Saluting Dan Wheldon

By Rick Morris

This Sunday last year, during Memorial Day weekend, marked the pinnacle of Dan Wheldon’s awesome racing career.  He captured the centennial Indianapolis 500 title, his second at the track, and one achieved without a top ride, or even a regular one.  Given the importance of big money behind championship racers, his feat was mind-boggling.

Shortly thereafter, he came on The FDH Lounge to discuss his win and the state of his career.  I have stated often in the year since then that I was amazed at the humility of Dan, to come on a program the present size of ours.  One day, I am confident, we will book guests of his stature without batting an eyelash.  But we’re certainly not at that point yet.

He couldn’t have been more gracious to us and I have often pointed to our conversation as an excellent indicator of the man’s character.  He was squeezed out of a top ride by the bad economy and the shrinking number of spots available for world-class drivers, but he handled his adversity with great aplomb.

Months later, with his comeback in full stride, he was tragically taken from his fans, and worst of all, his loved ones.

This weekend, he is rightly being celebrated at Indianapolis, the spot he cherished most in his beloved adopted country (it is estimated that he posed for more pictures with fans at the Brickyard than any driver in history).  His widow Susie accepted his championship ring during this week and today’s race will be full of tributes to the defending champion who is not physically here anymore.

On this day, while the pain haunts his family and fans still very greatly, let us remember his spirit and his achievements.  Toward that end, we present once again his conversation in The FDH Lounge and our tribute to him, which was recorded with FDH Chief Motorsports Correspondent Mike Ptak.  Mike is a very good and trusted friend of mine and the perfect person to have helped me produce our tribute segment.  We hope that you enjoy this celebration of Dan Wheldon’s life.

Greatest Day in Racing Surround

By Rick Morris

The FDH Lounge and The 21st Century Media Alliance are bringing you live, as-it-happens, coverage of the greatest day in racing: the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600.  [NOTE: Even if the box shows “Standby” at any point, it is still updating.] Enjoy!

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #122 – 2012 TV upfronts recap

By Rick Morris

As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries these days.  We’re happy to report that we’ve been able to produce many segments on our own, but we’re thrilled for the help on some of these with guests and the thanks all go to our great friend Russ Cohen.

Mini-Episode #122 features a recap of the TV upfronts with two of our favorite FDH Lounge Dignitaries: Simon Applebaum of Tomorrow Will Be Televised and Lloyd Carroll of the Queens Chronicle.

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #121 – Fantasy Baseball Buy Low, Sell High list

By Rick Morris

Here is the 121st mini-episode of THE FDH LOUNGE with THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER.  In this one, we take a look at players who won’t sustain their hot and cold streaks indefinitely.

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #120 – Fenway Park 100th anniversary

By Rick Morris

As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries these days.  We’re happy to report that we’ve been able to produce many segments on our own, but we’re thrilled for the help on some of these with guests and the thanks all go to our great friend Russ Cohen.

Mini-Episode #120 features a discussion with baseball historian John Ferguson, author of WHY FENWAY: EXPLORING THE FENWAY MYSTIQUE.

Cannes Film Festival preview

By Raymond Smalley (posted by Rick Morris)

The 65th Cannes Film Festival, which commences Wednesday, will showcase eighty-six films, ten of which are United States entrants. Below is an FDH Lounge\Generation Chatter Power 100 preview.

NOTE: The Power 100 Marquee Average divides the overall accumulated points of a particular project’s two lead participants.  These rankings are a proprietary system devised for measuring celebrities by Generation Chatter and they encompass such areas as nominations and awards, box office receipts, music chart statistics, TV ratings, magazine covers and more.

Killing Them Softly

United States Release Date: September 21

Power 100 Marquee Average: 1,307.5

Originally entitled Cogan’s Trade and an adaptation of George Higgins novel of the same name, Killing Them Softly is this analysis lead selection based solely upon the status of fifth ranked film actor Brad Pitt (39TH overall). James Gandolfini, appearing within his initial project since the independent Mint Julip (2010), will star opposite Pitt, who seeks his third Golden Globe nomination within four years.

Mud

Power 100 Marquee Average: 545

Matthew McConaughey’s initial of a pair of Festival projects is potentially Reese Witherspoon’s conclusive project of this calendar, even as the pregnant twenty-fourth ranked film actress is scheduled for roles within Big Eyes and Devil’s Knot. Mud is the only film included within this post which does not possess a United States release date.

 Lawless

United States Release Date: August 31

Power 100 Marquee Average: 440

The chronicle of a trio of Franklin County, Virginia brothers whose prohibition era bootlegging business is threatened is more notable for the supporting cast, which includes fourth overall ranked Jessica Chastain and ninety-eighth overall ranked Gary Oldman, than the pair who actually occupy the project’s principal roles, Shia LeBeaouf (560th overall) and Tom Hardy (244th overall). Lawless is the initial of consecutive ensemble projects for LeBeauof, who will appear either this winter or next spring within The Company You Keep, a picture whose cast includes Robert Redford, Susan Surandon, Terrence Howard, and Anna Kendrick.

The Paper Boy

United States Release Date: November 23

Power 100 Marquee Average: 120

Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron portray a reporter and his younger brother who concurrently investigate the circumstances of a murder with the hope of exonerating a condemned inmate (John Cusak). Nicole Kidman also appears and while she and McConaughey merit attention, Efron should garner seven of every eight words, as he seeks an evolution not possible within his projects, The Lorax and The Lucky One.

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

United States Release Date: June 8

Power 100 Marquee Average: 70

Alex The Lion, Marty The Zebra, Melma The Giraffe, and Gloria The Hippopotamus seek entrance into New York as the conclusion of an adventure which traverses them through Africa, London, and Monte Carlo. Ben Stiller and Chris Rock, each reprising previous roles, spearhead an assemblage which includes Jessica Chastain, appearing within her second Cannes project, Sacha Baron Cohen, Bryan Cranston, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer, Frances McDormand, Andy Richter, and Martin Short.

Hemingway & Gellhorn

United States Release Date: May 28

Power 100 Marquee Average: 55

Nicole Kidman, appearing within her second film festival project, stars opposite Clive Owen, appearing within his initial exclusively United States project since Trust (2010), as the pair populate the sole television film this analysis includes. As is expected within an HBO picture, a phenomenal supporting cast is present, this occasion the lunch pail aggregation includes Parker Posey, Rodrigo Santoro, Peter Coyote, Robert Duvall, Tony Schalhoub, and Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich.

Moonrise Kingdom

United States Release Date: May 25

Power 100 Marquee Average: 40

With a turbulent decade which the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King scarred as their circumstance, a pair of young lovers (secondary participants Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman) escape their perceived New England confines as a sheriff, which Bruce Willis portrays, and the couple’s parents, which Bill Murray and Frances McDormand portray, pursue them. Tilda Swinton (18th ranked film actress) also appears within the project which is one of a quintet of American pictures competing for the coveted Palme d’Or.

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #119 – Colin Delany

By Rick Morris

As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries these days.  We’re happy to report that we’ve been able to produce many segments on our own, but we’re thrilled for the help on some of these with guests and the thanks all go to our great friend Russ Cohen.

Mini-Episode #119 features a discussion with one of our favorite recurring guests, Colin Delany of epolitics.  Also, be sure to check out his new ebook, HOW CAMPAIGNS CAN USE THE INTERNET TO WIN IN 2012.  It’s full of the same insight and candor you’ll hear in this conversation.  Enjoy!

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #118 – Fantasy Baseball Buy Low

By Rick Morris

Here is the 118th mini-episode of THE FDH LOUNGE with THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER.  In this one, we feature a case study involving Albert Pujols demonstrating the need to buy low on star players.

NBA Playoff Predictions Round 2

By Rick Morris

NOTE: Record after one round is 5-1 with outcomes of both LA series pending.

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

5 Boston over 8 Philadelphia in 5

2 Miami over 3 Indiana in 6

1 San Antonio over 4 Memphis in 6 or over 5 Los Angeles Clippers in 5

2 Oklahoma City over 3 Los Angeles Lakers in 6 or over 6 Denver in 5

CONFERENCE FINALS

2 Miami over 5 Boston in 7

2 Oklahoma City over 1 San Antonio in 6

NBA FINALS

Oklahoma City over Miami in 6

NBA FINALS MVP: Kevin Durant

Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions Conference Finals

By Rick Morris

NOTE: Record through two rounds is 4-7 (with New York Rangers-Washington outcome pending).

CONFERENCE FINALS

3 New Jersey over 1 New York Rangers in 6 or over 7 Washington in 7

7 Los Angeles over 3 Phoenix in 6

STANLEY CUP FINALS

Los Angeles over New Jersey in 6

CONN SMYTHE WINNER: Jonathan Quick

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #117 – Joe DioGuardi

By Rick Morris

As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries these days.  We’re happy to report that we’ve been able to produce many segments on our own, but we’re thrilled for the help on some of these with guests and the thanks all go to our great friend Russ Cohen.

Mini-Episode #117 features the debut of the brand-new FDH Lounge Bringing Back The USA Series, our focus on some of the more truly important segments that we cover.  For this segment, we welcome back our friend Joe DioGuardi, the first practicing CPA ever elected to Congress and a federal debt awareness activist working under the banner of Truth in Government.  Enjoy!

Introducing The FDH Lounge Bringing Back The USA Series

By Rick Morris

We at The FDH Lounge are very proud, justifiably I believe, of being the talk show with the widest variety of subject matter anywhere.  That’s why we say “nothing is off-topic” (Duh!).

Having established our roots first in fantasy sports, then in the wider world of sports, we have searched for ways to communicate the true scope of our magnitude.  Other talk shows have veered from sports into pop culture and occasionally movies, TV and music, so we’re not completely unique in that regard.

But from Day One, we’ve wanted to go even broader than that.  Our Senior Producer, Steve Cirvello, speaks of having wanted to become a part of our enterprise when he heard us having a conversation on our second program in January 2007 with military blogger Bill Roggio – who was just back from a media embed in the field in Iraq.

We’ve never really had a framework for our segments that cross into the most substantive areas in life, but that changed recently when our friend Platinum Smalls of DOU Productions – a fellow member of The 21^st Century Media Alliance – pitched me on a segment having to do with the changing nature of education.  I thought it was a very good idea and it made me think about how we could come up with an overall framework for promoting segments such as these.  Shortly thereafter, The FDH Lounge Bringing Back The USA Series was conceptualized.

Although this is an election year, our concept has nothing to do with politics.  Granted, our country has been down and out economically since 2008, but the previous seven ones weren’t so great for our country, either.  Ever since the 9/11 attacks, over a decade ago, this country has been in the dumper.  A divisive war in Iraq bridged the 9/11 aftermath and the economic gloom of recent years.  Americans have simply not been able to feel very good about anything for a prolonged period of time and I hope that we could all agree that needs to change.

As such, our series has two major pillars: innovation in critical thinking in areas that can benefit society and notable examples of philanthropy.  While not every “serious” subject that we tackle meets these criteria – I am quite certain we’ll be having more “horse race” coverage of the presidential race later this year – I feel that it is imperative that we have a common theme for otherwise disparate segments that people could relate to in a better way if they see them as part of a bigger picture.

For this announcement, I have singled out 10 segments that we have done previously that certainly would have fit under this banner had it been in place from the outset.  Again, all of them relate either to innovation in areas that could benefit society or exemplary philanthropy (please remember that some of these videos were created under our previous model of distribution and as such, reference that now-outdated mode):

^ Dominic Chianese: This actor is leveraging the success he built through a lengthy career – which crested with his role as “Uncle Junior” on The Sopranos – by trying to improve the lives of the elderly in nursing homes.

^ Chris Nowinski: A Harvard-educated former professional wrestler who had to retire due to multiple concussions, he is using his education to benefit others by raising awareness of this epidemic in pro wrestling, the NFL and the NHL.

^ Art Schlichter: This former big-time quarterback has worked to save others from going down the dark path of gambling awareness that enveloped him – although, sadly, he himself had backslid at the time of this conversation.

^ Tom Wilson: The legendary second-generation Ziggy cartoonist has thrown himself headlong into cancer-cure fundraising, wishing to spare others the ravages of the disease that claimed his wife.

^ Tom Piatak: This lawyer and columnist pushes a public policy philosophy, paleoconservatism, that has been marginalized in the modern political culture – yet contains ideas that are wildly popular with both Democrats and Republicans.

^ Alex Cone: The CEO of CodeFab is one of the world’s leading experts on how to exploit the possibilities of ever-changing, cutting-edge mobile device technology.

^ Joe DioGuardi: The first practicing CPA to be elected to Congress, this longtime activist on the subject of the federal debt is always looking for ways to leverage his expertise – gained by his participation in the federal bailouts of New York City and the S&L industry – to educate the American public on the catastrophe that lies ahead unless we start paying our bills.

^ Ryan Grim: This political columnist wrote a startling account of the Drug War, challenging every piece of conventional wisdom about how to reduce the toll these substances take on our society.

^ Bill Roggio: In the above-referenced conversation, this military veteran-turned-milblogger describes his recent time spent in the field in Iraq – just prior to the implementation of the surge – and how his journalism helps to make sense of some of America’s most challenging geopolitical considerations.

^ Craig Newmark: The founder of Craigslist shares insight into the development of a company that greatly affected both the Internet and the newspaper industry.

I am very confident that these 10 segments illustrate the point of our series in tremendous fashion.  And while we love our sports/pop culture/entertainment segments very much, the elements contained in the Bringing Back The USA Series demonstrate the extra gear that we have that is not duplicated by anyone. 

And I do mean anyone.