Left Coast Sports Babe

Primary story of the day….

CNN reports that more than 1000 people called the Bexar County Elections Department in Texas on Monday asking about their polling places for the Super Tuesday primary today.

But the Texas primary is March 4

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On a serious note,  it probably means something that the two candidates with the most momentum, Barack Obama and John McCain,  have something in common:

Obama opposed the Iraq war when it was popular.

McCain is pro-Iraq war when it is unpopular.

Could it be that Americans might actually want politicians who say what they believe in, as opposed to what the polls tell them?

That Maria Shriver would end up showing more political independence from her spouse than Hillary Clinton?

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A travel rant – United Airlines is going to start charging 25.00 for a second piece of checked luggage, because of the additonal fuel cost involved.     But if they  treat luggage like paying passengers, will the bags also get frequent flyer miles when United sends them three places before getting it to your destination?  

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Okay, apologies to Plaxico.  Had Brady pulled off a field goal drive to tie the game, and Manning had thrown a touchdown pass in OT, he would have been right on the money.

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When this football stuff is over maybe the Giants wide receiver should turn his talents towards being a presidential pollster.

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Bill Belichick denied again that his team cheats.  Besides, he said, those Giants fourth quarter plays weren’t on the tape.

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Okay, how many people in the world considered last fall that the New York Giants could win the Super Bowl, and that Hillary Clinton could lose Super Tuesday.

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Many people are just getting tired of the thought of having the same family back in power again. But enough about the Mannings, they may not want to elect Hillary Clinton either.

It is only about 350 days until the hype for Super Bowl XLIII starts..

Plaxico Burress, who predicted a 23-17 Giants win, practiced Saturday although he is recovering from ankle and knee injuries.  Presumably sustained during his efforts to put his foot squarely in his mouth.  

Where the primary is Feb 5, and Super Tuesday is Mardi Gras.

What’s the difference between Rudy Guiliani’s and John Edward’s lawn signs – and Mardi Gras beads?   Both represent millions of dollars spent, but the beads don’t become worthless until Wednesday.

“George W. Bush’s State of the Union speech was uncommonly defiant. Most presidents use their  last State of the  Union to list their achievements, but aides told Bush the speech needed  to be more than 5 minutes long.” 

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On Media Day a female television reporter proposed marriage to Tom Brady.  He graciously declined, saying he was “a one woman man.”  He then excused himself, saying he needed to call the mother of his baby before he went home to his girlfriend.

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John McCain reiterated this week that he is against torture.  In fact, he says one of his first acts as president will be to limit the length of the Super Bowl pre-game show.

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Super Bowl commercials go for over 2 million – roughly the cost of one A-Rod at bat.  Or, last year, one Roger Clemens inning.

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Hillary Clinton was very gracious to Barack Obama in tonight’s debate.  Of course, this week, despite their differences, he’s probably done less damage to her campaign than Bill. 
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And okay, unless you really care about Tom Brady’s  “boot” and what the Giants are eating for breakfast, its a slow sports week.    Unless you are a college basketball fan in Kansas. 

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And kudos to the Kansas State Wildcats,  who won at home against the Kansas Jayhawks at home for the first time in 24 years.    That might be a colder scoring streak at home than Bill Clinton’s.

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Who would have thought that the New York Giants would be competing longer into 2008 than Rudy Giuliani?

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And Caroline Kennedy made a very inspiring commercia praising Barack Obama as a potential “President Like My Father.”  Of course, we Americans are living in such a state of diminished expectations, we would be better off if W. had just been a president like HIS father.

Who’d a thunk that Rudy Giuliani would end up with one less win than the Miami Dolphins?

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Hillary Clinton has now decided after she “won” the meaningless Florida primary that the votes should be counted toward the nomination.  In related news, the 1972 Miami Dolphins have petitioned the NFL to include New England’s two pre-season losses in their 2007 record. 

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A major freeway in Northern California has been shut all day due to an oil spill from a tanker accident.  Most local residents haven’t seen this kind of gridlock since they turned on C-Span.

Okay, now Mike Huckabee is complaining about Mitt Romney taking the skin off his KFC chicken.  Just when you thought the campaign couldn’t get any weirder – culinary advice from the guy who used to deep-fry squirrels.

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With former Michigan star Chris Webber set to rejoin the Warriors,  did he ask them to temporarily stop using the slogan.  “Warriors basketball, it’s a great time out?”

(for anyone too young to get that one,  1993 NCAA title game Michigan-North Carolina.  Google it :))

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More primary craziness.  The state of Florida moved their primary early in violation of Democratic rules.  The party told them if they did not move it back they would lose all their delegates to the National convention.  The state ignored the edict, was stripped of its delegates. And all the major candidates signed a pledge not to campaign in Florida.

 But that was BSC – before South Carolina.  Now Hillary Clinton is making three fundraising appearances in Florida Tuesday, where she was leading in the polls, and plans a speech there to thank supporters.  She also is now calling for Florida’s delegates to be seated at the convention.

In poker terms, this is like agreeing to a misdeal for a hand and then realizing you are behind but holding a pair of queens.

Or in college football terms, saying nothing bad about the BCS until the AP or coaches poll ranks you higher than they do, and then demanding the system be changed because you didn’t get a good bowl game.   Say, if this presidency thing doesn’t work out, Senator Clinton could have a great future in college coaching..

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If you have read this far – bad taste alert –

How far is Teddy Kennedy willing to go for Barack Obama?  After the State of  the Union he even offered to drive Hillary home. 

So it’s rough to be a Republican these days.  Lots of candidates but none of them really seem like the leader and big man the party needs.   In other words, Republicans feel just like Golden State Warriors fans on draft day.

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And now Don Nelson is considering bringing back Chris Webber, even though their feud 14 years ago resulted in the coach leaving the Warriors.

Maybe it’s just research for his future memoirs – which could be titled “Smart Coaches, Foolish Choices.” 

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USC freshman basketball star O.J. Mayo accepted free tickets to a Nuggets’ game from Carmelo Anthony,  an NCAA rules violation.  Apparently the Trojans have warned him that in future he can only accept free tickets to amateur events – like Clippers games.
 

So this weekend,  serious football fans are unable to turn on their sets and find anything interesting to watch.  Which means that the whole country now knows what it is like to be dependent on the NFL Network.

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Bad pun alert:

Tonight they believe in global warming in Indiana. Because it’s January, and the Pacers couldn’t beat the Heat.

But really, losing to Miami after they had lost FIFTEEN straight.  Isn’t that like running in the Indy 500 and being beaten by the pace car?  

So the San Francisco Chronicle today named Ward Bushee as new executive editor to replace Phil Bronstein .  Considering how qualified to be president Hillary Clinton is from being married to Bill, I wonder if they first offered the job to Sharon Stone? 

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And on a completely non political note… okay it’s tough 10 days before the California primary:  Five words that you thought you might never hear – First Place New Orleans Hornets.

Okay, what it comes down to for the Democrats is a choice between Barack Obama with his youth and energy, and Hillary Clinton saying she has experience with Bill in the Oval Office.  So here’s the perfect compromise – our dream candidate-  Monica Lewinsky!

Okay, with all this controversy and calling players back to testify back before Congress, wouldn’t it be simpler just to put them on Fox’s new “Moment of Truth?”

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The first show featured, a former University of Cincinnati football player (from back when the Bearcats were awful.)   He was asked if he ever got a passing grade in a class just because he was a football player.  He answered – truthfully apparently -“No.”

This just in, the NCAA is considering a rule change to bar all football players from appearing on the show in future.   

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Rumor has it they asked the same question to a Florida State player.  He said “what’s a class?”

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The Golden State Warriors lost AT HOME yesterday to the Minnesota Timberwolves.   The worst team on the road since Britney and Lindsay decided to carpool.

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“Something’s got to give” day.  Mark your calendars.  February 29.   The Miami Heat, losers of 14 straight, will take on the Seattle Super Sonics, losers of 12 straight. 

If you don’t live in either Miami or Seattle and tune into that game, consider it a clue that you MIGHT need a life.

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And back to politics.  Today a former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party compared Bill Clinton to Lee Atwater.  Which is absurd.  Atwater only said nasty things about members of the OPPOSING party.

So Mike Holmgren says he will be back coaching the Seahawks for one more year, but only one more year.

Then what, he and Brett Favre go fishing together?

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Fred Thompson withdrew from the presidential race today.  This was a surprise, especially to those who wondered when he would start running?

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And his statement below….

Today, I have withdrawn my candidacy for president of
the United States. I hope that my country and my party
have benefited from our having made this effort,” the
former Tennessee senator said in a brief statement.

Two words – What effort???

At 28 degrees below zero in Green Bay  it was way too icy for anyone to campaign on behalf of the presidential candidates.  Except for Bill Clinton, who said the cold was nothing compared to when Hillary found out about Monica.

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Not a great overtime for Brett Favre. But at least the extra work got him a little closer to qualifying for social security.

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And considering the amount of commercials on Super Sunday, wonder who the  Vegas bookies have made the favorite as to which Manning brother will get more airtime?

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What do the Miami Heat and Rudy Guiliani have in common?  They both hang out in Florida, and neither has a win in 2008.

It is only about 320 hours until Super Bowl XLII.

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And wow, after all the hard fought regular season games and weeks of playoffs,  we get a once in a lifetime matchup of two teams who played three weeks ago.

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Thought after watching the Packers-Giants.   At 28 degrees below isn’t it redundant to ice the kicker?

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But what’s the difference between the NY Giants and Rudy Giuiliani? 

The Giants know to win you have to show up.

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And the rant of the night. Hillary Clinton downplays Barack Obama’s experience as a community organizer in Chicago and his time in the Illinois state senate.  While she runs television ads touting her 35 years of experience.

Senator Clinton is 59 years old.  35 years ago she was still in law school. 

Okay sports fans, basically taking a day off from sports until tomorrow.   Though with all the NCAA top 10 basketball teams losing this Saturday, you have to wonder if the BCS was somehow involved.  

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John Edwards may be right about two Americas. Unfortunately one is voting for Clinton and the other is voting for Obama.

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Weird voting year.  Latter-day Saints reject all forms of gambling as a evil to society, and Romney just won Nevada.

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Mike Huckabee has been called “reckless.”  A charge he denies.   But when he finished basically tied for third with Fred Thompson in Nevada, he offered to roll Thompon for it “double or nothing”

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And the diversity of the Republican results are hard to believe.    Three different winners in five different primaries.  And that’s not even counting the three different candidates Mitt Romney has been since Christmas.  

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And Rudy Giuliani is going to end up with 3 percent in South Carolina?
Stephen Colbert would have gotten more votes than that!

After her tears in New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton is feeling really good about her campaign.  She told Bill, “Honey, I really believe now that we will be
living together in the White House again for eight years.”

So Bill cried too.
  

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A  television station in Green Bay is taking Seinfeld reruns off the air Saturday night so Eli Manning can’t watch his favorite show in the hotel.  Wow, wonder when someone will tell the good folks in Wisconsin about portable DVD players?

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Can you believe Golfweek magazine putting a NOOSE on the cover  – and then the editor said he was shocked at the reaction?  What’s next, an interview with OJ on the golf course about his search for the real killer?

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And Bill Bilichick is supporting Randy Moss as he faces allegations of battery from a female acquaintance.  The Raiders are supporting Moss too, they say for the two years he was in Oakland he didn’t hit ANYBODY.  

Congrats to coach Bobby Knight, who picked up his 900th win for Texas Tech.  To honor Coach Knight the Texas Rangers are thinking of inviting him for opening
day, to throw out the first chair.

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Trash-talking San Diego QB Philip Rivers is resting his injured knee this week.   Does this include not using it to put his foot in his mouth?

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Speaking of saying bizarre things….could anyone compete with Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee today – who talked about his college memories of FRYING SQUIRRELS IN HIS POPCORN POPPER?