Heckled by my own father!

I guess my posts on Michael Crabtree and Toyota drivers must have touched a nerve. yodaddy opines via email.

About a couple of your recent rants: Wasn't Jerry Rice - Fred Bilentnikoff etc 1st round picks?

And about Toyota's: the best sedan we have ever owned was a Camry. I still drive a ten year old Toyota Tacoma.....no problems. Don't know what xfloggingkylex's problem with Toyota is but it isn't the car...it's the loose nuts on the steering wheel.

If you want something really worth ranting about...how about the National Felon's League policy of blacking out telecasts of home games that are not sold out at the outrageous prices they demand? Who are they punishing? Morons like me that can't afford the tickets and still like to watch the Cardinals kick 49er ass. luv...

Wow. Heckled by my own father! Awesome! That's kind of the gold standard for blogging, isn't it?

Okay, pater, let me address your "issues", one-by-one.

Wasn't Jerry Rice - Fred Bilentnikoff etc 1st round picks?

They certainly were. So, in the past 40 years (see here), were Charles Rogers, Peter Warrick, Ashley Lelie, R. Jay Soward, Matt Jones, OJ McDuffie, Yatil Green, Troy Williamson, Hart Lee Dykes, Freddie Mitchell, Reidel Anthony, Kevin Dyson, Desmond Howard, Michael Westbrook, and Rod Gardner. All were colossal busts. And for the Niners, add busts J.J. Stokes, Terry Beasley, and Rashaun Woods. So the Niners are 1 for 4 picking WRs in the first round since 1970. Not great odds.

Furthermore, in my original post where I wrote on the Vulture's First Law of the NFL Draft, I specifically allowed for once-in-a-decade/once-in-a-lifetime players like Rice and Biletnikoff.

Vulture's First Law of the NFL draft: Unless the player in question is a Jerry Rice, a Randy Moss, or a Larry Fitzgerald - that is to say, a once-in-a-decade or once-in-a-lifetime kind of player - NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, N-E-V-E-R draft a Wide Receiver in the first round.

Can you honestly say that Michael Crabtree, a player whose college stats were inflated from playing in a gadget offense, is on a par with Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald, or Fred Biletnikoff? I can't.

Wide receivers aren't worth drafting in the first round not just because of the failure rate, but also because of the diva ego they bring along as baggage (see: Crabtree, Michael). It was an awful choice. Absolutely awful.

Now, about Toyotas. Neither xfloggingkylex nor I have anything untoward to say about the vehicles themselves. Toyota makes a quality, reliable, high-mileage line of vehicles. But the people who drive them.......well.........

I might have granted you an exception from that categorization, dear Father, except for that last bit of taunting you heaped upon your comments about NFL blackout rules.

Who are they punishing? Morons like me that can't afford the tickets and still like to watch the Cardinals kick 49er ass.

Really, now? Kick 49er ass.

How truly heartless! Please allow me the delusion (at least until kickoff) that the Niners have a chance tomorrow!!! Criminy!

Still, I love you, you old curmudgeon. Stay well.

A baby vulture leaves the nest

In every Vulture's life there is that moment when its young must stretch their wings and fly the nest. It's not an easy thing for a vulture mommy to digest: the infant she held so close -- doesn't it seem like only yesterday? -- has moved into the next phase of his life. Yesterday this Vulture's nest got a little bit lighter. TJ is now living on his own in an off-campus apartment in Towson.

You might say, "C'mon Vulture! He's only at college. And it's Towson, not even an hour's drive!" You're right. But it IS that first step out of the nest. And, with Kyle getting a job in Annapolis (congratulations to Kyle on that major land, BTW!), the only thing keeping him in the nest is the post-graduate classes he's taking at Hood. Once he's done with his post-grad certification in Tanatology, he's going to want to get his own nest closer to work. Then it'll just be me, Mrs. Vulture, and the dogs.

On the bright side, I did get my garage back.

Happy Fathers Day

I just love Fathers Day. L-O-V-E. My kids put away their sarcasm for the day. Mrs. Vulture ladles out the kindness and thoughtfulness all the live-long day. And, of course, there's gifts.

But the best gift of all is to be a father in the first place. What a blessing! My boys have made my life much richer and more meaningful. I love them dearly, and have enjoyed watching them progress from little velvet-skinned babies to full-size, hairy men. They've given me much to be proud of. They've loved me far more and far better than I deserved. They're in my heart forever.

A Fathers Day shout out to yodaddy, dw, and mark (to whom happy birthday wishes are also in order, ya old man). God's blessings be with you on this day.

Special prayers are in order for Luke Russert, who lost his dad, Tim, late last week. I can't imagine the pain of having Fathers Day fall just days after you've lost your dad to a sudden heart attach.