The Month in Review - March - Will it Ever End?

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What a month in America. The lion roared from start to finish of March. More weather setting all kinds of historic records. Congress setting a record of it's own by passing the health care bill. The economy still rumbling along like a sleeping giant. The NCAA March madness lived up to its billing. Toyota still groping for answers. And politics, well politics might well fit the same March Madness description given to NCAA basketball.





Today Obama announced he has adopted the often belittled "Drill baby drill" policy of Sarah Palin as the only way to get us to energy independence. Anyone who says Obama has a hidden left agenda may have to reconsider. Perhaps he is the only one who can bring America together in this time of political strife as both the left and right, the liberals and conservatives, don't like what he is doing.



Yesterday NASA announced a task force of the country's top space and aeronautical experts had been assembled to analyze if Toyota's recall problems are really caused by problems in electronics, electromagnetic interference or software integrity. Faithful readers of The Coltons Point Times may remember we raised the issue of electromagnetic interference as a problem of Toyota and other auto companies last February 11, 2010. At the time Toyota and federal officials discounted our call for an investigation and we are pleased to see they have taken notice.

The historic health care bill, well it passed with a lot of reservations but as we said, the reservations can be fixed if the president and our political parties act responsibly. It remains to be seen if that can happen.



March Madness lived up to its nomenclature with only one household team, Duke, remaining in the Final Four of the men while Butler stands in the way of another national championship. All other teams normally in the hunt are gone from North Carolina to Arizona, Kansas to Kentucky.



In the women's NCAA the only question is can anyone stop the Connecticut avalanche in which the women have averaged beating NCAA opponents by 50 points while rolling to their 76th straight victory.

The saber rattling between Israel and Iran continues to grow. European nations continue to struggle to get through their own economic woes. Banks get richer while Congress considers legislation to stop them and the economy continues to sputter.



On Easter Sunday America's favorite pastime begins anew when the World Champion Yankees take on bitter rival the Boston Red Sox in the opening game of the major league season. At least we will have a season of distraction to help us forget politics. Anything that helps us turn down the volume on politics will be good.



It is only appropriate that the month ends during Holy Week so we can begin anew in trying to build our country.

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Yankees Boost Series Ratings - Largest Increase in History

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2009 World Series posts biggest year-to-year growth in history

105TH WORLD SERIES AUDIENCE SUMMARY

The 2009 Fall Classic averaged an 11.7/19 average household rating/share, an average audience of 19.4 million viewers and a 6.2 rating among Adults 18-49, re-establishing itself as a dominant force in prime time. This year’s Series finished up +39% over 2008 Rays-Phillies 8.4/14, and ranks as the highest-rated and most-watched World Series in five years (Red Sox-Cardinals, 15.8/26, 25.4 million viewers in 2004). The +39% increase over last year is the largest single-year ratings increase in the history of the World Series. If we compare the complete 2009 World Series to top-rated season-to-date prime-time shows, the World Series ranks No. 2 in Households and among Adults 18-49.

The 2009 World Series has helped power FOX to a 3.9 rating prime among Adults 18-49 with a commanding +22% lead over second-place CBS (3.2), and establishes a new high as FOX’s biggest season-to-date lead ever in fourth quarter and the biggest for any network in six years.

The World Series also hit five-year highs across every major male and adult demographic. On a year-to-year basis, major demo increases mirrored the overall Household increase. The World Series is up +38% over last year among M18-34 (6.5 vs. 4.7), +37% on M18-49 (7.8 vs. 5.7), +32% in M25-54 (8.7 vs. 6.6), +46% in A18-34 (5.4 vs. 3.7), +41% in A18-49(6.2 vs. 4.4), and +36% in A25-54 (6.8 vs. 5.0). One notable demo that outperformed the overall average was Teens, with Male Teens up +50%over last year (3.9 vs. 2.6) and Total Teens up +53% (2.9 vs. 1.9).

Yankees World Champions Again

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The New York Yankees, the most fabled franchise in sports history, won their 27th World Championship and their 40th American League Championship in this, their 108th year in existence. The value of this team is now measured in the billions of dollars, a striking return on the $8.7 million paid for the team at the last sale in 1973.







I was born a Yankees fan in Iowa, probably the only one in existence, a result of the mix up with the stork who was supposed to deliver me to the Rockefeller's of NYC instead of the Iowa farmers. To this day there is no better sports team in my own opinion.



Of course I have had my close up and personal moments with the Yankees thanks to my limited career in sports and the help of sports writers to get me in the Yankee dughouse with legendary teams of the 1960's and the old timer teams dating well back.



My own pictures taken from the dugout in the original Yankees Stadium include Mantle, Maris, Casey Stengel, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Joe DiMaggio, and many other Hall of Famers from Yankee history.





When I worked for the Governor of New Jersey I got to know Yogi much better.



The Yankees franchise was founded in 1901, 108 years ago. The 40 American League championships and 27 World championships are unmatched in all of professional sports in America. In baseball the closest team is the St. Louis Cardinals with 11 World titles.



The Yankees were called the Baltimore Orioles until they moved to NYC in 1903 and the name was changed to New York Hilanders. In 1913 they were first called the Yankees and in 1923 Yankee Stadium was built seating an astounding 58,000 people, the largest sports stadium in America. It was indeed the house that Ruth built.



This year, 2009, the new Yankee Stadium was opened and in keeping with legendary tradition, the Yankees won the World Series the first year of the new stadium like they did the first year of the old Yankee Stadium back in 1923.



The Bronx Bombers will celebrate with the people of NYC with the traditional ticker tape parade in lower Manhattan down the Canyon of Heroes, a spectacle in itself. The parade will be Friday.



There is something soothing about a Yankees World Series win, as if maybe the world and all it's chaos can return to normal where heroes are recognized, people are compassionate, money is used to do good instead of fueling greed and God and country can again be honored.