Dirkmonster

Google may finally be in for a fight

Two things happened this week that I believe signal the biggest challenge Google has faced since becoming the dominant player in search:

Today, Yahoo and Microsoft announced a 10 year partnership that combines their forces for a direct assault on Google.  Microsoft's new Bing search technology will power Yahoo's search, and Yahoo will lead the advertising charge.  For a more detailed explanation, click here.

Yes, Bing is new and I think it represents a shift in search.  But the real shift in search is coming from Twitter, which unveiled it's new homepage this week.  It looks a lot like Google and it's all about search.  While Twitter grew on a commonly held feeling that it was a social networking/micro-blogging phenomena, it turns out that the real power of twitter may be in search.

Although a recent study purports to show most Americans aren't even aware of Twitter yet, it is well on its way.  Twitter claims millions of unique visitors a month and the average Twitter user has 126 followers.  I shudder to think what it will be like if in fact it is still widely unknown!

It's Twitter's search functionality and unique real time results that should concern Google.  There are enough users Tweeting on enough topics so that one can getup to the second results on almost any query.  Furthermore, these results are not filtered through an algorithm.  The results come from what our peers have to say on the topic. Perform your next search on Google and then on Twitter and you'll see what I mean.  Can you say "paradigm shift"?

The advertising piece of Twitter is still missing, and that fact may be at the root of it's egalitarian growth curve.  But have no doubt, Twitter or someone that buys them (betting Google is thinking about it) will cash in soon.

The new search wars are underway!

Titans' Keith Bulluck "4 certain" about Super Bowl win

Following Titans' linebacker Keith Bulluck on Twitter is enterataining.  He's been haninging out with his family in New York, but now he's "fully prepared 2 get down 2 business this week".  As a Titans fan who just sank a lot $ into tickets, I like what he's predicting:

kbull53: One thing I kno 4 certain is next yr's offseason is gonna be even better coming off a Superbowl win ya digg

He's also looking forward to setting up his locker at Baptist Sports Park this Wednesday - apparently he's got an entertainment center in his locker.

Go Titans - I'm even excited about the Hall of Fame game August 9 vs T.O. and the Buffalo Bills.  Maybe we'll get to see kbull53 put the wood to loud mouth Owens.

Bang Bang - "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood"

Our hopes for a speedy recovery go out to the two people shot last night in an apparent drug related disagreement on Fred Rogers Place in Nashville.

The irony is too much to resist however - a double shooting on Fred Rogers Place?  Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, as we recall, is characterized "by its quiet simplicity and gentleness" (Wikipedia).

On the other hand, it also brings back the memories of a young Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Live and his parody Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood.  And still more irony! Notice the puppet show in the clip.

Predators Skate of the Union 2009

There's nothing like sweaty hockey fans in July to getting excited about the upcoming season. The Nashville Predators held their annual Skate of the Union event for fans tonight at the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville.

I got my picture taken with Predators star forward Steve Sullivan.  In front of us is the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy he won as  "the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey".

Click here to see my photos and highlights from the event.

Keep in mind our fallen soldiers

I recently read an account of a military family member who was disheartened at the disparity in attention given Michael Jackson's death on the same day her nephew was killed in action.

It sure seems that we get desensitized to ongoing casualities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I certainly spent a lot of time lately thinking about Steve McNair's death.  At the same time, I subscribe to a Department of Defense RSS feed that funnels press daily press releases to my news reader.  This feed contains the news releases concerning those killed in the service of our country.  I try to take note, especially of where the hero was from, on a daily basis.

It doesn't make me some kind of patriot - I just hope it gives me some kind of perspective.

McNair Tribute

I visited LP Field yesterday to pay my respects to former Titans QB Steve McNair.  Here are my pictures.

The Titans played a tribute video on the jumbotron inside the stadium.  Part of it was from a program produced following McNair's 2003 Co-MVP season.  The final segment was a highlight reel set to Green Day's Time of Your Life.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

We all saw the physical pain Steve endured, and played through, in his football career.  Like all of us, he had another kind of pain to deal with as well.  I like what Ttians' coach Jeff Fisher had to say yesterday at Steve McNair's memorial service.  Steve can rest now:

As we speak, Steve is sitting in the pressbox with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, with headsets on, smiling, laughing and listening to this right now. No more turf toe. No more sacks. No more shoulder problems and no more interceptions - just touchdown passes. I am going to miss you, number 9.

Saying goodbye to #9 with compassion

Fittingly, I think, Steve McNair's family chose the 9th day of this month to hold a memorial service in Nashville.  It's also incredibly gracious that the McNair family would share the visitation and the memorial with Steve's fans in addition to those that actually knew him.

It seems like it's been a long time already, although in reality it has been less than a week since Steve McNair was murdered by a troubled 20 year old girl who then killed herself.  Although I'm probably too interested in the forensic and purient aspects of this terrible tragedy, my thoughts today concern the tension between compassion and condemnation in our society.

A friend from high school that I've virtually re-connected with commented yesterday:

...What's more frightening to me is someone at work said Steve got what he deserved...what do you expect fooling around like that? I had to step in and say that I don't think anyone ever deserves to be murdered...

Amen, Greg.  For goodness sake, we should all be thankful we don't get what we really deserve.

Another person I respect (and a minister!) surprised me with a Tweet he posted today, not about the McNair case, but you see the common thread:

Businessman is VERY touchy feely w/ his young secretary on Dunkin Donuts couch. He has a wedding ring. She doesn't. I want to vomit on them

Vomit on them? Why? Let he that has no sin cast the first stone (or vomit).

Everyone, let's face it, we all have besetting sins.  And I'm pretty sure it's not wise to look at someone else's before I look at my own.

I like what Dwight Lewis writes in today's Tennseean. Mr. Lewis is the editor of the editorial page and a friend of Steve's.

Yes, frat brother Steve was my man. And he turned out to be the man for others, as well. Remember the day in August 2005 when Middle Tennesseans turned out to help him fill six tractor-trailers with supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims?

And I thought his recent opening of Steve McNair's Gridiron 9 restaurant was such a great idea.

But as much as I admired him, some of Steve's actions off the field that you would hear about made me feel that something troubled him. Was it the drugs that he apparently sometimes took to keep playing in games when he was hurt? Was it the pain that he often suffered after taking hard hits in games?

I don't know the answer, but his untimely death should be a lesson to others of us — to reach out when we know that a loved one or friend seems troubled. Yes, Steve would ask us to forgive him for some of the things he apparently did, but I think, too, that he would also ask us not to be afraid to say, "let's talk about whatever is troubling.''

You never know whose life you may help save.

Lord, teach me to help You save a life instead of helping you judge a life.

The McNair Case

Police confirmed Sunday that former Titans QB Steve McNair became Nashville's 36th homicide of 2009. An autopsy showed McNair was shot four times - twice in the chest and twice in the head. His girlfriend suffered one fatal gunshot wound to the side of the head. 

Everything still points to murder suicide it seems, but police are taking their time to make it official.  In my years in the newsroom, I've seen this scenario several times.  And in many cases murder suicide scenarios are pronounced the same day.  Not here.  Is it because e case involves a celebrity and local legend, or is there really a possibility this could be a double murder staged to look like a murder suicide? My gut tells me No. 9 was terminally sacked by a 20 year old girl.

And that's really hard conclusion to accept for me and the police.  McNair was called "indestructible" Saturday by former teammate Frank Wycheck.  It's tragic irony that McNair made a fortune, and a legend, surviving choreographed violence on the field only to be brought down by a girl.

Bizarre coincidence in Steve McNair death

Metro Nashville Police gave new details Saturday night concerning the violent death of former Titans' QB Steve McNair.  All signs point to a murder suicide - McNair being the victim.  Police say he was shot more than once.  The woman with him at the time, 20 year old Sahel Kazemi, was shot once and a gun was found near her.

A bizarre coincidence was revealed at the police press conference Saturday night.  Sahel Kazemi was arrested for DUI early Thursday morning after police saw her speeding at 12th and Broadway in Nashville.  McNair was with her.  The truck was co-owned by McNair and Sahel Kazemi.  In 2003, McNair was arrested for DUI at 12th and Broadway.  In that case, a loaded gun was also found in McNair's SUV.  The same Metro Nashville officer made both arrests, some 6 years apart.

Police towed a 2007 Cadillac Escalade from the scene Saturday in connection with McNair and Sahel Kazemi's death.  It might have been the SUV pictured here, in a photo I took this afternoon at the scene.  The truck was parked right outside the door to the condominum where the deaths occurred.

With the police "leaning" in the direction of a murder-suicide pending autopsies to be conducted Sunday morning, we are left to wonder what trouble led up to the killing Saturday.  Certainly the arrest could have had something to do with it.

If this 20 year old woman did in fact shoot Steve McNair and then herself, a lot of questions remain.  What was the relationship between the two? And how did it go so terribly wrong that it ended this way?

My Top 3 Steve McNair Memories

After hearing of Steve McNair's violent death on July 4th, I went to the scene.

Nashville has lost a legend who created so many memories fans share collectively.  Here are ones that I'll always remember:

1. The second to last play of Super Bowl XXXIV.  A play was NEVER over while Mac 9 had the ball.
2. The sprint up the middle of the field for a touchdown that same season in the AFC Championship game against the Jaguars.
3. McNair wasn't even in on The Music City Miracle. But I'll never forget the look on his face right after it happened.

I'm afraid in the days ahead we might learn some things we wish we didn't know about Steve's life and death.  Regardless, this is a guy who made all the difference on the field as the Titans' first QB.  But by all accounts he was a class act off the field as well.  Just tonight, a teenager was interviewed outside McNair's new restaurant near Tennessee State University.  In the last days of his life, Steve gave this kid a job when no one else would.  The young man described the leadership by example that Steve showed at his restaurant - cleaning up, taking out garbage, bringing customers exta napkins.  It clearly made an impression on this young man. 

It occurred to me that this was the same leadership we saw on the field.  He was the one with the biggest heart and the most determination - never to good to block for someone else or hand the ball off to Eddie 35 times.  But I bet there was never any question who was in charge.