The Rant and then a GUEST blogger. Duck, duck, goose.
Read it, don’t read it, I don’t care…just needed to get some things off my chest.
In no particular order of chronology or importance…
On the clock. Day rant. Speed version. Let’s turn and burn.
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1) Greetings and salutations, people. Speed blog by me to clear the list and then a special guest blog from a good friend and colleague of mine who made a solid status update on Facebook on a topic we all should think more about.
2) When talking about great moments in sports, like 50% of them have Al Michaels announcing. He either is the best looking 100 year old man I know or has a time machine. Fantastic announcer, and shame he has to hang with Cris Collinsworth near the end of his career. That has to be tough. Like the Group of Death in World Cup…for years.
3) I was explaining to Lindsey how Ali totally changed boxing. For a big man to move like he did was mesmerizing to watch. Truly. He boxed beautifully. Props to Lindsey for getting my trivia question correct. What was his tagline? Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
4) We watched Looper late night so I could view someone ELSE’S face be confused during the movie. That flick was decent, but gives me a headache watching it. Time travel movies confuse me in general. Except for Back to the Future of course. I first went and saw Looper at the theater after a rough night. Needless to say, I was drawing flow charts at home afterwards. Of course, I really do like flow charts, so that was no chore.
5) THEN, she made the mistake of telling me Rocky IV was on. It was late, but we watched it dammit. I had to go to bed even though I wanted to run through a wall.
6) So, free agent OF Shinn-Soo Choo turned down 7/140 to the Yankees and then accepted 7/130 from the Rangers. THAT is a diss if I have ever seen one. I guess the northern accents bother him. Dude can play though, and will be a nice bat for them in the lineup.
7) I will be forming an alliance with a friend of a friend for sports blogging. Gabe is out of writing it for now, but might get back in the game. I went to his site and read the splash home page and was hooked. Check it out. He mentions Bo Jackson. That should sell you. http://www.friendlystrife.com/
8) The Nets are already having problems. You know that unless you live in a bubble. Losing Lopez for the season does not help things. With all of the problems they are having, losing their big man might still allow them the playoffs in the Least, but their objective was not just to make the playoffs. And Roy Hibbert would be licking his chops with Lopez out. Chris Bosh would be licking his chops imagining his next three point attempt. He makes JUST enough to still not go inside. Even Bill Laimbeer still played D.
9) Ben McLemore is not having a rookie of the year type of season, but he is now more famous than he was. Here he is in a future poster with the King. http://www.slamonline.com/online/media/slam-tv/2013/12/lebron-james-throws-down-big-dunk-on-ben-mclemore-video/
10) The Kobe-less Lakers took down Minnesota last night, which tells us absolutely nothing. We know the Lakers suck, and we aren’t sure if the Wolves suck, but they are sure making a case.
11) We are on the 4th season straight of the Buccaneers in football and the Wolves in basketball being labeled the preseason dark horses for the year. Both have failed miserably.
12) I barely even opened the article, and you don’t need to. Just thought the headline was funny. “SEC fines schools for cowbells.”
13) Lindsey Vonn skied and Lindsey Vonn is not hurt. That is all I know.
14) Watching hockey brawls is fun. Watching women’s hockey brawls is extra fun. Just like they say in Seinfeld, “Oooohhh. CAT fight.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJmJcHOrwGs
15) And if you forget the Seinfeld reference. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za1XVgQhsJU
16) KU basketball has struggled recently on its not at home tough games. They are still gelling. That being said, they trounced an undermanned GTown squad today. Why should we care? Because KU has a guy on the bench (because Embiid is the starting stud at that position) named Tarik Black. Why still should you care? Because he is a transfer from always top 5 recruiting monster Memphis, and he is now on Kansas. He had 17 off the bench. I will continue to mull them over in my Final Four. Today though? Still Syracuse, Michigan State, Wichita State, Arizona.
17) The CSU-Washington State bowl game just ended. CRAZY ending. Entertaining to say the least as I listened to Lindsey (CSU grad) give me constant updates while I was trying to squeeze in a little Texas-Michigan State basketball.
18) …which went as expected.
19) No one at USC is too sure how excited to be after beating Fresno State in a bowl game.
20) The Griz beat the Knicks last night, which proved nothing to us. Two underachieving supposed playoff teams playing each other with one of them obviously going to win.
21) In case you care, NW Missouri State won its FOURTH D-II football title. I kind of do, but not really.
22) I don’t like Joe Flacco because of his demeanor. I don’t like Joe Flacco because he won the Super Bowl last year. I don’t like Joe Flacco because he is a Raven, a Steeler rival. BUT, I DO like Joe Flacco because he still is seen at local McDonald’s late night, getting Mega Millions lottery tickets, etc. I am trying to like you, Joe. Hit me up. We can get your driver and go out and get hammered together and hash this out.
23) As my buddy, Kyle, would say, “that’s adorable.” Dogs and flaws in their security resume. http://www.utrend.tv/v/cat-dog/
24) And now for my guest blogger. Not really a guest blogger-just something I found on Facebook. Actually, Lindsey found on Facebook. I am a Twitter guy now. Actually, not now, as I never really was a FB guy. Well…never mind. Let’s get to it. From one of my favorite people in the world, and one of the most genuine people I know. AND one of the few people I would proactively admit knows more about Seinfeld than I do. It is true. He is a walking almanac. We sit two cubes away and usually conversation starts on something Seinfeld (over Bob’s cube unfortunately-sorry, Bob). Anyway, here is Erik on a recent hot topic in the news.
It seems the whole duck fiasco is dying down, but I’ve given the whole thing some thought and if you are here I’d like to bore you with what I came up with. So sit down and be patient while I sort it all out. Feel free to get yourself a drink as this consists of a few paragraphs compressed into a single post. First and foremost I too believe in the freedom of speech. Although I most certainly respect Mr. Robertson’s right to speak his mind and share his ideas, I believe he could have done so in a more civil manner. Please note, although I did not have a chance to serve, I would die for his right to express his opinions; so this has nothing to do with the whole “P.C.” movement. I believe it has more to do with the whole “common sense” movement. When you are in the public eye and in the employ of a major network affiliate you are under a certain degree of obligation to keep it together and be polite. Sadly, the friend that this discussion is about was unable to do so. Therefore, he is facing the consequences. Do I feel he hates gay people? I’ve never met him, but based on what he said I would put money on the fact that his knowledge of us stems from popular culture, and garbage that the media has shoved down his throat such as Perez Hilton and the usual stereotypes and garbage. There is truth that tolerance goes both ways, and I like to think that this could be a chance for both sides to try to come to some common ground. I can’t speak for all of my gay and lesbian brethren, but I can tell you that I am not a limp wristed, media obsessed, fabulous stereotype. I enjoy everything from fine art, to opera, to nice clothes, to well made firearms (including my .454 Casull and AR-15). I feel that despite the progress that has been made we are still hiding behind stereotypes. I do not want to buy into the concept of “you ask a hillbilly redneck about homosexuality and his response shocks you?” mentality. THAT is the problem. We are all the same, we are all brothers and sisters, and we all feel pain. We are flesh, bone, cartilage, we feel hurt and we can bleed. We are all going through our own struggles, and learning our lessons in this life, many times alone. This sometimes manifests itself in ugly ways, and it sucks when it turns into a media fiasco. On the flipside we are also capable of love, art, music, compassion, humanity, and other great things. In closing, I don’t watch the show, I can’t stand pop culture. All I know about this stupid fiasco is what I’ve read in the news. Part of me thinks this is another ploy to boost ratings, and Robertson was paid for it. Who knows, and who cares. What is said is said, and feelings are justifiably hurt, and some are using this as a platform to once again push their homophobic agenda and some are using it as an excuse to lash out at the threat of our ever dwindling liberties. Others are using it as an excuse to push an agenda for a soft, politically correct, oppressive culture which pretty much blocks out thoughts that some might find offensive. I find this tragic, as we all have so much to offer when we can share differing ideas in a polite fashion (don’t castigate me in the PC camp for this, there is a way to disagree without vulgarity). Perhaps life goes on, in a few days this will all be old history. Mr. Robertson will be back on the show, ratings will be through the roof, and life will go on. Debate if you will, but keep it civil.
25) That is it. Going to catch a fondue happy hour and ice skate downtown with the lady. Hope you enjoyed or are at least more informed if you did not. Will I blog tomorrow? That is a CLOWN question, bro. Peace.
25a) And just so you don’t think that Deadspin is all about sports, here they are covering their favorite animal…the bear.
