Perhaps Not So Bleak

I wrote yesterday that Dallas did not deserve to make the playoffs. That remains to be true; however, apparently no other team (save ATL) in the NFC is prepared to make Dallas pay for its transgressions. The Bucs, Iggles, and Vikings all lost games that would have given them control over their playoff qualification.

So now I can root for my team with a clear conscience. Win and they're in. Sweet.

You're Kidding Me

I understand blogging is supposed to be your first reaction to something...

Tonight's game had 3 "you're fucking kidding me" moments. The first was the ball inexpicably bouncing away from Ken Hamlin and right to a one-armed Derrick Mason on a LeRon McClain fumble. The second was Willis McGahee's 77-yard run after Dallas' offense finally decided to start playing. Hamlin makes that tackle 80% of the time. Ugh. The third was McClain's 83-yard run after the offense had gutted out another long drive to pull within 2. The last two runs happened within 3 minutes of each other. Ridiculous.

These are plays that happen on Madden, not in the NFL. How can any self-respecting defense NOT make those tackles. To be honest, I didn't watch the McClain run but hte once, so I can't really offer any explanation- but know that those types of runs rarely happen once- let alone twice- in games. For the D to play so well for 3.5 quarters then fall apart is devestating.

Dallas does not deserve to make the playoffs. I have no idea what that means- long term. Should Wade lose his job? I dunno. Should TO be cut? Dunno. Is Romo the real deal? Dunno. Can Dallas win a game of importance in December/January? Dunno- but know that they need to in order to be taken seriously. Too many questions, and not enough answers. Ugh.

On Terrell

With the rumor mill swirling and ESPN falling over itself trying to invent a story, I thought I'd talk a little about the media's favorite go to story, TO.

First of all, I seriously doubt the credibility of the two lead reporters on this story, Ed Werder and Matt Mosley. Both of these guys have been covering the 'Boys since the mid 90's, and in my opinion, always present the news out of Valley Ranch with a jaundiced eye. The criticism that comes from these two guys is never constructive and more often than not portrays the organization as dysfunctional.

Now, I understand that Dallas' place as America's Team places them in the spotlight more than other franchises- they are the Yankees of the NFL. No matter what Dallas accomplishes, the success of the past will always be used as the measuring tool. And I'm OK with that. In fact, I invite it. America loves to build players and teams up so they can watch them fall and complain about it along the way. Virtually since its inception, Dallas has enjoyed unprecedented success- 8 Super Bowl appearances, 5 Super Bowl titles, 20 straight 10-win seasons. The Star is one of the most recognizable logos in popular culture.

That said, I tire of media types looking for reasons to declare the Cowboys locker room a disaster area. Most of these talking heads were the same one slurping the 'Boys in preseason. Now, the flavor of the week is Dallas' doomsday (pun intended).

The facts are these: Romo is in this 3rd year as a starter (Peyton Manning didn't win a meaningful game until his 6th year), and has a bit of Favre-ishness in him. You take the good (scrambling around for 10 seconds, then finding TO in the back of the end zone) with the bad (pass to Deshea Townsend). He and TO have combined for more TD passes than any other duo since 2006. Romo looks for the open receiver and gets them the ball. If it's Witten, TO, Crayton, Barber, Bennett, whoever. That is how you want your QB to play.

Does Romo have a level of confidence in Witten that he doesn't with TO, Crayton and Roy11? Of course- Roy11 has played 3 games with him, Crayton dropped a very catchable ball in last years playoff loss vs the G-men and broke off a route that would've won the game, and TO drops balls like his name is Braylon. I can remember only one game that Witten dropped a ball- Week 6 vs Arizona. Witten and Romo room together on the road, went to Cabo together during the bye week last year, and are great friends. Aikman had a similar relationship with Jay Novacek. None of these things are bad.

This whole thing is blown out of proportion- and it will all go away when the 'Boys beat the Giants on Sunday.

Oops

Ok, so I've been a little lax- par for the course. So many things- so little time. Here are some things I've been thinking about...

Cowboys Update- With 3 games to go, the 'Boys are currently in 6th place in the NFC. Had Romo not decided to give the ball back to the Steelers 4 times, they would still be in 6th (thank you for the chicken-shit punt, Mike Smith!), but in a better position as compared to the teams chasing them for the final playoff spot. Hosting the G-Men this week and the Nevermores (thank you, TMQ!) next- in what will be the final home game in Texas Stadium-, then traveling to Philly to finish the season, the 'Boys need to win at least 2 to get in. Preferably, they will win the 2 NFC games.

Regardless, I cannot understand why Jerry Jones threw Marion the Barbarian under the bus this week. I know JJ is all about JJ (he loves him some him- thanks TO!), but why question the toughness of the most physical back in the league? What purpose does that serve? Baffling.

Addictions-Besides the aforementioned TMQ (that's Tuesday Morning Quarterback Gregg Easterbrook on ESPN.com- I'd give a link but he has no dedicated home page- look for it anyway), I have been reading as much from the National Football Post as I can. Good stuff. Matt Bowen's player column is outstanding, even if he is a Deadskin.

In non-football related addictions, the Planet Money podacst from NPR is an outstanding take on the current financial climate. I also enjoy My History Can Beat Up Your Politics podcast.

In music, I am currently playing out the new Oasis album, Dig Out Your Soul, the Flobots album Fight With Tools, and The Mouse and the Mask by Danger Doom.

As for books, I just bought American Brutus by Michael Kauffman, The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell, and More Information Than You Require by John Hodgman. I highly recommend them all.

Politics- Can I buy a Senate seat? Damn!

Recap

Ok, not much new here. The same tired attack lines, Obama's unflappability.

A couple of points:

Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, believed in the federal government's supremacy over the states. They also believed in an elite, ruling class. Modern conservatives are only Federalists in that they believe in the elite ruling class. Of course, in my humble opinion, the Civil War was ultimately over federal supremacy. The underlying issue was slavery, but the ideological fight was over whether or not the federal government had the right to tell states to fall in line. The federal government won the war. To me, that should have ended the argument. I realize that this is a very simplistic analysis, but it cuts to the heart of the matter. Thematically, our country's history after 1865 can be seen through the prism of federal assertion of power. Labor Reform, Civil Rights, Voting Rights all fit thematically into government assertion of supremacy. States rights advocates scream bloody murder whenever the federal government wants them to do something, yet comes running to the teat of the federal coffers when they run out of money, and cry foul if restrictions are placed on those monies.

For all the crying about earmarks, one would think that the federal budget was weighed down by the immensity of bridges to nowhere. But it is those kinds of "sweeteners" that get more important policies enacted. It buys votes, which is necessary both for legislators, who can go back to their constituents and point to this money they got, and to the country as a whole.

As far as transparency in government goes, Fareed Zakaria made and excellent point in his book, The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad, that "sunshine laws" which supposedly offer more transparency to government actually undermine the democratic system. Since the average person doesn't spend their time sifting through the intricacies of the government, they don't get much benefit. However, lobbying groups do. I encourage everyone to read it.

In summation, if Obama hasn't wrapped up this election with his performace tonight, then Americans really have been damaged by four years of Bush far more than we thought.

The End (My Friend)

9:56- Health Care- I am curious to hear how McCain will twist Obama's policy here. Obama is very concise and clear.

9:58- McCain: Cost of health care rising. Health care records on line, obesity, employee rewards for being in shape. $5,000 tax credit. Back to Joe the plumber. He just seems out of touch with the realities of the system already in place.

10:02- Obama attacks McCain's policy in a easy going manner. There is no way (unless race rears its ugly head) Obama should lose this election.

10:03- McCain seems petty. And keeps bringing up Joe the plumber. I am beginning to resent Joe the plumber. He's gotten more mentions than Biden, Palin and Nancy Reagan combined.

Senator Government. I like the slip. Not as good as "that one", but good nonetheless.

10:06- Abortion. Uh, oh. If McCain is a Federalist, why does he want to give states all the power? Becaue he doesn't understand what a Federalist is. I will expand on this in my post game report.

10:09- Obama understands the role of the Federal government vs state governments, and wants women to decide. Shocking concept.

10:11- McCain wants the government to leave businesses alone, but wants to impose moral mandates on citizens. I don't understand this conservative position at all. It is totally incongruous. Will someone please explain it to me? Seriously.

10:15- McCain seems more agitated as we go. Not good. More and more like Stadler and Waldorf.

10:17- Education. Obama links education ot national security. Well done.

I like the $4,000 credit for service. Good idea.

Civil Rights issue= Education? Uh, ok. Gay Rights? Nah.

Blame the schools. Excellent. Reward good teachers, fire bad ones. Amazing. Where does he come up with these ideas? Oh, right- NCLB.

Can we talk about how not every person needs to go to college? Nevermind.

Feds in Schools- hot topic. Local control. Obama is correct in pointing out the unfunded mandates, in both NCLB and Special Ed.

McCain is really going to bring up the DC school system as his example? Really? Jeebus, he is clueless.

Does Joe the plumber have children with autism?

I think this talk about autism is code for this conservative movement to blame vaccinations, which is irresponsible. And wrong.

McCain closes with a snarky comment. Fitting.

10:27- Final Remarks. McCain- I just want to point out that service in the military does not automatically qualify someone for office, nor does lack of military service automatically disqualify someone for office. Yet, "putting country first" is the common call of conservatives who believe that military service is the be-all, end-all of service to the nation. The hardest part of my job is having to listen to that nonsense all the time. Oh, and McCain talked about the stock market as if it were the barometer of economic health. It's not. Another conservative myth.

Obama- Not easy, not quick. He took the straight talk to McCain. Blowout.

The Middle

9:34- Obama has so much more respect for the campaign as a whole than McCain does. Why are we going back to ACORN? Can we talk about Keating? No, beacuse Obama has too much class to bring it up, and is correct about the tenor of politics- making each other seem evil instead of attacking ideas. And he won't go to McCain's associattions (go to the New Yorker magazine and the article by Hendrik Hertzberg for details).

9:41- Running mates! This should be good...

Palin is a role model? She has a pregnant teen and opposes premarital sex, she abused the power of her office for a personal vendetta, and she has no clue about international politics. Ok, a role model for conservative idealogues.

Again, Obama has a respectful answer. Well done. McCain claims that it was obvious that we had to go into Iraq the first time. It is? Really? Because we did? Nice circular logic. And good use of the word cockamamie. McCain sounds like Stadler & Waldorf.

9:48- Obama talking directly into the camera. Except when he looks at his ring finger. Does he have crib notes there?

9:50- NAFTA- Obama brings it up, and McCain's eyes light up. Uh,oh. Where is he gonna take this?

Offshore drilling will not be feasible for ten years. Which is not now. And is definitely not McCain's now. Or then. Eeesh.

Drug War! Let us PLEASE talk about this. Oh, wait. Drugs kill kids. Nevermind.

9:55- McCain back on the attack- restrict trade, raise taxes, Hoover. Nice. Wrong, misleading, and disingenuous, but typical.

The Beginning

9:00 p.m. EDT- I am watching on PBS, so I don't have to see the ridiculous crawl on CNN (or listen to Wolf "they are so poor, and they are so black" Blitzer), or hear the ridiculous commentary from everyone else. I wish the Daily Show would cover these things live.

9:02- Starting with new programs. I don't understand what all these programs have to do with the credit freeze, but ok. What I see is all of these programs promote MORE government spending. I am not against government spending, just large deficit spending. And what happens if China refuses to lend us any more money?

9:04- McCain puts the blame for the housing failures on Fannie and Freddy. Ugh. Here we go again...

9:06- Obama actually has something new to say!! Huzzah! I like the idea of taking away tax breaks for outsourcing. I like that. McCain is telling a story about a plumber. Huh? Oh, he's talking about tax brackets. And bullshit is coming out his ear. Nice comeback by Obama. By my count, Obama 2, McCain 0.

9:11- Now McCain is talking about money redistribution. Typical Republican boilerplate. I hate Republicans. Obama seems so much more calm and at ease. Even McCain's laugh is phony. Ugh.

9:13- Bob Shiffer is doing a great job as moderator. I like this format, with the candidates sitting. It's more like a discussion. Obama is talking in circles, and is reverting back to Democratic boilerplate. Ugh. McCain is talking about Depression-era programs that purposefully excluded minorities. Yeah, we should go back to that.

9:18- McCain keeps telling me that he knows how to do stuff, but offers no details. Except going back to pork-barrel spending. Line-item veto alert! Uh, the Supreme Court ruled that unconstitutional. Case closed. Earmarks are such as small part of the budget, which Obama smartly points out. Damn, he's good.

9:21- States "balance" their budgets because the federal government subsidizes them. How can Senators not know this?

9:24- High road question- nice. Well formulated, too. Let's see them run around this...McCain's up first. We go to Lewis. Unfortunate. He wants Obama to repudiate Lewis' remarks, but won't repudiate Palin's (pals with terrorists). Hypocrite. Obama is handling this well. He makes good points, and is very classy. He just seems more presidential.

9:30- Fuck you, McCain for bringing up the Dallas loss.

Why is the amount of money Obama spends on ads relevant? And why do we have to get back to redistribution of wealth? Dammit.

Presidential Debate Live Blog, Part Dos

Ok, I'm going to try this again, but this time from the beginning. Or until I can't stand watching anymore. Part of the reason I took a sabattical from the political scene was due to the tone of the campaign. I really thought the tenor of this campaign would be different. I was wrong.

I am tired of divisive politics. Now, I don't think that this phenomenon is new, nor do I think that it was "better in the old days." Politics is dirty and I get that, but I don't have to like it. Call me an idealist. Go on, do it. Thanks. I feel better now. I'd rather be an idealist than have to suffer through more spurrious claims and half-truths. I would love for there to be a civilized discourse between the parties that addressed the major issues facing our country. Ok, I'm a dreamer, too.

How 'Bout Them Roy Williamses?

So news out of Valley Ranch was mixed today, after a tough weekend. On the bad side, Adam "make it rain" Jones was suspended for at least 4 games for getting into a fight with the guy who was supposed to keep him out of trouble and breaking a mirror in an upscale Dallas hotel bathroom. I fully understand that Pacman was, as JJ put it, walking on a tightrope with no net, but 4 games? For fighting with a bodyguard? I think it should have been handled in-house, but I'm not the commissioner. I am all for this "zero-tolerance" policy, but it is being enforced so erratically that you would think Goddell was doing his best John McCain impression ("You know who got suspended? THAT ONE!) My buddy Kenny talks about my racial hypothesis (untested- theory is tested, like Evolution) in his post on these issues, so I won't delve deep into it here. Suffice it to say that Matt Jones (JAX) is still playing after getting caught snorting cocaine in a car prior to the season.

On the injury front, Romo is out 4 weeks due to a broken pinkie, Felix Jones is out at least 2 weeks with a partially torn hamstring, T-New is out 4 weeks after sports hernia surgery, and Matt McBrier broke his foot on the play that lost the game Sunday. Good Times! Normally I wouldn't complain about injuries, but these are important players in all phases of the game. Fortunately, Kyle Kosier should be back by week 8, and Roy Williams38 should as well. I have to make the numerical distinction now because Roy Williams11 now plays for the Cowboys, making Dallas one step closer to having all the athletic Roy Williamses (if only we can convince Roy WilliamsUNC to join the staff as a motivational speaker or something). I am pleased with the Roy11 acquisition because 1) we get immediately better at WR, 2) we get immediately younger at WR, and 3) teams can't afford to double team TO anymore. Even with 90 year old Brad Johnson at QB for the next 3 games, out offense got more explosive. If that were possible. Now all we have to do is block.

Presidential Debate Live Blog

So I'm gonna try this...even though I'm late starting.

9:58- the discussion is on health care, and both Obama and McCain talk all around the issue. What kills me is how McCain is trying to ham it up for the crowd. Then he goes back to American Exceptionalism, and talking about how great America is.

10:00- Foreign Policy- What I disagree most about it is the belief that the only sacrifice Americans ever make is sending soldiers to die. That only those who die in wars are American heroes. Bullshit. I get tired of the bloody flag.

10:06- I like the idea of moral responsiblity that Obama is talking about. I think that is the ignored part of leftist thinking. That America can act out of its moral responsiblity rather than purely national security concerns. Oh- and I'm really sick of McCain calling me his friend, my friends. The idea that national security is the only role of the US government is fundamentally flawed. As it says in the preamble to the Constitution, the government is responsible for: establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty. That would mean that national security is only 20% of what the government should be concerned with. But McCain wants to freeze spending on everything but the military. (shakes head)

10:18- McCain keeps attacking Obama without actually answering any question. Good Times! I love it when politicians in the middle of a crisis refuse to address the issues and instead revert to character assassination and drum old drumbeats of partisan divide.
Obama seems less confident when dealing with Russia and our relationship with Putin. However, that's what Biden is for, I guess. Obama still demonstrates a command of the larger picture, much more so than does McCain. I think that is important.

10:25- Israel. Why is this being discussed? I know Israel is our ally and all, but still.

Regardless, McCain talks about how Iran acquiring nuclear weapons would lead to every country wanting them. Duh! Israel ALREADY has nukes, which would seem to me to be why (at least partly) Iran wants them. Pakistan got nukes because India had them. The USSR got nukes because we had them. Makes perfect sense to me. I don't like the framing of this question.

10:31- Final "Zen" question. Obama nailed the beginning (the toughest challenges are those you don't expect), then fell right back into his backstory. I don't need that at this juncture of the campaign.

McCain blew me away by telling me that we don't know what the future holds, and that he specifically doesn't know the future. He ran his own backstory. Awesome!

How in the world does McCain hope to pass himself off as the "steady hand on the till"? All of his actions on this campaign seems to me to be anything but steady.

Olympics

Like my friend Kenny, I wanted to stay away from commentary on the Olympics. They are my favorite event (whether Summer or Winter), and I love watching hours and hours of sports I wouldn't watch otherwise. I have no evaluation of the game-play on Madden 09 because I haven't really played- I've been watching Olympics. I have watched maybe 100 snaps of Exhibition NFL games (and I have NFL Network, so I have the opportunity to watch every preseason game) due to the Olympics. And I don't care. The Olympics are special. Occuring only quadrennially, they take precedence over my "normal" routine.

I have tried to record as much of the Games during the day (I LOVE my DVR!!!), so I can watch them in the dead time (Boxing on Universal HD) before the evening primetime broadcast begins. I have stayed up much later than I should to watch events live. My cable provider added an Olympic basketball AND Olympic soccer channel!

As a sports fan, I have been overwhelmed by the level of competition. Phelps and Bolt are the unquestioned stars of these Games. As a TV viewer, I have been underwhelmed with the braodcasts. Bob Costas has been horrendous, openly asking why he was there ('cuz Jim McKay died, Bob!) and being generally goofy and unorganized- nothing like what I normally enjoy about Costas.

The use of Mary Carillo and Cris Collinsworth as reporters is worse than terrible. Carillo has had too many BoTox tretments and can't speak properly. Collinsworth is an idiot, and should not be allowed to come into contact with successful athletes, lest the Bungle in him spread. He tried to tell Alicia Sacramone that losing two Super Bowls was akin to falling off two apparatuses. I understand wanting to show empathy, but c'mon. Fool sucker.

The soccer coverage has been abysmal, especially in light of the tremendous coverage ESPN had of Euro2008. Shouldn't NBC get the best (or at least competent) commentators? And I've been disappointed with the soccer channel in general. While CNBC and Universal HD have shown every boxing bout, the soccer (and baskeball, for that matter) channel has not shown continuous tape of the matches. For those of us who work during the day (night, and therefore primetime in Bejing), it is hard to catch the games live. I would be more than happy to watch taped rebroadcasts. Having to do so for the last two Games (Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004), I'm used to it.

But the absolute worst has been Al Troutwig. He has covered gymnastics for as long as I can remember, yet he seems to lack the basic understanding of the sport. He makes wild observations that his partner is quick to distance himself from. I have been pleased with the lack of wall-to-wall coverage of gymnastics, but even when I want to watch I have a hard time due to Al and his idiocy.

Ok, too much negativity. Back to the thrill of victory: Phelps was dominating and deserves the accolade thrown his way. He has accomplished a feat that may take another 30+ years to match. I will not add to the gushing over him, but I have thouroughly enjoyed watching him make history. Kudos to the Baltimorean!

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have been outstanding all tournament. Beach volleyball is one of my favorite Summer Games sports, and I have not been disappointed.

But Usain Bolt is amazing. If you haven't seen his 100m run, go to nbcolympics.com and do so. I have never seen a World Record get blown up like this, especially in a event that is measured by hundredths of a second. Jamaicans is fast!

Well, that's all for now- I'm going back to watching the Games!

Madden 09

Through the years, Madden is the only video game that I have consistently played (NHL 95 was great, tho- breaking heads, fighting, dekes...) and I always look forward to its release. I picked up my copy last night (this morning?) at 12:05 a.m. I got home, put it in, and off I went...

So here is my rant. Rosters on the game are never completely accurate, but there are a few head scratchers. For example, WR Chris Henry is listed as a free agent even though he is suspended for the first 4 games of the season by the NFL. Pacman "Making it Rain" Jones is not in the game at all. Before you start screaming "homer!" (for the Cowboys, not the fat yellow man), I can understand not including a player currently under suspension from the league. But how can you include the "One Man Crime Spree" and exclude Pacman? Pacman has a far better shot of actually playing this season than does Henry.

But the coup-de-gras is this: Michael Strahan and Brett Favre retired around the same time. Favre is on the cover of the game. Yet Gap Tooth is still listed on the Giants roster while Favre is not in the game AT ALL! WTF?!?!

I realize that rosters were set months ago, but still. How hard is it to add a player? In previous years, undrafted rookies appeared in the free agent pool as did retired players. I am completely outraged that EA couldn't stop production long enough to at least get Favre in the game, regardless of the team. HE'S THE FUCKING COVER BOY!!!!!!!!

Surprise!

Whoa, look at me! 2 posts in a week!

I had to comment on the trade that put Jason "Dancing with the Stars" Taylor in a Redskin uniform. The ramifications of this trade are enormous. Taylor, 33, has played his whole career in Miami, and most along side teammate and brother-in-law Zach Thomas. Now Thomas plays for the Cowboys, and Taylor is a 'Skin. Happy Times! Do they have to hate each other now? Wasn't Taylor close to divorcing Zach's sister anyway? Will this put the relationship over the edge? Will the Danny pay court costs? Is Madonna in the picture?

Too many questions. All hail the Maroon and Black!!

Apologies

Yeah, that didn't work. Seems I'm just as bad keeping to my own schedule as I am keeping other's schedules. Sorry. I will try to be as regular as I can from now on.

There are plenty of things going on for me to comment on, so I'm going to limit myself to three.

1. Billy Packer is retired. Hooray! Packer called college basketball for my entire life, yet I feel no sadness. When Pat Summerall retired, I was sad. When Jim McKay passed, I was sad. When Keith Jackson retired, I was pissed- Whoa, Nellie! is classic, and college football games are not the same without that smooth, southern voice. These are the voices of my childhood. I was never tired of hearing them. Yet, I have probably watched more hours of college basketball than any other sport, and I am happy to see Packer go. The word most commonly used to describe Packer seems to be "curmudgeon." Not exactly a ringing endorsement. So why was he permitted to continue spewing negativism long after the viewing public tuned him out? I don't know a single person under the age of 50 that liked listening to him. He provided little insight, and would carp on the same thing over and over again (for example, a team would be in a zone defense and the other team hits some outside shots. Packer would then tell us every 5 seconds that they needed to get out of the zone, regarless of whatever else was happening in the game.) My lasting memory of him will be his love for all things Duke and his unwillingness to get excited for the most thrilling games.
2. I have received my first anti-Michelle Obama email. It focused on her undergraduate thesis. Who cares? I am weary of fear mongering politics. If you are uncomfortable with a black woman living in the White House- too fucking bad. The legacy of nearly 400 years of racial discrimination in this country is not going to be suddenly overturned because a mixed race person occupies the highest elected office. It won't be the first time. I have a longer essay on this coming...
3. David Stern needs to retire. He has mishandled or out-right botched every significant issue in the NBA since the brawl in Detroit. Referees, dress code, the new ball, the Sonics stolen, etc. Thank you for a great run, David. Now go away like Tagliabue.

Belated Addiction

So it's Friday rather than Tuesday, but here's another edition of "My Current Addictions":



The Bugle Podcast: This is the most hilarious 33-47 minutes of my week. Hosted by John Oliver (of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart) and Andy Zaltzman (who I've never heard of before, but is a comic genius), it's tagline is "An Audio Newspaper for a Visual World." The ascerbic British wit, combined with moments of pure innanity, produce a highly entertaining show that covers everything from American politics to British social mores. I cannot recommend this any higher.

Plug

For all of you who were unaware of, or want to find out more about, the latest addition to the Wolfe family, check out the baby's blog at babywolfeslair.blogspot.com. I will keep things updated as they happen, but will refrain from commenting on our impending parenthood in this space.

Sunday Recap (A Day Late)

I would like to argue that I postponed this post to wait on the result of the US Open and Game 5 of the NBA Finals, but that would be similar to what Stephen Colbert termed "truthiness."

I woun't go into great detail, as the death of one of the last advocates for accountability cast a pall over the weekend. However, here is my take on the week that passsed:

1. US Open: I am not much of a golf fan, but with a gimpy knee, Tiger won his 14th major tournament (the record is 16) in sudden death on Monday- and I watched! Ridiculous. He is the most dominant athlete of my generation, more so than Gretzky or Jordan or Sampras or Armstrong. At 80% (or worse- he winced in pain after drives!), Tiger managed to beat the field. Again. Impressive.
2. Speaking of impressive, the Netherlands advanced to the quarterfinals of Euro 2008 on the strength of a 3-0 victory over Italy and a 4-1 thrashing of France. Under the direction of former Dutch star Marco Van Basten (my favorite plater from the 80's), Holland plays a fluid, attacking style that is a joy to watch. If you like to watch world-class football, watch the Orange.
3. I will freely admit I despise Kobe. He is the best player in the world, but is a horrible teammate, and trys too hard to "be like Mike." One of the good things to come out of this series is the collapse of the argument of Kobe v Jordan. Jordan would never have let his team give up a 24 point lead in ANY game, let alone a Finals game AT HOME. So, for all you Kobe lovers, it's done. Stop.
4. I find my self rooting for the Celtics, not only becasue I hate Kobe and love KG, but because I like the way they play. In a series that pits two very flawed teams for the title, the C's have shown more heart, more hustle, and more determination. The Lakers constantly wait around for Kobe to do something. I saw this kind of behavior first hand the year the Steve Franchise played at Maryland. I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now. So, despite my desire to depreive Boston fans from winning anything else, I am unabashedly rooting for the Celtics. Maybe it's the tie to Bias in me.
5. Unfortunately, Marcus Vick was arrested again on Friday in Norfolk. I wanted the Vick brothers to succeed. Oh well. They are the Anti-Mannings.

In politics, everything was overshadowed by the death of Tim Russert. Earlier in the week, all the pundits blabbed on about how Hillary lost the nomination. Yet none of their reasons included her vote authorizing Bush to go to war. Duh! That vote is what gave Obama his opening, and Americans are war-weary. In the mid-term elections, GOP lost seats and gave back majority control to the Dems. Not that the Dems can do anything productive (you really need 60 vote to do anything in the Senate), but it is noteworthy that Bush was rebuked in an election that he didn't rig or was appointed. The fact that corporate media refuse to acknowledge that Americans are against the war is best illustrated by this omission.

RIP

Just wanted to take a few moments to express my shock at the death of Tim Russert on Friday. I respected his tenacity and style as political wonk. While I thought "Meet the Press" was almost unwatchable at times, it was never due to Russert. RIP.

Sabbatical

Okay, taking months between posts was not what I envisioned when I started this. But here we are. So I am unveiling a new format (for me, not for the blog). I will post at least 3 times a week- Sunday with a recap of the week in politics and sports, Tuesday with a "my current addictions" plug, and Thursday with whatever I feel like. At least once a month, I will post an extended essay (this is the part that will most likely fall by the wayside, but goals never hurt).

Random Thoughts

There were a number of things that caught my eye this week:

1. Marvin Harrison- My first reaction was, "WHAAAATT?!?!?!?!?" I mean, with all the knucklehead WR's out there (I'm looking at you, Chris "One Man Crime Wave" Henry) and the prima donna-ish behavior of WR's (see: Johnson, Chad, Moss, Randy or Owens, Terrell) who would have thought that the quiet guy from the Colts who never said a word on or off the field and quietly had the best career of any of those other jokers, would have a friggin' shootout on the streets of Illadelph, PA? I mean, Marvin had a customized Belgian gun that he said never left his house, but was found in a bucket at a car wash. Huh? I expect this behavior from Tank Johnson, or Pacman, or shit- any of these clowns. But Marvin? No effing way. There are few news stories that I can say truly caught me off-guard, but this one blew me away.
2. Lez Boulez/Cavs- So the NBA decides to suspend Darius Songaila for one game for allegedly throwing a punch at LeBron, leaving an already defensively deficient team without the one player that can guard his majesty for Game 6. My beef is not with the timing, actually, but with the decision in the first place. I mean, Brandon "the black Mike Mardesich" Haywood clobbered LeBron in a much more violent way IN THE SAME GAME. No suspension. For all 4 of you out there that actually care about the NBA, here is more fuel to the "NBA helps its stars advance" fire.
3. Emmitt Smith- This story is supposedly about an esteemed former player offering support to Pacman, but Emmitt is the gift that keeps on giving. Never mind his mangling of the English language or his appearance on "Dancing with the Stars," Emmitt came to Cowboys post-draft camp to offer advice to Pacman. "As long as you're not killing anybody, getting anybody shot at and going to jail, then I don't have any issues," he told reporters. I'm glad that Emmitt has such high standards for people. Drink and drive, impregnate 17 different women, take steroids- whatever. As long as you aren't a murderer (I'm looking at you, Leonard Little), no biggie. His advice for Pacman- make better choices. Thank you, Captain Obvious! Look, I love Emmitt. The former Cowboy is the NFL's all-time leading rusher, a class act on and off the field, a Super Bowl and NFL MVP, and was the best RB of the 90's (yes, that was a shot at Barry Sanders). But he is making it harder and harder to defend him. Emmitt, please, STOP TALKING IN PUBLIC!

Draft Recap

Before I begin my assessment of Dallas' draft, I want to pay tribute to a player that I liked a lot during his stay in Big D. Akin Ayodele was a solid starter and a great free agent signing. Tuna signed him after his rookie contract with Jacksonville expired, and he has started 32 games. In his 6-year NFL career, he has started 96 straight games. He is tough against the run, and is decent in coverage. I am sad to see him go.

Apparently, my prognostication powers are not what I thought they were. Despite my complete amazement at the Felix Jones pick, my sadness over the aforementioned Ayodele trade, and my perplexity over Erin Henderson being undrafted, overall, I'm pleased with the draft. I love the Jenkins and Choice selections and when JJ is in wheelin'-dealin' mode. If the gamble on Pacman pays off, then we got a lot better. If not, then we got better. I can live with that. We added another offensive weapon, depth at RB & CB, and soildified our return game. Not too shabby.

And we really needed to address our secondary, what with Mario Manningham, Devin Thomas, and Malcolm Kelly all joining our division. The NFC East is back to the level of competitiveness of the 80's. All four teams are legitimate playoff contenders, and the division race is wide open. This season is gonna be fun!

TO, Tank, Throw me the damn...Pacman?

JJ is willing to give anyone a second (or 11th) chance in hopes that a troubled 20-something can turn his life around and fulfill his potential. I like that about him. I have always looked on JJ with an ascance eye, and have often been critical of the way he handled the team. I had no respect for a man who fired Coach Landry. Now, maybe Landry wouldn't resign and JJ had to fire him to get him out. I don't know. It still made me angry as a fan of the Cowboys and of the game.

I think JJ has benefited greatly from his experience with the Tuna. Or at least I hope so. If nothing else, Tuna left a very full cupboard. While JJ is never afraid to shell out the dinero, he learned to be smart with where that money went, and to be smart with that money. Look at the contracts he signed with all three of the lastest reclamation programs. TO- a series of 5, 1-year contracts that would allow Dallas to cut the player with few cap ramifications. Tank (shouldn't he be renamed "Arsenal", or is it now that he has the firepower of a tank?)- a 2-year, vet minimum deal with no guaranteed money. Pacman- a 4-year deal with no guaranteed money. Talk about minimizing risk...

As a final note, the chance of Dallas selecting Felix Jones in the draft, if slight before, is now nil. The only rational argument put forth by those who advocate that pick is Jones' return ability. Pacman is now the return guy. Yes, I realize that he may not ever play, but assuming he does (and stays out of titty bars), Pacman is a far better return man than anyone on the roster. And if he "makes it rain" in the endzone, I'm all for it.

Dallas Draft

So I thought I'd interrupt the world of politics for a moment to delve into my favorite weekend in late April: the NFL Draft.

Obviously, I am much more attuned to what the Cowboys' needs are than to the rest of the league, so I will limit my comments to Dallas with one exception: Darren McFadden (aka Run DMC) is the most explosive, versatile back I've seen since Marshall Faulk. If he falls out of the top 10 due to "character issues," I guarantee that he will make it his mission to destroy all the teams that passed on him. The personal slight, real or perceived, is a powerful motivator in professional athletics. In the NFL, Randy "Straight Cash, Homey"Moss and Warren Sapp are the best examples of guys who fell and took it personally. Moss has focused his energies on one team, in particular: the Dallas Cowboys. Yeah. Moving on...

Dallas' top needs are CB, WR, RB, and the Hog maulies up front on both sides. I would be SHOCKED if Jerry Jones took a RB in round one (in which we have 2 picks). There is so much talent available at that position, I just can't fathom why JJ would spend 1st round $$ on a guy that will be a backup/complimentary back to MBIII (who JJ is trying to sign to a long-term deal). So much of draft strategy now is dependant on the salary cap. You can't spend all your money at one position.

With that in mind, I would like to see the following scenario:

1. Trade #22 and #28 to Detroit for Roy "the Other" Williams and the #15,
2. Draft the highest rated CB on the board with the #15 pick (Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie, Leodis McKelvin, Mike Jenkins, or Aqib Talib),
3. Take BPA for the rest of the draft
4. Skip merrily to training camp.

Without a trade up, I would like to take any combination of WR Limas Sweed, CB Brandon Flowers, LB Jerod Mayo, DT Kentwan Balmer, or DE Philip Merling.

More Debate

I had the opportunity to listen to some post-debate talking heads, and I'd like to expand my comments about Obama v Establishment.

First, I should mention that I listen to about nine different political podcasts these days, so I get a wide range of views. If you are interested, I would recommend the Post Politics Podcast (P3), the Atlantic: American Ideas, the New Yorker: Campaign Trail, and the Economist: Democracy in America. I also recommend Counterspin for an analysis of how Big Media cover the news in general, and The Bugle (for a laugh. The Bugle will get its own post soon).

Wednesday night, Obama answered one of Stephanopolis' innane questions by putting forth the idea that he misspoke, would misspeak again, and the old politics was going to jump all over it. He then proceeded to give an example of Hillary's comments in 1992 about how she wouldn't assume the backseat role most First Ladies were expected to take. She was attacked in the press for her comments, and Obama then stated that she had learned the long lesson since she has now adopted those tactics. I thought it was the most poignant moment of the debate, yet none of the nine podcasts mentioned this exchange at all. Great analysis. The whole premise of Obama's campaign is being ignored by Democrats, Republicans, and the press. It'll be an uphill climb for the most dynamic politician we've seen in a generation.

Debate

After watching the Democratic debate tonight, I am left with a few thoughts:

1. Obama is constantly battling not only his opponent in the Democratic race, not only the Republican presumptive nominee, but also the establishment machine. At every turn, when he tries to elevate the discussion, he is pulled back into the morass. For example, when Obama tried to elevate the discussion on Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Stephanopolis asked follow up questions that completely missed Obama's point. Clinton chimed in on the discussion about the "cling" comments, completely missing the substance of what Obama was saying. Are they being willfully ignorant?
2. Clinton tries to have things two ways. First, she wants to be judged separately from her husband and be vetted according to her own record. Then, she wants to take the credit for the policies that worked during her husband's administration. To top it off, she (and her daughter) act thoroughly offended when the questions about her role in her husband's indiscretions is mentioned. What? I am convinced that the election of Clinton will do nothing to change the course of U.S. policies that have been in place since Ronald Reagan.
3. Why does criticism of American policies equate to lack of patriotism? Speak out against the war, you're unpatriotic. Speak about failed policies in the Middle East, you're unpatriotic. make the claim that American policy has caused harm to other parts of the world, you're unpatriotic. Bullshit. The blind faith that is put in the government's policies is dangerous. Is it really that controversial to suggest that American foreign policy in the Middle East resulted in the attacks of 9/11? I despise this "America can do no wrong" attitude. Look, the reality is that, while the language may have been extreme, the gist of Rev. Wright's comments were TRUE! The U.S. has deposed democratically elected governments in favor of friendlier dictatorships. The U.S. ignores democratically elected governments if they don't believe in what the U.S. thinks they should believe in (see Hamas). The idea that we can gloss over these failures to claim "America's moral authority in the world" is asinine. At this point, we have no moral authority. We are a country that invades other countries without provocation, we torture enemies, ignore the rule of law when it doesn't suit us, spy on our own citizens, and cannot fathom why other peoples would dislike us. Ludicrous.

John Adams

Sorry for the long pause as I was trying to figure out just what in the hell I was going to write about. This will be the first in an occasional series about my current obsessions- giving reason for said obsession, and encouraging others to partake. Hmm...that sounds a lot like a pusher, so I'll just move on.

John Adams on HBO has been a spring surprise. In a TV season marred by a 4 month writer's strike, JA came as a refreshing change of pace. Of course, those of you that know me will also know my connections with Colonial and early Federalist American history, and it will come as no surprise that I am watching. For those of you who are not aware, most of the filming for the mini-series was done here in the Old Dominion. The Adams family farm is actually in the middle of nowhere in King and Queen County and Petersburg serves as some of the Boston scenes, but the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation was the host for a great number of shots, including the gaol (that's jail to all you 21st century folk), the Public Hospital, and the Wythe House (which served as the executive mansion, internal and external, in Philadelphia. So there is the added value of seeing buildings I see all the time on TV (with massive CGI), much like watching the Wire, Homicide: Life on the Street, or any movie set in D.C.

Historically, the series is based on David McCullough's brilliant biography of the Founding Father that no one likes. The book itself is a bit dense and lengthy, but McCullough is a talented writer who has a flair for narrative. (Check out his book on the Johnstown Flood as a primer, then move on to Mornings On Horseback before delving into JA). The writers have done a good job limiting historical inaccuracies in the telling of the story.

One of the greatest pleasures for me is the portrayal of George Washington by David Morse. In the few scenes that he is in, Morse does a brilliant job of conveying the quirks of the General's personality without reducing him to a caricature. My favorite was his inauguration- Washington had a horrible speaking voice, and witness accounts have him barely whispering the oath until he ad-libbed the "So help me God" line. Just an excellent scene.

I would like to have seen more development of the relationship between Adams and Jefferson proir to and during the Revolution to set up the schism that would make them not speak to each other until they were both old men.

All in all, I think the series is outstanding. Get HBO and watch.

Sports Emperor For a Day

In my self-important mind, I feel that I have the easy (and correct) answer to almost anything I have a working knowledge of. To that end, I submit to your perusal a list of things about sports I would change if I had the power to do so.

1. NBA Mascot Disparity- One of the ties that professional franchises possess is a mascot or nickname that reflects the local community. The Houston Rockets are a great example. Houston is the home to NASA's space control center, and the nickname reminds all of us. Not all teams have this significance tied to their mascot (Golden State Warriors, I'm looking at you), but for those that do, it is a reminder to the home fans that the franchise has roots in the community. When professional leagues moved franchises, they often took those nicknames with them, creating a jumbled mess of anachronistic mascots. So I would change them. First on the list is the Utah Jazz. Despite the fact that this franchise has been in Salt Lake City nearly all of its 38 years of existence, the name "Jazz" belongs in New Orleans. Coincidentally, the franchise that currently resides in the Big Easy has the nickname Hornets. This works well with the fact that Utah's nickname is the Beehive State. I would make the franchises switch mascots. Problem solved. The L.A. Lakers (formerly of Minnesota- Land of 1,000 lakes) would be renamed the Showtime. It hearkens back to the 80's teams, and plays on the entertainment industry. Problem solved. Also up for changes: Washington Wizards (change back to Bullets- it makes more sense anyway), L.A. Clippers (I would move them to San Diego, where they belong and the mascot makes more sense), Charlotte Bobcats (one of the dumbest mascots ever- change to Monarchs), and the Memphis Grizzlies (this whole team should be moved to Oklahoma City instead of the Supersonics and renamed the Cyclones).
2. Possession Arrow- One of the worst things about college basketball; this one is much less complicated. Get rid of the arrow and teach refs how to throw the ball up. Case closed.
3. Timeouts- Staying with NCAA basketball, I would limit teams to 2 30-second timeouts in the last 2 minutes of the game. While most advertisers would choke, it would increase the entertainment value for the consumer. What a concept. To mollify advertisers, ads could be placed, via computer graphics, on the floor or team jerseys during the broadcast.
4. The BCS- Ugh. What a travesty. I will expand this thought later, but suffice it to say right now that the system would be scrapped in favor of a 16 team playoff featuring the winners of the 11 Division I-A football conferences and 5 at large teams. Early rounds would be played at the home stadium of the higher seed before exams, with the championship game played in the week in between the NFL conference championships and the Super Bowl.
5. Pro Football Hall of Fame- As I started writing this, I was really excited about kicking guys out of the HOF, but realized there is only one guy I feel passionately enough about to actually go through with it. Joe Namath, you are the winner. I would give him his own little display documenting the guarantee and the win over the Colts in Super Bowl III, but no QB with more career INT's than TD's belongs in the Hall. Period. Can I kiss you? Other changes to the HOF-admit more Offensive Linemen. How do QB and RB get all their stats? The Pug Uglies up front. As of 2008, there were 48 QB and RB's in the Hall*, while only 33 OL made the cut. This is especially disgusting when you consider that there are 5 OL on the field, and 2 backs. *from the modern era
6. Excessive Celebration- This penalty has been adopted by both the NCAA and the NFL. It is a ludicrous rule, and would be abolished. A taunting penalty would replace it, allowing for celebrations that have nothing to do with the other team to remain in place. For example, the Dirty Bird, Fun Bunch*, and other collective celebrations would be allowed, while throwing the ball at an opponent or standing above them after a tackle would not. *I hate to admit this, but the one thing I disown the quickest about the Cowboys is the punk move that resulted in the adoption of this rule in the NFL. You don't want the other team to celebrate? Don't let them score.

Opening Salvo

Welcome to the world of a Leaf: disjointed, random, yet provocative non sequiturs that will inform while entertaining. Nothing is outside the realm of comment here, from dog care to "making it rain" to HGH to lying about Tuzla. Truth be told, I am an unabashed liberal who happens to work for a company that fully embraces the Triumphant Narrative of American History, a Dallas Cowboy fan who grew up in the heart of Redskin country, and am proud of it. I am not one to march to the beat of a different drummer; I groove to the beats in my head. So laugh, cry, gasp, or cringe- but don't be offended. I am an aMErican, and can say what I want. Dammit.