how come no sickness language re. rape?

This whole "slutwalk" phenomenon ("Cop's rape comment sparks wave of 'SlutWalks' - US news - Life - msnbc.com") is ironic . . . the barbarians have had enough and aren't taking it anymore!!!

I know, I know; some people are saying this is sort of a variation of the "Take Back the Night" rallies which I agree with in principle. And you will hardly find a more devout "law and order" person than myself. I'm not sure that the death penalty is inappropriate for a man who forces sexual intercourse on a woman. But it is interesting to me that this subject presents a clash between hand-wringing Liberal views on "crime" and radical Feminism. If these persons ("sexual offenders") are just "sick" or victims of society or some-such, is it right (much less wise) to tempt them or induce them to act out?

I'd say this phenomenon is more a reflection of the power of social media and the fact that young people have too much time on their hands than it is some statement about what a majority civilized Westerners think.

ESPN v. FOXSports

I complained about this several years ago (though it seemed much more recent . . . yikes), but can I say for the record, how happy I am to have had ESPN doing the BCS Bowls this year? The NFL-hosting FoxSports Network was not a good fit for the BCS broadcasts these past years.

America and the World Cup

Great NYTimes feature (here) on how the USA is--perhaps, affecting the sport of soccer.

Reading this article reminded me of the observation (perception?) during extended periods I have spent in other, non-European, parts of the world that "quit" is particulary lacking in quintessential American culture.

Can't buy me class

Well, if you haven't heard, Paul McCartney showed his backside at a ceremony to receive a "Gershwin Prize for Popular Song" ostensibly from the American People.

Connie Hair aptly comments:

McCartney is the third recipient of the Gershwin Prize. Hailing from England and having earned no university degrees of his own, the Beatle may not know W. was the first American president to earn a master’s degree in business administration. (The fact the MBA is from Harvard really irks the left.) Not to mention Bush is married to a librarian.

Vandy pitcher's extraordinary out . . .

I'll bet many people have already seen this video of Vanderbilt pitcher Corey Williams (no relation) making a tremendous play moments after having his knee cap shattered by a Florida Gator line drive.


Which reminds me: why do they play with aluminum bats in college baseball?

Tiger's near perfect pitch shot

Although the transcript of Tiger Woods' apology today is better than his stilted and near-robotic performance, I have to say that his sentiments were right on.TigerWoods.com: Transcript: Tiger's public statementThat being said, I couldn't help but notice the seeming importance of defending against assertions that there had ever been domestic violence in their home (defending Elin's honor was right, but in relation to himself, Tiger almost seems to be splitting hairs given the extent of his infidelity).

And I'm not sure that (extraneous) rumors about performance enhancing drugs needed to be brought up in this particular forum. Maybe he wanted to be able to include that subject whenever asserting the "old news/zone of privacy" diversion hereafter.

Maybe Stephanopoulos and wife should go late night on ABC

I don't ever watch GMA, but this birthday greeting from George Stephanopoulos' wife, Ali Wentworth, isn't appropriate . . . for the kids potentially watching GMA at home, much less for the kids right there in the studio. (watch all the way to the end).

Beware Daddy Dearest Baldwin's VM on this one

Alec Baldwin Treated And Released From Hospital - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News:

Actor Alec Baldwin was treated and released from a New York hospital after a young woman believed to be his daughter, Ireland, called emergency assistance claiming her father was unresponsive, according to NBC News. When paramedics arrived at Baldwin's New York City home, he reportedly was responsive and agreed to seek treatment at the hospital.

The "30 Rock" star was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital and was released after about an hour. His condition was undisclosed. The actor's spokesperson, Matthew Hiltzik, issued a statement saying, "This was a misunderstanding on one person's part. Alec was quickly released from the hospital, he's completely fine and will be at work today."

"Misunderstanding on one person's part"? Uh oh. You don't cross Daddy Alec.

Best ad? E-trade

I have to state for the record, that it is kind of difficult to watch (hear) the commercials during a Super Bowl party, which is lost on some fellow viewers/ party-goers who will laugh at anything with a crotch shot or underwear or talking animals. 

That being said, I have been able to review some of the ads today, and here's my choice.

I thought the Tebow ad was excellent, and the pro-abortion Left will probably learn something from their overwrought PR effort on this one.

What was Audi thinking?

Doritos wasted a lot of money (not on production though).

But right now, for best ad, I'm leaning toward the E-trade milkaholic ad.

Watch them all here.

Sally Jenkins and various alternative acronyms for NOW

Sally Jenkins - "Tebow's Super Bowl ad isn't intolerant; its critics are" - washingtonpost.com:

I'll spit this out quick, before the armies of feminism try to gag me and strap electrodes to my forehead: Tim Tebow is one of the better things to happen to young women in some time. I realize this stance won't endear me to the 'Dwindling Organizations of Ladies in Lockstep,' otherwise known as DOLL, but I'll try to pick up the shards of my shattered feminist credentials and go on.

BTW: I think Jenkins incorrectly says that Tebow advertised Heb. 12:12 on his eye-black . . . it was Hebrews 12:1,2:

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Kudos to Tebow for seeming to live out that verse pretty well.

Video of how Kiffin won his last contest at Rocky Top

This video via Joe Silence's No Silence Here blog shows how Lane Kiffin was able to come out on top in his last battle at UT. Rare video: media tension before Kiffin's presser | No Silence Here | knoxnews.com.



I agree with the boring looking guy from Channel 10. It seems to me that Kiffin was the one who needed to be able to say he had "appeared" or "faced his critics" before bolting from Knoxville. People (future recruits, etc.) can't really know that the soundbite is canned or controlled as they watch a report on ESPN. And by going along with the ultimatum of the paper-pounding boob in the argyle sweater (who heart-warmingly referred to Kiffin as "coach" just before the cameras started rolling . . . awwww) the "media" allowed Kiffin to deliver his scripted, 30-second statement without answering any questions. Regrettably, the "media" folded like a house o' cards.

Chad Johnson to takeover MSNBC's "Countdown" . . . I wish

In a Bob Costas interview aired during "Football Night in America," Chad Ochocinco stated he would change his name back to "Chad Johnson" if he was "shut down" by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis in the 1/3/09 game. Following the interview, blowhard Keith Olbermann told an incredulous Costas that he would do the same--change his name to "Chad Johnson," if Darrelle Revis shut down Ochocinco.

Well the Bengals had Zero, count 'em ZERO, passing yards in tonight's game. Well Keith?

The World's Oldest [form of recruiting]?

This story ("N.C.A.A. Is Said to Inquire Widely of Tennessee’s Recruiting" - NYTimes.com) about an NCAA investigation of UT's football program was poignant after hearing Phillip Fulmer on 104.5 yesterday and thinking about how different he seems to be from Lane Kiffin. From the article:

The N.C.A.A. is conducting a wide-ranging investigation into the University of Tennessee’s football recruiting practices, according to interviews with several prospects, their family members and high school administrators. A significant part of the investigation is focused on the use of recruiting hostesses who have become folk heroes on Tennessee Internet message boards for their ability to help lure top recruits.

Ever since watching Hoop Dreams way back when, I have been intrigued by the recruiting process, and Tennessee's program seems rather innovative . . . and less carnal than is implied in several recent reports I've seen.




Tip 'o the hat to The City Paper.

On a lighter note . . .

It is amazing to me that a man the size of Shaq is able to dance like this:



As a friend has told me in the past, it is very difficult to fully appreciate the agility of NBA players without watching a game in person.

Yeah, Congress'll figure out the best way . . .

Kind of like the incredibly pointed question asked of Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips after the Giants loss, why in the world would we entrust design of a sports championship to Congress? House panel takes step to force college football playoff - USATODAY.com:

WASHINGTON (AP) — A House subcommittee approved legislation Wednesday aimed at forcing college football to switch to a playoff system to determine a national champion, over the objections of some lawmakers who said Congress had more pressing matters.

The bill, which faces long odds of becoming law, would ban the promotion of a postseason NCAA Division I football game as a national championship unless that title contest is the result of a playoff.

Al of Freddy's Fashion Mart fame speaks out on Limbaugh and NFL

From the master of division and incendiary-ness ("Group Cuts Ties With Limbaugh to Buy NFL Team" - FOXNews.com):

[Al] Sharpton added in a telephone interview that major sports leagues shouldn't welcome owners who are "divisive and incendiary."

Update: Franken party trick

This is impressive. Al Franken freehands a surprisingly accurate map of the U.S.



I'm kind of interested to hear the audio of his running commentary . . . (UPDATE: here's an example of it--not flattering to Franken, candidly).


UPDATE II: While I still think it's cool, its sheen was a little diminished when I realized that he has been doing this for more than 20 years.

They're just not that in to Paula Abdul

I don't watch American Idol, and though I've always marveled at how (dumb) lucky Paula Abdul was to be on the show, I haven't been following the subject of her future with the show at all. Accordingly, I was curious to read that she was leaving the show and curious to see that it appeared to be her decision. Her twitter statement read,

With sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to IDOL. I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon.

The self-congratulatory phrase was intriguing, too.
But then, all the way at the end of the article, they report that auditions for the show begin TOMORROW, and American Idol's producers had not even offered her a contract. Indeed, Abdul and her agent are "very sad[]" that she lost this gig.

Exploiting McNair

Mike Lupica (of the NY Daily News) is seizing upon July 4th's high-profile murder (and likely suicide) in Nashville to decry America's "gun culture." ("Steve McNair's famous face becomes just another victim of American gun culture") From the article:

According to the The Tennessean newspaper, McNair had a permit to carry a handgun. The weapon found next to the bodies was a semiautomatic.

There were so many wonderful statistics attached to McNair's career, the most important being the one Super Bowl, the four Pro Bowls to which he was selected, all the games he won. But the last was the only one that mattered. He is the 36th homicide victim in Nashville this year. That is down from 41 at the same time last year.

Only in a country of gun lovers is that considered progress.

Only to a gun grabber is that statistic not considered progress.

Franken doesn't bring me flowers . . .

I was reading an Al Franken story this a.m., and was reminded of what I like about him. Franken said that he wanted to be "the people's proxy" during the Sotomayor hearings. From the story:

"As someone who will have been in the committee a grand total of six days and isn't an attorney I kind of see myself fulfilling a certain role for Americans watching the hearings," Franken said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press.

"So I kind of see myself as people's proxy, not that the other senators aren't, but certainly that's the kind of role I want to play," he said.

For the record, I always enjoyed the pre-political Al Franken's work . . . I can hardly believe that anyone wouldn't, so that's no big story, I guess. I think he would be a fun guy to know, as long as he didn't fly off the handle about Bushitler or something when we were hanging out. He's a real intellectual and creative talent and one common trait of a comedian is that they are able to laugh at themselves.

But it is hard for me to look past his decade-long vitriol for, and demonization of, anyone who holds Conservative political views. I guess he is akin to our Ann Coulter, and I'm even tempted as I type this to distinguish her from Franken or to offer a defense of her; but I can understand why some people don't like her.

Sort of like when the class clown becomes teacher for a day, here's hoping that Franken's new job--one in which bomb-throwing is disfavored, will change him for the better. I think it already has, based on the news coverage I've seen of him during his campaign and after the election.