Wed.-Sat., January 21-24, 2026
This post starts with a somber, disturbing and infuriating event, the execution of another human being by Federal ICE agents in Minnesota.
Alex Pretti was an
ICU nurse at a VA Hospital
To paraphrase Indiana football coach at his first press conference after being hired, "Google it, it was an execution."
Pretti was peacefully protesting and videoing the goings on when an ICE agent shoved a woman to the ground that he was next to. When he tried to help her up, he was swarmed by Ice agents and forced face down to the ground.
He was indeed carrying a weapon on his hip that he had a permit to legally carry under Minnesota law, think Second Amendment. The weapon was still in its holster when he was subdued and an ICE agent took it out of its holster and walked it away from Pretti.
Only after he was disarmed did ICE agents shoot Pretti who was still laying on the ground face down on his stomach.
TEN TIMES UNTIL HE WAS DEAD.
The Administration immediately launched into Pretti's character assassination and fabricating a self-defense story for the ICE agents actions.
Watch the at least two videos that are on the net and tell me what you saw and what you think happened.
I don't like what I'm seeing
In other sad news the last few days . . .
The wonderful city of Cefalu
on the north coast of Sicily
Many of the Mediterranean coastal towns of Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria were slammed hard by Cyclone Harry this week.
Fortunately, from what I've been able to find out from our friends in Sicily, all of our Catania Elephants' teammates, their families and their friends are safe.
But there was a ton of property damage
Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes
many foreign conquests, a WWII
invasion and now a cyclone . . .
NO PROBLEM!
Still, pray for the people in Italy
Speaking of Italy, on a brighter note
Laurie and I have tried most of these in their native cities and have had zero complaints.
On to football news from the net . . .
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| In Spain on Sunday, Gijón Mariners (0-1) at Zaragoza Hurricanes (0-1) |
An interesting piece of trivia
to memorize for future bar bets
Jerry Kramer, University of Idaho
1958 College All-Star Game
In that game, that was played annually in Chicago as the opening game of the NFL pre-season, a group of highly decorated, recently graduated college Seniors would take on the defending NFL Champions.
This series started in 1934 and ended 42 games later in 1976. Overall the defending NFL Champions dominated the series, as expected, 31-9-2.
As for that 1958 game, the College All-Stars defeated the Detroit Lions, 35-19.
Jerry Kramer went on to a Hall-of-Fame career as a guard and place kicker for the Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers dynasty.
Good times from long ago.
Nice honor for the Rams QB
The Mariners-Hurricanes game is
not the only big game on Sunday
The Rams are the odds on
favorites to win it all
Now, if we could just secure
these tickets to Super Bowl LX
should the Rams beat the Seahawks
On Saturday morning, Jacob's red clad Bulls played the Spurs at Monte Vista Middle School in the official Opening Game of the 2026 Camarillo Youth Basketball Association (CYBA) season.
Jacob warming-up pre-game
by shooting free throws
Battling for position in the paint
Jacob's shot went in for the
first two points of the game
Jacob defending
A block but he might want to
wash his hands after jabbing
this Spur in the armpit
The Bulls did a good job working
the ball into the open man
HANDS UP ON DEFENSE!
Contesting another shot
Bulls on the Fast Break
Slow it down
Another block
A commanding Bulls lead after
the First Period
Jacob pulling down yet
another rebound . . .
. . . and contesting another shot
Protect the ball
A short jumper by the Bulls
Point Guard
A long range shot by the
same Point Guard
Body on a body
Fast Breaking again
Battling as usual
Rebounding is Jacob's Super Power
When in doubt, yell at the shooter
Rampaging Spur . . .
. . . who Jacob picks up . . .
. . . and catches an errant elbow
to the chops for his trouble
Trying to find the cutter
At Halftime, the Bulls still held
on to a seven point advantage
The Spurs with a three point attempt
Scrambling for a loose ball
The Spurs were looking stronger
in the Third Quarter
Spurs on a Fast Break
That ball draws a lot of attention
Dribble, Drive, Shoot
Shot about to go up
Ballet like
Big Man shooting
Who will get this rebound?
JUMP BALL
At the end of the Third Quarter,
the Bulls lead was cut to five points
Under CYBA rules, each player must play a minimum of three quarters. By the way, each team's roster is capped at seven players.
Thus Jacob sat out the Fourth Quarter, finishing with a solid stat line that included eight points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and one steal.
Bringing home the win
He's OPEN!
Go up with it!
Inbounding under your own
basket can be harrowing at times
That Spurs kid is BIG!
Driving the ball up court
Great shot on the inside
Did it go in?
Body checking is legal in the CYBA
Spurs zone defense packing the paint
A long three point attempt from
the corner by the Spurs
The Bulls picking up the defense
near the half court line
Working it inside . . .
. . . sprinting it inside
The Spurs tied things up in the Fourth Quarter at 19 all but the Bulls scored the final six points of the game to take home a win.
Bulls (1-0) - 25
Spurs (0-1) - 19
Jacob with his proud Dad
Jacob with his equally proud
Grandparents
My facial expression may be dour but I'm glowing on the inside.
When we got home from Jacob's game, we found out the scores from Saturday's Spanish DI and DII games.
We'll start with the two DI games.
The Osos Rivas (2-0) edged
the Coslada Camioneros (0-1)
in a Western Conference tilt
In the Eastern Conference, the
Badalona Dracs (2-0) swamped
the L'Hospitalet Pioners (0-2)
There were four DII games in Spain on Saturday . . .
Not much parity in DII it appears
Alcobendas Cavaliers (2-0) - 57
Boadilla Vikings (1-1) - 0
Alicante Sharks (2-0) - 35
Sueca Ricers (0-1-1) - 0
Pinto Goldbats (1-1) - 34
Madrid Capitals (0-2) - 0
Alcorcón Smilodons (2-0) - 28
Tres Cantos Jabatos (0-2) - 13
Still, the thoughts of what is happening in the USA in general and Minnesota in particular, prey on my soul . . .
"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears." George Orwell, 1984.
Stay PRINCIPLED America!
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