The O-Dogg Blog

Welcome Head Coach Dennis Allen

2012-01-30T20:43:00.000-08:00

Go Raiders. 'Nuff said.

I love OAKLANDISH ... you should too!

2012-01-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

Just check out these dope-ass shirts. Hella flava, hella style.

Avengers 3D Promo Art

2012-01-25T19:29:00.001-08:00

Sweet ...

Star Wars re-released in 3D

2012-01-13T22:16:00.001-08:00

What the heck, why not pay to watch The Phantom Menace one more time?

Hue Jackson fired - I'm not surprised

2012-01-10T13:45:00.000-08:00

You can't run your mouth the way Hue did at the end of the season and expect to keep your job. Period. Later Hue, the Raidernation is moving in a different direction. I can't wait to see who's next.

The Raiders hire first General Manager in team history

2012-01-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome Reggie McKenzie, GM of your Oakland Raiders. Wow, that sounds pretty frakkin' good. Raiders fans have been clamoring for a GM for at least 20 years and now, after 50 years of Al Davis doing everything, we have a young up-an-comer to run the show. And best of all, he's an ex-Raider himself, a player that was drafted in the 10th round of the 1985 draft and worked his way into a starting job. Stud. This guy can evaluate talent and I don't see any way that we ever end up with a JaMarcus Russell or a Darrius Heyward-Bay ever again.

Happy New Year, True Believers

2011-12-31T20:15:00.000-08:00

So ... what are YOU doing New Year's Eve? Hope it's fun and safe, whatever it is.

Happy 2012!

A Sweet End to 2011

2011-12-30T19:59:00.000-08:00

As my Christmas vacation comes to an end I'd be remiss not reflect back on 2011 without a holiday hot chocolate topped with Lucerne chocolate whipped cream ... all inside a Luke Skywalker mug. What a nice end to the year; a year that saw promotions at our jobs, healthy kids, and so many other blessings I can't count them all. Thank you God ... and Go Raiders and Go Blue!

Thanks for reading, true believers. You can look for more CruZader updates and news in 2012.

'Nuff said.

Happy Birthday Stan THE MAN Lee!

2011-12-28T15:56:00.001-08:00

Happy 88th to the ultimate true believer of characters like Spider-man, The Hulk, Iron Man, and The X-Men. This loquacious dude is my hero. Cheers to you, Stan. 'Nuff said.

Merry Christmas, true believers!

2011-12-25T18:21:00.000-08:00

It was a very Super Mario Christmas at O-dogg's house. Lots of new games and systems, like 3DS and Kinect. Lots o' fun with the family.

Hope you and yours had a great Christmas too.

'Nuff said.

New trailer - The Dark Knight Rises

2011-12-20T21:35:00.000-08:00

So sick! I am not worried about the bad guy's voice (Bane). This looks epic, dark and everything else you'd expect from a Batman flick. Can't wait.

New Cap Avengers pomo pic

2011-12-18T20:14:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge, true believers.

Testing new e-mail blog post

2011-12-17T23:11:00.001-08:00

I suppose this is a quasi-tweet, if it works. An e-mail that can directly post to Blogger without having to login via the Web. OK, getting ready to hit 'send' in 3, 2, 1 ...
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

LOST IN LOVE - The Sounds

2011-12-17T22:34:00.001-08:00

The Sounds still rock the bacon after all these years. Can't wait to see them live again.

Enjoy, true believers.

All hail Phantogram!

2011-12-17T10:19:00.000-08:00

I've been a big fan o' the Phantogram for some years now. I'm glad they seem more legit now with actual music videos and such. It's just a matter of time before they make it big. Enjoy:

Here's a short-form video called "Turn it Off":

And who could forget this oldie but goodie?

R.I.P. Joe Simon, co-creator of Captain America

2011-12-15T00:32:00.000-08:00

Joe Simon: your legacy will live forever (along with Jack "King" Kirby) through the living legend of WWII, Captain America. As long as the red, white and blue shield exists, your legend will live. Thank you for creating my favorite hero. Rest in Peace, Joe.

---

Associated Press - Joe Simon, who along with Jack Kirby co-created Captain America and was one of the comic book industry’s most revered writers, artists and editors, has died at age 98. Simon’s family relayed word of his death Thursday, posting a short statement on Facebook and telling the Associated Press through a spokesman that Simon died Wednesday night in New York City after a brief illness. “Joe was one of a kind,” said Steve Saffel, of Titan Books, a Simon friend who worked with him on his recent autobiography, Joe Simon, My Life In Comics. Saffel said that Simon, born in Rochester, N.Y., in 1913, “lived life on his terms and created incredible things in the process. It was a privilege to know him and to call him my friend.”

Among Simon’s creations was a partnership with Kirby, a comic book artist and illustrator. The duo worked hand-in-glove for years and from their fertile imaginations sprang a trove of characters, heroes, villains and misfits for several comic book companies in their Golden Age of the 1940s, including Timely, the forerunner of today’s Marvel Comics; National Periodicals, the forerunner of DC; and Fawcett, among others. The characters the two created included the Newsboy Legion, the Boy Commandos and others, like Blue Bolt. “Blue Bolt was the first strip Jack and I worked on together, beginning in 1940. He was a science fiction swashbuckler I created for Curtis Publishing, the company that put out the Saturday Evening Post,” Simon told the AP earlier this year. “They had decided to jump on the comic book bandwagon. Jack joined me with the second issue. Like Captain America, Blue Bolt got his powers from an injection, long before the baseball players were doing it.”

For Timely, the duo created Captain America, debuting on the cover of Captain America Comics No. 1 with the champion of liberty throwing a solid right-hook at Adolf Hitler in December 1940, a year before the United States entered World War II. “Jack and I read the newspapers and knew what was going on over in Europe. And there he was — Adolf Hitler, with his ridiculous moustache, high-pitched ranting and goose-stepping followers. He was the perfect bad guy, much better than anything we could have made up, so what we needed was to create his ultimate counterpart,” Simon told the AP.

“Cap is one of the great comic book icons, and as dangerous as the world is today — more than it was in the 1940s — we need him around more than ever to act as our moral compass,” Simon said.

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Thanksgiving - blessings and blunders

2011-11-28T12:41:00.001-08:00

It was a memorable Turkey Day to say the least. Things started off great:
I scored the game winning touchdown in my annual Delta Chi Turkey Bowl football game at Cal State Hayward. Picked up some cold beer on the way home and watched a little football before heading off to two dinners with my family. As the day progressed, my body just felt worse and worse with a tweaked ankle, banged up shoulder and a badly swollen thumb.

I was starving and probably ate way too much at dinner. For good measure, I went out at midnight to take advantage of Black Friday deals at GameStop for some videogames. The line wasn't that long, but it moved really slow and I didn't get back home 'till 2 am.

And then came the stomach flu. I woke up Friday feeling like a truck hit me ... and then I hit the toilet - hard. Puking. Fever. Cold Shivers. Shaking. Diarreah. And gas. Lots and lots of gas ... all ... weekend ... long. It sucked, bad! I kept telling myself the sore body was worth the football glory. The Black Friday line was worth the great deals on Nintendo games. But why did I deserve a horrible stomach flu? Whatever I ate, it was definitely NOT worth it.

Things got better with Michigan beating Ohio State for the first time in 8 years for its 10th win and a chance at a BCS bowl. My Raiders also took care of biz against the Monsters of Midway yesterday and they look like they're on their way to the playoffs for the first time in 9 years. However, it's Monday and I'm STILL not 100% over this stomach bug and it's starting to get old.

All of this illness has given me time to sit around and do nothing but reflect, so all in all I am very thankful for the blessings I have in life and I gladly take the good with the bad (and the painfully smelly and crappy).

#Thanksgiving #TurkeyBowl #BlackFriday #GameStop

New HUNGER GAMES Movie Trailer

2011-11-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

Pretty impressive. I think they've captured the essence of the book, from what I can tell. The only thing I'd say is it's a little too colorful, it should look a little bit more drab and muted like so many post-apocalyptic movies are.

I'm eager to see this come March 2012.

#whatismydistrict

CP3 + Denarius + Bush = Raiders Win

2011-11-12T12:42:00.000-08:00

Wow. Can't say enough about what studs Carson Palmer, Denarius Moore and Michael Bush are. Palmer was nearly perfect, and would've had 3 TDs on 15-20 passing were he not hit from behind on an interception that wobbled out of his hands. Moore has supplanted Darius Heyward-Bey as the #1 receiver - and he earned it - with 2 TDs and 123 yards in this game. Bush has always been good and I've always known it. All Bush did Thursday night was carry us to a win with over 240 yards from scrimmage over 150 on the ground and nearly 100 receiving.

Just win, baby! 'Nuff said.

This is Halloween

2011-11-04T20:50:00.001-07:00

Awesome!

"Beavis and Butthead shall return, brothers!"

2011-11-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

The glorious return of Beavis & Butthead, true believers! I still get a laugh out of these guys. Perhaps it's because they remind me soooo much of my brother's best friend and one of my cousins when they were teenagers. Mike Judge is a comedic genius.

My favorite commercial break bumper was the one where a guy with a preacher's voice would exclaim "Beavis and Butthead shall return, brothers!" Thank you for their return, MTV!

Happy Halloween from "Corporate America"

2011-10-31T18:04:00.001-07:00

Not quite Captain America ... not quite Corporate America, but a nice mix in between.

Enjoy All Hallow's Eve, true believers. For all you Mexicans out there, get your "Dia de los Muertos" on!

Gilroy Gardens - rollercoaster & waterfalls

2011-10-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

Oakland Appreciation Day

2011-10-29T15:17:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while it is just good to appreciate Oakland - up close and in person. I had such a day today, with a few other guys from work that are down for The Town. We went into the Fruitvale district for lunch at a Mexican place called El Huarache, good food, but even better atmosphere and authenticity. Best of all was the surrounding neighborhood in and around E. 14th and High Street with its various Raiders billboards. Highlight of the day: seeing the Hell's Angel's Oakland Chapter clubhouse, it was a real Sons of Anarchy moment, true believers. Also, a few pics from the Piedmont district and downtown:

Al Davis Cause of Death

2011-10-29T15:14:00.001-07:00

I tip my 40 to your memory, Mr. Davis.

(Associated Press) OAKLAND -

The cause of former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis’ death has been determined to have been heart failure.

The death certificate issued by Alameda County says Davis died at age 82 at 2:45 a.m. on Oct. 8 from an abnormal hearth rhythm, congestive heart failure and a heart muscle disease.

He died at the Oakland Airport Hilton, where he lived during much of the football season.

According to the certificate, Davis also had a form of skin cancer and had undergone throat surgery three days before his death. He also underwent heart surgery in 1996.

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My new favorite TV Show: HBO's "How to Make it in America"

2011-10-28T23:19:00.000-07:00

I can't rave enough about this show. So Authentic. So gritty. So street. So hustler. So skater. So baller. Sooooo NEW YORK CITY!

This show is about a couple guys trying to make it as designers of urban hoodies & t-shirts. It really reminds me of my favorite, grass-roots t-shirt brand, Oaklandish.

HBO absolutely nails the authenticity. The skateboarding, the street food and the most incredibly hip music tracks and still-photograph montages sprinkled throughout every show. Each episode is like a master work of street-level art; each is like a love letter to NYC ... kind of like every Oaklandish t-shirt is a love letter to the great city of Oakland.

#Howtomakeit

The Stranger in the Dark

2011-10-28T22:52:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I told a personal story, so here it is, true believers. I call it "The Stranger in the Dark."

It was about 5:30 and I was getting ready to leave work. I walked from one building on the corporate campus to another, older building. In the older building they turn out the lights pretty early, and tend to keep them off, as it is not an energy efficient building - hot in the summer, colder than a witch's (bosom) in a brass bra in the winter.

I walked into the bathroom and it was pitch black. I've pissed in the dark in this building before, so no big deal. I paused, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the dark, then I approached the urinal. It was then that I heard the stranger in the dark.

I don't even remember what he said, his voice made me scream like a little school girl and I got the frak out of that bathroom. For sure I thought the dude would stay behind to let the awkwardness subside. Not so much. Dude followed me out and when I got to the elevator, I couldn't press the button fast enough. I should've taken the stairs.

So, I decide to face the stranger. Older guy. Weird lopsided smile. He had this nervous, gimpy laugh and he was trying to explain himself and trying to make light of it. I played it off, but I was really creeped out riding down the elevator with this impish fellow. Then I remembered this human gnome: he was the same guy that wouldn't let me back in the building when I'd lost my security badge months earlier.

Now when I see him around he doesn't ignore all of this like it never happened. He gives me this knowing, lopsided grin and it makes we want to turn and go in the opposite direction with the quickness.

Don't know what I'm going to do about this Stranger situation, but I know one thing: I will never walk into a dark bathroom for an after-work whiz ever again.

UPDATE: The stranger came into my office today looking for someone named "Jack." I don't think I look like a Jack, so he ducked out and looked at the name tag on my door ... AWKWARD. Now the stranger knows my name and where I sit. In the parlance of the 1980s: grody!

Who is the master? SHOGUN!

2011-10-28T22:38:00.000-07:00

Man, I love Halloween! Flashback to the 80s movie The , "Who is the master? Shogun!"

Sweet Captain America Art

2011-10-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

So simple. So iconic. So tight.

The Hunger Games - great book, movie on its way

2011-10-25T21:27:00.000-07:00

If you've never read The Hunger Games trilogy, go read it. Now.

Yes, it's a simple read, meant for a teenage audience, but so what, the premise is fantastic and the characters are very relatable. If you're a fan of grim, post-apocalyptic Earth stories - and you know that I do - then go pick this up, true believers. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: who doesn't love a scorched Earth story where grungy humans use garbage can fires to stay warm at night?!

It's being made into a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence as the heroin, Katniss Everdeen. Enjoy the trailer.

Get More: Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, Stanley Tucci, 2011 VMA, Music

#whatismydistrict

Me & Al Davis & Vince Lombardi Trophies - 3 of them!

2011-10-22T20:26:00.001-07:00

Click on the pic for a bigger view, true believers.

The Eternal Flame of Al Davis

2011-10-20T21:53:00.001-07:00

Wow, what a tribute to the late, great Al Davis. Raiders forever!

CP3 - Carson Palmer comes to Oakland!

2011-10-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

All I can say is wow! The spirit of Al Davis lives with this massive trade deadline deal, true believers. In a sport where no one really trades, the Raiders continue to make headlines with deals for players like Richard Seymour and the great QB Carson Palmer. I am so happy and proud of my Raiders for going against the grain and making headlines in dramatic fashion like only they know how to. Who drafts Bo Jackson and Rocket Ismail? Who drafts Terrell Pryor? Who goes out and collects Heisman winners like Tim Brown, Charles Woodson and Desmond Howard? The Raiders do, that's who!

New Avengers Trailer!

2011-10-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

Sooo siiiick!

Muddy Buddy 2011 - a Top 10 Finish for O-dogg

2011-10-09T16:19:00.001-07:00

For those of you that don't know what Muddy Buddy is, here is the drill: you and a buddy bike & run up some steep hills in San Jose, obstacles at every switch point, 50 yards of mud pit at the end ... and then lots of free beer. Any questions?

Me and Swervin' Purvis (Team Name: Marvel Super Soldiers) finished in the Top 10 in our division at 56 minutes. My Delta Chi buddy Scott (in the Orange Crush t-shirt) finished in first place in his division at 45 minutes, what a baller! Holla!

On a day when my Oakland Raiders won one for its deceased owner, Al Davis, I couldn't think of a better day to be spent out in the gorgeous October sky of the Bay Area for down and dirty party ... literally.

Werd to mother, true believers!

R.I.P. AL DAVIS

2011-10-08T10:59:00.001-07:00

JUST WIN, BABY.

Michigan stuns Notre Dame; Raiders pound Broncos - Life is Good

2011-09-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

How awesome was it for Michigan to down Notre Dame with :02 left on the clock in the first-ever night game at The Big House? Hella sweet. Same goes for the Raiders at Broncos to kick off the season on Monday Night. 'Nuff said.