There’s little reason to watch a 3-5 MAC team waddle its way through the rest of the season, unless said team has a guy on pace to break an NCAA record.

Meet Freddie Barnes. A converted quarterback, the BGSU senior caught 14 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown in a 24-10 loss to Central Michigan. The total brought him up 99 catches, a number which is quite ridiculous to comprehend. Take away his 22-reception game against Kent State, and he still leads the country. He also leads the country in total yards (1,054), yards per game (131.8) and receiving touchdowns (nine). And on Monday afternoon he was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to college football’s top receiver. The list will be narrowed down to three on November 19.

The last MAC wide receiver to win the Biletnikoff was Marshall’s Randy Moss in 1998, and the last finalist from the MAC was Ball State’s Dante Ridgeway in 2004. One has to think Barnes has has a better-than-good chance to win it, considering how far ahead stat-wise he is this season. He has 37 more receptions and 173 more receiving yards than the second place guy in those respective categories. BGSU enjoys a bye for Halloween weekend, but the task of catching Barnes in catches borders on Sisyphean.

Winning the Biletnikoff would be nice, but somebody wins that every year. What doesn’t happen annually is the chance to set the NCAA record for receptions in a season, held by the indefatigable Manny Hazard, who collected 142 for Houston in 1989. Currently Barnes is on pace to shatter it. It’s not a shoe-in that Barnes can collect 43 passes in their final four games (a bowl game, which would certainly help, is probably wishful thinking), but that’s only 10.75 receptions per game, which is lower than his current average of 12.375.

The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) reported a decrease in subscribers of The Blade in its Sept. 30 FAS-FAX report.

ABC reported a drop in The Blade’s Sunday circulation from 144,198 in September 2008 to 133,847 in September 2009.

Monday through Friday numbers dropped from 115,073 last September to 104,148 this September.

According to ABC’s reports The Blade has dropped 18.4 percent in Sunday circulation since March 2006. Monday through Friday circulation has dropped 18.2 percent in the same time period.

The Blade’s director of circulation, Dick Fuller, did not respond to requests for comment.

ABC reported that the top 3 newspapers in the country are The Wall Street Journal with 2,024,269 subscribers, USA Today with 1,900,116 readers and The New York Times with a circulation of 927,851.

ABC releases FAS-FAX twice a year with the circulation averages from six months.

The YMCA of Greater Toledo announced Oct. 28 that President and CEO Robert Alexander plans to retire on July 31, 2010.

The YMCA’s Board of Trustees has appointed Lee Dunn, YMCA Trustee for Life, to lead a search committee that will work with staff from YMCA of the USA, the national resource office for YMCAs, to find Alexander’s successor, according to a news release.

“I’ve been head of the YMCA of greater Toledo for 20 years now. When I retire in July I will be over 64 years old. So, it’s time to retire,” Alexander told Toledo Free Press Oct. 28. “Opening the West Toledo YMCA was my last goal and now that I’ve accomplished my goals I’m ready to move forward.”

Alexander said he has seen a lot of things throughout his career with the YMCA.

“I started at the YMCA when I was 16 years, in 1962. I’ve seen it all — started as a lifeguard and camp counselor. I saw the aerobic dance craze come and go. I saw the YMCA grow as a family program. And the one of a kind merger with the YMCA and JCC.”

One of Alexander’s proudest accomplishments is the growth of the Annual Scholarship Campaign during his time as president. According to the YMCA the campaign grew from $27,000 in 1989 to more than $2 million in 2009.

Jim Cornette on the health care debate: “It’s ridiculous! I wish Obama would just say, ‘I’m the president, I’m the ****ing boss.’ I like everything he says he wants to do, he’s just not getting enough of it done because (Republicans) won’t get out of the ****ing way. We should all have health care. For the income tax that I’ve paid over the past 20 years to the United States of America, when I’ve got a backache, they should come to my house and **** me!”

Jim Cornette on the rise of mixed martial arts and its effect on professional wrestling: “What they’re doing is, they’re doing our business better than we are. Unique or colorful or athletic personalities that are kind of badass being manipulated into situations where they fight each other and they sell tickets to it. That’s professional wrestling. The difference, of course, is that they’re ‘real,’ but that’s like number five down on the list of why they’re so popular…P.T. Barnum said, ‘If you want to draw a crowd, start a fight.’”

Jim Cornette on organized religion: “It has always been started or founded based on some guy either going out in a forest, or on a desert, or up a mountain, talking to God, having a conversation with him, and then coming back down and telling everybody else what he said…And nobody bothers to question this?”

Jim Cornette

It’s said that the best “gimmicks” in wrestling are never that far from the characters of the actual people who perform them. And legendary wrestling manager Jim Cornette certainly did not have to stretch to become an outspoken, brash, opinionated and incredibly entertaining individual. Cornette is an interviewer’s dream; tremendously intelligent, interesting, a great storyteller and funny as heck to boot.

Nowadays, Cornette is a very busy man. Between the launch of his website, jimcornette.com, the simultaneous release of a book chronicling his history with hall-of-fame tag team the Midnight Express, his departure from TNA Wrestling and subsequent return to indie group Ring of Honor, a lot is on the plate of the man fondly referred to as the “Louisville Slugger.” But you get the sense he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I’m as busy as a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest,” Cornette said in a phone interview, inspiring the first of many laughs.

In recent years, the Midnight Express, who Jim first managed back in 1984, has seen a major rise in prominence among wrestling fans, even those who had never seen the team work originally. What do you think has inspired this, I asked?

“Actually, it started about five years ago this past month, when we first started getting back together for the first time and started doing the reunion shows. Then it just kind of grew on itself. Also, I think Dave Meltzer said at one point, people turn around and it’s been like 20 years later and nobody better has come along, so they’ve gotten a whole new level of respect amongst people,” Cornette said. “It just reminded everybody of how good Eaton and Lane and Condrey were.”

A big part of the Midnight nostalgia has been fueled by Cornette’s own book, The Midnight Express and Jim Cornette 25th Anniversary Scrapbook. A rarity in a business that never keeps records, the book features an incredibly comprehensive list of all the team’s matches during its history, as well as photos and other rarities. Cornette said the writing process was different than anything he’s ever tackled before.

“A lot of the writing was really transcribing, because so much of the text of the book is results and notes about the shows and our touring schedule and gates and information on the arena events,” Cornette said. “The individual chapters on different subjects, like heat (wrestling vernacular for drawing a reaction from the crowd) and how it’s changed, and some of the lawsuits and riots and funny road stories, those were the fun chapters to write.”

Yes, lawsuits and riots. No one said playing a vehemently hated wrestling manager would be easy. The book details many of the exciting and scary facets of being a part of the wrestling business at that time, from the thrill of drawing a big crowd to the fear of being shot in the eye by a Drano-filled squirt gun. Despite such, um, complications, Cornette speaks of his days with the Express with great warmth.

And he isn’t done taking wrestling fans on a trip down memory lane. The site also offers a DVD of rare Midnight Express matches. And a new book is in the works, compiled of vintage photographs Cornette took at a young age when he first got involved in the business.

“I was at ringside for the Jerry Lawler/Andy Kaufman match. I took Hulk Hogan’s rookie pictures. Terry Funk, Abdullah the Butcher, world title matches at the Omni,” Cornette recalled. “I’ve got all those pictures from all the years that I shot photos for the magazines and the programs. And over the holidays, I’m going to comb through this giant mound of classic wrestling photos I’ve got and do a classic wrestling photos book.

“I really think there’s a market for the fans who don’t get to see the good old stuff, or who haven’t gotten the opportunity to see it because they’re newer fans…There’s a market out there, and I think the fans enjoy it.”

In addition, Cornette is also on the road working for Ring of Honor, an independent promotion seen nationally on HDNet, and is audibly excited at the chance to work with the company’s up-and-coming talents.

“Ring of Honor, they have young guys that work their *** off. They have enthusiastic crowds, they’re really into the talent,” Cornette said. “It’s just a great atmosphere. And if I can help with the television in any way…I’ve been doing wrestling on television in one form or another for 25 years. And they’ve just started. So if I can help them in any way, that’s my goal and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing.”

I asked one last question before we finished: How is it one of the greatest managers and talkers ever in wrestling history is not employed by WWE, but a marginal wrestler like Santino Marella still has a job?

Cornette laughed, then answered, “Because Santino Marella wants one, and Jim Cornette don’t.”

E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

This Halloween the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation3 has three exclusive thrill packed games with genuine scares and endless action, which involve more than just one player.

Ju-On: The Grudge (XSeed)

Want an intense haunted house like experience? This Nintendo Wii exclusive haunted house simulator puts players in first person perspective with only a flashlight (using the Wii remote) to see the way into a frightening world based on the Japanese and U.S. adapted film series of the same name. If the sounds don’t scare, the visuals definitely will as players should definitely fasten on that wrist strap for some vividly spooky gameplay inside empty buildings and urban settings.

The basic heads on display include flashlight battery (don’t let it run out) in the lower left; action in the lower right and a key prompt for doors, cabinets and lockers in the upper left. Special elements that require interaction to advance flash plus players collect mystery items (recorded even when game ends, so don’t have to find them again). Keep a steady hand for navigation plus developers measure movements at specific times, which factors into your performance score. Automatic saves among three save files optimize the experience so players can fully engulf themselves into each level. The sound and brightness settings can be changed, but what fun would that be?

A second player can also join for some scares while even triggering some quick frights (with a minimum 15 second break among each one) as well. The flashlight (remote) shakes for each reset. This option works well in a situation where a novice plays while an experience vet who has already conquered all the levels and can create some well timed jolts. Real scares perfect for a Halloween experience (***1/2, rated M for blood and violence)

Dead Space Extraction (Electronic Arts)

This prequel story to the first Dead Space game (on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC) debuts on the Nintendo Wii for a frightening and visceral hands-on experience. The action packed scares are endless in this sci-fi space chase, which has an optional two player cooperative mode (using remote only). The first player uses the remote and nunchuk combination or put both in the Wii Zapper.

Players get story, challenge and co-op modes in the first person perspective as story chapters unlock challenge & bonus material. Performance rates range from 1 to 5 and include many bonuses. The survival type challenge mode prompts point accumulation while the co-op contains all stages. A second player can join at any time (+ button) and in any mode while having his or her own separate statistics. The weapons focused combat includes a melee option, mainly for temporary solutions that keep enemies off until players unleash the plasma cutter, flamethrower, ripper, line gun, contact beam and several others. Players can also rip enemies apart with the remote, so the physical action equals the high quality game experience (****, rated M for blood, gore, intense violence and strong language).

Demon’s Souls (Atlus)

Players take demons head on in this intensely challenging action role playing game. Incredible gameplay on all fronts make this epic title hard to put down. It’s even harder to put down the demon enemies as they overtake the lands of Boletaria. The group experience elements include online challenge duels, assistance hunts or targeted player hunts. The cooperative mode works well for battling major demons as a team – an ideal choice because the endless goals can overwhelm, but are definitely worth the effort.

Players can also leave hints and clues along the way and even give insight into failures, so next time players can avoid an ill timed death. The learning curve is considerable, due to an incredibly formidable AI system, yet very entertaining as strategy challenges as players learn from mistakes as well as other characters and the environment. High production values and quality voice talent anchor the amazing action and in-depth storyline, which includes mission based play or open exploration style. All these deep experience create a very high replay value ranging in triple digit hours. The large character customization options alone are an amazing experience (****, rated M for blood and violence).

The Sophia Lustig Shop in Toledo was recognized as one of the 82 best women’s specialty shops in the U.S. by Bazaar magazine in its September issue. The stores selected are based on the variety and quality of lines carried and level of customer service, according to the magazine.

“We are honored to be one of only two Ohio stores to be in this prestigious Bazaar listing,” Paula Fall, owner of the women’s specialty shop, stated in a press release.

“In addition to longtime relationships with our vendors, we have genuine relationships with our clients and are serving third generations in some cases.”

The Sophia Lustig Shop is located at 124 Tenth Street in Downtown Toledo with its affiliated store, Sophia’s Sister, located behind it in the Davis Building on Michigan Avenue.

The original store was established on Madison Avenue in 1936 by the late Sophia Lustig. Fall purchased the retail business in 1980.

Similar to Ludwig, Fall is active in the arts and community currently serving on the boards of the Toledo Botanical Garden and the Lucas County Library Foundation. She is a recent recipient of the YWCA Milestone Award.

The shop recently hosted the American Heart Association’s Circle of Red, the Valentine Theater Gala Committee, and the store’s Pretty in Pink team ranked fifth in local donations for the recent Komen Race for the Cure, according to the press release.

“Thriller” played in the lobby of the Franklin Park Cinema as a crowd began to gather. Toledo School for the Arts students dressed as zombies wandered the theater and movie-goers young and old lined up more than an hour before the scheduled premiere of “This Is It,” the Michael Jackson movie released for a sneak peak Oct. 27 and in theaters across America at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 28.

Fans wore shirts with the movie logo or Jackson concert T-shirts, they chattered with friends as they took their seats. With a half hour to go, the theater filled quickly.

Michael Jackson

But the movie started with silence. There was no fanfare, no soundtrack, as yellow script scrolled up the screen. There was no need; the audience was still in anticipation.

The two hours of the movie chronicle the final rehearsals of Jackson, his crew, dancers and musicians. There are laughter and tears among the cast members as they worked to give the world what Jackson called “talent [it] had never seen before.”

There are also laughter and tears among audience members as the King of Pop performs some of his most memorable hits.

But most of all, there is applause. And singing. Some people even mimic the motions of the performers to the hit “Billie Jean” and other songs.

Jackson’s energy is amazing as he seemingly effortlessly sings and dances his way through song after song, even though some backup dancers half his age look forced.

And song after song, the audience applauds. Some even yell, “You get ‘em Michael.”

The tribute utilizes footage from interviews, videos and practices leading up to the planned final Michael Jackson tour, “This Is It.”

In one of the final scenes in the movie, Jackson’s voice is heard narrating his performance of “Earth Song” lamenting the destruction of the earth by humans. He calls each person to take responsibility and not rely on others to fix problems.

The movie closes with Jackson rehearsing “Man in the Mirror.” “No message could be clearer,: he said, “take a look at yourself and then make the change.”

His message lives on in the heart of every person who has played one of his records, turned on the radio, seen him live or in this movie.

“You gotta get it right, while you got the time, ‘cause when you close your heart, then you close your mind.”

Ohio gasoline prices have risen another 9 cents in the last week and have gone up 33 cents since the early part of October.

A survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express puts the statewide average for regular-grade gas at $2.63, up from $2.54 Oct. 19.

Three weeks ago, regular was averaging $2.30 in Ohio.

Gas is now more expensive than it was last year at this time, when the Ohio average was $2.47.

Gasoline costs have been climbing along with the price of oil. Last week, the sagging dollar sent crude spiking to $82 a barrel for the first time in more than a year.

On the Net: AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report for Ohio

St. John’s Jesuit finished fifth in the high school golf Division I state tournament Oct. 24. Anthony Wayne finished 11th in the boys’ tournament and St. Ursula Academy finished 11th in the girls’ tournament.

St. John’s head coach Bill Perry said he is proud of the position his team finished despite the bad weather.

“I was pleased with their finish. Conditions were very tough. It was windy, wet and cold. I thought we played well,” Perry said.

St. John’s shot 326. Michael Balcar and Zak Hart were the team’s low shooters with 78 tying for 14th in the state.

Anthony Wayne shot 334. Josh Bialecki tied for 31st overall with an 82. Teammates John Gaspar and Brian Turnwald each shot 83 to tie for 41st.

Megan McKernan led St. Ursula with 87 that placed her 39th overall. The team shot 363.

The first day of the two day tournament was rained out, only one 18-hole round was played.

Columbus St. Charles placed first in the boys’ tournament with a 309. Mason placed first in the girls’ tournament two years running with 316.

Lucas County Prosecutor Chief Investigator Frank Stiles has told Toledo Free Press that the investigation into possible signature forgery on Lucas County Republican Party documents has been referred to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office.

Jon Stainbrook

Stiles said Oct. 26 that the case was sent to Cleveland after he concluded his investigation, because of the “allegations that are flying around” in the Toledo market. He said the Cuyahoga prosecutor would determine if the case should be further investigated or if it should be presented to a grand jury.

In early September, Toledo Free Press sent a letter to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, outlining local legal maneuvers and information requests the county GOP was making of the Lucas County BOE. That letter expressed concerns that some of those maneuvers could impact the local investigation.

The beginning

Toledo Free Press (TFP) sent a letter to the Lucas County Board of Elections and Ohio Secretary of State July 30, alerting them to potential inconsistencies among signatures on Lucas County Republican Party campaign finance reports and other official documents.

TFP obtained and compared copies of a voter registration card, designation of treasurer, general fund, building fund, candidate fund and judicial fund documents said to be signed by Lucas County Republican Party Treasurer James Damas. TFP then enlisted three national handwriting experts pro bono to examine the signatures and provide assessments.

The experts viewed digital copies and made cursory assessments based on the assumption that Damas’ voter registration signature is authentic.

“The designation of treasurer on 6-14-08; I don’t think he did that one,” said Eugene Hussey, a handwriting expert in Firecrest, Wash. “The next one down, general fund, I don’t think he did that one, either. And the next one below it, I don’t think he did that one, either, but I think the same person printed the name [next to the signature] … The next one, he might have done that one, designation of treasurer. And below that, general fund again, he might have done that one, too. It’s a pretty good chance he did that one. And the next three — building fund, candidate’s fund and judicial fund — I don’t think he did any of them.”

“It doesn’t look like the same person would have written that [the same way] as the voter registration [form]; it just looks different,” said Terry Davenport, a handwriting expert in Dallas, Texas, regarding a signature on a document titled “General Fund.” Numbers on the forms were also compared.

Comparison of Damas signatures

Mike Robertson, a handwriting expert in North Canton, wrote, “Three of the signatures are within the identifiable range of Damas’ normal genuine writing based on the six documents presented to me … Some people never develop a singular unique style of writing for a variety of reasons … on the other hand differences, not variations, can be a sign of forgery.”

Fifth-degree felony

Ohio Revised Code, section 3517.10 states, “The statement of contributions and expenditures shall be signed by the person completing the form.” The statute continues to dictate the means by which electronic transfer of signatures is to be accomplished. Under Ohio law, according to the office of the Ohio Secretary of State, “A fifth-degree felony conviction [of election falsification] may result in a prison sentence of six to 12 months and/or a fine of up to $2,500.”

According to Ohio Secretary of State Press Secretary Jeff Ortega, only a party treasurer or deputy treasurer may sign financial documents. He also said the forms may not be signed by proxy.

Damas did not answer calls to his home or the Lucas County Republican Party headquarters. Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook did not answer calls on his cell phone or the party headquarters. Stainbrook told FOX Toledo July 30 that the concerns raised by the article are “a bunch of baloney.”

In a July 30 letter to Linda Howe, executive director, Lucas County Board of Elections, and David M. Farrell, deputy assistant secretary of state and director of elections, TFP Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller requested the investigation.

“As we are not experts in these matters, we are asking your office to investigate if Mr. Damas’ name was forged on these documents, and what the course of action will be if violations are proven,” Miller wrote.

Possible discrepancies

The examination was prompted by the findings of Glass City Jungle blog owner and TFP fact checker Lisa Renee Ward. Reading several Lucas County Republican Party documents, Ward claimed she observed possible inconsistencies among five signatures made by Treasurer James Damas in a period of time starting July 31, 2008 and ending Jan. 30, 2009.

Comparison of Damas dates

“People have to have faith in our electoral system, and when something like this happens, it shatters their faith,” Ward said. “If the signatures aren’t really valid, it could possibly have very deep ramifications.”

Ward said she stumbled across the possible discrepancies July 20 while researching claims made in the July 19 Blade article “Republican chief says last vestiges of Noes must go” by Blade staff reporter JC Reindl.

Scrutinizing various documents, she said she detected possible differences between Damas’ signatures in four reports. She said these were the Lucas County Republican Party’s July 31, 2008 general fund report, its Dec. 11, 2008 general fund report, its Dec. 11, 2008 designation of treasurer form and a Jan. 30, 2009 building fund report. In her eyes, she said, something was obviously amiss.

“It is pretty blatant,” Ward said of the contrast between the signatures. “It looked like four different people.”

Ward also researched recent filings by Lucas County Democratic party Treasurer Nancy Norman. No irregularities were observed on those documents.

Interest of transparency

Attorney Jeff Simpson, who is president of the Lucas County Young Republicans Club, was shown the Damas documents by TFP. Stating that he is not a handwriting analysis expert, he said, “It looks like three groups of signatures that are not the same. There is an issue here that needs to be looked at in the interest of transparency, if for no other cause than to reaffirm public trust in the Republican Party. Accusations of fraud and forgery cannot be ignored.”

Derek Merrin, the Republican mayor of Waterville, reviewed the Damas signatures, and in an e-mail statement, said, “The signatures certainly arouse suspicion. A thorough investigation needs to be conducted to ascertain whether the signatures are fraudulent.”

Republican State Senator Mark Wagoner was traveling and could not review the documents, but said, “If there is any question about the authenticity of the signatures, there should be an investigation. I am a law and order guy, and there should be no doubt in the public mind.”