Swag Award February 2-8

On paper, the matchup was one that bookmakers and sports enthusiasts alike salivated over. The first time since 1994 that two #1 seeds faced one another in the Super Bowl. Two of the games most prolific offenses and two of the games most accurate quarterbacks duking it out for one of the most coveted prizes in all of sport; The Lombardi Trophy.

On paper it appeared that the Indianapolis Colts were the better team. Led by 2009 league MVP Peyton Manning, and well-rested after a 14-0 start the Colts seemed poised to win their second title in four years.

Outcomes are not decided on paper, and that my friends is why we play the game.

For the first 15 minutes of the game the New Orleans Saints, the laughing stock of the NFL for many seasons, the expansion team that hadn’t reached a Super Bowl in its first 43 years of existence looked every bit less experienced than their counterparts from Indy.

New Orleans could have rolled over at the end of the 1st quarter when they were down 10-0 and didn’t show any signs that they were capable of slowing down Peyton Manning’s methodic passing attack. New Orleans could have rolled over in the 2nd quarter when Indy stopped back-to-back runs on 3rd and 4th and goal, but they didn’t.

A wise man once told me that “a true champion prevails despite the circumstances,” and that is what the Saints did coming out of halftime. Despite being a slight underdog, and facing a 10-6 deficit at the half, the Saints put together an impressive 30 minutes of football; starting with a recovered onside kick to begin the second half.

That play, the first time an onside kick was attempted in a Super Bowl before the 4th quarter, was a game-changer and the catalyst the propelled the Saints to a 25-point second half and their first ever Super Bowl title.

It’s hard to not to root for a team like the Saints. There’s no way to measure what a Super Bowl title does for the spirits and emotions of the city of New Orleans, and the surrounding gulf region that is still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. I think sports fans around the league won’t mind yelling out a resounding “Who Dat!??” in honor of the Saints’ tremendous season.

Any successful person will tell you that winners take risks, and the New Orleans took the necessary risks in Super Bowl XLIV to be crowned World Champions at games end. To the victor goes the spoils. Swagger!

Swag Award January 25-Feb 1

It’s often been said that love knows no boundaries, and ever so often you see a couple who makes you really makes you believe that saying may have some truth behind it. Ever so often, you see a couple who makes you feel like they would do anything for their partner; travel the to the ends of the earth, profess their undying love for another, whatever it takes.

Jeff Wong and his fiancée Erin are proof that true love is not dead. Now we all remember the creative “Soul Train wedding line” that was a sensation on You Tube.. This couple blows those jokers out of the water.

Mr. and soon-to-be Mrs. Wong are set to wed on October 9, 2010, the eve of 10-10-10. Instead of sending out cheesy invites on cheesy stationary, this duo took a little less conventional route and instead decided to produce a trailer for the event of the year, AKA the wedding in October. Taking scenes from many of your favorite movies and spoofing them, the Wong’s most certainly made an unforgettable event reminder for what promises to be an unforgettable event in their lives.

Props to Jeff & Erin for overcoming the odds, thinking outside the box, and having the swagger to do something so incredibly original, so incredibly awesome. Best of luck to you guys in the future.

Swag Award January 18-24

As we draw to the close of the first month of a new year, renowned ghost-writer and Virginia representative Skillz has released his annual “Rap-Up.” For those of you unfamiliar with Skillz or his rap-ups, take this time to familiarize yourself. For as far back as I can remember, Skillz has been releasing these songs every January recapping all the major events of the previous year. Skillz cleverly touches on everything from the music world, to politics, to pop culture. By now, we’ve all seen retrospectives on the events of last year, but no one does it quite like this guy. I’ve always enjoyed these and I’m sure you will too.

Click on the video below and let Skillz take you back through 2009 and the year that was…

Swag Award January 4-17

One week after the catastrophic earthquake that rocked Haiti, the magnitude and sheer impact the quake had on the fragile island nation is becoming more apparent with each passing minute. News outlets have been covering the disaster for days, and I’m sure none of us will soon forget the images of the homeless families, injured Haitians, corpses littering the streets, and people helplessly crying out for help.

When tragedies on this scale occur, something is triggered within the human heart that causes us to feel an insatiable desire to help. Call it compassion, call it sympathy, call it love for your fellow man, but in the face of tragedy people come together this week’s Swag Award goes to one such helper. I’m not talking about a Non-Governmental Organization here. Not a celebrity-led relief effort, but an individual act from a celebrity of sorts removing himself from his job to do something courageous amidst widespread chaos. The celebrity is Anderson Cooper, and today we celebrate his heroism.

As Cooper reported from the streets of Port-Au-Prince, he encountered a throng of Haitian looters scouring a store for much needed essentials. This wasn’t a normal smash & grab however. As looters tried to enter the store, other Haitians who were perched on the roof threw rocks and concrete blocks down onto the people below.

As Cooper reported from the scene, a young boy was struck in the head by one of the concrete blocks. As the boy wandered through the street bloodied and bewildered, Cooper put his camera and microphone down and literally carried the boy down the street and out of harm’s way. The entire exchanged occurred in about a minute, but in that one minute we saw Anderson Cooper’s human side. That split-second decision to help that child and not let him wander aimlessly down that street may have saved a life.

Swag Award December 28-Jan 3

As we transition into a new decade, the United Arab Emirates continues to assert its fiscal muscle and penchant for ostentatious displays of wealth, despite the economic turmoil that continues to plague most nations. Dubai, the same country that constructed three palm-shaped, man-made islands in the Persian Gulf a few years back introduced its newest architectural feat to the world yesterday in grand fashion.

Towering more than 160 stories over Dubai and the surrounding desert, the Burj Khalifa as it is called is now the tallest building in the world at 2,717 feet. It’s 50 stories taller than the next closest building in Taiwan. For those of you familiar with New York architecture, the Burj Khalifa is as tall as both the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building stacked on top of one another.

The building will include a mix of office space, nightclubs, mosques, luxury suites and boardrooms. It will have the world’s fist Armani hotel, the world’s highest swimming pool on the 76th floor, and the highest mosque on the 158th floor. The observation deck on the 124th floor will offer panoramic views of up to 60 miles.


Now I know what you’re asking yourself; “how the hell was Dubai able to afford this undertaking in this global economic downturn?” Thanks to a $10 billion donation from Sheik Khalifa of Abu Dhabi last year, Dubai was able to avoid economic unrest and complete the project. For his generosity, the name of the building has been changed from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa in his honor. The Burj Khalifa has already sold 90% of its space to tenants, but it remains to be seen if it will be the catalyst that revives Dubai’s economy still recovering from the real estate crash a few years ago.

I haven’t made it to Dubai yet, but I’ve heard some good things from friends who have visited. I need to get over there. I think we can all agree that spending $1.5 billion in a global recession to construct the tallest building in the world, and quickly selling out 90% of the space is a power move, any way you slice it. Swagger!

Swag Award December 21-27

In the wee hours of Christmas Eve, Senators on Capitol Hill took a landmark vote on the health care reform bill that they had been debating for months. It was the first Senate vote to take place on Christmas Eve since 1895. The House of Representatives voted and passed their version back in November, and the Senate vote was one of the remaining barriers that needed to be overcome in order for the dream of reforming our nation’s health care system to become a reality. The vote was split along party lines with all 60 Democratic Senators voting in favor of the bill, 39 Republicans against and one abstention from Senator Jim Bunning ( R) of Kentucky.

The bill would require most Americans to have health insurance, cover 15 million additional people under Medicaid, and subsidize private coverage for low and middle-income citizens. The budget office estimates that the bill would provide coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans.

Since the monumental vote occurred on Christmas Eve, I thought it would be only fitting to tell this story in a similar fashion as ‘Twas the night before Christmas.’ Enjoy!

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the House
All the Senators were anxious to vote and get the hell out.

The decision was split along party lines like a hair,
and President Obama hoped that health care reform soon would be there.
Two weeks ago, to most the bill was considered dead,
Months ago Joe Wilson wasn’t afraid to say he didn’t believe what the President had said.

Most Americans were off of work and nestled in their beds,
While visions of affordable health care danced in their heads.
A mom in her kerchief, and a dad in his cap,
Dreamed of the day when a routine trip to the doctors wouldn’t take all of their stacks.

When out of Capitol Hill, there rose such a clatter,
The Obama’s were on vacation, but rose to see what was the matter.
I awoke that morning and turned on the TV in a flash,
To see news anchors talking about the new bill that had just passed.

With the Senate Majority Leader looking pleased and content,
I said to myself “I can’t believe they finally passed it.”
So rapid to the microphone all the Democratic Senators came,
And Harry Reid, the leader called them all by name!

Now Specter! Now Kerry! Baucus and Franken!
On Chris Dodd! On Lieberman and the other Senators, he thanked them.
A major victory indeed for the Obama administration.

There’s no public option in the Senate bill,
And it has to be reconciled with the bill from the House of Reps.
But we can all agree that for reform to happen,
These were some important first steps.

Reducing the cost of care, and coverage for millions more,
Leveling the playing field for the average citizen and looking out for the poor.
The Senators rejoiced in unison, and then hopped on their various flights.
“Affordable health care for all, and to all a good night!”

Swag Award of the Week December 14-20

There’s not much to say about this week’s winner. I don’t know his name, but this little guy from China impressed the hell out of me. With moves like that, this kid will be on ‘So you Think You Can Dance?’ in no time. I’m sure he has no idea what Swag is yet, but he already has tons of it.

Watch this little guy move:

Coverage debate: AT&T vs. Verizon

By now you've all seen the Verizon ads on television proclaiming the superiority of its 3G network to AT&T's. Verizon claims that their 3G coverage far exceeds AT&T's offerings, thus providing faster download times and an overall more user-friendly experience. My friends and I, some with AT&T, others with Verizon have been waging an ongoing battle about which service provider is the actual winner. Considering that I've been an AT&T customer since 1999, and am the proud owner of an iPhone 3G-S, I think it's safe to say I'm a bit partial; but now there is empirical datat to confirm what I knew all along.

AT&T IS BETTER...

I came across an NY Times article that reported the findings from third-party companies who research and monitor service provider performance. How are these tests perfomed you ask? According to the article, "third-party services that run network tests for the major carriers... dispatches drivers across the country with phones and laptops equipped with data cards. They have covered more than three million miles of roads this year, while running almost two million wireless data sessions and placing more than three million voice calls."

So these companies actually sent people out through the cities, suburbs, rural areas, bridges, tunnels, dead zones, etc. to collect a year's worth of cell service data. The verdict: AT&T has the better service.

I won't repeat what was said in the article, but here are a few key points that make a strong case for AT&T as the better provider:

-iPhone’s “air interface,” the electronics in the phone that connect it to the cell towers, had shortcomings that “affect both voice and data.” In Lehman's terms this means that if you haven't been happy with your iPhone at times more than likely it was the phones fault and not the carrier.

-AT&T does not publicly defend itself because it will not criticize Apple under any circumstances.

-“AT&T’s data throughput is 40 to 50 percent higher than the competition, including Verizon" which means it will most likely take you twice as long to download that YouTube clip or Facebook photo album on Verizon than it would on AT&T.

-"In every market, AT&T had faster average download speeds and had signal strength of 75 percent or better more frequently than did Verizon."

And there you have it. So AT&T has the superior service, but the iPhone's shortcomings cause users to become disenchanted with the carrier and not the phone itself. And AT&T will not speak negatively against Apple; probably to prevent jeopardizing its relationship with Apple as the exclusive carrier of the iPhone. This is what happens when you have superior service and exclusive rights to a device that isn't as reliable as it should be...a conundrum indeed.

Swag Award of the Week December 7-13

I am proud to announce that the "Swag Award of the Week" goes to Mark Ingram, RB from Alabama who was awarded the Heisman Trohpy this past weekend. Ingram was the offensive catalyst for the Crimson Tide team that went 13-0 this season and will face Texas for the national championship in a few weeks. In true Heisman form, Ingram brought his A-game to the biggest stages this season; 150 yds at Virginia Tech, 140 yds at Kentucky, 172 yds at Ole Miss, 99 yds vs. Tennessee, 144 vs. LSU & 149 at Mississippi St.

Those performances, while important in preserving Alabama’s national championship hopes paled in comparison to the show he put on against Florida in the SEC Championship game. At the time, Florida and ‘Bama were ranked #1 & #2 respectively and many fans and sports writers alike billed the matchup as the real national championship. Whether it was national championship or not, Ingram treated it as such and carried ‘Bama literally and figuratively 28 times for 113 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 32-13 drubbing of the heralded Gators.

For the majority of the college football season, Ingram remained a dark horse in the Heisman ballots, trailing Colt McCoy of Texas, Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska and 2007 Heisman winner Tim Tebow. The afore mentioned players all had a great deal of hype surrounding them, and NFL scouts water at the mouth when considering their draft prospects. Throughout the season Ingram remained on everyone’s radar, but was never considered the front-runner even as his team continued to win largely due to his efforts, in the toughest conference in the country.

See Mark’s emotional acceptance speech:

Alabama, one of the nation’s most storied football programs had never had a Heisman winner until Mark Ingram changed all of that. I think over 1500 yards and 15 touchdowns for an undefeated team in the SEC makes a very strong case. A case that sports writers ultimately could not overlook this year in the closest Heisman race ever. Ingram beat Stanford’s Toby Gerhart by merely 5 votes. Mark Ingram proves that despite the circumstances, the obstacles, the hype, if you are confident in yourself and your abilities then the sky is the limit. Now that's what I call swagger. Congratulations Mark.

Check out some of Ingram’s highlights from this season:

Healthy alternatives in a junk-food nation

It's no secret that Americans love to eat. It's in our fiber. It is the very essence of what makes this country what it is. It's not truly American if it's not as 'American as apple pie," right? The melting pot that our country has become is no more evident than in our cuisine. Burger joints, Chinese restaurants, pizza parlors, hot dog stands, kebab/gyro stands, chicken shacks and seafood restaurants alike are all reflections of the cultural and regional influences that we as Americans incorporate into our cuisine.

American cuisine, while pleasurable for the pallet is also notoriously high in calories. Restaurants, especially fast food establishments have sought to combat this problem by offering low calorie options and posting calorie counts for all of their products.

A recent study done by Yale & New York University found that posting calories has little to no effect on the buying habits of fast-food customers. For a nation that places as much emphasis and spends as much $$ on health-related items, while disturbing, the findings are not surprising. Relative to its size, America ranks at the top of world list with its almost 75% overweight population..

Just as our cuisine is creative, inventive and full of variety, so too are the diet and exercise techniques that so many employ to shed those dreaded pounds. Veganism is one of the myriad dietary choices one can make to live a healthier lifestyle, and it is a choice that has been 30 years in the making for Brenda Beener. Unlike vegetarians, vegans seeks to exclude animal products of any kind from their diets, including eggs, dairy products and honey.

Beener's family and its love for food and cooking traces its roots back to New Orleans, where traditional dishes are rich in seafood and meats. Think gumbo, crawfish, and jamabalya. Beener gradually overcame her love for those tasty, native dishes in order to become a complete vegan. She has not had any meat in 12 years. "Being from New Orleans, the hardest part was overcoming seafood" says Beener.

As time passed, Beener's repertoire of vegan dishes expanded and she took chef courses to enhance her seasoning and presentation skills. From those classes, Beener began offering her services to friends and family, personally preparing delicious and aesthetically pleasing vegan dishes. The feedback was so positive, that what began as hobby has turned into a fledgling business Beener now calls 'Seasoned Vegan.'

Seasoned Vegan is a labor of love that combines Beener's passion for the vegan lifestyle with her passion for preparing dishes. Beener uses all organic ingredients and seasonings in her dishes, and I can tell you from first hand experience that they are outstanding. I had some 'tuna' casserole that knocked my socks off. Seriously. I'll be back for more real soon.

Beener takes pride in the fact that it usually doesn't take much to convince bona fide carnivores such as myself that vegan dishes can taste just as good if not better than their meaty equivalents.

"Sometimes people are skeptical initially, but I just let them taste the samples and let their taste buds do the talking. The seasoning is what makes my dishes stand out from others. "

Vegan Chicken

Teriyaki Orange Broiled Chicken, Yams, Brown Rice,

Mustard & Kale Greens & Corn Muffins

The Seasoned Vegan team is comprised of Beener and a small group of assistants who prepare and package meals and dishes. The Seasoned Vegan team makes house calls as well as caters events and functions to bring a fine vegan dining experience wherever the customer desires. These services do not come without cost however. Using all organic ingredients, and providing in-home services may run a tad more than a traditional restaurant dinner but Beener's justification begs a question that we all must ask ourselves; "At the end of the day it's about my health, my life, and how much that is worth to me?"

Now that's food for thought...

For more information on Seasoned Vegan, and a look at some of Mrs. Beener's popular dishes, visit. SeasonedVegan.com.

Kanye West & Lady Gaga cancel tour

I didn't think much of it when Kanye West told Jay Leno that he has been on the go and had not taken time to deal with his mother's death.

West made the announcement the day after he rudely interrupted Taylor Swift at the MTV VMA Awards.

Apparently West has finally decided to take some time off and regroup. He and budding pop sensation Lady Gaga announced recently that they will cancel their 'Fame Kills' Tour. which was set to make stops around the country beginning in November.

The duo did not give a reason for the cancellation, but one can only imagine it has a lot to do with Kanye's desire to deal with his emotions and get his life back together.

All the best Mr. West.

David Letterman drops late night bombshells on personal life

Last week, David Letterman shocked viewers when revealed that one of his producers for the Late Show was seeking to extort $2 million as hush from publishing a book about Letterman's extra-curricular activities.

Letterman went on to reveal that he has had multiple sexual relationships with female staffers on his show and has done some "terrible" things in his past.

Despite these seemingly embarrassing and humbling revelations, Letterman in true late night host form managed to make light of the situation and keep the audience laughing.

My question is, what is the big deal? What, when and who Mr. Letterman does should be between he and his significant other. I'm sur we'll be hearing more about this in the coming months.

In case you missed Letterman's segment where he discussed the situation, check it out below.

Miss Australia shows off her skills in "Condom Olympics"

For those of you who thought beauty pageants were nothing more than platforms for girlie girls to parade around on stage in swimsuits and give semi-heartfelt speeches about worthy causes, I offer this video as proof that beauty pageants are more than just a showing of brains & beauty...but breath as well.

Rachael Finch AKA Miss Australia was vying for the crown of Miss Universe this past weekend at the pageant in the Bahamas when she and a few fellow Miss Universe contestants competed in the "Condom Olympics"... I can't make this stuff up.

The contestants had to blow up a condom as big as possible without bursting it...Take a look at the video to see how Finch "blew" her competition out of the water.

Now that's talent. Brains, Beauty, and the lung capacity of Jacques Cousteau... I'm in love. Unfortunately for Rachael, her conquest in the Condom Olympics didn't translate to a victory in the main event. Finch grabbed second runner up to Ms. Venezuela (the second year in a row a woman from Venezuela has won Miss Universe). Oh well. Can't win 'em all I guess.

When asked about finishing second in the pageant, Finch replied "it sucks...actually, it blows.." Sorry, it was too easy. She didn't say that, but I had to take a swing.

Michelle Obama & her wardrobe..

A lot has been made of Michelle Obama's decision to wear shorts during the family's vacation visit to the Grand Canyon a few days ago. Temperatures in the canyon can reach upwards of 100 degrees this time of year. The shorts look like some standard Old Navy cargo shorts...nothing particularly fashionable about them. I think that she wore for comfort and not fashion, but a debate has sprung up about whether or not she is "too casual" as a first lady.

Michelle already won my 'Swag Award' following the Obama's first trip to Europe, where she wowed the media and other female heads of state while President Obama was meeting with officials at the G-20 Summit.

Personally, I think the shorts are fine and I would be more outraged if she wore a pants suit in the middle of August to the Grand Canyon than these simple shorts. I wanted to pose the question to my readers though. What do we think of her shorts?? Comfortably chic, or crossing the line??

Swag Award of the Week August 10-16

Talk about an upset.. This is a David vs. Goliath story if I've ever heard one. Y.E. Yang, ranked #110 in the world at the outset of the PGA Championship out dueled Tiger Woods in the final round to win the tournament by three strokes.

Woods entered the final round with a two stroke lead and for the first time in his professional career relinquished a final round lead in a major. Woods had previously won all 14 majors when entering the final round with a lead.

With the victory, Yang became the first Asian-born golfer to win a major. For his efforts, Yang received $1.35 million, the 44-pound Wanamaker Trophy, and a five year exemption on the PGA Tour and all majors. Woods' loss means he will finish the year without a win at a major for the first time since 2004.

Congrats Mr. Yang for not backing down as the Tiger roared, as so many golfers have in the past. Watch the highlights here.