A Bit of Evenhandedness
Today the Senate attached an amendment to the ethics reform bill that would strip “ethics challenged” members of Congress of their federal pensions. If passed by the House and signed into law by the president, the bill would only apply to future violators of Senate and House ethics rules. The new ethics rules are a complete overhaul in comparison to the GOP rules, which remained relatively unchanged since 1994. Like the Constitution, the law is a bit vague on what it would consider an offense worthy of pension suspension. But the basic premise of the amendment would consider offenses such as bribery and conspiracy worthy of losing the tax payer funded “retirement plan.”
The measure, introduced by John Kerry passed the Senate 87-0 today. The bill is a response by the Democrats due to the past 12 years of Republican corruption that has permeated on all levels of the federal government. But one peculiarity of the bill is that it only applies to future violators. If the Democrats wanted to make a colossal impact on the system itself, they would have been inclined to have the bill take effect retroactively. For example, ex-Congressman “Duke” Cunningham collects $64,000 annually from his federal pension, even though he confessed to bribery charges by pleading guilty. At least future violators will be deterred, as it typically is not in a Congressman’s best interest to throw away his “pocket change.”
In other news, the vault on the Gerald Ford interviews has been completely unlocked, especially in regard to his opinions on past presidents. For over 25 years, Ford gave interviews to a local Michigan paper in which he gave rather pointed opinions of those who preceded him in the Oval Office. Like his taped interviews with Bob Woodrow of the Washington Post, the interviews were only to be released after his demise. The most unsympathetic outlook was directed towards Jimmy Carter (whom he compared to Warren G. Harding), who in 1981, Ford called a “poor president.” He adjusted his view of Carter in 1998, when he stated that Carter was a better president than some were led to believe.
Ford also believed that Reagan was overrated, at least in concern to opinions believing he ended the Cold War via an arms build up. He believed that NATO and the Marshall Plan (aid to Europe after WWII ended) were key contributors to ending the Cold War. Many would beg to differ, including myself that it was Mikhail Gorbachev who was responsible for ending the Cold War. But that point is for another time and place. Surprisingly he was rather fickle on the presidency of Bill Clinton, who he called average. Who escaped the ex-president’s criticisms? Dwight D. Eisenhower, a moderate Republican, much like himself, was his favorite president, at least in a policy making role. Even though this was a man who committed the nation to MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction) during the Cold War. Basically, if the Soviets or the U.S. fired upon one another, both countries would simply take the destruction and move on. But again, that is another discussion all in itself.
12 January 2007
11 January 2007
Extreme Overkill
Today one of the richest sporting contracts in history was signed by soccer “legend” David Beckham. The contract is worth a reported $250 million over the next 5 years. To put it into perspective, Beckham will earn roughly a million dollars per week for the next five years. He will be playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy who are apart of Major League Soccer (MLS), which was founded in 1996. The league is comprised of a various teams all over the US, especially in major cities. Beckham, who hails from England, has most recently played in Spain for the New Madrid team. But one wonders, is this man really worth $250 million in a country that is not exactly known for its enthusiasm for soccer?
Soccer main allegiance of fans pervade from other parts of the world, more specifically throughout Latin America and Europe. By nature, soccer is a “poor man’s sport,” which is why it has never taken hold in the United States. But obviously, as shown with Beckham’s exodus to the United States, soccer is gradually taking hold as one of the premier sports in the country. Now, I do not doubt Beckham’s ability, as it takes an extraordinary athlete to play the game for as long as he has, much less play the game at all on a competitive level. But isn’t this massive contract just a bit much for a sport that isn’t exactly on in prime time?
A recent survey conducted on ESPN.com suggests that Americans are not interested in Beckham joining the Galaxy. Out of 45,000 individuals, almost 36% do not even watch soccer. But 68% report that they are a bit more interested in watching a soccer game as long as Beckham is on the field. Even though the number is staggering, I really do not see what all of the fuss is about? His contract even trumps Michael Jordan’s $30 million or so a year when he was playing for the Chicago Bulls. But he was worth it, as he was able to draw both an audience in wherever he played as well as on TV. He was a revenue maker on an extraordinary level, as well as the most talented person to ever play the game of basketball.
Beckham may be renowned on a world wide scale, but the United States has a tendency not to acknowledge international superstardom. People in the United States are more concerned with events and people that are occurring in their backyard; we are very selfish in essence. I have a feeling that Beckham’s presence will not substantially affect viewership of MLS in the United States. Last year, Nielson reports that on average 687,000 people viewed MLS games. Compare that to the NFL, the richest sport in the U.S. Just last week, FOX drew a total of over 17 million people watching playoff football. CSI draws more viewes than MLS soccer! Americans a re stubborn by nature, which signals to me that all of the hype over Beckham will pass soon and Beckham will be added to the list of international superstars that have been swallowed up by American popular culture.
Today one of the richest sporting contracts in history was signed by soccer “legend” David Beckham. The contract is worth a reported $250 million over the next 5 years. To put it into perspective, Beckham will earn roughly a million dollars per week for the next five years. He will be playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy who are apart of Major League Soccer (MLS), which was founded in 1996. The league is comprised of a various teams all over the US, especially in major cities. Beckham, who hails from England, has most recently played in Spain for the New Madrid team. But one wonders, is this man really worth $250 million in a country that is not exactly known for its enthusiasm for soccer?
Soccer main allegiance of fans pervade from other parts of the world, more specifically throughout Latin America and Europe. By nature, soccer is a “poor man’s sport,” which is why it has never taken hold in the United States. But obviously, as shown with Beckham’s exodus to the United States, soccer is gradually taking hold as one of the premier sports in the country. Now, I do not doubt Beckham’s ability, as it takes an extraordinary athlete to play the game for as long as he has, much less play the game at all on a competitive level. But isn’t this massive contract just a bit much for a sport that isn’t exactly on in prime time?
A recent survey conducted on ESPN.com suggests that Americans are not interested in Beckham joining the Galaxy. Out of 45,000 individuals, almost 36% do not even watch soccer. But 68% report that they are a bit more interested in watching a soccer game as long as Beckham is on the field. Even though the number is staggering, I really do not see what all of the fuss is about? His contract even trumps Michael Jordan’s $30 million or so a year when he was playing for the Chicago Bulls. But he was worth it, as he was able to draw both an audience in wherever he played as well as on TV. He was a revenue maker on an extraordinary level, as well as the most talented person to ever play the game of basketball.
Beckham may be renowned on a world wide scale, but the United States has a tendency not to acknowledge international superstardom. People in the United States are more concerned with events and people that are occurring in their backyard; we are very selfish in essence. I have a feeling that Beckham’s presence will not substantially affect viewership of MLS in the United States. Last year, Nielson reports that on average 687,000 people viewed MLS games. Compare that to the NFL, the richest sport in the U.S. Just last week, FOX drew a total of over 17 million people watching playoff football. CSI draws more viewes than MLS soccer! Americans a re stubborn by nature, which signals to me that all of the hype over Beckham will pass soon and Beckham will be added to the list of international superstars that have been swallowed up by American popular culture.
A Lack of Faith
Tonight, President Bush announced his latest strategy in concern to the war in Iraq. This “refreshed” strategy of sorts sounds a bit familiar to most, which is the reason why many doubt the sincerity of his message. Starting Monday, Bush plans to send roughly 21,500 more troops to the war zone. The additional troops, along with the troops already there will now be charged with training Iraqi forces in a more “hands on manner.” Now Iraqi troops will be embedded with American trainers as well as missions consisting of both American and Iraqi forces working together.
So what does this mean for the over all scheme of Iraq? Bush said that he would pull American support out of Iraq if the Iraqis do not start to maintain order within their own borders. He even said that he is taking responsibility for all of the wrongs that have occurred with Iraq. The president has two years left in his term and his latest strategy is more than likely his last great chance to affect the outcome of his personal war. Personally, I believe that this strategy is a case of more bark than bite. Military experts agree that sending more troops over will not fix the situation, but instead, make it even worse.
Even Lt. Colonel Oliver North, a staunch GOP member, disagrees with the new strategy. He belies that the addition of troops will not encourage the Iraqi forces to fight, but instead to rely on American forces even more. Even those of the president’s own party are starting to falter in their support of Bush and his foreign policy. How did the new Democratic Congress respond to all of this? They refused to “zip up” the pocket book on this new endeavor. The only power that Congress has over the executive in this case is the power of the purse. I am shocked by the lack of action from Congress. Something needs to be done in order to curtail this president’s dangerous assault on the Constitution.
But there lay in the danger of opposing a Bush policy, especially in concern to Iraq. If the Democrats were to challenge this latest plan, Bush could easily turn the tables. He would do this via a smear campaign of calling democratic congressmen and women “un-American” and slinging a variety of other propaganda. Either way, we are in a no win situation and it appears as if Congress will not take the impeachment route, at least not yet anyway.
Tonight, President Bush announced his latest strategy in concern to the war in Iraq. This “refreshed” strategy of sorts sounds a bit familiar to most, which is the reason why many doubt the sincerity of his message. Starting Monday, Bush plans to send roughly 21,500 more troops to the war zone. The additional troops, along with the troops already there will now be charged with training Iraqi forces in a more “hands on manner.” Now Iraqi troops will be embedded with American trainers as well as missions consisting of both American and Iraqi forces working together.
So what does this mean for the over all scheme of Iraq? Bush said that he would pull American support out of Iraq if the Iraqis do not start to maintain order within their own borders. He even said that he is taking responsibility for all of the wrongs that have occurred with Iraq. The president has two years left in his term and his latest strategy is more than likely his last great chance to affect the outcome of his personal war. Personally, I believe that this strategy is a case of more bark than bite. Military experts agree that sending more troops over will not fix the situation, but instead, make it even worse.
Even Lt. Colonel Oliver North, a staunch GOP member, disagrees with the new strategy. He belies that the addition of troops will not encourage the Iraqi forces to fight, but instead to rely on American forces even more. Even those of the president’s own party are starting to falter in their support of Bush and his foreign policy. How did the new Democratic Congress respond to all of this? They refused to “zip up” the pocket book on this new endeavor. The only power that Congress has over the executive in this case is the power of the purse. I am shocked by the lack of action from Congress. Something needs to be done in order to curtail this president’s dangerous assault on the Constitution.
But there lay in the danger of opposing a Bush policy, especially in concern to Iraq. If the Democrats were to challenge this latest plan, Bush could easily turn the tables. He would do this via a smear campaign of calling democratic congressmen and women “un-American” and slinging a variety of other propaganda. Either way, we are in a no win situation and it appears as if Congress will not take the impeachment route, at least not yet anyway.
10 January 2007
Cooperstown: The Enduring Joke Continues
The baseball writers inducted two new members into the baseball Hall of Fame; Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. Gwynn received 97.6% of the vote, while Ripken garnered 98.5%, the third highest percentage of all time. These two men were the cream of the crop throughout the mid 1980’s to the late 1990’s. Gwynn ended up with a lifetime batting average of .338, which is incredible in any era. Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s record game streak of 2,130, which he would extend to over 2600 games, an incredible feat in any sport. These two men deserved the sport's highest honor, but evidently, some were not for reasons that are yet unclear to me.
The annual induction into the hall did not come without controversy. Mark McGwire did not make it in his first time on the ballot. McGwire, who is 7th all time in homeruns with 583, and a 12 time perennial all-star, only appeared on 23.7% of the submitted ballots. What is odd about McGwire’s situation is that every person who has ever been at least a 12 time all-star is a member of the hall. He also holds the all time record for home runs per every 100 at bats with a staggering 10.6 and is 9th all time in slugging percentage. His career numbers are more than sufficient to get him into the hall. So why in the hell didn’t McGwire make it into the hall?
Personally, I am a fan of McGwire, as him and Sammy Sosa single handedly resurrected the game of baseball in the summer of 1998 with their prolific chase of the single season home run record. Yet, the writers will not allow McGwire entrance due to his alleged use of steroids. He admitted to using a legal supplement called androstene in 1999 after it was discovered in his locker. Granted, the supplement is now banned by MLB, but at the time it was legal. The metaphorical nail in the coffin for McGwire occurred in 2005 at a congressional hearing concerning steroids in baseball. At the hearing he stated that he did not want to talk about the past, which led many to believe he was guilty of ingesting steroids at some point in his career.
The writers vote is based off of heresy, plain and simple. McGwire never failed a drug test while active in MLB. He has never admitted to using steroids, even though it may seems to many that he is guilty of it. The baseball writer’s community needs to show the man some respect, as their constant badgering and belittlement of his great career has forced him to live a life of perpetual exile. No one deserves that, not after the career he had. I am unsure as to why it is up to the writers to vote on who should get into the hall. Who made these people judge, jury, and executioner? They may write about the sport, but their logic is based off of opinion. Every person in America knows as much about baseball as some of these idiots.
Look at some examples from the past. Joe DiMaggio did not make it into the hall until his third time on the ballot. This is Joe DiMaggio, not your common every day no name. Evidently the writers did not vote him in because he retired at age 37, which signaled to them that he may have made a come back. Even the all time leader in wins, Denton True Young, otherwise known as “Cy” Young did not make it in until his second time on the ballot in 1937. Lee Smith, second all time in saves with 478, did not make it in this year as well. I really do not get it? What are the criteria that these hacks use to decide who makes it in? Obviously, opinions are biased in this case and something needs to change. Maybe we should have computers do it like we have them do everything else! A more subtle solution would be to establish a firm set of criteria that all of the writers or those whom are selected to vote should follow.
The baseball writers inducted two new members into the baseball Hall of Fame; Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. Gwynn received 97.6% of the vote, while Ripken garnered 98.5%, the third highest percentage of all time. These two men were the cream of the crop throughout the mid 1980’s to the late 1990’s. Gwynn ended up with a lifetime batting average of .338, which is incredible in any era. Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s record game streak of 2,130, which he would extend to over 2600 games, an incredible feat in any sport. These two men deserved the sport's highest honor, but evidently, some were not for reasons that are yet unclear to me.
The annual induction into the hall did not come without controversy. Mark McGwire did not make it in his first time on the ballot. McGwire, who is 7th all time in homeruns with 583, and a 12 time perennial all-star, only appeared on 23.7% of the submitted ballots. What is odd about McGwire’s situation is that every person who has ever been at least a 12 time all-star is a member of the hall. He also holds the all time record for home runs per every 100 at bats with a staggering 10.6 and is 9th all time in slugging percentage. His career numbers are more than sufficient to get him into the hall. So why in the hell didn’t McGwire make it into the hall?
Personally, I am a fan of McGwire, as him and Sammy Sosa single handedly resurrected the game of baseball in the summer of 1998 with their prolific chase of the single season home run record. Yet, the writers will not allow McGwire entrance due to his alleged use of steroids. He admitted to using a legal supplement called androstene in 1999 after it was discovered in his locker. Granted, the supplement is now banned by MLB, but at the time it was legal. The metaphorical nail in the coffin for McGwire occurred in 2005 at a congressional hearing concerning steroids in baseball. At the hearing he stated that he did not want to talk about the past, which led many to believe he was guilty of ingesting steroids at some point in his career.
The writers vote is based off of heresy, plain and simple. McGwire never failed a drug test while active in MLB. He has never admitted to using steroids, even though it may seems to many that he is guilty of it. The baseball writer’s community needs to show the man some respect, as their constant badgering and belittlement of his great career has forced him to live a life of perpetual exile. No one deserves that, not after the career he had. I am unsure as to why it is up to the writers to vote on who should get into the hall. Who made these people judge, jury, and executioner? They may write about the sport, but their logic is based off of opinion. Every person in America knows as much about baseball as some of these idiots.
Look at some examples from the past. Joe DiMaggio did not make it into the hall until his third time on the ballot. This is Joe DiMaggio, not your common every day no name. Evidently the writers did not vote him in because he retired at age 37, which signaled to them that he may have made a come back. Even the all time leader in wins, Denton True Young, otherwise known as “Cy” Young did not make it in until his second time on the ballot in 1937. Lee Smith, second all time in saves with 478, did not make it in this year as well. I really do not get it? What are the criteria that these hacks use to decide who makes it in? Obviously, opinions are biased in this case and something needs to change. Maybe we should have computers do it like we have them do everything else! A more subtle solution would be to establish a firm set of criteria that all of the writers or those whom are selected to vote should follow.
08 January 2007
Football Fest: It’s That Time of Year
As I sit in front of the TV with my laptop watching the Florida vs. Ohio State melee, otherwise known as the National Championship contest. I wonder why in the hell another Florida team will win a prestigious sports championship again? Last year it was the very same University of Florida that won the NCAA college basketball title (I am bitter, as the gators are in the same conference as my beloved Kentucky Wildcats). Ohio State had a great year, but the 51 days in between games tends to kill a team. They need to have the bowl games sooner than later. Needless to say the controversy will begin to swirl around the BCS system after the game is completed tonight. Believe it or not, I actually believe the system worked this year.
The computers got it right in a year that was competitive as ever. The sheer amount of one loss teams vying for the coveted spot in the BCS National Championship Game was staggering. Florida was the correct team for the big game, as Ohio State did indeed defeat Michigan handily in November. That was Michigan’s chance and they blew it. The only pick I have with the system is the favoritism that is still shown to Notre Dame. Obviously, Notre Dame is a big name school which in theory tends to draw a lot of viewers. They only lost two games coming into their BCS bowl, but were utterly humiliated by LSU 41-14. The “experts” are now labeling Notre Dame as “BCS pretenders,” which sounds right to me.
Besides college football, the NFL is out in full force, as it is playoff season. The divisional round did not disappoint, as all of the games were rather competitive and chalked full of emotion that any football fan would love. The Dallas vs. Seattle game was one for the highlight reels for years to come. Tony Romo’s drop of a perfect snap on a field goal attempt will go down in league lore for the remainder of time. I feel for the man, as I am sure it is a humiliating thing to blow a game on national television on a simple hold. The Giants almost beat the damn Eagles, but to no avail. The Eagles will play New Orleans next week in what should be a very interesting game. Who in the hell cares about the AFC, well at least until Super Bowl time?
The Bears will play the Seahawks again next Sunday at noon. The first game was a blow out in the Bears’ favor, as the times were merrier with both offense and defense playing on all eight cylinders. Now both entities are playing like a Geo with a burnt out manifold. In the season finale against the Packers, Rex Grossman again impressed us all with a steady diet of interceptions and fumbles, which again allows concerns of his consistency to creep back into talks. He best pull his head out of his ass on Sunday. The defense is in shambles as well. I do not believe that they have the ability to stop a sloth attempting to make it to the goal line. Ron Rivera better fix it before he leaves for Arizona to commit career suicide. Needless to say, I do not want a replay of last year’s loss to Carolina at home.
As I sit in front of the TV with my laptop watching the Florida vs. Ohio State melee, otherwise known as the National Championship contest. I wonder why in the hell another Florida team will win a prestigious sports championship again? Last year it was the very same University of Florida that won the NCAA college basketball title (I am bitter, as the gators are in the same conference as my beloved Kentucky Wildcats). Ohio State had a great year, but the 51 days in between games tends to kill a team. They need to have the bowl games sooner than later. Needless to say the controversy will begin to swirl around the BCS system after the game is completed tonight. Believe it or not, I actually believe the system worked this year.
The computers got it right in a year that was competitive as ever. The sheer amount of one loss teams vying for the coveted spot in the BCS National Championship Game was staggering. Florida was the correct team for the big game, as Ohio State did indeed defeat Michigan handily in November. That was Michigan’s chance and they blew it. The only pick I have with the system is the favoritism that is still shown to Notre Dame. Obviously, Notre Dame is a big name school which in theory tends to draw a lot of viewers. They only lost two games coming into their BCS bowl, but were utterly humiliated by LSU 41-14. The “experts” are now labeling Notre Dame as “BCS pretenders,” which sounds right to me.
Besides college football, the NFL is out in full force, as it is playoff season. The divisional round did not disappoint, as all of the games were rather competitive and chalked full of emotion that any football fan would love. The Dallas vs. Seattle game was one for the highlight reels for years to come. Tony Romo’s drop of a perfect snap on a field goal attempt will go down in league lore for the remainder of time. I feel for the man, as I am sure it is a humiliating thing to blow a game on national television on a simple hold. The Giants almost beat the damn Eagles, but to no avail. The Eagles will play New Orleans next week in what should be a very interesting game. Who in the hell cares about the AFC, well at least until Super Bowl time?
The Bears will play the Seahawks again next Sunday at noon. The first game was a blow out in the Bears’ favor, as the times were merrier with both offense and defense playing on all eight cylinders. Now both entities are playing like a Geo with a burnt out manifold. In the season finale against the Packers, Rex Grossman again impressed us all with a steady diet of interceptions and fumbles, which again allows concerns of his consistency to creep back into talks. He best pull his head out of his ass on Sunday. The defense is in shambles as well. I do not believe that they have the ability to stop a sloth attempting to make it to the goal line. Ron Rivera better fix it before he leaves for Arizona to commit career suicide. Needless to say, I do not want a replay of last year’s loss to Carolina at home.
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