Left Coast Sports Babe

Well of course Astros relief pitcher Frances Martin gets suspended for 162 games. Without him taking PEDs Houston doesn’t win the World Series in 2017. Oh wait. Never mind.

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As the Astros cheating story dominates all the MLB spring training headlnes, the sport must long for the good old days when the only scandal was potential steroid use.

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NBA All-Star game break continues now with no games through Thursday.   So with no professional basketball to watch fans of all teams now know what it’s like this year to root for the Cavs.

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-Trump RTs a Daytona 500 video of what could have easily been a fatal crash, one that resulted in a driver being in serious condition in the hospital, with the caption “You didn’t think we were getting through this without the Big One, right? “

Amy Klobuchar is right, this election is a decency check.

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No lie too small department.  Trump’s campaign manager Brad Parscale tweeted a dramatic photo of Air Force One at Daytona, saying “.@realDonaldTrump won the #Daytona500  before the race even started.” The shot was of George W. Bush’s plane leaving in 2004.  Parscale deleted the tweet three hours later.

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If you want, you can find reasons to vote against every Democrat running. And if we keep focusing on those reasons we will get four more years of Trump. #VoteBlueNoMatterWho2020

Just thinking, when anything involving you or your company is trending with the word “gate” after it, you’ve done something either very wrong or very stupid. #Delta #RECLINEGATE

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Joc Pederson is back with the Dodgers after he was reportedly traded to the Los Angeles Angels, but the deal fell through.  The baseball equivalent of “hey, you don’t mind if I cheat if I come back?”

Wanna get away, 2nd version? As my friend Dwight Perry points out.
“Red-faced Target officials apologized after four Twin Cities stores offered “Minnesota Badgers” onesies for sale.
No word on how the fresh shipment of “Green Bay Vikings” kiddie shirts is selling in Milwaukee.”

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Derrick Jones Jr. edged Aaron Gordon in a controversial NBA All-Star dunk contest.  And if you’re seriously still upset about that you might need a life.

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About the Westerdam being a Carnival cruise ship… Well, it’s not like the ship has its company on the side or anything. Oh wait, never mind. 

Meanwhile 44 Americans on Diamond Princess have now tested positive for coronavirus.

“Today’s 62nd running of the  Daytona 500 has been postponed due to inclement weather.”  #ETTD  (Everything Trump Touches Dies.)

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If we’re going to quarantine people who’ve been exposed to something seriously toxic, when does the quarantine start for anyone who’s worked for Trump White House?

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Reminder to anyone slamming any Democratic candidate over a record that includes compromises. Uh, with all due respect, the only way you regularly get things done in a non-dictatorship is to compromise.

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Trump Presidents Day fundraising email. “Right now, you can take 25% OFF your ENTIRE ORDER at the only Official Trump Store…” Translation, if the RNC doesn’t buy it we can’t give this sh*t away.

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And okay, political soap box time , yeah, I”ve become  an  Amy Klobuchar fan,  yeah, she shouldn’t have forgotten the name of President of Mexico. But who hasn’t forgotten a name?   And Amy won’t forget unjustly maligned immigrants, or for that matter, Americans who want their democracy back.

Pitchers and catchers have reported, spring training games start next week.  When is spy camp?

Call me a cynic, and I’m not an Astros fan, but too soon to start a pool on what other MLB teams might have been playing similar, but not as effective, cheating strategies?

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Houston Astros owner Jim Crane made some incredibly tone-deaf statements yesterday. Delta CEO Ed Bastian – hold our overpriced beer.

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Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta says he always asks permission before he reclines his seat. Want to start a pool on how often he’s been seated in coach?

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Delta CEO says you should always ask permission before reclining your seat. Because everyone in coach should be happy enough eating cake?

Zion Williamson said meeting former President Barack Obama was one of his top life experiences. “This could be No. 1. I  don’t want to say it is No. 1 right now because the draft might be 1, but this is definitely top two.”

“Zion overrated” tweets from Trump in 3.2.1…

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So who will Trump demand be locked up for not locking McCabe up?

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See’s Candies at about 6p PST sending emails reminding us “it’s not too late, we’re open until 9pm.” Now, anniversaries and birthdays can be hard, but if you forgot it was Valentine’s Day and your significant other likes chocolate, you just might have bigger problems than candy.

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Yeah, a bad time to have a brain cramp and forget President of Mexico when talking to Telemundo. Even Pete said “Lopez Obrador, I hope.” But Steyer, Klobuchar and Buttigieg took the time to show up…. unlike Sanders, Biden, Warren and Bloomberg.

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Scene in every Presidential candidate’s war rooms tonight…. World Leader Flash Cards.

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To be fair, does anyone think Trump knows the President of Mexico?

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Former Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti has been found guilty of extortion. Well, they got off to a rocky start but seems this is the kind of guy Trump might want to pardon then hire.

Astros owner Jim Crane on sign-stealing “Our opinion is that this didn’t impact the game.” Uh, if they didn’t think it impacted the game then why did Houston do it?

The Astros made a bad situation worse today, but given the fact that no other team has publicly called for them to give the World Series trophy back, have to assume they just might not be the only MLB team with some sort of electronic cheating.

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The Astros press conference was so defensive and lacking in real remorse it might earn them another White House invitation.

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Not all change is bad. MLB this season will require, barring injury, any starter or reliever must face three batters, or pitch until the inning is over, before coming out of the game.
What a disappointment though to fans who love to see three or more pitchers per inning. Both of them.

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ESPN reports Eastern Kentucky LB Michael Harris, who recently transferred from Auburn, was arrested this week in Grove City, Ohio on four different charges, after he hoisted a police officer over his head, almost body-slamming the cop before they both fell.  Harris was booked into the Franklin County Jail, which has also been housing a pair of Ohio State football players accused of rape.

What a week for football in Ohio.  Are we sure Urban Meyer isn’t somehow involved?

If any Republicans think that their surrender to Donald Trump during the impeachment trial will keep them in his good graces, they should watch Lou Dobbs attack Bill Barr tonight.

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Barr says the president “has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case.” Right. Donald never ASKS anything. He orders.

So Sean Spicer and Hope Hicks are being rehired by the White House. This is the Presidential version of dumpster diving.

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For a man who always says he hires “the best people” Trump sure ends up deciding a lot of them are liars and idiots.

Like him or not, James Carville doesn’t mince words. “Last night on CNN, Bernie called me a political hack. That’s exactly who the f**k I am!” I am a political hack! I’m not an ideologue. I’m not a purist. He thinks it’s pejorative. I kinda like it! At least I’m not a communist.”

The Ohio State Medical Board ruled against Browns or Bengals fans who said they experienced enough pain to qualify for medical marijuana. But what about those who are Browns/Bengals fans AND fans of the Cavs and Reds?

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Jameis Winston, who last season threw 30 interceptions in one season, just had Lasik surgery. 30 passes to someone in the wrong uniform. Does Lasik correct color blindness ?

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On a nonpolitical but potentially still controversial note, heard former NBA player Tom Tolbert on KNBR suggest an idea for instant replay I’ve considered before and agree with: In all sports, you get 60 seconds. If you can’t see enough to overturn the play in that time, the call stands. Period.
Thoughts?

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Deval Patrick has dropped out of the Presidential race. Shocking millions of Americans who didn’t realize he was in it.

Larry Ellison is holding a fundraiser for Donald Trump.  As if he wasn’t already one of the most disliked people in high-tech.

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After Trump tweeted about Roger Stone’s prison sentence, Lindsey Graham said “I don’t think he should be commenting on cases in the system. I don’t think that’s appropriate.”
Too soon to start a pool on when Graham pivots and says Donald was just being Presidential?

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“If the lion knew his own strength, hard were it for any man to rule him.” Nope, not spoken about Trump. Thomas More, in the 1500s. And how’d that work out for most of those who enabled Henry VIII?

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Occam’s Razor says Trump’s cutting a scheduled pay raise for Federal workers is because he’s still livid over the federal workers who he thinks have betrayed him by telling the truth.

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Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price has resigned. Well, guess no future employer will need to ask “why did you leave your last job?

Vetting candidates matters. But just like all pitchers have ERAs, anyone who has spent any time in politics has made mistakes in their past. But come on folks, all the bad things everyone in the Democratic field have done together add up to less than an average Trump week.

The real winner in tonight’s Democratic primary?   Iowa over New Hampshire.

The only way Amy Klobuchar might have sounded happier tonight is if the Vikings had made it to the Super Bowl.

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Tim Tebow, 32, starts NY Mets spring training this week and says he is still driven to someday play in MLB. Or even with the Mets.

Elizabeth Warren- very classy. “I want to congratulate my friend and colleague Amy Klobuchar for showing just how wrong the pundits can be when they count a woman out.”

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Okay, who had Amy getting more votes in New Hampshire than Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren? Now all you liars put your hands down.

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Under Barr, can we rename it the Injustice Department?

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Elizabeth  Warren nails it. “Susan Collins said Donald Trump has learned a lesson. He has – the lesson is that he can do anything he wants.”.

PSA, EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRATIC Presidential candidate has done something you disagree with. And the longer they have been in public service, the more “somethings” there will be. Get over it, or we will have 4 more years of Trump. Thank you.

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Joe Biden says Democrats can run Mickey Mouse against Donald Trump and have a chance. Well, if Mickey offers everyone free Disney tickets Joe might be right.

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San Antonio Spurs had a 22 point lead with five minutes left in 3rd quarter tonight. This season a big Spurs lead late in the game is like watching the happy moments of what you know will be a horror movie.

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Rob Manfred wants to change MLB playoffs to letting 7 teams win, with expanded wildcards, and gimmicks like letting the top team pick who they want to play in the first round.   Hell,  so how long until fans can vote for their favorite teams like they do All-Stars?

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Amy Klobuchar leads with eight votes after three townships cast their ballots at midnight in New Hampshire. Don’t laugh. It’s eight more votes than they had definitely counted after the first night in Iowa.

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Trump has decided to go to India in a couple weeks. Since he’s so sure Coronavirus is under control why doesn’t he stop off in Beijing?

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Actually Trump now tells us the coronavirus will be no problem because China has told him it will go away when the weather warms up. So now the stable genius is a medical genius too?

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Good to see Trump focused on a US response to the increasingly global Coronavirus crisis. His 2021 Budget Proposal, released today, outlines a nearly $65M proposed cut to the World Health Organization WHO – a more than 50% decrease from FY20 funding. It also proposes a 34% overall cut to Global Health Programs…
Wait, never mind…. WTAF?

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Attorney Joe diGenova said on a radio show Trump has identified writer of anonymous NY Times editorial & will “soon” fire them. Uh, “soon?” Since when does Donald make a plan to do anything more than about 5 minutes in advance?

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Trump said it was “perfect” SOTU speech & tweeted “We will not be touching your Social Security or Medicare in Fiscal Year 2021 Budget.” – Today his budget proposes $800 BILLION cuts to SS and, Medicare. Anyone else figured out for Trump “perfect” means perfect lies?

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Now 100 US service members have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries in the wake of the January 8 Iranian missile attack. Are we waiting for Trump to show up and throw them aspirin?

February is a rough month for meaningful games in major American sports.  But hey, we’re less than six weeks way from Spring Training games. Which matter at least about as much as NBA regular season.

Joc Pederson from Dodgers to the Angels deal is reportedly off.   Which could be expensive and embarrassing. But well, at least neither team has planned to endorse a Joc bobblehead.

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Nevada has just eliminated parallel parking on their driving test. And most millennials and younger Americans are going “parallel” what?

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While offering no proof, Rudy Giuliani says he has ‘smoking gun’ proving Hunter Biden broke law in Ukraine & Obama administration illegally sought dirt on former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort . Rudy will show us the proof at same time Donald releases his tax returns?.

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Officials in London and DC say Trump vented “apoplectic” fury at Boris Johnson in a tense phone call this week. Who’d a thunk anyone could make Johnson seem like the calm statesman by comparison?

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The Barack Obama produced American Factory wins best documentary. Trump twitter meltdown in 3.2.1…

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But really, South Korean “Parasite” wins best picture, Barack Obama produced “American Factory” wins best documentary. Can just imagine the ‘us against the world” love letters that will pass between Trump and Kim Jong Un after tonight.

For that matter, how long until Donald Trump tweets that Brad Pitt, who quipped he got “45 seconds more than John Bolton,” to talk, is “overrated?”

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Since subtitles worked so well for English speakers to understand #Parasite, maybe the White House could start using subtitles for Trump’s speeches?

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Now Trump is referring to Joe Manchin as “Joe Munchkin.” This White House remake of “Mean Girls” really s*cks.

Some are comparing Trump with his name-calling to a 12 year old boy. As the mother of a son who used to be a 12 year old boy, I can tell you if he ever behaved like that he’d have been grounded.

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Washington Post reporting admin officials are terrified their careers will be ruined by ‘vindictive’ Trump if they report anything unethical. On the other hand, how much will their careers end up ruined post-Trump if it comes out they collaborated with him in being unethical?

Some people ask why I like sports. Watch replay of last few minutes of regulation plus OT of Duke-UNC men’s basketball game today and ask, how can you not?

(13 point comeback by Duke in last few minutes, tied game at buzzer, game winning shot at end of OT.)

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NBA admitted refs missed a goaltending violation with 11 seconds to go in Blazers-Jazz game that would have allowed Portland to tie the score, a game Utah won 117-114. Over at the NFL, they’re going “Whew, not us this time.”

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Bobby Knight got a standing ovation as he entered Indiana’s Assembly Hall on Saturday for the first time in 20 years. Did the Hoosiers considering giving Knight the honor of throwing out the first chair?

I actually don’t feel that strongly about Pete Rose in Baseball Hall of Fame, but since Trump now is tweeting that he belongs, here’s what pushed me some years ago towards a no. Pete never bet against the Reds.  But imagine this scenario if you’re a booking or connected to oddsmakers. Cincinnati plays a 4 game series. Rose, who set the starting rotation, bets on games 1, 2, and 4. But not 3.

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I’m sure nobody is shocked that the player Trump says should be in HOF is Pete Rose and not Barry Bonds.

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The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is giving Ivanka Trump an award for supporting manufacturing. That’s nice. Will she give a holiday to celebrate to the kids working her sweatshops?

Purple heart recipients Alexander Vindman and Robert Mueller, four-star general John Kelly, former Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson, career diplomat Marie Yavanovitch (1st appointed ambassador by George W. Bush.) ALL of them have to be lying for Cadet Bone Spurs to be telling the truth.

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When Americans talk about wanting someone “exciting” as a nominee, your reminder that really the leader of the free world right now is Angela Merkel.

So the big blockbuster, big $$$ three-way MLB trade which supposedly sends Mookie Betts & David Price to Dodgers; Alex Verdugo and Brusdar Graterol to Red Sox; and Kenta Maeda to Twins is now somehow in limbo.
Did they make the deal in Iowa?

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Best news of the week. From Craig Calcaterra on Twitter “Heard this: Hunter Pence is on his way to San Francisco for a physical. If he passes, he’s joining the Giants. He turned down offers from Padres and Astros.

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Separate note to Hunter Pence: you may want to keep the phone conversations you have in the gate area at the airport a bit more quiet.”

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One American citizen dies from coronavirus in China. Meanwhile about 25,000 Americans have died in US since October from the flu. Humans really suck at risk evaluation.

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Anyone but me watch Bernie yelling at everyone and worry  he’s going to have another heart attack?

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Pete Buttigieg is talking about standing next to Trump on a debate stage. Although at this point thinking what are the odds Donald will find an excuse to avoid any debates. (Like bone spurs?)

Good line from Pete Buttigieg:  “This is not an episode of 24.” But wait, is Pete old enough to remember “24?”

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Seen some “Amy Klobuchar hates Pete Buttigieg” statements. Do I think she hates him? No.

But she’s been in the Senate 13 years, gotten a lot done.. And do I think sometimes does Amy feel like every smart talented woman who really has learned her stuff, done great work, planned on a promotion, and then sees a young hot shot guy who comes in and looks like he might get that promotion instead.  Yes.

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Just a thought, since everything with Trump is projection, remember he accused Obama of faking job numbers? #JobsReport

Former Astros manager AJ Hinch, asked by MLB Network if Houston’s 2017 World Series championship has been tainted by the sign-stealing scandal “”It’s a fair question.  And I think everyone’s going to have to draw their own conclusion.”

MLB commissioner Manfred’s report noted sign-stealing was “player-driven” and not supported by the manager, but that Hinch did not stop it.

Is it too soon to start asking the Hall of Fame quesitons?

Golden State Warriors have sold out the season in their new Chase Arena, though actual attendance has been disappointing. Perhaps the team could induce fans to show up on any given night with a contest to guess the starting line-up? 

Nothing is certain but death, taxes, and the 2019-20 Spurs blowing a 4th quarter lead.

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And now back to insanity… sniff, sniff (Trump speech., not too many mentions.)

Trump talking about Scalise, and how upset his wife was when he was shot “a lot of wives wouldn’t have given a damn.” So is he talking about Ivana, Marla, and Melania?

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Trump: “Want to apologize to my family for having them have to go through phony, rotten deal by some very evil & sick people. And Ivanka is here & my sons & my whole family. And that includes Barron.” Then he calls Ivanka for a hug & a kiss.’ That’s a whole DSM page in 1 minute.

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New slogan for Iowa. “Florida, but with more white people and worse weather.”

Donald Trump Jr. calls Mitt Romney a ‘Pussy’ for voting to convict his father. Does that mean Donny thinks Donald wants to grab Mitt?

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Trump: “Want to apologize to my family for having them have to go through phony, rotten deal by some very evil & sick people. And Ivanka is here & my sons & my whole family. And that includes Barron.” Then he calls Ivanka for a hug & a kiss.’ That’s a whole DSM page in 1 minute.

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While we’re fussing over a few thousand votes in Iowa, Trump’s Federal Reserve Board nominee has called for ending federal deposit insurance, calling it a “government subsidy that distorts financial markets.” Banks on the honor system, what could go wrong?

The University of California football team will receive $1.9 million for playing the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame in 2022. It’s all good, as long as none of their boosters travel with the team and try to buy any of the players dinner.

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Terrell Owens said the NFL “should be ashamed of themselves” for the pass interference call on Kittle, especially since the league gave Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph gave a defender a near-identical shove when Minnesota scored their game winning TD against New Orleans in overtime.

There’s a lot fewer people in California this week telling Saints fans to get over it.

So did Trump fly to Kansas today to attend the Chiefs Super Bowl Parade?

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So Rush Limbaugh mocked those who said smoking was bad for your health and once said, no joke, that he should get “a medal for smoking cigars.” Well, isn’t that kind of what happened? God works in mysterious ways.

Bernie Madoff’s lawyer wants early release after 10 years, as the Ponzi schemer is dying from kidney cancer – “a prison term which was “just & proportionate at time of sentencing may become disproportionately severe based on changed circumstances.”    Uh, Bernie got 150 years..

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Words I never thought I’d write – Thank you Mitt Romney.

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Time to start a pool, so what country is Trump going to extort to try to get dirt on Mitt Romney?

John McCain would have voted “yes” today too.

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Who’s going to be be the first to sell a Nancy Pelosi origami kit?  Or a shredder?

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Wow, now it’s Newt Gingrich is calling for Pelosi to be censured for ripping up Trump’s speech last night. Your reminder that Newt wanted to impeach Bill Clinton over a blow j*b while he was cheating on his 2nd wife with his future 3rd wife.

Trump has suspended Pre-Check and Global Entry programs for New York residents over the state’s sanctuary policies for immigrants. I’m sure all his “Masters of the Universe” donors from Wall Street and banks who fly frequently will be VERY understanding while they wait in long airport lines.

So residents of the state of New York will now have to wait in long lines at airports and customs. What’s Trump going to do to California? And Mitt Romney’s Utah?

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Trump is having a press conference tomorrow at the White House post-impeachment trial where he will no doubt rant about the Witch Hunt. Too much to hope that someone shows up with a barrel of water to melt him?

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For all this argument as to who really won Iowa, we’re talking about a total of around 150,000 votes. Almost all of them from white people who didn’t have to work or take care of children at night.

From Marc Ragovin   “This just in: 1957 Rose Bowl final: Iowa 35/Oregon State 19.”

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Susan Collins “I believe the President has learned from this case.” Well, yeah, like a toddler who learns his parents will threaten but never give him so much as a time out.

Nicest story baseball story in Northern California. We can root for Palo Alto native Joc Pederson again, now that he’s been traded to the Angels.

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So did Dodgers get David Price to make Clayton Kershaw feel better about his history in the postseason?

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But hey, the SF Giants got Wilbur Flores. Well, it’s going to be a busy election season in the Bay Area.

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Researchers say a rare salamander reportedly stayed in the same spot in its cave in Europe for seven years. The lizard must have had his TV remote handy.

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Apparently some Trump supporters are upset because they thought Super Bowl halftime show was “lewd,” “exploitative of women,” one called it “soft-core porn.” I’d respond with some of Melania’s modeling pictures but those would probably get me suspended from Facebook and Twitter.

After Rand Paul tried again to out alleged whistleblower in statement on Senate floor today, perhaps question we should ask, his neighbor lived next door to him for 17 years – how did he go all that time WITHOUT attacking Senator Paul.

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For months all political eyes have been on the upcoming final count from Iowa Caucuses. It’s only January and I think we have a winner in the 2020 #YouHadOneJob competition.

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Maybe instead of an app Iowa Democrats should have built a cornfield on a baseball diamond and have ghosts come out to hand count paper ballots?

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Iowa caucuses might be a major clusterf*ck, but before anyone gets too up or down about potential winners perhaps we should ask for commentary from Presidents Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz?

Anyone else feel like they need a shower after that SOTU?

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For anyone who wanted to know what it was like at Jonestown, watching Cult 45 tonight is probably a good lesson.

Trump has the audacity to mention Harriet Tubman tonight, while he tries to keep her off the $20 bill.

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Trump also honored Rush Limbaugh tonight, who said Michael J. Fox was faking Parkinson’s disease, and was absolutely gleeful at the idea of RBG having terminal cancer. There is no bottom.

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Super Bowl LIV is finally over.   Super Bowl LV pregame show starts tomorrow.

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Quarterback K.J. Costello says he’s transferring from Stanford to Mississippi State to he can play for Mike Leach.  Well, at least he didn’t pretend it was for academics.

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Iowa’s top poll gets cancelled. Iowa’s caucus results may not be known for days. NFL refs are going “Well, at least it’s not us this time.”

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So this morning did residents of Kansas City, Missouri wake up with both a Super Bowl hangover and the news they will be annexed by Executive Order into Kansas?

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If the 49ers had won last night’s Super Bowl would Trump have congratulated the state of Nevada? Or Alaska?!. (Alaska IS the 49th state.)

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But So who drew the short straw last night and got to tell Trump that Kansas City is in Missouri.

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Never ascribe to to conspiracies what can be more easily explained by incompetence. #IowaCaucuses

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Not sure the next step for whoever came up with the new Iowa caucuses reporting app, but a Southwest commercial might be in their future. #WannaGetAway

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Maybe this is all a plot by Democrats in Iowa to stretch these caucus results out right through Donald Trump’s SOTU?

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49ers picked a bad time to do their Atlanta Falcons imitation.

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Not my original line but sent to me by a friend “What do the Super Bowl and Republican party now have in common?” Neither one has Patriots.

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No one tried it, but  the way to beat the Chiefs might have been to let THEM have a 10 point lead.  The alternative  sure didn’t work.

So who can we blame for no Super Bowl Ad featuring the Clydesdales?

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Before the Super Bowl, Trump did not say who he was rooting for.   

Which reason was it?  1. He couldn’t remember who’s playing.   2. He can’t bear to take the chance of being wrong. 3. He thought the 49ers would win and he linked them with Nancy Pelosi.

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Trump congratulated the Kansas City Chiefs for representing the great state of Kansas  so very well. Some statements don’t even need a punchline.

If the 49ers had won think Trump would have remembered they play in California?

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Waiting for Trump to attack Jennifer Lopez for dressing in a foreign Puerto Rican flag during the Super Bowl halftime show.

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Open note to Kansas and Missouri.  Amy Klobuchar might be Vikings fan, but she knows the difference between your two states.

Yes, I know Barack Obama once said he had campaigned in 57 states. People misspeak. But pretty clear that Trump actually THOUGHT Kansas City was in Kansas. Speaking of Kansas, wonder if Donald knows Laura Kelly is now Governor.

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This Groundhog Day thinking maybe Punxstawney Phil went back in his hole immediately after seeing what he thought was a dead relative on Trump’s head.

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Pamela Anderson is splitting from her 5th husband Jon Peters after 12 days! 12 days?! That’s barely a Scaramucci.

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I’m #VoteBlueNoMatterWho2020 But thinking back to Reagan, “officially” diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 83, and clearly affected sooner, will Democratic candidates who would be 80 in their first term all promise to take regular cognitive tests?

Joe Montana retired 25 years ago this year. I feel old.

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QB Alex Smith told ESPN  he is “very much lucky to be alive” after his November 2018 leg injury, which resulted in life-threatening sepsis and doctors suggesting amputation.    Of course, compared to death and losing a leg, returning to the Redskins doesn’t seem so bad.

Mitch McConnell apparently left DC Friday night with Donald Trump for a Super Bowl party at Mar-A-Lago. And isn’t American system of justice all about the foreman of the jury celebrating with the defendant before a verdict?

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DOJ says now they have emails where Trump discussed withholding foreign aid over information on Biden.   Well if only there were a trial or something where such information might be relevant.

Amazing how many who support Trump and are using Coronavirus as an excuse to be anti-immigrant, are still also so anti-science as to ignore things like flu vaccines and washing hands.

The release of the last supposedly best Iowa Poll has been cancelled, reportedly over an error that left Pete Buttigieg off the list with at least a few callers.
Though to be honest, if you need a poll to tell you who to caucus for, you probably shouldn’t be caucusing.

Rudy Giuliani tweets “admiration for Donald Trump for withstanding the worst and most unjust attack ever on an American President and his family.”

Uh, JFK and Abe Lincoln say “Hi.”

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How times have changed,. I remember traveling with my future husband and having to pretend we were married to check into a hotel. Now a VRBO commercial is touting “find out more about each other.”

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Honestly, GOP Senators already know what Bolton was going to say, & probably believe him, so it wouldn’t have changed verdict. But clearly they decided optics of him speaking at trial were worse than optics of denying witnesses. So his story must have been REALLY bad for Trump

Not this way, never this way, but Kobe Bryant would have to have smiled a bit at completely overshadowing Super Bowl Week.

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“He was somebody that I always respected just because he was so much more than a basketball player. He was highly intelligent, inquisitive, curious. We all know about his competitiveness, but he was a strategist. He focused. He was driven. And would have been successful no matter what he chose to do in life.”  – Quote about Kobe from Gregg Popovich

(Also this post-game quote from Sunday night after the crash –  “Good game, tough loss, who cares?,”

“We all have special thoughts of him to varying degrees no matter whether you knew him a little bit or not at all, even the millions that admired him and cherished just knowing you could watch a game with him in it. You feel like he was your own. That’s when happens when you’re iconic and you’re basically a superhero.”

John Delaney has dropped out of the Presidential race. Shocking millions of Americans who didn’t realize he was ever in it.

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Trump now imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals who have been in China in the past 14 days. Because US Citizens who’ve been in China can’t possibly be infected? I miss having a President who believed in Science.

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So far,  CDC says 10,000 people have died and 180,000 people have been hospitalized during the US 2019-2020 flu season.  If we had a President, she or he might tweet to people that as scary as the Coronavirus is, a simple smart thing Americans might do now, besides washing their hands, is to get a flu shot!!!

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Even the O.J trial had witnesses.

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Mitt Romney was first GOP senator to call for witnesses. Was he putting country above party? Or was Mitt just happy to have the prospect of further days in the Senate where besides water, the only approved drink was milk?

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At a Bernie Sanders rally tonight, Rashida Tlaib led the crowd in booing Hillary Clinton.  Maybe Rashida should pay attention not to Bernie’s campaign but to Amy and Elizabeth’s campaigns.  They disagree without personal attacks. And they respect the roads paved by Hillary.

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Nigeria is on Trump’s new travel ban. Because Donald doesn’t want any competition as the U.S’s #1 Nigerian prince?

Can Astros & Red Sox now claim they were acting in the national interest to keep Dodgers from winning the World Series….and thus escape punishment? Asking for Giants and Angels fan friends.

Once again, part of the insanity about the Super Bowl is prop bets, everything from who the first person to score to the color of Gatorade for the winning coach’s shower.  But this year there should be something new – during the game, who will be the first person Trump insults by tweet?

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So forget impeachment for a while, here’s the real question – did Tom Brady tweet a picture of himself at Gillette Stadium in a blue or white/gold dress?

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John McCain would have voted for witnesses. Period.

So would GOP agree with Alan Dershowitz that if Trump somehow tampers with voting machines or otherwise rigs the election to ensure a 2nd term that it is not impeachable?

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For that matter, what if Trump decides that since his re-election is in the public interest, he is justified in having his opponents jailed or killed? Asking for a democracy.

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As if Sen. Joni Ernst wasn’t despicable enough chortling about Trump’s impeachment’s hurting Biden, now she said it’s “concerning” that Chief Justice John Roberts would not read Sen. Rand Paul’s outing the whistleblower question. Hey Iowa Dem, when caucuses are done, can you focus on voting her out?

CNN reports White House official said Trump and his team are “not concerned about the prospect of new revelations from former national security adviser John Bolton’s upcoming book.” Cool, so let Bolton speak before the Senate.

Your reminder, we have a POTUS shredding rule of law & constitution in plain view & some Democrats are freaking out over single events with various candidates decades ago? I’m solidly for Amy Klobuchar at this point but EVERY Democrat running is a major improvement. #VoteBlueNoMatterWho

As we near the end of January, only two and a half months left in the NBA season.   Which curiously enough, will then about be the length of the playoffs.

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Between Kobe Bryant tragedy and Trump impeachment trial, this might be the first time in modern memory that Americans might almost forget it’s Super Bowl week.

Market Street in San Francisco is trending. Fortunately because it’s now a car free zone. But I miss the days when you saw a location trend and didn’t immediately think “Mass shooting.”

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Trump is tweeting about “Commander in Chiefs.” Is he talking about Andy Reid or Patrick Mahomes?  

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Witness intimidation is a felony. Trump may not be the first President to be impeached, but he is the first to be committing impeachable acts DURING his trial.

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So by Alan Dershowitz standards, if a reporter stands in middle of 5th Avenue and Trump shoots him or her if that’s okay if Donald just claims they were hurting him with fake news?

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Your reminder, the same POTUS who says Bolton’s book contains “Top Secret” information that cannot be revealed, was chatting about planned Soleimani attack on the golf course.

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This Alan Dershowitz comment will age well ” I think I’m the greatest president there ever was and if I’m not elected, the national interest will suffer greatly.’ That cannot be an impeachable offense.”

One of many GOP arguments against impeachment is “let the voters decide.”  So if Barack Obama had decided to try an end run around Mitch McConnell & put Merrick Garland on the Supreme Court by executive order in March, think GOP would have had ANY qualms about impeaching him in an election year?

If Trump were a CEO who had hired as many executives who he then fired, & if those former employees almost all accused him of lying and worse….how long until boards would fire HIM?

We can root for the Astros again. Dusty Baker will be their manager!

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Apparently 49ers fans are buying more Super Bowl tickets than Chief fans. Makes a twisted sort of sense. By San Francisco standards ticket prices are still less than a month’s rent.

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Cornerback Tre Roberson, who’s been playing for the Calgary Stampeders is considered to be the top Canadian Football League free agent this year.  Roberson.reportedly had nine offers but signed with the Bears.  Because Chicago is most likely to give him that sub-zero game-day weather he’s gotten used to in Calgary?

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Carnival Cruise Line is going to ban offensive clothing, including anything with a message promoting hatred or violence. Does that include MAGA hats?

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Whatever you think about the Bidens, at least Joe didn’t give his son Hunter a security clearance.

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Hunter’s board position with Burisma was no secret. If the situation with Joe Biden situation was as bad as GOP makes it out to be, then how incompetent was Trump that he waited over 2 years to threaten Ukraine over it?

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Donald’s lawyer Jay Sekulow finishes up today with “Danger, Danger, Danger!” Uh, does Sekulow realize that Trump makes Dr. Zachary Smith look really good by comparison?
#DangerWillRobinson #LostinSpace (Google it, children. 😉)

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Your reminder next time you have a Senate race where you may not be that excited about the Democratic candidate: Joe Donnelly, Claire McCaskill and Bill Nelson all would at least have voted to hear witnesses.

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In case anyone doesn’t remember, Pam Bondi, who was railing against the Bidens for corruption, in 2013 decided not to join lawsuit against Trump University for tax fraud after Trump gave her $25k donation. (Trump later paid the IRS a $2,500 penalty because the donation came from his foundation and was illegal.)
Also in 2013 Bondi also persuaded Gov. Rick Scott to postpone a scheduled execution because it conflicted with her reelection fundraising event. No joke.

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Trump now apparently considering a ban on flights to China. Again, the stable genius stated just last week he trusts President Xi “It’s one person coming in from China. We have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”
Are we feeling safe yet?