The Chinchillas rehearsing for WXXI's Onstage. (Photo by Stan Merrell)

By Paul Casey Gotham

ROCHESTER, NY — A pair of Rochester originals come together for one special evening when the Chinchillas take the stage Friday night at Sticky Lips BBQ Juke Joint.

Howard Nielsen and his Sticky Lips staff continue celebrating the grand opening of their second site as Pete Anvelt, Bill Corbett, Bill Ribas and Paul Ruske bring their music to 830 Jefferson Road.

After six years of success at their original location on Culver Road, Sticky Lips opened earlier this month to rave reviews. The 6,000 square foot venue is the largest restaurant opening of its kind in the Rochester area this year.

The newest Sticky Lips, with its bottom floor pit, offers a unique music listening experience. Nielsen and his crew dug through the floor of the restaurant to give patrons the opportunity to sit above bands taking the stage.

At the same time, Sticky Lips has maintained their great menu which was featured just last week on the Travel Channel’s Man Vs. Food with Adam Richman. Make sure to come early and enjoy one of Nielsen’s famous meals: Uncle Frank’s State Fair Chicken, St. Louis cut ribs, beef brisket or, for those who like it light, the Crispy Tofu Etouffee.

The Chinchillas take the Sticky Stomp Stage at 9:30.  The quartet will play hits from their latest studio release - Silver. The ten-song disc is the band’s fourth since 2008 and eighth in their more than 20-year career.

Anvelt, Corbett, Ribas and Ruske will be featured on the third season of WXXI’s Onstage series. Recorded last week, the hour-long segment will air some time time after the New Year. The band played a combination of old favorites and new hits that will have everyone singing along.  Fans also get a glimpse of the “Chin-children” ( a collection of the band’s progeny) who provided cherubic chants to Pop-up Palomino and Apples.

Friday night would not be complete without another Rochester original. Like a beacon in the night the Genny Cream Ale tap will call out to all needing rescue from thirst. Those seeking to tip this scribe need look no further.

See you there.

It’s a Saturday Rock ‘n Roll party with “The Chinchillas” and “Dan Frank and the True Believers.”

The show starts at 9:30, but doors open much earlier. Come early and stay late.

Monty’s Krown is located at 875 Monroe Avenue in downtown Rochester.

Saturday, April 17th is Record Store Day. Someone find me a turntable ’cause I gots me some vinyl that needs a spin.

The Chinchillas official site

The Chinchillas on myspace

Pete Anvelt, “Motorcycle” Bill Ribas, Bill Corbett, and Paul Ruske will provide the night’s entertainment.

Come and hear all your favorites: “Love Me, Need Me,” “Let’s Wake Up And Make Love,” “Broken Guitar,” “Beer Truck,” and, of course, “Genesee Beer.”

There will be specials all night, so arrive early. Hose 22 is located on Stutson Street in the hamlet of Charlotte.

The Chinchillas recently celebrated 25 years of making and playing music together.

You can check out the Chinchillas here and here. More Chinchillas on myspace. Become a fan of The Chinchillas on Facebook.

If the winter months are causing you to feel cooped up, The Chinchillas have just the remedy. Pete Anvelt, ‘Motorcycle’ Bill Ribas, Bill Corbett and Paul ‘Too Sexy for My Own Good’ Ruske will be playing all your favorites including the hits from their recent release Broken Guitar.

Greg Townsend, of the Hi-Risers, will open the night with a special solo performance.

Come early, stay late and celebrate 25 years of The Chinchillas!

Abilene Bar is located at 153 Liberty Pole Way in beautiful downtown Rochester.

By Paul Gotham

There’s more to the picture…

“…than meets the eye.”

Week 17 became the question of timing versus rust, or for some health versus injury.

One week after turning their back on perfection, Indy’s Colts feigned deference as did Arizona, Cincinnati and New Orleans.

New England, on the other hand, did not.

With home field advantage in hand for the playoffs, Peyton Manning stayed in the game just long enough to get Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne 100 receptions each for the season. Clark joined Tony Gonzalez as the only tight ends to reach the century mark.

From there the trio took their place on the snowy sidelines at Ralph Wilson Stadium and watched Curtis “I’m no Picasso” Painter take the ball.

I'm no quarterback.

Buffalo’s Ryan Fitzpatrick threw two more touchdowns, and the Bills went on to a 30-7 victory.  Terrell Owens finished with four catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. Fred Jackson picked his own milestone passing the 1,000 yard rushing mark with 212 yards for the day.

While the Colts treated the game like a pre-season exhibition (Dwight Freeney, Joseph Addai, and Robert Mathis did not play at all), the Bills might have been going through a try out. Buddy Nix was hired just last week as the team’s new general manager.

Arizona and Green Bay both knew they had a game next week. Ken Whisenhunt opted to play possum. Mike McCarthy kept the foot on the pedal. Whisenhunt sat Kurt Wrner on the bench, and the result was the worst home loss in Whisenhunt tenure with the Cardinals, 33-7.

With Warner pickin’ splinters for the day, Matt Leinart got his big chance. “He was a big man. He never thought to do things twice.” Leinart went 13-21 for 96 yards and two interceptions. At least Leinart did better than “I’m no Picasso.” Of course, “I’m no Picasso” never won a Heisman either.

If Marvin Lewis was Bill BeliCHICK, nobody would bother with the result of yesterday’s game between the Bengals and Jets. But Marvin Lewis is NOT Bill BeliCHICK, and losing to the Jets, 37-0 is a head-scratcher. Yeah, okay so the Bengals knew they would play the Jets next week. Caution would serve the better part of valor…or something like that. There is a difference between caution and apathy. The Patriots could stem the momentum generated by the Jets yesterday. Can the Bengals?

As for the Saints…HELLO!?!? You now have a three-game losing streak! What in the love of cajun country are you thinking? You needed overtime to beat the Washington ‘No-hearts’! You beat the Falcons by three. Neither of those teams are in the playoffs. That is all you have to speak  for in the last month of the season. Now you get two weeks to dwell on that. Enjoy the friggin’ Pro Bowl!

Somewhere, there is a New England Patriot fan that wants to slap me for suggesting that the above teams should have played rather than rested their players. Here’s the thing – if there is a coach that can figure out how to recover from the loss of Wes Welker and Tom Brady’ rib injury (did I forget any), Bill BeliCHICK is the guy. Who figured out how to stop the K-Gun in Super XXV? Ding! Ding! BeliCHICK. Who schemed a way to beat “The Best Show On Turf?”  Ding! Ding! BeliCHICK.

“It’s better to burn out than it is to rust.”

Please pass the salt

If I am going to eat crow, it might as well have some taste. Okay, I have made slaggin’ the Cowpokes my job for the last…oh…decade. Make that two decades. Somehow, Jerra Jones stayed out of the way enough to let Ol’ Wade and crew get in the playoffs.

What the heck happened to the Eagles? Did they want to play in Jerra’s palace?

While I’m at it

I am going to take Tom Coughlin’s lead and make no excuses for the Giants. After watching the midgets fall behind 17-0, spending two and a half hours behind a snow blower in sub-zero wind chills seemed a better way to spend my time.  When did the Giants sign the sponsorship contract with the Hoover Vacuum Co? Because they sure do SUCK!

Before I forget, while snow blowing I popped on the IPod. Turned the volume up LOUD and listened to ‘The Rising.’ Convenient amnesia is a beautiful thing. Especially when the Giants lose 44-7.

Decisions, decisions

Has an NFL coach ever been fired after winning four consecutive games? That is the decision that new Cleveland Brown General Manager, Mike Holmgren, has to consider. Eric Mangini who has been smacked around more than a pinata at a birthday party got his guys to win the last four games of the season. The Browns rushed for 214 yards and downed the Jacksonville Jaguars, 23-17. Mangini’s guys even honored him with a Gatorade bath…in Cleveland…during the month of January. Now that is love. I think.

Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out

Jim Zorn should have been fired at halftime of the Redskins game with the Giants. There is no other response to that silly fake field goal. Has anybody figured out a rationalization yet for that play? But like some evil torture treatment, Daniel Snyder kept Zorn around for the finish. All the while Snyder was making overtures to other coaches – in particular Mike Shanahan. Man, Tiger should be happy Elin is not Snyder’s daughter. She might take that whole scorned woman thing to new heights.

Buddy Nix did not spend any time getting to know the Bills’ coaches. The new Buffalo GM sent the entire staff  ‘shuffling off from Buffalo.’

Bill Sheridan’s time as the defensive coordinator of the Giants came to an end. Hey Bill! Next time,  when coaching defense, make sure your guys can TACKLE! Geez! If Casper the friendly ghost appeared on the field, your guys would run the other way.

Get off my cloud

A record ten quarterbacks threw for 4,000 or more yards this year: Eli Manning, Old Man Favre, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo and Peyton Manning. But number one on the list belongs to none other than (drum roll please) Houston’s Matt Schaub. Schaub helped the Texans to their first winning season going 396-583 for 4,770 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Schaub’s teammate, Andre Johnson, finished third in receiving with 101 catches for 1,569 yards.

“A voice says, Hi, Hello, How are you? Well I guess I’m doing fine.”

Reason to Believe

It does not matter that the Jets scored 37 points and Mark Sanchez threw for a mere 67 yards. The Jets are in the playoffs. Just a couple of weeks ago, Rex Ryan declared his team out of the playoffs. Now Gang Green is alive.

“At the end of hard earned day, people find some reason to believe.”

Familiarity breeds contempt

Four games this weekend, and in three of those contests, the teams played each other this weekend. Ooh, this could get wild. Pun intended.

Got any NFL splinters? Share them here.

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

By Paul Gotham

Down to the wire

Indianapolis and New Orleans took different paths, but both remain undefeated. The Saints had to “hang on, hang on, hang on,” while Indy was able to “look out, look out, look out.”

Uncharacteristically, the Saints turned over the ball four times to the St. Louis Rams, but as it has been all season, the Saints found a way. Courtney Roby returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.  From there, the Saints held on for dear life. Fortunately for the denizens of Cajun country,  the Rams forgot to practice clock management prior to the game – squandering a chance to win as time expired.

Saints head coach, Sean Payton, will have to turn his attention to the recent injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Jabari Greer was sidelined with a groin injury, and Tracy Porter limped off with a possible ACL injury.

On the other hand, the Colts woke up the echoes of cliches past and ‘grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat.’   This week’s most debatable coaching call made for great drama as Peyton Manning led the Colts to two touchdowns in the game’s final 3:00 for a 35-34 triumph. Belichick and the Pats went for it on 4th and 2 inside their own 30. The Colts D held, and the rest is highlight material.

The Chinchillas-"anything goes in love and war."

Critics are slamming Belichick for the decision. Yeah, “anything goes in love and war. Yes, anything goes.” When a guy wins three Super Bowl titles in one decade, he earns the benefit of the doubt. Thing is, the game never should have been that close. New England had two turnovers inside the Colt ten yard line. Belichick went for the win, on the road in the tenth week of the season. Something tells me Tom Brady and the Pats will recover.

The Football Night in America crew reported that they timed Randy Moss running 40 yards in less than four seconds. I’m not sure I trust their stop watch. 40 yards in less than four seconds? 10 yards in less than a second?

Ladies and gentlemen – the leaders of the AFC North

No need to adjust your set at home. The Cincinnati Bengals have ascended to heights the Queen City hasn’t known for a couple of decades. With a defense to shake the last drop of ketchup from a bottle of Heinz 57,  the Bengals have swept the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens.  Cincinnati’s D has given up one touchdown in the last two weeks – a span where they downed the Ravens, 17-7 and yesterday, the Steelers, 18-12.  Cincinnati held the Super Bowl Champion’s offense, which was number one in the league, to a third down efficiency of 3 /15.

Street Fighting Man

Could anyone blame Aaron Rodgers if he lobbied for the Green Bay Packers to implement the Wildcat into their offense. After last week’s loss to Tampa Bay, Rodgers had been sacked a total of 37 times for the first half of the season. You read that right. The Packer QB kissed the turf 37 times in the first eight games. Multiply that over a 16-game campaign, and the Packers would have an infamous record.

“And what can a poor boy do?”

Yesterday, Rodgers threw one touchdown and ran for another as the Pack downed the Cowpokes, 17-7. Rodgers completed 25-36 for 189 yards.

Tin men, scare crows, and lions

Any chance of the Buffalo Bills salvaging some semblance of a respectable season ended yesterday. Deadlocked at 17 after three quarters, the Bills looked good. Then, Tennessee scored 24 unanswered. Mount T.O. exploded. And the Bills fans have to be wondering about this organization. Other than Jarius Byrd, who intercepted a pass for the fifth game in a row, the Bills have few positives. The only thing missing from yesterday’s game was the yellow brick road because the Bills had no heart, no courage, and yeah, you guessed it, very little brains.

Tennessee is now 3-0 with Vince Young under center. In the 21st century NFL given to ‘spread’ offenses, the Titans have turned to the ‘option.’  Chris Johnson gained 132 yards on the ground and 100 through the air.

Empire burlesque

NFL fans scratched their heads as the Denver Broncos sprinted to a record of 6-0. Three consecutive losses – including yesterday’s to the Washington Redskins, 27-17 – have fans wondering if we have “seen the real Broncos at last.”  Denver’s losses coupled with San Diego’s four game win streak has knotted the AFC West. Next weekend’s tilt in Denver should be interesting.

Blinded by the light?

What started 3-0 has now turned into 4-5. In September, Rex Ryan looked like a genius, and Mark Sanchez a prodigy. The New York Jets toppled Houston, New England, and Tennessee. The view from above must have been too much because lately the Jets look “cut loose like a deuce.”

Josh Scobee kicked a field goal as time expired, and Jacksonville downed New York, 24-22.

Maurice Jones-Drew took one for the team. Instead of scoring a touchdown, the Jaguar running back opted to kill clock and took a knee. Jones-Drew went to the turf at the two-yard line keeping the clock in motion and the jet offense on the sideline.

MNF

Baltimore at Cleveland. Browns’ coach, Eric Mangini, tapped Brady Quinn for the start tonight. Did I hear someone say lamb to the slaughter? That’s great ‘Mangenius’. Give the kid the ball against Baltimore who is coming off a loss. You couldn’t wait a week when you guys play the Lions?

"I am the nothing man." AP Photo/Darron Cummings

No lead is safe…

At least when New Orleans and Indianapolis is involved, opponents can not score enough.  The Saints and Colts continued walking a thin, thin line en route to their undefeated marks. New Orleans erased an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat the Panthers 30-20. Carolina’s defense held New Orleans to just 84 yards on the ground, but the Saints have been figuring out a way to win all year. Drew Brees completed 24 of 35 for 330 yards. Robert Meachem led the way with 98 receiving yards on 5 catches.

For those keeping track at home, ‘Pomme’ DelHomme forgot to bring the dessert. The Carolina QB went an entire game without any turnovers.

The Chinchillas - "walking on a thin line"

Indy also performed their own escape routine. After Steve Slaton scored on a one-yard run , the Houston Texans led the Colts 17-13 in the fourth. Jospeh Addai answered seven minutes later with his own end zone plunge. Indy needed a little divine intervention. The Texans missed a field goal from 42 yards away as time expired.

Indy head coach, Jim Caldwell, might be considered the nothing man because “around here everybody acts the same; around here everybody acts like nothing’s changed.” Fans would be hard-pressed to remember a coach who has more quietly led his team to an 8-0 start.

Welcome to the working week

Tom ‘Terrific’ and his Pats have had plenty of pictures in the paper ‘being rhythmically admired,’  but Bill Belichick’s crew will need to ‘do it till their through it, so they better get to it.’ New England travels to Indy for a Sunday night show down with the Colts next week. After that those pesky Jets come to town. If that isn’t bad enough, the Pats geaux to N’Awlins for a Monday night soiree with the Saints.

For all those fans keeping track at home

Heisman trophy winner, Matt Leinart got into the game yesterday. He threw one pass. Leinart completed that pass…to THE WRONG TEAM. Yeah, Matt. Life is grand. “And I say this at the risk of falling from favor.”

Spirit in the night

Mark Sanchez and the Jets enjoyed a bye week. It’s been rumored that Mark “picked up Hazy Davy and Killer Joe” and headed out “to where the gypsy angels go.”

Does All State cover Green Bay

Aaron Rodgers might want to consider some insurance. The lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers sacked the Packer QB six times yesterday. At this rate Rodgers will kiss the turf 74 times this season. Ouch! Tampa Bay in those lovely creamsicle colored jerseys scored 21 fourth quarter points to win 38 -28. Tampa Bay has scored 37 combined points in the fourth quarter this year.

Cincinnati in first

Holy Kenny Anderson is it true? The Bengals clipped the Ravens 17-7 yesterday sweeping the season series from the divisional foe. The Bengals haven’t done that since 1997. Next up – the Steelers. Considering the Steelers have the Monday night game, can the Bengals take advantage?

Free falling G-Men

A clear-thinking Giant fan.

A recent article by Chas sums up my sentiments toward the Giants. In the back of my mind is always the possibility that the Giants could implode at any moment. Yesterday’s debacle could make any clear-thinking Big Blue fan scream. First and goal, and the Giants managed a field goal. Followed by the defense playing matador to Philip Rivers and the Chargers.Not that Rivers had any motivation to beat the Giants or anything.

MNF

Pittsburgh at Denver. Hey Broncos! “Is it you baby, or just a brilliant disguise?”

Got any NFL Splinters? Share them here.

AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

By Paul Gotham

Saints and Vikings march on

Both New Orleans and Minnesota put their unbeaten records on the line yesterday. Both remained undefeated. The similarities end there.

The Saints rolled up 493 yards of total offense and left no doubt in trouncing the formerly undefeated New York Giants, 48-27. Brett Favre tossed three touchdowns, but it almost wasn’t enough as the Minnesota walked a thin line in defeating Baltimore, 33-31.

New Orleans took advantage of a home game after a bye week and fired on all cylinders. Seven different Saints marched into the end zone, Drew Brees threw four touchdowns giving him 101 with the Saints, and the New Orleans defense played stingy. Marques Colston (Hofstra) made 8 receptions for 166 yards including one touchdown.

Eli Manning completed just 14 passes while being intercepted once. The Giant offense lacked timing all day. That tends to happen when a team feasts on the likes of the Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Washington Redskins.  New Orleans brought an entirely different pace than the aforementioned sisters of the poor.

New York hosts an Arizona team that resembled their Super Bowl participant selves in beating Seattle 27-3. New Orleans travels to Miami for an interesting date with wildcat offense of the Dolphins. Saint defense coordinator, Gregg Williams has developed schemes to disrupt passing attacks. Will the Saints figure out the rushing attack of the fish?

AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid

Six games played, and Brett Favre remains off the injury report. Whew! I am still reeling from Bill’s description of Favre’s pending downfall.   Favre completed 21-29 for 278 yards along with a 58-yard strike to Sidney Rice to set up the eventual winning field goal.  Minnesota unleashed a balanced attack. Are the Ravens still considered a vaunted defense? Adrian Peterson rushed for 143 yards. Despite the impressive numbers, Favre could only watch as Steve Hauschka’s field goal attempt sailed wide sealing the Minnesota victory.

The Vikes travel to Pittsburgh next week before heading to Green Bay – time to walk like men.

Not to be lost in the mix is the performance by Baltimore QB, Joe Flacco, who threw for 385 yards going 28 for 43.

Denver puts their unblemished record on the line tonight in San Diego. The Broncos have a bye next week before embarking on a gauntlet that will see rookie coach Josh McDaniels prepare his surprise crew for the Ravens, Steelers, Chargers, and Giants over five weeks.

Peyton Manning had the chance to rest his arm this week. Anyone want to take a guess as to Manning’s numbers next week in St. Louis? Wonder if he’ll get pulled at half if he hasn’t thrown for 300 yards.

Curse or Coincidence?

Not that I believe in voodoo or anything (or maybe I do since I am a Boston Red Sox fan), but it just seems very strange that the last time the Tennessee Titans won a game was …oh…let’s see…last year! And when I say last year, I don’t mean last season. I mean the last calendar year. Considering that the department stores are breaking out Christmas decorations, this streak of infamy is taking on a length of time.

Last December, the 21st to be exact, the Titans downed the Steelers, 31-14. That was the day LenDale White, Javon Kearse, and Keith Bulluck decided to do a little dance and make a little flub with ‘The Terrible Towel.’ The next week Tennessee lost 23-0, followed by a first-round playoff loss at home. The Titans are 0-6 this season. Which wouldn’t be so bad, except that they lost 59-0 yesterday. Is Jeff Fisher’s seat getting hot?

Oh yeah, in case you’re keeping track. Last week, the Lions’ mascot decided to stomp on the ‘Towel’ while the Lions were driving for a potential game-tying touchdown. You guessed it. The Lions didn’t tie the game, and this week they fell 26-0 to the Pack. Does Detroit need anymore misery?

One Step Up

…and two steps back. Mark Sanchez welcome to winter north of the Mason-Dixon line. Hey Kid! You’re not in SoCal anymore. We have varying weather conditions in these parts, and ya best get used to it.

Oh my, not sure if the Jets rookie “woke up this morning to a cold house,” but he sure has “been given some hard lessons lately.” Let’s put it this way – the Buffalo Bills defense had more catches yesterday than Terrell Owens. Munch on that one for a minute. T.O. made three catches yesterday. The Buffalo defense? They had six interceptions (five off Sanchez) as the Bills won in OT, 16-13. At times, the Jets rookie looked bothered by the wind in Giants Stadium. Oh boy, it’s gonna be a long season if that continues.

By the way, is there a new sheriff in Buffalo…uh…maybe deputy would be more appropriate…actually, sergeant sounds more fitting (no offense intended to those who wear the uniform)? Ryan Fitzpatrick came off the bench to replace the injured …what’s his name?…and threw for 116 yards. Not to mention a 40-yard attempt that was ruled incomplete…barely.

Got any NFL Splinters? Share them here.