Dan Gould

And also not a bad idea to lockup Terry Francona for a minimum of three more years beyond 2008. I like the fact that he's up around Joe Torre's salary because he deserves to be - I sometimes question a few of his in-game moves but I think Tito is extremely gifted in the area of managing personalities/egos as well as managing the media demands in Boston. And its hard to criticize someone who is 8-0 in World Series games, 22-9 overall in the postseason.

Look at the original story again. The mistaken info came directly from the seller, saying things he believed to be true at the time. Not much "research" that can be done on that. The ability of the press to check on people's bank accounts is slightly limited. But the seller's ability to check his own bank account is absolute, and he stated that a $300,000 deposit had been made. Maybe he'd lost track of his balance and when the bank gave it to him, he assumed that the money had cleared.

Which is why I am glad the Sox have apparently signed Bartolo Colon to a minor league deal. I know a lot of people think he is toast, or else that he's simply still not physically right, but this is a no-cost insurance policy with only upside for the club. He can't be any worse than some of the remaining free agents like Lohse or Fogg, and none of them would accept a minor league deal in the first place.

Yeah, it should be an interesting battle to see which team will battle for second behind the Braves! I tell you what, if Hampton really is healthy and stays that way, you've got starters that are as good or better than the Mets and Phils. If those teams don't batter each other too much, I think there's a good chance that two of the three will make it to the playoffs, unless Torre does a miracle job on the Dodgers (I think Colorado is unlikely to duplicate its run to the pennant).

The father who contacted Hardin and then Emery was put in touch with the Federal officials who have already received the bloody syringe evidence. They will now have yet one more reason to believe McNamee and consider bringing perjury charges against Clemens. You'll see the photos themselves soon enough - perhaps right around the time they get their indictment.

I can understand that but I am enjoying seeing Roger twist in the wind too much to stop now. And two more reasons to cast aspersions on Roger's story: A Chicago Trib writer pointed out how unlikely it is for any athlete to pay for anything (like, say a round of golf). Everything is gratis when you reach that level, yet Clemens has a receipt? And more to the point, Murray Chass actually manages to write something intelligent today when he points out that in Pettitte's deposition, he declared that his agents, the Hendricks, told him in August that the Mitchell people wanted to speak to him. So, we are to believe that the Hendricks spoke to Andy but didn't bother to tell Roger, just so that he could blame them and throw them under the bus when he'd be asked about it under oath? Its really fortunate for him that the Hendricks are also his lawyers. You'll never find out from them what Roger knew and when he knew it because they'll invoke attorney-client privilege. So they take their lumps in public, remain in Roger's good graces always, and Roger keeps muddying the waters about his contradictory statements about what he knew about the Mitchell report.

Well, Larry, I took this statement of yours: and added the fact that today (as I think most people will agree), the "mainstream" encompasses pre-bop to hard bop. So Wynton acolytes, Hamilton, Eric Alexander, Tardo Hammer are therefore "revivalists".

Not that I can't find out online but just how many inches fell in your "front yard" Chris?

Thanks for the suggestion, Chuck, but right after New Years the History Book Club had a "everything priced at $9.95 sale" with free shipping over $25. I bought ten books for a grand total of just under $100 and saved something like $200 off of list price. So I won't be shopping for books for quite some time.

Please go back to the Julia Luis Dreyfus photo, or find someone less repellent than Christina. Like Lindsay Lohan in rehab.

thanks Tom. I had no idea what I was in for when I found a cheap, excellent condition of the Room with a View LP. His voice with Mayfield's tunes sounds like a match made in heaven. Speaking of, hearing "Neither One Of Us (wants to be the first to say goodbye)" on Room made me think what a shame it was that he never got a chance to sing that with Gladys. That would have been amazing.

Well, as I expected to anyway, I went for the Horace Silver - with great surprise at the fact that it was priced at $17.99. But I guess BN figured "its new, no one's heard it, let's get what we can." And I couldn't help myself and went for another disc ... Johnny Adams, The Blues Album. And I listened to that one first! Couldn't help myself, after hearing his Room with a View of The Blues I've really wanted to hear more of the "Tan Canary". Amazing pipes. But oh yeah, I did listen to the Silver disc and it certainly is a terrific recording. Louis Smith steals the show, imo. Really unfortunate that he didn't record for so long after.

I wonder if Jim A. would object to being on a list of "revivalists". I think he and the band want (and have) to go beyond Jimmy or Lonnie Smith circa 1967.

MG, Does Bobby Forrester really qualify? Born in 1947, that made him in his early 20s at a time when the organ was probably at its all-time greatest popularity, when you think of how many labels were recording organ players as leaders.

Larry has some interesting comments about "revivalism" and it leads me to wonder just who in the universe of musicians who are fundamentally "revivalist" of a by-gone era, gets it "right"? Who do you think plays creatively and well within their chosen style? Leaving aside Scott and Eric Alexander, I'll throw out a few names: Tad Shull - I know Larry will agree with me on this one. Check out his Criss Cross leader date (the Tenor Triangle dates are good, too) Deep Passion. Two trumpeters: Brian Lynch & Jim Rotondi.

That's terrible news but I wouldn't assume "season over" until they know more about the extent of the injury. But that's a tough way to start the spring, right after the Mets add Santana.

So, I guess no actual deposit was made and no bank confirmation of funds was given. How the hell did it make it into the AP report in the first place?

Larry, I'd like to include in my Hamilton compilation some examples of his recordings in all styles, not just the ballads that formed the basis of our disagreement. From your comments it sounds as though Hamilton received his evaluation some time ago and you've seen no reason to revisit that cubbyhole. No reason why you should, life is short as they say, but I'm hardly the only one who feels that Scott has developed his own conception, "become his own man" as the old saying went, and it might be interesting if you take a moment to hear him.

I have no idea who the hell Jesse Belvin is, but I take even greater comfort in the fact that even Jim thought it was Johnny Mathis. From what I gather, Jesse Belvin was kinda "under the radar" for most folks during the 50s, one of those guys who was always connected enough to make records, but never enough to really break through (as mentioned before, "Goodnight My Love" was his only "big" hit). But the cat left a pretty good legacy as an R%B snger of both "smooth" and "rough" material. He's got some stuff out on the Fantasy R&B reissues, but who knows if those are still available... Check him out, he's a name you probably will want to at least know about: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...3ifyxqw5ldse~T1 Thanks for the link. I'd say that if anything, I should investigate the Specialty sides, as the "Adult Pop" example I've now heard just doesn't float my boat enough to want to hear more.

I've owned the LP for many years - always suspected it was Yusef, which was eventually confirmed to me by Dakota herself. Cover art on back of LP also suggests Yusef. Hey, in that AMG review, Yanow identifies Yusef, too, and with no help from Dakota. Maybe we should try to get Scott to participate in a BFT in the future? Nah.

Well mileage certainly does vary, as After Hours is a favorite, and the tenor and the rhythm section has a lot to do with that. Just curious, John, have you heard the Ray Brown Trio or Gene Harris Concords, and if so, do they also suffer from your "curse of Concord"?

My reaction was more along the lines of, "good, maybe the odds are catching up and a Darwin Award is in his immediate future."

then how come the AP reported that $300,000 had been deposited and the bank had confirmed the full amount being available?

I have no idea who the hell Jesse Belvin is, but I take even greater comfort in the fact that even Jim thought it was Johnny Mathis.

I got the DVD set of Season 2 of SNL - does anyone recall a lengthy skit covering Don Pardo's "career"? As the voice over guy, he's invisible in every scene he's supposed to be in. A pretty good skit. As for Don's career and reaching the age of 90, hey, a big from me, but the fact is that if he came into the VO biz now with that pukey announcer thing, he'd never have gotten his career off the ground. His signature sound was perfect for a bygone era.