I’d Still Take Favre Today

Back in 1998, when football still mattered a little bit, the Minnesota Vikings, whom I had not been a big fan of since Bud Grant left in the 80’s, put together the most explosive offense in history. Wideouts Randy Moss, Chris Carter and Jake Reed were the best in the game, underrated Robert Smith was among the top two or three running backs in the entire league, the line was awesome, and they were able to score all those 500+ points with Brad Johnson (for about 1 game) and Randall Cunningham (subbing for the injured Johnson) the rest of the way. 

Those who followed the Vikes liked to say “only Dennis Green can keep this team from winning it all”, and sure enough, Dennis Green did just that, blowing the NFC Championship game to Atlanta when he decided to suddenly become a grind-it-out, run oriented offense.  They were so good, I briefly became a fan again.

The only thing that would have made it any better were if one Brett Favre would have been the QB. That team would have averaged 50 points a game and scored 800 points on the year had the great #4 been running the show. It would have been ugly.

Anyway, fast forward nine years. As I am now just a casual-at-best fan of the NFL - no more fantasy leagues, no more entire Sundays spent watching this stuff - I look at the stats now and then, and I catch the occasional highlights while whipping through the dial. And sure enough, here’s this grizzled veteran, usually sporting some stubble, still wearing a green #4, still slingin’ fastballs to a host of nameless wideouts, and still moving the football up the field with regularity. Today, against Minnesota, he broke Dan Marino’s all-time record for TD passes.

I look at the other QB’s available, and there are some decent ones (not nearly the depth at the position that was enjoyed in the 70’s and 80’s, however), but all in all, if I were told I had to draft a team today and try to build a winner, I’d take one Brett Favre with my very first pick. I’d take him and whatever he’s got left in the tank (one year, two at most?) and I’d let him teach everybody else what it’s like to be a football player. I’d take him, sit back, and enjoy the excitement wondering if he was going to toss an underhanded 25-yard scrambling strike or drill a 45-yard laser into double coverage, or knock the numbers off his receiver with a 12-yard, 100 MPH bullet on a slant…or just throw an insanely stupid interception while trying to make something magical happen.

I’d watch him pump his arms joyfully on every touchdown as if they were his first, pat his opponents playfully on the ass after they sack him, smiling the whole time, or get up after being drilled and pick mud off his face mask.

There have been some unbelievable talents at that position over the years, I’ve always been most fond of Montana, Elway, Stabler, and a bunch of others…but Brett Favre is the best. Mr. Favre, it’s been a pleasure watching you work.

Condi Gore Speaks

What are the flat-earth, Gore-haters on the far right going to do now? 

Rice warns about Global Warming.

Lovie Growing A Brain?

Looks like the Bears season might have a chance of being saved.

Dudes, with an improved NFC, as long as Rex plays, your chances of making the playoffs diminish. If this move is made, it will turn out to be the right one.

Drug Stores Overcharging For More Than Just Medicine

On InsightBB’s homepage today, there is this story: 

Inspectors Find Overcharging At Pharmacies
Sep 23, 2007

The Chicago Department of Consumer Services has discovered an epidemic of overcharging at some of the city’s pharmacies. Department investigators recently posed as customers at more than 180 CVS, Walgreen’s and Osco stores. They found that 71 of the pharmacies overcharged for all kinds of products, including blood glucose monitors, cough syrup and razors. One investigator was charged nearly 80 dollars for a glucose monitor that was listed at about ten dollars.

Color me not surprised. But it’s not just drugs they overcharge for. Just the other day, I stopped at a CVS. I walked down a few aisles, seeing if there was anything I could pick up. I saw a six-pack of Propel Fitness Water. Diane and I have been drinking a lot of this, and we usually pay $2.97 for a six pack at the local Evil Mart. I’d rather buy my groceries and beverages at other places than Evil Mart, but when the CVS price is $5.29 for the same six pack, and you’re on a limited budget, you’re almost FORCED to shop at Evil Mart, or you don’t eat.

I asked a CVS employee to justify the disparity, and he said “they must be taking a loss on it, because we can’t buy the stuff that cheap.” Well, then use your head. STOP ordering from whatever grocery wholesaler is ripping you off unless they drop the price to a more competitive level, or find another wholesaler who will. If those things don’t work, you go down to Evil Mart and buy your week’s supply for your shelves from Evil Mart. You buy it for $2.97 and sell it for $3.39, and you make a profit off of those who just don’t want to go to Evil Mart. Heck, if it was that close, I’D be shopping at CVS more.  But sadly, it’s not.

Now, on the other hand, if you’re NOT paying over $2.97 per six pack, YOU are the ones ripping people off at $5.29 and you don’t deserve the business anyway.

(more…)

In The News…With Commentary

1. Alaska’s “Bridge To Nowhere” project scrapped.

No one affected by decision.

2. “Crazy” Bull Escapes And Beats Up House.

Just before attack, homeowner was in front yard bragging about his outdoor grilling skills.

3. New phenomenon: Tattoo Remorse.

Nothing like a tramp stamp on a lower back to embarrass your kids. Also fun: when that cute little “sun” tattoo around your belly button becomes an oblong and stretched out semi-circle that looks more like a 3-year old took a couple of Sharpies to you while you slept.

4. Was the pope euthanized?

It this is true, to paraphrase Doc Holliday, it seems the church’s hypocrisy knows no bounds.

5. Greenland wants the world to stay away.

Telling line from the article: Aqqaluk Lynge, president of Inuit Circumpolar Conference Greenland…says. “Every night I pray they don’t find oil and gas in Greenland.”  I agree, because if you did, Dubya and The Big Dick would have troops there next week taking out civilians in order to “liberate” you from Denmark.

6. O’Rielly fears Democratic victory in ‘08.

Ah, yes. “We Report…And We Decide For You.”

Marcel Marceau Dead At 84

I’m guessing he died quietly at home.

Was This Letter Supposed To Be Serious Or A Joke?

I hope it was the latter.

I spit Dr. Pepper when I read this in the PJS today. If it’s a serious letter, I feel very bad for the writer, I really do.

I also got a kick out of this comment among those following the letter:

Don’t let these left leaning America haters get you down. Continue on with your support of America and all that it stands for.

I Hope This Isn’t True

Saw this AP story tonight. Cringed.

The first paragraph:

 BAGHDAD - Iraqi investigators have a videotape that shows Blackwater USA guards opened fire against civilians without provocation in a shooting last week that left 11 people dead, a senior Iraqi official said Saturday. He said the case was referred to the Iraqi judiciary.

Response to the Mouse, Who’s Running HIS Mouth Without The Facts.

Discussion continued from Billy’s blog.

Let me respond to you’re latest, Mouse: If you’re going to base the Cubs .667 record against the AL as “proof” of anything, let’s look at the facts: The FACT is the Cubs played 12 interleague games, the LEAST of ANY team in baseball. Further, the FACT is SIX of those 12 were played against the White Sox, not exactly playing their best this year, eh? But I stand by my statement that given a chance to be in the Comedy Central this year, they’d be in the hunt. (more…)

Way To Go, Jim!

Jim Thome nailed his 500th homer today, and it was a beauty, a game winner to put a good feeling in an otherwise dismal White Sox season.

Like I wrote on Billy’s blog, it’s just too damn bad he played at the same time as the steroid a-munches who have ruined the greatest game. If there were no ‘roids, Barroid Bonds would still be at about 400 homers (and long since retired). Sammy Sosa would still be in the 400’s, too. Only Mark McGwire (who didn’t need them, but took them anyway, the freakin’ moron loser) and Junior Griffey would compare to Thome’s career. But because of ‘roids, lots of guys are putting up big homer numbers the last 10-15 years, and therefore “diminishing” Thome’s accomplishments. Not in my eyes.

He’s one of the best. A big Illinois country boy who worked and worked and worked and now look at him…500 homers. Up there with the greats, like Mantle, Killebrew, Frank Robinson, etc. Good for him. He’s a Hall of Famer in my book. And because of McGwire’s transgressions, one of the two greatest sluggers of this generation along with Junior, who I don’t believe has ever juiced up. But if it’s ever proven that Junior was on the juice, then he goes into the same pile of crap that Bonds and Sosa are in, and Thome stands alone. For right now, I’ll give Griffey the benefit of the doubt.

Definition of pathetic: Bears and Vikings offenses.

All Bear fans like to hate the Minnesota Vikings, and it’s been easy to laugh at that franchise the last few years. But this year’s teams have something in common: Bad offense led by bad quarterbacks.

The Vikes have played two games and the offense has scored two touchdowns. Meanwhile, the defense has scored three, so the “team” is averaging 21 points per game…which is misleading. The Viking offense stinks. But it’s STILL better than the Bears’ offense. Why? Because Minnesota has the better Adrian Peterson.

The Bears have played two games. Their offense has scored one touchdown. The only other TD today came from the special teams, by way of Devin Hester (who also had one called back). Rex Grossman is terrible. When is the staff going to admit it? When are the fans going to admit it?

The most hilarious thing I heard all day was driving to Peoria and listening to the pre-game predictions by the so-called “experts” on WBBM-AM. “28-12″ said one (I have no idea who these guys are…don’t care), and the other blurted out “31-3″. I about swerved off Route 78 into a Stark Co. cornfield in a fit of laughter. These guys made the old Saturday Night Live “Super Fans” predictions seem positively sane.

28? 31? The Bears couldn’t score that many right now in a scrimmage with Metamora H.S. Are you kidding me? Time to take off the Navy and Orange shades, folks, this team isn’t scoring 28 anytime soon, unless Hester returns THREE kicks for TD’s in one game. Sheesh.

But their fans and “experts” on air are certainly entertaining.  

Overhead Between Bush and Cheney Today: “Oops. Didn’t Play That Right.”

Gotta love it. Nothing but hardball from Sen. Warner, Sen. Hagel, Sen. Coleman, and Sen. Lugar, all GOP’ers, today, at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting with General Patreaus.  If the Bush administration was expecting “toe the line” partisanship…um, well…no. Wrong again.

It’s certainly a case of too little, too late for many of these Repubs, who are now trying to save face (and their jobs, in many cases) after the dismal performance of the Worst President Ever, but at least they’re seeing the light, finally. With the notable exception of Hagel, of course, who’s been critical of the Iraq “war” for a long, long time.

As we sit here tonight, six years later, and wonder why the bearded evil one still is making tapes (and dying his beard black), here we also sit tonight, with Generals being grilled by Senators on the subject of Iraq…a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. Nothing.

Bradley Fans Take Note

Those who follow the Braves and keep tabs on the nickname controversy with the NCAA might want to read this story from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, to see how other schools are doing in their fight.

For the record, my feeling is this: There’s only one truly offensive name left in sports, and it’s right under the noses of our nation’s legislators. Until something is done about the name “Redskins” and someone stands up to the bully NFL, the NCAA should leave EVERY school alone regarding this matter. Also for the record, I have no problem with “Warriors”, “Braves”, “Chiefs”, “Sioux”, “Illini”, “Seminole”, and every other team nickname which harkens to a tribe or their bravest warriors. Those who knuckled under since this became an issue 20 or so years ago should be ashamed. There really wasn’t a need to, unless your nickname was “Redskins”. Now, those who used offensive mascots or awful caricatures and changed them…I’m fine with that…but there’s nothing wrong with honoring a people with a name like “Brave” or “Warrior”.

Didn’t Hear Much About This…Wonder Why

http://www.premierelections.com/newsroom/premier81607.htm

Apparently we won’t have Diebold to watch for fraud during the next election cycle. The Diebold people, of course, want us to think they’ve just “gone away” from the election process. But rest assured, those on the right who enjoyed the Diebold CEO’s “guarantee” that he’d bring home the 2004 election for Bush (which, btw, he did), they are still going to be around. Just under a different name.

Now, let’s see if “Premier Election Solutions” tells us they can’t create a machine with a paper trail. Funny, I can be in Cancun and get a print out (er, paper trail) of my bank balance 2,000 miles away, but those voting machines made by the same company in ‘04 couldn’t print a paper trail in the same room.

Let’s hope for something better in ‘08, but I’m not holding my breath. BTW, when I think of the term “Solutions” at the end of their name…what “solutions” are they talking about? A “solution” to cover up the true results so their chosen candidates will win?

Preferential Treatment For Cop?

You decide.

Is this normal?

NASCAR Systematically Pushes A Fan Away

Here’s how NASCAR (or “NAZICAR”, as I call them), FINALLY got me to go completely away. It’s really brilliant.

You take a person who has been hooked on your sport since his youth, and you make decision after decision to lessen that person’s interest. I mean, who would want that kind of fan anymore, you know the kind, the one who actually cares about the sport and spends money on it? Not NASCAR. To get rid of me (for the rest of this diatribe, me = “The Fan”) NASCAR went into “Turn Off The Fan” mode.

These are not in chronological order, but rather listed in “order of decreasing The Fan’s interest” in the sport:

1. Ignoring the short tracks - The best tracks are the small ones…Bristol, Martinsville, Richmond, and those that are now completely off the schedule like North Wilkesboro and Nashville. The Fan prefers the short tracks to the cookie-cutter, 1.5 mile tracks. The Fan also prefers real ovals (Bristol) to the Quad-, Tri- and D-shaped “ovals” prevalent today. Interest level: Down to 90%.

2. Template racing - It used to be “he who builds the best car wins”. NASCAR has consistently changed the rules to “level the playing field”, which ultimately resulted in today’s “template cars”, where the only way to distinguish a car’s make is by the different headlight, grille and taillight decals they slap on them. Sucks. If The Fan wanted to watch 40 identical body styles in one race, The Fan would watch Indy Car racing. The Fan does not. Interest level: 70%.

3. The “Chase For the Cup” - NASCAR has succumbed to the “playoff atmosphere” of other sports. After 26 races, their are only 12 cars left that can win the championship, the “playoffs”.  Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Interest level: 47%.

4. Playing Favorites - NASCAR has long been accused of fixing races. The Fan doesn’t know that they ever have out-and-out fixed a race, but they can certainly “help” a race get the desired (in their eyes), by turning the other cheek during inspection, by throwing convenient-for-some yellow flags, all sorts of ways. And NASCAR has done it. Many times. Interest level: 35%

5. Politics and religion - NASCAR does not hide it’s political allegiences. It is a Republican organization, and makes no bones about it. Only GOP presidents are invited to attend races. Drivers are told to “lean right”. No other sport is this blatant in trying to sway it’s followers to vote one way over the other. Likewise, when it comes to religion, NASCAR hides nothing. Their most recent TV contracts  REQUIRE the networks to stay live to hear the “invocation” (re: christian prayer) before each race. Blatantly thumbing their nose at The Fan, who is free of religion. Interest level: 22%.

6. Allowing Toyota into the sport - I know, I know, not very “liberal” of me to be upset about this one. That’s because The Fan is a political moderate, but that’s another story. NASCAR is stock car racing for AMERICAN stock cars. Not Toyotas. The Fan has heard all the excuses: “Chrysler is owned by a German company”, “Toyotas are built here”. Shut up. Doesn’t matter. There are still “the big three” when it comes to making AMERICAN cars. Interest level: 9%.

7. The Last Straw - With no Pontiacs to root for since Chevrolet whined loud enough internally to make GM push Pontiac out of NASCAR, The Fan’s almost minimal interest is limited to “The Anti-Jeff Gordon”, Tony Stewart. A guy who says what’s on his mind. A guy who people love to hate. A guy who is really a liberal but isnt’ allowed to say so because he’d get in trouble with not only NASCAR, but his overtly religious car owner Joe Gibbs if he did. A guy who backs up his talk. A guy who tells reporters to screw off. A guy who calls NASCAR out on their inconsistencies. A guy, like The Fan, who in reality can’t stand NASCAR and what it’s become, but remains part of it because he inherently loves racing…no matter how flawed the sanctioning body is and now matter how hard they try to wreck it. Well, Tony Stewart is, according to reports, going to be driving a Toyota next year in his last year under contract with Joe Gibbs. Gibbs will announce Wednesday that they are going to take Toyota’s cash and run with it. And that’s the last straw. When the only guy you can stomach in the entire damn sport has to get in a vehicle with “toyota” decals all over it, the camel’s back is broken. Interest level: ZERO.

Goodbye, NAZICAR, hope you’re happy.

Senator Craig’s List Of Dalliances Is…er, Coming Out Into The Open

Oh, so many puns in one headline.

Be that as it may, I’m already hearing a lot of “where’s the proof?” arguments in the case of Senator Craig. Well, the Idaho Statesman has been doing it’s homework all along, and apparently these rumors about Senator Craig date back to 1982, when in a Mark Foley-like story, he was accused of having sex with underage pages. Here’s a story with lots of findings:

http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/143801.html

The story includes, among other juicy tidbits, this:

The most serious finding by the Statesman was the report by a professional man with close ties to Republican officials. The 40-year-old man reported having oral sex with Craig at Washington’s Union Station, probably in 2004. The Statesman also spoke with a man who said Craig made a sexual advance toward him at the University of Idaho in 1967 and a man who said Craig “cruised” him for sex in 1994 at the REI store in Boise.

Boy, oh, boy. Between the hypocrisy of Vitter, Craig, Foley, Haggard, etc., it appears that these kinds of liars are the rule, not the exception, in today’s GOP.

Is TV Really This Bad?

Whipping through the dial this morning (Sunday), looking for something to watch for awhile before heading outside, and I see this on TBS: “Fresh Prince Marathon”.

Are you serious? A marathon of “Fresh Prince” episodes?

That’s like Speed running “Best of Ford: The Pinto Years”.

That’s like MTV running a Milli Vanilli marathon.

It’s like C-Span showing “George W. Bush: His Best Decisions” (okay, that would just be dead air for several hours)

That’s like ESPN running a marathon of Chicago Cubs World Series highlights. (see: GWB above)

Nice Shirt…Not

Standing in line at a Canton bank yesterday, I see a decent looking young man, in his 20’s, tall, not overly muscled, just a big-boned boy who looked like he might have been a decent high school offensive tackle.

After filling out my deposit slip, I looked up and saw his shirt. The Rebel Flag was the prominent piece, covering most of his back. The words above it were: “It’s a WHITE thang.” (yes, “thang”) and the words below were: “…you got a problem with that?”

In hockey, you get a penalty for “instigating”. This guy should remember that.

We haven’t gotten very far as a society, have we?