his 40 year sentence. He was let out for being a model prisoner. Andres Fiance and family were outraged.
Colombian soccer began to fall off the map. For years it struggled. Fans stopped coming; the pain was too great. In 2010 at the owners meeting for the Colombian soccer federation, 14 of the 18 teams were now near bankruptcy.
Fast forward to the last 4 years where there has been a form of redemption. The Colombian soccer team is now back at the World cup. With a talented squad, they are now trying to prove again that their reputation for being a violent country based on drug money is wrong. Their past haunts them. I have some Colombian friends and they are a very kind and passionate people with great pride. They long for people and other countries not to judge them and to get to know them. They are also honest about their past and hopeful for their future.
A statue of Andres is now at a park named after him where soccer fields are. Andres always dreamed of having soccer fields all over for every kid to enjoy.
Andres’ last written words were published in newspapers everywhere. They were, “life doesn’t end here”.
Even with the loss of his physical life, Andres is still touching people today. I hope through his memory, along with the soccer fields and parks made in his honor, that more people will support Colombia’s attempt at becoming the peaceful nation that Andres dreamed of. I know that for millions of soccer fans in Colombia and all over the world, no one will ever forget the great Andres Escobar.
I truly believe Swede Savage would have done for Indy, what Dale Earnhardt Sr. did for Nascar.
I never was much into auto racing until I saw a story that was done by ABC sports about 5 years ago. It was about an up and coming driver that had passed away in 1973, but he was unlike any other driver of his day.
David Earl “Swede” Savage Jr. was not your typical southern good ol boy race car driver. With most drivers coming from the south or midwest, Swede was the typical Southern California boy. He was tall, good looking and had a cool way about him. He was nice and humble and many felt he would be one of the huge break out stars in the indy circuit. Swede was a four sport athlete with a racers heart, first racing as a 5 year old in the soap box circuit. Many were predicting the 1973 Indianapolis 500 to be his coming out party to stardom. He was the guy girls wanted to date, and the racer guys wanted to be like. Dale Earnhardt had that marketing aura and I think Swede was a marketers dream.
More than a few race fans felt that the 1973 Indy 500 was cursed. The rain was a huge factor cancelling the race for two and a half days. There had also been a fatal accident during a practice run. Salt Walther was also critically injured on Monday with some spectators having to be hospitalized for burns from the fuel that was flown into the air. At the end of the race, 3 people would be dead, one racer critically injured and several fans were hospitalized.
In one of the most horrific wrecks you will ever see, on lap 58 the rear wing of his car came loose in turn 4 and it made the car unstable. Jim McKay’s voice raised immediately when he saw this and it’s hard to listen to. Swede’s car turned directly into an infield retaining wall at full speed hitting head on. The car exploded and a huge plume of fire and smoke rose. He ended up near the upper wall and the fuel leaked all over and caught on fire; debris was everywhere. It seemed like a lifetime before they could get the fire out with fans screaming for the firemen to hurry.
Here is rare footage of the accident from the wall.
If the nightmare wasn’t bad enough crewmember Armando Teran ran across the infield to help the drivers. He was run over by a fire truck driving going the wrong way at 60 MPH and was killed instantly. He was hit so hard his body flew high up into the air and the Indy 500 crowd screamed in horror.
When Savage began to move, Jim McKay was stunned. Swede actually was joking around with those helping him and he went into the hospital with hopes for a recovery. Sadly in 33 days he was gone.
There still remains a mystery on what killed him. Doctors said it was tainted blood that gave him hepatitis and caused his liver to fail; or his kidneys failed. His father and family have said it was pulmonary damage from the fire and the lack of oxygen that was given to him. In the end even 100% oxygen could not keep him breathing.
Sadly Swede Savage left an unborn daughter. His wife eventually would give birth to Angela. They had another daughter Shelly who tragically died in 1995 from Leukemia. Swede also had a son John.
His daughter Angela has lived with pain for a long time. She said she was born with a broken heart and never got over the loss of her dad. She once said she thought she’d be sad forever. She had battles with drugs and alcohol as early as 10 years old and never had peace.
On the coaxing of a race car fan who wanted her to see why her father loved Indy racing so much, she began to think of going. With a groundswell of financial and moral support, social media friends raised money for her to go to the Indy 500 this year. When Indianapolis Motor Speedway Management found out about it, they contacted her and paid for the basics of the trip including a memorial car for her to drive in honor of her father.
Angela went with her husband Scott and Swede’s brother Bruce. A documentary book and movie are now in the works for all of Swede’s loving fans.
I had always been a little bitter that Indy did not do more to commemorate Swede but I can understand it. I was very happy though to see many Indy people and former racers embrace Angela and Bruce during interviews. You could see their joy in talking about him. I think this gives the fans, as well as his family the closure they’ve longed for. Angela was all smiles and she wore her fathers old racing uniform today. (Angela’s interview starts at minute 24)
Angela stated in an article,”What I want to do now is to take the open wound, sew it up and celebrate; cap it off with joy!”. For Angela, the drivers and the fans, the closure and celebration of his life heals many wounds.
Swede Savage, his adoring fans, and his family deserve nothing less.
When you ask a comedian what their goal is they will say to make people laugh. Andy Kaufman was different. His goal was to make himself laugh and to make you wonder if what he was doing was real or not. His goal was to watch people squirm in the realm of wonder.
Many people have said that Andy was a trail blazer for comedian’s, but I disagree. When it came to comedy, he saw the darkest and deepest path and took it. No one then or since has ever followed him and taken that same path.
Andy once said he felt more like a song and dance man, but in reality he was so much more. From the beginning of his career you knew you were watching something unique. I’ve talked to a few people that saw Andy in clubs and the words they use to describe the shows are funny, uncomfortable, and thought provoking,
He stirred the pot and he wanted to mess with your mind by making you wonder if what you were seeing was reality or not. Life was a big prank to him and he would go to any lengths to make it seem real. Andy wanted to make himself laugh and to create a world where nothing was for sure. How many times did he do a routine where he was down and out with a hard luck story and when the crowd laughed he would smirk and say, “you shouldn’t be laughing because I’m being serious”. The crowd would then be quiet and you could feel how uncomfortable they were. Of course he wasn’t serious, and of course Andy loved it.
Some people felt disappointed when he did the television show Taxi, but he did that on the coaxing of his manager George Shapiro. Even though he hated sitcoms, it gave Andy the money and the fame to do what he wanted to do. In an interview with Tony Danza that is online, Danza said that Andy rarely came to the set during weekly rehearsals and that he stayed private. The cast of Taxi was a friendly environment and it brought an heir of animosity when Kaufman would just show up to the final reading, and then the day of tapings. What made the cast even more angry is that Andy never made a mistake.
Andy’s most famous antics to this day are still being debated. In one of his earliest appearances on David Letterman, he showed up saying he was financially strapped and needed help. David asked him what he was working on and Andy said nothing. Letterman then asked about his bookings and Andy said he had none. He was unshaven and disheveled and had large amounts of mucous under his nose. Letterman gave him tissue before Kaufman pleaded with the crowd to give him money to help him out. He walked out into the crowd and people started to give him money before security sent him away. Letterman wasn’t laughing.
The character Tony Clifton was pure genius. Andy created a character that was a lounge singer who was below the belt nasty with little to no talent. In his contract, Andy actually had it written in that Tony was do to a handful of Taxi episodes. Clifton would show up each time to the Taxi set with a hooker on each arm, both being at least 6 feet tall. He then stated that the hookers would now be a part of the show. Clifton was fired but he would not leave the set. The media; which Andy called; had a field day when Clifton was made to leave.
One of the all time epic storylines in wrestling history was the famous Andy Kaufman v.s. Jerry Lawler feud. Andy had spent months on Saturday Night Live wrestling women and began calling himself the inter gender champion. Kaufman said that women were superior in cleaning, washing potatoes and carrots and scrubbing floors. People were incensed. He also would get into the ring to teach the “redneck” people of Memphis, TN how to use soap and wash themselves. The crowd went nuts!
Andy contacted Vince McMahon Sr. to see if he could get involved in the New York wrestling scene. Mr. McMahon Sr. was very sensitive to bringing anything fake into the wrestling world; the term sports entertainment hadn’t been invented yet; so he declined thinking it would ruin wrestling. Andy had a wrestling photographer friend in Bill Aptos, and he had Andy call Jerry Lawler in Memphis wrestling.
Lawler being a great showman knew this was a huge opportunity. He and Andy conspired to fool the world. Over time Lawler would coach a female wrestler to wrestle Andy. When Andy won, Lawler then challenged Andy. In the famous first match Lawler did 2 pile drivers; a hold that powers your head into the mat; and Andy looked like he was dead but was only slightly hurt.
In a funny story, after the 2nd pile driver, Andy lay motionless on the mat. His partner in crime, writer and producer and sometimes Tony Clifton character Bob Zmuda, asked Andy if he was ok. Bob was actually the referee during the match. With the crowd roaring their approval, Andy quietly told Bob to call an ambulance. Bob then walked over to Lawler and told Jerry what Andy wanted to do. Lawler who is known for being frugal, said no way because it would cost $300. Zmuda walked over to check on Andy and told him what Lawler said. Andy whispered, “I’ll pay for it”. When Zmuda told him Andy would pay for it, Lawler said go get an ambulance.
Andy also did some very short lived television shows that were not overly supported by the networks due to his unpredictability. In one show Andy actually had the network mess up the vertical hold on the program. This would make viewers at home think something was wrong with their tv’s.
Andy’s dream was to do a show at Carnegie Hall which he did in 1979. Saturday night live actually did a small story about it on their program that was very touching.
In a tender moment he brought out his “grandmother” who sat on the side of the stage to watch the show. She took a bow. At the end of the show his grandmother got up and clapped and then took off her mask. It was none other than his friend, fellow comedian Robin Williams.
Andy also had an elderly woman die on stage only to have him come back out as an Indian. He did a dance to revive her after the doctors pronounced her dead. At the end of the show he wanted to thank the crowd and he had 24 busses take them out for milk and cookies and invited anyone who wanted to meet him to come to the Staten Island Ferry the next morning. He did some more bits and met his adoring fans.
Within six months of being diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer, Andy Kaufman sadly died on May 16, 1984. His friend Jerry Lawler was in attendance at his funeral fighting back tears. Even then, tabloids, fans and the media wondered if this wasn’t another huge hoax. He had talked about faking his own death for years, but unfortunately this was not a hoax.
He was before my time but he always fascinated me and I loved learning about him. And with so many nominally talented people being famous for sex tapes, being sleazy or vulgar; or for just being attractive; you wonder what a talented person like Andy would have done to the social media world of today.
Could you imagine all of the twitter discussions or the YouTube videos proving or disproving things he said or did? With social media he would have reached millions in a blink of an eye in a way no comedian ever could. He would have had the world scratching it’s head but laughing all the way. And in true form, nothing would have been more pleasing to the great Andy Kaufman.
Whenever change comes to a professional team there are always extremes when it comes to fan reaction. You have some fans who think every move is a good one and all will be great, and you have others that think the sky is about to fall and that all is lost. Thankfully some fans wait to see what actually happens. The Steve Kerr hiring as the Golden State Warriors coach elicited all of those reactions.
After listening to local talk shows and sportscasters giving their two cents, some have questioned whether the toughness that Mark Jackson seemed to bring will be lost with the more calmer and people oriented Steve Kerr. In all honesty, there are few tougher than Steve Kerr.
Steve Kerr grew up the son of Malcolm and Ann Kerr; brilliant parents; with Malcolm having an extreme love for the middle east. The Kerr’s were a part of 3 generations of world travelers with Steve actually spending his freshman year in high school in Cairo, Egypt. Eventually in time, Malcolm finally got his dream job which was president of the American University in Beirut.
Steve through luck, circumstance, and calls from his father to Lute Olson, finally got a scholarship offer from coach Olson and the University of Arizona. Olson didn’t think much of Kerr as a player, but to have such a great character guy on the team was something he wanted.
Malcolm couldn’t wait to see his son play. When Steve and the family met in Beirut for the Christmas of 1983, Malcolm got to see grainy film of his son play for Arizona. His eyes lit up. It was a dream for him to see Steve play college ball, and you couldn’t wipe the smile off of his face if you tried.
But in the early morning hours of January 18, 1984, Steve got a phone call that would change his life forever. Islamic terrorists had ambushed his father in Beirut and shot him execution style. His crime? Being American. His mom Ann said, “for us 9/11 started on 1/18/1984.” It ended the life of one of the worlds kindest and most understanding souls and a friend to the Arab world. The rest of his family was thankfully unharmed.
Two days after his fathers death, Steve came off the bench against Arizona St. His first shot was a long three that hit nothing but net. Lute Olsen and many others in the crowd had tears in their eyes. As Lute Olsen pointed out, “we had so many emotions going on that night that it was hard to keep the feelings inside”. The Arizona fans were so touched by Steve that it was like they held him in their arms. After Steve would make a basket, the P.A. announcer would yell “STEVE KERR” which was always followed by the crowd repeating, “STEVE KERR”.
Steve worked hard and moved up the ladder and helped make the Wildcats one of the best teams in the country. In his senior season though, one of the ugliest things from a college crowd was seen on the road in Tempe against rival Arizona St. Before the game during warm ups, students started to taunt Steve. They began chanting “where’s your daddy” and “PLO, PLO”. Some even told him to go see his dad in Beirut. It was so ugly that some Arizona St. students came down to the bench to apologize to Kerr.
People wondered why the PLO chant was yelled out because the PLO had nothing to do with it, but no one said all college students are very bright. (I think Tempe has more bars per capita than any other city in the country so that tells you something.)
Kerr was overwhelmed. He began to shake and tears filled his eyes. He sat on the bench and his teammates comforted him. He later said he could not believe people could be so cruel and he became really upset. His teammate Tom Tolbert said it was the only time he ever thought of going into the stands to hit a fan. After regaining his composure, Kerr played his heart out. He was 6-6 from 3 point range and had 20 points at the half and ended with 22 in a 28 point thrashing of their rivals.
When Steve Kerr was chosen in the second round by the Phoenix Suns, few thought Steve would stick with anyone in the NBA. He was considered a journeyman at best who never really found a nitch until he was picked up by the Chicago Bulls. With the Bulls he had a role and he played it well. He was smart, tough, and could shoot in the clutch. In game 2 in the championship series against the Jazz, Kerr missed a 3 pointer but got the rebound and made a great pass to Michael Jordan who made a key 3 point play. In the clinching game, he broke the tie after Michael passed to him as he drained a 3.
At the end of his time with the Bulls, Kerr again found a home at San Antonio. He played the same role that he did in Chicago; make clutch shots and do the little things that win games. After his unlikely career was over, Kerr had 5 titles. That was 2 more than Larry Bird, and 3 more than Wilt Chamberlain.
He had mixed reviews as a young GM for the Phoenix Suns, including the Shaquille Oneal trade, but he was professional and calm and never shied away from criticism. He later moved into sports casting.
When people talk about Steve Kerr today, they use terms like hard working, winner, and he HATES to lose. Kerr said the only game that he really can’t get over is the final four loss to Oklahoma in the NCAA playoffs when he was only 2 for 12 from 3 point range in an 8 point loss.
Part of his strength is that Steve has his parents charm and heart. He gets along with people and is honest and caring. He likes to be underestimated by using an aw shucks mentality all the while he is ambitious, smart and competitive to a fault. All his life he’s been told he’s not going to make it but in the end he always seems to succeed and do it with a smile.
The first thing Steve wanted to do before he met with the local media is to meet with the Warriors employees. No not the players; he wanted to meet everyone. He wanted to meet people in marketing, and who worked the ticket sales and the offices. He wanted to meet the people behind the scenes. He also didn’t just call Stephen Curry; he called all of the players and talked to them. He was humble and respectful in a way his dad would be proud of. He actually is thinking of going to Australia to meet with Andrew Bogut.
Will Steve Kerr be a good coach for the Warriors, especially with the nitpicking type of atmosphere that has been created by the microscope that is social media? I think so. I love the hire. I know one thing though. The Warriors will be tough, smart, and hard working. They will have a coach that will answer questions and not shy away from criticism. In Kerr they have someone that will demand professionalism and smart play and defense which will take the Warriors to the next level. I still think they are a player away from doing something special, but adding Steve Kerr as their head coach is a great move.
There hasn’t been this much excitement in Oakland since the Run TMC days. So go ahead and underestimate Steve Kerr. Go ahead and be fooled by his choir boy demeanor. In reality this guy is as tough as nails. And somewhere above you still can’t wipe the smile off of his proud father Malcolm’s face.
Forum Celebrity Podcast 