Nick Delpopolo & The 12th Precinct

I have not thought of the TV show “Barney Miller” in quite some time and I’m sure many of you don’t remember the sitcom which aired from the mid 70’s to early 80’s. 

It was without question one of the all-time great comedy series set in a New York City police station.  Maybe my favorite episode was one where “Wojo," played by Max Gail brought brownies to work one day for his fellow police officers.

Turned out they were baked with marijuana inside and half the Precinct got stoned. Really funny stuff.  So why did this come to me?

At the  Olympics Monday judo fighter Nick Delpopolo of Westfield was expelled for doping after it was announced he had tested positive for cannabis after finishing 7^th in his weight class.  Delpopolo issued a statement of apology in which he claimed his positive test was caused by an inadvertent consumption of food that was baked with marijuana before he arrived in London.

I wonder if he stopped by the 12^th Precinct before leaving for London.

By the way what a Women’s Soccer semifinal yesterday in which the US rallied three times to beat Canada 4-3 in the final seconds of extra time on a header by Alex Morgan.  The Americans face Japan for the gold on Thursday…of course the captain of the team is former Point Pleasant Boro and Monmouth University star Christie Rampone.

This is shaping up to be an exciting fall for Garrett Graham, the former Brick Memorial and University of Wisconsin standout who is entering his third season with the NFL’s Houston Texans.  Graham, who caught his first pro pass in 2011, will have a much higher profile this season and drew praise from Coach Gary Kubiak the other day who said “I think he’s one of the more improved players on our team right now.

He really has grown up from last year and is healthy and performing well.  He’s got a big role on this team and he’s shown that he’s going to be able to handle that.  After a week, I’ve been impressed.”    Graham is listed as the #2 tight end behind Owen Daniels but the Texans play with two tight ends much of the game so Garrett figures to get plenty of passes thrown his way.

A 2005 graduate of Brick Memorial who celebrated his 26^th birthday over the weekend, Graham got married this summer to Ericka Engen a former Wisconsin basketball player.