It's Official...

Daughtry's latest album, Leave This Town, is number on on the Billboard chart. Below is the article that was in the Examiner.

Daughtry's new album, Leave This Town, reaches number one on charts not a fluke
July 23, 1:20 PM


Daughtry, lead by American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry, topped the charts of the Billboard 200 for the second time with sophomore album, Leave This Town. While many are claiming this as proof of his greatness, validating the their losing votes on “Idol, Season 5,” the question of “How hard can it be not to sell a record when your life’s story was successfully used to boost ratings” is raised.

Obviously, Daughtry has the experience, skill, and pride to back up anything his has recorded. His skill is not in question. However, because he used the tools that made themselves available, American Idol: Season 5 and the machine which Idol is a cog, he can be viewed as a tool.

His stint on American idol built up his name. Out of 24 he came in fourth and the even Simon Cowell guessed incorrectly who would be going home the night of Daughtry’s defeat. Idol, having slipped into the soft news circuit of entertainment news in both television and print, became the subject to controversy over the vote count in tabloids of every variety. After the controversy, he traveled the talk show circuit mostly because of such a huge success Idol became and other shows were, and still are, looking for ways to boost ratings with the indirect help of Idol. Daughtry had face time on The Tonight Show, Total Request Live, The Today Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, in which he performed "Wanted Dead or Alive". With such a chance to get publicity fully taken, it is not hard why Daughtry’s first album became a Number 1.

After he achieved such a great feat, the people whose sole purpose is to provide help for artist to be in the public eye did what they do best. Starting March 14, 2007, every episode of Idol’s Season 6 results show, Daughtry's song "Home" played every time a participant was knocked out of the competition, the part where each of the losing contestants were asked to examine their path of self-discovery while on the show. Additionally, on the final competition, May 22, 2007, his band performed the song live at the show’s end. He also did as many public appearances as possible between the time of his first and second album, from television to racing events to interviews in lifestyle magazines. Daughtry certainly did not back down from the grunt work of being a popular artist. Daughtry knows how the game is played and without showing any signs of weakness jumps over every huddle of a talk show/appearance for the finish line and reward of hard work.

Even Michael Jackson played the game. MJ was out for blood, wanting every album after Off The Wall to be the greatest top charting work yet. Besides the work of writing, practicing, performing Jackson used the world’s media to promote his image and songs. For example; what was a commercial for Pepsi was also a small sample of the greatness of his skill.

Chris Daughtry has done a good job, in every facet of his musical career after his time on American Idol. Hopefully, for him at least, he can keep up the work to continue promoting chart-topping albums.

Congrats to Chris, Josh, Joey, Brian and Josh for a second number one album. You guys rock! And if you haven't gotten yours already, I suggest you go, go now and get it.

Well, what are you waiting for?

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Story Update...

There is a new chapter of Sweet Dreams up for your reading pleasure!!

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New Short...

I was having computer issues the other day and a short story came out of those troubles. It's called The Tech. I hope you like it.

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This One's for you Jen (Big Apple Jovi Girl)

I'm late with this and God what a day to be late. Jen (BAJG) I'm praying for you... everything's going to be just fine. I just know it.

This is for you my friend.

You can call it karma, call it luck
Me, I just don't give a...

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No Return for AFL, Soul?

It's not looking good for all us Arena Football fans. According to Philly.com a return is not on the radar for the Soul or the AFL.

The 1-year anniversary of the Soul's ArenaBowl championship is days away and rather than celebrate, fans, players and even coaches continue to sit in limbo.

Since suspending the 2009 season 7 months ago, the AFL has sat in purgatory while some owners try to salvage the league and others have thrown up a white flag.

Even Soul co-owner Jon Bon Jovi is struggling to grasp optimism. When asked by the Daily News whether the league would play in 2010, Bon Jovi replied by e-mail, "Do you believe in miracles? Are you a betting man? I said it all in the [New York] Times article. We are trying . . . hard. Every day."

The league, awash in red ink, got the players union's approval in March on a new collective bargaining agreement that basically slashed salaries in half. Still, the franchises in Los Angeles and New Orleans have folded, and others are on the ropes.

"But here's the truth," Bon Jovi told the New York Times 2 weeks ago. "If we come back, we will set a new benchmark for what is sports ownership. This is more than a lockout. We're on the brink of the abyss."

Even if everything came together tomorrow, it's still difficult to imagine a 2010 season beginning in March. Many players have gotten on with their lives and won't be able to resume their football careers at half the pay. There will always be younger players looking for an opportunity, but will the quality of play (and name recognition) be enough to draw crowds at venues such as the Wachovia Center?

Chicago Rush co-owner Mike Ditka earlier this month told the Chicago Sun-Times bluntly: "I would love to see the AFL come back. But if you ain't heard anything by now saying they will, I don't see them coming back because there were too many weak sisters. If the league does [return], it will probably have to scale itself down and make sure it has more solid ownership and much better team management."

At last year's championship parade, Philadelphia coach Bret Munsey sent the City Hall Plaza crowd into a frenzy when he proclaimed that the Soul would repeat. Today, he doesn't even live in the area.

Munsey is the director of player personnel for Orlando, of the fledgling United Football League, where Jim Haslett is the head coach. Munsey moved his family to Florida in June.

"I've had zero communication with ownership and have been in the dark [regarding the return] of Philadelphia and the Arena Football League," he said. "I couldn't sit around and wait. I waited long enough." *

Sorry Big Apple Jovi Girl, I know you were pulling for them to come back. I was too. But, sadly, it doesn't appear that it's meant to be. I guess we just have to keep waiting to see for sure, but it just isn't looking good right at the moment.

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