Yes, Virginia, there will be an NBA season this year (probably). And it will begin on Christmas day because, well, what’s Xmas without watching really tall, rich, (mostly) black guys who are “owned” by even more rich (mostly) white guys? In doing research for that previous offensive statement, I discovered that there’s an NBA team called the “Charlotte Bobcats.” I had no idea. And did you know that the NJ Nets are no longer the NJ Nets? They’re now the Brooklyn Nets. Amazing. Not quite the same ring to the name, though, is there? Sounds like “little” Brooklyns or something (as in Brooklynettes). I think they should change it.

“Brooklyn Buckets,” maybe?

This is astounding. I guess I have really not been paying attention. Next thing you know, somebody will be telling me that the Rams are in St. Louis, the Cardinals are in Phoenix, and LA doesn’t even have a football team. But that would be crazy. Rosey Greer would be rolling in his grave.{{1}}[[1]]Note: Rosey Greer, like Abe Vigoda, is actually alive and well.[[1]]

Speaking of Rosey and LA, I recall seeing him in an episode of the greatest police drama of all time – CHiPs. You may laugh, but let me tell ya, without Francis Llewellyn ‘Ponch’ Poncherello, there would not have been a Barack Obama. Or Freddie Prinze.{{2}}[[2]]This may be a slight exaggeration, given that Chico and the Man premiered something like three years before CHiPs, and the fact that, by the time CHiPs aired, Freddy Prinze was already dead.[[2]]

Anyhow, in this particular episode, Ponch and Jon (do they really work in pairs, these guys?) pull over this tiny little car{{3}}[[3]]Not sure what kind of car. What’s the point of having a CHiPs Wiki if they aren’t going to include important information like that?[[3]] for speeding, at which point the rather gigantic Rosey{{4}}[[4]]For the time, anyway, what with this being in the pre-HGH era. Rosey was listed at 6'5" and 284 pounds.[[4]] extricates himself from the vehicle and tears it apart by hand.

Ah, they don’t make teevee like that anymore.

I couldn’t find a clip of that scene, so instead I bring to you the trailer from the movie that the great actor Ray Milland must have considered his crowning achievement{{5}}[[5]]My favorite is “The Lost Weekend,” because it’s a movie I can really relate to.[[5]] (except for maybe his two-part “Love Boat” appearance).