FOOTBALL, LATE-NITE SHOWS, SCORPIONS & THE INTERNET...

...I've tried to cover it all within the confines of this posting...

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Today, the New Orleans Saints beat Green Bay 31-28 in overtime, and I'd say that fans who sprung for high-in-the-sky-priced tickets got their moneys' worth. The Saints were just downright Brutal. Brett Favre is going to be the most sore player in history this time around, 'cos the Saints' defense absolutely Creamed him all afternoon long. During the regular season, there are lots of 'turkey' games where one team is leading 27-0 at halftime, and the game is basically over, 'cos the winning team put in the whole second-string on offense and defense in the second half and the score ends up being something like 43-0. So this game was something very real and very special. Sure, Favre was intercepted, and he had some awkward-looking throws, but again, New Orleans, today, reminded me of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the '70s, in the way they Mauled the opposing team. And especially in the way they mauled Favre. I'd say that New Orleans has a lock on winning the Super Bowl. Their opponents need not show up. I wouldn't be surprised this time around, if Brett Favre just Retired. I know he's said he would do that, but he changed his mind. Personally, I'll continue rooting for Favre as long as he is playing the game. But the beating he took today was Absolutely Merciless. It was kinda sad to watch, really. The Indianapolis Colts, with QB Peyton Manning leading the way, are the Saints' opponents in the upcoming Super Bowl. And those who predict such things are siding with the Colts, giving them a just-over-three-point edge.

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Something else which has gotten a lotta attention is the situation with the Late Night TV shows; you know the gang; Jay, Conan, and whoever else hosts the type of show in which Hollywood Stars appear to glorify themselves, spouting forth gibberish that we wouldn't listen to, had there been an Average Person Instead as Jay's or Conan's or whoever's Guest. I haven't watched late-nite TV since the time back in the '90s when David Letterman switched networks. His show was a whole-lot more fresh before he made the switch from NBC; it's either that or his semi-bitter personality had just gotten on my NERVE. That said, Conan O'Brien, who carved out a name for himself doing the post-'Tonight Show' program ('Late Night'?) actually did a fairly good job; he's humorous, a tad geeky, and unpredictable in a not-too-forbidding way. Conan somehow was easier to take than Jay Leno or David Letterman. Perhaps it's Conan's built-in goofiness; a nerd hosting a late-night talk show. Well, NBC moved Jay Leno's program to 10PM, and after years of sweating it out, Conan achieved his Dream of Dreams; finding himself in, ta-da, the Host Position for "The Tonight Show". Hometown Boy Made Good! For a talk-show host, "The Tonight Show" is As Far As One Can Go. Conan was King! Three Months Later, NBC Changed its Mind, sending Jay back to "The Tonight Show, while Conan was forced to resume again, his "Late Night" duties. Only, Conan didn't accept the offer. I don't blame him. That was NBC's way of saying, "hey Conan, we like you, but not enough for you to continue hosting "The Tonight Show" since Jay's still out there". Stick it to 'em, Conan. NBC, can you say 'buyout'? I knew ya could...

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Music News (or at least 'news to me'): I've just recently found out that The German Rock Band, The Scorpions, are going to disband. But they're evidently going on a world tour which could take who-knows-how-long 'till to complete. The Scorpions are one of the Heavier Bands that I used to listen to (and still do occasionally). Their music is/was unique in that, while the band stomps and pounds, their songs retained a sense of melodicism. In my collection are several of their albums, along with a couple of cassettes I found second-hand that I've never seen on vinyl. The group was founded by Rudy Schenker, rhythm guitarist, who is also Michael Schenker's brother (a quite formidable guitarist who got his start in the band "UFO", another group that could rock). Their singer, Klaus Meine, had to have nodules on his vocal cords removed, and he's sounding better than ever. Most of all, The Scorpions Really Rock. And They Rock Ultra-Hard. Back in the 1980's, I went to a concert featuring the band Cheap Trick, and starring as The Support Band was the then-relatively-unknown Scorpions. Of course, by that date I had a couple of their albums in my collection. And, boy, was it Loud. I'll never forget it.

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Finally, I have a question which hopefully someone out there can answer. It's been on my mind for a while. That question is, "Where's The Internet?" Is it owned by anybody? When you want to open up a website and you've gotta pay to do that, who gets the money? And when the Internet gets money, who does The Internet have to pay its bills to? Is there an address where you can send The Internet, and whoever's in charge of it, a Letter? Is there some big goombah somewhere who controls the Internet, supervising his employees' activities and making sure the money keeps rolling in? Is that how Al Gore continues to make post-political-career money? Is there some sort of Grand Building that Houses the Internet? Can you go and personally visit The Internet, wherever it might be located? Can you visit The Internet in the same way you can visit the Sears Tower? In other words, Who Owns The Internet that we all visit day after day? Or is it just something else that's out there, such as The Ocean. Ships sail on The Ocean. We surf on The Internet. Same thing, maybe? I don't know. You have all of these Internet Providers all over the world, but Where Does The Internet that we all visit have ITS headquarters? Whose Internet Is It? Whoever that person is, he/she would dwarf the Importance of Bill Gates and his cronies. It's just something that I've been wondering for a while.

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I realize that trying to contemplate The Internet here is probably as fruitless and exasperating as posing the question, "Does Deep Space come to an end, and if so, What's beyond it?". Hopefully someone can tell me, in such a way that a non-technical drone like I can understand...