THIS Is How It Is Done.

I was looking back through some pics of styles I like, trying to find a particular look I remembered seeing when I suddenly came across this picture.

courtesy: Scott Schulman

The point: This is absolutely, positively how a blazer or suit jacket arm length should be tailored. Period. (And how much cuff to show on a dress shirt under it.)

Here are the keys:

• Your shirt cuff should meet the break of your wrist when your arm is straight by your side in a comfortable position (NOT to be confused with how to measure yourself for a shirt sleeve- i.e., crooked elbow, shoulder to wrist).
• You should show 1/4 to 1/2 inch of cuff before your jacket begins (again, same position- arms by your sides).
• Caveat: You will notice when you bend your arms (e.g., while driving) you may see your wrist and the jacket may seem higher up your forearm than you are used to. But this spec is still the difference from being well-dressed versus being stylish.
  

I have argued this point with a seamstress altering one of my jackets and several store clerks at various times trying on clothes and all were in the wrong (IMHO).

*Side note: I have a dress shirt on right now given to me as a gift and it is not my customary brand/sizing, but a close facsimile; It is driving me nuts because, despite the shirt stating the same measurements, the sleeves are juuuust a bit longer than my usual measurement and it is driving me crazy! (Yup, I have issues.)

Coincidence? I Think Not.

Dan Shanoff points out in his Sporting News column and on his eponymous site, Dan Shanoff.com, "Meanwhile, Pete Carroll is a bit of a d'bag for ripping Mark Sanchez's decision to turn pro. Yeah: Like Carroll is now going to go out and actively recruit the kind of player who doesn't have the ability to turn pro after 3 seasons. Quit whining."

Agreed Dan- Carroll needs to shut it. But what's not mentioned here is the fact that, despite, Carroll's insistence that Sanchez is not NFL-ready (yet), he still has a better chance to go higher in the draft- say, 1st rounder, and easily 1st day- than he would next year when the NFL Draft Class will most assuredly feature Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow. Not saying any of these guys is better than Sanchez, but it gives NFL Personnel gurus a lot more to consider for both this season (draft Sanchez and develop him for 2010/11?) and next (or draft a franchise-QB in McCoy or Bradford for immediate impact?*).

*I'm not saying McCoy or Bradford will be a franchise-type QB. But given their pedigrees (big time college programs, on-field collegiate success, Heisman finalists/winners) these guys are as close to locks as any prospect. And throw a year of serious QB-centric training at Tebow (why else stay at UF?) to make him 1st Round material and Sanchez becomes just an also-ran. But this year? The guy locks Top 2 QB status in the Draft.

That is something Pete Carroll should be proud of and not criticizing.

How Does the City of Anaheim Save Tax Dollars?

Usually, stories like this one about how the City of Anaheim and its mayor, Curt Pringle, says the City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to give up its battle to restore the team's name to the Anaheim Angels come from the side of the professional sports team.

You know the scenario- the team spinster, er... PR rep steps up to a podium tells you the owner has decided not to retain Joe All-Star because they see their club headed in a different direction, or they couldn't come to terms, or any excuse to deflect the fact that said club (and owner) simply decided Joe was not worth $20mil per year and a hefty increase to ticket prices the following season that further screw their fan base after the last slate of crappy contracts they committed to.

But here we have the City of Anaheim and their CEO (mayor) Curt Pringle playing the angles so the blip on the radar that this story is somehow, what, favors the city over the Angels? The money quote, "...it's in everybody's best interest to take no further action."

Basically, the guy is trying to save face over a laughing stock lawsuit that has twice failed and that costs the taxpayers money. It took the current economy to do it, but at least someone in Anaheim City Hall was wise enough to look at the books and say,"Um, we are paying a legal retainer to fight WHAT?"

Yeah, way to go Anaheim, your solid now. Of course, you're also left with the Ducks and not much else, but hey, now you can spend your tax dollars on, say, a city float for this year's Rose Parade.