Friday, November 16, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Dallas radio's big mystery - semi-solved?
For the past several weeks, America's favorite radio station, KTCK Sports Radio 1310 - "The Ticket" - has been working with a man down. Greg Williams, one of the Ticket Originals and one-half of the the top-rated afternoon drive program The Hardline, has been missing in action since disappearing mid-show back on Oct 12.
Since that time, no one connected with The Ticket or parent company Cumulus Media have had ANYthing to say about fan-favorite Williams.
Williams (he of many, many nicknames, including The Hammer, The Ham-Bonita, Huggy Bear, The Husky Hugger, and on and on) has battled addiction in the recent past. His bad back led to serious problems concerning prescription pain pills and a stint in rehab back in 2004. Over the past few months, he's appeared to be confused and distracted on the air, and has been suffering from an "allergy" attack which has left him barely intelligible for weeks on end. There has been much informal speculation that Greggo (another nickname) has relapsed and is back in the Lindsay Lohan Suite at a local rehab center.
Fueling the speculation was The Hammer's left-high-and-dry broadcast partners, who worked in obscure references such as playing Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" as return music, followed by a pre-recorded drop of Greggo shouting "No! No! NO!" I'm not so sure they've got his back.
Well, word from the great Richie Whitt on Unfair Park is that he's spoken to Williams, the absence is drug-related, he's been in rehab, and he wants to come back to The Hardline by the end of the month.
I am a huge fan of The Ticket in general, The Hardline in particular. The show is an integral part of my day, and never fails to provide laughs no matter what sort of day I've had. Williams has been a HUGE contributor to the overwhelming success of the station. To a guy on the outside, it sure seems like The Hammer deserves another chance. But it's not me he abandoned in the middle of a show...
Since that time, no one connected with The Ticket or parent company Cumulus Media have had ANYthing to say about fan-favorite Williams.
Williams (he of many, many nicknames, including The Hammer, The Ham-Bonita, Huggy Bear, The Husky Hugger, and on and on) has battled addiction in the recent past. His bad back led to serious problems concerning prescription pain pills and a stint in rehab back in 2004. Over the past few months, he's appeared to be confused and distracted on the air, and has been suffering from an "allergy" attack which has left him barely intelligible for weeks on end. There has been much informal speculation that Greggo (another nickname) has relapsed and is back in the Lindsay Lohan Suite at a local rehab center.
Fueling the speculation was The Hammer's left-high-and-dry broadcast partners, who worked in obscure references such as playing Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" as return music, followed by a pre-recorded drop of Greggo shouting "No! No! NO!" I'm not so sure they've got his back.
Well, word from the great Richie Whitt on Unfair Park is that he's spoken to Williams, the absence is drug-related, he's been in rehab, and he wants to come back to The Hardline by the end of the month.
I am a huge fan of The Ticket in general, The Hardline in particular. The show is an integral part of my day, and never fails to provide laughs no matter what sort of day I've had. Williams has been a HUGE contributor to the overwhelming success of the station. To a guy on the outside, it sure seems like The Hammer deserves another chance. But it's not me he abandoned in the middle of a show...
Gay-Rod finds some humility
Alex "Gay-Rod" Rodriguez and his agent, the Baseball Anti-Christ (aka Scott Boras) have gone back to the Yankees, hat in hand, and humbly accepted the Yankees original contract offer, less the $21.3 million the Rangers would have been on the hook for if Gay-Rod hadn't opted out of his original contract.
It's no secret that I am a Gay-Rod hater, and have been since he was here in Texas. The guy is the KING of the meaningless stat. How many late-inning, no-one-on-base, we're-losing-by-7-runs homers did he hit as a Ranger? How often has he disappeared in the playoffs as a Yankee? There's no question Gay-Rod is one of the most physically gifted athletes to ever put on cleats, but he's a shrinking violet. He doesn't have the mental toughness to hold up when the pressure is on.
I wish nothing but failure on the guy. And, in this case, I got it.
Gay-Rod and Boras completely misread the market Rodriguez would attract. His initial demand for 10 years/$350 million was greeted by the sound of crickets. After a mutual "we're not talking to THEM" with the Yankees, Rodriguez quickly came to the realization that the Yankees are the only team who are going to pay him anywhere near what he wants.
This is a failure more for the Baseball Anti-Christ than Gay-Rod. Boras clearly gave his client horrible advice and totally misread the situation. Gay-Rod comes out of this mess looking greedy and stupid, but he's still going to get the richest contract in the history of sports (10 years/$270 million or so) for the second time in his career.
Its just nice to see loads of bad press for both of these jerks.
Monday, November 12, 2007
The biggest news ever in the history of this little blog
And I am totally NOT overselling it in the headline.
We have the biggest, most exciting news ever in the 2-plus years this blog has been polluting the Internet. And that news is: We have been joined by a new contributor.
My brother, Dan Elkin, has agreed to come on board here at little CIT as co-blogger. Starting really soon, you'll see his fine work appear in this space, alongside the drivel I contribute on a somewhat regular basis (OK, OK, a lot less regular than it used to be).
A few words about Dan: My bro is two-years-and-a-bit younger than me, which also makes him a 40-something white guy. He's married, has a kid (a son who's now 10), and lives in the wilds of Northern California. He's the top dog at a charter school in the area since the summer. Prior to that, he was a high-school English teacher for many years.
Dan is my polar opposite in many ways. Much more politically liberal, much better read, and a deeper thinker than I am, he's going to lend a much different take to the offerings here at little CIT. Which I think is great.
My reasons for inviting Dan to contribute here are pretty varied, but it boils down to my obvious diminishing of interest in keeping this thing going. I've invested a lot of time and effort into this blog, but I was at the point where it was either shake it up big-time or close it down. I think this is going to be a big, and welcome, shake up.
At any rate, please welcome Dan to the forum, and keep reading!
Daily YouTube: The Japanese are not cool anymore
...if they ever were.
Maybe if the dude actually had some rythm...
Maybe if the dude actually had some rythm...
The polar bear joke
A young polar bear comes home from school and says to his mom, "Mom, am I a pure-bred polar bear?"
"Of course you are, dear," she replies.
The next day, the young polar bear asks his mom, "Are you sure I'm 100% polar bear?"
"Yes, dear. You are 100% polar bear," she tells him.
The next day, the young polar bear asks his mom, "You're sure, mom? I'm all polar bear? No other type of bear thrown in somewhere?"
"Yes, dear. I'm completely sure. You are all polar bear. Nothing else," she answers, slightly exasperated.
The next day, the young polar bear asks his mom, "Are you sure I'm completely polar bear? You and dad are 100% polar bear? The grandparents? We're all 100% pure polar bear?"
The mother polar bear is now at her wits end. She says, "Yes, dear. We're all 100% polar bear. You could not possibly be more polar bear. Why do you keep asking about this?"
"I'm <bleep>ing freezing."
Dark Side? What Dark Side?
It's difficult for me to believe that, one year ago, I was wishing nothing but doom and failure on the Dallas Cowboys.
I was tired of the Pear-Shaped Football Genius. Tired of Bondo-Face. Tired of TO Owens. Shocked, amazed, and a bit gleeful that unknown Tony Romo had replaced grizzled, crafty, veteran, and statue-like Drew Bledsoe in the backfield. It looked like the slow circle of the drain had accelerated, and the Cowboys were headed for NFL oblivion.
And I was jiggling the handle, trying to coax the team down past the trap and into the sewer system, laughing maniacally.
Remember that? I sure do.
Yesterday, as the Cowboys imposed their will on the wilting NY Giants, I found myself actively, even enthusiastically cheering for this team. Without a shred of self-consciousness either, I must add.
As an adherent to Junior Miller's Rooting Rules, I, as a Dallas resident since my early childhood, can jump on and off the Cowboy bandwagon as often as I like. And, finally, there are things about this team worth jumping back on the bandwagon for.
So, we find ourselves on Monday morning, clearly atop the NFC East. The offense looks pretty darn good - Romo is clearly the find of the last quarter-century. The defense is not what I think some of the more optimistic amongst us expected - the Giants ran the ball well, until the scoreboard forced them away from it - but it's not the hollow shell it was last year. Special teams may be a bit shaky - the rookie kicker hasn't killed them yet, but the kick coverage has come dang close to it a few times.
Is it lightning in a bottle if it keeps up all year? Can it keep up all year? Is anyone shocked if the Redskins walk into the Rathole-on-114 next week and punch the Cowboys in the nose? Come to think of it, YES, I think we'd all be shocked if the Redskins do anything other than line up to take their ace-whippin' like the docile little playthings of an overgrown brat/owner they are.
All I know is Sundays are fun again. What more do you want?
Friday, November 09, 2007
My new hero
Thirty-five-year-old Brian Poulin of Hebron CT was recently arrested for calling 911 numerous times and demanding police bring him more beer.
In his way, this guy is a genius.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Howard Zinn encourages us to revolt
From today's Freep: Former BU professor, and current public annoyance, Howard Zinn spoke to students at BU last night, encouraging them to join him in "withdraw(ing) our obedience from our government" over the war on terrorism.
My favorite quote from the story:
"What's being told is that we are fighting in Iraq for democracy. We are occupying in order to bring democracy and freedom to the Iraqi people," he (Zinn) said. "If you look at the history of American occupations, look at the history of U.S. interventions in other parts of the world - where have we brought democracy? There's no evidence of America bringing democracy to the countries that we occupy."
Umm, Japan? Germany? Afghanistan? OK, maybe the last one is shaky, but the first two certainly seem to qualify.
I support non-violent activism. Its necessary and important. But get your facts right. Especially your historical facts, and double especially if you're supposed to be an historian.
DRM is pure evil, and Major League Baseball is its latest dupe
From our old friends at Joy of Sox yesterday:
The morons at Major League Baseball, who have not quite embraced the digital age, started selling game videos via download a while ago. Like all responsible providers did up until very recently, they employed DRM software to limit distribution of their product. Apparently, it worked just fine as long as you stayed within the lines.
OK so far, right?
Well, not so much.
It seems that in late 2006, MLB switched DRM providers without making any provision for downloads previously purchased. So, if you spent $3.95 to download some of the pennant race games from the Red Sox first championship season in 86 years, you're SOL right now.
Major League Baseball is so tone-deaf, and so unresponsive to their fans, and such a lousy custodian of the Great Game, it makes me want to barf.
My latest pet peeve
Those spiffy, automatic, touchless towel dispensers in men's rooms are a beating.
Oh sure, the idea is great. The less you have to touch in a men's room, the better. I'm all for that.
But, the execution...
I feel like an absolute moron, standing there with dripping hands and face (yep, I'm one of those guys who always splashes water on his face when washing his hands - no idea why), doing my version of the Thai hand-dance in front of the sensor on the towel dispenser. And what does said towel dispenser do in response? NOTHING. No towel. And then, when I'm ready to give up because the water has run down my sleeves and dripped all of the front of my shirt, I make one final gesture at the machine. And here comes the towel.
Oh, and the towel that finally gets dispensed? What am I supposed to dry with 4 square centimeters of paper anyway?
I have yet to figure out rhyme or reason to these things. What gesture will reliably work (I mean besides ripping the thing off the wall and smashing it to pieces on the floor)? Any suggestions?
Sunday, October 28, 2007
The most offensive Catholic priest joke ever
Well, that may be over-selling it. You decide:
One Sunday, a priest asked one of the church janitor if he would cover his Confession shift for him -- he said it was easy, since he had a sin list inside the booth which listed both sins and penance. The janitor agreed and took the booth early on Sunday morning. Soon people showed up.
"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I have committed adultery."
"Adultery, eh?" the janitor said. "You sly devil. That'll be three Hail Mary's, plus five bucks."
"Thank you, Father."
Another person came into the booth. "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I have embezzled money from work."
"Embezzlement, eh? Naughty, naughty. That'll be 5 Hail Mary's, plus fourteen bucks.""Thank you, Father." This was easy, the janitor thought. Another person came into the booth.
"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I have committed the sin of oral sex.""Oral sex, huh?" He looked at the list, but didn't see oral sex there. So, he excused himself to look for help. He found an alter boy hanging out on the steps of the church.
"Excuse me," the janitor said. "What does Father Matthew give for oral sex?"
"Well," said the boy, "usually just milk and cookies, but sometimes a Snickers."
One Sunday, a priest asked one of the church janitor if he would cover his Confession shift for him -- he said it was easy, since he had a sin list inside the booth which listed both sins and penance. The janitor agreed and took the booth early on Sunday morning. Soon people showed up.
"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I have committed adultery."
"Adultery, eh?" the janitor said. "You sly devil. That'll be three Hail Mary's, plus five bucks."
"Thank you, Father."
Another person came into the booth. "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I have embezzled money from work."
"Embezzlement, eh? Naughty, naughty. That'll be 5 Hail Mary's, plus fourteen bucks.""Thank you, Father." This was easy, the janitor thought. Another person came into the booth.
"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I have committed the sin of oral sex.""Oral sex, huh?" He looked at the list, but didn't see oral sex there. So, he excused himself to look for help. He found an alter boy hanging out on the steps of the church.
"Excuse me," the janitor said. "What does Father Matthew give for oral sex?"
"Well," said the boy, "usually just milk and cookies, but sometimes a Snickers."
Monday, October 08, 2007
Al Jazeera's fall progam lineup
Top notch comedy jokes from Jewlarious, guaranteed to further inflame passions on both sides...
A Jewlarious Entertainment Exclusive
DOAH, QATAR - Arab super station Al Jazeera proudly announced it will begin producing new and updated versions of currently cancelled former US shows. This fall's revival will see some of America's most beloved television characters resurrected under Sharia Law.
Al Jazeera's CEO Sheikh Hamad "The Chairman" bin Thamer Al Thani unveiled his station's new line-up beginning with the newly restructured 'Studio 60 on the Gaza Strip'. While the stations's execs were beaming with pride, Qatari critics were quick to call the Sheikh's judgement into question by broadcasting shows that seemingly glorified American culture and decadence.
Quickly changing gears to accommodate the mood in the room, he presented two new reality programs -- 'Who Wants to Be a Militant?' and 'Fatah Knows Best'.
But not before allowing time for his doctor proscribed sedatives to take effect. The Sheikh subsequently went on a rabid attack screaming, "I don't have to remind everyone here that there is still plenty of room on my Chopping Block... to axe a variety of television shows in development."
Below is a listing of Al Jazeera's upcoming shows, reprinted without permission as they were snatched out and away from The Sheikh's hands as he was being carted out of the room to a local sanitarium.
Al Jazeera's 2007 Fall TV Line-Up
STUDIO 60 ON THE GAZA STRIP
Show Synopsis: Two executive producers of a weekly sketch-comedy show find 'resistance' at every turn. This one hour comedy drama is best described as a twist of Aaron Sorkin with a modern Arab flavor. F.Y. I. Aaron Sorkin is an American screenwriter, producer, playwright and Jew who also created 'The West Wing'- not to be confused with Hamas' non-terrorist 'Charitable Wing'.
THE ELECTRIC COMPANY
Genre: Children's programming
Show Synopsis: Hey you guys!
Learning how to spell H-O-L-Y-W-A-R was never this much fun...That is until Israel got serious about terrorist assaults and finally cut off Gaza's electricity leaving the 'kids' to fend for themselves.
Turn out the lights and turn on The Electric Company.
I MARRIED A MARTYR
Genre: Comedy
Show Synopsis: He's a successful city planner who wants to build up his Arab town. She's his new bride who wants to blow it off the map. The comedy ensues when a wife obsessed with dreams of 72 eunuchs who want to blow up just about everything.
I LOVE LUNACY
Genre: Design and Fashion
Show Synopsis: Watch this team of Iranian "lunatics" give women the makeovers of their dreams: throw away that old drab black burqa and exchange if for a new drab black burqa. These gals can make anyone's toes look beautiful.
I DREAM OF JIHAD
Genre: Situation Comedy
Show Synopsis: A "moderate" Moslem rubs an antique lamp the wrong way, conjuring up the late spirit of Yasser Arafat to do his bidding.
SURVIVOR: LEBANON
Genre: Reality Program
Show Synopsis:
Who will be the ultimate survivor! Does anyone still care? They should. The winner continues to the next series' Survivor: Guantanamo Bay with Full Immunity!
THE FLYING NUN
Genre: Situation Comedy
Mayhem and gospel are spread over Judea and Samaria when a nun has nowhere to land because her church was burned to the ground after terrorists took refuge there.
YOU BET YOUR LIFE
Genre: Game Show
Show Synopsis: Contestants (hostages) plead in front of a camera for their safe release. Winners are announced after the ransoms are received from the 'Host' countries.
NEWS
Show Synopsis: Original Comedy Programming
A Jewlarious Entertainment Exclusive
DOAH, QATAR - Arab super station Al Jazeera proudly announced it will begin producing new and updated versions of currently cancelled former US shows. This fall's revival will see some of America's most beloved television characters resurrected under Sharia Law.
Al Jazeera's CEO Sheikh Hamad "The Chairman" bin Thamer Al Thani unveiled his station's new line-up beginning with the newly restructured 'Studio 60 on the Gaza Strip'. While the stations's execs were beaming with pride, Qatari critics were quick to call the Sheikh's judgement into question by broadcasting shows that seemingly glorified American culture and decadence.
Quickly changing gears to accommodate the mood in the room, he presented two new reality programs -- 'Who Wants to Be a Militant?' and 'Fatah Knows Best'.
But not before allowing time for his doctor proscribed sedatives to take effect. The Sheikh subsequently went on a rabid attack screaming, "I don't have to remind everyone here that there is still plenty of room on my Chopping Block... to axe a variety of television shows in development."
Below is a listing of Al Jazeera's upcoming shows, reprinted without permission as they were snatched out and away from The Sheikh's hands as he was being carted out of the room to a local sanitarium.
Al Jazeera's 2007 Fall TV Line-Up
STUDIO 60 ON THE GAZA STRIP
Show Synopsis: Two executive producers of a weekly sketch-comedy show find 'resistance' at every turn. This one hour comedy drama is best described as a twist of Aaron Sorkin with a modern Arab flavor. F.Y. I. Aaron Sorkin is an American screenwriter, producer, playwright and Jew who also created 'The West Wing'- not to be confused with Hamas' non-terrorist 'Charitable Wing'.
THE ELECTRIC COMPANY
Genre: Children's programming
Show Synopsis: Hey you guys!
Learning how to spell H-O-L-Y-W-A-R was never this much fun...That is until Israel got serious about terrorist assaults and finally cut off Gaza's electricity leaving the 'kids' to fend for themselves.
Turn out the lights and turn on The Electric Company.
I MARRIED A MARTYR
Genre: Comedy
Show Synopsis: He's a successful city planner who wants to build up his Arab town. She's his new bride who wants to blow it off the map. The comedy ensues when a wife obsessed with dreams of 72 eunuchs who want to blow up just about everything.
I LOVE LUNACY
Genre: Design and Fashion
Show Synopsis: Watch this team of Iranian "lunatics" give women the makeovers of their dreams: throw away that old drab black burqa and exchange if for a new drab black burqa. These gals can make anyone's toes look beautiful.
I DREAM OF JIHAD
Genre: Situation Comedy
Show Synopsis: A "moderate" Moslem rubs an antique lamp the wrong way, conjuring up the late spirit of Yasser Arafat to do his bidding.
SURVIVOR: LEBANON
Genre: Reality Program
Show Synopsis:
Who will be the ultimate survivor! Does anyone still care? They should. The winner continues to the next series' Survivor: Guantanamo Bay with Full Immunity!
THE FLYING NUN
Genre: Situation Comedy
Mayhem and gospel are spread over Judea and Samaria when a nun has nowhere to land because her church was burned to the ground after terrorists took refuge there.
YOU BET YOUR LIFE
Genre: Game Show
Show Synopsis: Contestants (hostages) plead in front of a camera for their safe release. Winners are announced after the ransoms are received from the 'Host' countries.
NEWS
Show Synopsis: Original Comedy Programming
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Burma: An interview (from 2000) w/ Aung San Suu Kyi
An NBC interview with Aung San Suu Kyi. The last interview she has done w/ Western Media.
And this one, from Brit John Pilger, originally aired on ITV in 1996:
And this one, from Brit John Pilger, originally aired on ITV in 1996:
Cambodian tribunal - Hell thaws again
Not very long ago, we reported the nearly astonishing news that The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia had charged Nuon Chea with crimes against humanity, and that it appeared some Justice might actually be dispensed to surviving KR honchos.
Well, that may still be the case, but it's not going to be without some traditional Cambodian shenanigans going on.
The UN has issued a report which criticizes the tribunal for hiring unqualified staff, paying them too much, and accepting kickbacks from said unqualified appointments. The report goes on to recommend that the UN pull out of the proceedings unless changes are made.
In response, the Cambodians have called the audit an "unbalanced account" and its recommendations "out of proportion".
Sad, but typical...
Well, that may still be the case, but it's not going to be without some traditional Cambodian shenanigans going on.
The UN has issued a report which criticizes the tribunal for hiring unqualified staff, paying them too much, and accepting kickbacks from said unqualified appointments. The report goes on to recommend that the UN pull out of the proceedings unless changes are made.
In response, the Cambodians have called the audit an "unbalanced account" and its recommendations "out of proportion".
Sad, but typical...
Burma: A college editorial with good facts but a shaky premise
Neil St. Clair, a senior at goold ol' Boston University and writing an op/ed piece for the Freep, trys to sum up how China effectively blocked US options on Burma (he throws in Sudan/Darfur as well, but I don't know nearly as much about that situation).
I look for reasons to argue with pointy-headed college students on these matters. However, I have to give St. Clair an overall thumbs up (validation I'm quite sure he craves - NOT) on his general approach. Despite an awkward and sorta uncomfortable opening allegory, once he settles into facts, he does OK. It's just that I disagree pretty strongly with his overall thesis.
China has the only bit of international clout in Burma. That's well-established fact. China has also managed to get through the past weeks' events without saying anything harsher than "Gesundheit" - also well established. However, I'm not so sure they have "blocked" any US actions.
What action was the US going to take, China or no China? Lots of harsh rhetoric? Did that. Additional sanctions? Did that too. Make all kinds of noise at the UN? Check. Send troops? No how, no way, China or no China, Iraq or no Iraq, never. Even if the army had used Agent Orange, botulism bacteria, Ebola virus, nerve gas, and tickle torture on the populace. There was NEVER any chance of a military intervention.
For my part, I don't see how China changed US policy on Burma one bit. I would have liked to have seen China do more, much more, on their own, but I don't think they affected US or Western policy one bit.
I look for reasons to argue with pointy-headed college students on these matters. However, I have to give St. Clair an overall thumbs up (validation I'm quite sure he craves - NOT) on his general approach. Despite an awkward and sorta uncomfortable opening allegory, once he settles into facts, he does OK. It's just that I disagree pretty strongly with his overall thesis.
China has the only bit of international clout in Burma. That's well-established fact. China has also managed to get through the past weeks' events without saying anything harsher than "Gesundheit" - also well established. However, I'm not so sure they have "blocked" any US actions.
What action was the US going to take, China or no China? Lots of harsh rhetoric? Did that. Additional sanctions? Did that too. Make all kinds of noise at the UN? Check. Send troops? No how, no way, China or no China, Iraq or no Iraq, never. Even if the army had used Agent Orange, botulism bacteria, Ebola virus, nerve gas, and tickle torture on the populace. There was NEVER any chance of a military intervention.
For my part, I don't see how China changed US policy on Burma one bit. I would have liked to have seen China do more, much more, on their own, but I don't think they affected US or Western policy one bit.
Cowboys: Here comes the bandwagon
Obi-Wan... there... is good in him. I know there is... still...
- Padme Amidala
OK, so maybe that's both overly dramatic and too Star Wars-geeky. But there's something to it. The Cowboys are decent, or perhaps more than decent, again, and it's difficult for me to remain angry and vindictive with this team.
To be sure, the departure of The Pear-Shaped Football Genius helps matters greatly. TO Owens is dropping a lot fewer passes and keeping his attitude effectively adjusted. And Bondo-Face seems to have learned some lessons about staying out of the way. All of these factors make the team a LOT more palatable.
Then there's that Romo guy. Zowie. So far, he's like nothing we've seen around here since the Staubach glory days of the 70s. Fun to watch, easy to like, incredibly athletic, confident but not cocky, what's not to like about this dude? He just makes things happen around him. No word on Carrie Underwood, though. We'd like to see more of her.
Is the offensive line now ready to rival Williams-Allen-Stepnoski-Tuinei-Newton as the greatest in Cowboy history? Absolutely not. But they are good enough with Romo and his matador skills behind them.
Anyone think the MBIII/JJones combo is going to Canton anytime soon? They don't have to, as long as Romo and his receivers, some of whom may be Canton-bound someday, keep the defense stretched and the running lanes clear.
On defense, I'm still not completely sold. The Cowboy D has looked good, but it's been against truly bad offensive teams (Miami, Chicago, and St Louis are all inept offensively, and there's no arguing that point). We'll see week after next, when Tom Brady and Co. line up on the other side of the ball.
One thing I think I've noticed about the Cowboy D - they seem to be inflicting a lot of physical punishment on the oppostition. Lots of opposing offensive players seem to be getting hurt against this D. This may be my imagination, and I have not stats to back it up, but I think there's someting to it. And if there is, I'm not sure what that "something" means - faster to the ball, surer tackles, and harder hits seem likely, and good, but that's just the guess of a never-played-organized-football-after-grade-school guy.
And then there's Wade Phillips, a guy I totally trashed when his hiring was announced. I think he's won the lottery in some ways. He hasn't changed much on his own - the offensive changes are, I think, more Jason Garrett (who, you'll remember, was hired by Jerry before the Phillips hire) and the D, well, see above for my thoughts - but perhaps he's succeeding just because he's not arrogant, condescending, and argumentative like Parcells. It may be that all he needs to do is be up-beat, treat the players like men (hell, humans), and let his coaches do their thing. He hasn't had a lick of true adversity here yet, but it seems likely he will before the season is over. Let's see how he does in more tense circumstances before we nominate him for Coach of the Year.
All told, however, I think I have to retire my Dark Side credentials. This team is fun to watch, is having success, and seems to be keeping its nose clean (at least until Tank Johnson shows up). I think that's about all we can hope for in pro sports these days.
- Padme Amidala
OK, so maybe that's both overly dramatic and too Star Wars-geeky. But there's something to it. The Cowboys are decent, or perhaps more than decent, again, and it's difficult for me to remain angry and vindictive with this team.
To be sure, the departure of The Pear-Shaped Football Genius helps matters greatly. TO Owens is dropping a lot fewer passes and keeping his attitude effectively adjusted. And Bondo-Face seems to have learned some lessons about staying out of the way. All of these factors make the team a LOT more palatable.
Then there's that Romo guy. Zowie. So far, he's like nothing we've seen around here since the Staubach glory days of the 70s. Fun to watch, easy to like, incredibly athletic, confident but not cocky, what's not to like about this dude? He just makes things happen around him. No word on Carrie Underwood, though. We'd like to see more of her.
Is the offensive line now ready to rival Williams-Allen-Stepnoski-Tuinei-Newton as the greatest in Cowboy history? Absolutely not. But they are good enough with Romo and his matador skills behind them.
Anyone think the MBIII/JJones combo is going to Canton anytime soon? They don't have to, as long as Romo and his receivers, some of whom may be Canton-bound someday, keep the defense stretched and the running lanes clear.
On defense, I'm still not completely sold. The Cowboy D has looked good, but it's been against truly bad offensive teams (Miami, Chicago, and St Louis are all inept offensively, and there's no arguing that point). We'll see week after next, when Tom Brady and Co. line up on the other side of the ball.
One thing I think I've noticed about the Cowboy D - they seem to be inflicting a lot of physical punishment on the oppostition. Lots of opposing offensive players seem to be getting hurt against this D. This may be my imagination, and I have not stats to back it up, but I think there's someting to it. And if there is, I'm not sure what that "something" means - faster to the ball, surer tackles, and harder hits seem likely, and good, but that's just the guess of a never-played-organized-football-after-grade-school guy.
And then there's Wade Phillips, a guy I totally trashed when his hiring was announced. I think he's won the lottery in some ways. He hasn't changed much on his own - the offensive changes are, I think, more Jason Garrett (who, you'll remember, was hired by Jerry before the Phillips hire) and the D, well, see above for my thoughts - but perhaps he's succeeding just because he's not arrogant, condescending, and argumentative like Parcells. It may be that all he needs to do is be up-beat, treat the players like men (hell, humans), and let his coaches do their thing. He hasn't had a lick of true adversity here yet, but it seems likely he will before the season is over. Let's see how he does in more tense circumstances before we nominate him for Coach of the Year.
All told, however, I think I have to retire my Dark Side credentials. This team is fun to watch, is having success, and seems to be keeping its nose clean (at least until Tank Johnson shows up). I think that's about all we can hope for in pro sports these days.
Burma; Time to talk aftermath
After a week and a bit of sustained protest, followed by a violent response by the illegitimate military government, matters in Burma have settled back into a tense and fearful sort-of normalcy.The government says they killed ten people while trying to subdue the uprising. Predictably, government mouthpieces are spouting all sorts of revisionist crap. Nyan Win, the Foreign Minister, told the UN General Assembly that "neocolonialism" had distorted news from Burma, and that "political opportunists" had co opted small protests against increased fuel prices and in support of mistreated monks.
At least they're original, right? "Neocolonialsm" is card that hardly ever gets played. Nice one, Nyan Win.
Elsewhere, UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari has apparently made a little progress. He actually got a meeting with big, scary Than Shwe in Naypyidaw (I keep referring to the new capital as Pyinmana - that was the name of the ville which previously occupied the site. Than Shwe and his evil minions have named their new insta-city Naypyidaw, or "Seat of Kings"). In addition to that somewhat remarkable accomplishment, Gambari met with Aung San Suu Kyi twice, and got to take a government sponsored field trip to Lashio to see a staged pro-government rally there.
Gambari has retreated to Singapore as of this morning. No word on whether he's going back to Burma or catching a red-eye to NYC.
Newsweek brings us word that the various rebel factions, mostly made up of ethnic minorities, are trying to unite in a political and, if necessary, a military front. These guys have been fighting the various rulers of Burma for hundreds of years, so it's difficult to see them as anything other than irritants to the junta. They do serve the purpose of providing a training ground for the Burmese Army's officer corps. I'm not sure they're worth the trouble.
Monks and monasteries are somewhat less watched at this point, although the army and it's hired thugs are still keeping the clergy under pretty tight wraps. Word is that hundreds of monks and nuns arrested over the past week will be defrocked and tossed out of the Buddha business.
And, finally, the Burmese people are more angry, frustrated, and beaten down than ever. Reading some of the quotes available on BBC, you get the sense that utter despair is settling in. The majority of the population hates their lot in life, but can't do anything about it. The army has the guns and the will to use them, the clergy (the big hope) has been beaten into submission, maybe never to recover, the world community clearly isn't going to come riding to the rescue (nor should they - beyond sanctions, sanctions, and diplomatic pressure, the world should not be sending armored divisions to the Irrawaddy Valley no matter how many bullets are flying), and there is no armed group within the country with anything like the resources required to take on the army.
The best hope, and probably the only hope, is to keep this story in the news as much as possible, to maintain pressure, to the extent pressure can be brought, on the generals, and to pray a lot. The very, very sad fact is the West has no real strategic or economic interest in Burma, and too much at stake with China to "make" them use their leverage, for any change to come from external pressures. Any change which is to come will have to come internally. And when the bad guys have the guns, internal change is hard to come by.
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