04/18/24
October 18, 2006
Government doubts threat on NFL stadiums: A Web site is claiming that seven NFL football stadiums will be hit with radiological dirty bombs this weekend, but the government on Wednesday expressed doubts about the threat. It mentioned NFL stadiums in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Oakland and Cleveland, where games are scheduled for this weekend.
posted by irunfromclones to football at 05:43 PM - 51 comments
Some would say the bomb already went off in Oakland.
posted by irunfromclones at 06:05 PM on October 18, 2006
Come on, commander cody. You're being an unpatriotic lefty. Sunday is the end of Ramadan and our enemies just want to celebrate by blowing up symbols of our red, white and blue American lifestyles. Now is that really so hard to believe?
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 06:06 PM on October 18, 2006
Yep. Then again I don't believe in the tooth fairy, santa claus or that Bush has an I.Q. above 50 either.......
posted by commander cody at 06:10 PM on October 18, 2006
Where's the evidence? In the same cave with the WMDs in Iraq?
posted by yzelda4045 at 06:21 PM on October 18, 2006
And after Monday's loss to Chicago,it went off in Arizona too.
posted by Ghastly1 at 07:40 PM on October 18, 2006
Welcome back, Lost Planet Airman, er, commander cody. Sure 'nuff missed you spewing your nescient political viewpoints the last 5 weeks. Please re-read the first 3 words of the FPP.
posted by mjkredliner at 08:32 PM on October 18, 2006
Here we go...
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:40 PM on October 18, 2006
You gotta admit, it has been fairly quiet in that regard, lbb.
posted by mjkredliner at 08:46 PM on October 18, 2006
Way to overreact. I didn't see anything in that article about OMFG RUNNING FOR YOUR LIVES, STRIP OUR BLOODY FREEDOMS?!?!1 Did you? If anything, the article was the opposite, saying, "Life es bueno. Move on." It's funny, the government was roundly (and rightly so) criticized for not talking certain terrorist links seriously which led to 9/11. Now, whenever they take one even semi-seriously, it's like a great big conspiracy. Either way, people will find a reason to bitch. I say that because that's exactly what the first few comments in this thread exemplify.
posted by jmd82 at 09:14 PM on October 18, 2006
Hi cody, mjk... I guess you guys haven't seen it, so I figure I would introduce you to our guidelines. I think you'll find the reading interesting, especially this part: SportsFilter is not the site for stream of thought garbage and unsupportable conjecture. On behalf of everyone, thanks so much for taking the time to read those guidelines, understand them and apply them to your future contributions here at SpoFi. We like to keep our threads on topic and try not to stray too far away from the sports related issue at hand. We definitely discourage political and religious discussions generally as it tends to royally piss everyone off cause unnecessary argumentation. For timely and thought provoking political and religious discussion, we kindly direct you to our smarter, cooler, hipper sister page, Metafilter.com Thanks so much and welcome, again, to Sportsfilter!
posted by jerseygirl at 09:24 PM on October 18, 2006
A website promises attacks on specific targets a week before the events happen? Of course - everyone knows terrorists and freedom haters advertise their targets. Our inept and corrupt culture lacks the divine wisdom to take action with such forewarning. Or possibly this is the stupidest thing I read today.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:24 PM on October 18, 2006
Or possibly this is the stupidest thing I read today. Hang out in this thread and you're bound to see something stupider.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 09:27 PM on October 18, 2006
I made a comment about the posted story and responded to Texan's question. Beyond that I have no more political statements to make or arguments to get into. Certainly it's within the guidelines to comment about a posted thread?
posted by commander cody at 09:28 PM on October 18, 2006
Within the guidelines to comment about a thread? Yes, if its on topic and relevant to the FPP. Your first comment? Not so much.
posted by jerseygirl at 09:36 PM on October 18, 2006
commander c, some comments are within the guidelines and some aren't. The guidelines were expanded over the summer (I honestly don't remember if you participated in that or not) -- they were elaborated on quite a bit -- and many people are unaware of these changes. I think the the whole thread is borderline as far as its sports-relatedness, really, and I think the chances for any sports coming up in the comments are slim to none.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 09:39 PM on October 18, 2006
I disagree jg. It's obviously a very political story and was posted as such, so a political comment certainly is not surprising. besides I have seen this happen many times in spofi. As lbb said, there's not much chance for any sports comments considering the story. If my comment is off topic then it's not any more off topic then the story itself.
posted by commander cody at 09:48 PM on October 18, 2006
I'm sorry, but even though the posting is only loosely sports related, I certainly didn't perceive a political agenda or viewpoint from irfc. Commander, you have railed on this site in the past with your anti "Neo Con" rhetoric before. It didn't belong here then and it doesn't belong here now.
posted by willthrill72 at 10:30 PM on October 18, 2006
I just have to inject a bit of humor here. I just got done watching the end of game 6 of the NLCS, which was on Fox, which was how I happened to catch the lead story on Fox News -- guess what it was? Slow news day, I guess. Anyway, one of the Fox News Boston talking heads, Bianca Dellagarza, or whatever the hell her name is, managed to mumble-mouth "NFL", getting the first two letters reversed before trying it again. The result? "The government is skeptical, but still warning the effin' NFL..." Brought down the house.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:32 PM on October 18, 2006
Everything you read on the internets is true. Everything. If we want to make this a semi-legit thread, though: Can anyone tell me if this hit the press before the Gov't statement, or is it just news due to the Feds telling us all to remain calm and go enjoy watching David Carr get sacked nine times at Relient while nursing $8 beers? I'm genuinely curious. On preview: "The government is skeptical, but still warning the effin' NFL..." Nice!
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:39 PM on October 18, 2006
Gosh, I sure hope my Detriot lions don't get blown up! That would sure ruin my whole day. There, that is about as sports related as the story can be. Beyond that it's still a political story. And I still say my comments were no more off topic then the story itself.
posted by commander cody at 10:42 PM on October 18, 2006
And I still say my comments were no more off topic then the story itself. How can the story be off topic when the story IS the topic?
posted by willthrill72 at 10:45 PM on October 18, 2006
You know though, after thinking about it a bit more, maybe being blown up with a dirty bomb would help their season? At least they'd get the whole sympathy thingie.
posted by commander cody at 10:51 PM on October 18, 2006
Comment from my fellow watcher-of-the-news: "Too bad Foxboro's not on the list -- it might improve the playing surface."
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:53 PM on October 18, 2006
Amen lbb.
posted by commander cody at 10:58 PM on October 18, 2006
we kindly direct you to our smarter, cooler, hipper sister page, Metafilter.com I could find nary a place to bash the Red Sox over there... commander, lets both agree to leave politics at the front door, Ok?
posted by mjkredliner at 11:40 PM on October 18, 2006
I can do that. Of course it's awfully hard to lay off a story like this post, but I can try. No hard feelings.
posted by commander cody at 11:42 PM on October 18, 2006
I have been at 2 Cleveland home games this season already. If they are going to take this threat seriously they need to do more for security. Yes they make you empty your pockets, and check the womens purses, I think thats is just for flasks though. I had two disks fused back on July 14th and have to wear one of these, and me not being a small guy it is not small either. Both times I was patted down, neither guard ever asked what was under my sweatshirt, or checked. I have a ticket to go this sunday and will still be going. I am not about to let some schmuck spewing threats on a computer change my life, or cause me to live in fear.
posted by jojomfd1 at 11:43 PM on October 18, 2006
Sorry not disks, vertebra.
posted by jojomfd1 at 12:50 AM on October 19, 2006
To hell with politics, how sad have we become that every little blurb sends us runnig for the hills? Here's google's cached text of this "threat". It's all spawned from a lame thread about an interview on canadafreepress.com. That alone should pretty much tell you all you need to know. I have a feeling some 12 year old somewhere is so proud of himself for making CNN.
posted by SummersEve at 09:17 AM on October 19, 2006
how sad have we become that every little blurb sends us runnig for the hills? Yeah, well, maybe in your neck of the woods they are, but I don't see a general panic myself...
posted by mjkredliner at 10:32 AM on October 19, 2006
I have a feeling some 12 year old somewhere is so proud of himself for making CNN. im in ur stadiumz, bombin ur Lionz
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:37 AM on October 19, 2006
Gosh, I sure hope my Detriot lions don't get blown up! Sad thing is they may actually play slightly better.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:38 AM on October 19, 2006
I don't see a general panic myself Figuratively speaking, champ. Put the guard down. It's so unbecoming. By the way...
posted by SummersEve at 10:39 AM on October 19, 2006
Put the guard down. No guard was up. The only overreaction was yours. Figuratively speaking, of course.
posted by mjkredliner at 10:51 AM on October 19, 2006
Back to what lbb posted about the playing surface in Foxboro: Hopefully,having the bye week to work on it they got to lay some new sod down for this weeks game. The condition of that field was the worst I'd ever seen at Gillette Stadium.
posted by Ghastly1 at 12:33 PM on October 19, 2006
They'll have new sod by November 5.
posted by jerseygirl at 12:35 PM on October 19, 2006
Just in on ESPN.com. The FBI has already questioned a suspect and deems the threat piffle.
posted by wfrazerjr at 01:02 PM on October 19, 2006
Politics?? Geez, all I ever thought about when I read this was if it would effect ticket sales, and home field advantage (important in fantasy leagues too). And, if ticket sales actually did drop, would the NFL stick to it's blackout policy, or make an exception for an unusual circumstance? That being said, I believe it was Tom Clancy, as the first to dirty bomb an NFL stadium (Mile High), was the likely inspiration for the internet twit now being rigorously interrogated by the FBI.
posted by irunfromclones at 01:20 PM on October 19, 2006
Actually, irfc, it was Thomas Harris (from Silence of the Lambs fame) who wrote the novel Black Sunday in 1975 about an attack during the Super Bowl,
posted by willthrill72 at 02:25 PM on October 19, 2006
The Clancy book was The Sum of All Fears. Certainly not his best work, and the movie, well, Ben Affleck taking over the role of Jack Ryan was an absolute joke.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 03:26 PM on October 19, 2006
Thanks for the info on the sod probem at Gillette jerseygirl. I was thinking they were at home Sunday. But checking the schedule, they're in Buffalo. Hopefully no freak snow storms.
posted by Ghastly1 at 04:21 PM on October 19, 2006
On behalf of everyone, thanks so much for taking the time to read those guidelines, understand them and apply them to your future contributions here at SpoFi. We like to keep our threads on topic and try not to stray too far away from the sports related issue at hand. We definitely discourage political and religious discussions generally as it tends to royally piss everyone off cause unnecessary argumentation. For timely and thought provoking political and religious discussion, we kindly direct you to our smarter, cooler, hipper sister page, Metafilter.com Thanks so much and welcome, again, to Sportsfilter! Can that be put in the guidelines? Perfect. Friendly, direct...correct...perfect.
posted by tselson at 10:15 PM on October 19, 2006
Hopefully no freak snow storms. is there really such a thing as a freak snow storm in buffalo?
posted by goddam at 11:51 PM on October 19, 2006
Nope, not when you live near a big lake.
posted by yerfatma at 06:19 AM on October 20, 2006
While I wish nothing but meteorological relief to our poor beleaguered brethren and sistren in Buffalo, I do so love to see a football game in the snow. Not each and every time, but...
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:10 AM on October 20, 2006
Two words I learned very quickly after moving to Northern Indiana this year..."Lake Effect."
posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:04 PM on October 20, 2006
I do so love to see a football game in the snow. Not each and every time, but... posted by lil_brown_bat at 8:10 AM CDT on October 20 WOW - mark down the date/time - lbb and I actually agree on something. -just fooling with you lbb
posted by skydivemom at 04:47 PM on October 20, 2006
Two words I learned very quickly after moving to Northern Indiana this year..."Lake Effect." Grew up in southwest lower Michigan about 10 mi's in from the lake. In winter we'd be getting hammered with 2 ft of wet snow in off the lake and 20 more miles inland the sun was shinning and not a flake falling.
posted by commander cody at 06:41 PM on October 21, 2006
Well we live about 30 miles in and get it all the time.
posted by skydivemom at 09:23 PM on October 21, 2006
You're from the GR area right? I was born there, but raised in Hopkins in Allegan Co.
posted by commander cody at 01:35 AM on October 23, 2006
This smells of Karl Rove just like in 2004. Next they'll be saying the "evil doers" will kidnap your pet dogs, unless of course you vote Republican. This is about as real as Bush's credibility, non-existent. Only small children and Republicans will be frightened of this ruse. Still it surprises me that the White House keeps crying wolf when they've been wrong everytime.