George Steinbrenner, Eli Manning look good in wax

No blogging today. Will be back to normal effective Tuesday.

(UPDATE: 1050 ESPN named Seth Everett to succeed Brandon Tierney in the 7 to 10 p.m. slot.)

Click below for an explanation of this video and random post-vacation musings.

Thanks for your patience and loyalty. Enjoy our other fine sports blogs.

(UPDATE: Congratulations to The Steel Cage's Seth Mates and Alfonso Castillo for being named finalists for the prestigious Newsday Publisher's Award in the blogging category. John Jeansonne was a finalist for the commentary award.)Some time in the very early 1970s, my older cousin Donald showed me a short film about two young people who meet in the desert, and later share some pot and a sleeping bag.

For some reason, the film stuck with me, as did its name, "Amblin'."

Twenty-five years or so later, I wondered about the name of Steven Spielberg's production company, "Amblin Entertainment" and looked up the derivation and finally made the connection that as a kid I had seen Spielberg's very first film, completed in 1968.

Last week, I friended my cousin on Facebook and asked him how he came to be showing a pre-teen this film in his living room in West Orange, N.J. He wrote back that he had a friend in the film distribution business who gave him the reel. He borrowed a projector from the library. (No VCRs or DVD players then, young readers.)

And, by the way, he added, it's on YouTube now! (How is that legal?)

Speaking of 1968, Sunday I went to Madame Tussaud's on 42nd Street, my first visit to a wax museum since April of '68. As long as you go when it's not crowded, and find a buy-one-get-one-free coupon on the Internet, it's a worthwhile family outing, as touristy kitsch goes.

Spielberg was there. But two of the most realistic wax recreations were George Steinbrenner and Eli Manning. I posed with both of them.

Later Sunday, I attended my first Easter Parade outside St. Patrick's and also tried the hot chocolate at City Bakery on W. 18th Street. An outstanding day overall.

On the way home I saw on the BlackBerry that Tiger and Phil were one shot back. Whoa! By the time I got to the TV, though, they already were out of it again.

A lot of other stuff happened on my vacation, but there is very good news for blog readers:

Effective immediately, I will be sequestering all of my non-sports personal adventures and observations on Facebook and Twitter, thus avoiding annoying blog readers any more than is absolutely necessary.

You're welcome.

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