Instead of just winging it with my usual genius for such things, yours truly had to actually do some work and look up a bunch of stuff for the following. I hate it when that happens. But now that I've put in the time -- might as well commit the crime. Onward.
Let's look at three NFL teams which all play in the NFC. The Seattle Seahawks, San Fran 49ers, and Detroit Lions.
Out in Seattle, head coach Pete Carroll has been there for 3 years.
2010. A 7-9 record.
2011. Another 7-9 record.
2012. An 11-5 record.
Three year total -- 25-23.
The Seahawks would defeat the Washington Redskins by 10 points in the wild card playoff game last year, only to be nipped by the then #1 seeded Atlanta Falcons by 2 points in the NFC divisional round, which was played on the Falcons' home field. This -- with a rookie quarterback named Russell Wilson.
Going into the 2013 season, most odds-makers and NFL gurus consider the Seahawks to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
In San Fran, head coach Jim Harbaugh has only been there for 2 years.
2011. 13-3.
2012. 11-5.
Two year total -- 24-8. A winning percentage of .750.
San Fran would advance all the way to the Super Bowl last year, only to be narrowly defeated by the Baltimore Ravens. This -- with a first year starting QB named Colin Kaepernick.
Going into the 2013 season, the 49ers are also a serious threat to get back to the Super Bowl -- if not win it.
In Detroit, things are a bit different. Head coach Jim Schwartz will be entering his fifth season.
2009. 2-14.
2010. 6-10.
2011. 10-6
2012. 4-12.
Four year total -- 22-42. A winning percentage of .344.
The Lions briefly raised the hopes of their long-suffering faithful in 2011. They would go on to their first playoff game in many years, only to get trashed by the New Orleans Saints. Then mysteriously, or maybe not, they crashed and burned in 2012. Jim Schwartz got a contract extension. Amazing.
The Lions have a hot-shot quarterback in Matthew Stafford who will be entering his fifth year himself. The last two years Stafford has thrown for about 5000 yards each. To boot, the Lions likely have the most potent offensive weapon not named Adrian Peterson in wide receiver Calvin (Megatron) Johnson. The Megatron was busy himself last year -- racking up almost 2000 yards worth of receptions -- a record.
Yet despite all that fire power, the Lions ended up with a miserable 4-12 record, including losing the last 8 in a row.
Going into the 2013 season, the same gurus have tabbed the Lions to finish dead last in their division again, and have forecasted a 6-10 record.
That begs a question.
How can teams like the Seahawks and 49ers become powerhouses so quickly with relatively new head coaches and the different staffs they bring with them, along with rookie QBs at the helm -- while Schwartz has been with the Lions for 4 years, has an established QB entering what should be his prime, the best wide receiver in the game -- but most think they're doomed to another flop of a season?
Beats me. But maybe the Ford family that owns the Lions might want to consider sending a few knowledgeable football people -- if they can find them -- never a given considering their history -- out west to take a harder look at what's been going on. Because whatever it is they're doing in Seattle and San Fran, it sure seems to be working.
After all, what do the Lions have to lose at this point?
They've certainly already proven they've mastered the art of losing -- over a very long period of time.
The last time the Lions won anything significant, a popular political slogan of the times was "I like Ike".
Given the many generations of players that have come and gone since then -- and given one needs both their fingers and toes to tally up the number of their head coaches that have come and gone as well -- how can it be that one team can remain so bad for so long? The odds are highly against it. During all those decades, most other teams have risen to to top, fallen on hard times, then rose, fell, and rose again. What with free agency, salary caps, and the draft, the NFL is built to be cyclical.
Teams go up, and they go down. The parity thing. But not the Lions. For over the last half-century, they seem to have been mired in some sort of comatose state, but every few years their vital signs perk up with a couple blips, their fans go crazy, jump on the bandwagon, and believe again.
Just a few more questions.
Believe in what? Something they've never actually seen happen?
Like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy?
Ah yes. There is always hope, some say. Right. Kinda like the Scarecrow keeps hoping for a brain, the Tin Man for a heart, and the Cowardly Lion for courage -- Lions fans keep dreaming of a Super Bowl.
Good luck, but I don't think that's happening any year soon either.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Thursday, September 5, 2013
The NFL. Opening ceremonies
Finally, it's here. The NFL in all it's splendor and magnificence it upon us once again. This is not just a big deal -- it's a HUGE deal, monstrous, gargantuan, I dare say even bigger than Chris Christie. Let the world tremble with awe.
Yep, the NFL season kicked off with a match up between the Denver Broncos hosting the Baltimore Ravens. A rematch of last year's AFC title game, which the eventual Super Bowl champion Ravens won in overtime. Denver QB Peyton Manning was disappointed. You know, the same Peyton, who along with his brother Eli, never saw a commercial opportunity they didn't like, no matter how dumb it was? Yeah, that Peyton.
How do I know this was a big deal? Well, the pre-game coverage started a couple hours before the actual contest. What a whole panel of talking heads can possibly find to talk about for that long remains a mystery to yours truly -- but somehow they pull it off.
There was Ryan Seacrest trotting out to midfield with a microphone, surrounded by gorgeous cheerleaders, trying to hype the crowd in Denver's stadium. Was this really necessary? If the sell-out crowd in attendance at that stadium got any more hyped, they would have spontaneously combusted. Let's just say they were already good to go -- big time.
The pomp, pomp, and more pomp was unbelievable. Fireworks being shot into the air. Huge sections of fans all around the stadium supporting giant NFL provided banners to announce the NFL was back. Did I mention pomp?
Come to think of it, an all-around international superstar stud like Ryan Seacrest showing up is a big deal in itself. It is rumored that the Olympics tried and failed to book him to light the torch, while paying him the paltry sum of a billion dollars for him to grace the Games with his presence. Maybe RS had better things to do. But that's only heresy. Besides, yours truly has gotten word that the good folks in Sochi, Russia, hosts of the upcoming winter Olympics, are now busy negotiating with Miley Cyrus. You know, the same Miley that headlined the recent VMAs. I think VMA might stand for Vaginal Morons Association, but I'm not at all sure about that. At any rate, not being able to get Seacrest, and with Bieber being, you know, so OLD these days, our friends in Sochi are scrambling for a hot act to highlight their show. I wish them well, but I digress.
Back to the game. The last 30 seconds left before "kickoff" were announced one at a time by former NFL greats popping up on the screen. 30, 29, 28, 27. There was Barry Sanders. And Joe Namath, Neon Deion, Dan Fouts, Ray Lewis, and.... wait a second. How did Fouts get in there? Whatever. 3,2,1, and then....
Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth, the guys that would call the game, appeared in all THEIR splendor, not to mention blathering on some more. Hey. What happened to the game? We went through hours of worthless stats and trivia, a countdown, and when it finally got to zero, instead of liftoff -- we get MORE talking heads? I'm beginning to understand why some people go "postal" once in a while, and it has nothing to do with the US mail. You can only push a die-hard football fan so far.
Finally, mercifully, thank you God, the game was going to actually start. But no, now it's been delayed. There's a possibility of lightning in the area. Please stay tuned for another half hour.
You know what? By that point, I didn't give a damn about any lightning. I wouldn't have cared if there were 100 tornadoes, an earthquake, a tsunami, the plague, locusts, incoming nukes, or the Klingons and Romulans had teamed up to occupy Denver. It was time for some football -- dammit. Let's GO.
Finally I gave up and decided to write this dumb article. I'm assuming the game finally happened. It would have been nice to watch it -- but a guy can only take so much. You know?
Hi Storm.
Yep, the NFL season kicked off with a match up between the Denver Broncos hosting the Baltimore Ravens. A rematch of last year's AFC title game, which the eventual Super Bowl champion Ravens won in overtime. Denver QB Peyton Manning was disappointed. You know, the same Peyton, who along with his brother Eli, never saw a commercial opportunity they didn't like, no matter how dumb it was? Yeah, that Peyton.
How do I know this was a big deal? Well, the pre-game coverage started a couple hours before the actual contest. What a whole panel of talking heads can possibly find to talk about for that long remains a mystery to yours truly -- but somehow they pull it off.
There was Ryan Seacrest trotting out to midfield with a microphone, surrounded by gorgeous cheerleaders, trying to hype the crowd in Denver's stadium. Was this really necessary? If the sell-out crowd in attendance at that stadium got any more hyped, they would have spontaneously combusted. Let's just say they were already good to go -- big time.
The pomp, pomp, and more pomp was unbelievable. Fireworks being shot into the air. Huge sections of fans all around the stadium supporting giant NFL provided banners to announce the NFL was back. Did I mention pomp?
Come to think of it, an all-around international superstar stud like Ryan Seacrest showing up is a big deal in itself. It is rumored that the Olympics tried and failed to book him to light the torch, while paying him the paltry sum of a billion dollars for him to grace the Games with his presence. Maybe RS had better things to do. But that's only heresy. Besides, yours truly has gotten word that the good folks in Sochi, Russia, hosts of the upcoming winter Olympics, are now busy negotiating with Miley Cyrus. You know, the same Miley that headlined the recent VMAs. I think VMA might stand for Vaginal Morons Association, but I'm not at all sure about that. At any rate, not being able to get Seacrest, and with Bieber being, you know, so OLD these days, our friends in Sochi are scrambling for a hot act to highlight their show. I wish them well, but I digress.
Back to the game. The last 30 seconds left before "kickoff" were announced one at a time by former NFL greats popping up on the screen. 30, 29, 28, 27. There was Barry Sanders. And Joe Namath, Neon Deion, Dan Fouts, Ray Lewis, and.... wait a second. How did Fouts get in there? Whatever. 3,2,1, and then....
Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth, the guys that would call the game, appeared in all THEIR splendor, not to mention blathering on some more. Hey. What happened to the game? We went through hours of worthless stats and trivia, a countdown, and when it finally got to zero, instead of liftoff -- we get MORE talking heads? I'm beginning to understand why some people go "postal" once in a while, and it has nothing to do with the US mail. You can only push a die-hard football fan so far.
Finally, mercifully, thank you God, the game was going to actually start. But no, now it's been delayed. There's a possibility of lightning in the area. Please stay tuned for another half hour.
You know what? By that point, I didn't give a damn about any lightning. I wouldn't have cared if there were 100 tornadoes, an earthquake, a tsunami, the plague, locusts, incoming nukes, or the Klingons and Romulans had teamed up to occupy Denver. It was time for some football -- dammit. Let's GO.
Finally I gave up and decided to write this dumb article. I'm assuming the game finally happened. It would have been nice to watch it -- but a guy can only take so much. You know?
Hi Storm.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Prince Fielder and David Ortiz. Shifty characters
Now that one made me lol. While watching a game between the Bosox and the Tigers, Detroit first baseman Prince Fielder hit a weak ground ball towards the Boston third baseman-- except there wasn't a third baseman, because the Bosox had employed the "shift" when Fielder came to bat. By the time somebody had finally fetched the ground ball, Fielder had chugged his way to first base. The TV announcer said Fielder had "legged-out" an infield hit. I laughed.
Prince Fielder legging-out an infield hit is likely akin to a semi with a full load of lumber winning a quarter-mile race at a dragway. It's theoretically possible if it's competition is, say, a solar-powered locomotive on a cloudy day -- but I wouldn't exactly bet on it happening very often.
Fielder got his "single" for one reason only. The "shift". The opposing 3rd baseman was in the shortstop position. The shortstop was in the 2nd base position. The 2nd baseman was playing a shallow right field. Any other time such a ball would have been an easy out.
David Ortiz (Big Papi) of the Bosox knows this all to well. Like Fielder, he's a left-handed batter, big, slow, and a dead-pull hitter, Everybody puts the shift on against Big Papi. Many times, both of them have cracked a sharp ground ball to right field for a hit -- but it's not a hit. The 2nd baseman is there to field it and throw them out.
Which begs a question. Where is it written in stone that these guys can't learn to bunt once in a while? If they pushed one down the third base line and nobody's home, they could belly crawl or moon walk to first base. For that matter, if they were playing on turf and bunted it firmly, the ball might roll into left field -- and nobody's home there either. The outfielders are all swung around to the right side as well. By the time somebody finally got to the ball, even diesels like Fielder and Ortiz could easily be standing on second base with a double -- on a bunt. We all know they can both hit home runs, but what's so terribly wrong with learning something new? Isn't that what "spring training" and batting cages are for?
But oh my, those wacky announcers. Later in the game, Ortiz smacked a double to the wall maybe a couple feet left of straight-away centerfield. Unbelievably, some clown said hitting the ball the "other way", as in to leftfield, is what Ortiz has done his whole career.
My jaw dropped. Say what? Is that why everybody has put the shift on him since like forever? Who are these idiots and what have they been watching? I half-expected them to trot out a corny cliche like "having a flair for the dramatic".
And sure enough, a few innings later when Ortiz hit his second homer of the night -- they indeed said it. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, throw up, or run around the block naked with my hair on fire.
Some of these announcers are amazing at times. Also clueless. I'm thinking some hitter could walk into the batter's box, pull out a gun and shoot both the catcher and home plate ump between the eyes, then drop his pants and defecate on home plate -- and the announcers would cheerily say the same thing.
He seems to have a flair for the dramatic.
Pitiful.
But I still maintain these guys should learn how to bunt, if only once in a great while. They'd only have to do it 3-4 times and then the opposing defenses would be convinced and have to play them more "honestly". No more shift -- which would be to the advantage of guys like Fielder and Ortiz.
Hey. Most other hitters work on it occasionally, and if even (NL) pitchers can do it -- how hard can it be?
Prince Fielder legging-out an infield hit is likely akin to a semi with a full load of lumber winning a quarter-mile race at a dragway. It's theoretically possible if it's competition is, say, a solar-powered locomotive on a cloudy day -- but I wouldn't exactly bet on it happening very often.
Fielder got his "single" for one reason only. The "shift". The opposing 3rd baseman was in the shortstop position. The shortstop was in the 2nd base position. The 2nd baseman was playing a shallow right field. Any other time such a ball would have been an easy out.
David Ortiz (Big Papi) of the Bosox knows this all to well. Like Fielder, he's a left-handed batter, big, slow, and a dead-pull hitter, Everybody puts the shift on against Big Papi. Many times, both of them have cracked a sharp ground ball to right field for a hit -- but it's not a hit. The 2nd baseman is there to field it and throw them out.
Which begs a question. Where is it written in stone that these guys can't learn to bunt once in a while? If they pushed one down the third base line and nobody's home, they could belly crawl or moon walk to first base. For that matter, if they were playing on turf and bunted it firmly, the ball might roll into left field -- and nobody's home there either. The outfielders are all swung around to the right side as well. By the time somebody finally got to the ball, even diesels like Fielder and Ortiz could easily be standing on second base with a double -- on a bunt. We all know they can both hit home runs, but what's so terribly wrong with learning something new? Isn't that what "spring training" and batting cages are for?
But oh my, those wacky announcers. Later in the game, Ortiz smacked a double to the wall maybe a couple feet left of straight-away centerfield. Unbelievably, some clown said hitting the ball the "other way", as in to leftfield, is what Ortiz has done his whole career.
My jaw dropped. Say what? Is that why everybody has put the shift on him since like forever? Who are these idiots and what have they been watching? I half-expected them to trot out a corny cliche like "having a flair for the dramatic".
And sure enough, a few innings later when Ortiz hit his second homer of the night -- they indeed said it. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, throw up, or run around the block naked with my hair on fire.
Some of these announcers are amazing at times. Also clueless. I'm thinking some hitter could walk into the batter's box, pull out a gun and shoot both the catcher and home plate ump between the eyes, then drop his pants and defecate on home plate -- and the announcers would cheerily say the same thing.
He seems to have a flair for the dramatic.
Pitiful.
But I still maintain these guys should learn how to bunt, if only once in a great while. They'd only have to do it 3-4 times and then the opposing defenses would be convinced and have to play them more "honestly". No more shift -- which would be to the advantage of guys like Fielder and Ortiz.
Hey. Most other hitters work on it occasionally, and if even (NL) pitchers can do it -- how hard can it be?
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Keith Olbermann and other stuff
Well, let's see. Senator John McCain got caught playing video poker during a Senate hearing. President Obama likewise got caught with his foot on the desk in the oval office. Katie Couric is engaged, the US is thinking about bombing yet another country, American Idol might get a new judge or two, Michael Douglas vows his marriage is not in trouble, and Keith Olbermann is back on TV. So many equally important world-shaking events. What to talk about? Hmmm. Eeny-meeny -- let's try Olbermann.
When it comes to the broadcast media, this guy's been everywhere. Radio stations, and TV? OMG. His resume includes Fox, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, and probably a couple others yours truly missed. Besides all the various sports stuff, Olbermann has done news shows, political commentary, popped up as a guest on late night talk shows, and even did a stint as a "celebrity" on Hollywood Squares. The dude's definitely made the rounds over the last few decades. Problem was, he had a way of ruffling the feathers of the powers-that-be (network executives) that he was working for over the years. Hence, he got fired here and there.
Nevertheless, now he's back. On an ESPN channel late at night. To be sure, Olbermann and ESPN haven't always seen eye-to-eye on a few things. He's been in and out of their doghouse a few times as well. And spouting off on ESPN2 while guys like Leno and Letterman usually dominate the TV airwaves isn't exactly a marquis job.
But you know what? This guy is interesting. Always has been. Like a lot of other things in the world, sometimes the people in charge are behind the times. They're more concerned with their own agendas and "image" to realize they have an obvious talent in their midst. When that talent gets a little too close to "cutting edge", they become skittish. Rather than embracing it, they'll typically fall back into their "comfort zones" and get rid of it.
Keith Olbermann would seem to be a lot of things. Whip-smart? No doubt. Opinionated? Absolutely. Let's throw in "irreverant" and "don't give a damn" as well. From topic to topic, and even sentence to sentence, many likely love him, then hate him, then love him again.
But the man calls em like he sees em, and doesn't much care whose feathers he ruffles.
And I, for one, find that a very welcome change of pace over the usual horde of main stream media that are too busy worrying about political correctness to tell it like it is.
Maybe Olbermann should run for the Senate. Sure, if elected he might play sports video games in long, drawn out meetings too. Maybe even check out the latest Idol judges or what's going on with Mike, Katharine Zeta, and Katie.
But I'll bet when it was finally his turn at the microphone, people would sit up and pay attention.
Instead of the usual fork-tongued double-talk, we'd hear the real deal. And wouldn't that be nice?
Senator KO. Sorta has a nice ring to it, ya know?
When it comes to the broadcast media, this guy's been everywhere. Radio stations, and TV? OMG. His resume includes Fox, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, and probably a couple others yours truly missed. Besides all the various sports stuff, Olbermann has done news shows, political commentary, popped up as a guest on late night talk shows, and even did a stint as a "celebrity" on Hollywood Squares. The dude's definitely made the rounds over the last few decades. Problem was, he had a way of ruffling the feathers of the powers-that-be (network executives) that he was working for over the years. Hence, he got fired here and there.
Nevertheless, now he's back. On an ESPN channel late at night. To be sure, Olbermann and ESPN haven't always seen eye-to-eye on a few things. He's been in and out of their doghouse a few times as well. And spouting off on ESPN2 while guys like Leno and Letterman usually dominate the TV airwaves isn't exactly a marquis job.
But you know what? This guy is interesting. Always has been. Like a lot of other things in the world, sometimes the people in charge are behind the times. They're more concerned with their own agendas and "image" to realize they have an obvious talent in their midst. When that talent gets a little too close to "cutting edge", they become skittish. Rather than embracing it, they'll typically fall back into their "comfort zones" and get rid of it.
Keith Olbermann would seem to be a lot of things. Whip-smart? No doubt. Opinionated? Absolutely. Let's throw in "irreverant" and "don't give a damn" as well. From topic to topic, and even sentence to sentence, many likely love him, then hate him, then love him again.
But the man calls em like he sees em, and doesn't much care whose feathers he ruffles.
And I, for one, find that a very welcome change of pace over the usual horde of main stream media that are too busy worrying about political correctness to tell it like it is.
Maybe Olbermann should run for the Senate. Sure, if elected he might play sports video games in long, drawn out meetings too. Maybe even check out the latest Idol judges or what's going on with Mike, Katharine Zeta, and Katie.
But I'll bet when it was finally his turn at the microphone, people would sit up and pay attention.
Instead of the usual fork-tongued double-talk, we'd hear the real deal. And wouldn't that be nice?
Senator KO. Sorta has a nice ring to it, ya know?
Monday, September 2, 2013
The mysterious Detroit Lions
Opinions on how good the Lions will be this year are all over the charts. There are those, particularly from the Detroit area, that seem to think their team will be a serious contender. Yours truly has heard their predictions of 10-6, 11-5, even 12-4, while certainly bound for the playoffs.
They might be right. After all, hot-shot QB Matthew Stafford is entering what should be the prime of his career and wide receiver Calvin (Megatron) Johnson remains as freakish as ever. The Lions made a huge upgrade in their running game with the addition of Reggie Bush, their defensive line appears formidable, and they even plucked a couple free agents off the market to bolster their secondary.
Then again, every glass that is half-full is also half-empty. And it appears the NFL football "gurus" at Sports Illustrated seem to think the Lions' glass is not only less than half-full, but only contains a few drops as they get ready to enter the 2013 season.
To likely the surprise and chagrin of many in the Detroit area, SI has the Lions finishing dead last in the NFC North Division -- again. They predict a 6-10 record. No playoffs. Not even close. Yes, this would technically be an improvement over the Lions' abysmal 4-12 record of last year, including losing the last 8 in a row, but I don't think it's exactly what the Honolulu blue and silver faithful have in mind this year.
Somewhat incredibly, while ranking the teams, SI has the Lions at #15 in the NFC, thinking they are only better than the Carolina Panthers in the entire conference.
So who's right? Are the Lions over-rated by some and under-rated by others? Beats me. While most would probably agree such NFC teams as the 49ers, Seahawks, Falcons, and Packers will be pretty good this year, the Lions remain their usual enigma. On any given game day, the Lions can be very impressive and play like champions. Thing is, on another given game day, they can stumble, bumble, light up the field with stupid penalty flags, and play like chumps.
Me? I think if more things go right than wrong for the Lions -- never a given, considering their not-so-storied history -- they have a shot at the playoffs. They're nowhere near Super Bowl caliber, and I dare say never will be under head coach Jim Schwartz (but that's a story for another day). But they could make things interesting in Detroit come January, if only for a short while.
For the record, I'll peg them at 9-7, with an outside shot at a wild card berth, depending on how a few other "border-line" teams fare.
Hey. Beats the heck out of 4-12, not to mention where SI ranked them.
Only the Carolina Panthers?
Wow.
They might be right. After all, hot-shot QB Matthew Stafford is entering what should be the prime of his career and wide receiver Calvin (Megatron) Johnson remains as freakish as ever. The Lions made a huge upgrade in their running game with the addition of Reggie Bush, their defensive line appears formidable, and they even plucked a couple free agents off the market to bolster their secondary.
Then again, every glass that is half-full is also half-empty. And it appears the NFL football "gurus" at Sports Illustrated seem to think the Lions' glass is not only less than half-full, but only contains a few drops as they get ready to enter the 2013 season.
To likely the surprise and chagrin of many in the Detroit area, SI has the Lions finishing dead last in the NFC North Division -- again. They predict a 6-10 record. No playoffs. Not even close. Yes, this would technically be an improvement over the Lions' abysmal 4-12 record of last year, including losing the last 8 in a row, but I don't think it's exactly what the Honolulu blue and silver faithful have in mind this year.
Somewhat incredibly, while ranking the teams, SI has the Lions at #15 in the NFC, thinking they are only better than the Carolina Panthers in the entire conference.
So who's right? Are the Lions over-rated by some and under-rated by others? Beats me. While most would probably agree such NFC teams as the 49ers, Seahawks, Falcons, and Packers will be pretty good this year, the Lions remain their usual enigma. On any given game day, the Lions can be very impressive and play like champions. Thing is, on another given game day, they can stumble, bumble, light up the field with stupid penalty flags, and play like chumps.
Me? I think if more things go right than wrong for the Lions -- never a given, considering their not-so-storied history -- they have a shot at the playoffs. They're nowhere near Super Bowl caliber, and I dare say never will be under head coach Jim Schwartz (but that's a story for another day). But they could make things interesting in Detroit come January, if only for a short while.
For the record, I'll peg them at 9-7, with an outside shot at a wild card berth, depending on how a few other "border-line" teams fare.
Hey. Beats the heck out of 4-12, not to mention where SI ranked them.
Only the Carolina Panthers?
Wow.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Brian Burke's potential problem in Russia
On the back page of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, Brian Burke penned quite an article. Hockey fans know that Burke enjoyed a long, if occasionally controversial career in the NHL. What many may not know is Burke has also been vocally pro-gay since his own son Brendan "came out" back in 2007. Tragically, Brendan died in a car accident a few years later, but Burke has carried on his own "message of love and inclusivity". And that's great. More power to him, but he might be headed for trouble.
Burke holds dual Canadian-US citizenship, and few would doubt the LGBT community has made enormous strides in both countries in just the last few years. As an "average" American myself, I'm all for equal rights across the board.
But the US and Canada aren't Russia, and that could be a problem. It seems their legislators recently enacted statutes whereby they would "tolerate" such "folks", but flaunting their life styles would be against the law. Such things as marching in pride parades or waving rainbow flags might draw the ire of the authorities.
The winter Olympic games in Soshi, Russia draw near. By Burke's own admission, which I whole-heartedly agree with, the Olympics should be about athletes competing against the best from around the world. They should not be used as a forum for political statements, or any other agenda, regardless of it's merits. Olympians of every stripe train hard for many years just to get there. So leave them alone and let them compete.
In Burke's words again -- "Last week Russia assured the IOC that it would not discriminate against homosexuals during the Games, but it did not back down from the enforcement of its new laws, even if that means prosecuting athletes".
So if I understand this correctly, any and all athletes, including those of the LGBT way of life, will be welcomed, given equal opportunity to compete, and provided with the same security as everybody else. Sounds fair enough to me.
But evidently, that's not good enough for Brian Burke. While he is there representing the US and USA Hockey, he also intends to spout off about the You Can Play Project, which is dedicated to ending homophilia in sports. This would seem to contradict his original agenda about the Olympics being strictly about sports and the thrill of competing against the best.
Good luck with that, Brian. The Russians have already publicly announced a "hands-off" policy while the Games are going on. Yet if you insist on smacking that sleeping bear on the backside with a big stick in the name of your own cause, while in their country, don't say you weren't warned if that bear wakes up with an attitude and something bad happens. They have their own culture and their own reasons for doing things. Other people might not like it, but it IS their country. They get to make their own rules.
Upon his arrival in Russia, perhaps Burke would be well advised to remember the immortal words of wisdom uttered by Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.
We're not in Kansas anymore Toto.
Burke holds dual Canadian-US citizenship, and few would doubt the LGBT community has made enormous strides in both countries in just the last few years. As an "average" American myself, I'm all for equal rights across the board.
But the US and Canada aren't Russia, and that could be a problem. It seems their legislators recently enacted statutes whereby they would "tolerate" such "folks", but flaunting their life styles would be against the law. Such things as marching in pride parades or waving rainbow flags might draw the ire of the authorities.
The winter Olympic games in Soshi, Russia draw near. By Burke's own admission, which I whole-heartedly agree with, the Olympics should be about athletes competing against the best from around the world. They should not be used as a forum for political statements, or any other agenda, regardless of it's merits. Olympians of every stripe train hard for many years just to get there. So leave them alone and let them compete.
In Burke's words again -- "Last week Russia assured the IOC that it would not discriminate against homosexuals during the Games, but it did not back down from the enforcement of its new laws, even if that means prosecuting athletes".
So if I understand this correctly, any and all athletes, including those of the LGBT way of life, will be welcomed, given equal opportunity to compete, and provided with the same security as everybody else. Sounds fair enough to me.
But evidently, that's not good enough for Brian Burke. While he is there representing the US and USA Hockey, he also intends to spout off about the You Can Play Project, which is dedicated to ending homophilia in sports. This would seem to contradict his original agenda about the Olympics being strictly about sports and the thrill of competing against the best.
Good luck with that, Brian. The Russians have already publicly announced a "hands-off" policy while the Games are going on. Yet if you insist on smacking that sleeping bear on the backside with a big stick in the name of your own cause, while in their country, don't say you weren't warned if that bear wakes up with an attitude and something bad happens. They have their own culture and their own reasons for doing things. Other people might not like it, but it IS their country. They get to make their own rules.
Upon his arrival in Russia, perhaps Burke would be well advised to remember the immortal words of wisdom uttered by Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.
We're not in Kansas anymore Toto.
College football. Bangs and poofs
So OK. Michigan opened up their season by barely squeaking out a 50 point win over Central Michigan. Not bad, Brady.
Ohio State defeated Buffalo by 20. I didn't know Buffalo even HAD a college football team. Pretty cool waterfall nearby, though. If you want to stay #2 in the country Urban, you're going to have to do a lot better than that.
Both of which brought on the same response from yours truly. Yawn. What is it with some of these big-time college football powerhouses scheduling their opening games every year against teams that would probably get run out of Dodge by the Campfire Girls? UM and OSU are both infamous for such petty shenanigans. Both know they will pack the house for opening day (these games are always at home for such football behemoths), and their fans seem to love nothing better than watching their pack of rabid T-Rex's tear their prey limb from limb.
Yes, they'll eat their hot dogs, various nasty stuff with even nastier cheese poured over it, and wash it all down with various soft drinks, or whatever else they smuggled in. They'll do the "wave" and the marching band will constantly strike up the fight song. The other school gets a big fat check for having sent their boys off to a slaughterhouse, so they're probably happy too. Not so sure about their players, though. That sort of thing can be demoralizing -- for a long time -- maybe life. But nobody seems to think, much less care, about that. The home team won. We're 1-0, and the sky's the limit. Yay.
Then I stumbled across another opening game. #5 Georgia at #8 Clemson. And what a game it was. From start to finish, it was fast-paced, hard-hitting, and featured a little bit of everything between two really good teams. Electrifying runs, every pass play in the book, a fake punt, you name it. They let it all hang out. Even a botched snap on a gimme field goal, and a weird play that nobody had ever seen before -- at least not me. Somebody had to look deep into the rule book to finally sort it out. And after all, what would a football game be without a couple of blown or missed calls by the refs? They had that too.
Now THAT'S more like it. Georgia and Clemson didn't concern themselves with scheduling a patsy for their opening games. They both knew this would be a rock-em, sock-em contest. Somebody had to win, and somebody had to lose. But they did it anyway.
Kudos to the folks at Georgia and Clemson that make such decisions for having the "stones" to start the season out with a bang. BTW, Clemson won, barely.
Here's hoping the powers that be in Ann Arbor and Columbus were paying attention. While their games likely brought on a collective yawn from anybody channel surfing, Georgia and Clemson lit it up for a national audience.
Maybe they'll learn some year soon. One can only hope.
Ohio State defeated Buffalo by 20. I didn't know Buffalo even HAD a college football team. Pretty cool waterfall nearby, though. If you want to stay #2 in the country Urban, you're going to have to do a lot better than that.
Both of which brought on the same response from yours truly. Yawn. What is it with some of these big-time college football powerhouses scheduling their opening games every year against teams that would probably get run out of Dodge by the Campfire Girls? UM and OSU are both infamous for such petty shenanigans. Both know they will pack the house for opening day (these games are always at home for such football behemoths), and their fans seem to love nothing better than watching their pack of rabid T-Rex's tear their prey limb from limb.
Yes, they'll eat their hot dogs, various nasty stuff with even nastier cheese poured over it, and wash it all down with various soft drinks, or whatever else they smuggled in. They'll do the "wave" and the marching band will constantly strike up the fight song. The other school gets a big fat check for having sent their boys off to a slaughterhouse, so they're probably happy too. Not so sure about their players, though. That sort of thing can be demoralizing -- for a long time -- maybe life. But nobody seems to think, much less care, about that. The home team won. We're 1-0, and the sky's the limit. Yay.
Then I stumbled across another opening game. #5 Georgia at #8 Clemson. And what a game it was. From start to finish, it was fast-paced, hard-hitting, and featured a little bit of everything between two really good teams. Electrifying runs, every pass play in the book, a fake punt, you name it. They let it all hang out. Even a botched snap on a gimme field goal, and a weird play that nobody had ever seen before -- at least not me. Somebody had to look deep into the rule book to finally sort it out. And after all, what would a football game be without a couple of blown or missed calls by the refs? They had that too.
Now THAT'S more like it. Georgia and Clemson didn't concern themselves with scheduling a patsy for their opening games. They both knew this would be a rock-em, sock-em contest. Somebody had to win, and somebody had to lose. But they did it anyway.
Kudos to the folks at Georgia and Clemson that make such decisions for having the "stones" to start the season out with a bang. BTW, Clemson won, barely.
Here's hoping the powers that be in Ann Arbor and Columbus were paying attention. While their games likely brought on a collective yawn from anybody channel surfing, Georgia and Clemson lit it up for a national audience.
Maybe they'll learn some year soon. One can only hope.
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