- 07:35 AM
- 11/05/24
Does this mean that the Miami/Ohio State national championship game was never played?
posted by afl-aba at 07:24 AM on August 18, 2011
(and known funny-man) Rick Reilly
The last funny sportswriter, in my humble, was Hunter S. Thompson. Reilly, Kornheiser, Wilbon, Mariotti, et al. are simply painful to witness.
posted by afl-aba at 04:52 PM on April 27, 2011
Even though he's 1-9 in picking against Butler in the past two years, I fully expect Dick Vitale to pick against the Dawgs again.
"Ahhh, you gotta love the job Brad Stevens has done at Butler. Back-to-back Final Fours baby. But since I never pick Butler to win a tournament game, I gotta go with the mighty Rams of VCU! It's a magnificent story, like the job the General, Robert Montgomery Knight, did at Indiana! As my beloved dead Mom and Dad used to say, "Ram-a-dam-a-ding-dong baaaaaby!"
posted by afl-aba at 07:18 PM on March 27, 2011
Thank god we don't have socialized medicine. This proves that market-driven medical care works best!
posted by afl-aba at 12:18 PM on March 16, 2011
It's pretty simple: As a fan, are you with the owners or the players? I know anti-union sentiment runs deep among many Americans (even those who are working class), but how anyone can call what the NFLPA is trying to do a "stunt" is beyond me. What happened to solidarity?
posted by afl-aba at 11:19 AM on March 15, 2011
As Jesus says in Hal Hartley's short film, The Book of Life: "Who are the Mormons?"
posted by afl-aba at 06:01 AM on March 03, 2011
In the too-careful NFL, it's refreshing for a coach to have absolutely no fear of putting a foot in his mouth.
Foot in mouth? In his first two years, Rex has been two wins away from a championship. That ain't bad, especially with a still evolving young QB and several problematic, if gifted, players. If the Jets were a mediocre team that went one-and-done every year, Rex's boasts would indeed be ridiculous. But he has the Jets right there.
posted by afl-aba at 06:30 PM on February 25, 2011
As a Kansas City Royals fan, Rex's schtick seems suspiciously close to Tony Pena's right before Pena was run out of town.
Was that after Pena took the Royals to back-to-back ALCS appearances in his first two years?
Rex ain't going anywhere. He's the best coach the Jets have had since Parcells.
posted by afl-aba at 05:02 PM on February 25, 2011
Same-sexers play sports at every level. Bigotry and denial keeps them closeted (until after retirement). Recall Howard Stern's Stuttering John asking Bill Parcells if there were gays in the NFL, and Parcells said no. Not one. Dave Kopay, former Packers and 49ers back, would take issue with that.
posted by afl-aba at 01:31 PM on January 27, 2011
With the Steelers having spent years in the NFL before moving over to the AFC, a Steelers - Packers SB will have a bit of a pre-merger feel to it. For us old farts anyway.
Agreed. The Jets were the last AFL team in it. What a heartbreak that is.
posted by afl-aba at 07:12 PM on January 24, 2011
Please pick and root for the Steelers. Make them two TD faves. Thanks!
Jets Nation
posted by afl-aba at 10:23 AM on January 17, 2011
As a Jets fan, I'm in no position to mock the Seahawks.
posted by afl-aba at 03:33 PM on January 05, 2011
Half the country still can't cope with the horror of homosexuality.
That's why they sublimate it by following football, perhaps the gayest sport there is other than MMA.
posted by afl-aba at 02:03 AM on December 23, 2010
Remember this when you next bitch about inflated salaries.
posted by afl-aba at 07:26 PM on December 19, 2010
As a longtime Jets fan, I've been waiting for their inevitable slide. And here it is, with the added bonus of a cheap shot from the coaching staff. Well done.
Sanchez gets a ton of heat, much of it deserved, but his receivers don't seem to have the stickiest hands. Schottenheimer's timid offensive schemes don't help either.
posted by afl-aba at 11:46 AM on December 13, 2010
Lumping all of them into that category is not only an exaggeration and a lie, but complete disrespect for their service. But so say many who have never had the courage to put on a uniform.
Well, I've served in the military, and the fact that Americans have engaged in countless war crimes doesn't insult me. Name an empire that hasn't.
Millions killed in Korea and Vietnam -- were they all guilty parties? The hundreds of thousands slaughtered in Central America during the '80s were killed by our proxy forces -- trained by US advisers, paid for by US taxpayers, but we had the locals do most of the dirty work. Currently, most of the killing that's done is by button pushers in Nevada, firing drones in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen. Plenty of women and children are being blown apart, but at least their killers don't look them in the eye. Ah, progress.
Imperialism makes us less safe, which should be evident by now. But most Americans either support it, don't care, or feel so powerless that they don't bother to resist.
Football is indeed a militarist sport, tied in with armed forces recruiting. Maybe that's what Rolle was referring to, but somehow I doubt it.
posted by afl-aba at 07:44 AM on December 04, 2010
I simply loved watching Bush scowl. If only that fence in front of him was a prison cage. Ah, well . . .
posted by afl-aba at 08:59 AM on November 02, 2010
Hippy Trash 1 -- Philly Rednecks 0.
posted by afl-aba at 11:42 AM on October 17, 2010
so, to say that Bush set up global torture sites is just plain ignorant...I just quoted one article, many others out there
Yes, Bush also utilized the policy that Clinton set up and due to 9/11 had to expand the use of it, no denial of that.
I agree: Clinton set the table for Bush, not only here, but in other ways as well (for one, the Effective Death Penalty and Anti-Terrorism Act of '96 set up the Patriot Act). It's a bipartisan racket. Clinton, Bush, Cheney and Obama all share in war crimes. You seem to think I merely bash the GOP. Not so.
That said, go Yankees. Steinbrenner may have been an asshole, but he didn't bomb civilians with depleted uranium.
posted by afl-aba at 07:24 PM on October 13, 2010
Wow, so ignorance it is.
Really? In what sense?
posted by afl-aba at 04:36 PM on October 13, 2010
That's not political, it's just plain ignorant. Not only was Bush a minority owner that wasn't even much of a figurehead for the Rangers, but Steinbrenner was probably as staunch a Republican as you could find.
Umm, I said I couldn't stand the Yankees, and Steinbrenner was a big part of it. As bad as Steinbrenner was, he didn't order murderous invasions and establish global torture sites.
I'm reacting to Bush sitting prominently at one of the Rangers' home games. He's clearly a fan and feels some connection to the team, which the Rangers don't play down. I suspect we'll see him again.
He should be in a cell at the Hague, not at the AL playoffs.
posted by afl-aba at 03:11 PM on October 13, 2010
Hate to get political ('cause we know sports and politics don't mix), but I hope the Yankees sweep the George W. Bush Rangers. And I can't stand the Yankees. Thanks for nothing, Tampa Bay.
posted by afl-aba at 05:09 AM on October 13, 2010
Eating one's pie before it is served is seldom a good idea.
I'm merely envisioning eating the Pats' pie. Besides, who is the Pats' deep threat now?
posted by afl-aba at 03:09 PM on October 07, 2010
As a Jets fan, I think it's no coincidence that the trade was made now.
Agreed. But after Mon night, how often will the Jets face Moss again? And this makes the next Pats game even more delectable. Approved.
posted by afl-aba at 12:05 AM on October 07, 2010
As a Jets fan, I approve of this move.
posted by afl-aba at 08:11 AM on October 06, 2010
Wow. The Hoser actually picked the Jets, if only by a point against the Bills. Now I'm worried.
posted by afl-aba at 03:25 PM on October 01, 2010
I had a feeling that Hard Knocks, however entertaining it was, would be a curse for my boastful Jets. You know the Pats are ready for them and hate them even more. The only upside I see is that the Jets' offense can't play any worse than they did against the Ravens. Can they?
I think Rex needs to rethink his strategy of having the defense play most of the game.
posted by afl-aba at 09:32 AM on September 18, 2010
Powerless people asserting whatever fantasy power they think they possess. Further evidence of atomization in our corporate mega-state. The proles fight each other; the owners watch, laugh, collect the profits.
posted by afl-aba at 07:36 PM on September 04, 2010
This could make for a fun ESPN reality show: notable college stars who wash out in the pros. Each season a new crew of wash outs share a beach house and argue about their respective NCAA stats. Then they get drunk in hot tubs and fantasize about a pro career. Hannah Storm inexplicably shows up and tries to interview them, only to be chased down the street. A lot of middle-aged guys would relate to that.
posted by afl-aba at 10:04 PM on August 26, 2010
He's no less a corporate dick gobbling asshole, but MJ's point is well taken. It'll be interesting to see how much the Heat press it next season to silence the naysayers.
posted by afl-aba at 10:58 PM on July 20, 2010
Speaking of which, how do I unload a Farve Jets jersey? Or is this a potential classic, like Unitas' Chargers jersey, Namath's Rams, OJ's 49ers, Montana's Chiefs?
posted by afl-aba at 07:08 PM on July 02, 2010
Perhaps this will lead to gay players coming out -- superstars included. Then again, listening to white male anguish on sports radio, it may take a while.
posted by afl-aba at 08:56 PM on June 22, 2010
Why would Izzo go? He's got it made. Him, Krzyzewski, Knight and Dean Smith (Brad Stevens?) understood. Pitino blew a chance to eclipse Adolph Rupp at Kentucky. He understood a different game.
posted by afl-aba at 11:40 PM on June 15, 2010
What -- is Hank Iba still unavailable?
posted by afl-aba at 04:23 PM on May 21, 2010
Not sure I get the point, but it seems that there was some assertion that these are Spanish words. Actually, Arizona is from Basque (not really Spanish) or Indian; Phoenix is from either Greek or somewhere in Europe or Asia (it is a mythological term and not Spanish); Tucson is the Spanish spelling of an Indian term; and Tempe is actually from Greek.
I never said they were Spanish -- I hinted at their non-English origins. If you wanna go Spanish state/city names, California has more than its share.
"Hey! This is Los Angeles! Speak English!"
posted by afl-aba at 08:36 AM on May 06, 2010
I hear this all the time: Keep the politics out of sports!
Sport is suffused with politics, at all levels. Always has been. Would these people say the same about Jackie Robinson? Curt Flood? What about after 9/11? Didn't hear much grumbling about real life issues getting on the field then.
The Arizona law is racist, gives the state enormous power, and clearly is an embarrassment to the better people living there. It's on everyone's minds, and the Suns are supposed to ignore it?
posted by afl-aba at 07:37 AM on May 05, 2010
I agree, fresh immigrants should be able to pronounce and understand such long-standing English words like Arizona, Phoenix, Tucson, and Tempe. I mean, what kind of country are we running here?
posted by afl-aba at 06:30 AM on May 05, 2010
I knew Hitchens back in the day. He's always hated sports, and was appalled when I watched an NBA game on his TV (though he didn't interfere). But for him of all people to rail against nationalism and chauvinism, given his recent love for imperial war, is pretty rich. He's now an American exceptionalist. In his world, cluster bombing poor brown people is less worrisome than Gilbert Arenas' gun fetish. Standard Beltway hypocrisy.
posted by afl-aba at 07:17 AM on February 09, 2010
I hear that Hustler magazine, inspired by KIffin, received a verbal commitment from two 12-year-old cheerleaders. Wait'll you see these girls in six years!
posted by afl-aba at 12:02 AM on February 06, 2010
Getting this far was gravy for Jets fans. This loss hurts, but not that badly. A young team with a creative, animated coach. I expect better things next season.
posted by afl-aba at 11:20 PM on January 24, 2010
I know this sounds crazy, but I'm glad the Jets are playing the Bolts instead of the Colts. Didn't like the idea of them going back into the dome against a (too?) rested team looking to make a point.
Sanchez back in SoCal with the defense peaking at the right time. They have a shot, but the Bolts are gonna be tough to beat. No matter the outcome, it's always nice to see two old AFL teams battle in the playoffs. Wear the powder blues with the numbers on the helmets, Chargers! Do it for Sid Gilman and the mighty '63 team!
posted by afl-aba at 05:31 PM on January 10, 2010
I'd like to see the NFL stop dividing teams into AFC and NFC when the playoffs begin. Seed teams across the entire league, so that when the league's two best teams are in the same conference (Dallas and San Fran in the early '90s, Indianapolis and San Diego today), there's a chance they will meet in the Super Bowl.
That was proposed when the new AFC was seen as the weaker conference right after the merger. The first post-merger SB was Cowboys v. Colts, two NFL teams. The anti-AFL bias held for many years after, despite the Dolphins' championship run.
Then again, I was against the merger. Made sense business-wise, but took a lot of fun out of pro football.
posted by afl-aba at 04:00 PM on January 04, 2010
This Jets fan will take the Colts' holiday offering. The Bengals are beatable, especially since they've clinched, but I don't know if I want the Jets to get into the playoffs. I doubt they'd go very far, and would rather avoid the pain. Then again, the post-season has its own mysteries . . . Ah, screw it. Go J-E-T-S.
posted by afl-aba at 08:37 AM on December 28, 2009
The Sports Machine -- pre-internet connection to highlights. I wonder if Michael resented Wham! for taking his name. Liked the SNL take-off on him, with George Will (Dana Carvey) playing host.
posted by afl-aba at 05:45 AM on December 25, 2009
I don't think that steroids give you mystical visions. The drugs jocks ingest today reflect the corporate mindset that defines what passes for society. Still, I find it amazing how Ellis was able to pitch while tripping. Images shift without warning; auditory input floods your ears and mind. I know that Bill Lee pitched after ingesting hash (and I doubt he was the only one), but that's mother's milk compared to a loaded tab.
posted by afl-aba at 09:18 AM on November 14, 2009
Edwards is going from Mangini to Rex Ryan, like the rest of the Jets. There's bound to be some on-field improvement, given the intense, winning atmosphere there. Then again, who knows? Edwards did well under Lloyd Carr, so he has some idea what it's about.
posted by afl-aba at 11:19 AM on October 07, 2009
What about the dementia of countless NFL fans? I'm looking in your direction, Philly . . .
posted by afl-aba at 08:26 AM on September 30, 2009
As long as they don't fine players for gay sex. That would be overkill.
posted by afl-aba at 03:47 PM on September 25, 2009
Afl-Aba just wants to feel bad about eating meat and turn that into collective guilt for the rest of us.
Not true. I enjoy eating meat, even though I know where it comes from. And I'm not in the collective guilt business, either. I merely made my points, and you and others responded. That's all.
posted by afl-aba at 11:55 AM on August 16, 2009
If i understand Alfalfa's posts, he is saying that i'm a coward because i ate a burger without looking in the cow's eyes, but Vick is stand up guy for killing dogs for fun because he "looked at his victim in the eye"...did i get that right?
Umm . . . no.
posted by afl-aba at 08:34 AM on August 16, 2009
If you are so sensitized to this issue that you wallow in guilt over what you eat, why do you then defend cruelty to animals for sport? It doesn't make sense. If you really care about animals, you should be deeply offended by what he did.
I've made that very clear. Follow my thread.
I was raised with dogs. The idea of torturing them makes me sick.
Did you miss this sentiment by me?
posted by afl-aba at 02:51 PM on August 15, 2009
I guess that my issue then is the hyperbolic moral black-and-white of your argument
But my argument isn't "moral" or at all black and white. I acknowledge the complications and contradictions of what I'm stressing. I simply rebel against the notion that somehow Michael Vick is the worst person ever for his cruelty and crimes -- which he paid for.
I was raised with dogs. The idea of torturing them makes me sick. But I also try to acknowledge that torture takes many forms, some of which please me (when I'm eating filet mignon), and some of which I don't consider at all.
And the sweatshop angle is a good one. Here again people make choices. We live in a brutal world. If trying to expand one's thoughts about it makes me "fringe," so be it. The American mainstream ain't looking too healthy these days, anyway.
posted by afl-aba at 02:15 PM on August 15, 2009
You seem to equate a resignation toward some of life's necessary evils to a sadistic joy in the pain and suffering of creatures for sport. If you can't see the problem with that argument, I'm not prone to humoring your perspective.
I think that those who tolerate slaughterhouse conditions for intelligent mammals before eating or wearing them are actually worse. They're indifferent to or comfortable with mass suffering. Vick was sadistic and cruel, but at least he looked his victims in the eyes.
I can only assume that your smug attitude comes from a position of relative moral superiority. You don't eat meat, you don't wear leather, you don't watch football or baseball (involving leather-wrapped balls), you don't do anything that in any way subjects animals to less than ideal (i.e. natural) conditions.
Oh please. As I said in my first post: "Meat eaters and leather wearers are selective. We're hypocrites. At least Vick went to prison for his abuse. The rest of us only get slower and fatter."
I watch most sports. I eat meat. I wear leather. I'm part of the hypocrisy. It's you who sounds smug and morally superior.
I'm not saying I'm proud of the way feed animals are treated, but to say that one who eats meat or wears leather "has no moral leg to stand on" when condemning a man who tortured dogs for sport is nothing short of ridiculous.
It's selective outrage. A lot of people have a hard time reconciling that, so they create safe categories where their behavior isn't so bad. And yes, this includes me.
p.s. Do you keep pets?
A dog and a cat.
posted by afl-aba at 01:10 PM on August 15, 2009
"The unfortunate conditions on many of this country's feed lots and slaughter houses do, indeed, cause the animals harm. I do not, however, relish or delight in that harm."
But you take advantage of those conditions, which are as bad if not worse than what Vick did to those dogs. At least Vick looked his victims in the eye. If you killed your own meat, then you might have a point.
"Those animals feed people, and if you know a better, kinder way to keep 350 million Americans fed, by all means, pipe up with a suggestion."
There are numerous alternatives to the present system, some of which are employed at local levels. The problem is, most Americans are lazy and conditioned to eat fast food and processed crap. If anything, they're overfed, as a walk through a suburban mall will quickly show.
"Other carnivorous animals kill, and their prey probably doesn't like it, but to call a mountain lion or eagle immoral is simply asinine."
I spoke only of humans, specifically Americans. You can mention every creature on earth, and it doesn't diminish the point that Americans support and enjoy mass cruelty to animals as a matter of practice. Bashing Vick is largely hypocrisy and selective outrage, features that Americans are quite comfortable with.
posted by afl-aba at 11:48 AM on August 15, 2009
Not to defend Vick's brutality to dogs, but --
Unless you're a vegetarian, or better a vegan, then you really have no "moral" leg to stand on. What is done to cows and pigs, also mammals, is way beyond what Vick did to dogs. Indeed, people make fortunes from it. And most of you eat it. No jail time, no career-altering penalties.
Meat eaters and leather wearers are selective. We're hypocrites. At least Vick went to prison for his abuse. The rest of us only get slower and fatter.
posted by afl-aba at 08:08 PM on August 14, 2009
Another AFL legend gone. Hated Kemp's politics, but he was a vital part of that rebel league. Might've been in Super Bowl I, had the Chiefs not steamrolled the Bills in the 1966 AFL title game. Probably for the best. I doubt that Bills team would've done much better against Lombardi's Packers.
posted by afl-aba at 01:41 AM on May 03, 2009
Have Buffalo take Plax. That would be fun to watch.
posted by afl-aba at 10:05 AM on April 04, 2009
"These things never work"
Umm, the American Football League -- 1960-70?
posted by afl-aba at 07:56 PM on March 11, 2009
Well, at least he wasn't hitting a bong a la Michael Phelps. Imagine the horror.
posted by afl-aba at 10:57 AM on February 02, 2009
Bob Ryan: 'Football is Inherently Unsafe'
I'm no fan of Ryan's, but I agree with him completely. And I played youth football and have been a fan of the pros since childhood (college less so). The game has mutated into Rollerball. Americans love it, so it's not going anywhere. But we may have reached a place where new thinking is required.