You’ll notice in Sunday’s paper that I’ve written a feature on albino whitetail deer.

I did the story because I find the animals truly fascinating - and I know a lot of other people do, too.

I’ve never actually seen an albino whitetail. But I did see a piebald (half white) deer from a tree stand in Alabama once, and it was striking.

Through the years, I’ve done stories on albino blue birds and albino hummingbirds. I actually held an albino hummingbird in my hand once while wildlife officials fitted it with a leg band.

It really doesn’t make much difference what kind of creature it is. If it’s solid white with pink eyes, it’s an amazing sight.

If you’ve seen a solid white critter, I’d love to hear abou it.

This past Friday marked the 15th anniversary of the San Francisco Critical Mass Ride. Critical Mass rides are informal, "unorganized" rides that occur on a monthly basis. Around the world, cyclists gather on the last Friday of each month and ride through the streets of their town in a public display of cycling unity and fun. The ride varies from town to town, as a central component of the Critical Mass phenomenon is that the character of the ride emerges from spontaneous group decisions rather than from a group or an individual leader. This means Critical Mass rides can attract the surliest cyclists among us, riders bent on "reclaiming the roads", but Critical Mass also attracts the more modest cyclists, rolling slow on cruiser bikes and riding simply to enjoy the weather and the company of other cyclists. The nature of these rides vary from confrontational to friendly. In 2004, Cyclists in New York combined a Critical Mass ride with a protest at the Republican National Convention, and the ride ended in a clash with police. Cyclists were manhandled, arrested, and bikes were confiscated. Elsewhere, cyclists just gather and ride their favorite routes without any intention of confrontation or politicization. The New Yorker magazine described the New York Critical Mass Rides as "monthly political-protest rides", calling into question the non-political character of the CM. But as Critical Mass operates in more than 325 cities now, it is impossible to characterize the ride as any one thing. The rides are as varied as the people who attend.

This past Friday (the last Friday of the month), about a dozen cyclists gathered at Overton Park's Rainbow Lake parking lot for a "Celebration of Bicycle Riding". Riders rode from the park to Downtown Memphis, cruised along Front st. as the sun was setting, and rode back through Central Gardens, enjoying the cool of dusk and the sweet smell of blossoming crepe myrtle trees. A Critical Mass ride? Well, one needs a "critical mass" of riders first. The ride was more a celebration of the two wheeled wonder that is the bike, the beautiful city streets that are Memphis roadways, the fellowship that springs from bicycling. The group agreed to meet up again next month--5:30 p.m. at the Rainbow Lake parking lot.

What do you think about Critical Mass Rides? What is their place in Memphis--if the ride have a place at all?

I remember vividly sitting in the Liberty Bowl thinking that a bowl game for the Tigers was just around the corner, all that was needed was one last stop, and it was 4th and 27 to boot. We all know what happened on that play, it was a kick in the stomach except about a 6 inches lower.

From Wynne, AR. (although seemingly from Heaven) came DeAngelo Williams, He was the miracle all Tiger fans quietly prayed for. Although not dominant the Tigers went on a nice run, and you would have thought we were in the Sugar Bowl not the New Orleans Bowl. Excitement was at an all-time high, season tickets were at a all-time high, we were on a roll !!

The bar had been raised; no longer would we have to worry about silly things like 4th and 27, we were above all that now, we were going to be a thorn in the SEC’s side. We had Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Mike Terico at our house on Thursday night, we had 47,000 for CUSA games, things were good. We were now going to pull that kid from Melrose that always went to UT, we were going to give Arkansas a real fight for the kid at Frayser, we were going to kick holes all in that fence company from Oxford. It was when, not if we would gain our first CUSA title and play in the Liberty Bowl, it was how are we going to lock up our Head Coach long term, it was how can we keep our assistants…. we worried about all the things big time programs had to worry about and why not we were on the blue and grey road to BIGTIMENESS.

Well somewhere on that road we took a wrong turn, maybe it was not recruiting well (most recruiting services will agree), maybe it was sending a booklet to the Big East, (you know that had to impress). Whatever wrong turn the program took it led right to a disaster in 2006. Things were going to be much different in 2007, gaps had been filled by JUCO’s, redshirt freshman were ready to step up, our starting quarterback was now in his second year and we had gotten rid of the blitz ‘em like hell Joe Lee. Heck I admit it I thought the team was going to be significantly better, I mean how could you not see 7 wins with this schedule.

All this brings me to Jonesboro, AR. Home of the best bleacher bangers in America. As I sat in this gigantic lightning rod for a second time this season, I was a bit concerned about how the Tigers would overcome being throttled in Orlando. Quickly those worries turned to “Hell Ya” type excitement, a reverse here, double pass there, plowing thru the “Indian Uprising” for first downs was lots of fun, seeing big number 99 rumble down the field for the 30th point of the game was priceless.

At halftime I made my calls home, my wife was speechless 31-6 she repeated to me, even asking me to repeat it a 3rd time, my 5 year old, still mad at me for leaving him at home, was going to get his Hankins jersey on. Things were good back at the ranch so my concern turned back to finishing this thing off and getting home at a reasonable time.

Things started off a bit shaky with the Tigers stalling on their first drive, but hey just punt that baby out of bounds and pin them deep ….right ? well that was the plan, but the plan was also for the Tigers to have 11 players to cover the punt not 10, thus leading to only 5 men on the line and time to re-punt after the penalty. Just punt it out of bounds again and lets get it on. Or you could just punt it right to them and let them run it back for a TD…. Plan B was chosen and with that it was 31-13. From this point on it looked like Memphis vs The Redskins (the skin’s with Theisman). Receivers were running loose, backs were running wild, and our offense decided that running the option with Hankins was the best choice on a critical 3rd and 9. If you were not there all I can tell you is that all hell broke loose, and to make it worse you could see it coming. It was like I was being forced to watch someone stealing from me, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I am greatly worried where this football program is heading. Memphis football is again desperate for success, where and who is our savior now ??

I can’t help but think of Thomas Jefferson after reading message boards and hearing folks complain over the past 20 hours. Jefferson said, “What is popular is not always right, what is right is not always popular.” Do you think Jefferson was clairvoyant about Memphis football?

It seems the misguided popular opinion is that Memphis needs to fire Tommy West. Message boards are covered with posts about letting him go. Local talk show hosts are all abuzz about West’s future at Memphis. Some fans muttering it as they walk out of stadiums. It seems everyone has an opinion about it.

The funny thing to me is that many of those that are on the airwaves aren’t even Tigers fans. These “anti-Tigers” are happy as a pig in….. right now. They love when the Tigers struggle so they will fill the phone lines on talk shows taking their shots.

Tigers fans are also clamoring for a change in the leadership too. I understand their frustration. I am feeling that same frustration. I was miserable walking out of ASU’s and UCF’s on-campus stadiums in the last six days. I have been bummed all day today. Losing those games hurt me as if I played in them. But after some time to reflect I am not ready to give up on Coach West. I don’t think the school will either. We saw what this team is capable of in the first half last night. I don’t know why we pulled back on the reigns but the coaches did for some reason. Fixing the Tigers troubles can be done and this could be bowl season number four in the last five. Yes, I’m being optimistic but that’s what I do.

Firing the coach every six to eight years won’t help either. VA Tech stuck with Frank Beamer despite the Hokies being pretty bad for his first seven years. You see where they are today. I know it is hard to be patient after tasting success. But tearing the whole thing apart would do more damage.

The financial end of it is another thing the fire Tommy zealots are simply forgetting. The school would have to buy West out and that would take well over $2,000,000. Do we have $2,000,000 to fire a coach? That also means that we’ll need another $1,500,000 in order to hire another and a new staff. If we had that kind of money wouldn’t it behoove us to put it into the program with some much needed improvements like a new or refurbished weight room, improvements to the indoor practice facility and new turf for the practice fields. But maybe I’m thinking too logically here. Folks, we’re not Alabama who can fire a coach then find millions to pay another.

Football has the capability of being the cash cow at Memphis as it is as many other schools in the country. It is going to take commitment by the administration, coaches, players and fans to ride out this tough time. It is now obvious that winning doesn’t automatically improve your recruiting. We had three straight bowl bids and we still lose players in recruiting because the facilities at Memphis are no where near what other schools offer. We’ve got a great facility on the South Campus but it is not enough.

I know this might be asking a lot but would you Tigers fans quit calling for Tommy to be fired? It doesn’t make any sense right now. We’ve got eight games left and we have shown the ability to be pretty good offensively. It might be sour grapes but I believe that two of our losses were to inferior teams. We’ve got 5 more home games. If we just hold serve in the Liberty Bowl then a bowl bid is going to happen. This firing talk is hurting recruiting too. Recruits can and do read message boards and listen to the radio. Do you think they would consider Memphis if all they hear is fans saying the coach should be fired?

Keep going to the games. Stay COMMITTED to the program and I truly believe that we will be rewarded in the end. Stay with the Tigers as you would a friend or a relative who is have a tough time. They will get back up and make you proud.

With all the great fiction piled (unread) around my bed, sometimes it is hard to head out on vacation with a non-fiction medical book. It can feel a bit too much like work.

But I packed several for a recent long weekend and I wasn't disappointed. "The American
Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic that Shaped Our History," turned out to be so engrossing I didn't mind (much) when my mother was 90-minutes late picking me up.

This is a fabulous book. My only regret is not reading it in November when it was published. Thanks to the new paperback edition I finally corrected the oversight.

The yellow fever epidemic might be a tough sell in Memphis. It is a topic lots of us likely know a little about. What we know - thousands died, thousands more fled and the city nearly disappeared - hardly seems worth revisiting for nearly 300 pages.

Wrong.

The first third of the book focuses on the 1878 plague that decimated Memphis. The rest details the dangerous, epic and at times ghoulish efforts to understand what causes yellow fever and develop a vaccine to protect against it. It winds up with lessons for today.

The cast of characters includes Elmwood Cemetery, Walter Reed, a Nobel Prize winning scientist and Mary Louisa Angevine, whose near death in a farm house outside Grenada, Miss., during the 1878 epidemic offers the book's dramatic opening. The writing is so vivid that it would enliven any Memphis history class. Molly Caldwell Crosby, the author, brings alive not just the crisis, but also the politics of public health, the heroes (and the cads) the epidemic produced as well as the cosmopolitan spirit and vitality of Memphis that didn't survive the plague.

Crosby is a Memphis resident. The book's acknowledgements includes shout outs to folks at libraries, museums and on college campuses across the Mid-South.

But you should read this book for the kind of history likely to stick with you. You should read it for the details of a truly gruesome disease. You should read it for inspiring stories of sacrifice, courage and brilliance.

Meanwhile, share your recommendations for a good medical read.

Last night we went to Lobster King for dim sum on the way home--sometimes I crave those turnip cakes dipped in vinegar, hot peppers and soy!--and I tried something new that I don't think I would have if the waiter hadn't recommended it: bean curd skin with shrimp. Doesn't sound appetizing, does it? But he was right on when he told me that if I liked the turnip cakes and the chive dumplings, I'd like it. It was a thin, crispy shell of bean curd wrapped around a generous portion of shrimp and fried. Yum. Try it next time you're in.

What a week. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I had a nasty virus last weekend (it actually lasted four days) and while I feel fine now, I'm in need of rest and unfortunately, a lot of catching up on things that haven't been done. I had to cancel a cooking get-together I had planned for tomorrow night and I don't even know at this point if I'm going to cook at all. I hope you eat better than I do this weekend, because I could be happy with microwave popcorn...

Everyone have a good weekend!

"Randy and the Mob," a new Southern comedy by writer-director-star Ray McKinnon ("Reverend Smith" on "Deadwood") opens at Malco's Ridgeway Four today (Friday, Sept. 28).

My review of the movie and my interview with McKinnon will appear Saturday in The Commercial Appeal. (UPDATE: Here's the review; and here's the interview.) In the meantime, read what McKinnon has to say about attending a free word-of-mouth screening of the movie this past Tuesday night at the Ridgeway, a place he describes as being "right next to Malco's corporate offices on the edge of town in the middle of some strange business park designed by an English landscape artist. Lewis and Clark tried to navigate it once and gave up. They're still playing WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE there. Not as a retrospective. It's just nobody's been able to find the place to pick up the print..." McKinnon's self-deprecating on-the-road-with-"Randy" blog is here.