Toyota Agrees to Pay $1 Billion to Settle Class Action !

As  expected , Toyota agreed to  settle the "sudden -unintended acceleration  class action ". They'll pay about a billion. Probably , after all the objections and fairness hearings the attorneys will get around 16-20% , leaving around $800k for the " class of plaintiffs" . The amount per claim will be insubstantial . Probably will take another year or more to  have money change hands.
   So Toyota made a business decision. Were the problems resolved? Was justice served ? How will this affect the personal injury cases  resulting from  similar claimed  defects?  Still far from over.

   Your thoughts?

  Legal analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Jack Klugman Passes at Age 90; If You Didn't Love "Oscar and Felix ", Well Then What Can I Say?

 My  two  favorite TV  shows of all-time  are  "Get  Smart "  and   "The   Odd  Couple  ". Jack  Klugman who played Oscar  , the sportswriter who was a lovable  slob, gambler  and who loved  "the ladies " just died at age 90 . He was awesome!  I'm not sure  what  it was, the sports,  the poker games , the girls or  the whole  New York bachelor thing  ...but he  was the man  .
     Classic characters  on the show . Murray  the Cop .  The Pigeon Sisters  . Felix . The  players at the poker game  . My favorite  "schtick" was when Oscar's phone rang in his bedroom , and he would calmly go through all the clutter, garbage and clothes strewn about to find it  . I wanted to be  Oscar . 
  He later starred on Quincy and  appeared in dozens and dozens of other shows.
    Long live  "Oscar Madison"!

    God Bless.

Madoff Fallout Continues; Peter Madoff Gets 10 Years in the Can!

Well, it took fu__in  long enough !  Finally, probably the second most important  participant in the scam, Peter Madoff  just got sentenced . He got ten years . Between you and me , it seems  like a lot  , but my feeling is that it was  a "gift" ! Life would have been more fitting.  He might actually have " a  life "  after  he serves his time..If he can take care of himself.

  At the end of the day, was 30 years of lavish living worth ending up like this?  Your thoughts.

Merry Christmas-Happy Holidays!

Jeremy Lin, I'm Proud of You; You May Not Be Raymond Felton, But You Can Play!

Linsanity returned to the Garden last night in a Rockets uniform. Knicks go in with a 10-0 record at home and best  record in the East . Remember , one of those losses was a blowout in Houston at the hands of the Rockets.
   So what happens  last night in front of a festive holiday crowd? Lin, Harden and Company thoroughly dismantle, manhandle, toy with and humiliate the Knicks. Lin, 22 points, 8 assists, 4 bounds and  without a doubt the quickest and most energetic guy on the floor. Did Lin and Harden expose perhaps the Knicks only weakness? Trouble with lightening quick guards?
   Don't know for sure. But I do know one thing...Jeremy Lin belongs!

  NBA  analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Ready For This One; Tyson Chandler Playing Better Than Any Center in NBA Now!

 Take a deep breath everyone. Yes, keep an open mind. Well ok then . Right now , Tyson Chandler is the best center in the NBA.  " D " is second to no one. Monster on both boards. Runs the pick and roll and alleyoop to perfection  and leaves his heart out on the floor  every    night . Love to have him on my team ! Don't need flashy offense from him...Not his game .
  Look what he did against Howard last night. Who's better? Not Howard right now. Gasol  ?  Bynum? Shaq(lol). With Chandler , you know what he brings  every single fu__in  night.

  Gotta love it!

 Steve Goldman NBA beat  writer reporting.

Kevin Youkilis, He Aint Koufax, But His Familiy's Name Used To Be Weiner!

So  the Yanks got their  third base fix. Kevin Youkilis(Youk) , formerly  of the despised Red Sox is coming to NY  to  keep third base warm until A-Rod returns . Youk is a 3 time all-star and a Gold Glove winner. I've always respected his grittiness and hard-nosed play. Bet he's a great teammate!
   And you know what? He's not Greek. He's Jewish from Cincinati.
     Happy Hannukah Yanks!

  Steve Goldman reporting.

Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush, The Mulberry Bush....HSBC Pays $1.9 Billion Fine to U.S.!

Here we go again!  HSBC  caught red-handed laundering  money (a lot of it) for nations/entities under United States  Sanctions. This reminds me of the movie,"Catch Me If You Can ". Big banks are the worst of the worst. Rate rigging, money laundering, toxic mortgage backed-securities, betting against their customers' positions and plenty more.
   So  what do our  Regulatory Agencies do?  Pull their license  ?  Shut them down? Restrict their business ? Of course not. They simply  hit em with what appears to be a huge fine or penalty to "John Q Public" , and business(I mean monkey business) goes on as usual.
   It's simply a license to break the law. Laughable!    Your thoughts.

   Wall Street analyst, S.F. Goldman the 3rd reporting.

Kobe Playing at The Highest Level of Any 34 Year Old Ever?

  Say what you may?  Michael hads 6 rings.  LeBron is superhuman. Let's look at Kobe. Just hit 30,000 points. Fifth player to accomplish that.Can he pass Kareem? I  believe so. Although the youngest, it took  Kobe the most games of the 5 all-time leading scorers to get there. He has 5 rings...One more and he and MJ are in a dead heat!
    But here's the thing I see night in and night out, and I truly  believe; Kobe is playing at the highest level of any player in NBA history at age 34...Incredibly after 16 seasons. Last time I checked he was either leading the league in scoring or was right near the top. Outworks and  out-prepares  all competition.Competitive edge is second to "no-one". This is a guy who is driven around all day in a custom-built van so he can religiously ice his feet and knees 3 times daily.Hey, whatever works!
  While Kobe is 34 , age is really not the sole factor here. How many more years does Kobe really want to play? Two, three, five? Let's put it this way. When he gets his 6th ring and passes Kareem on the the all-time scoring list, even Kobe may seriously consider retirement.  Your thoughts ?

   NBA  beat reporter Steve  "Wilt" Goldman reporting.

Let's Never Forget "Pearl Harbor Day"!

December 6th  1941 , Japanese fighter planes ambush Pearl Habor . Devastation, surprise, shock ! Untold lives lost.. A day that will live in infamy. The two saddest days in American history. Pearl Harbor Day and "9-11". Changed our lives forever.
   So while "9-11" is still fresh in our minds....Let's  remember and respect Pearl Harbor Day every December 6th!  God Bless.

What Can You Say? They Call him J.R.!

  The Knicks had  their hands full with Charlotte last night. MJ  looking on. Kemba Walker racing around like a water bug! Melo in a second half funk. So a  couple of timely 3 pointers and some Bobcat turnovers, (simply the result of  inexperience) and they were   back in it.
   This all set the tone for the Knicks with 3 seconds left to take the last shot. To their credit, they never gave up.  So what does JR do? Only makes an impossible fall away 20 footer to win it!  The ride continues.


Steve Goldman reporting.

A-Rod Having Hip Surgery; How Many More Surgeries Can That 37 Year Old Body Take?

 Reports came  out yesterday that A-Rod will need yet, another surgery . How will he   respond? Can he ever be a .280 , 30 homerun , 90 RBI   guy again?  Been  through a lot. A-Rod has played a lot of games, taken a lot of at bats. One thing in his favor...No  one works harder  than him. That's a known fact!
   My take. What, he's got 640 homers or so ? Needs another 60 to get to 700. Another 130 to be the all-time leader. Personally, I'd like to see him get 700 .Would be fun! Jeter possibly gunning for  4000 hits.
   So for now, A-Rod takes it one day at a time with his guaranteed $30  million annual stipend. 
Yankees need to think about a 3rd base fix!
   My prediction. A-Rod back in   May !  Let's see!

Sports reporter Steve Goldman reporting.

I Hope DSK Enjoyed His Little Encounter With the Hotel Maid; It Looks Like It's Gonna Cost Him $6 Million!

So it looks like the entire Civil Case could  be coming to a close before the holidays. Reports are that the "maid has it made"!  Six million to her..Probably $4 mill after attorrneys fees. Nice work attorney Ken Thompson.  I hear DSK's  rich, estranged wife is actually  lending him $ 3 mill.
   So was justice served ? You be the judge on that one.  All I can say is that was one expensive lo_d!

   Only in America ! God  Bless.

I Gotta Laugh, London Jury Convicts "UBS Rogue Trader " Over $2.3 Billion Loss!

Kweku Adoboli, the so-called "UBS Rogue Trader ", was convicted of fraud  over the huge trading loss at UBS by a London jury . Shame on you jurors . Either defense counsel didn't do its job or you just didn't get it . UBS, like all big banks is greedy. They don't care about  anything but $. They watch every nickel like it's the last coin on earth. They "eat their young" like male rabbits !
   So  for anyone on this planet (who wasn't dropped from an alien spacecraft yesterday) to believe  UBS  wasn't on-board  for the "good and bad"  resulting from Adoboli's trades is beyond  funny !  Whether his trades and positions were expressly or impliedly authorized  is of little significance. UBS was  in for the ride...This ride just happened to crash and burn. Oh well.
   Since  he's convicted, then you might as well  convict all his bosses at UBS, plus the Executive Board. Show some cojones! But no, easier to  have a single  trader  as a scapegoat, taking the ultimate fall.  Hey, the moral of the story. "If you play with fire, sometimes you do get burned".

  Good luck on the appeal.

You Got To Give The Nets Credit; They've Arrived Quickly!

  First things first. I'm a  Knicks fan!  Been a Knicks  fan since I'm 10 years old.  I  do  root half-heartedly for the Nets . Follow them and will watch them once in a while.  Being perfectly  candid with you, just last  year I felt they were  one of the sorriest franchises in the NBA. Remember this is the same team,  that  it felt like every visiting  teams'  fans  were louder than the home Nets fans. Was pretty gloomy indeed!
   Then lo and behold, Deron Williams is signed. Joe Johnson comes to Broooklyn. Gerald Wallace, Reggie Evans. Humphies signs . Lopez is asserting himself every night. The Barclay Center opens. Large, vocal crowds. The Nets are over 500. Believing in themselves. JayZ   is the face of the franchise.
  But last night it got better, much , much better! Overnight like circa 1957, a New York -Brooklyn professional sports rivalry  was born!  Sellout crowd. Playoff atmoshere. National TV . High intensity. Knicks in first , Nets in second . Great efforts by both teams. Melo, 35, Lopez is terrific and the BROOKLYN  Nets  prevail in OT. A  win , win for both franchises, the fans and the City ! Hopefully , many more like this to come.
  Hey, and give the Nets credit. It's only November 27th, and they've arrived!

 City beat reporter Steve Goldman reporting.

Larry Hagman, "Macho Camacho " Pass Away..Have Clear Recollection of Each One!

 Over the holiday weekend , Larry Hagman(81) and  Hector "Macho " Camacho (age 50)  both passed. Larry  died of  cancer complications while  "Macho "  was declared " brain dead" from a gun shot wound he received to the face . Fifty, way too young!
    I  have lasting memories of each  for different reasons. Let me start with Hagman. While  he earned his international  acclaim starring  in Dallas,  my first memories were  from "I  Dream  of  Jeannie ". Hagman starred with the  beautiful Barbara Eden and Bill  Daly  in a sitcom that ran from 1965-1970. I was young, but loved the show  . I  remember  it was on at 4:00 , in reruns , weekday afternoons..(Right before Lost in Space).I would rush home from school, grab Ring Dings, Yodels, Twinkies or whatever and watch  TV from like 4-6 during the cold weather. Still have pretty vivid  memories even today.
   Now Camacho  was a different story. I  didn't necessarily love him, thought he danced too much  and didn't throw enough power punches, but he was entertaining, flamboyant and was skilled enough  to win titles in three separate weight divisions. Fought Leonard, Duran twice and  Chavez. Always broke, always in trouble . When I practiced law in the City I even had occasion to sue him in a crazy litigation involving Mike Marley. Camacho  was a product of the projects in Spanish Harlem!  His reckless lifestyle unfortunately caught up with him. He did give  a lot of people a lot of thrills!
   So having said all that; Larry, Hector may you rest in peace!

Obama In Bangkok, I Bet The Secret Service "Advance Team " Is Having Fun!

 It was not too long ago that Obama's  Secret Service  "advance  team " was involved  in "hookergate " in Colombia  . I guess they had  too much time on their hands  , We'll  I alluded  to the possibilty  of a Bangkok  trip and  how   it could really  be great   reality  TV,  "Agents  Gone Wild "!
   Well lo and behold, The President and his  entourage  are on an Asia  "swing" and  just spent a day or so in Bangkok;  arguably the Happy Ending capital of the World.  I wonder if the  Security Detail had to take a vow of celibacy . How much time off did  they have there? What is the exchange rate ? Do they take Visa? Don't you think these thoughts have crossed the minds of all  the travelling Secret Service(Not Escort Service you ninny!) Agents?
  I'm sure the security detail will be on their best behavior and will   act professionally at all times on the trip.(Professional being the key word here). I  suppose  the  Agents will not even  be  able  to  sample  the local  delicacies other than an "all you can eat" Thai buffet. Too bad.

  Oh well, there's always Cartegena again next year. Happy Thanksgiving.

   Steve Goldman reporting.

Knicks; I Now Know How Lucky Lakers, Celtics and Bulls Fans Are!

  Break up the Knicks....They're 6-0 !  Tremendous " come-from-behind"  win against the  Spurs  in San Antonio . Without Melo's offense (3 for 12) too  . Tonight they roll into Memphis against the 6-1 Grizzlies . One thing that  has surprised me is how fast J-Kidd still is dribbling the basketball  . He is so much fun to watch..We're lucky to get the future Hall of Famer while he still has  plenty left in the tank.
   So with the Knicks winning and playing entertaining ball, I find myself looking forward to their games. Can't help but  being envious of Laker, Bulls and  Celtic fans who have  had long stretches of success and winning basketball to watch every night.

   Oh by the way, only 27 more wins needed to tie Lakers streak of 33 straight!

NBA  beat writer Steve Goldman reporting.

RA Dickey Wins National League CY Young!

Another dreadful   Met  season. Madoff problems, financial woes, no outfield....Need I continue ?  In any event   R.A.  went  20-6  and was a stadout all year. You earned it! 

  Now the big question, can they keep him? Your thoughts?

Steve Goldman reporting.

Prosecutors Close Investigation Of Bernie Fine 2002 "Alleged Sexual Assault "; Was He Fallout From Penn State Scandal or Not Enough Evidence to Prosecute ?

Bernie  Fine the long-time Syracuse assistant  got some good news yesterday . Fine , who had been accused of "Sandusky-Type"  actions while an assistant  basketball coach at Syracuse will not have to defend  himself against criminal  charges from an alleged 2002 incident.  Was the decision made because he is innocent? Unreliable/sleazy witnesses?  Not enough evidence? What do you think ? 
  So  what is next for  Bernie Fine ? Will  he face other  claims? Probably not. Will Syracuse or any school hire him? Doubtful .  Will  he find  work here ? Don't know.

  My hunch; He winds up coaching overseas in Europe or Israel.  Look , if  he is a pedophile  he  deserves to  be  "banished " from interaction with kids period .  But, if  he is truly innocent of all allegations, a  life has been mistakenly ruined !  Your thoughts?

Lot of Interesting Political Stories Coming Out of This Year's Elections, But Nothing More Impressive In My Opinion Than The Fact That We Now Have 19 Female US Senators!

 Obama won convincingly ! The Democrats retained control of the Senate and did well nationwide. The Repulicans , although devastated by Romney's loss, did in fact  keep control of the "House". So what was the real story  of the 2012  Elections? Yes, you guessed it . Almost 40% of all  US Senators are now  woman.
   Pretty  amazing stuff ! Congrats  to all!   "You've come a long way baby"!

  Political analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Thank God Obama Won, I Don't Have to Move to Canada!

Well I was all  prepared to become a fanatic hockey fan, learn French,  take up " curling "  and watch "Canadian   Football " if Romney won.  Well  I'm glad to say we're staying put for 4 more years.
 
   To  Romney, back to Bain Capital  and "off-shore tax havens ". Ended up being a romp!

Someone Pinch Me, Knicks 3-0 To Start The Year!

 Usually the Knicks start 1-5, 2-7 or 0-5. By  mid-December things start looking hopeless. Too tough to watch! Well we're 3-0 to start. The first time in probably 20 years, and dominating  on both ends to boot.

  It's early I know. But hey, 3 and 0 is 3 and 0!  And don't look now, Melo is hustling and plaing "D".

Knicks Open With Very Impressive Win Against Heat!

  Look, with the devastation caused by  " Sandy " , and the  current  atmosphere of survival, it is tough to be upbeat about things like sports . For one night though , the Knicks "opening night " trouncing of the Heat  was a feel good moment. No way to explain the effort and dominance on both ends of the court.
   One could venture to say that is was the greatest  opening night win in Knick history!

  Be safe and keep the faith!

My Prayers Go Out to All Those Affected By The Storm!

 To all  those affected by the storm, my Prayers and  words of encouragement go out to you!  You shall overcome!

Gupta Gets Two Years On Insider Trading Conviction, Did He Get Off Easy?

 So Gupta gets 2 years in the joint for his role  in the Wall Street Insider Trading Scandal. Did he get off easy? The way I look at it is " that  it takes two to tango "! In  most "insider trading  prosecutions", there is a "tipper " and  "tippee". Each party needs the other. Without the "tipper's " non-public  information, the greedy 'tippee "  has no  unfair  advantage  in trading on a particular  stock.
   So  how can we rationalize Gupta getting just two years and Raj  Rajatnaram  being sentenced  to  11 years in Federal  Prision ? Is it because Raj R was sleazier, greedier and made more money? Or because Gupta, the  former Goldman Sachs Director was basically a " nice guy"  who went bad . Was age a factor?  Are  "tippees  looked at  with more  disfavor than tippers ?
   We'll probably never really know the exact thinking of the presiding Judge . My opinion, Gupta's two years are a walk in the park.
   Remember, it takes two to tango!
 

   Wall  Street  analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

World Series 2012; Will The One Game Home Field Advantage Determined By The All-Star Game Mean Anything?

  Something most fans don't think about is  how the  National League's  victory in the All-Star Game  could ultimately influence who will  become the  World Champion . MLB  , to try to  lend some importance to the All-Star Game , declared that the League that wins it will get " home field " in the World Series . The National League , with an assist from a  " juiced up " , Melky Cabrera  won the  game...effectively giving the Giants "home field".     The two teams appear to be  pretty evenly  matched ...On paper anyway. So  will  the  home field advantage  affect  the outcome of the Series?  I  think it will . Your thoughts ?

   Will the outcome be tainted because  Melky  was ' juiced up " at that time ?  Play ball!

  Sports reporter  Steve  "Honus " Goldman  reporting.

Presidential Debate Tonight is Important , But Not Outcome Determinative!

Ok so we got Obama-Romney 3  tonight. Not  quite Ali-Frazier , but highly anticipated  and a lot at stake . Based on common  perception, Romney won the first debate  and Obama the second. Election is just two weeks away.
     If you read the most recent poll results today, Obama  has 271 Electoral Votes now...Enough to get him elected. But hey, we got about 75 Electoral Votes at stake in swing states, that could be influenced by tonight's performance. Will either candidate  take chances, go for broke ? Does  our President perceive an opportunity to deliver a "knockout punch"(or at least a knockdown) ? Will we see the same intensity or more ? Your thoughts?
   Tune in tonight. I'll  be channel-flipping  to Giants-Cards game 7, to be honest.

   Ding, ding. Let's get ready to rumbleeeeeeeeeee!

  

Presidential Debates; As a Former Trial Lawyer I am Not Impressed With The Quality of Debating!

Let's  put things in  perspective  here. The first  debate  was a disaster  for  Obama. He was underprepared,  nervous and way too nice. The Vice-Presidential debate  had far more intensity to it. Then this  past  Tuesday, both Candidates  turned up the dial on   combativeness and quality of performance. I thought , because Obama kept  Romney on the defensive all night, that  he was  the  winner.
   But here's the thing . I  have been totally disappointed in the quality  of the debates. First of all there are only a certain number of  potential topics(economy, taxes, jobs), so each candidate should know every argument, fact, number and counterargument. On top of that, facts are facts. So when there is a disagreement on  what one candidate has said or done, the opposing party  should  be  ready to pounce(with dispositive proofs) on outright lies, misstatements, "flip-flopping", etc.
  It gets boring after a while  where each party repeats " I never said that". You either said it, or you didn't!Moreover, neither side has done a  very good job of "pre-debate fact checking". Very sloppy . And finally, come  up with some new arguments. The banter sounds like backround noise . And for God's sake Mr. President, when you have the chance to deliver a knockout punch(i.e. Bain Capital , 47%, Romney's taxes, tax shelters, no definitive  economic plan, out of step with the "middleclass "), throw the punch, don't backpedal. You're either in or your out!
   Ding, ding. Round 3 Tuesday!

Yanks; Call Me Crazy, But Yanks Can Get This Series to Game Six!

Things look beyond hopeless in Yankeeland! Tough to watch ,believe me. Has me counting the days to the NBA opener!  But stay with me for a second.  CC is on the hill tonight . He has been pitching excellent as of late , and my gut is he and  " good old fashion Yankee pride "  will  prevail tonight . Then we have Andy on the mound for game 5..Perhaps the best post-season pitcher over last 15-20 years 
   Lo and behold, it's game 6 and we're home, where anything can happen.  Let's see .
 
     Remember  " real  men " don't quit even with a collective team batting average of .158.  And Joe, I   expect to see Alex in the lineup tonight. Enough is enough!

DSK's Life As a Libertine Makes Elliot Spitzer Look Like a Prude!

 Let's lay (Bad choice of words) our cards on the table . DSK  loves sex, sex, sex!  Now  what's wrong with that  ? Most people when they can get it, love sex also .  More and more details are surfacing about  DSK's  Libertine lifestyle . Crazy stuff, right out of the movies(or Plato's retreat) . It seems that Mr. Strauss-Kahn  has basically attended lavish dinner parties, where everyone walks around  nude and eventually you have sex with multiple partners (Viagra fueled I would imagine) . I wonder if there is a "Virgin Sacrifice"?
   Seriously, you don't think every guy is jealous of the short, stout DSK (Did someone say 2 inches or less?)  and his sexual exploits ? Do you think he has the most career  shtups behind Wilt Chamberlain . Elliot Spitzer couldn't even get invited to one of these .  I  could see him at this party  in his boxers with a little logo , "Gov" on  his shirt  like Mel Brooks in Blazing saddles .
    So  what could you argue are his  problems here? Married, yes. Former "head " of the IMF ,yes. Possibly paying for sex?  Yes. Was sex safe? Who knows . At the end of the day , putting  all these issues behind(I couldn't help myself)  it sounds like he had a good ol time . Anthony Weiner, Elliot Spitzer  eat(sorry)  your hearts out .

  Steve  "Dr. Ruth " Goldman  reporting .

Yanks, No Rest For The Weary, Back at It Tonight!

First round down, two more to go. On the heels of  the clutch pitching by CC and some timely hitting , the Bombers survived their 5 game series with the "Birds ". Just barely. Without A-Rod, without Mariano and without much hitting. Three or four guys were just as pitiful as A-Rod.
   So here we are, tonight at the Stadium against Verlander, Cabrera and Fielder. A fresh start for Alex and the Yanks. Slate wiped clean. Play ball!

  Steve "Cossell " Goldman reporting.

Yanks-Orioles, A Series For the Ages !

 I   love it, I love it!  Not that I'm not sweating  profusely.  Extra inning marathons on a nightly basis. Falling asleep in the 8th...Waking up in the 12th! The piching(or lack of hitting) has been sensational. Who will be the last man standing?
   Game 5, 5:07 tonight  .  CC on the mound. Be there or be square!  Let's go Yanks!

Girardi's Decision To Pinch Hit For A-Rod, Was One Gutsy Move!

Ibanez, Ibanez, Ibanez!  Need I say his name again?  Absolutely  breathtaking! High  drama in the Bronx again in October. And he just did this just  a  few weeks back  in September. So where should I start ? With the obvious , Ibanez tying  a Divisional Playoff Game in the ninth inning with a dramatic homer? Or his walkoff  in the 12th putting the Yanks up 2-1 in the series?
  To me , the move by Girardi  was pure genious and risky. Pinch-hitting in the 9th for a slumping slugger...one of the greatest of all-time! Awesome !  Desperate  times, require desperate measures! Girardi and Ibanez..You guys rock!

Ichiro's Slide(Actually 2 Great Evasive Maneuvers in One Play) Was One of The Most Athletic Plays I've Ever Seen in Baseball!

 I'm   watching baseball for over 40 years now . Actually, I  remember watching  the Red Sox-Cards World Series in 1967 as a young kid. Anyway, the point here is I've  watched  a lot of baseball. Glued to the set for the post-season! Probably the most exciting play in baseball(and most dangerous)  is the "play at the plate". It's magnified in a big game or of course in a big situation.
   Well  last night , score 0-0, Ichiro tries to score on Cano's double in the right field corner. Fastest guy on the Yanks, right?  Problem is he's  30 feet from the plate with the  ball already in the catcher's glove.What  he did next, was super-human. He avoids the tag on the third base side of the plate, lands  on the first base side of home, spins and flips , touches home and scores! Unreal...Like catching a "water bug "!  The Orioles' catcher was in a state of shock. " Did I  really miss him" ?   Like a critter in the night.
     They showed it over and over again. Each time I , plus millions more had to be amazed.
 

 Yes, I said it...The most athletic play in baseball history.  Your thoughts?

Miguel Cabrera, Hat's Off To Him, He Earned the Triple Crown!

The Triple Crown. Probably the toughest  accomplishment in all of  sports. You could argue it's the equivalent of leading the NBA in scoring, rebounding and assists . Amazing accomplishment; First since 1967. Will the MVP  award  follow? Of course, it will. No brainer, despite my sentimental choice of Derek Jeter.
   So congrats to Miguel!  Can the Tigers hop on his back now and go for  a post-season ride?

   Your thoughts?

Another Magical Finish To Baseball's Regular Season!

 Nothing could probably equal the final day of the 2011 season, but this finish has plenty of  high drama  of it's own. Here's  what we can look forward to tonight(Did anyone say "Debates");
1. Yanks-Baltimore one game apart . Yanks control their own destiny.
2. Texas -Oakland play for  Division title and of course,
3.Miguel Cabrera goes for the  First Triple Crown since Yaz in 1967 ! Wow!
   And don't forget , the playoffs  haven't even started yet!
  Enjoy, and drink your 5 Hour Energy Drink!

  Steve "Costas " Goldman reporting.

Presidential Debates, My Prediction...Obama In a Knockout!

Well, Wednesday is the  big day!  First  Presidential  Debate  for Obama and  Romney. Obama  has some  great momentum now...It seems like "every day is now a bad day " for Romney  and Company. Obama could  almost put  Romney away with a strong showing.While  Romney will need the greatest performance of his career coupled with  Obama falling  apart  in front of our very eyes to stay in the race.
   Here's why  Obama  will make a superior showing;
1. Has been there before;
2. Riding a wave of momentum, confidence way up;
3. Much more personable;
4.Romney just doesn't get it!
5.Obama thinks better on his feet;
6. Obama  has more "street smarts " and of course..
7.BAIN, BAIN, BAIN!

  See you Wednesday .

  Reporting  Steve  " Brinkley " Goldman.

R.A. Dickey, What a Story...Does He Deserve Cy Young?

What an awesome story! Here's a guy on a terrible ballclub, who is a knuckleballer, has never won more than 11 games and whose only good previous  year  was 2010  where  he won 11 games and had a .284 ERA. Out of nowhere this year he's 20-6 with an impressive .269 ERA.  Tremendous  year, tremendous numbers !
   Now, while  the story is  great, do his numbers  in their entirety really  justify a Cy Young  for the " knuckleballer"?  I think the answer is  most definitely yes. Who else, Strassburg? He was shut  down.
   The real big question is will  Dickey ever be able to duplicate  this  year's performance?
       Your thoughts?

Selma Alabama, Rebuilding a Monument of The Ku Klux Klan's First Grand Wizard, Get a Fuc_n Grip On Yourself!

Monuments have gotten a lot of play in the media recently . Penn State did the right thing and tore  down the Paterno Statue in "Happy   Valley". I  always considered that monuments should be erected  in honor of great people, like  Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson,  Martin Luther  King and JFK.
   So what in God's name was  Selma, Alabama thinking when it  decided  to rebuild the monument of Nathan Bedford  Forrest, a Civil War General and first Grand Wizard of the KKK?   Are they intentionally trying to be stupid, ignorant, racist, bigoted  and insensitive all in one fell swoop ? Apparently  so! Remember this is 2012, not 1812.
  Anyway, I got an idea . Let them rebuild it and erect it. Then in an official ceremony  provide all the townspeople with axes and picks , and let  them tear it down piece by piece  signifying  the death  of  bigotry, racism and hatred in Alabama.  MLK  would be proud.   Now, that's an idea!

I'm Not a Huge Mets Fan, But Ike Davis Does Have 30 Homers and 88 Rbi's!

 I was reading the boxscores this morning, like everyday since I'm 9 years old, and   I was pleasantly surprised to see Ike's #'s. Yes, he is batting .227, but  let's remember back in May when  he was one at bat away from being sent down to Triple A.  He's hung in there, turned things around and has been one  of the few bright spots for the  boys from Flushing  this year .
  If he can get to .240 and knock in 100 runs that would be something.  Go Ike!

Yanks Win a Marathon ,Extra-Inning Game vs.Oakland...Every Game is Meaningful!

Today's  six hour affair vs Oakland was a classic. Down 9-5 in  " extras" the Bombers  come back to win it  10-9!   Everyone contributed  to the big  "W" , from top to bottom. After  Freddy Garcia got jacked , I was  very close  to  turning the game off out of sheer  frustration and disgust .
   Next thing I  know 2 men are  on and  Cano singles to load it  . Five runs later, this game qualified for an  "all-time Yankee classic". No doubt . So the Yanks  continue to get wins..Two thrillers against the gritty A's.
    I gotta tell you one thing...Nothing like being involved in a "Pennant Race " in September . Another important game on Sunday.  Ibanez, you were the man today!

Miguel Cabrera, Triple Crown, What's He Worth ?

Look at the season  Cabrera is having...41 homers, 130 RBI's , BATTING .330 . Only one homer behind Josh Hamiliton  for a  possible Triple Crown. Would be first since 1967!.Going to be  an interesting last 12 games or so.
  So this all brings me to my question: What is a guy like Miguel Cabrera  worth out there in the marketplace? A-Rod makes about $30 million/year. Most of the top, top guys are  in the $20 million range . So if he keeps it up, is he worth $150 million over 5 years?
   You be the judge! 

Ichiro, 7 Hits, 4 Steals in Doubleheader..If He Can Keep it Up!

Wow, Ichiro was his machine-like self yesterday, dominating 2 games with singles and stolen bases, Right now, I'd experiment and move him to #2 slot. Swisher can bat 6th or seventh.
  Gotta tell you  if   Jeter and Ichiro  can set a "nightly banquet table", things could get very interesting.
    Anyway, one game at a time!

Will the Dow Hit 14,000, That Is The Question ?

At 11:08 this morning the Dow hit 13,586. Amazing, considering it had bottomed out in the low 7,000's in the fall of 2008. If somehow, someway it reaches 14,000, the Dow would effectively have grown by almost 7000 points in the last 4 years. How do you explain it, taking into account all the other negative economic data?
You don't! Happy trading.

Reporting Market analyst Steve "Milton Friedman " Goldman.

Mirror, Mirror on The Wall, Who Is The Greatest Fourth Quarter Quarterback of All? Eli Of Course!

Eli is no longer Peyton's little brother . Two Super Bowl rings, Super Bowl MVP. Much improved arm strength . Confidence in himself. Team believes in him . Never gives up..Never gets too down on himself.
Now, I think we can without hesitation state he is the best 4th quarter QB in the game. No ifs ands or buts. Comeback after comeback last year. Playoffs, Super Bowl. This past week against Tampa Bay to me was the "icing on the cake". Slow start. Some bad picks. Giants on the brink...Then lo and behold, "Eli the Gunfighter " takes over. Giants score 25 fourth quarter points(Yes 25 I said!), and Eli throws for 510 yards..(Move over Y.A. Tittle, Phil Simms) . Crazy numbers.
But you want to know something? To Eli, the numbers are not crazy. He believed all along the way he could and would do it!
Don't stop him now.

NFL reporter Steve "Sack" Goldman reporting.

Whistleblowers; I Got an Idea, Work For a Crimininal Enterprise, Turn Everybody In and Collect $104 Million..Easy As 1,2,3!

Ok, ready for your next "get rich quick scheme"? Here's how it goes . Get a job at "well-established bank ", imbed yourself in the bank's business of hiding assets from the IRS, turn yourself in, rat out everyone under the sun and collect a $104 million reward. Not bad right?
Well that's exactly what Bradley Birkenfeld, the former UBS banker did. Birkenfeld received a 40 month prision sentence and has now been released to home confinement . Let's put it this way. After paying his attorneys he should net about $70 million. Not bad for an unemployed criminal, former banker. Will certainly change his life.
And who said crime doesn't pay !

Legal analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Murray, First Brit Since 1936 To Win Tennis Major.

Not going to get into "micro-analysis " of yesterday's 5 hour marathon final between Murray and Djokovic . First of all I was wrong(but happy). I predicted Djokovic. Secondly , the match was one for the ages! Surreal moment. Nine o'clock on a Monday night, with Novak cramping, Murray reaches into the "reserve tank " and pulls it out. Monkey is off his back.
Long live the Queen! And of course, Andy Murray!

Steve "Bjorn" Goldman reporting.

US Open Men's Tennis Prediction; Djokovic Over Murray in Five Sets!

Something about Monday afternoon Tournament Championships that I love. I guess it kinda extends the weekend and turns a Monday afternoon into something special. Speaking of special..I think that's exactly what this final will be! While I'm rooting for Murray, my prediction is Djokovic in 5 sets in a tremendous marathon!

Hope it ends before Monday Night Football.

Enjoy.

Serena Williams at Age 30 Wins US Open, But It Was Really About Last 4 Games!

I've watched a lot of sports since I'm a kid . Everything, including cliff diving from Mexico. Is that actually a sport ? Anyway, what Serena did yesterday was one of the greatest sports performances I ever saw. Coming off singles and doubles titles at Wimbledon and the Olympics, she looked unbeatable! And through the first six matches and one set Sunday, she actually was "Wonderwoman". Physically imposing, the heart and will of of a lioness. She steamrolled every opponent she faced.
Then something happened. I don't know what happened. Maybe Azarenka stepped it up a notch. Perhaps Serena lost her concentration. She could have gotten tired...Nerves? We may never know!
But all of a sudden , Azarenka ties things up at 1 set all. Then Azarenka is up 5-3 in the 3rd. Serena looked tired, lethargic...And as she said, she was preparing her runnerup speech.
What happened next was a thing of beaty, grace, power and nerves of steel. Serena reeled off 4 straight games in a row . She played perhaps the greatest 16 straight points at a pressure packed moment, in tennis history! Nothing her opponent could do.She hit perfect power stroke after power stroke. She got to every ball, made every shot.
By the time we all came up for air, it was over. Great champions do great things.
This being her 15th major...It had to have been special! Enjoy it.

Dow Jones; Don't Look Now, Dow just Hit 13,302 !

Wall Street is a world unto itself . Unemployment, Libor scandals, Euro craziness and mortgage debacles....But somehow, the Dow has gotten up off the canvas and has reached 13,302 as of 10 minutes ago. Wow!
How do you explain it ? Short answer , you don't . You can rationalize it after the fact, but there is no way to look inside each " investor's head " to know their mindset. The slightest tick can set off a worldwide selling spree . So for the time being , while the market is no longer the investment tool it used to be , the Dow Jones Index is as mighty as ever.
Now , what is going to happen with Facebook?

Enjoy the weekend!

US Open Tennis; Adios Roddick and Federer!

Another amazing day at the Open. Serena rolling along. Murray and Djokovic advance. Sharapova struggles a bit but advances. But the big stories of the day were Roddick's exit and the upset of "Roger" by Berdych . In an emotional, yet gutsy performance by Roddick, he simply didn't have the answers for Del Potro who played like a champion. Andy played well , but Del Potro handled his serve and hit stinging passing shots all match. Andy will be missed!
Roger must be extremely disappointed. He did not play "Federer-Like" tennis and Berdych, except for a little "3rd set blip", may have played the best match of his career!
So we move on ..My two favorite players gone. Still, an abundance of talent and some great matchups over the best (last) 4 days of the tourney.
Woops, gotta go. Matches on in 38 minutes on ESPN 2.

Steve "Bud" Goldman reporting.

Democratic Convention; If I'm the Democrats, I'd Follow Michelle With Hillary, Bill and Wrap It Up With the President!

Watched a little of Michelle's speech from last night at the convention . I gotta tell you, while I'm not a big " convention guy", she did a tremendous job ! Real positive, high note ! Like the former trial lawyer I am....When things are going well, get your case in quickly and efficently and get it to the jury.
Here, I'd keep things short and sweet.. Put Hillary Clinton on. Put the "Grand Poobah ", Bill Clinton on , and wrap it up with the President. Anybody else will be a "time killer" at best .
So Democrats let's end on a strong note, and spend the next two months unleashing ad after ad attacking Bain Capital, Romney's problems with womans' issues and and of course his failure to connect with the "common man".
You got em where you want them now.

Political reporter Steve "Delano " Goldman reporting.

A-Rod Returns; Still Not Enough For the Yanks! Lose 4-3 to Rays.

A-Rod returned to the lineup today. Hopefully, he'll regain the form of "A-Rod of old"! They badly need his right-hand bat. If you look at the Yankees carefully, it's almost a miracle that they're still clinging to first place. Mo out. A-Rod was out. Andy out. Tex out on and off .Granderson has been out. Joba out . Need I go on? Shaky starting pitching . Granderson and Ibanez batting in the .230's . Russell Martin still on the "interstate ". They've lived and barely survived on the long ball this year. But right now they're hanging on by a thread.
The moon, stars and planets will really have to line up perfectly for the Yanks to even get into the playoffs(less than 30 games left) , let alone make a run!
Well, I can say one thing. There will definitely be a lot of meaningful Yankee games played in September. Enjoy things , while we sweat it out!
Happy Labor Day!

Wow, Andy Roddick at Ancient Age of 30 Retiring!

Tennis is a crazy sport. You start practicing 3 hours a day from age 3. You eat, sleep and dream tennis. Coaches, camps, academies...Practice, practice , practice!
And those precious few who are fortunate enough to turn pro and be successful can make a ton of money . Get sponsored, endorsements , prize money and travel the globe . If you're even better you can win tournaments and maybe a "Grand Slam Event". Can be quite a ride.
So when one hits 30 (Exception Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer) your career, while not over is usually on the decline . So why is Roddick hanging it up and leaving millions of dollars on the table. First off, I gather he's financially secure. Secondly he won the Open in 2003, Davis Cup, a lot of tournaments and lost some historic Grand Slam matches. Did someone say Federer at Wimbledon? Not to mention his family of course. Plus He's been hitting tennis balls his whole life..Might be burned out, might need a rest . He's done it all!
So while this "Open " could be his last(The crowd will be nuts tonight!), my gut feeling is that after spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with the family ,.. and after missing the Australian Open, you might very well see a comeback. Who knows ?
For now, hats off to the best American men's player of this past generation!
Steve 'Bud" Goldman reporting.

I'm Sure Brooklyn Is Proud To Have Vito Lopez as It's Assemblyman!

Never a dull day in New York politics. A corruption scandal here, fraud, illegal use of public funds , ethics , conflict of interest and of course our favorite , "a sex scandal"! By the way what is Anthony Weiner doing now? Thank God we don't have Vito Lopez posing in his underwear!
So our latest politician to get caught up in a scandal is Vito Lopez. Yes the 71 year old politician. Allegations are that he sexually harassed , both verbally and via unwanted touching, two female staffers of his. And then to make things more interesting, Sheldon Silver authorized a " hush payment " of about $100,000 from "Assembly money" to these woman . Easy come(Don't be a pig) ,easy go.
And you know what? Our laws are so archaic that Lopez was simply stripped of a Chair position and ordered to attend a sexual harassment awareness course.(Not inter-, you ninny!) I wonder what aide(I mean accomplice ) will he send to sit in for him. Probably will be authorized by Sheldon Silver. The whole thing is a joke.
I can only hope that a "pit bull plaintiff's lawyer" gets retained , and we'll really have a fiasco on our hands. Could be very interesting.
For now, enjoy your Labor Day. The fun is only beginning!

Political correspondent Steve Goldman reporting.

Wall Street ; Big Banks Key to Success , Make Sure You Have a Profitable "Money Laundering Division"!

Money Laundering , one of the World's oldest professions, apparently is alive , well and thriving. Standard Chartered, the big British bank just paid a $340 million fine for allegedly laundering billions of dollars . HSBC , is next on the hit list . HSBC has put aside $700 million for possible penalties , fines and sanctions. Remember, if you get caught, just pay the "Piper".
Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank of Germany, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole of France and the Royal Bank of Scotland are now the focus of a "money laundering investigation" . Well, for God's sake, who isn't the focus of an investigation? And these are presumably just the foreign banks who got caught.
The scope of what really goes on would be mind boggling to anyone who is not an insider in the business.
How do you stop it? You don't! How do curtail it ? Indict high-level bank executives and
" pull their authorization " to do business in the United States . Get tough!
Will that work? I don't know... Your thoughts?

SF Goldman reporting.

Hey, Don't Feel Sorry For Facebook Shareholders, With a Billion People Using Facebook ,The Stock Will See Better Days!

So when does upper management and it's shareholders at Facebook start to panic ? Hey, the stock "hit the Street " at $38 in May, peaked at $45 and closed today at $19 and change . Yikes!
"It's a fine mess you got me into O'llie"!
But seriously, it blows my mind to think that a company like Facebook, with nearly a "billion users" is not the darling of Wall Street. Why not? Was the stock overvalued at the time of the IPO? Is there a lack of trust in Zuckerberg? Are revenue expectations too high? Will they be able to maximize advertising income? Is there a perception of being stagnant? The questions go on and on .
I can tell you one thing , there are some pretty brilliant people running the company with top-notch consultants.
Here's my advice to Zuckerberg and company. Start running Facebook like a fu__in business. You're no longer in your dorm room at Harvard. Start making $ already. Push for the allmighty advertising dollar and batton down the hatches. Wall Street and "John Doe investor" want cash flow, growth and low debt .Give it to them.
If you want to be a publicly traded company, start acting like one . If not, buy up the stock and go private! Good luck.
Wall Street analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Roger Clemens to Pitch in Minor Leagues on Saturday...But Roger, Why?

Roger, man o man get a life . You were acquitted by a D.C. jury. You have a great family. You're young ,healthy, have 7 Cy Youngs, some "rings" and presumably are worth a boatload($$). So what are you trying to prove? That a 50 year old former stud pitcher, who is "roid-free " can throw 87 mph and win in the minor leagues. Or do you just have too much time on your hands ?
God bless the minor league team who will put a lot of fannys in the stands. It will be a shortlived media frenzy..And who knows, maybe he'll be the oldest pitcher(Did someone say Satchel Paige?) to win a game in a long time. But this reminds me of Hearns, Leonard, Duran, Hagler, Frazier et al who just couldn't quit. It became sad, ugly and downright disgraceful after a while . Roger, don't do it.
Look, at the end of the day, who really knows Clemens' reasons for this stunt. I can tell you one thing , if you think it will increase your chances to make the "Hall of Fame", think again.
Just go ask Pete Rose who has wasted the last 25 years of his life.
Steve Goldman reporting.

Phyllis Diller, What Can You Say? She Was One of The Greatest of All-Time!

Phyllis Diller just passed away at the ripe old age of 95. She lived a good life and worked well into her late 80's . She was a classic , and in my opinion was the greatest female standup artist of the last 50 years. She did it all.
I have particular great memories of her while growing up. In high school, college and Law School I did some standup comedy at local restaurants and bars. I used material from Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett, George Carlin, Flip Wilson, Bill Cosby , Johnathan Winters and yes, Phyllis Diller . I remember watching them religiously on the Dean Martin Roasts on TV . Great stuff!
There was one great Phyllis Diller line that "I stole verbatim" and incorporated into my act . Still remember it today.
I "knew a girl who was so flat , that when she layed down she had to have a sign saying this side up"! Funny stuff .
Perhaps her funniest schtick was her bit about her fictitious husband "Fang". Classic. She was far and away the Queen of self-deprecating humor. She made millions laugh for generations and will always be remembered.
God Bless.

Just Because You Make the "Hall of Fame"(Hall of Shame in Some Cases ), Doesn't Necessarily Mean You're Honest!

Couldn't believe it . First reported on Friday, "Hall of Fame " College coach Jim Donnan is accused of being of being part of a "Ponzi Scheme " which allegedly bilked investors out of $80 million . Then yesterday, Hall of Fame Baseball player Eddie Murray(You know 500 homers and 3000 hits) agreed to settle S.E.C. charges of trading(buying stock) on inside information he allegedly received from a former Oriole teammate . Murray, reportedly will pay a fine of $385,000.
Look, obviously if proven, Donnan's actions are worse. But Murray apparently broke the law too. Both are misdeeds of greed. An argument can be made that Murray's actions had "no real victims", while Donnan might very well be no better than Madoff.
I can tell you this. Murray didn't need the money. Did Donnan ? I don't know. When it's all said and done, Donnan could be "going away" for quite some time. His possible "saving grace " might be" turning " on the Ohio businessman who may have been the mastermind of the scheme.
Can someone be kicked out of the Hall of Fame ? Pete Rose is 71 and could use the slot.

Sports reporter Steve "Skip " Goldman reporting.

Standard Chartered, Oh Well , We Got Caught...Let's Contribute $340 Million to New York State and All Is Well!

Yes, it happened again! Amazingly so. Another big international bank, Standard Chartered out of London was accused of laundering money through their US Branch over a 10 year period , and of course "disguising the transactions " to avoid detection. Some reported accounts estimate the amount at issue to be as high as $250 BILLION. Yes, billion I SAY! Not easy to disguise that amount of volume and go undetected.
Well give NY State some credit. They didn't wait for the Feds, and aggressively pursued the "Bank". At the end of the day everyone(almost everyone) got what they wanted. The bank pays a fine , keeps it's New York branch operating and lives to see another day. The Great State of New York gets a nice "mid-summer " infusion of cash . It would be easier if the banks, traders and hedge funds just paid a couple of hundred million " up-front",good for 25 violations of the law. Would seem to be simpler!
Wall street snoop, Steve "Dirty Laundry " Goldman reporting.

Don't Look Now,Hiroki Kuroda 10-8 With a 3.24 ERA!

With all the Yankees injuries and starting pitching problems, one steady , reliable starting pitcher has stood out. Yes, believe it or not Hiroki Kuroda . Acquired by the Yanks in the off-season , Yank fans were cautiously optimistic about the move. After a slow start, NY fans were not happy campers.
Well, after injuries to Andy, Sabathia and uncertainty with Phil Hughes, Kuroda has become a "reliable starter", with what seems like a string of quality starts! Pitches tonight against Texas, and with a strong finish this season he could notch 15 wins with a low 3 ERA. Wow. More than even Brian Cashman could have expected.
So we're in mid-August and somehow the "Bronx Bombers " keep on trucking along . Nothing spectacular, but just about everyone they throw out there on the field seems to produce .

Only 6 weeks to Playoffs! Get healthy Andy and A-Rod soon.

Howard to Lakers, OMG...Laker Fans Should Be Kissing Kupchak's As_!

Five titles in the "Kobe Era" I gather is not enough ! The Lakers want more and may very well get more . Mitch Kupchak has been a busy fellow this summer landing "free agent point guard" , Steve Nash and the best big man in the game(far and away) Dwight Howard . Starting lineup, Gasol, Howard, "World Peace"(Artest), Kobe and Nash . That is going to be one fun team to watch! Nash could average 17-18 assists per game. Heck , I could average 10.
Seriously, Kobe, Gasol and Howard should be the beneficiaries of Nash's playmaking. Really, the first true point guard Kobe has really ever played with. Nash makes everyone better.
So watch out OKC and San Antonio, the Lakers are gunning for ring #6 in the Kobe era.

Jack Nicholson, you are in "Seventh Heaven"!

US Woman's Soccer Team...You Go Girls!

So much going on in London. Swimming , track, diving, tennis, hoops, water polo.....The events go on and on. One group of athletes with their Gold Medal yesterday truly achieved "rock star status". Yes, the Woman's Soccer team in their victory over Japan avenged the gut-wrenching defeat in the World Cup.
It was an unbelievable match, great intensity, pride and a high level of play. There are too many heroes to name. Total team effort . Great goaltending; Tremendous bench play . And take your hat off to Japan . A gutsy, talented group of ladies .
Only 3 more days left! US Mens hoops today against Argentina.


Great Olympics!

Oscar Pistorius, "The Blade Runner ", and South African 4x400 Relay Team Advance to Final!

The Blade Runner and his Countrymen are alive and well and via a ruling on their appeal, will run in the finals. What an opportunity for Oscar and South Africa to make history. Just getting there is quite noteworthy in historical perspective!
Moral of the story, "you can do anything you set your mind to" .

Go Oscar.....The world is pulling for you!


Steve"Jesse Owens" Goldman reporting.

Wall Street; Reason Banks Get Away With "Highway Robbery ", Is Because Penalties Are Too Fu__in Light!

I was thinking yesterday about what I would "blog about " today. Didn't want to do more Olympics . Most other headlines have been about sad , horrific events . Then lo and behold, staring me straight in the eye was my story. Yes, the latest 2 Wall Street Scandals ;are the fixing of interest rates by big banks(Libor Scandal) and Knight Capital's out of control trading system that caused them $440 million in losses . Throw in MF Global , Facebook and JP Morgan and you have a "scandal stew ".
But despite all stated intentions to investigate, prosecute, regulate(master__te) etc, we all know the ultimate sanction will be a monetary penalty. It's an understanding. The regulatory agency needs the money and the bank can afford the penalty a million times over . They just pass it on to their "loyal customers " . So what happens ? They are good citizens until the next scandal . Did someone say " too big to fail " .
But guess what ? The banks will continue to do as they please if all that ever happens is they apologize and pay a multi-million dollar fine.. No fear. No respect. No deterrent at all! Carte blanche . They're playing with monopoly money.
There is one thing that will make them shake in their boots, and adhere to the law. Yes,
" three strikes and you're out". Make 3 major blunders and your "banking charter is pulled " . Now, that has some bite! Believe me, you'll see "banking angels " all over Wall Street. The culture will change over night.
Call it tough love! Something meaningful has to be done.
Wall Street analyst Steve "SEC " Goldman reporting.

Grandpa ,Michael Phelps is Still King!

He did it again! He did it again! Phelps goes wire to wire in the 200 IM . Brings his all-time medal total to 20. Two Golds and two silvers so far in London, with 2 events to go ! Stay tuned...Beware of "spoiler alerts ". And he beat his arch rival Ryan Lochte . Trounced him!
So , this should be a good lesson in the future. "It aint over till the fat lady sings.

Steve Goldman reporting.

Michael Phelps, " He Is The Champion, Of The World"(Queen)!

I gotta to tell you, the Olympics is a "Blogger's" dream. One great story after another ! Missy Franklin, Womans' Gymnastics, Beach Volleyball, Basketball and of course "Sir " Michael Phelps . He made history yesterday , and without hesitation he can now be called the"greatest Olympian "ever . Amazing! Yesterday he got a Gold and Silver(2 Silvers and a Gold in London) bringing his all-time total to 19. Not bad for a washed up champion.
I think he has some more events so we shall see if he hits 20....At this point, anything more would simply be gravy . He's established a record which will stand forever !

Michael, you're the greatest ever. Don't stop now !

Reporting Steve "XXX " Goldman.

Missy Franklin 17 Years Old, Gets The Gold!

The Olympics are filled with unbelievable highs and heart-shattering lows! Winning a Gold, setting a World Record are fulfillments of a life of training. Likewise a defeat, a disqualification or tripping coming out of the starting blocks can be devastating . Nothing you can do about it!
One of top "feel good " moments of the London Olympics so far, took place yesterday when Missy Franklin, the 17 year old American won a Gold in the 100 meter backstroke in the fastest time ever. Yes, the fastest time ever. While most 17 year olds are finishing high school, taking the SAT's or getting ready for college she simply went out and cemented her place in history as the fastest female backstroker in the history of the World. Wow! Life will never be the same.
Hopefully, we'll have many more such moments to come.

Olympic beat witer Steve "Jim Thorpe " Goldman reporting.

Michael Phelps, One of The Greatest Olympians Ever; Don't Count Him Out Yet!

I guess when you win 8 golds in one Olympics, and 16 Olympic medals in your career, people's expectations are high. And rightfully so. So despite Phelps' admission that he did not train as diligently as in past years, he's here trying to become the all-time Olympic Medal winner! I can tell you, I'm rooting hard for him .
Off to an"Un-Phelps like " start. 4th in the 400 meter Individual Medley . Did get a Silver in a team relay and now is one medal away from tying for all-time medal lead. Come on Michael, you can do it!
My prediction. When all is said and done he is the all-time leader. That will be a great moment for him, swimming and the USA . Remember , don't count him out yet!

Olympic reporter Steve "Spitz" Goldman.

Insider Trading, Americans Don't Have Exclusive License On It, Japanese Doing it Too!

Everyone's doing it, "trading on Inside,Non-Public Information "! It's the latest and greatest international craze . And guess what? Us Americans don't have the patent on it . I know Boesky, Raj R, Gupta et al. Who said prostitution was the "world's oldest profession".
Latest company to be ensnared in an insider trading scandal is Japan's largest investment bank, Nomura Securities . Are you shocked ? I suspect you're not . Nomura admitted that it's employees leaked inside information regarding Inpex, Mizuho and Tokoyo Electric before it was made available to the public. Where I come from(Not Kansas you nitwit), that's called cheating ! And why ? Greed, power, impressing customers and" I'll only do it this one-time attitude". Customers greed and over the top trades did everyone in . No sympathy here . CEO Kenichi Watanabe just resigned.
Well, if convicted , I understand the defendants will face an unusual, but harsh penalty under Japan's Securities Laws. Yes, ten years in jail, sharing a bunk (bottom) with a 400 lb Sumo Wrestler convicted of eating a "day trader ".
Good luck. Sayonara!

International Securities Analyst Steve "Sushi "Goldman reporting.

A-Rod Fractures Left Hand, Another Yankee Down For The Count!

We get Sabathia back, Joba is close, Andy is coming along, and bang! A-Rod suffers a non-displaced fracture of his left hand . Could be out 5 weeks. Eric Chavez, a very competent third baseman will take over . Should do ok. Despite A-Rod's generally unproductive year, he has been hot as of late . Hitting the ball hard . He's usually a quick healer too.
So , if all goes well maybe we'll get him back by Labor Day. Give him 3-4 weeks to get back in game shape and ready himself for the post-season.
In the meantime, a little "silver lining ". Move Granderson to the 5 spot, and bat Ichiro 2nd behind Jeter. That would be exciting. Almost 6000 hits between them!

MLB analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Yanks Get Ichiro, I Hope The Sushi in New York is Up to His Standards!

So after my kids went off to camp today, I picked up the Times to browse the headlines. What do I see? Ichiro is a Yankee! I gotta tell you , it picked me up like two double expressos. Yes, I know he's 38. Yes I know he's in the last year of his contract. Yes, I know he's had 3 down years in a row. Yes, I know we're about 20 games over .500...But, he's Ichiro. 2500 HITS in 12 or so years. 438 stolen bases. Had 262 hits in one year. Rocket for an arm. Premier "singles hitter" of this generation ! Future Hall of Famer . Yes, I said it.
And you know what? Baseball is all about the post-season . Just maybe, New York will revitalize Ichiro. Maybe he's the piece we need to get back to the "Promise Land". He's certainly an improvement over anything we got now . What a lineup too. Jeter, A-Rod, Tex, Cano , Ichiro and more . As a Yankee Fan , I feel like I'm in for a treat getting to watch this guy every night for the last 70 games. Will be a blast!
And while we lost Jeremy Lin, we have picked up another international Asian sensation. Stay tuned! Enjoy.

Romney, I Got a Good Idea, Make Shelly Adelson Your Secretary of State...He's Got Good International Diplomatic Skills(Lol)!

You know Shelly Adelson. Billionaire Casino mogul. Chief of the Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chief of the Company that runs his high-flying Macau Casino. Donated $20 million to an "independent group" backing Gingrich and has contributed another $10 million to another "so-called independent group " backing Romney . GOP groupie , in my opinion .
Hasn't had a good last 3 weeks in the news or in the Courts . In Court filings in a lawsuit filed by former Macau executive , Steven Jacobs , against Adelson et al, Adelson has been accused of personally approving prostitution at his Macau properties and violating immigration laws ! He is also under investigation for possibly bribing foreign officials . He would have loved Watergate! But hey, the First Commandment of Politics; Thou shall honor the almighty dollar contributed by wealthy donors. Adelson and Romney apparently abide by the same business rule...Eat or be eaten ! Ten million pays for a lot of "air time".
So with all these millions of dollars that Adelson has given , what will Romney do in return if by some miracle he makes it to the White House ? That's an easy one . Make him Secretary of State . Seems to have an"excellent way with foreign officials ". Maybe could win a Nobel Prize in "bribery ".
And don't forget as an added perk , when the President visits Macau Adelson can provide free hookers to his "advance team ".

Political analyst Steve "Woodward and Bernstein " Goldman reporting.

Lin's Gone; Ok Felton Get in Shape, And Kidd Please Don't Drive(Not To the Hoop You Knucklehead) Your Car Anymore...Get A Driver Already!

Tuesday night was dramatic, anticlimactic , disappointing and depressing all at once. I'm of course referring to losing Lin to the Rockets. The Knicks assumed too much, underestimated Lin and the Rockets took us to the cleaners . Great for Lin, the Rockets and the City of Houston. They'll get 3 years at least of Linsanity! Wow. We only had it for 25 games . I'll bet they sell out every game . Of course they need some pieces, but I believe Lin will be an all-star caliber point guard if he continues to work hard , get stronger and progress under Kevin McHale's system. I feel a little bad for Lin that Houston will be a work in progress. Hope he doesn't get stuck in a "long-term rebuilding scenario". As for James Dolan, you demonstrated that you're only positive attribute is having been " born into money ". You let a "megastar go"! Probably against the advice of Grunwald, Woodson et. al. You misled your fans, sold out all the season tickets and let the "Golden Goose" go. Sneaky stuff!
Enough of that . Time to move on. Let's hope Felton regains his form from 2010, Amare as well and that JR Smith can show some consistency . Let's not forget future Hall of Famer , Jason Kidd. If everybody plays together and up to to their capabilites they can win 50..Then who knows.
So Knick fans, stop crying in your beer. We still got some real pieces, finished strong last year and expectations are high.
Remember , unfortunately we can't put our owner out on waivers!

Reporting Steve "Hoops" Goldman.

James Dolan, Are You Fu__in Kidding Me? Not Signing Lin Would Be The Garden's Biggest Mistake Ever!

I'm beside myself . The pieces seemed to be falling into place. Mike Woodson assured us on numerous occasions that " Jeremy Lin is our starting point guard. You don't lose your spot when you're injured ". Kidd would mentor Lin and give them 20-25 minutes a game. Camby's our backup. More "Linsanity ". Looking forward to training camp.
So what do the "Garden Brass " (Garden "ass " is more like it ) do? They don't give Lin a contract , wait for other teams to court him and lo and fu__in behold he signs a three year deal with Houston and now it seems that the Knicks won't match the offer and Lin will be gone forever . We're talking about Jeremy Lin here. A guy who came out of nowhere to start 25 games, put up sick #'s and basically saved the Knicks season and electrified the NBA, America and the world! Markerting megastar, solid citizen...Can only get better . So what do the Knicks do? They go out and get a fat Raymond Felton . Oy vey.
The sticking point is now about the $14 million in year 3 of the contract and "Luxury Tax " ramifications . Lin will pay for himself 100 times over!
So here we are 24 hours away from the time to match the offer about to expire. No Lin still . If he's not signed, he'll always be known as the one who got away. And Carmelo be quiet, stop chiming in . Your comments are not welcome.
Somehow I hope a miracle happens and Lin stays.

If not , all I can say is "let's go Rock-ets"!

Steve "Hot Rod " Goldman reporting .

Let's Face It, The Worldwide Financial Systems Are Broken,Do You Really Think Romney Could Fix Them?

Holy schmoly, the World's financial systems , dominated by the "big banks" are totally out of control. The credit crisis. Lehman Brothers falling. The "sub-prime " mortgage crisis . Bailout after bailout. European economies falling like dominoes. The Countrywide Crisis". Insider trading like it's going out of style. Madoff . The "Amish Ponzi-Scheme". MF Global. The "derivatives market ". The "Delta Desk Scandal " in London. Greece, Italy, Spain. Municipal bankruptcies in California. JP Morgan losing it's shirt . HSBC laundering money and admitting they lacked adequate internal contols. Bain Capital. Barclays manipulating interest rates, and Governmental agencies conceding they knew of this practice for many years. More Ponzi schemes. Raj R. and Gupta both convicted. ....When will it end ?
That's a great question I can assure you . But , right now anyone who says they can answer that question is full of sh_t! Where do you start ? Are you even thinking(while sober) that Mitt Romney, part of this "Wall Street Culture " ,would even lift one pinkie to police , scrap and start over a system that made him millions at others expense . Did someone say "Blue Star " was in play ?(Michael Douglas/Charlie Sheen).
I can picture Romney as President laying out his economic policies.
Romney:" So how can the White House and the USA make some money"?
Economic Adviser: Sell more Treasury bonds. Sell more military weapons to our allies. Become more aggressive in collecting taxes. What do you suggest Mr. President?
Romney: I was thinking more along the lines of buying up some of our poorer states, collecting a commission on the purchase, and then scrapping them and selling off all their assets to Brazil and the Arab World. Oh, and China would be a great buyer too.
Economic Adviser: Then what do we do with these States ?
Romney: That's a no-brainer! We bankrupt them, loot their State Treasuries and kick em out of the Union. It'll serve em right. Who's going to miss Alabama, West Virginia , Idaho , Montana North Dakota and South Dakota anyway.
Economic Adviser: Any other ideas Sir?
Romney: Yes, while we're at it, let's sell off Guam, The US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico . They're all a drain on our bottom line . Hey beachfront property would go at a premium!
Economic Adviser: Don't let me stop you now. You're on a roll.
Romney: Sure. Two more things I would like to do .First I think the White House should receive a 2% commission on these sell-offs of these States and US Territories. Afterall ,it was my idea.(Thinking to himself ,"What's another Swiss Account anyway"?) Secondly, I think we should penalize the 20 poorest states by taking away at least one of their US Senators and half of their Congressman. That will give them an incentive to make money for us.
Economic Adviser:Very novel. Does that conclude our meeting Mr. President?
Romney: Yes, but I did have one last idea. Let's move the White House and Capitol Hill to Salt Lake City . The cost of living in Washington has spiraled out of control! Meeting adjourned.

Economic adviser Steve "Milton Smith " Goldman reporting.

Paterno Has No Legacy as Far As I'm Concerned...Tear Down All Paterno Monuments..Rename The Library......

Yesterday was another bad day for Penn state, it's hierarchy and what remains of Joe Paterno's reputation. The Freeh Report confirmed what everyone had believed since last October. Yes, there was a massive coverup . Penn State and it's " decision-makers " concealed. covered -up, enabled, permitted, turned a blind eye and were huge facilitators of Jerry "The Monster" Sandusky's 15 year rampage . " Like a kid in a candystore "! Shame , shame a million times over !
Now if this "stomach-turning" chain of events doesn't put big time college sports into perspective for you, then you better check your pulse! Sports are great! Part of the University culture. Exhilirating at times . Tailgating , frat parties. Alumni in their docksiders and striped pants . Football at Penn State was everything. Transcended every aspect of College life for generations. A matter of pride ...Remember the name "Happy Valley"? Now, you mean "unhappy gully".
And Joe Paterno was God! At Penn State, nationally, universally . Wore "PSU" on his chest .Bled Penn State blood. Raised money, donated $, won football games...An awful lot of them . As long as he won, his life, influence, Penn State pride and his future legacy swelled . 61 years there. A lifetime!
But all that good(and there is a lot of it ) is wiped out by this massive coverup, concealment and most blatantly his placing the importance of his beloved "football program" over the health, safety and welfare of human beings; kids for that matter. He condoned the behavior of a sexual predator right there in his building.
Joe, you let these kids down, their families, the University , yourself and all of "Happy Valley". You were a coward. You were selfish . You knew ,but did nothing. You gave the fox the key to the hen house! Disgusting!
As far as I'm concerned you're a loser. I'm sorry Joe. Football is not more important than life.You and your cronies obviously didn't believe that at PSU.
Reporting college football analyst Steve "Pigskin" Goldman .

Knicks; Even if They Sign Kidd, Camby, Novak and Lin...Still Need a Shooting Guard!

Haven't enjoyed an NBA "offseason" as much as this year in a long, long time . The Knicks do a have a core of some very good players. I'm not concerned about Melo, but in all honesty my biggest question mark is reserved for Amare. Here's a guy who 2 years ago was one of the five most dominant offensive guys in the league until the Melo trade. Last season, injuries, out of shape, the lockout, personal issues, lost his hop, looked lost...Simply a shell of his old self! Sad. Hope he bounces back..My gut is that he will.
So we have Chandler in the middle. Amare at the 4. Melo at small forward and a Lin/Kidd 2 headed monster at the point. Nice nucleus, but we're one integral part short . A shooting guard who can drain open shots and create his own shots. Need 14-15 points every night from that spot. I like Landry fields a lot..Think he will be a good player for a long time in this league . Nice, surprising offer from Toronto. Hey, he's now a millionaire over night . Good for him. But I don't think he's the answer. Need a guy like Anthony Parker of the Cavs. Who's available and affordable out there?
Your thoughts?

NBA analyst Steve " Hops" Goldman reporting.

AJ Burnett; Yankee Fans Eat Your Collective Hearts Out!

AJ Burnett. Amazing talent, strong , had all the pitches. Yankee killer when he was in Toronto . Signs a big contract with Yanks. Apparently loved being in New York . But inexplicably (Rep is he's a head case) he is a huge, huge bust in New York . Aside from his "shaving cream pies" he provided after "walkoffs " he contributed very little else . And when it was time to cut the umbilical cord, there were very few takers .
So AJ took his 6 ft 4 , 230 lbs to the perennial lowly Pirates. Quite a humbling experience being banished to Pittsburg, albeit with $80 million in his pocket . So lo and behold, what does a fresh start do for him and his new club? Did someone say change of scenery? I did!
AJ is only 10-2 with a 3.68 ERA, and has basically become the ace of the staff. Pirates are winning , AJ is performing ! So what happened in New York? Did he have too many tattoos ? Was NY too overwhelming? Expectations too high ? We'll probably never know.
I can tell you one thing. I am rooting for Burnett. Hope he wins 20 and gets NL Cy Young . That would be a great story!

Reporting Steve "Slugger " Goldman.

Wimbledon, Roger and Serena Too Good!

Serena took home "Major #14 " on Saturday. Not a bad match, and Serena actually had some shaky moments. Her 5th Wimbledon. She later won her 5th Wimbledon doubles title with "big sis " Venus. How much longer will she play? How hungry is she for "more majors "? Her true place in history will be determined after seeing what more she can accomplish over the next 3 -4 years. She's already top ten all-time, possibly top 7 . Can she sneak into top 5, top 3 ? Let's see!
On the Men's side , the Federer -Murray match was "high drama" all the way. Federer wanting and needing that 7th Wimbledon Title and striving to regain his #1 ranking. Murray "the favorite son ", playing for himself and a nation. Serving up 2 sets to one , up 5-4 , Federer could taste it . The crowd was pulling so hard for Murray, but I guess, not suprisingly there were a lot of Federer supporters there.
As you know Roger pulled it out. Won #7 and Murray and all of Great Britian was devastated. There was not a dry eye at Wimbledon(or anywhere else) during Murray's post-match comments. Two very classy guys! Great stuff.
Well don't go anywhere...Next stop London Olympics right back at Wimbledon!
Steve 'Pancho ' Goldman reporting.

Roger and Serena Wipe Out Opponents in Wimbledon Semis..Can They Win it All?

Seemed like old times yesterday and today! On Thursday against the "grunting Azarenka ", Serena played one of the most perfect matches in a Major that you will see. 24 aces, 82% first serves, court coverage...A thing of power and beauty!
Just now, Federer humbled and dismantled #1 Djokovic in a tremendous "big match " performance . Roger was superior in every facet of the match. It actually seemed like Federer took the heart out of the world's #1 player, and Djokovic looked to me like he threw in the towel in the latter part of the 4th set. Great champions.
So can Serena win her 14th career major Saturday ? Can Roger tie Sampras Sunday with a 7th Wimdledon crown against Murray-Tsongas winner ? That could be a match for the ages..Murray, the British Savior!
Don't miss these matches.. History could be in the making!

Wimbledon analyst Steve "Bud" Goldman reporting.

NBA Hoops; Steve Nash to Lakers, Doesn't Get Any Better!

Give Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers credit. Anything short of a championship is not acceptable to them . They're like the West Coast Yankees. A tough second round exit at the hands of the Thunder, release of Derek Fisher, Kobe's quest for another ring and the fans thirst to win, win ,win prompted Kupchak to "pull off " the move of the off-season . Yes, 2 -time MVP Steve Nash to the Lakers for a series of first and second round draft picks. If somehow the Lakers can land an athletic-shooting small forward ,Kobe could have a shot at number 6!
I gotta tell you, I'm a Knicks fan, but I'm excited. Just renewed my NBA League Pass. Kobe playing alongside one of the best "true point guards " of this generation. A guy who looks to PASS first and shoot second. Nash will make Kobe's life (and shot selection) so much easier. And Stevie Nash must be drooling . Playing 2 man, inside -outside with Bynum . Either Nash or Bynum could average 25 a game. Did we forget the "high pick and roll " with Gasol?(That rhymes). Nash, can and will make everyone better. He could average 15 assists per game.
Nash and Kobe will be on a mission together. Kobe goes for number 6, Nash his first ring. Sky is the limit . I hope to stay up for at least 40-50 Laker games this upcoming season .
Only question that remains is whether Nash can get Mehta World Peace to take his medicine every day.
NBA analyst Steve "Hustle " Goldman reporting.

Happy 4th to All; Enjoy !

Fourth of July is here already. Wow! Kids on vacation, trying our best to keep them busy. Beach , pools, water parks , Baseball, Wimbledon, NFL training camps.
Ah , and the heat and humidity.
To all my friends, customers and readers....We wish you a safe, fun and relaxing Independence Day!

"Funder to the Trial Bar "!

US Supreme Court , Justice Roberts, I Didn't Think You Had It In You!

If you live on planet Earth, you heard that the US Supreme Court upheld "ObamaCare " 5-4. Huge, huge win for Obama and the Democrats . Of course, almost as big as the news of the decision, was the fact that Chief Justice Roberts in a Landmark decision voted with the liberal members of the Court to form a majority . Shocker in fact!
It's almost " old hat " during confirmation hearings" that the nominated Judge will answer" I will not vote along ideological or party lines ", if I'm chosen to sit on the Court"! Then lo and behold what happens? They vote along ideological lines anyway. Surprise, surprise .
So keeping this all in perspective, Roberts' vote on ObamaCare was even more historic. And his reasoning was brilliant. There's an old adage, if a Judge or Jury likes a particular party or the case itself , they will find a way to hold in that party's favor. That's exactly what happened here . Robert's did not want his Court to be remembered for striking down a historic social reform in an "election year", so he found a way to uphold the law. He reasoned that the law imposed a (Not constitutionality per se)
permissible tax(backed into decision) and the rest is history.
While no one knows how the new law will play out, we do know one thing the " Supreme Court(Oz) has spoken.

Supreme Court analyst Steve "Harlan" Goldman reporting.

JP Morgan; If You Want to Be Technical, The Bank Could Actually Lose $30 Billion From Trading Debacle!`

Will this "trading disaster " for JP Morgan ever come to an end? First thought to be $2 billion in losses, then three billion. Now possibly as high as $9 billion "Easy come, easy go"! Couple these anticipated losses as things "unravel" with the $23 billion in loss of share market value , and you're over $ 30 billion. Yes, you heard right...$30 billion (US Dollars).
The shareholders must be seething . Shareholder actions will be plentiful. What will the Board do? Will their " beloved CEO keep his job? It takes a lot of profitable quarters to make up these kind of numbers. How will Congress ultimately act?
Of course, no one feels sorry for The House of Morgan . Because when you play with fire , sometimes you actually do get "burned"!
Wall Street analyst Steve "SEC " Goldman reporting.

Wimbledon; Can Federer Get Number 7? Not Going To Be Easy!

So Wimbledon is under way. Great tennis, grass ,Royal Boxes , The Big 3 and rain. Yes two weeks of rain on and off. While the tournament needs no extra hype, and while the British long for Andy Murray to go all the way, the evolving story line is can Roger do it again ? Number seven? Can he catch Sampras for most career Wimbledon Titles ?
Federer is 30, playing well on his best surface and is in great shape mentally and physically. All that's in his way is "the field ", not to mention Djokovic and Nadal . He believes he can do it, which is half the battle . Now let's see if one of the greatest can pull it off .
I , for one , am rooting for him.


Woops, I'm late for tea.

Wimbledon Insider S. Goldman The 3rd reporting.

Sandusky Aftermath: He's Going To Get Either 500 Years or Life In a Psych Hospital!

It's over! A relief to all. Actually, in my opinion an anticlimatic verdict , almost overshadowed by the revelation that Sandusky sexually violated his adopted son too! Holy sh_t! It seems like almost everyone in "Happy (Unhappy ) Valley " knew about Sandusky's propensities, but for one reason or another did nothing to stop him . Oh yeah, I forgot...The allmighty Penn State Football Program needed him. That''s the sick reality.
So Sandusky will be psychologically evaluated(He's normal right) , will be sentenced and forgotten .
I bet you never would have thought this, or believed this...But he's more of a monster than Bernie Madoff .
May he rot in his cell. Penn State and your army of insurance companies, start writing the checks to these young men!
Legal analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Sandusky Trial; Doesn't Matter If You Believe Accusers or Not, He Was Dead Meat From the Outset!

Look , I can't tell you one way or the other whether the Prosecution presented a strong case in chief or whether the the Defense did a competent job cross-examining the "accusers". Because let's face it, the case could only really have been defended to "a level of acquittal" if each and every accuser were not only discredited on cross but also by a independent source. Only one who could refute the allegations actually was and is Sandusky!
For there to have been any chance of acquittal, the jurors would have to conclude that every accuser is lying and this was one big conspiracy to convict Sandusky and facilitate millions of dollars in civil payments. Just too wild to possibly believe . The reality is , even if there were "fabricated claims" they still would be impossible to defend. Strength in numbers, similar to the "Priest Sex Abuse Cases".
So at the end of the day, the defense kinda through up the " I loved the kids, showered with them, but nothing inappropriate happened defense "! Doomed from the start. No chance.
So did he do all these terrible things? Was he a monster? Serial sexual predator ? I don't know, neither do you.
But it doesn't matter, he was "dead meat " from the beginning. If he did it, he deserves "life without parole". Penn State University was the facilitator here!
Next stop, civil suits!

Steve Goldman reporting.

Topsy Turvy Wall Street Continues!

Ah, another day, another dollar . Where would we be without the economies of Greece, Spain, Italy and others imploding right in front of our very eyes? People running to the dictionary to look up the meaning of "austerity ". Right Wing Coalitions, Left Wing Coalitions, Socialists..Parliments being dissolved. The world as we know it!
So where does this leave the Dow? Up to 13,300 several weeks ago. Down to 12,500, and now creeping back to 12,850. What does it really mean anymore anyway?
Not much when interest rates can fluctuate on bad news coming out of Lichtenstein. Go figure.

Wall Street Analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Clemens Jury Deliberating, Will Clemens Be Remembered For His Time in Pinstripes or "Another Kind Of Stripes"?

I can guarantee you Roger Clemens has been humbled ! The seven time Cy Young Award Winner . "Roger the Rocket ! Athlete of "Rock Star " status. 100 mile an hour fastball. World Series winner. Earned well over a $ 100 million. Even had a special contract with the Yanks where he was able to go home on "off-days " and watch his sons play. 350 wins....Should I go on?
But with the case now in the jurors' hands , not even the greatest brushback pitches ever can help or save him. His fate is 1000 % in those 12 citizens' hands . Right now, Roger is thinking about acquittal. The Hall of Fame. Conviction, shame, disgrace, prision time and "familial strife" . It will never be the same if convicted and then having the conviction affirmed on appeal! It would be Roger with a new number:#78654368978. Well you get the point .
So as these 12 jurors go through the testimony and the admitted evidence ,Roger can only keep his chin up ,his happy face on and pray ! I'm going on record right here and now ...Clemens will be acquitted on all counts. McNamee is a sleezebag, and Petite's testimony just didn't make the cut . To convict , the jurors would have to reason that McNamee , an admitted liar, cheater, sleeze testified truthfully and they are convinced "beyond a reasonable doubt ".Key words, "reasonable doubt"!
Well it won't be long now .
Legal analyst Steve "Jurisprudence " Goldman reporting.

Rajat Gupta; Wow, He's Got Effectively His Whole Life Riding on Deliberations!

Jury is back deliberating today. Day 2! Gupta , formerly a globally respected "insider" , who is very wealthy, wife , kids, friends, big home in Connecticut is in an "all or nothing situation ". Remember, he's 63 years old.
If he's convicted, he's going away for at least 5 yrs....Possibly more . May be some forfeiture concerns as well. He would be imprisioned, disgraced and close to 70 when he comes out. Valuable time for anyone , especially when you reach his age .
If he's acquitted, "life will be good". He'll do philanthropic work, dabble in Wall Street, play golf, travel , watch his grandchildren grow up and will be free to visit Raj Rajaratnaram in jail. So will the jury convict him on a lot of " circumstantial evidence " ? Interesting case.
My vote yes. We'll know soon enough.

Wall Street analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Edwards; Smart Choice, US Attorneys Office Decides To Leave "Bad Enough " Alone!

Almost anyone following the Edwards trial would have told you it was inevitable...The Government couldn't justify retrying Edwards with the legal and factual problems they would face on a retrial. Tough enough to get a conviction. But perhaps a bigger problem loomed. Would an Appellate Court ever let them hold onto it ? That was the "$64000 " question.
After coming to the realization that this was a dead end prosecution, the Government had to merely decide the best way to drop charges. Procrastinate? Drag things out ? Keep their game face on?
Well , at the end of the day they " cut bait " quickly and decisively. Charges dropped ! Edwards free to practice law! Another "black eye " for the Public Integrity Division. For Edwards, he's been through the worst, he's healthy and only 58 and remarkably still has a lot going for him...Including his license to practice law.
All I can say is...."It's comeback time!'
Legal analyst Steve 'Tell it Like it Is " Goldman reporting.

Nadal, Historically , With 11 Grand Slams, Where Do You Rank Him All-Time?

So Nadal, after a little uneasiness picked up his 7th French Open title. No doubt now, he's the greatest clay court player ever!(Sorry Bjorn). But let's not forget , he's got eleven "slams" under his belt. That puts him right in the thick of things all-time.
So , who are the 10 greatest mens players of the modern era. Tough one. Well , here are my choices;(Hope I didn't forget anyone).
1. Laver
2. Federer
3. Borg
4. Sampras
5. McEnroe
6. Connors
7. Nadal
8. Agassi
9. Lendl and
10. Wilander/Edberg.

Your thoughts,

Steve "LaCoste " Goldman reporting.

NBA Final: Sorry to Say It, I'm Picking Heat in 7!

I know that the fashionable thing this post-season has been to be a " Heat Hater ". I'll confess ...I'm as guilty as the next guy. I rooted against Lebron and Wade in every series. I pulled especially hard for the Celts in the last series!
So here we are in the "finals". Great anticipation, great expectations (not Charles Dickens u nimwit), great matchups, Durant vs. Lebron , young studs vs. The Big 3 . Who will win their first title first? Lebron or Durant ? Wow! Hope I can stay up....Those 9 o'clock starts are tough stuff .
I'm not going to bore you with "x's and o's , or analyze matchups . Plenty of so-called experts to do that. I'm just going to make a prediction and then explain. Pure and simple.
Heat in 7! Yes I said it. Here's why . I honestly believe in the Boston series they learned how to win, how to survive and how to close out games(game 6 and 7). Once you learn that, couple it with confidence, talent and the taste for the championship....You're there!
Going to be a great final. Dog fight. Maybe different heroes every night . In the end though, Lebron gets the monkey off his back this year.

Make sure you pick up extra 5 hr energy drinks.

Steve "Van Gundy " Goldman reporting.

Bonds Files Appellate Brief on Obstruction of Justice Conviction.

As you probably recall, Barry Bonds was acquitted on all 3 Perjury Counts at trial and found guilty on the "lighter" Obstruction of Justice count. Not exactly what the US Attorneys Office was hoping for. Almost like a cheap consolatiion prize.
Despite that result, Bonds' legal team has pressed on with their appeal on this count. While Bonds' life has really not changed one iota with the conviction, the significance of the appeal to Bonds should not be downplayed.
If Bonds wins the appeal, in my opinion he MUST get into the Hall of Fame! If his conviction is upheld , I don't think he has a snowball's chance in hell of getting in. The Pete Rose stigma. Criminals and cheaters (who get caught) should not be bestowed the ultimate honor...Induction into the Hall of Fame !
So you can be assured that Bonds' lawyers are under strict orders...Full steam ahead, no shortcuts...No stone unturned !
Well, we'll know soon enough. Plenty of time for Bonds' testicles to grow and his head to shrink.
Sports reporter Steve "Ace " Goldman reporting.

Sandusky Trial; Jury Selection Starting Today, Going to Be Very, Very Interesting Trial!

Can you imagine the efforts that the Court and attorneys will have to undertake to select a "truly fair and impartial Jury "? Yikes. First of all , the trial is taking place in Penn State's backyard. Unless you've been living on the International Space Station for the past year or so , you've heard all the lurid details of the "Sandusky Child Molestation Scandal" . You couldn't avoid it.
Penn State Football is the" end all" in this neck of the woods . Paterno and Sandusky are household names. Everyone saw Sandusky's TV interview ! I don't think there is a person on this planet who doesn't have a strong opinion on " child molesters ". Who hasn't heard the Penn State assistant coach's description of the shower scene? And it goes on and on ! Both sides better dig down during jury selection, because this case , perhaps more than most ,will be won or lost there.
Is it possible in a case like this to impanel a fair and impartial jury? Honestly, I doubt it . But , the individuals who say the right things and respond appropriately during questioning will eventually be seated on this case. Right, wrong or indifferent.
Ok, counsel. Time to earn your fees! Good luck.
This is a perfect case for the legendary Gerry Spence to defend!

Jack Twyman-Maurice Stokes; What Started Off as Heartbreaking Story, Turned Into a Real Life Story What Friendship is All About!

So what would you consider to be a good friend? Watching your neighbors' kids because you're running late from work? Buying groceries for a sick friend ? Lending your car or an extra generator to a neighbor in a time of need? Loaning money to an out of work friend? Picking a friend up at 3 a.m from the airport? Making a call to try to try to get a friend a job?
Yes, yes these are what friends do for each other. But , the story of Jack Twyman and his teammate , Maurice Stokes, truly brought the definition of "friendship " to another level! Twyman and Stokes were All-Star caliber players on the Cincinati Royals of the NBA in the late 1950's . Twyman went on to the Hall of Fame. Stokes a talented power forward, who once pulled down 38 rebounds in a game, probably would have made it there too. But.....
As the story goes on March 12th 1958 , during a game against the Minneapolis Lakers, Stokes in a collision with another player fell and hit his head on the floor. A few days later , Stokes at age 24 lasped into a coma. When he came out of it he was paralyzed .
Stokes , who had no family in Cincinati was alone. What did Twyman do? Not much! Just dedicated his life to taking care of Maurice Stokes. Caring for him medically, financially, spiritually...And most importantly being with him....being a friend. Twyman organized the annual Maurice Stokes Classic, an All-Star basketball game in the Catskills which raised tremendous amounts of money for Maurice. Twyman, it seemed was with Maurice more than he was with his wife and family. And Twyman only sought Stokes' friendship and companionship in return.
In 1970, after making significant strides to recovery, Stokes passed away. Twyman passed away just this past week at age 78 . These were two great men. Not for what they did on the basketball court, but what they did in life when adversity hit home.
Now that's a friend! God Bless em both.

Edwards Verdict...As The Dust Clears!

The day after a big verdict, win or lose is always a time for reflection . When I was trying a lot of cases , after a verdict I would always immerse myself right back into work . Usually, because being on trial put you so far behind on the rest of your practice .
So what are the participants feeling or thinking now ? Edwards is obviously elated . He's a free man. Not guilty on one major count. He withstood the barrage by all the King's horses and all the King's men. Went toe to toe with Uncle Sam .
He probably is also somewhat relieved that all the " dirty laundry " was aired , so it will not be a shock to his family and supporters if there is a re-trial. Of course, the element of uncertainty can be a killer. Can Edwards try to go back to his practice of law, familiy life, rebuild his reputation ....all with the possible decision to retry him looming overhead like a dark storm cloud? Guess what? He has no choice!
The US Attorneys Office suffered another humiliating defeat! They might be kicking themselves for even attempting to prosecute such a novel case(with a very complex statute) out of outrage and emotion . They're certainly licking their wounds now! Will they retry? My prediction ? No! Without the luxury of having the "donors"(Bunny Melon and Fred Baron) to testify, if may very well be an exercise in futility. We shall see .
The Judge. She did an excellent job. Only Appellate Review can really determine if her instructions to the Jury were proper. Will either side address the soundness of the charge? More money for the lawyers. In any event, nobody will be in a rush to retry this case anytime soon. Probably 16-18 months by the time all is said and done.
The Jurors. Relieved to be done .Now enjoying their "time in the sun" appearing on Good Morning America et al.Some may write books...Or may be doing so already. They certainly are now a part of history! Good job...Nine days of deliberations!
Let's not for forget Edwards' defense team. All I can say is awesome job !
And finally the protagonist here, Rielle Hunter. Yes, her tell all book coming out June 26th. Did someone say 7 figure advance? She must have been quite skilled at something to have former Senator Edwards, "lay " it all on the line for her. Hmmm.
Somehow this case has the feel of a mini-OJ saga. Stay tuned!

Legal analyst Steve "Scoop ' Goldman reporting.

NBA All-Time Greatest, Who Are Your Top Ten?

Every year around this time Sports Talk Radio debates who are the greatest 10 NBA Players of all-time . Most would probably agree on the ten players , but the real battle is about rank.
So having watched pro hoops since I'm 8 years old, here's my humble opinion 1-10;
1. MJ
2. Wilt
3. Bill Russell
4. Kareem
5. Kobe
6. Oscar Robertson
7. Magic
8. Bird
9. Jerry West and
10. Tim Duncan, Karl Malone and Elgin Baylor(3 way tie)

Your thoughts?

Celebrity Trials ; Who Will Be Convicted, Who Will Walk?

With temperatures reaching 90 outside, the indoor temperatures in at least three Courtrooms has also risen . In North Carolina former Senator John Edwards is sweating out day 7 of jury deliberations . Tough to stay focused on anything during deliberations which can be paralyzing. Being a trial lawyer , Edwards has been there, done that!
In Washington, Roger Clemens is fighting for survival in the hostile,tense Courtroom of Judge Reggie Walton. The 7 time Cy Young Award Winner is in his second month of trial which has basically turned his life upside-down. At some point in the not too distant future , Roger will have to make the decision as to whether he will take the stand or not . Like to be a fly on the wall for the discussion with Rusty Hardin on that issue.
And now , Rajat Gupta , formerly a well-respected Wall Street Director is on trial for supplying confidential information to Raj Rajatnaram who traded on and benefitted from the information.
Three bright, rich individuals in their primes! All victims of greed , lust and ego. The usual !
So here are my predictions;

Edwards-hung jury on some charges, acquitted on others.

Clemens- Acquitted. Can't believe McNamee.

Gupta - convicted on all major charges. Your thoughts?

Legal analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Rangers Actually Lucky To Only Be Down 3-2!

I'm a Ranger fan for 40 years....Began listening to games on the radio at my dad's workbench when I was 10. Marv Alpert was the play by play man back then. Have had a lot of heartache with this team. I, unfortunately gave up my season's tickets out of sheer frustration the year before they "Raised the Cup"!
So this year, like many fans I thought we had a great chance to win it all. Yes, we were the best team during the regular season, but the playoffs are all about being the " hot team" at the right time.
So far in the "Devil Series ", the Rangers have been thoroughly outplayed in almost every game . You can honestly attribute their 2 wins solely to the "super-human efforts " of Lundquist who has carried them through the post-season. The Devils, as you may recall have a pretty good goaltender themselves with Marty Brodeur in the nets.
So here's the bottom line. The Rangers are lucky to be down only 3-2 . It should be over now! They have to play the next game in Newark like it's a game 7 ..Just one game! Then hey, anything can happen in a game 7 at the Garden. Not going to be easy.

Remember, it aint over til the fat lady sings.

Hockey Tonight analyst "Yvon " Goldman reporting.

Edwards Trial..Jury Starts Day 3 of Deliberations....I Can't Help Thinking That Bunny Mellon's Memo on Check ,"Gift" Will Be Too Much for Gov't....

The Edwards Trial reached day 3 of deliberations today. Not long, not short for a somewhat complicated criminal trial. Complicated , because the law is unsettled and the Jury Instructions seem difficult to comprehend for "Joe Schmo " average juror.
During early deliberations the jury asked for copies of check(s) and accompanying memoranda from Bunny Mellon . As you may note, "the intent of the donor" (not Edwards) is at issue here for the jury. Well, there is no ambiguity in Mellon's memo on the check where she wrote "gift". She even paid a gift tax!
So at the end of the day, what more compelling evidence can there be than a description of the payment by the donor on her own check ? There is no other probative evidence on her intent .
This one word("gift") may just be enough to carry the day for "Mr. Sleezebag's " defense team.

Let's wait and see. Your thoughts?

Legal analyst Steve Goldman reporting.

Rajat K. Gupta "Insider Trading Trial " To Start Today: Do You Think It's Really Making a Dent in Pervasive 'Insider Trading " on Wall St.?

Former Goldman, Sachs Board member Rajat K. Gupta's criminal trial begins today . He has been charged with divulging confidential, inside information to those who traded on it and profited . Alleged recipients of this "illegal information " include Raj Rajaratnam and others. The big question is , did Gupta benefit financially directly or indirectly from his communication of alleged confidential information ? Did he curry favors? Receive inside information in return? Cash? Gifts ? Or nothing at all ? That will be be the most difficult prong of the Prosecution case to prove .
But all this leads to an even bigger question . With the 66 prosecutions, pleas, convictions, publicity and tens of millions of dollars spent by the Government, is all this really any kind of deterrent to the improper use of inside information that is passed each and every day by those on Wall Street? Unfortunately, I think the practice is too rampant, too ingrained in "Worldwide Wall Street Culture " and moreover the regulatory-enforcement agencies are outnumbered, understaffed and inadequately funded to tackle this way of life.
The one practice which might lessen is talking about " things " on the phone . Insider Trading unfortunately is here to stay! Your thoughts?