Greetings all!!! This summer has been a hectic one of working both at a few soccer camps and as well as karaoke gigs. So needless to say I've had some long days. However, as we head back to classes and something that resembles a normal life I promise and swear to y'all and God that my writings will return on a regular basis. However before we get to that the Johnny Stats roadshow rocks through towns around the nation (maybe even your town). This Friday begins the Carolina leg of the tour with a stop in Brevard NC to drop off my sister at college. Other possible venues on this leg would include a visit to a couple minor league baseball games, and ofcourse the craziness will ensue. Then on Labor Day weekend the party that never stops hits Columbus Ohio for the USA v Mexico World Cup qualifier and we all know that only means fun and craziness ;) Other stops will be announced when I know where the hell I am going. Just remember you good people out there that as always "I AM YOUR CHAMPION"

Johnny

Back

Sorry it's been so long all!!! Things have been busy as hell and quite confusing. The net at home was down and the library tried cracking down on people using the computers for non-academic purposes. But now all is well and I'm back and look for me to shoot off some stuff in the near future. Missed you all. I am as always your champion

Johnny

Guess who's back!!! Back again!!!!!

Greetings readers of mine. I apologize again for the long delay between writings but life has been very hectic. Not the bad kind as happened previously, but just plain stinkin busy.

Visited my sister a couple weeks ago (Feb 19th that weekend) and had a wonderful time in Brevard NC. Ate some really good food and enjoyed a softball double-header followed by two basketball games on Saturday night (GO BREVARD). What a day huh ;) I loved it. A couple of shout-outs to give in this portion of the blog. First to my sister Sarah, love you kid, have a blast in FLA on break and enjoy the spring training game (it's not just me people it's genetic (Thanks Mom lol)) . The other Brevard shout-out goes to the Womens Softball team who I hung out with (along with my sister) during the basketball games. You all were a blast!!!!! Good luck this season!!!!!!

Well my dear friend and Steamer Lindsay Kennedy has played a couple of matches with the team, both of them home games and the first night was a lil rough. She didn't get to play until the last 90 seconds or so in the match (we were losing 6-3 at that point) and she did well on her first touch, simply returning a pass back to the player who sent it to her. However her next touch was not so good. She attempted to dribble past a Milwaukee defender and got the ball stripped from her and the bum scored because we had the keeper pulled for a 6th attacker. Well today was better. Carrying a 3 goal lead 5-2 LK got in the first shift of the second half and played well despite not having a touch. She marked her man well and the keeper for Milwaukee (yep them again) distributed the ball the other way. She came on again for the last few seconds of the quarter and got a touch on a ball that was high and wide, and as the buzzer sounded she tried to play it into the middle. With her contract of 5 games/15 days almost up it appears that my dream of her scoring won't happen but I must say that I'm so proud of LK for going out there. She rules!!!!!!

Well that's about all for now as I need to post on Big Soccer (BS to us on the board lol) and then head home. I'm on spring break so I think this week I'll be able to write more often and I'll be more dilligent about writing in the future. Remember good people as always I AM YOUR CHAMPION!!!!!!

Cheers,
Johnny

p.s. My birthday is on Sunday so if you want to send presents or cash please email me at and I'll give you the information needed ;)

I'm back and better then ever!!!!!!!

Greetings dear reader........

I apologize for my delay in getting back to my blog but the last couple weeks have been so incredibly hectic.

Item #1: 6 days ago my grandmother Florence Nelson passed away at age 88. I want to first of all thank all of ECM and all my friends out there for your prayers. Time, as always, will wound these heels (I mean heal these wounds). As I think about it though, Grandma went in the way we probably all want to go. She lived a good long life, and passed away in her sleep at HER home. While the last couple of years she had fought through a couple of strokes, she never really suffered that much for which I'm extremely thankful. She simply just went to sleep and that was it. When I do turn my thoughts to such ideas, that is the way I wanna go. My Grandfather, Roy, is trying to keep busy and keep his mind as well, and I must admit he's being the good soldier he was back in WW II. I guess pray for my Grandfather more than anybody. I know my grandfather wanted all of this to be low-key, no funeral or anything like that, but I felt the need to write this. My Grandmother is one of the reasons I've gotten into this education major that I have. I will be always grateful for that, and also for all her support. Ok well on to happier subjects.

Item #2: As I told you, my readers, I went off to Chicago a couple weekends ago with the other St. Louis Fanaticos (www.stlfanaticos.com) to watch our beloved Steamers take on the Chicago Storm. Well I don't think Chicago was ready for us. We easily out-yelled the Chicago supporters for most of the match despite our numbers only being 8 strong. The sound guy at the UIC Pavilion also tried to run interference against our supporting, but it wasn't very useful. Fanatico power can't be denied!!!!! Tragically our lads lost the match 5-3 thanks to a late goal followed by a goal with our keeper pulled for the extra attacker. The ride back was the truly interesting part though. Having ridden up with the other "token American" Justin and a friend of his, I hopped in the van with the 5 Bosnians for the ride back due to a confusing set of situations that isn't worth explaining. Well while trying to find our way through downtown Chicago (a very tricky thing indeed) we got the craving for some TGI Fridays. Well there was one in downtown Chi-town so we attempted to find a parking space. Well, some things in life are easier said than done, and this is one of them. After about 45 minutes of driving in a roughly 8-12 block square area we finally found a parking space and the ensuing controversy over that space almost led to our second fist-fight of the night.

OK a little explaining here. Most of the match was extremely friendly. Some of the people in the lower section would yell at us and flip us the bird but they were laughing and smiling when they did such things. So it was all in good fun. Well this one old bastard at the end of the match just starts telling us to "f#*^ing go back to f#^&ing St. Louis where you f#^&ing came from!!!" Great vocabulary eh :) So he starts to head up the stairs to the upper level to confront us, all by his lonesome. This guy must have been 60 at the youngest and apparently either had his kids or grandkids with him. Real classy guy I know. Well as he tries to take on all 8 of us he runs smack into a Chi-town copper who apparently talked some sense into him. Or led him off or something I don't really care. By the way kudos to the rest of the Chicago fans for being cool towards us and making it truly a fun evening even though we lost.

OK so we get our TGI Fridays food and by the time we get out of the city limits its like midnight or a little after. For the next five hours or so I'm subjected to Bosnian pop music, which I must admit is pretty damn good. Somehow despite horrible driving around St. Louis I'm safely in my bed at 5ish and was apparently "Balkanized" sometime during the ride. This simply means now I'm atleast an honorary Bosnian. Physically it's not that painful, but the emotional scars last forever, to which I was told "that's why God gives us beer". Oh one other thing. If you haven't read it yet I was mentioned in the first three paragraphs of a RFT story in this weeks issue. the link is http://www.riverfronttimes.com/issues/current/news/feature.html I'm stocky???? I thought I was too tall to be considered that but obviously not.

Item #3: After the bad news that came in last week, I had to think for a while about what to do with my ticket for the Cory Spinks-Zab Judah fight, but I realized that the best thing knowing myself like I do was to go anyways just to take my mind off things for a little while. It was an incredible show!!!! While most of the fights didn't last long it was still awesome!!! Zab has a younger brother who boxes and this kid is amazing to say the least. Zab fought a great fight, and I thought the ref stopped it too soon, but then on Monday I learned that Cory's trainer Kevin Cunningham was on his way up the steps with towel in hand to stop the fight. I guess that was the right decision then. Cory will have his rematch in time and I'm sure the result will be more in the favor of the Lou.

Well thank you dear reader for letting me catch you up. I hope that there won't be more delays like this in the future. As always "I am still your Undisputed Champion of the World" and I won't relinquish my belt!!!!!

Cheers

Johnny

Wacky Wednesday

Well I haven't written anything in the last couple of days, so I figured I'd chime in with what's going on with my life. Classes are going pretty well so far and I just finished a journal article review, so that's good. The crap continues to fly regarding LK and her attempts to make the Steamers 20 man (well I guess if she makes it it will become 20 person roster). All along I've said that it will be very difficult for her but I'm behind her because she's a friend of mine. I honestly hope she does make the roster so I can tell those people where to stick it, but only if it's because she earned it. If she's given a spot as part of this publicity stunt (which it may be) it will be bad. The worst thing is everybody has very valid points as to why she probably won't make it and it's impossible to argue with them. So all I can do is just sound like a broken record (I'm supporting my friend). Well regardless go LK I hope you make it babe!!!! Tonight what shall I do. I think after I get done here on campus I shall hoof it over to St. Louis Sports Zone and watch the end of the SLU game and all the Mizzou game before heading to the ECM service tonight. I might post tomorow but if not look forward to an exciting post either Saturday or Sunday in which I might detail the STL Fanaticos (who are among the people against the LK Experiment (well some of them but they have good points)) and our trip to Chi-town to watch our lads (still all men for this weekend I can guarantee (she ain't had time to bulk up yet)) beat up on the Chicago Storm. Remember as always "I am your Champion"
Cheers
Johnny

Oh what an interesting weekend

Let me begin by openly thanking the USSF and the Men's National Team for ending the lockout/strike before we messed things up!!! We will have a full strength team, even though for the training camp we have all US-based keepers, which does worry me greatly cause all of our talent is over in England playing. But hell we can just out score them now with everybody back in the fold, including the Pride Of Oakville Steve Ralston (http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/bio/bio.sps?iBiographyID=9369) I can rest now and I assume we can call off the little plan to bombard USSF with emails (bummer). I guess I'll never play for the national team (cries in a beer if he had one (which leads to more crying))

OK!!! The big news of this last weekend in the local soccer scene is a shocker to say the least. The Steamers signed a woman!!!! And of course me being the well connected guy that I am, this woman happens to be a friend of mine. Lindsay Kennedy attended Harris-Stowe with me and was the studette (feamle version of stud???) of the ladies team. Well after a couple attempts with the WUSA, and various other teams around this country, Lindsay was back home playing in a local mens indoor league that is very competitive. Well someone saw her and the Steamers decided to bring her in. Many people out there are calling this a publicity stunt. Well if it is dare I say it's worked very well!!!! My thread on big soccer (http://67.18.212.126/forum/showthread.php?t=150382&page=2) has exploded in the last couple days with people weighing in on the issue on whether a woman should be playing in a mens professional league. I myself am mixed on the issue. While she is a friend of mine who I am behind 100%. If heart has anything to do with it she will end up playing at somepoint this season. However she shouldn't get playing time if she don't deserve it so she has to work twice as hard in practice to even get a sniff. The mens game is so much more physical it's mind blowing. I haven't even mentioned the speed of the mens game, which is mind blowing. In the past the US Women's National Team used to play boys U-18 teams in closed door scrimages. Well the USWNT was lucky to tie these teams and if they were national or even regional U-18 teams they would probably lose. That shows the difference in the genders. As I said I support LK completely in her attempt but I hope if this is a stunt she's aware of it and is going along with it. Otherwise I will be quite upset.
One last thing, we lost Johnny Carson yesterday. I've only recently begun to appreciate his comedic stylings. You will be missed Johnny. And remember as always "I am your champion"
Cheers,
Johnny

Just another wacky Wednesday!!!!

Ok y'all. Your Champion here is actually gonna touch on something serious here for a second before getting to the ususal stuff. Yesterday a jury here in St. Louis sentenced a young man named Johnny Johnson (I'm not sure if the spelling is right but I really don't care) to die for the murder and rape of a 6 year old girl down in the STL suburb of Valley Park. This young man (he's only a year older than me) has suffered from schizophrenia (again check the spelling) and from all that's been heard is not "all there." However the jury has decided that we should show that murder is wrong by commiting 1st degree murder!!! We say that killing a person in a pre-meditated fashion is wrong by killing the offending party in a pre-meditated fashion. What up with that???? But ok we can even throw out that arguement as valid as it is for just a second though. We have no right to judge anybody worthy of dying for a crime they commited. Only God gets to make that decision not us mere mortals!!! Also how sick is it to be executing mentally ill people??? Now I agree that if anybody should be executed it should be people who commit crimes like this against children, but it's not my place to give this kind of punishment.
Another thing that makes me mad are so-called "evangelical christians" who have very little but hate in their hearts. We all know the type!!! People who can quote the old testament chapter and verse but don't know that the main point of Jesus is to love one another!!! These are the people who think that the Christian thing to do is to tell homosexuals they are going to hell. I have many friends who are non-christian and they are wonderful loving people. It always amazes me and also breaks my heart when they say that I'm "the nicest Christian they've ever met." They have told me almost everytime they run into a person who is proud to be a Christian they are then told they are evil people for believing what they believe in. Sad ain't it.
Ok on to lighter subjects. Hey yo KFNS!!! Listen up boyz!!! I have no problem with you guys moving the game time of a Steamers game to air a Mizzou game. Or even a Rams post-game show after an embarassing loss. Just tell us what you are going to do so we can plan accordingly. Hell tell us if you aren't going to air a game so we atleast know that fact ahead of time!!!.......Family Guy is the most underrated show in quite a long time!!! It has the potential to become as legendary as The Simpsons!!!!! Now that's saying something......I'm sick of the clouds!! Give me some sun anyday!!! It's under a month until spring offically begins. For those of you unfamiliar with my calendar winter begins the day the world series ends and continues on until the day that Cardinals pitchers and catchers report for spring training. ......One last thing!!! It appears that the USSF is going to continue on with using an inexperienced team in qualifiers. Mostly A-League (our second tier league) along with USL (D 3 league) and some MISL talent. Hell if we are going to go that route I should be on the stinking team!!! Maybe we should start an email to campaign for me to get a shot with the US National Team. I know I'm retired but I guess I could come out of retirement for my country ;) So go to http://www.ussoccer.com/services/content.sps?icustompageid=10295&itype=179 and start emailing!!!...........Well I guess that's about it for today so as always "I am your champion"
Cheers
Johnny