There's a lot of cultural nonsense about how enlightened Europeans are versus the boorish behavior of Americans. Then things like this happen and we're reminded that anyone from any nation or any culture can behave like a total dick.
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Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Scandal
I'll send y'all over to Georgia Sports Blog for the proper introduction to the college football news that just hit the web.
University of Miami's having a bad day. Please, don't take a picture.
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University of Miami's having a bad day. Please, don't take a picture.
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Texas A&M to the SEC
Team Speed Kills disects the rumour mill. It all comes down to this:
While I think this probably means things will happen sooner rather than later, I still come back to the same question I keep thinking of: what other team gets the invite?
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The SEC is a great conference the way it is and should not expand just to expand. But if the Big XIIish is going to spin apart -- and it eventually will -- the SEC has to get Texas A&M.
While I think this probably means things will happen sooner rather than later, I still come back to the same question I keep thinking of: what other team gets the invite?
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Know Your Rights
I make a habit out of watching the show COPS, and counting all the things that are done wrong by (sometimes) the police and (most of the time) by the suspects. I really have always found it amazing how many people will let the police search their car during a traffic stop because they asked to.
Darnell Dockett of the Arizona Cardinals, however, refuses to be played in such a way. (HT: EDSBS)
I remember the first time I refused a search during a traffic stop, even the officer was like "Really? Wow. Well, you're within your rights to refuse."
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Darnell Dockett of the Arizona Cardinals, however, refuses to be played in such a way. (HT: EDSBS)
I remember the first time I refused a search during a traffic stop, even the officer was like "Really? Wow. Well, you're within your rights to refuse."
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Black Jersey
In 2007, the University of Georgia Bulldawgs football squad beat the Florida Gators in Jacksonville. The next week at home against Auburn, The 'Dawgs took the field in traditional helmets, but wearing black jerseys. The fans in Sanford Stadium "blacked out" the game. It was one of the more stunning visuals ever associated with Georgia football. Once the Dawgs beat Auburn badly in that game, Georgia fans thought the black jerseys were one of Coach Mark Richt's best ideas ever.
I got to see them in person when Georgia destroyed Hawai'i in the Sugar Bowl. It looked great. At the time, I thought a new tradition was brewing.
Then came the 2008 Alabama blackout. Dawgs got destroyed by the Nick Saban coached Tide. In 2009, Georgia donned Grambling State-like black helmets against the Florida game and also lost badly. Fans wanted any uniform changes banned, never again to haunt the team.
I can't agree. The Black just looked too good. On the other hand, Georgia's worn red and white and silver britches through plenty of football losses and wins. What should be done with the Black Jerseys?
Mr. Sanchez solves this problem forever.
That's the answer. That should be the tradition.
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I got to see them in person when Georgia destroyed Hawai'i in the Sugar Bowl. It looked great. At the time, I thought a new tradition was brewing.
Then came the 2008 Alabama blackout. Dawgs got destroyed by the Nick Saban coached Tide. In 2009, Georgia donned Grambling State-like black helmets against the Florida game and also lost badly. Fans wanted any uniform changes banned, never again to haunt the team.
I can't agree. The Black just looked too good. On the other hand, Georgia's worn red and white and silver britches through plenty of football losses and wins. What should be done with the Black Jerseys?
Mr. Sanchez solves this problem forever.
Beat Florida, you can wear the black jerseys. Win the SEC East, you can wear the black jerseys. Make a BCS bowl, and you can wear the black jerseys.
That's the answer. That should be the tradition.
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Play On
I guess we can't even watch a 22 year old from Northern Ireland turn in one of a sport's performances of a lifetime without a bunch of Americans acting like spoiled children having a temper tantrum.
First of all, I hope the broadcaster learns that this is what happens when you try to please that loud but small population of thin-skinned, overreactive, and hyperdefensive grown up American babies who mask their lack of faith in God and Country by wrapping themselves in a flag. They'd rather spend their time yelling at others for some imagined slight against God and Patriotism than realize they're watching something special happen on live television. You will not be able to please these people until the only golfers invited to participate in the US Open renounce their home nations and recite odes to American exceptionalism before teeing off. You should not apologize to these people, you should tell them to STFU because that's what needs to happen to folks who get offended over some B__. S__.
Second, WTF are you doing with that kind of intro anyway? You know how you lead into a sporting event like the US Open? With pictures of the golf course, highlight reels from the week, and maybe some shots of kids having a great time in the summer. It ain't like Congressional isn't scenic.
Maybe some production assistant got confused. The US Open Championship is not like a World Series, or Super Bowl, or BCS National Championship. It is an open golf tournament. I've always found the US Open so rightly culturally named because, you know, the United States is in the "Free World," we're the "melting pot," and we have a Statue of Liberty to welcome the huddled masses of the world. That the United States should host an Open as one of the sport's 4 major events, where anyone who qualifies in the sport can be eligible to participate, with winners determined by the skill of their game, is incredibly appropriate.
The event itself is exceptional. The players are exceptional. The course is exceptional and, on Sunday the storyline was exceptional. The background for the course is the Capitol Dome in Washington. People who watch golf on television were tuning in because of those things.
Where, exactly, was the need to add any rah-rah to the stupid TV intro? Hell, that's when the majority of Americans watching the event were making themselves a sandwich. How did you screw this up? It isn't like more people were going to tune in due to your "savvy" marketing, or somebody would be flipping channels and think "Oh, the Pledge of Allegiance, I should watch golf on TV for my country."
Third, the superstar under the microscope Sunday, like last year's US Open champion, was not from the United States. Just a quick look at the final leaderboard should tell you all you need to know about how much worldwide talent was in play Sunday: there were two Americans in the top 10 finishers - the same number of South Africans.
So of course, let's pick the broadcast of this event to fight our culture war battles over. Folks, not every televised sporting event needs to begin with a tear-jerking tribute to HOW AWESOMLY ASS KICKINGLY BADASS AMERICA (F__ YEAH!) HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE ZOMG!!! Sometimes, especially on championship days that could end up very special, you can let it be about the beauty and skill at which the game is being played, and the joy those things bring to players and fans of all nations.
But that might just be too simple.
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First of all, I hope the broadcaster learns that this is what happens when you try to please that loud but small population of thin-skinned, overreactive, and hyperdefensive grown up American babies who mask their lack of faith in God and Country by wrapping themselves in a flag. They'd rather spend their time yelling at others for some imagined slight against God and Patriotism than realize they're watching something special happen on live television. You will not be able to please these people until the only golfers invited to participate in the US Open renounce their home nations and recite odes to American exceptionalism before teeing off. You should not apologize to these people, you should tell them to STFU because that's what needs to happen to folks who get offended over some B__. S__.
Second, WTF are you doing with that kind of intro anyway? You know how you lead into a sporting event like the US Open? With pictures of the golf course, highlight reels from the week, and maybe some shots of kids having a great time in the summer. It ain't like Congressional isn't scenic.
Maybe some production assistant got confused. The US Open Championship is not like a World Series, or Super Bowl, or BCS National Championship. It is an open golf tournament. I've always found the US Open so rightly culturally named because, you know, the United States is in the "Free World," we're the "melting pot," and we have a Statue of Liberty to welcome the huddled masses of the world. That the United States should host an Open as one of the sport's 4 major events, where anyone who qualifies in the sport can be eligible to participate, with winners determined by the skill of their game, is incredibly appropriate.
The event itself is exceptional. The players are exceptional. The course is exceptional and, on Sunday the storyline was exceptional. The background for the course is the Capitol Dome in Washington. People who watch golf on television were tuning in because of those things.
Where, exactly, was the need to add any rah-rah to the stupid TV intro? Hell, that's when the majority of Americans watching the event were making themselves a sandwich. How did you screw this up? It isn't like more people were going to tune in due to your "savvy" marketing, or somebody would be flipping channels and think "Oh, the Pledge of Allegiance, I should watch golf on TV for my country."
Third, the superstar under the microscope Sunday, like last year's US Open champion, was not from the United States. Just a quick look at the final leaderboard should tell you all you need to know about how much worldwide talent was in play Sunday: there were two Americans in the top 10 finishers - the same number of South Africans.
So of course, let's pick the broadcast of this event to fight our culture war battles over. Folks, not every televised sporting event needs to begin with a tear-jerking tribute to HOW AWESOMLY ASS KICKINGLY BADASS AMERICA (F__ YEAH!) HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE ZOMG!!! Sometimes, especially on championship days that could end up very special, you can let it be about the beauty and skill at which the game is being played, and the joy those things bring to players and fans of all nations.
But that might just be too simple.
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Jackass of the Month
We used to trot out the JotM Award pretty regular around these parts. Adrastos runs one over at First-Draft called"Malaka of the Week," highlighting "wankery not evil."
But it got me thinking about what a week it has been. We tend to focus on two topics on Hurricane Radio, sports and politics, and I'll be damned if it wasn't a banner week for bad behavior in both of those realms. Those topics usually have their share of weekly head slappers, to be sure, but the sheer volume of it this is impressive. Some of the memes and stories from Monday are already old news.
That's something. I mean, take your pick...
Jackasses in Politics:
Anthony's Weiner - naturally the biggest political story this week
Andrew Brietbart - he gets one thing right and takes a week long victory tour
The Senator from Louisiana - because of the ninja suit he can put on to completely vanish from the national zeitgeist the minute any other politician has a sex scandal
Sarah Palin re: Paul Revere's guns and bells(?)
Newt Gingrich's Incredibly Imploding Political Campaign
Jackasses in Sports:
Mike Hamilton - soon-to-be-former Athletic Director of the University of Tennessee for his hand in bringing down UT Athletics (and I'm a Georgia fan saying this)
Bill Stewart - soon-to-be-former head football coach of the West Virginia University Mountaineers, who was discovered to be giving the press dirty details on the personal behaviors of the soon-to-be head football coach (sort of a folksy Andrew Breitbart)
LaBron James - for making such a big deal out of playing basketball in Miami, and then playing like this in the NBA finals
Terrelle Pryor - former quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes who has gotten involved with so many shady sports star cliches that people may not remember the Cam Newton controversy from earlier in the year
And yet, all of this pales in comparison to former head football coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Jim Tressell, who resigned his job on Sunday ahead of a blistering Sports Illustrated expose regarding allegations of widespread and long-term sports-based shenanigans conducted while cloaking himself in the mantle of deeply held Christian faith.
Of course, in true Tressell fashion, he picked the perfect week to do so, because all that other stuff makes Sunday seem so very long ago.
So that's that. Hopefully next week things will slow down somewhat.
Until then, I'll go the opposite route and give you this item of heartwarming, classy behavior.
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But it got me thinking about what a week it has been. We tend to focus on two topics on Hurricane Radio, sports and politics, and I'll be damned if it wasn't a banner week for bad behavior in both of those realms. Those topics usually have their share of weekly head slappers, to be sure, but the sheer volume of it this is impressive. Some of the memes and stories from Monday are already old news.
That's something. I mean, take your pick...
Jackasses in Politics:
Anthony's Weiner - naturally the biggest political story this week
Andrew Brietbart - he gets one thing right and takes a week long victory tour
The Senator from Louisiana - because of the ninja suit he can put on to completely vanish from the national zeitgeist the minute any other politician has a sex scandal
Sarah Palin re: Paul Revere's guns and bells(?)
Newt Gingrich's Incredibly Imploding Political Campaign
Jackasses in Sports:
Mike Hamilton - soon-to-be-former Athletic Director of the University of Tennessee for his hand in bringing down UT Athletics (and I'm a Georgia fan saying this)
Bill Stewart - soon-to-be-former head football coach of the West Virginia University Mountaineers, who was discovered to be giving the press dirty details on the personal behaviors of the soon-to-be head football coach (sort of a folksy Andrew Breitbart)
LaBron James - for making such a big deal out of playing basketball in Miami, and then playing like this in the NBA finals
Terrelle Pryor - former quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes who has gotten involved with so many shady sports star cliches that people may not remember the Cam Newton controversy from earlier in the year
And yet, all of this pales in comparison to former head football coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Jim Tressell, who resigned his job on Sunday ahead of a blistering Sports Illustrated expose regarding allegations of widespread and long-term sports-based shenanigans conducted while cloaking himself in the mantle of deeply held Christian faith.
Of course, in true Tressell fashion, he picked the perfect week to do so, because all that other stuff makes Sunday seem so very long ago.
So that's that. Hopefully next week things will slow down somewhat.
Until then, I'll go the opposite route and give you this item of heartwarming, classy behavior.
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Running Back Publicity, LLC
Well, if the whole sports thing doesn't work out for Washaun Ealey and Reggie Bush, at least they can always turn to mass communication and public relations.
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Politics & Football
Most sports blogs I read try to stay away from politics as best they can. Hell, one of the reasons I started this weblog six years ago was so my friends and I would have a place to chew on politics away from the tailgate.
But with so much public money tied up in sports, at the college and professional levels, sometimes those paths are going to cross. This is what happens when they do.
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But with so much public money tied up in sports, at the college and professional levels, sometimes those paths are going to cross. This is what happens when they do.
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Tax Dollars At Work
Or bread and circuses. I can't figure out which phrase to use after reading this examiniation of how tax dollars get into the hands of strippers via BCS bowls.
The crappy thing is, if the financial projections are right, colleges could make money off a playoff, while most lose money on bowls.
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The crappy thing is, if the financial projections are right, colleges could make money off a playoff, while most lose money on bowls.
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Mad Wagerin'
I'm wondering how long it takes the NCAA to find a secondary recruiting violation based on this situation at the University of Georgia.
(HT: Get the Picture)
I also wonder if Buford, Georgia is considered part of metro Atlanta but not part of metro Athens (difference is between 4 to 6 miles).
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(HT: Get the Picture)
I also wonder if Buford, Georgia is considered part of metro Atlanta but not part of metro Athens (difference is between 4 to 6 miles).
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$400 Million Dollars
We've been hearing about it for years, but the voices demanding a new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons continue to rise in volume, and look more and more serious. The whole pricetag would be north of $700M, of which $400M would be on the taxpayers. And (unlike Dallas) the plans for the new Bird's Nest would be an uncovered stadium with less seating capacity.
Meanwhile, real conservative Kyle Wingfield of the AJC goes over all the other things Atlanta could do with that stadium money.
Hell, he even includes streetcars, mass transit, and trains on his list.
Of course, if Atlanta does build a new Falcons' stadium, they might get rid of the Georgia Dome, even though they say they want to keep it. The reason to keep it is pretty solid: the Georgia Dome hosts the Chick Fil-A Kickoff Classic, the Peach Bowl, the Georgia State Panthers regular season and OH YES THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. But how long do you think two NFL sized football stadiums will last a few parking lots away from one another?
Maybe the SEC could just buy the facility outright, which wouldn't be a bad idea, actually. Atlanta is, primarily, a college football town. The move could make economic sense for both the conference and the city. But such manuvering might not pan out, and who knows what will happen in 6 years?
This tells me one thing: New Orleans needs to have a 5-year bid to host the SEC Championship Game ready to roll before 2017. That's one of the only games on the planet more valuable than the Sugar Bowl. If there were ever an opportunity to get that game out of Atlanta, this would be it.
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Meanwhile, real conservative Kyle Wingfield of the AJC goes over all the other things Atlanta could do with that stadium money.
Hell, he even includes streetcars, mass transit, and trains on his list.
Of course, if Atlanta does build a new Falcons' stadium, they might get rid of the Georgia Dome, even though they say they want to keep it. The reason to keep it is pretty solid: the Georgia Dome hosts the Chick Fil-A Kickoff Classic, the Peach Bowl, the Georgia State Panthers regular season and OH YES THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. But how long do you think two NFL sized football stadiums will last a few parking lots away from one another?
Maybe the SEC could just buy the facility outright, which wouldn't be a bad idea, actually. Atlanta is, primarily, a college football town. The move could make economic sense for both the conference and the city. But such manuvering might not pan out, and who knows what will happen in 6 years?
This tells me one thing: New Orleans needs to have a 5-year bid to host the SEC Championship Game ready to roll before 2017. That's one of the only games on the planet more valuable than the Sugar Bowl. If there were ever an opportunity to get that game out of Atlanta, this would be it.
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Chemical Weapons
The 130+ year old live oak trees at Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Alabama have been poisoned with massive amounts of herbicide.
Let me say, first of all, that this crosses the line of college prankery in the worst sort of way. Especially considering the lethal doses of poisonous herbicide used on a landmark where Auburn fans doubtless take pictures with their young children.
When they catch this guy or guys, I hope the full force of the law is brought down against them.
Update: Looks like they have a suspect in custody.
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Let me say, first of all, that this crosses the line of college prankery in the worst sort of way. Especially considering the lethal doses of poisonous herbicide used on a landmark where Auburn fans doubtless take pictures with their young children.
When they catch this guy or guys, I hope the full force of the law is brought down against them.
Update: Looks like they have a suspect in custody.
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Irrational Relationships & Valentine's Day
Watching sports and being a fan of a particular team can get emotional. I understand this as well as anyone, and I'll spare you the anecdotes I think prove it. The long and short of it is, I get that fanbases can be irrational when things happen to their team. But here's my two thoughts:
1. I'm still going to call you on it.
2. Just because every other team does it doesn't make it OK. Because they do.
Even as the apparent majority of Who Dat nation works through their complex emotions concerning Sean Payton buying a home in Dallas, the irrational reactions must be accepted as irrational.
And you know what? It is OK to be overemotional and irrational - that's what makes sports fun. But you can't let it get out of hand. That's when you let yourself get hurt for no good reason. That's happens when when "The Idea" of Someone comes into conflict with that real someone's actions, behaviors and motivations. Once you realize that the thing you're really angry at is a figment of your imagination, you can take a deep breath and a step back and start synthesizing the reality of the situation.
Here are the facts:
- New Orleans is a great place, but it is an acquired taste. Not everyone is going to love this place like you love this place. Just because they don't doesn't mean they're trying to insult you.
- He picked Dallas because he likes Dallas. Several million people like Dallas, the last time I checked. He did not pick it just to piss you off.
- An NFL head coaching gig lasts, on average, 3.3 seasons. In New Orleans, that average is a little higher, but Sean Payton has been here a long time considering the nature of his job.
- Sean Payton entered the 2009 season facing a go-to-the-playoffs-or-lose-your-job situation. You may not want to admit this, but this was the case. You were ready to get rid of him and his family two years ago. Back then it was you talking about performance on the field and maybe finding someone else if he wasn't up to the task.
- Moving your family every 3 - 5 years is awful.
Don't take this as patronizing advice from someone who is not from here. Understand that, as a fan of the University of Georgia Bulldawgs, I've been listening to the ravings of one of the most irrational fanbase factions in the history of football. I'm primed for calmly discussing overemotion and irrationality. Home football losses to Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech will force you to examine things from a more reasoned perspective.
And don't get mad at my role, I'm just one of the buddies who will sit with you as you drown your sorrows, telling you that the relationship you are pining for only existed in your own head, and that you're only breaking your own heart and inviting ridicule from others by going over and over it. It is time you remembered that your real relationship is with the Saints, and the Saints are bigger than Sean Payton.
And as long as where he lives doesn't affect his performance coaching the Saints to wins, he could live on the Moon for all I care.
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1. I'm still going to call you on it.
2. Just because every other team does it doesn't make it OK. Because they do.
Even as the apparent majority of Who Dat nation works through their complex emotions concerning Sean Payton buying a home in Dallas, the irrational reactions must be accepted as irrational.
And you know what? It is OK to be overemotional and irrational - that's what makes sports fun. But you can't let it get out of hand. That's when you let yourself get hurt for no good reason. That's happens when when "The Idea" of Someone comes into conflict with that real someone's actions, behaviors and motivations. Once you realize that the thing you're really angry at is a figment of your imagination, you can take a deep breath and a step back and start synthesizing the reality of the situation.
Here are the facts:
- New Orleans is a great place, but it is an acquired taste. Not everyone is going to love this place like you love this place. Just because they don't doesn't mean they're trying to insult you.
- He picked Dallas because he likes Dallas. Several million people like Dallas, the last time I checked. He did not pick it just to piss you off.
- An NFL head coaching gig lasts, on average, 3.3 seasons. In New Orleans, that average is a little higher, but Sean Payton has been here a long time considering the nature of his job.
- Sean Payton entered the 2009 season facing a go-to-the-playoffs-or-lose-your-job situation. You may not want to admit this, but this was the case. You were ready to get rid of him and his family two years ago. Back then it was you talking about performance on the field and maybe finding someone else if he wasn't up to the task.
- Moving your family every 3 - 5 years is awful.
Don't take this as patronizing advice from someone who is not from here. Understand that, as a fan of the University of Georgia Bulldawgs, I've been listening to the ravings of one of the most irrational fanbase factions in the history of football. I'm primed for calmly discussing overemotion and irrationality. Home football losses to Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech will force you to examine things from a more reasoned perspective.
And don't get mad at my role, I'm just one of the buddies who will sit with you as you drown your sorrows, telling you that the relationship you are pining for only existed in your own head, and that you're only breaking your own heart and inviting ridicule from others by going over and over it. It is time you remembered that your real relationship is with the Saints, and the Saints are bigger than Sean Payton.
And as long as where he lives doesn't affect his performance coaching the Saints to wins, he could live on the Moon for all I care.
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Sadness On a Rainy Day
After a short stint wearing the collar, UGA VIII aka Big Bad Bruce has passed away. My thoughts go out to the Seiler family of Savannah, who have now lost two beloved family pets - pets that they are good enough to share with one of the most passionate college fanbases in the nation - in too short a time.
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The Diagnosis
The two SEC fanbases with the deepest seated psychoses are LSU and UGA.
But while LSU just kind of celebrates their crazy, UGA is always arguing about what type of therapy will work. Mamas, if you let your babies grow up to be Bulldawgs, expect them to participate in a near-constant debate about the metaphysical existence of football reality for the rest of their lives. Right now, I live down in Tigerland, and no Corn Doggish behavior ever exhibited in front of my eyes comes close to the gnashing of teeth on display in the Land of Perpetual Arp.
Luckily, most of the more prominent and mature blog captains in Bulldawg Nation have been out in front of the barbarians for a long time, and remain there.
I know which poll question I clicked. I don't know enough to say for certain what is wrong with the UGA football program. And despite all the attempts to categorize where certain elements of the fanbase are right now, I think we can sum it up two ways.
Some fans have their opinions while accepting they don't know everything, and generally vary thier opinions between the hope CMR can turn things around next year and the expectation that he will be unable to do so.
Other fans already know everything that has ever been wrong with the football program, ever; they want to go back in time and fire CMR two years ago, or yesterday, or right now.
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But while LSU just kind of celebrates their crazy, UGA is always arguing about what type of therapy will work. Mamas, if you let your babies grow up to be Bulldawgs, expect them to participate in a near-constant debate about the metaphysical existence of football reality for the rest of their lives. Right now, I live down in Tigerland, and no Corn Doggish behavior ever exhibited in front of my eyes comes close to the gnashing of teeth on display in the Land of Perpetual Arp.
Luckily, most of the more prominent and mature blog captains in Bulldawg Nation have been out in front of the barbarians for a long time, and remain there.
I know which poll question I clicked. I don't know enough to say for certain what is wrong with the UGA football program. And despite all the attempts to categorize where certain elements of the fanbase are right now, I think we can sum it up two ways.
Some fans have their opinions while accepting they don't know everything, and generally vary thier opinions between the hope CMR can turn things around next year and the expectation that he will be unable to do so.
Other fans already know everything that has ever been wrong with the football program, ever; they want to go back in time and fire CMR two years ago, or yesterday, or right now.
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