Archive for February 2010

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Super Bowl Eve.

February 7, 2010

CBS expects record viewers for the Super Bowl this year. The audience will be boosted by two factors: one, many Americans can’t afford to go do anything else. two, in the Philadelphia-DC area everyone is snowed in and can’t go do anything else.

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell says that the league has no plans to change the overtime rule, saying that the two playoff games that went to overtime were ” maybe two of the most exciting games we’ve ever had.” But exciting doesn’t necessarily mean fair to both sides. Think of how many people go to bullfights.

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Jim Barach also had a thought about the 13 year old football player who has committed to play at USC starting in 2015. He says the hardest part is waiting until he is 16 to get a license to drive his new Mercedes Benz convertible.

But I am trying to be fair to the Trojans. Really, they don’t give all their players Mercedes Benz convertibles. These days it’s all about SUVs.

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The Texas men’s basketball team has lost 4 of 6 since being ranked #1, the school’s football team lost any chance for a national championship when Colt McCoy was injured, and the Cowboys were decisively knocked out of the playoffs. Last time the state had a month this bad, an Alamo was involved.

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It’s also hard to remember a month that was so disappointing to Texas sports fans without the Rangers even playing.

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Stanford men’s basketball continued their road woes as they continued their perfect winless Pac 10 season away from home, losing 54 to 49 to USC.

If they wanted to at least salvage something positive for the environment out of this season, maybe they could just forfeit the rest of their road games and save the fuel?

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Commie pinko time.

So this week Scott Brown was sworn in as the 41st Republican senator, which may effectively kill healthcare reform. Also, this week, Anthem-Blue Cross, the largest health insurer in California, sent a notice to individual policyholders announcing a rate hike of up to 39 percent. Coincidence?

At the Tea Party Convention at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville,” Sarah Palin said “It’s so inspiring to see real people come out, stand up and speak out for common sense conservative principles.” Well, yeah, real people who could afford $549 for the convention ticket plus travel and lodging.

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It’s Saturday morning….

February 6, 2010

Which means CBS has already started their Super Bowl pregame show.

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Two feet of snow at least in Washington DC this weekend. Maybe the pundits shouldn’t have said that “The Saints will be in the Super Bowl when hell freezes over.

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Actually for the few hard-core NBA fans who read this blog, the better analogy for the blizzard might be the Washington Wizards’ 92-91 win over the Orlando Magic – in Orlando. On a shot with .5 seconds left by Caron Butler. Definitely a “hell freezes over” win.

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Scott Brown was disappointed with the blizzard. He’s only been in office two days and already he’s been usurped as the most destructive force to hit town.
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Lane Kiffin apparently has a commitment from a 13 year old seventh-grade quarterback to attend USC. Which is actually a nice gesture from Kiffin, whoever’s coaching at USC in six years will probably appreciate it.

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The 13 year old kid who signed with USC may visit campus. But it’s hard to imagine a kid who goes to seventh grade classes being able to relate to the current players. For an example, they may ask him….what are classes?

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Democrats in California and elsewhere have to be particularly dismayed by Carly Fiorina’s “demon sheep” advertisement against Tom Campbell. As in, why couldn’t Scott Brown have hired those people to make an ad about Martha Coakley,

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It’s always good to be optimistic and look for a silver lining in a situation. For example, think of all those people who have been complaining about being on a waitlist to buy a Prius.

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New theme song at Ford headquarters…

February 5, 2010

New theme song at Ford Headquarters – “I love what you do for me, Toyota.”

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So Toyota knew there was a problem that would be extremely detrimental to their brand, but kept it secret until their hand was forced by a high-profile crash. Talk about a company that should have had a marketing agreement with Tiger Woods.

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Latest breaking news from Miami!! The Colts’ All-Pro Defensive End Dwight Freeney’s ankle is still sore. And Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

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High school superstar offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson, who may well end up leaving school early for the NFL, committed to USC and Lane Kiffin today. The betting pool has already started as to whether Henderson or Kiffin will have a longer stay with the Trojans.

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So in California, the two Republican multi-millionaires, (Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner) running for Governor are sniping at each other like schoolchildren, and Carly Fiorina, who is running for Senate, has come up with an ad portraying her opponent Tom Campbell as some sort of demonic sheep.

Meanwhile over on the other side, Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer are thinking, why hire campaign consultants? No one could do a better job for the Democratic party than the job these guys are doing themselves.

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Carly Fioriana’s “demon sheep” ad about Tom Campbell (easy to find on google/youtube etc., if you haven’t seen it) is truly creative to say the least. And it does answer one tough question. How did this woman manage to be fired by the same McCain campaign that chose and kept Sarah Palin?

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Elections and other follies…

February 4, 2010

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is considering running for Lieutenant Governor. Let’s see, after the campaigning is over, what important daily duties does a Lieutenant Governor in California have? Well, actually, none.

Sounds like we’ may have found the right man for the job.

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David Brown, the producer of the movie “Jaws” has died. His family had hoped for a quick funeral at sea, but apparently they’re going to need a bigger boat.

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Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is trying to retract his statement that Toyota owners should “stop driving” their cars. Even Joe Biden is saying “Ray, couldn’t you have kept your mouth shut?”

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The Meg Whitman – Steve Poizner feud continues in the California Republican gubernatorial primary. Now Poizner complains that Whitman’s campaign committed a crime with their internal email saying they would spend $40 million to go negative against him. Stay tuned for next week when Poizner calls Whitman a “cootie queen” and she calls him a “loser poo-poo head.”

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At USC, a student manager has been fired from the basketball team for yelling “blow the f**king whistle” at a referee during a game. Well, good to see the Trojans have their priorities in order: Take tens of thousands of dollars or a car, and you end up with a pro career, use foul language, and you’re out as an embarrassment to the university.

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Two feet of snow is expected to fall in Washington DC, effectively shutting down the capital until Monday. So for Congress, it’s business as usual.

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Peyton Manning signed a nine year contract in 2004 for over $100 million, Drew Brees signed a six year $60 million contract in 2006. And now both Indianapolis and New Orleans are renegotiating to give their star quarterbacks more years and more money.

Not that both these players haven’t earned it. But what ever happened to honoring the contract you signed?

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The Super Bowl, Oscars and other hype…

February 3, 2010

The NFL’s greed knows no bounds. The league has ordered local New Orleans vendors to stop selling shirts with the Saints slogan. Now they will now be fining the Super Bowl’s major halftime act, and ordering them to cover their name. After all, the band is trying to use half the phrase “Who Dat.”

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Besides this being Super Bowl Weekend,, Nascar is having the oddly-named “Budweiser Shootout” at Daytona International Speedway Saturday. Who’s going to waive the checkered flag, Gilbert Arenas?

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Carrie Underwood will sing the National Anthem for the Super Bowl. Apparently Carrie’s enough of a football fan that when the league asked her last December, she realized it was one time she’d be sure not to have to watch her ex – Tony Romo.

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The Oscar nominations came out today, including two for “The Blind Side.” Many Oscar watchers were shocked, two nominees for a sports drama and no acting nomination for “I didn’t take steroids to hit home runs” by Mark McGwire?

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“The Blind Side” is the highest grossing football movie of all time. Although those who haven’t seen the movie actually think it’s the answer to a question. “Whose side is Congress on in this healthcare debate?”

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New York Jets Rex Ryan was fined $50,000 for making the “finger” sign at a mixed martial arts event last weekend. But in Ryan’s defense, after coaching in New York for a while, he figured it was the Jets’ fans equivalent of a victory sign.

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Rahm Emmanuel apologized after Sarah Palin called him out for referring to some liberal Democrats as “f*****g retarded.” He said he should have referred to them as “Palin-esque”

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Jenny Sanford says her soon-to-be-ex-husband Mark asked her for advice during his affair, wondering “if he should follow his heart to Argentina and if he would live a life of regret if he didn’t?” That’s it, John Edwards, while a favorite, is no longer a lock to win worst husband of the year.

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Actually it really was amazing to read in Jenny’s book that her husband actually asked if he should leave her for the mistress he felt he was in love with…. One would expect to read such a statement posthumously at her murder trial.

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As the Super hype continues…

February 2, 2010

Rain forced media day at the Super Bowl indoors today. The Florida storm, however, did not flood the streets. Disappointing all those reporters who wanted to see Peyton Manning walk to today’s interview.

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President Obama is taking some grief for his use of a teleprompter. You do get the feeling, however, that if George W. Bush was accused of over-reliance on a teleprompter that Fox News would headline the story “President displays exceptional reading skills.”

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When asked about his verbal gaffes, GOP chairman Michael Steele responded -“Accidents happen, baby.” Didn’t he steal that line from John Edwards?

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Or in Edwards’ case the punctuation is different:
“Accidents happen. Baby.

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A new museum has opened in London – Abbaworld. No joke. With original costumes amongst other mementos. And of course nonstop music. Should be great for the London economy. Because men will hear about it from their wives and say “Honey, could we go shopping instead?.

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“This just in; Brett Favre has announced he is going to get a Facebook page. As soon as he decides on his status.”

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Legendary newspaper writer Herb Caen died 13 years ago today. Already there are young people and young adults in the SF Bay Area who are asking “Who’s Herb Caen?” Let’s hope in 13 more years the same demographic isn’t asking “What’s a newspaper?”

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Suspended Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas wrote a contrite op-ed for the Washington Post, acknowledging among other things that guns “are not joking matters,” and that he deserved his suspension. Arenas also pledges to try to “right his wrongs,” especially insofar as the example his behavior set for young people…

Let’s see, a thoughtful apology actually accepting responsibility…. This settles it, Arenas doesn’t belong in Washington.

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Johannesburg’s Sunday Times newspaper, citing unnamed friends of the woman’s family, reported that 67 year old South African President Jacob Zuma has had a child with a woman who is not one of his three wives nor his fiance. This is not expected to affect his career.

In related news, John Edwards announced he is moving to South Africa.

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Scott McCarron, who allegedly called Phil Mickelson a “cheater” for using a particular kind of sand wedge, now clarifies his remarks by saying “‘It’s cheating.” but “I never called Phil Mickelson a cheater.”

I think I like “it depends what the definition of is is” better.

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Quarterbacks, the Pro Bowl, and other jokes…

February 1, 2010

No matter what happens in the Super Bowl. on Feb 14, Drew Brees will be King for the New Orleans Mardi Gras Bacchus parade, which means he will stand on a float and toss beads, coins and mini footballs to parade goers. Other parade organizers thought of asking LSU grad JaMarcus Russell to do the same thing, but they didnt have enough liability insurance.

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How bad a Senior Bowl week did Tim Tebow have? Rumor has it after the game he got a congratulatory phone call and expression of interest from Al Davis?

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Tebow likes wearing bible verses in his eyeblack. It would be ironic if the most apt might end up being 1 Corinthians 13, the one that starts, “when I was a child” and ends “when I became a man I put away childish things.” (the childish thing being a football?)

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Will Smith has confirmed that he is considering a future career in politics. Makes sense, with those two “Men in Black” movies he’s shown a real talent for dealing with aliens.

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The Pro Bowl and Super Bowl are both played this in the newly named Sun Life Stadium in Miami. The financial services company was founded in Montreal in the 19th century and is now based in Toronto, Canada. Because nothing says “Sun” like… Toronto, Canada?

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Sun Life Stadium was formerly named Land Shark Stadium, and is a dual purpose facility. Which might explain how it was chosen for the Pro Bowl. With the baseball Marlins as tenants it means locals are used to watching meaningless games.

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The problem with the Pro Bowl is that players just don’t care that much and are often just going through the motions while trying to avoid injury. Which means for fans of many teams it’s just a repeat of week 17 of the regular season.
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Matt Schaub was voted MVP of the Pro Bowl. Isn’t that like being voted the best show in NBC’s prime time lineup? Or the best men’s basketball team in the Pac 10?

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What does this say about the Colts’ and Saints’ offenses (or maybe their defenses.). The over-under for the Super Bowl – 56 1/2, is basically the same as it was for the Pro Bowl – 57. And in the Pro Bowl they don’t even really hit and tackle. (Yes, I am aware some would say that especially about the Saints defense.)

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And okay, you don’t even have to know anything about rugby to know how ugly this game was. Cal 99, Stanford 0. No, that is not a typo.

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