Archive for January 2009

« Left Coast Sports Babe home page
Newer Entries »

Exploited?

January 9, 2009

Sarah Palin is now claiming that people like Tina Fey and Katie Couric “exploited” her candidacy.  But the Governor does feel she will finally be able to defend herself in  her upcoming $7 million book.

–

Regarding Obama’s lunch with the former presidents, apparently it was a great success, with all of them sharing their favorite Oval Office memories. There was only one awkward moment, when Carter told Clinton, “Bill, too much information.”

–

SI.com headline “Favre plans to take his time to make retirement decision.”

(And their point is?)

 

From Nick Coombs.

Oklahoma has now lost their last five BCS games.  Five losses. That’s almost as bad as the Thunder in an average week.

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,

Comments: Be the first to comment

As the Senate turns…

January 7, 2009

In the latest episode of the Senate soap opera… today it looks like Roland Burris will finally be allowed to take over Barack Obama’s seat.

And not that it excuses Blagojevich, but the 71 year old Burris does appear to be an honest,  reasonable and competent man.

Which gives me an actual chance to quote T.S. Eliot, who might well have been writing about the Illinois Governor when he wrote – 

 “The last temptation is the greatest treason, to do the right deed for the wrong reason.”

–

One reason we know that Blagojevich wouldn’t have tried to sell the seat to Burris.  He would have had to offer him a senior discount.

–

A Washington hotel is offering a Lincoln bicentennial package that offers guests a chance to sleep in a “Lincoln” bedroom,  including historic memorabilia and a replica of the President’s rocking chair.  The room has been designed to be as accurate as possible, with special help from the first-hand remembrances of John McCain.

 

George W. Bush said to Barack Obama after their “five presidents” lunch that “we all want you to succeed.”  And of course, for President Bush’s part, he has done his best to set the bar as low as possible.

–

All those thousands of shoes dumped on a Miami highway have been shipped to the poverty and conflict ravaged nation of Haiti. President Bush has questioned the shipment. With all those potential insurgents, he thinks its a bad idea to arm them.

–

The best of times, worst of times – early 2009 version.   Earlier this week in college basketball the Boston College Eagles knocked off the previously unbeaten and number-one ranked North Carolina Tarheels. 

Tonight, Boston College lost to Harvard.  Yes, that Harvard.

Potential headline?  “The Eagles have  Crash Landed.”

Categories: Uncategorized

Comments: Be the first to comment

Poor Jeb Bush

January 6, 2009

Who has announced he will not run for Senate in 2010, saying “now is not the time.”   Just his luck to be the Lisa Simpson of American politics.

–

Barack Obama ran afoul of Senator Dianne Feinstein for not consulting with her about his choice of Leon Panetta for CIA Director.   Apparently somewhere along the way the Presidential appointment process has become a game of  “Mother, May I?”

–

Lebron James’ incessant whining over his travelling call against the Wizards?

“Crab drivel.”

–

 You might have made a New Year’s resolution to get a life and focus a little less on sports, if….. you were really looking forward to tonight’s GMAC  bowl  between Tulsa and Ball State.  (and you aren’t an alum of either school.)

–

Actually GMAC Bowl might be aptly named.   A little late – January 6! – with a product most Americans really weren’t that interested in… (Wonder if next year they will rename it the Bailout Bowl?)

A very funny writer and football fan, Hartley Miller, pointed out to me that USC is the only major conference team undefeated on Saturdays.  (Their loss to Oregon State was Thursday, September 25.)

Although as I thought of – alas, hours later – the 2008 Detroit Lions were undefeated on Tuesdays.

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , ,

Comments: Be the first to comment

Laura’s book…

January 6, 2009

Laura Bush has just inked a multi-million dollar book deal with Scribner.  President Bush says for that much money he’ll read one too.

–

Laura Bush’s book will apparently be an “intimate account” of what really went on in the White House.  President Bush is looking forward to reading it, so he can find out too.

 

And former President George Herbert Walker Bush said he wanted to see his son Jeb become President?  He couldn’t have thought of this sooner, as in before the 2000 Republican primary and the subsequent Presidential election?

Categories: Uncategorized

Comments: Be the first to comment

Retail downturn…

January 5, 2009

Many economists predict that the retail downturn will continue, and that many stores will close in 2009.  This is the result of increased unemployment, declining consumer confidence, and the fact the RNC is no longer shopping for Sarah Palin.

–

Miami commuters were delayed for hours last Friday after a local expressway was littered with thousands of shoes.  Or as President Bush called them “A mass of weapons of destruction.”

–

The Philadelphia Eagles, led by quarterback Donovan McNabb, beat the Minnesota Vikings 26-14.   McNabb was actually benched in late November for his poor play…  Forget comeback player of the year, McNabb might be comeback player of the month.

–

Lebron James was actually called for travelling in the waning seconds of a Cleveland Cavaliers loss to the lowly Washington Wizards,  who are now 7-25.   Vegas oddmakers immediately put up a new wager – will Lebron finish the year with more or less travelling calls than the Wizards have wins?

–

The San Diego Chargers surprised the world by knocking off the Indianapolis Colts in their playoff game Saturday.  Which means that  next week,  Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers might get almost as much television airtime as Peyton Manning.

–

Good news or bad news, depending on how big a Peyton fan you are.  With his team out of the playoffs, Manning will have a lot more time to make more commercials.

–

And the star of the game for San Diego, was a 5’6″ reserve running back named Darren Sproles,  who ended up speeding all over the place with 328 yards, despite being the shortest man on the field. (including the officials.) 

Who’d a thunk the Chargers would end up being powered by the Energizer Bunny?

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , ,

Comments: Be the first to comment

A case of New Year’s Whine…

January 4, 2009

As anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows, I am not a fan of the BCS system.

On the other hand, when USC coach Pete Carroll whines “Our team could beat anyone,”  it seems to me the logical response is, then why didn’t you beat Oregon State?   (Four other teams did… including the 5-7 Stanford Cardinal.)

–

Back to the other side, one of the arguments against a “plus one” at least playoff system is that it means the student-athletes involved would have to keep practicing and miss another week of school.  As opposed to the current system, where most of the big games are on New Year’s Day, and the two teams in the championship game…play EXACTLY one week later.

–

Ann Coulter is currently slamming Michelle Obama for her style.  Isn’t being slammed by Ann Coulter for your style like being slammed by George W. Bush for your speaking skills?

 

Or isn’t being slammed by Ann Coulter for your style like being slammed by Michael Jackson for your child care skills?

 

Or – last one for today.  Isn’t being slammed by Ann Coulter for your style kind of like being slammed by Brett Favre for your indecisiveness?

–

In Minnesota, where they may change the motto from “Land of a Thousand Lakes” to “Land of a Thousand Recounts,”  the Senate race goes on, and on.

At this point Minnesotans have to long for the good old days when they had nice simple elections and chose a pro-wrestler for governor.

– 

Tacky joke alert again…

 

When Charles Barkley was busted for DUI, he explained his driving to the police officer by saying he was in a hurry to get oral sex.  Alas he’s about eight years too late for a last minute presidential pardon.

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , ,

Comments: Be the first to comment

Barely Creditable System?

January 3, 2009

It’s not been a good year for the BCS.   Barack Obama threatened to put the power of the presidency behind a playoff system, and a number of one loss teams all had legitimate claims to being in the National Championship game.

But at least the only undefeated team in a BCS game was the Utah Utes, from the lowly Mountain West conference.  Since they were matched against Alabama, from the powerful SEC,  a team that was number one until their loss to Florida, this figured to be a no-brainer.    Oops.   Utah won this game 31-17 and is 13-0…..

–

Btw, the answer to the question, what is a “Ute?”  is  – one of a band of American Indians for whom the state of Utah was named.      Although there are apparently yearly protests on campus, the Utes have been spared some of the national controveries that the Redskins, Indians, Braves and Seminoles, for example, have faced.  Not that Americans are less sensitive to the Utes – they just don’t know what they are.

–

Utah, along with USC – which had a strong season with only one loss – are both claiming that BCS unfairly weighs reputations and past history in choosing winners.     On the other hand, Hillary Clinton has asked that the BCS computers be used in future Democratic primaries.

–

President Bush told Barack Obama that Blair House  the president-elect’s traditional residence starting January 15, was unavailable earlier due to prior commitments.  But the girls needed to start school Monday.

Fortunately, the Obamas were able to find rooms  at the Hay Adams hotel.   Many Republicans are just relieved the accommodations don’t include a manger.

–

Tacky joke alert…
A child was born on a Northwest flight between Amsterdam and Boston last week.  Big deal . On Jet Blue, a woman boarded a plane after unprotected sex the night before; by the time they took off she was in her second trimester.

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , ,

Comments: Be the first to comment

Bill and Hillary on New Year’s Eve..

January 1, 2009

Bill and Hillary Clinton appeared together at Times Square to push the button to drop the crystal ball at midnight.  It was a historic moment, the first time anyone can remember seeing Bill and Hillary together on New Years Eve.

–

There was one embarrassing moment.   After Bill kissed Hillary at the stroke of midnight, out of habit he asked “And your name is?”

–

Actually the ball drop went very well.  But it wasn’t exactly the button Hillary hoped to be in charge of pushing in 2009.

–

After the event, the Clintons went home together, where Bill went to sleep and Hillary waited up for that 3am phone call.

 

The first outdoor NHL Hockey game in Chicago was a raging success.  And it also guaranteed that at Wrigley Field in 2009 there would be something colder than the Cubs in the playoffs.

–

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , ,

Comments: Be the first to comment

Newer Entries »