sainthero's Blog

College presidents from about 100 of the nation's best-known universities, including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on
campus.  The program is called the Amethyst Initiative and it's quietly recruiting college presidents to provoke national debate about changing the drinking age.

Many say that if you're old enough to vote and fight in a war then you should be able to have a drink.  Other say it will only lead to more traffic deaths and injuries.

Do you think that the drinking age should change?  What should they propose if to help curb underage binge drinking in college?

42 Years ago today, Charles Whitman climbed the UT Tower and opened fire, killing 14  people.  It's because of some brave law enforcement officers and civilians that more people didn't die that day'

FOX 7 takes a look back at that fateful day through the eyes of witnesses and photographers. 

The Tower Anniversary: 42 Years Later

Share  your memories of the day or stories you've heard from others. 

Always searching for the latest way to save a buck on gas, and considering that I almost have to take a loan out every time I pass a gas station, I think I may have a short-term solution.

Gas Futures.

Some smart airlines (Southwest) have bought into the fact that at any given point gas prices may soar, so to ward off a potential bankruptcy they bought futures in gas at a higher rate over the course of a 4 year period. Now those prices that were once laughed at are saving them millions as their competition finds new and interesting ways to charge not doing the same thing.

I found a really cool website that allows us the consumer to pre-purchase gas at today's prices. It's called mygallons.com. You basically purchase a gas card that allows you to buy gas at about 95% of the gas stations across the U.S. I pretty sure it said you can purchase up to 100 gallons of gas at a time. I don't know if I could afford 100 gallons of gas, but I definitely could buy a months worth of gas, which is what I plan to do and see how much it saves me.

Gas is going to be getting cheaper anytime soon, so the next best thing is to start planning ahead to beat the rising cost anyway you can.

So as the dog day of summer have hit us square in the mouth, my beloved Red Sox are the only thing that is keeping me alive at this point. That and the hope that New Orleans Saints training camp gets started in about a month.  Believe me I'm counting the days.

Yesterday I read an interesting article from Pat Forde, who I think has a firm grasp on college football.  He was providing some summer relief with his view of what's to come in the upcoming season for some of the premiere programs.

He and a few others stated that they believed that my Irish would have a winning season, which means a bowl game.  I know, the Poulan Weedeater Bowl isn't the same as the Sugar, but at this point any sign of progress from my team is a positive.  Last season was abismal to watch, and no amount of excuses could live up to how badly they played.  Still toward the end of the season, there was some small signs of progress.  This season I can't see how the Irish can not win at least 6 games -  San Diego St., Purdue, Stanford, and Syracuse (home games)  and North Carolina, Navy and Michigan State (road games).  Picking up Jon Tenuta from Georgia Tech to run the defense behind Corwin Brown was huge, but the biggest pick up of the year is the fact that Sam Young won't be the only lineman blocking for Clausen.

I'm not going to say that Weis will be fired if they don't make the bowl game, but a new AD is in house and hopefully she won't feel the pull of those fanatical alums to keep Charlie just because he's almost beaten USC. 

As for Forde's article, he went on to talk a little about the Longhorns. Basically, get ready to start griping because it could be a long season for 'horn fans.

"Texas' streak of seven straight seasons with at least 10 wins will end.
The Longhorns don't lack talent, but they drew a killer Big 12 schedule: three 2007 bowl teams from the North division (Colorado, Missouri and Kansas), and they'll play two of those teams on the road. And in addition to facing Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, they must face trendy breakout pick Texas Tech in Lubbock. Burnt orange fans are encouraged to beat the rush and start criticizing offensive coordinator Greg Davis now."

Check out the entire article here

I know a lot of people are bagging our new City Manager, Marc Ott, for not being in the loop of the Governor's Mansion Fire, but let's give him the benefit of the doubt. He's not the only city official who's not in the loop.

There are plenty of people who fill public offices that are just oblivious to things happening around them. Take for instance my former hometown mayor Ray C. Nagin. The old mayor of New Orleans was famous for a lot of p.r. mistakes, but my favorite is his press conference on the new guns ordered for the New Orleans Police Department.



I'm not saying the Marc Ott is in the same line of Nagin, just that sometimes people in politics forget that there are other things going on outside their own world. I don't think there is a politician in the world who can rival some of things Nagin has said and done.

Ott has time to prove himself, but first on his agenda is for him to get hooked up with some email alerts from myFOXaustin.com or maybe he could even get Road Runner hooked up inside his home so he can access the internet. It's not like he needs to be in the loop, but it can't hurt, can it? He's only the city manager, and for him to know what's going on in the city, we shouldn't ask that much. He's working hard at staying in the loop. Problem is he is having a hard time figuring out what loop it is he wants to be in.

Let's give him time to digest the new position and learn what it is that makes many managers good at their jobs, communication. And, oh maybe staying on top of current events that may have a big impact on the place you live and work.

Watching Tiger win his 14th major the other day was awesome.  One of the best golf tournaments I've witnessed.  So much drama was built up between Tiger and Phil, and then to have Rocco come out of nowhere and put on one of the greatest sudden-death playoffs ever. WOW!!

And now the talk begins to mount as Tiger inches his way into golf immortality by getting within 4 major victories of Jack Nicklaus' all-time record of 18. 



But before all the Tiger fans start crowning him as the king of golf, you better hold off until you've looked real close at what the Golden Bear has accomplished.  Nicklaus has won 6 Masters, 5 PGA's, 4 U.S. Opens, 3 British Opens and 2 U.S. Amateurs.  That's pretty hefty stuff considering he won his last major when he was in his late 40's.  What gets overlooked by many is the amount of times the guy finished second, 58 times.  Tiger has 3 second-place finishes.

When many start to compare Tiger and Jack, I always say that it's almost impossible to compare two athletes from different decades.  Almost like comparing Kobe to Jordan or Brady to Montana, etc... There's too many variables to put into the equation. 

First of all, Jack was playing with wooded shafts and golf balls that were nothing but a covered piece of rock.  Tiger's got the latest in technology in equipment and medicine.   
I know that there's probably more competition for Tiger and courses are set up to play longer than in the past, but then again back in Jack's day there was half the tournaments that they have now.    Money and television has grown the sport out to many different levels, which makes it almost impossible to judge the two.  

Jack still holds most of the records, so while many want to dethrone him so quickly
 let's just relax and let Tiger do his thing and when he stops playing then we'll debate who's better. For right now, the Bear still has the edge on the Tiger.

The lawyers for Reggie Bush and a man who wanted to be Bush's agent -- and is now suing him for nearly $300,000 -- continue to squabble, this time over discovery questions in the lawsuit.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that attorneys for Lloyd Lake, who is suing Bush, said that Bush answered about nine of roughly 70 questions posed to him as part of the discovery process in the lawsuit. Bush's attorneys said the questions were objectionable, too vague or sought confidential information.

Lake has alleged that he paid about $300,000 in cash and goods to Bush's family while Bush was a student at USC. Lake had sought to represent Bush as an agent when he turned pro, and Lake and another man, Michael Michaels, said they were partners in a start-up sports marketing company along with Bush and his stepfather, LaMar Griffin.

Now while most of the world hates Reggie Bush basically for being Reggie Bush, I like the guy.  He's done nothing wrong.  His parents are the ones that received rented a house for cheap in a good neighborhood, and who could blame them after living for years in such poor neighborhoods.  I know a lot of people make Reggie to be this thief and say his Heisman should be taken away and given to Vince Young.  That's ridiculous.  What Reggie did on the field was amazing and not slighted what so ever by the compensation his family received.  So, while most call for him to fess up and make known his dealings with the agent, let it be known that this situation has been going on in college for years.  Every know and then we hear about some high profile athlete receiving gifts and we say this is what's ruining college sports, but in reality it's the NCAA to blame for this mess because they're the ones raking in millions over these kids.

The truth will soon come out, but Reggie should never have to give up that Heisman. He earned it on the field.

I know that this Memorial Day a lot of us will be either enjoying a day in the sun with family and friends or working.   But there are some out their paying their respects to those who have come before us and laid down their lives so that we may enjoy this day.  

So, if you can't make it to a Memorial Day ceremony than do the next best thing, thank a military person the next time you see one in public.  I've done this on numerous occasions; at the mall, at the airport and even at the grocery store.  One guy actually shook my hand and told me that I was the first person to ever say thank you to him.   They sometimes rarely hear how much they mean to us until it's too late. 

So thanks to all those who've given their lives for our freedom.  Have a Happy Memorial Day!

When it comes to sports, I'm a fan of any sporting event that transcends.  I love the drama and story lines that go into a game.

That's why today is a great day to be a sports fan.  Soccer fans around the world will be glued to a television or website closely watching what is considered the biggest game of the year, UEFA Champions League Final.  

This year's game is going to be quite special with two English premiere leagues playing against each other (Manchester United vs. Chelsea).  Plus, you throw in the fact that you have the best player in the world, Christiano Ronaldo going up against the mighty and talented Michael Ballack of Chelsea. 



Many Americans overlook soccer because it's either too slow or they don't understand the complexities of the game.    But the game is great entertainment once you take interest in one side or the other. I really became transfixed on the game while covering the World Cup in 2002.  It was fun watching the U.S. team get so far, only to fall a tall and talented German team in the Semifinals.  

So give it try today, and turn on the game, pick a team... Not Manchester United, they're like the Yankees of soccer, root for the underdog - Chelsea.   It'll be like watching the Super Bowl without your favorite team playing.   Who knows, you might end up liking it and becoming a fan like me.

So, I spent this past Saturday participating in the 10th Annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk.  I was expecting to spend a nice quiet morning walking through downtown Austin with my wife, my pops and my pup. 

Things started off good with thousands of people gathered on the foot of Congress Ave. bridge to start their walk down Ceasar Chavez, but as we progressed along their was something missing.  WATER STATIONS.   As we approached the 1/2 mile marker we started to see owners and their dogs catching a breathe underneath any bit of shade.  Dogs were furiously looking for water.  At one point, dogs tugged their owners from one side of the race path across the route to an access point for Town Lake under the Lamar bridge.   

As we got near the 1 mile marker 30-40 people and their dogs were stopped under the MoPac overpass.   Dogs were exhausted, throwing up and even some were passed out.   That's when I spotted some water bowls ahead for dogs.  My wife and I pushed forward to get our dog closer so he could get a sip and a volunteer came over and told us they were out of water and awaiting a truck to bring them more.  How could you not have more water at the midway point? 

A young boy who was walking with us told me that his dog was so tired she wouldn't move.  I asked the boy how old the dog was and he told me 11 years old.  I said we should probably get a cart or something to bring them back to the starting line.  So I ran over to a police officer and asked him to call for a golf cart or car to pick up the boy.  He told me that someone else had passed out along the route and that was the only cart available. 

I know that the group was expecting to set a world record with this dog walk, but they should have been prepared.  The race started at 10:30am and we didn't cross the finish line until 12pm.  It was so hot, dogs and their owners were abandoning the race route to walk along Town Lake just so they wouldn't have to walk on the hot cement.  

Don't know if the dog walk was fun for anyone else, but for us it was frustrating.  I guess I was smart enough to bring water for my dog, but for others they suffered under the Texas heat.  Lucky also for the boy who dog got heat exhaustion that a medic showed up 10 minutes after I got a hold of someone, and the dog was doing better when we saw him later.  Still, there was no need for that to have happened.

I hear great things about the new commuter railway that will transport people from North Austin to Downtown.  New developments are popping up and it seems like it couldn't get finished faster with the rising gas prices.

Still, it seems like there is something missing down south.   My drive into work from down south isn't as bad as others, but I still would love the option of saving on gas money by taking a commuter rail.   It seems that with all the building and communities that are going in down south that  there would be a mention of the potential problem that is coming down the road. 

My wife who hits rush hour traffic everyday gets stuck in about 45 minutes worth of traffic, and we live only 9 miles from downtown.  Soon it will be hour long commute.   That's nothing  compared to those that are coming from further south on Slaughter or Buda or Dripping Springs.

My question is, why hasn't anyone addressed the traffic situation coming from South Austin to downtown?  Will there ever be a chance to take a commuter rail or do I have to move to North Austin just to save gas.  I know there's always the bus, but the bus doesn't always seem so reliable.  My next plan is to start a car-pool lane or HOV lane.  Let's get progressive and think about ways to minimize traffic and expand infrastructure before it's too late.

For a team with little playoff experience, they are showing how to handle business at home. The Hornets whipped up on the Spurs in Game Two, putting the champs in the hole heading back to San Antonio.



I know the Spurs will likely win both games at home because they are the defending champs and Popovich will have his team ready to play.  I really believe that this will be a seven game series.  Hopefully home court will pay off for my boys.

Still, one must wonder what the league big wigs are thinking if the Hornets win out and possibly go on to play the Lakers.  They may have to rig the games just so they won't have another small market basketball team in the finals.  I really don't think it would hurt the ratings at all because New Orleans is a fast paced, high scoring team that keeps you in the game.  But, you know and I know what they (NBA) envision is a Lakers/Celtics Finals.  

But my New Orleans Hornets have a shot.   It might not be a gamblers bet, but I'm willing to ride this wave of good fortune until Saints training camp opens.

Well, once wasn't enough for Miles, neither was twice.  So he went for third time and it was a charm. 


Highly touted college quarterback Ryan Perriloux was kicked off the LSU team for a third time.  This comes as Miles says ""Ryan was given every opportunity to be a part of this football team," Miles said. "In the end, he didn't fulfill his obligation as an LSU student-athlete. We hope that a new beginning will benefit him. I wish Ryan and his family nothing but the best in any of his future endeavors."

Rumors say he failed a drug tests others say he wasn't showing up to class/team meetings.  Who really cares.  This kid had so many tries to get it right and just couldn't stay in school. 

It all started with him passing counterfeit money along to some friends, and then went to him getting kicked out of a casino with a fake id. Then just before spring practice he was kicked off the team for not showing up to mandatory meetings.  He said that his grandfather passed away, but didn't tell anyone on the team he had gone home.  Time and time again he would apologize.  Time and time again LSU would forgive and reinstate the QB that just hasn't lived up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of high school. 

So that now leaves us with the question of whether he will land at another D-1 program or we he fade away into obscurity, like Adrian McPherson or Rhett Bomar. 

It will interesting to see if any Texas schools pick him up since he was heavily by UT.  We'll see, but whatever happens I just hope he gets his life on track and doesn't end up the story of some ill-fated news article.

Being a loyal Saints fan is hard these days.  Especially after your team follows up a trip to the  NFC Championship Game with a 7-9 season.   Still the NFL thinks it is rewarding the franchise by selecting them to go to London and promote the game overseas.

 WRONG!! 

                                                                     

The Saints have to give up one of their home games next season, meaning that not only will there be no Saints fan traveling to London, but their will be no revenue coming into the city of New Orleans.  This is a city that is still struggling to get back on it's feet.  One in which the NBA moved it's All-Star game to their, the Women's Final Four, two Arena Bowls and even the PGA is trying to bring big names to it's tournament down there.  So why take this away from a city that is a mid-market in terms of NFL revenue and ratings and not make the Chargers (who the Saints play in London) give up their home game?  

The NFL choose the Saints because of their marketability in Europe.  Most people over there no little about the game, so when they do here about the NFL they care for only a few teams.  Dolphins, Giants, Saints and Cowboys.   

Once again the Saints have been shafted by the NFL.  It was only three years ago that the Saints played a home game in Giants Stadium against the Giants on Monday Night.  Then Coach Jim Haslett said, "Thanks for putting the game close to home for our fans".    You gotta love the scheduling by the geniuses at the NFL.  Not only do they screw up the Monday Night games every year, but now it looks like they have it out for my beloved Saints.

"Retail gas prices could climb as high as $4 a
gallon this summer, but prices at such lofty levels will make many
Americans think twice about hitting the road this summer", the
Energy Department said Tuesday.

It's the only thing that seems to be constant...  I guess this means I better learn how to ride a bicycle because I'm gonna go broke paying over 4 dollars a gallon for gas.

What do you think?