Left Coast Sports Babe

Novak Djokovic is whining about that way he is being treated in Australia as an anti-vaxxer. Well if he wanted to be a anti-science anti-authority superstar and get away with it, Djokovic clearly should have become an NFL quarterback.

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Novak Djokovic is unhappy that he remains at Melbourne quarantine hotel while he fights to be able to play in the Australian Open. Uh, he did his own research. The Australians have their own rules. Game, set, match.

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Kevin Durant on the unvaccinated Kyrie Irving playing part-time with the Nets “I want him to play — play every game. But I’m not about to force somebody to get a vaccine, like that’s not my thing. Whatever decision he want to make, he’s going to make.”

Possible translation – it’s over 3 months to the playoffs, if he infects the whole team we should be out of protocols well before then?

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San Antonio Spurs had to play tonight in Philadelphia without 6 players, including 4 of top 7 scorers “Start whoever you want,” said coach Gregg Popovich, “I don’t even know half their names in there tonight.”

(Maybe they could have borrowed some of those “Hi, my name is” stickers from the Saints from last weeks Monday night football.)

Rumors that Aaron Rodgers could threaten a Super Bowl boycott over California COVID and vaccine restrictions. Does this mean the Jacksonville Jaguars were just trendsetters? The Jags were clearly going to be boycotting the Super Bowl from about NFL week 2.

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A simple question: The Former Guy’s Truth Social is supposedly starting in February. But considering his known propensity for not paying people who work for him, what makes anyone think he could find competent engineers to build the platform?

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Just saying, so many of these Republican “leaders” who think Americans should trust them to stand up for our country, can’t even stand up to a loser ex-President who isn’t man enough to admit he lost.

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It’s been that kind of year already. On the Late Show, Stephen Colbert talks about participating in dry January. “Personally I’m going to do a third of that, I’m not going to be drinking the eight hours a day I’m sleeping.”

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, who promised in 2016 only to serve two terms in the Senate, is reportedly ready to announce he will run for a third term in 2022. Should we be surprised Ron’s as honest with his political promises as he is everything else?

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If unemployment is only 3.9%, but many industries are reporting hiring problems, does this mean full employment still leaves many employers short of workers? Gosh, if we only had people from other countries who wanted to come to United States to work.

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Why should we be surprised Kevin McCarthy doesn’t have a sane bipartisan bone in his body. My aunt lived in his district, Ridgecrest, CA, population about 25,000, Kern County. Asked how she coped – “There are 50 Democrats in town, I know them all, how many friends do you need?”

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So were all GOP Senators AWOL yesterday for speeches about January 6 because they’ve all forgotten what happened, even Romney, who knows he was saved by a Capitol police officer? Or did McConnell threaten them with something?

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Knew Stephen Colbert’s Jan 6, 2021 Late Show featuring interviews with Adam Kinzinger in his office, and Amy Klobuchar waiting in a room in the US Capitol for things to becleaned and secured, was nominated for Emmy. Listening to him talk last night how it was put together on fly, with all advertisers having pulled out & everything they were working on thrown out, , makes me wish he could get the award retroactively..

President Biden on the anniversary of January 6: “You can’t love your country only when you win.” As a sports fan, realizing that for many of us our love of sports teams cuts across bipartisan lines, maybe this is an especially good sentiment to share with our friends across the aisle.

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NY Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur apologized for – “It’s 100 percent on me,”  for a late 4th and 2 call where Jets could have run out the clock and beaten the Buccaneers last week.

Well, except NY will get better draft picks and Tampa Bay will probably get a better playoff seed. And maybe Bucs will vote LaFleur a playoff share?

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New Orleans Pelicans beat Golden State Warriors tonight 101-96 in New Orleans. Thereby probably thrilling the dozen or so who New Orleans fans who had paid inflated prices for the game to see Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, neither of who played.

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If a police officer so much as stubbed a toe during BLM protests FOX News and conservative media was all over it. And today, crickets over Brian Sicknick’s death and the deaths of four other Capitol Police Officers by suicide after January 6.

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A headline I didn’t have on my 2022 Batsh*t Bingo List: “Dick Cheney returns to the House and receives a warm welcome — from Democrats.”

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Lindsey Graham trying to claim Democrats want “radical election reform.” As Republicans across the country have introduced hundreds of bills radically to limit voting rights and pre-emptively overturn elections. Would be funny if it weren’t our democracy we’re talking about.

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Cory Booker on Rachel Maddow. “Average wait to vote in Georgia in predominately black communities, 51 minutes, average for white people 6 minutes.” But GOP really wants to pretend it’s not that ‘Some people don’t want some people to vote.”

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As travel agent it’s worth sharing screenshot of Trump Hotel DC rates for Jan 6, 2022.

TRUMP HOTEL WASHING 06JAN-07JAN 01NT 1 NT 396.00 USD J

TRUMP HOTEL WASHING 06JAN-07JAN 01NT 1 NT 4494.50 USD (yes, about $5,000 a night with tax. No joke)

Wonder what changed?

Top-ranked men’s tennis star Novak Djokovic, who has been in a guarded room overnight at Melbourne airport, is being deported from Australia over not being vaccinated. Apparently the Australian Government has a lot more cojones than the NFL..

(Novak Djokovic, who is unvaccinated, had “medical exemption” to compete in 2022. But Novak just had visa revoked by Australian Govt. So after banning most intl travel for 2 years, govt suddenly realized seeing world’s top player may not be Australians’ top priority right now?)

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The Washington Football Team will unveil their new name and uniforms on February 2. Unfortunately for WFT fans, the name of their owner will be the same, and the new uniforms will have the same old players in them.-

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Stephen Colbert on the Late Show tonight points out how Peter Navarro referred to Former Guy’s attempted coup as “The Green Bay Sweep.” As opposed to the “The Green Bay Sneak,” which happens when you ask Aaron Rodgers if he’s vaccinated.

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Fox News is as likely to talk about Velveeta Voldemort’s involvement on January 6 today as Tonya Harding is to talk about winning her 1994 US Figure Skating Title.

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(In case that’s too inside baseball, the Former Guy and his cult members tried to do to democracy what Tonya’s supporters tried to do to Nancy Kerrigan.)

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So what will Fox News headlines be on January 6 and how will they involve Hunter Biden?

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As Omicron cases explode, on Senate floor today, Democrats wearing N95 type masks, while at least most Republicans not masking at all. So hypothetically how many Senators being present would it take for a quorum to pass most of Biden’s agenda?

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If any investigative reporter has time on her/his hands would be interesting to see how many GOP members of Congress railing against vaccine and/or mask mandates have kids in expensive private schools that have vaccine and/or mask mandates… (Besides Ted Cruz.)

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Remember this on Jan 6 Former Guy couldn’t get Mike Pence to overturn 2020 election. And his coup at US Capitol failed. Now he’s no longer President, but w/ the Big Lie, Trump has convinced GOP to try again to to destroy democracy – one state at a time.

The Washington Football Team will unveil their new name and uniforms on February 2.

Unfortunately for fans, the new uniforms will have the same old players in them.

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Reports that a “mystery” team is already interested in Antonio Brown. Well, heck, if repeated accusations of assault including sexual assault, plus using a fake vaccine card weren’t enough, what’s another episode of prima donna behavior to a team that wants to win.

Not like Brown did anything the league really can’t tolerate, like the wrong color cleats or not tucking in his shirt.

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As Hannity texts are latest to be released by January 6 Committee, beginning to look for some Velveeta Voldemort coup enablers that p*ssing off Liz Cheney might be more dangerous than going hunting with her father.

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Stephen Colbert tonight – “We’ve got an update from the opposite of schools – Florida. What? You cross the border, knowledge leaves.” “The opposite of schools” would be an interesting change from “The Sunshine State” on Florida license plates.

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Freudian slip from Chuck Schumer talking about the Senate? “There’re been more amendments in the one year I’ve been majority leader than in the four years that Trump, that McConnell was leader…”

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Velveeta Voldemort is cancelling his speech on anniversary of his failed coup “in light of the total bias & dishonesty of the January 6th Unselect Committee of Democrats, two failed Republicans, & the Fake News Media.” Did someone just read him his Miranda rights?

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Simple question I have for anyone thinking a Senate carve out for voting rights will result in GOP doing same thing to restrict voting if they retake House & Senate. McConnell has broken every precedent he needed for his judges. What makes you think they won’t do that anyway?

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I respect the CDC. But their messaging aspires to be mediocre:

CDC guidance on COVID is getting like Chicago weather. If you don’t like it, wait five minutes, it will change.

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Former Guy fundraising email today: “I have something BIG to show you” And it’s “brand-new Trump pint glasses” if you donate. Pint glasses are generally six inches tall. Why do I have a feeling these are more like three inches?

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“I’ve had one orange and that’s the only food I’ve had since Sunday night.” Senator Tim Kaine, still stuck in I-95 traffic. Wonder how many GOP Senators who are fine with people standing in line for hours to vote with no food and water could handle that?

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Ron Johnson – “Why do we think that we can create something better than God in terms of combatting disease?” So the Wisconsin Senator is against medicine? Got it.

Christmas is not over until the kitten says it’s over:

Bucs coach Bruce Arians said today he does not regret bringing Antonio Brown into the organization. Well of course not, Brown caught 97 passes in 2 years for over 1000 yards. And helped Tampa Bay and Brady win a Super Bowl. #Priorities

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Marjorie Three Names, permanently suspended from Twitter, issued a statement saying that Twitter “can’t handle the truth.” Guess she’ll have to find another way to spread COVID lies and ban books.

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The Senate did not do legislative business Monday. Wonder why some GOP Senators didn’t “do their own research” on how to drive in the snow?

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Guilty. Four counts. So Elizabeth Holmes has something in common with attempted coup participant Jenna Ryan – Holmes also guessed wrong that she wouldn’t go to jail because she’s blonde and white.

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Petty thought watching local SF Bay Area coverage of the Elizabeth Holmes verdict. Can you get expensive hair color in prison?

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Seeing Parler trending and can’t help but smile wondering if any of its xenophobic users know the term is French.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says colleges should return tuition if no in-person classes. Now Ron claims he was working for last two weeks in Florida, but no one saw him. Does that mean he should return his salary for not being an in-person Governor?

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Don Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle are engaged and have apparently secretly have been since Dec 31, 2020. A week before January 6, 2021. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that spouses cannot be compelled to testify as to private, confidential communications between them.

NFC’s #1 seed Green Bay Packers led by possible MVP QB who’s not only unvaccinated,but LIED about it, putting teammates, staff & families at risk.

Aaron Rodgers missed ONE game & was fined $14,650. Less than $15,450 Dallas WR CeeDee Lamb was fined 2nd time for untucked jersey. But no, NFL doesn’t play favorites

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Tom Brady – “everyone should be compassionate and empathetic towards Antonio Brown.” Not without sympathy for those with mental illness.

But where were calls for compassion and empathy towards those Brown has (allegedly) assaulted? And those he put at risk w/ fake vaccine card?

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When and where will Antonio Brown announce he is running for Congress as a Republican?

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Meanwhile, Carlson Wentz, unvaccinated, started for Colts after testing positive for COVID Dec 28.

NFL rules, changed after Saints had 1/2 team out on MNF, now allow players to return in 5 days just “if they can demonstrate their symptoms are lessening.” What could possibly go wrong?

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SNL honored Betty White last night by replaying great 2010 Mother’s Day Show she hosted.

Betty “I really have to thank Facebook” (there was serious campaign to have her host.) Adding “I didn’t know what Facebook was, & now that I do know what it is, it sounds like a huge waste of time.”

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Wrap your head around this: Same media who told popular vote winner Hillary Clinton, gracious in Electoral College defeat, to go home & knit, now planning to cover a press conference full of lies by man who not only lost election, but tried a coup attempt to overturn results.

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Some in GOP believe that any bakery has a right not to make a cake for a gay couple. But publicly traded social media company that clearly delineates its Terms of Service for everyone has no right to suspend someone who repeatedly violates them. Make it make sense.

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Even conservative Newsweek says story Marjorie Taylor Greene, permanently suspended from Twitter for lying about COVID, again, has stock in Pfizer is true. “Financial disclosure, signed by Greene Aug 13, reveals among more than 100 companies she had stock in, at least 3 were COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers.”

They’re not all dumb, they think we are

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If you ignore social media terms of service and get yourself suspended, you have no more justification to complain than if you run a red light and get in a traffic accident.

As waitress for years & travel agent for decades, have put professionalism over politics my entire working life. (Served Caspar Weinberger in college.) Now have many GOP clients. But would be tough test if GOP Senator asked me for help getting back to DC in Monday’s snowstorm.

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Dear Mike Pence – January 6, 2021 was just “one day in January” like December 7, 1941 was just “one day in December.”

Some of these athletes “do their own research” in deciding to ignore vaccines and mask mandates. How long would they stay on a team if they reacted that way to what their coach told them to do?

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Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins tested positive for COVID on Friday, and will miss the Vikings game against the Packers. Cousins is unvaccinated. Sort of an exclamation point on a career full of bad decisions.

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Colts QB Carson Wentz , who is also unvaccinated, tested positive on December 28. Now he’s OFF the COVID-19 reserve list for Jan 2 game.

“If you’re a star they let you do it… you can do anything.”

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Over 90,000 people, including 60,000 Utah fans in Rose Bowl stands today. As Los Angeles County is currently biggest COVID hot spot in California. What could possibly go wrong?

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And then many of the remaining people in the stands are from Ohio, where hospitalizations are at record levels. Now, the Rose Bowl wants proof of vaccination OR a negative test for COVID within 72 hours. But 72 hours is a long time these days.

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All these people saying Cincinnati had no business in the CFB Playoff . But actually the Bearcats looked more competitive than Michigan.

Thinking last night watching New Year’s Eve in Times Square. Anderson Cooper really is the closest thing we have to Walter Cronkite. And then trying to imagine Uncle Walter drunk.

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Dear Mike Pence – January 6, 2020 was just “one day in January” like December 7, 1941 was just “one day in December.”

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After fighting vaccine & mask mandates, Texas Governor Greg Abbott now begging federal government for COVID help including monoclonal antibodies. Well, good to stay in practice, Abbott will probably be asking for more help when Texas power grid fails again this winter.

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Wait. This from Fox News website just now? Are their regular editors taking January 1 off? (Don’t tell Ron Deathsantis.) “CORONAVIRUS Published 45 mins ago New York, Florida shatter single-day records for COVID-19 cases”

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Anti-vaxxer Jason Aldean, who played at Mar-A-Lago last night, and posted for pictures with the Former Guy, was on stage when the Las Vegas massacre started at the Route 91 Festival in 2017. You’d think the brush with death might have given Aldean more appreciation for life.

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Even if Omicron is the variant that makes COVID endemic and vaccines don’t stop it, unvaccinated people are still 10 to 20 times more likely to be hospitalized or die. Flu shots don’t stop the flu either. They keep you from dying from the flu. Why is this so hard?

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With COVID we’ve already learned a lot of Americans don’t believe in science. Now learning many folks shocked at Omicron numbers don’t get exponential math either.

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How many men who now claim to reject COVID vaccines because you need a shot more than once just take ONE Viagra?

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“Alaska Airlines was reporting hold times of up to 20 hours on Thursday. Delta & JetBlue are quoting hold times of 1 hour & 35 minutes and 2 hours & 16 minutes, respectively.” If we don’t all burnout we travel agents are going to have jobs forever.

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“Only the good die young.” Thank Betty White for reminding us that 99 can be young!

And finally, Happy New Year. John Madden, Harry Reid and Betty White in one week?

Maybe 2022 could give us an optimistic sign by taking out an a**hole or two this week?