Your Side Sucks When...

You compare the attempt give more Americans access to health care to the damned Holocaust.

Also, anybody comparing what these mobs are doing at town halls to the Boston Tea Party should do the world a favor and remove themselves from the gene pool.

Telling Both Sides

The biggest thing that drives me nuts about today's traditional media is how their attempts to appear impartial allow really stupid shit to become part of the mainstream discussion on policy issues.

Take for example the 'Obama wants to kill old people' craziness going around. A Republican claims Obama wants to kill old people a Democrat says no he doesn't then we cut to commerical. A responsible press would point out that no Obama doesn't want to kill old people and the Republicans spouting this were making shit up. That wouldn't be taking sides, that would be reporting the facts.

I do a lot of fantasy football writing. If I just made up a bunch of facts and figures nobody would publish me work. Senators/Congressmen/pundits that make shit up should have the same problem.

Why I Am Avoiding Matt Cassel

Pretty much sums it up.

The Chiefs worked out free agents Amani Toomer, David Terrell and D.J. Hackett on Monday, indicating they may be in the market for a veteran wide receiver.

A lot of people seem to be pretty high on him this season based off what he did last year in New England. He ain't in New England anymore folks. That means no Randy Moss. That means no Wes Welker. That means Dwayne Bowe and.....Amani Toomer? I like Bowe, but the fact they are working out guys like Amani Toomer and David Terrell isn't all that reassuring. I'm not saying Cassel will be a bust, but you can get much better value passing on Cassel.

Health Care Stupidity

I really wish that whenever a Republican/conservative/idiot proclaims that we can't have government run health care that somebody would ask them why are they so against Medicare.

The problem is that Democrats are stupid.

Greg Lalas Gets Paid To Write Articles...

That kinda suck.

Lalas is worried that 1860 (a team in the 2.Bundesliga) isn't the right team for Kenny Cooper (an American soccer player) to transfer to in order to make the US WC roster. Why?

And the reality is the 2.Bundesliga is not glamorous. Sure, Cooper will make more money than he did in MLS, but he's going to have to fight and claw for every little inch, for every chance, for every goal. There are no guarantees 1860 is going to be anything more than mediocre. Yes, 1860 plays its home matches in the magnificent 69,000-seat Allianz Arena, which it half-fills on good days. But that just serves to remind all of us on the outside 1860 is not Bayern Munich, which sells out every home game in the same stadium.

I guess Lalas thinks that the best way for Cooper to get on the WC roster is just to cash it in with Dallas in the oh so glamorous MLS.

I wish I knew Alexi Lalas so I could get paid to write really stupid articles. Instead, I end up doing it for free.

People I Hate

People who continually pause conversations with me so they can text back and forth with somebody who is too lazy to call them.

Sportsnation

Anybody seen this travesty of a show? The hosts discuss some irrelevant sports topic and then their six viewers vote on some aspect of the story. Not all of it is sports stuff. One of the things they asked their viewers was 'Will you eat a serving of vegetables this week?'. Really?

I think it is also fair to point out that the people who actually like Colin Cowherd are idiots, assholes or both. No exceptions.

Overnight Music

Andy Hull - I Can Feel A Hot One

Because I Am 12

Bipartisanship

I know I have ranted about this before, but bipartisanship really is a load of crap. Sure people want to see it. Hell, even as much as I bitch about it I would like to see it. The problem is that the pundits on my teevee and people in congress too often seem to think that bipartisanship should come before a good bill. Health care reform could pass both houses without a single Republican vote and if it turns out to be a good bill and it works, nobody is going to punish the Democratic party because it wasn't bipartisan.

Told Ya So

Just. Go. Away.

n an interview posted on Sports Illustrated's Web site, Favre added another subtle twist to this endlessly open-ended story: "I truly, truly believe it's over. But if someone calls Nov. 1, who knows?"

The Guy That Won't Go Away

Like most people I saw/heard the news that Brett Favre was going to stay retired. I didn't post on it, because I don't think a guy staying retired is all that newsy, there will probably be at least 20 Brett Favre considering a comeback type stories written this year and I am too lazy to blog on a consistent basis this summer.

When everything is said and done and Favre does finally walk away from the game and stops toying with his next comeback tour I bet that there are less stories written about Brett Favre the gun-slinger and more stories about the Brett Favre who just wouldn't go the fuck away (of course Peter King will have to die first). I might be totally wrong on that, but just today I was listening to a radio show where they talked about Dan Marino being one of the quarterbacks who just weren't good enough to win a Super Bowl rather than one of the best quarterbacks to have played the game.

Talking About Important Things

Great to see that the press decided that the big important thing to talk about from Obama's press conference the other night is his comments on the Gates arrest. Last time the stories were about how the press were getting aggressive with Obama and his smoking.

First Read asking the most important question....

“Honest question: Is there a point when the president knows too much about an issue?

Yeah it really is a drag to have a President that knows what he is talking about. If only we had a President that talked in nothing but folksy terms, didn't really care about policy details and liked to clear brush. It worked awesome last time.

We are so fucked.

Most Trusted Newsman

This guy.

It really tells you a lot about the media when a comedian is more trusted than the guys who actually get paid to do it for a living.

The Lee Evans Bet

I have a bet with my fellow blogger this fantasy football season involving Lee Evans. I like Evans and he doesn't. To be clear, I don't like him to be a top 10 guy or probably even a top 15. I think 900 and 6 TDs should be a pretty easy mark for him to hit. There are a lot of guys that fit into this range, but what give Evans a bit of a boost (at least to me) is that he has upside. He isn't on the downside of his career like many of the guys floating around this mark, guys like Hines Ward and Santana Moss. The other positive for Evans is that he has TO meaning the spotlight from the secondary isn't going to be on him.

I'm getting 2-1 on the bet that Evans hits 1k. Whatcha think?

Pushing Health Care

The health care push is on with commercials both pro and con starting to hit the airwaves. I haven't been all that impressed with the pro side. Jim DeMint has given the pro side some great ammo to use, which means they probably won't use it.

"If we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."

Republicans aren't interested in reforming health care. They are interested in damaging Obama. This should be the message that the pro side should be pushing non-stop. The White House and Democrats got a good deal of mileage out of painting the GOP as the 'Party Of No'. Why they have stopped just doesn't make much sense.

Reporting Half of The Story

Much has been made this morning and afternoon about the new Washington Post/ABC poll showing Obama's approval slipping. For some reason this is big big news. Was anybody really expecting his numbers to stay around 65 for his entire term in office? Regardless, it gives the talking heads a new story 'Is Obama in trouble?'.

I'm sure that the White House isn't happy with the slip in numbers. However, Steve Benen, points out the other half of the story.

While the gaps have narrowed a bit, the president has a 23-point lead over the minority party on economic policy, a 20-point lead on health care, and a 19-point lead on the deficit.

Of course I'm willing to bet the story will continue to be that Obama is in deep deep trouble with his 59 percent approval rating. Damn you liberal media!!!

Stop The Stupid (fantasy football edition)

I'm currently a kinda-sorta co-owner in a fantasy football league. There are some good owners in the league, but the bad ones are the kinda bad that you hope and pray sign up for you money league. A quick example....

Twice, I have seen owners draft a wide receiver as a handcuff.

I get the whole handcuff idea. I have used it in the past and will use it in the future. I, however, use it very rarely. I'm not going to select a player two or three rounds early simply so I can stash him away on my roster and hope that the starter gets injured and then pray that the offense doesn't totally change. I only handcuff running backs though and only if I have a late round pick to blow or if I pick a guy like LT where there is a clear quality back-up in place.

Drafting a wide receiver as a handcuff is stupid. I won't go into all the reasons, but simply point out that as a running back you don't have to get open to receive a hand-off.

Summer Aint For Blogging Part II

Been listening to this non-stop. Well not really non-stop, but pretty close with a little Regina Spektor mixed in.

Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land

Summer Ain't For Blogging

I would apologize for the prolonged absence and would love to tell you I have been doing super important things, but I'm not sorry and I haven't been doing super important things. Anyway...

You ever have a song that you really really liked and then for one reason or another totally forgot about it only to have it pop up at a totally random moment just when you need it?

Alexi Murdoch - Orange Sky

Really?

CNN on Michael Jackson's farewell ceremony after his daughter Paris spoke a few words:

"...it literally tore your heart out" and "I don't think there was a dry eye on the planet".

Coming from a big Jackson fan as a kid, let me just say this: Perspective and I'll take the under.

USA/Brazil

A large part of me didn't want to watch the game today. After the highs from the games against Egypt and Spain, I just wanted the whole thing to be over. I was scared to death of a let down. I didn't know if I could handle a 3-0 loss. Today's result was much worse than that, because for 46 minutes of the match I was sure the US was going to win. We were a bench player away from beating Brazil today.

I Predict Things

Brazil - South African

Kick-off is second away. The damn vuvus are buzzing. And Brazil will advance.

I've never been so happy to have been wrong in yesterday's US/Spain match.

Overnight Music

Ben Gibbard, Jenny Lewis and too many other people - Such Great Heights

It might just be me, but I really hate concert singalongs. I go to concerts to hear the guy/gal/band that I paid money to see sing. I did not pay money to hear some half drunk idiot belt out of tune notes in my hear.

I Predict Things

US - Spain

This might be a bit of a gimmie, but I'm certainly not against padding my stats here before football season rolls into town. The US side was much improved against Egypt, but I think a big part of the success was from Egypt doing a little looking ahead to the second round. The US just doesn't have the guns to compete at this level unless there is a massive letdown from the Spanish.

Current Prediction Record : 10-6

Why The Senate Sucks

You have a bill that could bring in $4 billion in revenue annually. The bill has 45 cosponsors with supporters from both sides of the aisle. The bill failed by a vote of 54-23. That isn't 54 no votes by the way. In today's Senate nearly everything has to overcome a filibuster, which means you need 60 votes.

It wasn't just the filibuster that killed the bill, but it certainly had more than a helping hand. The chart above (from July '07) shows how the filibuster has been increasingly used as a tool to stop any and all legislation.

Finding The Story

So Obama held a presser today. Michael Scherer did a write up on the whole thing. You might expect it to cover some of the give and take on health care. You might expect it cover Obama's response to the criticism levelled his way from GOP lawmakers. You might think that two of the most important issues of the day might garner a bit more than a passing mention. You would think wrong. The write up is all about the media and how it sparred with Obama. At some point, it would nice if some of the members of the traditional media were reminded that they aren't the story.

I don't think that I have ever read a sports article that focused solely on the tension between athlete and journalist or the give and take between reporter and subject. There are some pretty shitty sports writers out there, but all of them know that they aren't the story. The American public is, in general, pretty stupid when it comes to policy. A better media would do a lot to fix this. Guys like Michael Scherer aren't helping.

What He Said

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Stupid Is In The Air Today

Olive Garden thinks Letterman is a big jerk.
Following a week of back and forth between CBS late-night comic David Letterman and Sarah Palin over a crude joke he told about the Alaska Republican governor’s daughter, the Olive Garden restaurant says it is canceling all of its scheduled ads on Letterman’s “Late Show” for the rest of the year.
Does anybody even eat at The Olive Garden anymore? If so, why?

Just Like The Iranians

Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) is stupid. His tweet (god how I hate that word).

Iranian twitter activity similar to what we did in House last year when Republicans were shut down in the House.

I was talking to Chopenstein last night about Congress getting involved in baseball when they could be doing more meaningful things. I ask you Chopenstein (or whatever your sign-in here is) do you want such stupid people meddling in important things? Baseball is already screwed up, they can't really do much harm there.

On the positive side, there is some top notch mocking of Hekstra going on.

I got a splinter in my hand today. Felt just like Jesus getting nailed to the cross.

And.

Had to move all my stuff to a new office w/o a corner view. Now i know what the Trail of Tears was like.

Music Thread

Been slacking with my posting. I offer this as an apology and if it isn't good enough you probably have shitty taste and suck.

Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land

Episode #5.2: Frightened Rabbit - "Swim Until You Can't See Land" from Off The Beaten Tracks on Vimeo.

Baseball, Steroids, Yawn.......

Heard Bud Selig basically refusing to comment on Sammy other than he was disappointed. Bud doesn't want to talk about the fact that there are 102 players still on that list. Bud doesn't wanna talk about the past. Bud sounds a lot like this Mark McGwire. It didn't work for him either.

In all seriousness, if Selig really wants people to move forward he should find a way to get the Players Association to agree in releasing the other 102 names on that list. You simply can't move forward when every couple of months a new name is leaked. Sure it will be a PR nightmare, but MLB is going to have to air ALL the dirty laundry before people will let him move on.

Does Not Compute

This.

If the incumbent holds on, some Iran experts suggested this morning, the post-election repression may actually make it more difficult for Obama to pursue a straightforward "engagement" with a discredited Ahmadinejad in the short term -- though it obviously reflects a deep dissatisfaction with the regime.

The number of people that seem to forget, including journalist who get paid for a living to cover stuff like this, that the President of Iran is nothing more than a figurehead amazes me.

Obama won't be dealing with Ahmadinejad or whoever ends up winning the election.

A bit off topic, but it would be nice if Martin would mention which 'experts' suggested this this morning so people can ignore them in the future.

Overnight Sorta Music Thread

I Predict Things

Game 4 tonight in the NBA Finals. I only have a passing interest in the whole thing now that my Cavs are out of it. Still, I'm in a bit of a sports mood today so why not toss one of these out?

The Magic put together one of the best Finals performance ever and barely eeked out a win. As far as the Magic performance goes, I think that was ceiling for them. Lakers win.

Current prediction record - 9-6

Big Balls

Karl Rove has em.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you take some responsibility, meaning you, the Bush eight years, for this...

ROVE: No.

VAN SUSTEREN: You take absolutely no responsibility? Because...

ROVE: No.

The deficit is 1.8 trillion for this year. When Obama took office he was handed a 1.2 trillion deficit. And it is all Obama's fault.

Fantasy Football Advice/Comments

Fantasy football season is starting to gear up. I just finished the restricted free agent part of my dynasty league offseason. We start bidding on free agents Monday. Dwayne Bowe will be mine!

One typical mistake that I see owners make in keeper leagues is that they confuse their keeper league with a dynasty league. A quick example....

Chopenstein (or whatever his login is....where are you dick?) is currently in a full keeper (one offense/one defense) league. With the second pick in the first round one owner selected Knowshon Moreno. In a dynasty league, this would be a very good selection. The problem is this isn't a dynasty league and it isn't a deep keeper league. In other words, there is a whole lot of talent out there better than Moreno. Guys like Stephen Jackson and Frank Gore were available. Moreno might produce better numbers than those guys, but you simply can't ignore draft value and Moreno doesn't have it there. This guy could probably have waited a round and ended up with Jackson/Moreno or Gore/Moreno, which is a much stronger tandem than what he will end up with.

I get what this owner was trying to do, get a keeper he can hold on to for years. Smart fantasy owners draft the best team, not the best team of keeper possibilities. Who cares if you rotate out keepers ever other season or even every season. Keeper leagues, especially shallow keeper leagues like this aren't about finding young possible stud running backs. That is what dynasty leagues are for.

Anyway, I thought this was a good example of somebody using a dynasty league strategy in a keeper league so there ya go. I would also like to add, that people need to stop thinking that whoever is the Denver running back is going to be a stud. The offensive line isn't near what it used to be and with a crowded backfield, new coach and nothing at QB, I would take a pass if I could.

If you got some questions or comments toss em in here.

Remember That DHS Report?

After the shooting of Dr. Tiller and now the shooting at the Holocaust Museum, do you think the conservatives that were calling for heads will now admit to being wrong?

I don't think so either.

Overnight Music

Not interested in blogging so I'll just throw this out.

Hockey - Song Away

Overnight Non-Music Thread

More stuff from my good friend Roy.

Roy Bentley - The Idea of A Rescue Dog

I Predict Things

If you want to see the best homefield advantage in sports, check out the US/Costa Rica match tonight on ESPN2. Here is a quick highlight of Costa Rica's last home match.



Costa Rica is 18-1-2 at home since 2000 and the US is 0-5-1 in World Cup qualifying matches played there. Hurting the US chances tonight will be the fact that they will be without their top two at right back due to injury and left back has once again become a pretty big concern for the side as Heath Pierce has gone from having a solid hold on the spot to fighting for a spot on the team. I think coach Bradley will go with his most experienced line-up tonight with the rule of thumb in World Cup qualifying being, three at home and one on the road. I think the US gets that one point tonight.

Current Prediction Record - 9-5

Speaking Of MSNBC

Chris Matthews gets a good deal of flack, from liberals and conservatives both, for saying really stupid things and deservedly so. What amazes me though is the outright racist shit Pat Buchanan gets away with on a regular basis.

In her world, equal justice takes a back seat to tribal justice.

Stay classy, Pat.

As a bit of a side note, I find it interesting the number of conservatives who express such serious concerns regarding discrimination whenever a brown person is about to secure a much sought after position......ok not really.

The People On My TV Are Idiots

Mika Brzezinski from Morning Joe talking about Unions :

"They cripple the system that makes a company work."

UPS, currently being crippled by unions, made more than 3 Billion last year. Even worse, GE which owns NBC and thus MSNBC has 13 different unions that represent their workers.

It says a lot about our political commentary that you don't have to be all that informed about public policy or even simple facts to make a comfortable living doing it.

TPM has a list of more companies being crippled by unions.

Stop The Stupid

Well, to be honest, I hope this kinda stupid keeps going strong.

“Hispanic polls, Hispanic surveys, indicate that Hispanics think just like everyone else. We’re not like African-Americans. "

The above quote is from Manny Miranda who is trying to lead the charge against Soytomayor. So not only are conservatives looking to alienate the three latino voters that they actually have, but they are now working on alienating African-Americans as well. For shits and giggles somebody should ask Manny just how African-Americans think.

I thought this was pretty good as well.

"When I was on the leader’s staff, someone called me once and asked me: ‘What’s Senator Frist’s Hispanic agenda?’ I said, ‘low taxes, better education, more jobs … what are you talking about?’ And that’s how Hispanics are. This is an opportunity to educate them on all of our issues and they will resonate in the way that they resonate with everyone else.”

The GOP has had their ass handed to them for two straight cycles. The message ain't resonating.

Thanks GOP!

Without you the country would be ignorant to how oppressed the white male is.

This Sotomayor crap is going to drive me crazy.

Overnight Music

Been a long time since I have done one of this. So here ya go...

The Henry Clay People - Something In The Water

I Predict Things

I typically avoid all things Cleveland. I'm a Steeler fan for one thing so nearly everything Cleveland usually results in a gag reflex for. However, I like the Cavaliers. I'm not entirely sure when it happened, but I remember watching a lot of Brad Daugherty as a kid. Anywho....I think the series is lost for the Cavs. However, I think we will see a Cavs victory tonight.

Current Prediction Record - 7-5

Dear Conservatives,

Wanna know why we think you are stupid? Cause you are.

Sotomayor also claimed: “For me, a very special part of my being Latina is the mucho platos de arroz, gandoles y pernir — rice, beans and pork — that I have eaten at countless family holidays and special events.”

This has prompted some Republicans to muse privately about whether Sotomayor is suggesting that distinctive Puerto Rican cuisine such as patitas de cerdo con garbanzo — pigs’ feet with chickpeas — would somehow, in some small way influence her verdicts from the bench.

Signed,
me

All My Shows Get Cancelled

A nice list of the shows getting dumped and renewed.

There are a couple of real bummers for me on this list. I'm going to miss both The Unit and Flashpoint. I think the mistake The Unit made was two seasons ago when it focused so heavily on the marriage/cheating of that one couple. I can't remember their name which kinda proves my point. People who liked watching The Unit weren't watching it for relationship drama, but nearly the entire season was based solely on that. If you want relationship drama, Grey's is on Thursdays.

Dunno why Flashpoint didn't work, but unless I move to Canada I won't be watching that anymore either. My guess is that sticking it on Friday didn't help. I would love for somebody to explain how Scrubs can get renewed, but Flashpoint is likely to go Canada only.

Smart Law Person Needed

Could somebody explain to me the court ruling on Prop 8 in California? The 18,000 people that got married prior to Prop 8 are still legally married, those who want to now can fuck off to Iowa? Shouldn't it be all or nothing?

I wonder what odds Vegas would have given a couple of years ago that Iowa would allow gay marriage before California.

MIA

Been out working on a project that I will be letting the rest of you (all three of you) in on in the future, but for now I am back to my irregular blogging.

Overnight Music

Been slacking on this, but I found out last night that Dinosaur Jr. isn't dead and are still putting out decent music. So here ya go.

Dinosaur Jr. - I Want You To Know

NFL Wish List

Referring to yourself in the third person gets you fined by the league.

"I've got a lot to prove," Bryant said. "Last year was for the haters ... this year is for the doubters. When you have a year like that, you're going to get more attention. This year, it might not be about me getting the ball. If that means Antonio has to run 89 comebacks and that'll get us in the playoffs, then I'll run 89 comebacks."

Bryant probably deserves a suspension as well considering that he drifted in and out of referring to himself in the third person.

What He Said

TPM

If we need to keep evidence of torture, like photographs, secret, to protect our troops, doesn't that suggest that torture isn't a great way to keep them or us safe?

Awesome

Awkward family photo blog.

One of my favorites.

Deep Thought

You sound like a giant pussy when you complain about Wanda Sykes being a big meanie.

Riddle

What do Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, actor Nick Nolte and Senator John Kerry have in common?







They're all at the Capitals/Penguins game in Pittsburgh.... Now if you can answer why, you win the imaginary bonus prize. Tomlin I get. For what it's worth, Nolte looked better than Kerry.

I Love America

US Pole Dancing Championship.

Making Cheney Look Classy

I didn't think it could be done, but Specter seems to be making a run at it.

He's touting--and raising money from--a website called specterforthecure.com, which he describes as "a bold new initiative to reform our government's medical research efforts, cut red tape and unstrangle the hope for accelerated cures."

But the money he's raising isn't funding research grants, or advocacy, or treatment for patients who can't afford it. It's funding the Senate re-election campaign of one Arlen Specter.

I said getting him to join the party was stupid.

Rebranding

The GOP is the midst of rebranding. The problem is the rebranding looks a lot like the old brand.

A Democrat, making the familiar point that the most prominent Republican faces aren't the new ones, sends over the bookings on the Sunday shows:

This Week: John McCain

Fox News Sunday: Newt Gingrich

Face The Nation: Dick Cheney

Hehe.

DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan:
1996 called. They want their GOP Sunday show lineup back.

Very Special Condiment

Sean Hannity is a very special journalist.
Now, the Gateway Pundit blog pointed out that plain old ketchup, well, it didn't quite cut it for the president. Now take a look at him ordering his burger with a very special condiment. ... Dijon mustard?

Elizabeth and John

I used to have a good deal of respect for both Elizabeth and John Edwards. The key phrase there is 'used to'. While I still respect them and admire the work they have done, they pissed away a lot of that respect.

Edwards denied the affair, but Scher and other loyalists from his 2004 campaign doubted his word, made excuses, and stayed out of the 2008 presidential race when Edwards launched his campaign after Christmas.

A few days later, Edwards made a partial confession to his wife Elizabeth, of a single, regrettable encounter with Hunter. Like Scher, she asked him to drop his bid, to “protect our family from this woman, from his act,” she writes in her book.

But Edwards went ahead with the campaign — and Elizabeth Edwards put her reluctance aside to drive his campaign forward.

You don't run for president with an unexposed affair hanging out in the background. Had John Edwards won the nomination and then his affair was exposed, John McCain is our president and much of what John and Elizabeth believe in is immediately put on the back burner if not back in the refrigerator for four to eight years. They risked that because they wanted John to be president.

I want to be clear that I could give a shit about a candidate having an affair. I don't like it, but it really isn't any of my business. I could also give a shit about a candidate using drugs, what church they do or don't go to and a whole host of other issues that are nothing more than low hanging fruit for stupid chatter. The problem is that the vast majority of voters do care about such things. John and Elizabeth knew this and ran anyway.

Pretty Cool

The Dust Jacket Project.

Dust Jacket is a record by Joel P West that is currently available by trading something you have made, and this gallery is an anonymous collection of everything that has been exchanged.

Dear Brett Favre,

Just go away already.

Sincerely,
Me

On a more serious note....

A number of sportswriters like to portray Brett Favre as a brave gunslinger of a quarterback. I'm starting to think that the more acurate portrayal is somebody who just doesn't want to leave the spotlight.

Facts

1. Beauty pageant contests are good for two things. 1) Modeling of skimpy swimsuits. 2) Mockery. End of list.

2. Those influenced by the shallow thoughts of beauty pageant contestants are good for one thing. Mockery. End of list.

Fact submissions are welcome in the comment section or via email where they will be reviewed by the OATs board for truthiness. All decisions are final.

Maybe it's Ray Allen? More sensationalism

A few days ago, Celtics G Ray Allen was supposedly hotter than anyone, according to a goober on ESPN's Sportscenter. Tonight TNT color commentator Reggie Miller said this after a shot by Ray Allen in what was nearly a great comeback by the Celtics (down 28, cut it to four with 40 seconds remaining);

"You could not have shot that any better than Ray Allen just did."

The shot rimmed out.

This SCOTUS Crap Is Gonna Make My Head Explode

Example A
Jeffrey Rosen has an article for The New Republic that is being advertised as...

the first in a series of reports by TNR legal affairs editor Jeffrey Rosen about the strengths and weaknesses of the leading candidates on Barack Obama's Supreme Court shortlist.

To spare you the time reading the article the takeaway is that Sonia Sotomayor is stupid. To prove it, Rosen uses nothing but a bunch of unnamed sources. Hooray for journalism!

Rosen is sure to assure us that this isn't a case of people disliking Sotomayor.

...they're not motivated by sour grapes or by ideological disagreement--they'd like the most intellectually powerful and politically effective liberal justice possible.

I guess we just have to take Rosen's word for it since he doesn't really name who all the quotes are from. He also doesn't give any actual examples other than more unnamed sources saying Sotomayor is a stupid head. Of course, I feel pretty confident that anybody who grows up in the South Bronx and ends up going to Princeton probably does have an IQ problem.

The real kicker for me is this part.

I haven't read enough of Sotomayor's opinions to have a confident sense of them, nor have I talked to enough of Sotomayor's detractors and supporters, to get a fully balanced picture of her strengths.

One would think that when writing an article that is supposed to be 'about the strengths and weaknesses' of the leading candidates for the Supreme Court that Rosen could at least be bothered to do some work other than leaning on unnamed sources.

I would just like to add that an unnamed source told me that Rosen is a fucking hack journalist who makes Sotomayor look brilliant and he likes to kick puppies.

Why I Will Rent Wolverine

I like a good comic book adapted for film movie as much as the next guy. Ok, maybe not as much as the next guy because a lot of people went to see Wolverine this weekend. Yglesias sums up pretty well why Wolverine will go in my Netflix queue, but I won't be spending the 10 bucks it would take to see it at the movies.

Wolverine isn’t a character whose origins we’re curious about. Wolverine is a character whose origin is that he has no memories and we don’t know where he’s from other than that at some point he was mixed up with a shady covert ops program that bonded adamantium to his skeleton. That’s the origin. That’s the character.

City Of Thieves

As far as my reading goes it tends to be a mixed bag of things. I read a fair amount of David Baldacci and Michael Connelly, writers more known for their ability to tell a story than their skill as writers. I also read guys like Richard Russo, who I think at times lack the story telling ability, but makes up for it in their ability to write. The exception for Russo is Straight Man which is one of my favorite books. Of course I also read a fair amount of trash, zombie and end-of-the-world type books. Hey, somebody has to be ready now that we are all about to be overrun by Swine Flu regardless of what some random blogger might be preaching!

David Benioff's City Of Thieves is one of those rare finds that manages to be a good story told by a writer that really knows his craft. It is the story of two unlikely characters thrown together during the Nazis' siege of Leningrad sent on an unlikely mission to find a dozen eggs for a wedding. The story is based on his grandfather's experiences during the seige and should be on your reading list or you suck as a human being.

Why I Love The GOP

Stuff like this.

Republicans looking to recover from Bush-era defeats are turning to an unlikely source for advice: top aides to former President George W. Bush.

The Sky Is Falling - Oh wait, it's just the flu

Paging Y2K fanatics. Please put down your jugs of water and read this courtesy of Time Magazine.

One of the more telling sentences that likely many people glossed over: A pandemic doesn't mean that a new virus is unusually deadly, only that it spreads easily.

Hope you saved that bomb shelter receipt.

Janet Jackson's Titty

While I write a lot of poetry and attend a fair number of poetry readings, I have never been much of a fan of slam poetry. Too often, slam poetry becomes more about an over the top performance rather than about the poem itself or it morphs into a contest of who can be the most shocking. I have been to several poetry slams and enjoyed a good number of them, but I usually tend to walk away thinking.....'when are they are going to do the poetry part?.' Still, I have always enjoyed this.

A Western Zombie Flick?

Really? I'm a pretty big zombie fan, but if I see one zombie riding a horse I will burn something.

At least it has Megan Fox in it.

Mark Halperin Is Stupid

I stopped reading Mark Halperin's The Page a long time ago. Part of it had to do with The Page looking more like a well done myspace page rather than a new site. The big reason is that Mark Halperin is stupid. I give you this example as proof.

There have been 110 Supreme Court Justices. Of those 110 Justices, 106 of them have been white men. Mark Halperin is stupid.

A little perspective, please

Some Sportscenter guy last night: "There was no one hotter than Ray Allen in the first two periods."

How about this woman?

Joakim Noah on the Bulls 3OT win last night: "We were really close to death..."

How about this boy?

I Don't Get It

Karen Tumulty thinks that Lisa Gutierrez has a good point.

Here is Gutierrez's point.

President Barack Obama kissed former Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius Tuesday night after she was sworn in as Health and Human Services Secretary in the Oval Office.

She was immediately dispatched to a top-level briefing about the swine flu outbreak.

Maybe they should have just stuck with the handshake?

Seriously, I don't get it. Is it a some kind of Lewinsky reference? I can't believe these people get paid.

Deep Thoughts By Michele Bachmann

Each time Bachmann opens her mouth, I think it is important to remember that she gets to write laws.

"I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under another Democrat president Jimmy Carter," said Bachmann. "And I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it's an interesting coincidence."

Also, ignoring the crazy for a moment.

It happened in 1976 when Gerald Ford was in office.

Specter

The big news in politics today is obviously Specter jumping to the Democrats. If you haven't heard the news turn on CNN, MSNBC or Fox and wait two minutes and you will.

A number of conservative pundits are quick to remind people that this wasn't Specter having an ideology shift, but rather a move to save his job. For once, I agree with the conservative pundits and even Specter has admitted to this being the a big reason. In other words, Specter hasn't changed, but the Republican party has.

Another example would be Lindsey Graham talking about how he is a moderate Republican. The guy scored an 89.79 from The American Conservative Union. I would be curious to see what a hardcore conservative scored.

I Dub Thee A Hack

Ken Strickland

As Congress prepares to vote on a budget that would include a procedural tool allowing Democrats to effectively shutout Republicans and pass sweeping health-care reform,

Strickland is talking about reconciliation and in no way does it 'shutout' the Republicans. What it does do is prevent Republicans from requiring a 60 vote threshold to pass health-care. Democrats and Obama would love to see Republicans working with and supporting the majority in guiding health-care reform through the Senate. The problem is that they aren't offering up any ideas, unless you count tax cuts and drill baby drill.....you know the usual. Instead of working to craft a strong bill, they will and are warning of the big scary gubmint coming to take your babies and doctors.

Republicans are not interested in health-care reform. They are interested in making sure it never happens. It would be an absolute disaster for them. I don't think you need a public poll to realize that people like to be able to go see a doctor when they get sick. If more people are allowed to do so under a Democratic president and congress, the party that has been fighting tooth and nail against that is going to have a tough time winning elections.

Not to give Republicans any ideas on how they can have more of an impact on government, but they should really think about winning more elections.

Overnight Music

Probably done this one before....deal with it.

Because You Really Want To Know

I'm still waiting for this to show up from Amazon. Love the opening line.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains."

Not To Bring Up Old Shit

But

For years leading up to the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore committed the sins of taking policy seriously, and of knowing what he was talking about. As punishment for those sins, reporters like Kellman mocked him as a "teacher's-pet" and a dull, lifeless buffoon. They propped up a dim-witted Texan (by way of Greenwich Country Day, Andover, Harvard, and Yale) who had run business after business into the ground, and skipped out on the National Guard service that kept him out of Vietnam by virtue of his father's accomplishments. On the other hand, he called reporters "Stretch," and they loved him for it. And so George W. Bush became president.

Although, this might be just as likely.

I Second This

Paul Krugman

So Bobby Jindal makes fun of “volcano monitoring”, and soon afterwards Mt. Redoubt erupts. Susan Collins makes sure that funds for pandemic protection are stripped from the stimulus bill, and the swine quickly attack.

What else did the right oppose recently? I just want enough information to take cover.

I'm Not A Lawyer

But this doesn't sound like it would work as a defense.

"As far as mental suffering is concerned that involves the creation on the part of the person the tactic is used on of a fear of imminent death," said McCarthy. "The few people that waterboarding was actually used on were actually told that they were not going to be killed by the tactic."

"Even if they didn’t tell you they weren’t going to kill you, after the first or second time you sort of get the point that there is not imminent death to be feared," he said. "There's not a prosecutable case."

One would think that if the CIA wasn't looking to create the 'fear of imminent death', they wouldn't have used a technique to simulates the sensation of drowning.

Just once I would like to see somebody ask Joe Scarborough or one of the other pro-torture pundits if they feel as if we should now be issuing an apology to the Japanese soldiers we convicted of waterboarding.

After World War II, we convicted several Japanese soldiers for waterboarding American and Allied prisoners of war. At the trial of his captors, then-Lt. Chase J. Nielsen, one of the 1942 Army Air Forces officers who flew in the Doolittle Raid and was captured by the Japanese, testified: "I was given several types of torture. . . . I was given what they call the water cure." He was asked what he felt when the Japanese soldiers poured the water. "Well, I felt more or less like I was drowning," he replied, "just gasping between life and death."

NFL Draft

A quick vid to get you game ready for today's draft.

Liberal Bias

CNN hires Mary Matalin, former advisor to both Bush and Cheney.

She joins a number of her former co-workers making the transition to major media.
Michael Gerson (Washington Post), Sara Taylor (MSNBC), Tony Snow (CNN), Frances Fragos Townsend (CNN), Nicole Wallace (CBS News), Dan Bartlett (CBS News), Jeff Ballabon (CBS News), Tony Fratto (CNBC) and, of course, Karl Rove (Fox News, Newsweek, and Wall Street Journal) have all gone from working for Bush/Cheney to working for the mainstream media.

Just don't forget that the media is scary liberal and liberals hate freedom.

Banana Republic

The thinking from the GOP that we become a Banana Republic if we investigate or prosecute those involved in creating the torture years is pretty damned backwards. A Banana Republic would turn a blind eye to the government breaking the law.

Caprica

Once Battlestar Galactica turned into a show that was all about religion/philosophy instead of humans fighting robots it was fracked up. So fracked up that I stopped watching. I heard the last two episodes were good, but I doubt I ever watch the last two seasons I missed because I just stopped caring about every single character.

I had heard that they were doing a spinoff of the series. It looks like it is going to suck.

The last couple of seasons reminded me of The Matrix series. The beginning was pretty good, but then the writers thought they could impart some deep meaning and ended up screwing the pooch.

Breaking Down Traditional Marriage

When you do this....

Far be it from me to say that Newt Gingrich’s 1981 decision to ask his first wife for a divorce while she was in the hospital recuperating from cancer should bar him from commenting on the value of traditional marriage....Then in 2000 he divorced Ginther and married a third woman with whom it turns out he’d been having an affair.

You really shouldn't be accusing anybody of trying to break down traditional marriage.

Now We Go

The Detroit Lions have figured out how to get out of it's franchise-long funk - a new logo

.

I remember how well this worked for Ohio University back in the late 1990s... oh wait....

Impeaching Bybee

Just me thinking, but you shouldn't be allowed to be a federal judge when you were writing the 'how to torture and get away with it' memos in a previous job.

In one of the more nauseating passages, Jay Bybee, then an assistant attorney general and now a federal judge, wrote admiringly about a contraption for waterboarding that would lurch a prisoner upright if he stopped breathing while water was poured over his face. He praised the Central Intelligence Agency for having doctors ready to perform an emergency tracheotomy if necessary.

Two other things.

1. We told the Nazis at Nuremberg that 'just following orders' was BS.
2. Good thing this wasn't something serious like a BJ or there would be all sorts of hearings, investigations, independent prosecutors and impeachment proceedings.

Stop The Stupid

Could somebody fill me in on what danger the US is in since Obama smiled while shaking hands with Chavez? I watched a bit of Morning Joe today (yeah I know I have nobody to blame buy myself) and Joe nearly went Glenn Beck in a Doom Bunker over how horrible this was.

Overnight Music

I'm too busy playing Deadspace to blog.

Born In The Flood - Anthem

Warrants Are For Pussies

Wanna know what happens when you allow the NSA to ignore the need for warrants? This.

And in one previously undisclosed episode, the N.S.A. tried to wiretap a member of Congress without a warrant, an intelligence official with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Braylon Edwards to Giants?

Word is heating up again that the Giants are itching to get Braylon Edwards. This would be a pretty solid move for the Giants as they are without a true No. 1 since they released Plaxico Burress. I think Edwards could even be an upgrade over Burress if he can keep his nose clean. Edwards had a rough year last year, I should know he was on one of my fantasy teams, but so did a lot of Browns.

My only question is how does this help the Browns? I didn't think the problem with the Browns last year was that they had too many offensive weapons, but that seems to be the thinking with the team looking to trade away anybody who might threaten opposing defenses. Winslow is already gone. Who is left if Edwards goes as well? Steve Heiden is who. He of 23 receptions, 249 yards receiving and zero touchdowns last season.

Starting to look like another long season in the making for Browns fans.

Teabagging Fun

I don't think anybody ever really cleared up what the Teabaggers are protesting. It seems to be a combination of taxes, government spending and the fact that Obama is a dirty fascist.

Steve Benen tagged an exchange that CNN had with some protesters.

Realizing that she probably wasn't going to get anything coherent from this guy, Roesgen then spoke to another man, who proceeded to ramble on about why Obama should be more like Abraham Lincoln, who didn't try to take taxpayers' money.

Benen points out a problem with using Lincoln as a hero for the anti-tax brigade.

Not only did Lincoln vastly expand the power of the federal government -- up to and including suspending habeas -- he also was the first president to impose an income tax. Worse, it was a progressive income tax, that charged wealthier taxpayers more.

More Please

Joe Klein hits the nail on the head.

The constant sniping from Rove, Wehner and the others during Obama's first 100 days is a deeply neurotic reaction to the enormity of their own cockups in office. It shows a profound lack of class or grace, but then, that's no surprise with these guys, is it? They ran the country like thugs, and thugs they remain.

I find it kinda funny that anybody on teevee even entertains that notion that Obama is a more polarizing figure than Bush. Yes, Obama has incredibly low approval ratings among Republicans. The problem is that the Republican party, at this point, is no longer a national party but a regional one. Being hated by a regional party, like Obama is, is much less polarizing than being disliked by over half the country. I think people have already forgotten that Bush's approval ratings were in the 20s.

Just sayin

Why are people surprised that some of the banks have been showing a profit? Haven't we been funneling a fair amount of money to them over the last several months. I know shit about business, but you give me a couple of billion dollars and I will show you a profit as well. Just sayin

Overnight Non-Music

I'm struggling to find some new music. For those of you that have any feel free to drop a link in the comment section. For those of you that know my email addy, feel free to drop it there as well.

Instead of overnight music I offer a friendly reminder that one of my favorite shows kicks off tonight.

Speaking of Things That Make Me Laugh

Via TBogg, this cracks me up.

I just wanna say that personally, I don't wanna see any tea bagging on the 15th. What right wingers want to do in their free time is their business, but keep it off my teevee.

"You're Going To Need A Dick Armey"

David Schuster makes me laugh.

And to keep in the theme of this post, Ed Schultz's new show on MSNBC blows.

Pirates

Matthew Yglesias uses Sid Meier's Pirates to explain some of the problems with the Somalia pirates.

I was never good at the game. I got too distracted going after loot to finish the main game. However, should there ever be a zombie invasion I will be the man to turn to due to my expertise in games like Left 4 Dead and Dead Rising.

A Collection of Stupid

1. Who cares if ASU isn't going to give Obama an honorary degree? I have seen at least three different segments treating this as if it were big news...why?

2. Who cares if Obama bowed or didn't. The last guy was holding hands and swapping spit with the guy.

3.

B.S. alert

"As I sit here in Chicago tonight.... This is for the fans. This is for all of Columbus. In fact this is for the state of Ohio and all the hockey fans within the state and the loyal Jacket fans that have been apart of this great organization for the last several years." - Jeff Rimer, Columbus Blue Jackets broadcaster, FOX Sports Ohio, after the Blue Jackets clinched its first playoff berth in franchise history.

Translation = I'm making this crap up as I go along.

Overnight Music

I'm going to keep posting Seasick Steve stuff until somebody I know finally listens to him.

Words Have Meaning

Defense Budget in 2009: 513 billion
Defense Budget in 2010: 534 billion

Considering the above it would seem pretty stupid for a major media outlet to publish an article about how Obama and Gates were 'gutting' the military. The Wall Street Journal says hi.

Wasn't Joe The Plumber Available?

You know you faux populist event sucks when Alan Keyes is your headliner.

Speaking of Joe The Plumber, I caught him on Bill Maher this past weekend. Maher's show has really brought the suck this season. You get Joe The (non) Plumber on your show and you don't ridicule the man? Then you let David Frum ramble on about how Obama is such a failure? Maher kinda sucks these days. Just saying.

Happy Anniversary To Me

Today is the 20th anniversary of my Bar Mitzvah. Please don't ask me what that means - it was 20 years ago - but it probably looked something like this:

TRIP REPORT, PART II -- Cash Game

A Trip to the Burbs, cont.

We last left our hero placing 4th of 24 in a 20+5 bounty tournament....

I get up from my fourth place finish and head straight to the kitchen where a full table awaits and I make it a 10-seater (.25/.50 NL). I buy in for $40. The mood is very light and friendly and I just plan on observing for an orbit to gauge the level of play, while soaking in the musings of my dear friend “Michael”.

I get AJ off, which isn’t that hard of a hand to fold even in middle position, but a good enough hand to play nevertheless. Still, I hate good hands early, but with two limpers in front, I made it $3 to go. One caller behind me, the BB and one limper comes along – four way pot. Axx, two diamonds. Check, check. I lead out $7. Fold, call, call. Turn is another diamond. Guh. Everyone checks, which pains me inside because I was already thinking a $10-12 bet would be plenty good if no one hit their flush, but got gun-shy. River is a fourth diamond. Double guh. Check, I check, BB bets $10. Fold and it’s to me. Two instincts come to mind. The first was call – 10 to win 45 = good pot odds and it is pretty obvious I’m oozing weakness, which would incur a bet from anyone paying half attention. The other instinct was to shove, representing a big diamond. I ignore both and fold like a little girl and the BB shows A6…. of hearts! Serves me right.

I win a small pot with a raise post flop and lay low for several orbits. I had been playing the same tight/aggressive (or tight/little girl, depending on your perspective) all night and decided at some point I needed to shake things up. The table lost a few players, so we’re seven-handed. K9 hearts, mid position, I try and see a cheap flop. Four ways. Flop misses me completely. J-high, all black, two clubs. First bet is $2. It smelled like middle pair or a flush draw. I raised to 10. Folded to original bettor who calls. Turn is a club. Caller checks and I push for my remaining $13. Villan tanks….

Meanwhile “Michael” has been trading stories with several people, and being in a hand, I haven’t been following his latest conversation. What I do know is that he turns his attention to me. The problem is I’ve got my head on my hand which is rested on the table, from the elbow up. I’m looking straight down until the Villan makes his decision. Michael begins saying to me, “Right?”… “Right?” as if I’ve been following his conversation… he then starts shaking my arm – “Hey, what are you doing... Right?” I’m not budging. “Hey?!?”…. Anyone reading this is probably wondering why I haven’t kicked him in the nuts or why no one else has said, “leave the guy alone, he’s in a hand”, but again, we’re all friendly and it’s understood Michael is well on his way to finishing his 12-pack. Besides, inside I’m half cracking up and half hoping Villan sees I’m a rock given this distraction and throws his hand away.

Villan says he thinks I’ve got him but he can’t lay down his flush and calls… I finally can start laughing while I flip over my stone bluff. Everyone is as surprised as I am that I tried to pull this hand off – even Michael, who breaks from his story and says, “Dude, what are you doing?” Villan, laughing with me, flips over Q-10 of clubs. A bit of a slow roll, perhaps as one would think raising 10 post flop wasn’t a sign of a drawing hand but rather top pair. But I guess I earned a solid table image throughout the night so maybe I had the nuts? – K9 hearts, notwithstanding.

So $40 gone in a half hour (hee-haw), but I was fine with it as I had planned on shaking things up enough to show that I’m willing to dance. So much so that with the first hand with my new $40, I limp in blind from the SB. There were already four limpers; I couldn’t afford not to play! Flop x8Q. Bet of $3 – so I guess I should look. A8. Not bad, but not good enough.

It would be the last action I would see for about two hours. Holy card-dead, Batman! Four hands of note occurred during that time. A9 of hearts. Early position raises to $4 – pre-flop! Must be a doozy and/or doesn't want a multi-way pot; 10s or Js is my guess – I muck. I see the A on the flop and 9 on the river before he tables his KJ (wtf?). I later get JJ and raise my first pot in over an hour. Everyone folds (NOW they’re paying attention). Twice I get pocket 7s. The first time I fold to Troy’s pre-flop raise of $4 – I really don’t know why the betting has gone from 3x the blinds to 8x, but he later shows me AJ, so I was fine with not racing with my second $40 – did I mention Troy doesn’t like to fold? The second 77 I raised, but was re-raised and called before it got back to me – no thanks.

The only thing that kept me entertained during that 120 minutes was Michael. Now if I had written this weeks ago as planned, I might be able to remember some of the details, but the only thing I can come up with was the H2o content in Coors Light (the highest of any domestic?) which is supposed to help sustain some sort of hydration while drinking. Makes sense – but it had ceased working in Michael’s case. On his next beer he swings his arm to his left while discussing… something…. Might have been asking Dealer chick about her job, actually, which was pretty cool to hear about. No matter, he knocks his beer right into the lap of the player sitting to his left, who was already getting mildly annoyed with the slowed pace of play. This didn’t help. But to his credit, he didn’t blow his top with at least 6 oz. of beer in his lap. Fast forward 20-30 minutes, Michael is on the phone with his wife when he mentions that we’ll be playing for a little while longer – when beer soaked guy says, “how about playing now?”… Uh-oh, tensions are a-risin’!

It probably didn’t help that Michael had about tripled his stack and was winning two pair hands with J6. Classic.

Now comes the joke move: A raised pot clearly gives Michael zero options and as he’s mucking his cards he says, “All-in, just kidding”… everyone’s eyes light up and a couple of people tell him it’s a binding statement and normally he would be forced to push. I just tell him it would be wise if he never did that again.

Next up, string-betting: Michael calls the BB then adds a dollar. We explain it has to be all in one motion or he has to say “raise” before pushing any chips forward. Soon afterwards he does it again, innocently enough. No one thinks it’s intentional. Same thing happens, we explain, he sort of understands. Later on he says, “50 cents, PLUS….” And now he’s getting frustrated with the table’s frustration. In hindsight, I should have said, “less talky-talky, more pokey-pokey” (inside joke).

By this time, however, Michael slowly but surely started giving back to the community and found himself a hair under even for the night. It was then he decided that it was time to leave, lol. He’ll tell you it was because we were offered a ride home, but that ride had been sitting there for over 30 minutes - five more minutes was clearly crossing the line. After a second attempt to have him agree to play through the orbit (four more hands), I wasn’t going to argue. I was card dead anyway, what the hell was I waiting for?

Last hand of the night – The power hand: Troy was up $240 for winning the previously posted tournament. After about 3 hours of cash games, he was down about $20. Two buy-ins of $40 plus three buy-ins for $60… OUCH. He now had .50 cents in front of him and we all agree to make it a family pot pre-flop. Fine – 7 ways. I limp with my 2-5 suited. I’m chuckling inside because in playing years of on-line poker, Adam B. and I would always joke that 2-5 was the power hand. Others would play it and rake in huge pots; we would never play it and see flops of two-pair, straights, etc. It never failed. So it only figures that this is my last hand. The Power Hand is evil…. I flop a spade flush. I bet something small, $4 maybe, roughly pot. Michael calls, player to my left calls. Turn is red-blank. I push for my last $17. Michael folds. Button tanks. I don’t want to see the A, but I know that’s the only way he’ll call without top pair or better. He shows me his A and pushes his chips forward to call. River = blank and I take in my only cash pot of the night to put me down just $13 in three hours.

So in about 7 hours of play tourney plus cash games, I left up $20. Kind of like a pai-gow marathon, only without the booze. In other words, weak! Good times overall...

Coming up, the CPT (April 25th). Stay tuned.

I Rule

Back at the start of the Cutler saga, I said this.

Not a good sign of things to come.

I think the fact that the Broncos are now looking at a quarterback competition between Chris Simms and Kyle Orton proves me right. A lot depends on what the Broncos do with their draft picks, but the Broncos have a lot of holes to fill. In the end, I just can't help but think this is a big loss for McDaniels and the Broncos. Sure they have the picks to get one of the big name quarterbacks in the draft, but that doesn't promise them a good quarterback. They had one in Cutler. Now they are back to the drawing board.

While I don't think Cutler will put up huge numbers this season, I still think it is a good move for the Bears. The weapons aren't there on offense, but they finally have something to build around on that side of the ball.

Ken Gordon Discovers That Water Is Wet

One of the major criticisms that Buckeye fans have with head coach Jim Tressel is that that is play calling is too conservative. I think it is, at times, certainly a valid criticism as he seems too often content to punt and play field position or go for a long field goal rather than opening things up a bit more. Ken Gordon decided to crunch some numbers to prove Tressel wrong and was surprised to learn that Tressel just might be right in his conservative approach. Here is Gordon's original premise.

My thought was that while Tressel successfully avoids turnovers, he also avoids giving his quarterbacks the confidence to air it out and use their natural talent to the full potential. So yes, he may win games by being careful with the ball, but has he lost games because he played too conservatively and denied his QB the chance to build a bigger lead (such as Penn State last year?)

And Gordon's numbers and summary.

OVERALL RECORD: 43-8 (.843)

WHEN OSU HAS A PLUS TURNOVER RATIO: 23-1

WHEN RATIO IS EVEN: 7-0

WHEN OSU LOSES TURNOVER RATIO: 13-7.

In 43 wins, OSU was plus-23 in turnovers (plus .53 a game)
In 8 losses, OSU was minus-13 (minus 1.63 a game)

In 43 wins, OSU threw 21 INTs (.49 a game)
In 8 losses, OSU threw 10 INTs (1.25 a game).

Bottom line: My premise was wrong. Tressel is right.

So there you go. Gordon has proven that a conservative approach wins more than not. This, of course, is why teams like Oklahoma, Texas and Florida struggle year after year to win games.

Ken Gordon's number crunching simply shows that the less turnovers a team commits the more likely the are to win. In other words, its the execution stupid. This analysis is about as groundbreaking as showing that the team that scores the most points wins more games.

Overnight Non-music

The nephews are spending most of the week here so I'm busy playing video games and eating junk food. I'll get back to a more regular posting schedule soon. Until then...

The Soccer Project from Rebekah Fergusson on Vimeo.

The Movement Grows

Michele Bachmann's movement to save the dollar from an enemy that doesn't exist has grown to 31 people. All 31 sponsors of the bill (32 if you count Bachmann) are Republican. Democrats painting Republicans as the 'Party of No' has been a pretty successful tactic so far. I only wish they would take it further and point out that trying to work with a party littered with conspiracy theorists is impossible.

I Predict Things

Soccer: US/Trinidad and Tobago....

I think this is about as close as you can get to a lock in WC qualifying. I think there is a good deal of pride within the US National Team that they are now the top dog in the CONCACAF region. I think the US side will be looking to squash any doubts that people might have about being top dog after their embarrassing 2-2 tie this past weekend. The US will also be getting Tim Howard and possibly Gooch back in the line-up so some of the miscues from this past weekend should be cleaned up. If I were a betting man, I would feel pretty good betting the over on any 2.5 lines.

Current prediction record: 6-5

Overnight Non-Music

I started writing poetry in large part because in middle school I was a nerdy four eyed geek who was in love with a certain Angie Davis. It didn't work out because I wasn't able to write like this.....and still can't.

Torture Doesn't Work

Unless you are Jack Bauer.

Finn and Warrick reported that "not a single significant plot was foiled" as a result of Zubaida's brutal treatment -- and that, quite to the contrary, his false confessions "triggered a series of alerts and sent hundreds of CIA and FBI investigators scurrying in pursuit of phantoms."

Also, water is wet.

Stop The Stupid

One reason that newspapers are dropping like flies these days is that they publish stupid shit like this. Andrew Klavan wants people to know Limbaugh is awesome. Let the stupid begin....

Which leads to a question: Why not? I mean, come on, the guy's one of the figures of the age. Aren't you even curious? I listen to all your guys: NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, The Times, the New York Times, the New Yorker -- I check out the whole left-wing hallelujah chorus. Why are you afraid to spend a couple of hours listening to Limbaugh's show and seriously considering if and why you disagree with him?

Gimmick journalism sucks.

Joe Cole does some digging in the comments section of the article to find more stupid.

There seems to me no question that the Batman film “The Dark Knight,” currently breaking every box office record in history, is at some level a paean of praise to the fortitude and moral courage that has been shown by George W. Bush in this time of terror and war. Like W, Batman is vilified and despised for confronting terrorists in the only terms they understand. Like W, Batman sometimes has to push the boundaries of civil rights to deal with an emergency, certain that he will re-establish those boundaries when the emergency is past.

I thought Bush was like Jack Bauer?

Poker: Trip Report

Trip Report From the Burbs

This blog is seriously lacking in some poker talk. A trip report from the other, more bald Adam, aka "Chopenstein".

I arrive somewhere in the Pickerington vicinity – not your typical burb, cookie-cutter house. Ranch style home, living room front and center, wood burning fire place on the right wall, big flat screen right above. Table 1 to the left. Kitchen table straight ahead, labeled “Cash game”. Big giant yard behind (150 yards, I’m told – about an 8-iron’s worth for those with a little meat behind their swing, no offense CFO) with screened in porch, pool, huge deck... Did not even get to see the first floor extension of bed rooms or finished basement.

Between the living room and kitchen on the right was the door to the garage where tables 2 and 3 were located, accompanied with a wood burning stove and the sign-up headquarters to the far right and room.

Let’s digress for a moment – I was hungover. Bad.

Dizzy and nauseous most of the day, it was all I could do to shower and drive the 25 minutes for what promised to be a very uncomfortable evening of sitting and concentrating. What I needed was a couch and a nap. 14 hours of March Madness and Golden Tee the night before, combined with a throwback hour at Brewstirs proved to be a lethal combination. Fast forward....

$20 buy in, $5 bounty per person. 24 players. Blinds go up every 24 minutes, beginning with 5-10, 10-20, 25-50, 50-100, 75-150, 150-300, 300-600….. Starting stack of 1,400. Top four pay. $240, $120, $72, $48. I get my table assignment. Table 3, seat 5. Of the four people I’ve met before or know, none of them are at my table. Perfect. I can use whatever stored energy to figure out my opponents rather than feel obligated to engage in small talk with friends. The wooziness continued regardless. I found myself miscounting chips, spilling 7UP, knocking over my stack and flipping my cards over (folding to a raise) not realizing there was still action to go… Who brought the new guy?

First 20 minutes the woman across from me is running over everyone. Every time she bets, she peers over my shoulder to read the far wall, which has a sign signifying what each chip equals. There was one right over her shoulder, but I wasn’t going to break her bad habit. Three hands she won, she had her opponent dominated. Flopped straight, trips and two pair.

I get a hand, pocket 6s, limps all around and we go to the flop four ways. 10,3,2. (Blinds 5-10). Check, check, check, I bet 30. Fold, fold, aforementioned woman calls. Turn 9. Woman checks, I check. River blank. Woman checks, I bet 30, Woman calls with KK..... Not sure why she never a) led out or b) raised me, but in not doing so I wasted two bets, because I likely would have folded to her action. Blinds go up.

Before the first break I’m dealt 99, blinds 10-20. I raise to 60 with two limpers behind me. They both call – 3-way. Flop is rags. I bet out 120. call, call. Turn is a queen and I tuck my sack in by checking. Check-check. River is an A and I internally groan. I check. Calling station bets, bulldozer woman calls, I grudgingly fold but know I’m beat. They both had A8 and I’m now convinced that any A plays as it’s the third time A high has been taken to the river by at least four players at the table. Time to play premium hands only. Break time – good, I need fuel. Warrior is about to die....

Over the next 25 minutes I’m pretty card-dead. I see a cheap flop with 5,6 suited, but whiff. Things begin to look up as I take down a decent pot with AK after I push the bulldozer lady off with a 300 bet on the turn with a K on the flop. A couple hands later, I have the dreaded AQ. Raise. Bulldozer calls. Flop is Q,J,10. She pushes all in (short stack) and I insta-call. She has K,10 for bottom pair and the up and down - *sigh* a 9 on the river gives her the straight and puts me under 10x the blinds, which are now at 50-100. With just under 900 chips, I’m dealt A-10 suited hearts on the button – one limper behind me and I push. BB calls me with AJ… I have him covered by 10 chips, wohoo! SB informs me she had a 10. Guh. A two-outter 10 finds me on the turn and I send the father of the host packing. That can’t be good karma, but whatever; I’m back to just above my starting stack at about 1,600. We break to merge down to two tables and I feel like I have new life.

Our new table consists of the A-high calling station, Troy (who has been at the same table all night, playing a wide range of hands), the mom of the host, Andy whom I’ve met several times before, two random hot chicks and two others that don’t last long. Blinds at 75-150.

No memorable hands here, but I was able to knock out a short stack with 10-10 and push Andy off a couple of pots after he checked post flop. He had a good stack and didn’t seem like he wanted to risk putting a dent in it, so two all-in pushes were good enough to get my stack up over 3k.

The two random hot chicks were screwing up our table mojo, however. Blinds were clearly at the next level, but somehow they managed to deal themselves into an extra hand of lower blinds. That and they reversed the shuffling order, so that the player who was about to deal shuffled their own deck, as opposed to the former button…. FLOOR! No one said anything, as it was all we could do to keep the action flowing. Thankfully there were several short stacks at our table and the field dwindled swiftly.

Sooner than expected, we were down to 9 and re-drew for final table seats. One to the left in seat 5, on the other side of the host’s mother. Troy was in the same spot in seat 9 and Andy was to my right in seat six and a poker club dealer was in seat 7. Blinds 150-300.

More of the same, I stole a few blinds with raises, but was happy not to get any action against AJ, KQ, etc. So I treaded water as the blinds crept up to 3-600 while four players were sent to the rail, three of which were courtesy of Troy, who had the table dominated in stack size. Andy was second; poker dealer was third, I was about a blind or two ahead of the other short stack. Five to go. Troy and dealer chick kept raising and stealing blinds, which was fine by me as it meant I maintained my lead over short stack.

Finally, Troy predictably raises and the short stack tanks, then grudgingly calls. I look at my cards as a mere formality expecting to get out of the way but see A7. As I said earlier, Troy has been all over the map. Best I’ve seen him play was A-rag. He’s raised with 10-8, 10-9, Q-4, etc. Plus at 3x the blinds, I don’t have much choice. Of course, I’m saying this out loud and he shoots back a “thanks for noticing”. I say “I bet you woke up with a hand here, but I gotta believe my ace is good” and re-raise all in for another 800. He calls with AQ, short stack has Q9 and Troy takes us both out. Having the short stack covered, I squeeze my way into fourth place for $48 plus two bounties, totaling $58, more than double my buy in. Troy, who had an O’Shea's coin card-protector, went on to win over dealer chick, with Andy taking third. Great group of people, good times.

Next chapter: Cash Game; Table image, Drunky Mike and the Power Hand.