My neighbor got me into a college football pool before the season started. It only cost $20 to buy in, and you had to pick the winner of four games, every week of the season, and you had to pick them, before Labor Day.
Every game was assigned a point value from 2 to 5 points. At the end of the year, the guy with the most points, takes home 50% or 60% of the total buy in of everyone involved. I'm not even sure what the pay out would be. But after last week? I'm in first place, tied with another guy, so I'm doing OK. With 31 people in this thing, I think I would stand to make several hundred bucks at the end of the season if I win it.
And that's not even the reason I got in. I got in just so it gave me a reason to care about games other than the Ute game each weekend.
The 4 point game this weekend was USU v. BYU. I picked BYU. Keeping in mind that I had to make that pick in August, I would not have made it last week. But it's a big one for me. 4 of a possible 14 points is a big deal. You lose the two point game (this week it's Notre Dame v. Purdue. I took Purdue), you can recover. Lose the four point game? You won't win the week. The five point game is Nebraska v. Wisconsin. I went with the Badgers.
So tonight, I felt like a guy who punches a time clock at his job, if he still has one, who votes for Republicans. I was rooting against my own, economic self interest, hoping USU would beat BYU! I knew it was going to cost me money if they won, but Damn it, even though they are no longer relevant to college football at all, and especially not to anything that happens to the Utes, I just can't root for those bastards to win!
When they threw that game winning deflection, I was relieved and pissed off, all at the same time! How is that even possible?
I don't gamble much. I hate to throw my money away. I'll bet a college football game once in a while if I'm really confident. But this deal was kind of like buying into the office NCAA Basketball pool every spring. Even if you don't know anything about the game, you want to get involved, just so you have some reason to pay attention when Alcorn State is playing Arizona. You know Alcorn isn't going to win, but if you have picked U of A, you pay attention. It's fun!
I feel bad for Gary Anderson. He's a few bad plays away from being 4-0 instead of 1-3, and ranked in the top 25. And he's taken USU from abysmal to respectable in three years. They are a team that people, even those in the SEC have to take seriously. And he's done it in Logan. In a Conference that is only slightly better than the Sun Belt and might not be as good as The Mid America Conference since Boise State, Fresno and Nevada have bolted, or WILL bolt, next year. He's done some really good stuff up there.
So I don't think he's going to be there next year. No offense to USU, but if they are doomed to stay in the WAC, which might be doomed to not exist in a year or two, he would be better off to take another job offer. Don't be surprised to see him the next coach at New Mexico. Or UNLV. Or even, UCLA if they can't win a BUNCH more games this fall. And don't count on THAT.
Hell, if Boise State's coach gets a BCS school offer and leaves, Anderson could end up there! He's a natural for that job. It's just up the street. Figuratively.
So to paraphrase, The Stones, tonight, I got what I needed, not what I wanted. But that's alright. Still what? 8 weeks of college football left? I love every Saturday of it.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
High School. My Experience v. My Son's.
Tomorrow night is Murray High Schools Homecoming Dance. No, I'm not going. But my son is. And he and his friends have been planning this for weeks. And it's complicated.
When I wanted to go to Homecoming, or any other dance for that matter, 30+ years ago, at this very same, Murray High School, you asked a girl a couple of weeks in advance, they accepted (or not, I heard. I got turned down for all kind of other dates, but never for a dance), you ordered a corsage when she told you her dress color, and after the dance, you went out to dinner at, The Heather, The Della Fontana, or the restaurant that used to be on the top of, The Tri Arc Motel downtown and that was the end of it.
Now? Not so much.
My son and two of his soccer playing buddies are all going together, and they had to come up with unique ways of asking the girls out, a month in advance. Yard signs, covertly delivered messages to their houses in the middle of the night. What's next? Billboards, sky writing?
Then, the girls are responsible to respond in kind. My son's date responded affirmatively, but didn't put his name on whatever she delivered to him, so there was a day or two there where the conversation I heard between him and his mother left some doubt about whether or not she knew it was HIM who was asking her out!
I think for a while she though he was his friend, Jadon's, "mailman". Complicated.
As a parent, if he had asked me to drive him and his date to this dance and dinner, I would have done so. I would have had the Audi washed, too. Since he doesn't have his drivers license yet, I asked him if that's what he wanted. Nope. He and his buddies had a plan.
His two buddies come from large families. Both other families have large, SUV's, as a necessity. In my day, they would have been station wagons, or vans, but that's another blog. Anyway, they have the means to get there all together. And talking to the, "other soccer moms", I was convinced that they had worked all this out.
One mom would drive TO and the other HOME. Dinner BEFORE the dance these days and then home.
Not so fast. They have to have a day activity. Really? So now, you have to have all day transportation, buy everyone lunch, and admission to some amusement park in Draper (no, it's not Boondocks or that haunted circus thing, but I can't remember what he told me it was)? And you have convinced one of your mother's to go along with this and sacrifice her WHOLE day to drive you around? Yeah, or course, Dad. Well, sort of.
OK, here it comes.
Last night, Thursday, T-Minus less than 48 hours to this rocket ship taking off, I get informed that Soccer Mom #1 can't get off work and my son will have to take my car, drive himself and his mom (who, while blind, still has a valid Utah Drivers License so she can be the licensed adult in the car for his learners permit) and three others of his group, to the day activity, while his sister drives the other three.
"Son, have you talked to your sister about this?" Come to find out not only no, but Hell No, was her response.
Then the story changed. Soccer Mom #1 thinks I should have to share the driving, so we have to do it this way. Really? As many rides over the years I've given her kid to soccer practice, games, and meals I've fed him, I need to chip in? This does not sound right. Soccer Mom #1, (SM1 from here on out) would NEVER, in my wildest dreams, pull shit like that! She is not capable of thinking this way. But my son, and her son are.
23 years as a PO is starting to pay off. I'm connecting the dots.
I ask my wife to call SM1 last night and confirm this story. Because if it's true, the most seat belts I have in any car that I don't store at my mother's house is four. This will not get six teenagers to a dance. So I have to make arrangements to rent a seven passenger van, a limo, or get a taxi! My wife refused to do it. At 9:30 at night. It's too late. Really?
I'm so tired of being married to the most stubborn woman on earth. One of these days, I'm going to have to ask her, with the threat of ending our marriage, if she would call 911 if I shouted at her, "Debra Jo, CALL 911 NOW!" or if she would respond, "Why?" instead of, "I'm dialing, what do I tell them?" even if she can't see whats going on. She could HEAR the fight or the gun shots.
We've been together 28 years. You can't hear the gun battle I'm having with my son right now?
So, I call SM1 and tell her this whole story. I also tell her that if the problem is gas money? I'll be happy to buy some. If it's her schedule? I'll rent the van. If it's any other problem, I'll rent the van/limo/taxi, whatever it takes to let these boys go to their first high school dance, all together.
She asks me if I'm on drugs. She's been telling the boys for weeks that she has been planning on driving her big assed, SUV all day, so they can all go together, and YES, she will take them to the day activity. And YES, she will get them to dinner BEFORE, and the dance. And YES, SM2 has agreed to pick them up and take them home. And NO they knew full well I didn't have a car that could do this, so they didn't expect me to drive.
I told her, that in light of that, if she will come over and pick me up on Saturday afternoon, I would take her to Costco and buy her a tank of gas in said, SUV for her doing this. And happy to do it. God bless her. And I don't believe in God, so that's saying something.
They, it appears, also have to have an AFTER dance activity. This seems weird, but I guess I should be happy it's not what OUR after dance activity usually was. Many times involving a bottle of Annie Green Springs, a joint, and someone loosing their virginity.
They decide that they wanted to come over to my house, and light a fire in the bowl I have on the patio, and make Smoores until it's time for the girls to go home. Very wholesome, very appropriate. And I can watch their reflection on the windows while I'm watching college football late at night!
But tonight, my son, while up in his room, VIRTUALLY feet from me, sends me a message in Face Book chat instead of walking down here to talk to me and asks if I've, "cut wood" for tomorrow", meaning split some logs for his fire. And telling me they might go to a Haunted House after the dance instead, if I hadn't.
No you won't. You would stand in line for hours with your dates in dance dresses. Are you smoking crack? And by the way, what are you going to use to roast these marshmallows? And why, are you changing the plans again less than 14 hours before you pick up your dates!?
This whole first date/dance thing has been so screwed up, if he was still alive, it would be a Warren Zevon song. Or a Hunter S. Thompson short story.
Years ago, the NCAA had a rule that Freshmen, even on scholarship, could NOT play in Varsity games. They had to have a year to adjust to college life. And I'm thinking that would be a good rule in high school these days. Not in athletics, but in all high school activities!
You need to get you drivers license so your parents don't have to change their whole day to take you to a dance that lasts two hours! And, that dance that lasts two hours? It should NOT last ALL DAY!
And if you mother and I spend more than $200 dollars for you to go to a dance? WE should have some time alone to get laid! Even if you don't, "get lucky"? You already DID! You have US for parents and we pay for your shit!
Enjoy it. We'll make you miserable latter in life. Trust me.
Dinner and a corsage v. ALL THIS SHIT!? Yeah, I know, I'm getting to the point in my life where I wake up in the morning and look in the mirror when I go to shave and say, "Dad?". But still, I think this is a bit much for a Homecoming dance.
When I wanted to go to Homecoming, or any other dance for that matter, 30+ years ago, at this very same, Murray High School, you asked a girl a couple of weeks in advance, they accepted (or not, I heard. I got turned down for all kind of other dates, but never for a dance), you ordered a corsage when she told you her dress color, and after the dance, you went out to dinner at, The Heather, The Della Fontana, or the restaurant that used to be on the top of, The Tri Arc Motel downtown and that was the end of it.
Now? Not so much.
My son and two of his soccer playing buddies are all going together, and they had to come up with unique ways of asking the girls out, a month in advance. Yard signs, covertly delivered messages to their houses in the middle of the night. What's next? Billboards, sky writing?
Then, the girls are responsible to respond in kind. My son's date responded affirmatively, but didn't put his name on whatever she delivered to him, so there was a day or two there where the conversation I heard between him and his mother left some doubt about whether or not she knew it was HIM who was asking her out!
I think for a while she though he was his friend, Jadon's, "mailman". Complicated.
As a parent, if he had asked me to drive him and his date to this dance and dinner, I would have done so. I would have had the Audi washed, too. Since he doesn't have his drivers license yet, I asked him if that's what he wanted. Nope. He and his buddies had a plan.
His two buddies come from large families. Both other families have large, SUV's, as a necessity. In my day, they would have been station wagons, or vans, but that's another blog. Anyway, they have the means to get there all together. And talking to the, "other soccer moms", I was convinced that they had worked all this out.
One mom would drive TO and the other HOME. Dinner BEFORE the dance these days and then home.
Not so fast. They have to have a day activity. Really? So now, you have to have all day transportation, buy everyone lunch, and admission to some amusement park in Draper (no, it's not Boondocks or that haunted circus thing, but I can't remember what he told me it was)? And you have convinced one of your mother's to go along with this and sacrifice her WHOLE day to drive you around? Yeah, or course, Dad. Well, sort of.
OK, here it comes.
Last night, Thursday, T-Minus less than 48 hours to this rocket ship taking off, I get informed that Soccer Mom #1 can't get off work and my son will have to take my car, drive himself and his mom (who, while blind, still has a valid Utah Drivers License so she can be the licensed adult in the car for his learners permit) and three others of his group, to the day activity, while his sister drives the other three.
"Son, have you talked to your sister about this?" Come to find out not only no, but Hell No, was her response.
Then the story changed. Soccer Mom #1 thinks I should have to share the driving, so we have to do it this way. Really? As many rides over the years I've given her kid to soccer practice, games, and meals I've fed him, I need to chip in? This does not sound right. Soccer Mom #1, (SM1 from here on out) would NEVER, in my wildest dreams, pull shit like that! She is not capable of thinking this way. But my son, and her son are.
23 years as a PO is starting to pay off. I'm connecting the dots.
I ask my wife to call SM1 last night and confirm this story. Because if it's true, the most seat belts I have in any car that I don't store at my mother's house is four. This will not get six teenagers to a dance. So I have to make arrangements to rent a seven passenger van, a limo, or get a taxi! My wife refused to do it. At 9:30 at night. It's too late. Really?
I'm so tired of being married to the most stubborn woman on earth. One of these days, I'm going to have to ask her, with the threat of ending our marriage, if she would call 911 if I shouted at her, "Debra Jo, CALL 911 NOW!" or if she would respond, "Why?" instead of, "I'm dialing, what do I tell them?" even if she can't see whats going on. She could HEAR the fight or the gun shots.
We've been together 28 years. You can't hear the gun battle I'm having with my son right now?
So, I call SM1 and tell her this whole story. I also tell her that if the problem is gas money? I'll be happy to buy some. If it's her schedule? I'll rent the van. If it's any other problem, I'll rent the van/limo/taxi, whatever it takes to let these boys go to their first high school dance, all together.
She asks me if I'm on drugs. She's been telling the boys for weeks that she has been planning on driving her big assed, SUV all day, so they can all go together, and YES, she will take them to the day activity. And YES, she will get them to dinner BEFORE, and the dance. And YES, SM2 has agreed to pick them up and take them home. And NO they knew full well I didn't have a car that could do this, so they didn't expect me to drive.
I told her, that in light of that, if she will come over and pick me up on Saturday afternoon, I would take her to Costco and buy her a tank of gas in said, SUV for her doing this. And happy to do it. God bless her. And I don't believe in God, so that's saying something.
They, it appears, also have to have an AFTER dance activity. This seems weird, but I guess I should be happy it's not what OUR after dance activity usually was. Many times involving a bottle of Annie Green Springs, a joint, and someone loosing their virginity.
They decide that they wanted to come over to my house, and light a fire in the bowl I have on the patio, and make Smoores until it's time for the girls to go home. Very wholesome, very appropriate. And I can watch their reflection on the windows while I'm watching college football late at night!
But tonight, my son, while up in his room, VIRTUALLY feet from me, sends me a message in Face Book chat instead of walking down here to talk to me and asks if I've, "cut wood" for tomorrow", meaning split some logs for his fire. And telling me they might go to a Haunted House after the dance instead, if I hadn't.
No you won't. You would stand in line for hours with your dates in dance dresses. Are you smoking crack? And by the way, what are you going to use to roast these marshmallows? And why, are you changing the plans again less than 14 hours before you pick up your dates!?
This whole first date/dance thing has been so screwed up, if he was still alive, it would be a Warren Zevon song. Or a Hunter S. Thompson short story.
Years ago, the NCAA had a rule that Freshmen, even on scholarship, could NOT play in Varsity games. They had to have a year to adjust to college life. And I'm thinking that would be a good rule in high school these days. Not in athletics, but in all high school activities!
You need to get you drivers license so your parents don't have to change their whole day to take you to a dance that lasts two hours! And, that dance that lasts two hours? It should NOT last ALL DAY!
And if you mother and I spend more than $200 dollars for you to go to a dance? WE should have some time alone to get laid! Even if you don't, "get lucky"? You already DID! You have US for parents and we pay for your shit!
Enjoy it. We'll make you miserable latter in life. Trust me.
Dinner and a corsage v. ALL THIS SHIT!? Yeah, I know, I'm getting to the point in my life where I wake up in the morning and look in the mirror when I go to shave and say, "Dad?". But still, I think this is a bit much for a Homecoming dance.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
DADT Is History. About Time!
I didn't wake up one day and DECIDE to like girls. I always liked girls. I would rather hang out with girls than guys, every time. The girls had the vagina's. And every part of me wanted to get close to one of those when I was a teenager.
I should not have to even mention breasts here. EVERY guy wants to get next to the tits. It is the forbidden fruit we all want. We can't help ourselves. And if you are a 13 year old male and you don't lust after tits? You're Gay. This is how you tell. Trust me.
So as an adult, when I got to know a lot of people while working in Law Enforcement, I got to know some Gay folks. And without an exception (well, crazy assed, Valarie was crazy. So that's ONE), they were good Cops, and good people. They didn't CHOOSE to be Gay. Any more than I CHOSE to have curly hair.
So today, I'm so happy for my friend, Rich. He can now not have to worry about his military career because he's Gay. He's a great person, was a good Cop, and served his country with aplomb and dignity.
When he transferred to the SLC office of AP&P, it was obvious to me, that he was Gay. I had better, "Gaydar" than a lot of Gay guys. I'd been working Probation/Parole for a LOT of years. You can read people. You become a human lie detector. My kids hate it. They can't lie to me.
So when I hung out with Rich, I kind of tortured him until he came clean with me. We did an extradition together to Reno, and I took him to a stripper bar. There was a really pretty, Russian stripper who really liked him and I kept paying her to hang out with him. Bought him a cigar. Got him really drunk. It was fun. Years later, he's hanging out with my friends in the back yard having a cigar and he said to me, "You knew I was Gay when we were in Reno, didn't you?" Oh, HELL YEAH. And way before that.
So I got to fuck with him for not being honest with me from the word, GO. But that's OK. I understand. But I'm so Liberal, and I thought EVERYONE knew it, that I was kind of disappointed my friend didn't pick it up.
So today, I have to say, Good On Ya! It's a great day. And I'm proud to know you, Rich and I'm proud that my country has finally gotten over this bullshit. There is still a struggle to be fought. But this is a start and it's a great day.
Republicans suck ass. And, "Christians" aren't. Keep on keeping on!
I should not have to even mention breasts here. EVERY guy wants to get next to the tits. It is the forbidden fruit we all want. We can't help ourselves. And if you are a 13 year old male and you don't lust after tits? You're Gay. This is how you tell. Trust me.
So as an adult, when I got to know a lot of people while working in Law Enforcement, I got to know some Gay folks. And without an exception (well, crazy assed, Valarie was crazy. So that's ONE), they were good Cops, and good people. They didn't CHOOSE to be Gay. Any more than I CHOSE to have curly hair.
So today, I'm so happy for my friend, Rich. He can now not have to worry about his military career because he's Gay. He's a great person, was a good Cop, and served his country with aplomb and dignity.
When he transferred to the SLC office of AP&P, it was obvious to me, that he was Gay. I had better, "Gaydar" than a lot of Gay guys. I'd been working Probation/Parole for a LOT of years. You can read people. You become a human lie detector. My kids hate it. They can't lie to me.
So when I hung out with Rich, I kind of tortured him until he came clean with me. We did an extradition together to Reno, and I took him to a stripper bar. There was a really pretty, Russian stripper who really liked him and I kept paying her to hang out with him. Bought him a cigar. Got him really drunk. It was fun. Years later, he's hanging out with my friends in the back yard having a cigar and he said to me, "You knew I was Gay when we were in Reno, didn't you?" Oh, HELL YEAH. And way before that.
So I got to fuck with him for not being honest with me from the word, GO. But that's OK. I understand. But I'm so Liberal, and I thought EVERYONE knew it, that I was kind of disappointed my friend didn't pick it up.
So today, I have to say, Good On Ya! It's a great day. And I'm proud to know you, Rich and I'm proud that my country has finally gotten over this bullshit. There is still a struggle to be fought. But this is a start and it's a great day.
Republicans suck ass. And, "Christians" aren't. Keep on keeping on!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Gordon Monson Is Kind Of An Idiot
In this morning's Trib, Gordon Monson is singing the praises of Utah football. It IS better than BYU football these days. That part he got right. But, it seems to this reader, that he's so afraid of alienating the fans of tsds that he can't really commit to what he's saying. He keeps giving compliments to the Cougars.
Hint to Monson. The fans of tsds that would DROP their subscription to your paper because you offended them already subscribe to, "The Deseret Denouncer" and don't care what you write.
To quote him, "The Utes, who prove what they can do on the field, have supplanted the Cougars, who STILL DRAW MORE FANS TO GAMES, as the states pre-eminent college football presence." Italics/emphasis mine.
Well, DUH! They have what, 17K more seats in their stadium? Ours holds about 46K. If I remember correctly, theirs holds about 63K? We COULD draw more now. But we have no place to put them. We built our stadium with Olympic money. You think the Legislature would have approved of any plan that gave Utah a BIGGER stadium than tsds? If you do, you're smoking crack.
There has been talk of expanding our stadium to 50 or 60K. I'm not sure I'm for it. The trend in sports now is smaller stadiums with more expensive seats, because every game is televised. So if you really, really WANT to be there? You gotta pay a premium for it. I don't like that, but it's how they make money. Ask anyone who had Yankee's season tickets until last year.
Of course they draw more fans with a bigger stadium. And a loyal fan base. Of drones that root for them even when they didn't actually GO to school there.
Which is the ONLY similarity they have to Notre Dame.
Think about it. You can't swing a dead cat in this country without hitting a Dallas Cowboys/Pittsburgh Steelers/Green Bay Packers fan and how many of them actually have a tie to any of those teams? I'd bet less than 10% of their fans, nation wide, have any tie to those cities. But those teams win. And everyone wants to root for a winner.
Cougars are the same way. If you're a Mormon, you're a Cougar fan. Unless you went to college at Utah. The Cougars were, "The shit" in the 80's. Now? Not so much.
So yeah, they DRAW more fans. Do they HAVE more fans? At this point, they might, still. But it won't last. They will be more, and more irrelevant to college football as things shake out with super conferences. The ACC is growing, the Big East is dying, and the Big XII is dead. And tsds is left to float on it's own.
A few years from now, you will be hard pressed to sell 63K seats in Provo. And to GET 1 seat in Rice Eccles.
Hint to Monson. The fans of tsds that would DROP their subscription to your paper because you offended them already subscribe to, "The Deseret Denouncer" and don't care what you write.
To quote him, "The Utes, who prove what they can do on the field, have supplanted the Cougars, who STILL DRAW MORE FANS TO GAMES, as the states pre-eminent college football presence." Italics/emphasis mine.
Well, DUH! They have what, 17K more seats in their stadium? Ours holds about 46K. If I remember correctly, theirs holds about 63K? We COULD draw more now. But we have no place to put them. We built our stadium with Olympic money. You think the Legislature would have approved of any plan that gave Utah a BIGGER stadium than tsds? If you do, you're smoking crack.
There has been talk of expanding our stadium to 50 or 60K. I'm not sure I'm for it. The trend in sports now is smaller stadiums with more expensive seats, because every game is televised. So if you really, really WANT to be there? You gotta pay a premium for it. I don't like that, but it's how they make money. Ask anyone who had Yankee's season tickets until last year.
Of course they draw more fans with a bigger stadium. And a loyal fan base. Of drones that root for them even when they didn't actually GO to school there.
Which is the ONLY similarity they have to Notre Dame.
Think about it. You can't swing a dead cat in this country without hitting a Dallas Cowboys/Pittsburgh Steelers/Green Bay Packers fan and how many of them actually have a tie to any of those teams? I'd bet less than 10% of their fans, nation wide, have any tie to those cities. But those teams win. And everyone wants to root for a winner.
Cougars are the same way. If you're a Mormon, you're a Cougar fan. Unless you went to college at Utah. The Cougars were, "The shit" in the 80's. Now? Not so much.
So yeah, they DRAW more fans. Do they HAVE more fans? At this point, they might, still. But it won't last. They will be more, and more irrelevant to college football as things shake out with super conferences. The ACC is growing, the Big East is dying, and the Big XII is dead. And tsds is left to float on it's own.
A few years from now, you will be hard pressed to sell 63K seats in Provo. And to GET 1 seat in Rice Eccles.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Bill Maher Is Smarter Than Me.
This afternoon, I watched Friday night's, "Real Time With Bill Maher". I DVR'D it on Friday night because I was watching college football. And he summed up the argument I've been trying to make for years now, in a way I never could.
I have to paraphrase, because I didn't write the quote down, so it's not word for word. But I think I got the gist of it.
He said that trying to get Republicans to believe science was like trying to give your dog a pill. You have to wrap in a bunch of baloney, shove it down his throat and stroke his neck and the chances are he's still going to spit it out on the linoleum.
That about sums it up. If you don't believe in climate change, you're not paying attention. If you think it's a Liberal plot, you are a clueless idiot. If you think the deficit is Obama's fault, you forgot about the two, unfunded wars Bush started and refused to pay for. If you think the economy is failing because of THIS President, you don't read books.
I hate to have to give my dog pills. But I love to shove truth down the throat of Republicans.
I have to paraphrase, because I didn't write the quote down, so it's not word for word. But I think I got the gist of it.
He said that trying to get Republicans to believe science was like trying to give your dog a pill. You have to wrap in a bunch of baloney, shove it down his throat and stroke his neck and the chances are he's still going to spit it out on the linoleum.
That about sums it up. If you don't believe in climate change, you're not paying attention. If you think it's a Liberal plot, you are a clueless idiot. If you think the deficit is Obama's fault, you forgot about the two, unfunded wars Bush started and refused to pay for. If you think the economy is failing because of THIS President, you don't read books.
I hate to have to give my dog pills. But I love to shove truth down the throat of Republicans.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
And It Wasn't THAT Close...
Wow. Totally gobsmacked by the result. I have a buddy in Las Vegas this weekend who offered to put a bet in for me, and I declined, because I had NO idea what to expect.
That being said, can we now quit playing these guys? I really don't care to see them any more. And a loss to them would hurt our standing, beating them doesn't help it. So what's the point?
That school down south is a program in trouble. They know it. They know they held their breath and stomped their feet because Utah got invited to a BCS conference and they didn't, so they went independent and it was a HUGE mistake. But since they burned their bridges with The Mountain West and took the ESPN money, they are going to have to live with it. And the ass kicking's that are going to come with it.
54-10? Really? Hope all that ESPN money takes the sting out of that. Of course, it's still half of what Utah gets by going into the PAC 12. Ouch! THAT has to sting a lot, TOO!
Note to tsds, getting into the PAC 12 had as much to do with academics as football, and you aren't in our league there, either. Never were, never will be.
Riley Nelson! How's that leaving Utah State thing working out for you? Being the second best quarterback at your school, makes you the FOURTH best quarterback in the State of Utah. Behind the kid who took your place at Utah State, a surgically repaired, Jordan Wynn and the guy starting in front of you at tsds. Your parents must be so proud. Hope you don't plan to EVER show your face in Logan again.
I was really thinking that tsds was on their way to whatever Bowl game they grovelled their way into, but not so fast. The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl might not have a LOCK on the Cougars. Utah State is not to be dismissed. And three weeks in a row later this year, tsds has to play Oregon State, Idaho State and TCU. Not to mention New Mexico State.
Now, OSU is having a down year. Losing the opener to a team who lost the next week to Southern Utah (no, I will NOT call them a UNIVERSITY. Get over it Cedar City). And getting their ass handed to them in Wisconsin. But the truth be known? They are now looking to this as a possible win. They will come after you, Cougars.
Idaho State beat Northern Colorado by like, 50 points today. So they aren't push overs.
You have no shot at all to beat TCU. Nothing else needs to be said.
And USU is no longer a push over. Yeah, I picked you to beat them on my, "pick em's" list. But that had to be in before Labor Day, and since they beat your ass last year, I figured you wouldn't let that happen in you house. But after tonight? I'm not so sure. You are NOT Auburn, even in an off year. And pure luck let Auburn beat USU AT Auburn. After watching this, it appears that YOU do not possess THAT kind of luck.
Lets talk, for a minute about New Mexico State. Perennially, one of the worst college football programs in the country. They lost to UTEP tonight. Might I remind you tsds fans about YOUR history with UTEP? And a Bagley cartoon showing an old miner shooting your tsds F16 out of the sky with his flintlock rifle in, what year was it? 1986 or 87?
They beat Minnesota last weekend. Yeah, Minnesota sucks. Went 3-9 last year, and lost at home to South Dakota. Lost to USC in the first week of THIS season. By two points.
Still thinking NMSU is a, "gimme"?
It's going to be a long, hard, ride this fall Cougar fans. And not just THIS fall. EVERY fall you are an independent. So get back on your knees, and beg the Mountain West to take you back, because that's the only place you can land.
The Big XII is history. The Big East is done since Pitt and Syracuse are defecting to the ACC (Almost Competitive Conference) and it appears it could be approved as soon as today. The PAC won't take you. The Big East is too far away. Big 10? Forget about it.
You will be the second best school to Boise State in an expanded Mountain West Conference when they take Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State next year. It's your only hope. And if the Big XII dissolves, the Mountain West might, and I say, MIGHT get it's BCS qualifying spot. The powers that be might give it to CUSA. They have better TV markets. And that's what this is all about.
And now? The Utes OWN this one.
The Cougars won't fire Bronco Mendenhall, since no one else in his right mind would want the job.
And while we're at it, I'm going to quit calling him, Bronco Mendenhall. I'm going to do what George Carlin did to, "Refrigerator Freezer" since it was too long and just call it a, "Refrigadezzer". From here on out, he'll be, "Broncohall".
They won't fire, Broncohall because he's PERFECT for the job. In that he actually WANTS it! But at some point, 44 point ass kickings will no longer be acceptable and tsds will have to do one of two things. Drop down a division, or join a conference they would rather not be in just so they can start the season playing for SOMETHING! ANYTHING but being beaten by 44 points in your alleged, "rivalry game".
The rivalry is over. You lost. Get used to it.
Rose Bowl tickets, Ute fans? Could happen.
That being said, can we now quit playing these guys? I really don't care to see them any more. And a loss to them would hurt our standing, beating them doesn't help it. So what's the point?
That school down south is a program in trouble. They know it. They know they held their breath and stomped their feet because Utah got invited to a BCS conference and they didn't, so they went independent and it was a HUGE mistake. But since they burned their bridges with The Mountain West and took the ESPN money, they are going to have to live with it. And the ass kicking's that are going to come with it.
54-10? Really? Hope all that ESPN money takes the sting out of that. Of course, it's still half of what Utah gets by going into the PAC 12. Ouch! THAT has to sting a lot, TOO!
Note to tsds, getting into the PAC 12 had as much to do with academics as football, and you aren't in our league there, either. Never were, never will be.
Riley Nelson! How's that leaving Utah State thing working out for you? Being the second best quarterback at your school, makes you the FOURTH best quarterback in the State of Utah. Behind the kid who took your place at Utah State, a surgically repaired, Jordan Wynn and the guy starting in front of you at tsds. Your parents must be so proud. Hope you don't plan to EVER show your face in Logan again.
I was really thinking that tsds was on their way to whatever Bowl game they grovelled their way into, but not so fast. The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl might not have a LOCK on the Cougars. Utah State is not to be dismissed. And three weeks in a row later this year, tsds has to play Oregon State, Idaho State and TCU. Not to mention New Mexico State.
Now, OSU is having a down year. Losing the opener to a team who lost the next week to Southern Utah (no, I will NOT call them a UNIVERSITY. Get over it Cedar City). And getting their ass handed to them in Wisconsin. But the truth be known? They are now looking to this as a possible win. They will come after you, Cougars.
Idaho State beat Northern Colorado by like, 50 points today. So they aren't push overs.
You have no shot at all to beat TCU. Nothing else needs to be said.
And USU is no longer a push over. Yeah, I picked you to beat them on my, "pick em's" list. But that had to be in before Labor Day, and since they beat your ass last year, I figured you wouldn't let that happen in you house. But after tonight? I'm not so sure. You are NOT Auburn, even in an off year. And pure luck let Auburn beat USU AT Auburn. After watching this, it appears that YOU do not possess THAT kind of luck.
Lets talk, for a minute about New Mexico State. Perennially, one of the worst college football programs in the country. They lost to UTEP tonight. Might I remind you tsds fans about YOUR history with UTEP? And a Bagley cartoon showing an old miner shooting your tsds F16 out of the sky with his flintlock rifle in, what year was it? 1986 or 87?
They beat Minnesota last weekend. Yeah, Minnesota sucks. Went 3-9 last year, and lost at home to South Dakota. Lost to USC in the first week of THIS season. By two points.
Still thinking NMSU is a, "gimme"?
It's going to be a long, hard, ride this fall Cougar fans. And not just THIS fall. EVERY fall you are an independent. So get back on your knees, and beg the Mountain West to take you back, because that's the only place you can land.
The Big XII is history. The Big East is done since Pitt and Syracuse are defecting to the ACC (Almost Competitive Conference) and it appears it could be approved as soon as today. The PAC won't take you. The Big East is too far away. Big 10? Forget about it.
You will be the second best school to Boise State in an expanded Mountain West Conference when they take Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State next year. It's your only hope. And if the Big XII dissolves, the Mountain West might, and I say, MIGHT get it's BCS qualifying spot. The powers that be might give it to CUSA. They have better TV markets. And that's what this is all about.
And now? The Utes OWN this one.
The Cougars won't fire Bronco Mendenhall, since no one else in his right mind would want the job.
And while we're at it, I'm going to quit calling him, Bronco Mendenhall. I'm going to do what George Carlin did to, "Refrigerator Freezer" since it was too long and just call it a, "Refrigadezzer". From here on out, he'll be, "Broncohall".
They won't fire, Broncohall because he's PERFECT for the job. In that he actually WANTS it! But at some point, 44 point ass kickings will no longer be acceptable and tsds will have to do one of two things. Drop down a division, or join a conference they would rather not be in just so they can start the season playing for SOMETHING! ANYTHING but being beaten by 44 points in your alleged, "rivalry game".
The rivalry is over. You lost. Get used to it.
Rose Bowl tickets, Ute fans? Could happen.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
9-11 Videos. Religion Is Evil. All Of Them.
There have been a lot of videos posted on Face Book of the 9-11-01 attacks on New York City this last week. And I've watched a few. The one I saw about the boat lift off the island that morning was very moving. I'd never seen that story before. Had no idea.
But having visited Manhattan in 2008 (I had never been there before) I was struck by the views of the lower end, where the towers were. And how much I kept remembering the phrase, "Concrete Canyon" that has been used to describe cities for ages. It's really true.
You can't see whats in the next block. Could be a Cathedral, could be a stripper bar. There is no real continuity. Well there IS in that everything goes UP instead of OUT like a mall around here, but you don't know what's on the other side of the row of buildings you're looking at until you walk over there.
Around the block. A LONG way around the block.
So I was wondering why there is such a big bru-ha-ha over some Muslim's building a Mosque a block or two from the former site of the world trade center? You can't see it from there. It's not like these religious people, wanted to purposely give NYC the finger and build it across the street from the hole in the ground that is now a memorial.
And why all the Muslim hate? It's not the entire Muslim world who attacked us. It was a group of extremists, who think that anyone who doesn't live like THEY think, THEIR God wants us to live are infidels and should be killed.
I've lived in Salt Lake City most of my life. I don't know a lot of Muslims. But, I don't know a lot of Jews either. I know a lot of folks who claim to be Christians. And they claim they are a religion of peace, too.
But, Timothy McVeigh claimed to be a Christian. So did David Koresch. So do all the folks who shoot abortion doctors and want to keep women from making their OWN health decisions because THEIR God doesn't want them to live like that. As did the Atlanta, Olympic bomber. So do all the Priests that abused young boys, claim to be Christians, and that's done a lot of damage to peoples lives.
But when the current President shows up to make a speech, the, Teabaggers all show up wearing guns. Like they are afraid someone named Obama is going to take away their rights.
You don't see that group, armed, outside of the Republican debates. And THOSE folks in the debates are beating each other up to prove how, Christian they are!
The tenth anniversary of 9-11 just got me thinking, there are not a lot of Muslim's in this country and folks who claim to be of THAT religion attacked us once.
We've seen numerous terrorist attacks in this country by, Christians. No one is trying to stamp them out.
Hypocrisy, they name is, Teabagger.
So is the problem Liberalism? Is it well educated people who believe in science who attack our country and shoot doctors in their churches?
Or is it religion? Any and all religion, that inspires people to do very, unchristian things to each other in the name of it? Like Crucifixion, the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the, "Troubles" in Northern Ireland, the 9-11 attack, the shooting of doctors, the list is endless.
My money's on religion as the cause of all problems.
But not all Christians are bad. Just a small minority, or radical ones who will kill you if you don't believe EXACTLY like they do. I mean, I don't think ALL Baptists are going to shoot a doctor. I don't think ALL Christians will blow up a Federal Building with a day care center in it. But it could happen.
We should start tapping the phones of anyone with a mini-van, a crew cut and a polyester suit, who doesn't drink and buys too much ammunition. Oh, wait, that would put Mormons on the, "Watch List" too!
No one here in this state will get the irony. I know, I'm wasting my time. But I gotta put it out there. Even if they don't get the joke. I can't help myself.
But having visited Manhattan in 2008 (I had never been there before) I was struck by the views of the lower end, where the towers were. And how much I kept remembering the phrase, "Concrete Canyon" that has been used to describe cities for ages. It's really true.
You can't see whats in the next block. Could be a Cathedral, could be a stripper bar. There is no real continuity. Well there IS in that everything goes UP instead of OUT like a mall around here, but you don't know what's on the other side of the row of buildings you're looking at until you walk over there.
Around the block. A LONG way around the block.
So I was wondering why there is such a big bru-ha-ha over some Muslim's building a Mosque a block or two from the former site of the world trade center? You can't see it from there. It's not like these religious people, wanted to purposely give NYC the finger and build it across the street from the hole in the ground that is now a memorial.
And why all the Muslim hate? It's not the entire Muslim world who attacked us. It was a group of extremists, who think that anyone who doesn't live like THEY think, THEIR God wants us to live are infidels and should be killed.
I've lived in Salt Lake City most of my life. I don't know a lot of Muslims. But, I don't know a lot of Jews either. I know a lot of folks who claim to be Christians. And they claim they are a religion of peace, too.
But, Timothy McVeigh claimed to be a Christian. So did David Koresch. So do all the folks who shoot abortion doctors and want to keep women from making their OWN health decisions because THEIR God doesn't want them to live like that. As did the Atlanta, Olympic bomber. So do all the Priests that abused young boys, claim to be Christians, and that's done a lot of damage to peoples lives.
But when the current President shows up to make a speech, the, Teabaggers all show up wearing guns. Like they are afraid someone named Obama is going to take away their rights.
You don't see that group, armed, outside of the Republican debates. And THOSE folks in the debates are beating each other up to prove how, Christian they are!
The tenth anniversary of 9-11 just got me thinking, there are not a lot of Muslim's in this country and folks who claim to be of THAT religion attacked us once.
We've seen numerous terrorist attacks in this country by, Christians. No one is trying to stamp them out.
Hypocrisy, they name is, Teabagger.
So is the problem Liberalism? Is it well educated people who believe in science who attack our country and shoot doctors in their churches?
Or is it religion? Any and all religion, that inspires people to do very, unchristian things to each other in the name of it? Like Crucifixion, the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the, "Troubles" in Northern Ireland, the 9-11 attack, the shooting of doctors, the list is endless.
My money's on religion as the cause of all problems.
But not all Christians are bad. Just a small minority, or radical ones who will kill you if you don't believe EXACTLY like they do. I mean, I don't think ALL Baptists are going to shoot a doctor. I don't think ALL Christians will blow up a Federal Building with a day care center in it. But it could happen.
We should start tapping the phones of anyone with a mini-van, a crew cut and a polyester suit, who doesn't drink and buys too much ammunition. Oh, wait, that would put Mormons on the, "Watch List" too!
No one here in this state will get the irony. I know, I'm wasting my time. But I gotta put it out there. Even if they don't get the joke. I can't help myself.
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