Left Coast Sports Babe

“Super Bowl Opening Night” tonight at Marlins Park in Miami, a $25 general admission party. Sadly it probably will outdraw Marlins Opening Day.

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WTF? Now MLB is saying DH in the NL might start in 2021. Guess it matters less that Madison Bumgarner is no longer with #SFGiants, but hope this doesn’t make him decide to retire.

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One of the better things to my mind written on Kobe Bryant’s death, if you’re interested.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a30668419/kobe-bryant-dead-at-41-obituary/

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Tuned it to a bit of the GOP statements –  didn’t realize that Barack Obama was being impeached today.

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As the Bolton potential bombshells from his book emerge, maybe T.S. Eliot had it right “The last temptation is the greatest treason. To do the right thing, for the wrong reason.”

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Have to wonder how people would feel if they knew a murder victim where the killer got off because a witness who saw him do it said nothing… because he wanted to save the story for a book.

Although sometimes to hear GOP talk Donald Trump got elected to deal with the most critical issue of our time, prosecuting Joe and Hunter Biden for nepotism.

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When this presidency is over how many of Trump”s lawyers will be able to find other jobs? #ETTD

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Joni Ernst absolutely gleeful about how, in her mind today’s GOP defense of Trump will hurt Joe Biden in Iowa.
She’s not Donald’s juror, she’s his wingman.

So what’s Alan Dershowitz doing this summer now that he’s pretty certainly not going to Martha’s Vineyard?

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Wonder how Rudy feels about being called a “minor player.”

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Can someone tell Trump that if he testifies on camera in the Senate impeachment trial he would get the bigliest ratings ever?

Damn. No snark. Never was my favorite player but gone way way way too soon. Maybe  Kobe and Wilt can play a helluva pickup game in basketball heaven tonight.

Wasn’t a Kobe fan for his style of play, and like many women was disturbed over the alleged rape. Have lost track of the jokes I have written about him. On the other hand, Bryant not only reconciled with Vanessa, they had more children, he seemed to be a great dad, and as if he would be one of those rare athletes who might have a “second act” as good or better than his first. He transcended sports. The world will miss him.
Carpe diem.

White Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel, who was on the 2017 Astros “I think first and foremost, apologies should be in order … for everyone on the team.”
Uh, except apologizing means admitting taking part in the cheating.

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Not in any of the major US media but news in Ireland  – Mike Pence had a photo op at Shannon with US troops on their way to Iraq, also “refueling”  at the airport.  The VP was in Rome for a meeting with the Pope.

Uh, Rome to DC is easily within Air Force Two’s range.  On the other hand, Shannon is within an hour from Trump’s money losing Irish resort, where Secret Service  etc would have had to stay.    I’m SURE it’s just a coincidence.

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GOP defense seems to be, even if Trump did it, it’s not impeachable. Trust all GOP senators will go on record that if a Democrat is elected in 2020 she/he can on day one ask other countries to investigate Ivanka/Don Jr/Eric corruption, just in case Trumps run for office in future.

Trump retweeted a tweet about getting rid of NPR. Annual funding for all of CPB is about $445 million a year, about $1.35 per American per year and 0.01 % of the federal budget (one one-hundredth of one percent) of the federal budget.
Wonder how much taxpayers paid in 2019 to Trump hotels and resorts?

White Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel, who was on the 2017 Astros “I think first and foremost, apologies should be in order … for everyone on the team.”
Uh, except apologizing means admitting taking part in the cheating.

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Have heard there’s an actual spread on tomorrow’s Pro Bowl. And if you know it you just MIGHT have a gambling problem.

George Salcedo, the former UCLA men’s soccer coach who’s been charged in the college admissions scandal, now is accusing the school itself of using athlete admissions “as a vehicle to raise funds” from wealthy donors.

This perhaps is not how the Bruins want to stay competitive with USC.

You think you have a tough job, check this posting out. (On a brighter note, about surviving about a month would give you material for a book or movie..) out..https://m.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Most-ridiculous-most-Silicon-Valley-job-listing-14999913.php?utm_campaign=CMS+Sharing+Tools+%28Mobile%29&utm_source=m.facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&fbclid=IwAR31JRwRecqisLc67HndPGo0XlBiOHIYEk5AB-suiBuiLTZ5gncQr5rf6Xc&utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Mobile)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

Let’s make this a simple question to Americans on both sides of the aisle. If you had a crime committed against you, or if you were falsely accused of a crime, wouldn’t you want all possible witnesses? 

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Pentagon raised reported # of traumatic brain injuries from Iranian missile attack to 34, including 8 soldiers sent home to US for treatment & 9 who were sent to Germany. If one of these soldiers dies wonder how long it will take Trump to blame pre-existing condition? Or Obama.

A slow sports week with the two-week break between NFC-AFC Championships and the Super Bowl.  But Tiger Woods shot an opening round 69 at Torrey Pines. And ESPN is going “Thank you, God.”

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Jimmy Garoppolo attempted 8 passes in SF 49ers NFC Championship win.   Somewhere Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes are smiling.

You think you’re having a bad day at work. How’d you like to be director of marketing for Corona beer? #CoronaVirus

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Michelle Carter, convicted of convincing her suicidal boyfriend to kill himself,  is freed from jail . And guess what guys, she’s single.

Because the impeachment trial isn’t that big a deal, and Trump spending half a million each weekend golfing is old news, Fox News posts a headline about a story that Justin Trudeau is out of touch because he bought expensive doughnuts.

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US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says Greta Thunberg can give economic advice once she gets a college degree. Wonder if he posted that statement on Facebook with his iPhone or using Windows on his laptop. #Zuckerberg #Jobs #Gates

Oooh, Adam Schiff is going there with an ego attack… intimating that Trump’s defense includes the idea that the stable genius was “being led by the nose” by Rudy Guiliani. Don’t spread this story around, it will really annoy Trump.

So since today’s GOP are all such science deniers why doesn’t Trump lead a Congressional delegation to Wuhan, China? #OwnTheLibs #FakeVirus #sarcasm

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About a third of GOP senators reportedly didn’t show up for hearings today. Wonder how that would work for most of us when we get called for jury duty?

What I want to hear a GOP senator asked on the record. “If you tell Donald Trump what he’s done so far is no big deal, what do you really expect if he gets a second term?”

Zion Williamson made his regular season NBA debut tonight, and while on a minutes restriction, still had 3 minutes and 8 seconds in 4th quarter where he scored 17 straight points and briefly gave the Pelicans, who had been down 12, the lead.

San Antonio did come back and win after Zion headed to the bench. Although even without a rookie phenom, as a Spurs fan in 2019-2020 would be nice to see San Antonio take a lead into the 4th quarter without a feeling of impending doom.

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Eli Manning just announced his retirement. Will he follow his brother Peyton into commercials by becoming the new Captain Obvious?

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Trump today minimized the severity of newly reported military concussions and other head injuries from the Iran attacks. How long until he attacks the NFL for their concussion protocol? 

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Former GOP chair and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus hired as a political analyst by CBS News.   WTF CBS? Were you in a rush to try to sign him up before Dancing with the Stars?

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Sorry, I don’t think anything Hillary Clinton has said defames Tulsi Gabbard as much as the words that come out of Tulsi’s own mouth.

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Trump today on the deadly coronavirus “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. We have it under control, it’s going to be just fine.” Translation, time to panic.

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Trump says he wants Bolton to testify at impeachment trial but John “knows some of my thoughts, what I think about leaders, what happens if he reveals what I think about a leader & it’s not very positive.” Uh, as if Donald hasn’t already insulted most world leaders, except Putin.

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Trump will attend the March for Life on January 24, the first sitting US president to do so. And while there will he announce more cuts in welfare and food stamps?

Your reminder…. Hunter Biden is not on trial. Donald Trump is on trial.

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How long until Trump attacks Adam Schiff quoting Alexander Hamilton because Hamilton was an immigrant?

Trump “We have all the material, they don’t have the material.” Translation, I’m obstructing justice in plain sight 

Of all the players in my lifetime, this is the one whose at-bats were not only must-see TV, but no one who knew anything at all about baseball would even consider a bathroom break at the ballpark when he was due up.

As a baseball fan in general I loved watching Larry Walker. But if we’re talking advantages for HOF numbers, 9 plus years in Coors has to be equivalent to at least some amount of PEDs.

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While tickets for Super Bowl are over $4,000, tickets for Thursday’s Wizards- Cavaliers game are available on Stubhub for $4.    (Are they asking or paying?)

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Los Angeles City Council approved resolution asking MLB to take World Series championships from Astros and Red Sox and give them to  the Dodgers. Uh, shouldn’t LA also then offer to give the Rams NFC 2019 Championship to the Saints?

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Ivanka is ignoring questions about impeachment in Davos.  Guess that means that along with other wardrobe changes she’s brought both her “senior advisor” and “I’m just my daddy’s daughter” hats.

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Look, I love the Joe Biden elevator moment, and will support him for President (especially if he picks a solid VP.) But heck, Betty White would get the same beloved reaction, and it doesn’t make her my very first choice either.

-Mitt Romney is a taller Mormon version of Susan Collins.

Since #MidnightMitch is trending can I propose a new Democratic goal hashtag for 2020 election? I am sure we can get Eric Clapton on board. #AfterMidnightMitch. #winbig

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Amy Klobuchar in response to Trump lawyer Pat Cipollone saying that the Senators running for President are “upset because you should be in Iowa right now, but instead we’re here.”  “I thought it was kind of unnecessary when the president’s lawyer kind of poked at us for being there.  That’s our job. He said, ‘Oh, they’d rather be in Iowa.’ No, we have a constitutional duty to do our job.”   

Maybe to be fair it was just projection in that Cipollone meant Trump that instead of doing his job,  Trump would always rather be on the golf course.

If there were actual witnesses who exonerated Trump, #MidnightMitch would want them to testify nonstop, and televised on every network. #ImpeachmentTrial

NFL refs have to be happy about yesterday’s AFC and NFC championship games. Both were big enough blowouts they couldn’t change the result with a bad call.

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When Spurs have a 15 point lead with 7 minutes to go and have to come back from being down 2 to Suns with 2:55 to go, safe to say game was not a thing of beauty. 

GOP Rep Andy Biggs from Arizona wrote in an op-ed that “Trump is America’s George Bailey.” Well, Biggs got the movie right, but more like Trump is America’s Henry Potter.

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While some complain about NY Times endorsing two very qualified women for President, your reminder that US is being represented at WEF (World Economic Forum) in Davos by a failed knock-off clothing designer and her husband.

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WNBA has a new contract. It includes business-first class flights for the players. They’ve been flying coach?!!! And here most of us, even short people, have been feeling cramped in a coach seat.

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Right about now not just fans in New Orleans who are wishing Saints were still in playoffs. Fox figures 49ers-Saints game might have been competitive enough to have viewers for 2nd half of  NFC Championship.

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As a Saints fan I wholeheartedly embrace sulking and “coulda, woulda, shoulda.” So hade to admire all these p*ssed off Chicago Bear fans actually getting it trending about how their team drafted Trubisky over Mahomes.

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But okay, did someone tell the Chiefs  that they have to give all their playoff opponents a head start? 

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So how do you lose to the Hawks and then two days beat the Heat?   Schizophrenic  Spurs…

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Trump praised the Packers in Wisconsin at a rally this week and attacked  “Nancy Pelosi’s 49ers.”   I missed his post-game tweet.

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Fox News keeps attacking Virginia governor Northam and Democrats over gun control and a ban on weapons at tomorrow’s rally. So okay, own the libs, Trump needs to start allowing guns at HIS rallies!

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So the new NASA program is called Artemis? Oh please, oh please can someone ask Trump who or what he thinks Artemis is.

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Frightening thought, Trump loves to spill state secrets at his fundraising dinners and to friends. When we do get him out of office what’s he going to do with those former president security briefings?

Trump went to Austin Sunday to speak. Wonder if anyone told him that in 2016, over 65% of the city voted for Hillary Clinton?

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Posted this tweet yesterday BEFORE NY Times endorsement.

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Okay, who besides me really would love to hear the next Elizabeth Warren and  Amy Klobuchar private conversation, maybe in the Senate women’s room before Tuesday’s trial starts.

Possible 2020 Slogan for Baltimore Orioles – “We’re been so bad, you KNOW we’re not cheating.”

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Baseball has long been considered “America’s Game.”  But will all these suspensions and firings this weekend finally be what makes football #1?   Because what’s more American these days than cheating and getting away with it?

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Actual headline on Fox website “Eric Trump: Reports that Joe’s brother ‘leveraged’ family name show ‘the Bidens are a business.'” #Whythereisnosatire

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Trump administration today announced schools can roll back Michelle Obama’s school lunch rules on vegetables and fruits. George H.W. Bush’s saying he didn’t like broccoli now seems so quaint.

Chris Collins, who was the first congressman to endorse Donald Trump, has been sentenced to 26 months in prison for securities fraud. Too soon to start a pool as to when Trump will pardon him? And make him head of SEC?

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Guess Alan Dershowitz had already given up on Martha’s Vineyard this summer.

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“My father would’ve been ashamed of this Republican Party, He would’ve been embarrassed & ashamed a POTUS was as incompetent & traitorous as the man occupying the White House now.”- Ron Reagan You know it’s coming, how long until Trump attacks Ron and his father.

A reporter asked Marsha McSally “should the Senate consider new evidence as part of the impeachment trial? Her posted response “You’re a liberal hack. I’m not talking to you.” Well, yeah, because Arizona voters elected her to stand up to the media. Oh wait, she lost. Never mind.

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Trump Thursday said he will protect the First Amendment right of students to pray in U.S. public schools. So this means Muslim kids can bring their prayer mats, and for that matter, Wiccans can do their rituals?

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Seen with everyone, always at the heart of things – Lev Parnas might be the Forrest Gump of the GOP.

One question many are asking, the Houston Astros were so good, why did they need to cheat? The New England Patriots say “Hi.”

Trump today complained that people are prevented from praying on the football field. Uh what? As a Saints fan I can tell you most people in the Superdome often end up praying, especially in the playoffs. Even the atheists.

Joe Burrow’s father says “if the Bengals do draft him, he’s going to be happy.”
Translation, anything’s better than the Redskins.

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Well, at least the Mets were undefeated in the Carlos Beltran era.

New Orleans police issued arrest warrant for Odell Beckham Jr. on a complaint of simple battery after he simply slapped a Superdome security guard’s butt in LSU locker room. WTF, do they think OBJ’s a Saints referee too?

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JetBlue raised the fee for a passenger’s 1st checked bag from $30 to $35, and 2nd bag from $40 to $45, with a $5 discount if pay in advance. Dibs on “Less than 24 hours” for how long it will take major carriers to follow them. (But no, we don’t have airline monopolies.)

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Congratulations to all those who had Rick Perry in Trump Impeachment Bingo.

Trump says he just got impeached for making a PERFECT PHONE CALL. So why doesn’t he come to the Senate Floor and tell us about it?

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Now that it’s come out that Lev Parnas started working for Fred Trump selling condos over 30 years ago, how long until Donald Trump denies knowing his father?

Apparently former LSU star Odell Beckham Jr was on the field after the national championship game, handing out cash to players. While there was a rumor it was fake, Joe Burrow said ” “I’m not a student-athlete anymore, so I can say yeah,”

Yikes, I like Burrow but possible translation  ‘I’ve graduated off the bus so now I’m okay throwing my teammates under it? 

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“I think you called me a liar on national TV,”
“What?”
“I think you called me a liar on national TV.”
“Let’s not do it right now.. You want to have that discussion, we’ll have that discussion,”
“Any time.”
“You called me a liar. You told me — all right, let’s not do it now.”
Is this a Presidential campaign or an episode of “The Bachelor?”

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So in the Sanders Warren tiff, Trump has announced he believes Bernie. Is ANYONE surprised? The only time Donald believes a woman over a man, it’s when someone accuses Bill Clinton.

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Delta Airlines facing criticism for dumping fuel in Los Angeles area over elementary schools. With California prices, at least they didn’t try to charge people on the ground for free gasoline.

Sexism in two sentences: If Democrats nominate Bernie or Joe, and they lose, no one will say “Well, it just proves an old white man can’t win.” But if we nominate Amy or Elizabeth and they lose….

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I hope Lev Parnas has good security. And a food taster.

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So who’s going to be the first GOP Senator to announce that they are “very troubled” by this possible Trump-involved plot to stalk and maybe harm  Marie Yavanovitch

Who knew the Trump Hotel bar would make Rick’s Cafe in Casablanca seems like a church in comparison?

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Why do I have a feeling that surveillance tapes at Trump Hotel are all in the same place as tapes of Epstein’s cell?

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Meanwhile, no joke, this is the headline on Fox News site “DEMS UNDERMINED – Parnas throws water on Ukraine surveillance claim, ‘crazy’ texts.”
“Undermined?” I don’t think that word means what they want us to think it means.

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Actually, it makes a certain amount of sense. As a travel agent I haven’t recommended Trump hotels in years, many of my clients, even Republicans, have indicated they won’t stay at Trump properties, and the Trump Hotel DC is usually more expensive than anything else in town, including the Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental. So with people avoiding the place for reasons from politics to their pocketbooks, what better way to make it feel like a private club where you can get away with anything?

Stanford had a rough football year. But we can take comfort after College Football National Championship in the fact that USC didn’t think Ed Orgeron was good enough to be their head coach.

(And for Michigan fans, Ohio State let Joe Burrow get away.)

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Red Sox have fired manager Alex Cora. Translation – We can save a little bit of face if we fire him before he gets suspended.

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While it may not have been as pervasive as steroids, does anyone think that the Astros and Red Sox were the only team engaged in electronic sign-stealing?

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C.C. Sabathia says Yankees were ‘cheated’ out of title in 2017 by the Astros. Wonder what two teams NY beat to get to ALCS think,  the Twins and Indians, whose combined payrolls were pretty close to the Yankees.

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Trump got a largely favorable reception at College Football Playoff. Well, let’s see, largely white Southern crowd who’d paid $1,000 & up for their tickets. Sounds like his base. (Guessing his reception would have been decidedly mixed at regular season Saints game.)

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If Trump had exactly the same affair that Bill Clinton did,  GOP would insist both Monica Lewinsky and Linda Tripp be barred from testifying over “executive privilege.”

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Who says there’s no use for a liberal arts degree? I actually knew the Final Final Jeopardy for the Jeopardy GOAT tournament.  (Not putting it in the post in case anyone’s recorded it.)

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Before debates started,  struck by the fact that an old white man who just had a heart attack is viewed by many as less of a health risk than a woman who fainted on a hot day.

Tom Steyer wonders why we keeping having this conversation about healthcare and says it’s because the system is broken. No, it’s because Democrats just won the House and don’t have the Senate. 

Texans would like to thank the Astros for completely wiping their 24 point blown-lead from yesterday against the Chiefs off the Houston front pages.

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Trying to imagine if Bob Gibson found out someone was stealing his signs. Mostly trying to imagine where the memorials would be located. 

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Astros get caught cheating and ending up losing their manager, GM,  as well as draft picks.  Red Sox likely to follow.   Patriots are thinking “amateurs.’

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Since MLB is issuing managerial suspensions but not punishing Astros or Red Sox players for cheating can we put Barry Bonds in the Hall of Fame NOW?!

(although seriously, as a Saints fan I still maintain other teams had bounty systems.  But four New Orleans players were suspended along with coaches.  MLB isn’t even slapping players on the wrist?)

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Pitchers like Phil Niekro, Tim Wakefield and Charlie Hough have to be laughing at MLB’s sign stealing scandal. Doesn’t matter if you knew a good knuckleball is coming, you still couldn’t hit it.

Reports that some fans chanted “four more years” with Trump in the Superdome tonight. But are we sure they weren’t chanting it to Joe Burrow?

As President Trump walked to the sideline of the field here at the Superdome,  a reporter asked him… “Who do you like tonight?” “Both!” he said with a thumbs up.   Of course, even with a sporting event Donald cannot bear to pick a side in advance. Because he might be wrong. #Sad

Haven’t been an initial fan of SF Giants decision to hire Gabe Kapler , especially with all the good things I’d read about Astros assistant Joe Espada. But now wonder, did Giants have some idea about what MLB investigation showed in Houston?

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Not the Onion, Gwyneth Paltrow’s is doing a “Goop at Sea” cruise with Celebrity Cruises this summer to the Mediterranean. I can only imagine what the cabin fragrance will be….

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Maybe the Academy thought they’d get credit for diversity with Oscar Nominations because Joker is a man of colors?

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Sure looks like the only “imminent threat” involved in killing Soleimani was that emails showing Trump ordered putting a hold on Ukrainian aid were an imminent threat to derail his impeachment defense. That and maybe the Burisma hacking.

This week may see Houston Astros being punished more harshly than any MLB team since the Black Sox.  Houston Texans after 1st quarter did their best to get Houston fans prepared to deal with pain.

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And after rushing out to a 24-0 lead, Texans also did their best to make the 1993 Houston Oiliers, who blew a 35-3 lead to the Buffalo Bills,  feel a little better.

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Happiest fans not in Kansas City with  today’s Texans-Chiefs game. Anyone who bet the 50.5 over. (which was bested in the first half.)

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Julian Edelman arrested for jumping on top of a car?!! Waiting for NFL to decide which lowly member of Patriots staff they’ll blame for this one.

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Pete Carroll was really upset after officials said Packers’ Jimmy Graham had a first down while replays indicated he was clearly short.   Of course had Carroll himself been able to get about a yard in four plays at end of game with 49ers two weeks ago, Seahawks might not have even been playing in Green Bay.

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Marc Ragovin –   “I’m not saying it was summerlike this weekend on the East Coast, but the Orioles were just eliminated from contention.”

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Wonder how city of San Jose feels about all these aerial shots yesterday of Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay supposedly outside Levi’s Stadium ? 

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Actually, considering traffic from San Francisco to Santa Clara there are times when it may be faster next year for Oakland fans to fly to Las Vegas for a Raiders game, than for San Francisco fans to drive to a home 49ers game.

As Texas supports Trump xenophobia by slamming the door on immigrants and ICE announces plans to check visas at MIT, your reminder that Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian immigrant student.

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This morning Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said he ‘didn’t see’ evidence of an Iranian plot to attack four embassies. Time to move Esper up in Trump firing bingo.

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Trump fundraising email today for his 60-second Super Bowl ad talks about the Left being “TRIGGERED by the TRUTH”- “we’ll have a FULL BLOWN, NATIONWIDE LIBERAL MELTDOWN on our hands.” Because nothing says Presidential like a ranting all-caps email?

Wait, Trump  tweeting “don’t kill your protesters” to Iran.  Uh, wait, this is the guy who completely melts down if someone so much as holds up a negative sign at his rallies. And said in 2016 he’d like to “punch a protester in the face.”

So protest is fine, as long as it’s not directed at him.

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Wonder if MAGAts would be still cheering Trump’s decision to kill Soleimani if over 100 people on that Ukranian Air plane were American?

Oscar Nominations at 818a Monday morning. Expect angry Donald Trump tweets about not being nominated for anything at about 819a.

Reminder, as we approach NFL playoff weekend, Trump NEVER talks about rooting for a team in advance, but only attends some big $$$ events & congratulates (some) winners. No pets, no favorite teams… Because nothing can stand in his adoration of himself & Donald can never lose.

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Apparently 80-90 percent of bets on Monday’s College Football Playoff so far are on LSU. Wonder how many Americans can even name who else is playing?

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After missing a pair of free throws late in the first half,  Mavericks star Luka Doncic grabbed his jersey and simply tore it, right at the “V” in the lettering on his chest. How long until Dallas starts selling torn Doncic jersey replicas at a premium?

Marianne Williamson has dropped out of the Presidential race. Shocking millions of Americans who didn’t realize she was still in it.

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As insane as this Meghan and Harry story is, I must say the couple does a LOT less damage to the world than  Ivanka and Jared.

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Trump reportedly considering adding least SEVEN more countries – mostly Muslim and ‘low-performing’ – to his travel ban. Right, because all the latest mass shooters in US – Las Vegas, Dayton, El Paso… were all Muslim immigrants. Oh wait, never mind.

Reports that Trump privately said one reason he had Solemani killed was to ensure some  GOP  Senators would support him in the upcoming impeachment trial. Stay tuned tomorrow for the next pretend reason Trump gives. The real reason methinks – he just liked the idea of being able to kill someone.

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Blue rant – Leaving aside I don’t like people trying to buy elections, no matter what side they’re on, here’s what perhaps most frustrates me about Tom Steyer:
For a long time he spent big $$$ on ads for impeachment. But now that Trump IS being impeached, Steyer’s spending big $$$ on ads especially in Nevada and South Carolina, enough to poll in double digits with voters who probably had never heard of him.
Imagine if he were using that money not to glorify himself, but to press the case with all voters that Trump is guilty. And at the very least should be voted out in November

16 days between College Football Playoffs semi-finals and Monday’s finals. I think that’s longer than the James Wiseman era at Memphis.

Certainly it’s longer than a Scarmucci.

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Notre Dame sophomore QB Phil Jurkovec has entered his name in the NCAA Transfer Portal and will look to leave the Fighting Irish.   Notice these days they aren’t even pretending anymore it’s about academics?

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Joe Buck  was trending on Twitter today. And he’s not retiring .So much for getting my hopes up.

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Coach Mike Leach is leaving the Pac 12 and Washington State for the SEC and Mississippi State. While the level of football competition may get higher, at least Leach won’t have to worry about distractions like classes.

So all the Republicans who voted against the War Powers Resolution are okay with the next Democratic President taking whatever military action she/he wants?

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But got it, it, all these GOP cult members who want to abandon the Constitution to give Trump war powers are same folks who claim that one line in an amendment about “a well-regulated militia” justifies any number of mass shootings and murders.

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Senate GOP resolution calls Pelosi’s impeachment delay a ‘flagrant violation’  Wonder what Merrick Garland thinks?

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First it was blowing up Embassy in Baghdad, now Trump insists Soleimani planned to attack multiple US embassies. How long until Donald claims the Iranian general had plans to attack every city in America?

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WTAF? Trump says it was a “split-second decision” to kill Soleimani. But Lindsey Graham says he was informed days earlier on the golf course. Donald isn’t even PRETENDING the truth matters anymore.

Palm Beach Atlantic University, a private Christian college, is namingng Melania Trump a“Woman of Distinction” for 2020 for being an “exquisite human being, a magnificent wife and life partner…”
Because of course, nothing says “life partner” to a Christian University like being someone’s former mistress and current third wife.

As a Saints fan, I didn’t think it was likely their current team would lose to the Vikings.

Cleveland Cavaliers coach John Beilein now says he meant to call players “slugs” and not “thugs” when he was trying to praise them by saying they were no longer playing “like a bunch of thugs” during a film session.

Translation, he didn’t realize a film session was actually being filmed?

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For my readers and friends who are on Twitter.   Okay for Ruth Bader Ginsburg we really need a “she’s healthy” emoji or “it’s all good ‘ when she starts trending. Too stressful otherwise.

Iran’s not handing over the black box from Ukraine plane that crashed seems as much a mark of innocence as Trump’s refusal to let witnesses testify in his impeachment trial.

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Senator Mike Lee after an all-Senators briefing on Iran said it was “insulting” and worst he’s had from military officials in his 9 years here, he also said he would support Tim Kaine’s War Powers Resolution.
So who had the GOP Senators from UTAH as most likely to stand up to Trump?

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In “Knives Out” one character vomits every time she lies. Shame for Trump’s efforts to control his weight he can’t get that problem.

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“Iran is standing down.” Right, don’t all countries fire missiles at US bases when they are standing down?

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And why shouldn’t we trust a President who says he has destroyed
“100% of Isis?”

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Listened again to Trump Speech on Iran today. I challenge ANYONE with an older relative or friend who spoke like that to say you wouldn’t call the doctor afterwards. Or even during the speech.

So it’s now about 6 more days until College Football Playoff Championship. By the time this game rolls around, will anyone remember who’s playing?

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Patriots are awaiting discipline for illegal videotaping, Red Sox now being investigated for using their video room to steal signs. So should NBA check out the Celtics?

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So how is Trump going to blame Puerto Rico for their earthquake?

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Got it, Iran reportedly kills a US contractor in an air strike and we kill one of their top generals. Saudi Arabia deliberately murders a journalist who’s a legal US resident and we invite their leaders to the White House.

Duncan Hunter has resigned. Is it too soon to start the pool – will his next job be at Fox News or in Trump White House?

So if you believe in ghosts who do you hope John McCain is haunting tonight? Donald Trump or Lindsey Graham?

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I  miss the days when a US President dealt with stress by having an inappropriate relationship with an intern.

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Btw, Trump’s tweet tonight contained no misspellings and no all caps. Does anyone really believe he wrote it?

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If Trump HAD written the tweet himself, “All is well” definitely would have been “ALL IS WELL.” For starters. All Caps

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Curiously enough “All is well” is what a man might think if after falling off the Empire State Building he was still 50 floors from the ground.

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Actually if Iran wanted to retaliate at Trump in a way that really hurt him without costing lives, could they just find a way to delete his Twitter account?

Did Sir Thomas More in the 1530s foresee the GOP and the cult of Trump “I think that when statesmen forsake their own private consciences for the sake of their public duties, they lead their country by a short route to chaos.”

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Meanwhile, back at the impeachment hearings?  Can ANYONE cite a case where an innocent defendant wanted all the actual witnesses NOT to testify?

Can point to at least a dozen New Orleans mistakes in Saints-Vikings game that would have changed the game.  But even so, it still has to come down to a questionable call?

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Driving home tonight I heard Tom Tolbert on KNBR ask former 49er Brent Jones about the last play of the Saints -Vikings game. Brent says, “Well, I’m a homer and I played offense so means I’m always biased, And it was absolutely OPI and I have no idea why they didn’t review it.”
And then Jones went on to explain exactly how Rudolph did it and why it was a penalty.
Yeah, New Orleans made a lot mistakes so it shouldn’t have been that close. But still… Not that I won’t get over this, eventually.

Damn. But  Amy Klobuchar is a big Vikings fan.   And I did tell someone at a fall event for her that as much as I love Saints I’d choose her Vikings to beat them IF meant winning the White House in November.  And I meant it.  Okay, universe, your move.

Figured after New Orleans Saints loss yesterday that it wasn’t going to get any more fun with “my’ NBA team – the struggling in 2019 San Antonio Spurs tonight since they were playing the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA’s best team.  And WTF? This is why sports IS the best reality TV.

(124 Spurs- 106 Bucks,  Milwaukee’s worst loss of year.)

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Mike McCarthy reportedly signed a 5-year deal with Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, the same as Ron Rivera signed with Dan Snyder and the Redskins. Too soon to start a pool on whether which of them gets fired first?

So did Judge Judy endorse Bloomberg because Mike promised if elected to put her on the Supreme Court?

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30 women tonight competing to win the heart (or something) of the man who is best known in American for having sex in a windmill. Their parents must be so proud. #TheBachelor.

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I suppose it was too much to ask that Trump speak out offering sympathy and help to Australia with their bush fires.  Maybe if we tell him there will be fewer animals for his sons to shoot. 

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So George Lopez made a joke about assassinating Trump & MAGAts are losing it.  (Lopez referenced the $80 million bounty on Trump, and said he’d do it for half that.)

I missed the outrage over Ted Nugent’s 2012 “We need to chop their heads off.. If Barack Obama becomes president in November, again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year.”

Asked postgame about retirement, Tom Brady, age 42,  – “It’s pretty unlikely….hopefully unlikely.” Translation, depends how much Gisele wants him out of the house.

So if Tom Brady really wants to prove he’s GOAT why not sign a free agent contract with Washington? If he can make Redskins a Super Bowl team someone will make billions on edible hats.

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And who had a pick 6 as the possible last play of Tom Brady’s career?

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Note to Pete Carroll.  For future first and goals inside the two-yard line, this is how it’s done, giving the ball to your superstar running back is how it’s done. #DerrickHenry

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NFL told ESPN New England Patriots will be disciplined for acknowledged game-day video violations against Cleveland Browns. So the league will slap Bill Belichick’s hand REALLY hard?

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Vince Carter, 42, tonight became the first NBA player to appear in 4 decades. And somewhere NHL legend Gordie Howe is thinking “Nice job, young man, if you can keep it up.”

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In an interview, Meat Loaf said he didn’t believe in climate change & called Greta Thunberg “‘brainwashed.” Well, guessing Meatloaf figured why should Kid Rock and Ted Nugent be only washed-up rockers invited to the White House.

Trump told evangelicals at his rally “God is on our side.” Because so many people watch Donald’s insanity in action and REALLY start praying?

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Your reminder that Jill Stein said “On the issue of war it is actually Hillary’s policies which are much scarier than Donald Trump.”

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As required within 48 hours of introducing military powers into armed conflict abroad,  the White House has formally notified Congress of the Soleimani strike.  Like notifying your parents that you borrowed the car after they see pictures of the accident on the news.

Still waiting for Trump to tell us why this contractor killed in December was so much more important than Otto Warmbier and Jamal Khashoggi?