Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 31, 2012

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11

SPORTS

 Mountain Views News Saturday, March 31, 2012 


HUDDLE UP!

By Harvey Hyde


ROCK ‘N ROLL, VEGAS, 
AND … THE JETS

 As my friends know, I go to Las Vegas a lot because the radio station that 
carries my show is located there. But I went there last weekend, not on 
business but just to relax, with my wife Linda and our adult daughters. We 
had a fantastic time. Food, sports, shows and conversation. I recommend 
spending this kind of extended family time for at least a couple of days. 
Doesn’t have to be Las Vegas or any fancy spot. Sharing conversations and 
activities like ‘grown ups’ is a good thing for everybody. 

 Las Vegas is for more than just gambling. We caught Rod Stewart at Caesars – I enjoyed it so much 
I stood for most of the show. He’s a great performer. Songs everyone wants to sing with him (and 
did.) If you are a steak eater, here’s a review for you. I had the best steak I ever had in Vegas at the Old 
Homestead Steakhouse at Caesars Palace. I had the second best at Cut at the Venetian.

 Of course we got into some great sports TV with the really competitive college basketball games as 
the Final Four teams were determined.

 Las Vegas also has its share of information on sports. I learned that the Green Bay Packers are the 
early 6-1 favorites to win the Super Bowl. New England is next at 7-1, followed by the Saints and Texans 
at 10-1, and the Broncos and 49ers at 12-1.

 If you are a Colt, Viking or Buccaneer fan, your team is at the other end of the spectrum at 135-1.

 This brings me to the football topic for this week’s column – the New York Jets, who are 28-1 to win 
the Super Bowl.

 I wouldn’t bet the Jets, (I rarely bet my money) even at those odds. And wouldn’t bet them even with 
your money. I really wonder what the Jets were thinking when they traded for Tim Tebow. Their coach, 
Rex Ryan, may think it was a great move. But I don’t.

 In press conferences and releases, the Jets are still saying Sanchez is the starter. But I wonder. How 
many second-string quarterbacks have been flown into town on a private jet?

 What the Jets have done is divide their team into two offenses -- the standard pro offense with starter 
Mark Sanchez and the Wildcat with Tebow.

 This is an interesting set up. Who runs the pro offense if Sanchez gets hurt? And who runs the 
Wildcat if Tebow gets hurt? Maybe the Jets need four quarterbacks.

 And then there is this: What about when fans start chanting “Tebow, Tebow, Tebow” after Sanchez 
throws a couple of interceptions? How does that make your starter feel?

 Ryan says his team will prepare two different offenses. Okay, but can you imagine how tough it will 
be to run two different offenses at the NFL level?

 Also, the Jets are giving the defenses they face an advantage. The defenses won’t have to guess what 
offense the Jets will be using. When Sanchez is behind center, it is one, and with Tebow it is the other. 

 If you are a Jet fan, at least you won’t have to worry about spending big money to procure any Super 
Bowl tickets. I think it will be a crazy year for them.

 As for the Denver Broncos, they made a smart move in trading Tebow because, in Peyton Manning, 
they now have the quarterback with the skills and mind set they wanted. How many Denver fans have 
you heard say that the Broncos made a mistake by trading Tebow to the Jets?

 Look for Denver to run the same offense that Peyton ran at Indianapolis. Why change 
anything? He’s the best at what he does and a true future Hall of Famer. Biggest challenge: 
Keep him healthy! Do you think the Jets got any Hall of Famers in the deal? 
Harvey Hyde can be heard on Las Vegas station KSHP1400 am via the Internet and also at 
USCTrojans.com.

PERFECT GOLF SWING DRILLS 

 I have a couple of drills that are perfect golf swing drills-just for your game. Let’s start with 
my favorite full swing drill of all time. The main reason this game is so tough is because we 
have to stand to the side of the golf ball to hit it. If you are going to play this game you have 
to understand that the golf club has to swing around your body not above it.

 Any time the hands and arms separate from the 
upper body and swing away from you-you are in 
trouble. This is why my favorite golf swing drill 
is-ball above your feet. The great thing about 
this drill is you don’t have to hit golf balls. When 
you find a lie where the ground is higher than 
your feet, you can just swing away. Of course I 
have to share a couple of things with you about 
this drill.

 Most amateur golfers swing the club too much 
up and down. It is almost impossible to change 
the shape of a swing that is too much up and 
down without using some sort of aid. The reason 
it is hard to change is because you can’t see what’s 
going on behind you in the backswing. That is 
why this drill is awesome. You stand on the side 
of hill and you swing away. With the club above 
your feet the has to swing around you. It is next 
to impossible to swing the club up too much.

 If you have the luxury to hit balls from this type 
of lie the better off you are. I have to warn you 
about one thing, if you hit some shots fat it is because 
your old swing keeps creeping in. Because 
the ball is closer to you the club will smack the 
ground if you don’t swing it around you.

 I want to share one more drill with you that will 
give you the feeling of turning through in the follow 
through. The next time you are at the practice 
facility and after you are wamed up, I want you to 
try this drill. Hit a short pitch shot and after you 
have finished the swing, lift your right foot off of 
the ground and tap your toe three times. The first 
time you try it you might fall over. It is the best 
drill to teach yourself to turn through and stay in 
balance.

 Once you have perfected the short shot then 
move on to a full wedge shot. Same thing, hit a 
shot and tap your toe. Now I have just give you a 
couple of perfect golf swing drills for your game.


Club above the ball


Right heel pointing to the sky

ARTS & ENTERTAIMENT


SEAN’S SHAMELESS 

REVIEWS: 


The Book Report

Review By Sean Kayden

By Jeff Brown

 

ISLAND OF VICE: THEODORE ROOSEVELT’S DOOMED QUEST TO 
CLEAN UP SIN-LOVING NEW YORK by Richard Zacks 


 When young T. Roosevelt was appointed police commissioner of New York City, he had the 
astounding gall to try to shut down the brothels, gambling joints, and after-hours saloons. This is the 
story of how TR took on Manhattan vice, and vice won. In the 1890s, New York City was America’s 
financial, manufacturing, and entertainment capital, and also its preferred destination for sin, teeming 
with forty thousand prostitutes, glittery casinos, and all-night dives. Police captains 
took bribes to see 
nothing while reformers writhed in frustration. Zacks paints a vivid portrait of the lewd underbelly 
of 1890s New York, and of Roosevelt, the puritanical, cocksure police commissioner resolved to clean 
it up. He explores how Roosevelt goes head to head with Tammany Hall, takes midnight rambles 
with muckraker Jacob Riis, and tries to convince New Yorkers to enjoy wholesome family fun. When 
Roosevelt’s crackdown succeeds too well, even his supporters turn on him and TR discovers that New 
York loves its sin more than its salvation. With cameos by Stephen Crane, Mark Twain, and a horde of 
very angry cops, Island of Vice is an unforgettable snapshot 
of 1890’s New York in all its seedy glory 
and a look at one of our most colorful presidents!!

THE BLOOD SUGAR SOLUTION: 
THE ULTRA HEALTHY PROGRAM 
FOR LOSING WEIGHT, PREVENTING 
DISEASE, AND FEELING GREAT NOW! 
by Mark Hyman 


 Dr. Mark Hyman reveals that the secret solution to 
losing weight and preventing not just diabetes but also 
heart disease, stroke, dementia, and cancer is balanced 
insulin levels. Dr. Hyman describes the seven keys to 
achieving wellness-nutrition, hormones, inflammation, 
digestion, detoxification, energy metabolism, and a 
calm mind and explains his revolutionary six week 
healthy living program. With advice on diet, green 
living, supplements and medication, exercise, and 
personalizing the plan for optimal results, the book also 
teaches how to maintain lifelong health. 

MYCOPHILIA: REVELATIONS FROM 
THE WEIRD WORLD OF MUSHROOMS

by Eugenia Bone 


 An incredibly versatile cooking ingredient containing 
an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and possibly 
cancer fighting properties, mushrooms are among the 
most expensive and sought after foods on the planet. Yet 
when it comes to fungi, culinary uses are only the tip of 
the iceberg. Throughout history fungus has been prized 
for its diverse properties, medicinal, ecological, even 
recreational, and has spawned its own quirky subculture 
dedicated to exploring the weird biology and celebrating 
the unique role it plays on earth. Bone examines the 
role of fungi as exotic delicacy, curative, poison, and 
hallucinogen, and ultimately discovers that a greater 
understanding of fungi is key to facing many challenges 
of the 21st century. Mycophilia is for foodies, science 
buffs, environmental advocates, and anyone interested 
in learning a lot about one of the least understood and 
most curious organisms in nature.

The San Diego natives are under the impression they’ve found their 
calling with the release of their eponymous third record. Delta Spirit 
never wanted their style to be regarded as a folk rock or alt-country. In 
spite of their earlier sound wandering around in the confines of those 
genres, the band always believed they were simply crafting modern 
rock songs. For the group to release their third album as self-titled, the band is certainly 
trying to inveigle fans and newcomers alike 
to finally see what they are truly all about. Is 
it worth your time? With some hesitation, 
it’s apparent that Delta Spirit has indeed 
generated a decent record. However, I must 
confess, this is now coming from someone 
who was never truly impressed with the 
band’s first two records. 


The problem with the group’s self-titled album is how inconsistent it is. I never found myself 
entirely captivated with the experience of listening to it. “Tear It Up,” the second track off 
the record is fully energetic. It’s my favorite song off 
the album, but those who’ve previously found spiritual 
enlightenment through the music of Delta Spirit may 
be disappointed. The abovementioned song sounds 
nothing like they’ve ever written before and maybe 
that’s the reason I thoroughly enjoyed it. The simple 
lyrics masked behind infectious guitar riffs are what 
make “Tear It Up” what it is. Some may call it fluff, but 
I call it pure addictiveness. “Time Bomb” is a beautiful, 
spiritually driven track that exemplifies the notion of 
a looming future. The morbidly induced “Into The 
Darkness” comes off rather haunting. This is the sound 
Delta Spirit should have gone for with the other songs. 
At any rate, “Time Bomb” and “Into The Darkness” 
demonstrates how Delta Spirit really try to become 
more than just a band simply described as one or two 
things. 


The group stumbles with songs like “Idaho,” “Otherside,” 
and the god-awful “Tellin’ The Mind”. They feel nothing 
more than plain filler and suffer from being both 
unappealing and painfully generic. The trio of songs is 
a poor representation of what the band wants to now 
accomplish. Mishaps aside, Delta Spirit has definitely 
shifted gears with this latest endeavor. No longer can 
you call them a purely Americana rock band. They’ve 
some made intrepid choices and credit is due for most 
of their artistic decisions. With the release of their 
third record, I don’t know if Delta Spirit is exactly sure 
if they are the band they’ve all set out to be. If anything, 
this record constitutes a step forward in the direction 
they’re trying to head down. However, it’s just not the 
big leap they were anticipating on achieving. 

Key Tracks: 
“Tear It Up”, “Home”, “Time Bomb”, 
“Into The Darkness” 


Grade: 7 out of 10

 
DELTA SPIRIT

Artist: Delta Spirit

Album: Delta Spirit

Label: Rounder Records

Release Date: March 13, 2012