Monday, September 28, 2009

It all starts with 1!

For almost a decade now, it has been down right embarrassing to let it be known if you are a fan of the Detroit Lions. As one myself I haven't hid it, but I certainly haven't broadcast it-especially given there really hasn't been a reason too.
That isn't to say that just because the Lions finally ended their 19 game losing streak yesterday changes everything and you will not find me on street corners wearing signs and practicing new cheers for the team. No, it doesn't do any of that; but what it does do is show the signs of improvement that observers like myself have noticed in all 3 of their games this season: they don't give up like they used too as soon as their opponent scores; they are tougher up front on both sides of the ball despite their obvious lack of talent; from the looks of it, they do have that elusive franchise QB in Stafford-his improvement from game 1 to game 3 is blatant; for the first time since Barry was on the team, it looks as if they have a running game-so long as Kevin Smith can stay healthy; and it looks as if they have a core of young players on which to build around in Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith, Gosder Cherilous, Brandon Pettigrew and of course Stafford, on offense, and on defense Louis Delmas, Jason Hunter-a suprise pick up off the waiver wire-and Sammie Hill (if he can stay healthy) give them something to build off of on that side of the ball.
They are still talent deficient relative to the rest of the league, but at least now you can't say they are the worst team in the NFL.
Regardless, the most important thing of all is that, after nearly 2 years of ineptitude, they finally won a game. Yes, its just one game, but you can't learn to run before you learn to walk can you? And for team veterans such as Dominic Raiola and Jeff Backus who have never had a winning season, last year was the culmination of 8 seasons of futility, during which the entire organization had forgotten how to win.
Does this one win change anything within the organization? Of course not, but for those changes to happen they have to start with that first win-which, for this years version of the Detroit Lions, came much sooner, rather than later and hopefully it is the precurser of things to come in the not so distant future.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Backhanded compliments for Obama

I have to say that I was a little impressed with some comments made by Obama earlier this week before the general assembly of the U.N. in New York.
Obama actually had the balls to come out and say what many of those who stand against him belie;f; in sum he said that other nations needed to learn to take more responsibility and control over their own problems and to stop relying and expecting help from the U.S. for them.
I say this only impressed me a "little" because if it had come from any other President before GWB I would have did back flips of joy and screamed from the roof tops; but, after hearing the way in which Mr. Obama said these things, andd given his blatant socialistic tendancies, it makes me wonder...
If you have ever studied philosophy and/or economic and political theories, then you may know that history has proven that to enforce socialism and socistic policies a dictatorship is necessary; and
if you listen closely to the way in which Mr. Obama says these things to the U.N. general assembly you can hear the dictator in him come out.
It's the way in which he emphasizes his words-he emphasizes the "us" in his statements and not the "them"; he emphasizes the "effect" and not the "cause". Now, perhaps this is just my own perceptions relative to our current president-after all it is no secret that I am, to put it mildly, suspicious and critical of his policies-but instead of being able to praise him for a well spoken, and much needed to be said, point before the U.N., I am forced to wonder if we are finally starting to see the dictator in Obama coming out.
Whether we are seeing this side of him or not, only time will tell. For now I will guardedly give Obama a high five and a job well done for standing up to the beggers of the U.N.

Monday, September 21, 2009

A bright light at the end of the Lions dark tunnel

As anyone who reads me regularly knows, I am from metro Detroit and am, unabashedly, a sports homer relative to most of the pro sports teams native to that area...

For the last decade it's been embarrassing to be considered a Lions fan, but, what can I say, I am. But I was really going to give up on the team this year and not pay much attention to them when they decided to start their rookie QB over Dante Culpepper, but it was just enough to get me to at least watch their first couple of games this year-which I have actually done.
Unlike most people who watched Drew Brees and slice and dice their defense in week 1, I didn't see it so much as a bad performance by the Lions. I saw it more as the performances of 2 teams who shouldn't be on the field together at the same time. The Lions are in more than a "rebuilding" phase, and the Saints could be the best team in Football this year in my opinion. But after that game I saw one major positive out of the Lions: they were aggressive on both sides of the ball to the bitter end (unlike years past when they just simply gave up after the first 10 minutes). And after yesterday's loss at home to the Vikings, I took that same positive (and others) away from the Lions performance that makes me think that we Lions fans really do have something to look forward too in the near future with this current coaching staff and a couple of key players-assuming they can keep them on the team for more than a couple of years.
But, what I see that I like more than anything else out of the Lions is the apparent plan out of the coaching staff. During yesterday's loss it was obvious to me the plan that the coaching staff has in place to make the Lions better.
If you watched the Lions first 2 games as I did, it was obvious that the Lions biggest problems weren't scheme's, play calling, or toughness (as it was in years past)-it was talent. Plan and simple talent. Despite all of those top 10, first round picks over the last decade, the Lions are devoid of any real talent. Fortunately they have drafted some good offensive players the last 4 years, but on defense and up front on both sides of the ball they are just talentless. To that end I think I see was Coach Jim Schwartz's plan is.
Simply put, the focus appears to be to just get better.
The logic makes sense to me: if you focus on getting better each and every week wins will come; but if all you do is focus on winning each game as it comes, then you have no guarantees of taking anything positive away from even a bad outcome.
There is a saying that says practice can only get so good at something through practice and to really excel at it, you have to be doing it when it really counts.
To me, yesterdays game against the Vikings proves all of this to me.
For the first 30 minutes of football, the Lions not only hung with the Vikings (by many considered to be Superbowl contenders this year), but the Lions were actually dominating them-especially in the running game which was the obvious focus on offense for the Lions throughout the game despite the score. The 2nd half ended up being a different story of course, but Schwartz conceded it to the Vikings, instead preferring to stick to "getting better" at one aspect of the game-the running game. This was obvious to me because despite falling 14 points behind Minnesota during the forth quarter Schwartz kept pounding the rock even though it wasn't producing any big plays.
Further evidence can be found in the play calling-rounghly 3/4ths of which were running plays.
It was also very obvious that Schwartz had a much more limited passing game installed for Stafford after his 3 interception performance in week one. The limited play book for the passing game didn't help Stafford much-he still threw 2 picks-but the obvious focus on the running game on both sides of the ball was worth the effort I think.
For the Lions part, Kevin Smith rushed well against one of the better run defenses in the league and the Lions D held the leagues best runner in Adrian Peterson to under 100 yards, although he still found the end zone against them. The defense also showed its toughness throughout the contest and perhaps saw the emergence of a couple of players in Manuel and a DE by the name of Hunter whose name was called way to often in the first half of the game to not get noticed by opposing offensive coordinators in upcoming contests.
As far as their rookie QB is concerned I still think they should have kept him on the bench until after the bye week, but now that I have discerned exactly what Schwartz's plan is I say leave him in there. He obviously has the talent, but he needs to experience what he is experiencing now-the bad throws leading to the interceptions-to get better (this also will force the defense to get better which, if you noticed on Sunday, they will because it falls on them to keep those turnovers, which will happen, from becoming points). At some point-probably week 4 or 5-Schwartz will put the offensive focus on the passing game as far as what to work on for the week; but football is a complicated game, and with the serious lack of talent which it is now obvious that the Lions have (not), Schwartz is going to have to take his time rebuilding this team-picking one aspect of the team each week to work on and get better at and it will probably depend on the type of opponent the Lions are facing as it relates to what that focus will be on.
That all said, what do I think I have learned about the Lions after only 2 games? That there is, without question, a light at the end of their very long and dark tunnel. In fact, I think that light is very bright and we will have an idea of how bright that light will be during the 2nd half of the season.
For now, we Lions fans must learn to watch each game for what it is: work towards an end product that will be better.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

U of M thrashes WMU 31-7

AHHHH…All is well in Wolverine territory-at least for the next week anyways.

After a rough week during which several “unnamed” players tried to call out 2nd year Michigan Football head coach Rich Rodriguez for disobeying NCAA rules concerning practice time, the Wolverines needed a win-especially given the fact that they were coming off the worst year in school history.

Not only did they need a win, but they needed a convincing one at that-especially over an opponent as historically inferior as today’s-Western Michigan.

Low and behold, that is exactly what they delivered-a convincing thrashing of an inferior opponent.

I have to admit-after last year’s pathetic 3-9 campaign; I was a bit worried about the Michigan Football program. I know enough to have recognized that Rodriguez didn’t have the type of players he wanted for the type of system which he likes to run, but to see the pathetic effort that was put forth on the field last year during the few games I was able to watch (I live in Florida now) well, needless to say, I had my doubts, but at least I know that the program won’t be a complete disaster for the duration of Rodriguez’s tenure-speaking of which, he probably saved his job today.

Don’t think I’m gullible-I know this is just one game, and it was against an inferior opponent. But the dominance displayed on both sides of the ball by the Wolverines was reminiscent of years gone by, and, even though “Rich Rod” wasn’t the traditional type of coach that Wolverines fans were used too, we can now see why he was hired…

Go Blue!!

Why all the fuss for Obama's plans on "addressing" the kids?

It was announced last week that Mr. Obama was going to “address” our country’s school children on closed circuit television this Tuesday-a move that naturally got all Conservatives and Republican’s up in arms. They, Republicans and Conservatives, are saying this is an attempt by Mr. Obama to “indoctrinate our nation’s youth to his socialistic policies”.

And, not surprising, Liberals are asking why? Why all the fuss? Presidents have spent time in class rooms for decades now-it’s a Presidential tradition?

Personally, as non partisan observer, I find it very obvious why there is so much controversy amongst certain segments of our society about Mr. Obama’s desire to speak directly to our youth.

For one, I can’t recall one any other president in my lifetime who spoke to all of the nation’s youth privately, for no other reason than to simply speak to them. George Bush addressed our nation’s youth in 1991, but his speech was broadcast live on CNN, PBS and other national cable and local stations. According to last weeks press release announcing this event, Mr. Obama’s address will be on “closed circuit” television-i.e. only available in schools and in those classrooms who wish to turn their TV’s on at the time of his speech.

Secondly, after all of the very socialistic policy making on the part of Obama’s administration during the first 8 months of his tenure, many people, regardless of party affiliation, are rather leery of Mr. Obama’s intentions, and for a number of reasons: Why address the nation’s youth now and for what purpose?

If’s it’s a speech as innocuous as the White House claims it will be about (staying in school, getting good grades, etc), then why make this speech on closed circuit TV, in school, and away from the influence of their parents? And if that is his message, wouldn’t it be better served as part of a national advertising campaign for one of the multitude of national organizations whose purpose it is to help kids stay in school?

These questions aren’t controversial, they are legitimate question’s to ask-particularly of a “president” whose policies, in less than his first year in office, have strayed farther from the intentions of our Constitution than any other holder of his office.

Many people are scared-and rightfully so-that Mr. Obama is openly attempting to prepare some sort of radical socialistic transformation of our Nation, and, in preparation for it, he must speak directly to our children on this, and on the importance of “staying in school”.

Don’t get me wrong, staying in school very important. In fact, it is one of the few ways to defeat socialism-not just staying in school, but staying in school, doing well while you are there, and then going on to college to secure your future.

So, if this is all there is to his message, and his intentions are only as innocuous as the White House claims, then Mr. President, why say so on closed circuit TV, away from the parents who can enforce the message, and, even worse, within the confines of one of the most socialistic institutions in our country-the nations public school system?

I could go on and on with questions about why he is doing this, and that, is specifically the point that people are making. Fortunately, Mr. Obama isn’t able to “force” all school kids to watch this “address”, however, the point that he is even desirous of addressing our children, away from the influence of their parents, is a scary thought-just another in a series of actions and statements by this president which make those of us who still possess the capacity to think freely wonder exactly what his intentions are for our nation.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

As seen through my eyes: American Culture

I have noticed it for some time: the degradation of American society.

Over the last 20 years or so this degradation has showed itself every few months. Events like the Columbine shootings in 1999, the Virginia Tech campus shootings in 2007, the Branch Davidian Cult massacre in 1993, and the Northern Illinois University shooting in 2008 are just a few of the mass murders which have garnered national and international headlines by our country over the last 2 decades.

This year, in particular, there seems to be many mass murders, shootings and uniquely violent events, and this weekend the mass murder of 8 people in south Georgia and the discovery of missing person Jaycee Dugard in California who was missing for 18 years have lead me to ask once again: what is happening to our society?

Why is American culture crumbling around us?

With this past weekend’s events fresh in my mind I have chosen to post something which I wrote some months ago when dwelling on the “state of American culture” today...





There was a time not too long ago when it was easy to identify exactly what encompassed American culture. A time when other cultures wanted to be just like ours: hard working, free, democratic and full of accomplishments. But, in less than 50 years, what was once the envy of the world has become a relative laughingstock on the global stage.

Crime and corruption across all professions, socio-economic and ethnic boundaries lead our national newscasts, while a generation of suer’s and suees point fingers and attempt to place blame on others for actions which they refuse to take responsibility for and for which our Federal Government says they shouldn’t have too.

The ideology of political correctness is being forced down our throats and is segmenting our once great society. No long are we all “American’s”, part of the once great melting pot that was our society. No, now we all have to be “African” Americans, “Mexican” Americans, “Asian” Americans, or some other of a countless hyphenated, watered down version of an American.

Along with the loss of domestic cultural identity, this period of being “PC” has brought with it an unsurprising lack of international cultural feats.

The last great national cultural accomplishment that America and lay claim too which had global significance was that of landing a man on the moon in 1969. Since that time we have done nothing else culturally while nations such as China, Japan, Brazil and all of Europe (to name a few) have produced cultural and technical feats with a global impact; and all the while, we in America can’t even unite well enough to decide how and what to replace the fallen World Trade Center towers with so as to help wash away the scars of 9/11.

Even worse are the things today which are said to define American Culture: American Idol-the “reality” TV show with its back landed slap in the face via the fact that more people cast a vote for its winner than in our presidential elections; our economy, which thanks to American Corporate greed, helped lead the global recession; and our sports leagues and organizations which, no matter how hard they try, cannot seem to get rid of the specter’s of cheating and crime that permeate through them.

American Culture? Where it is I sure don’t see it.

Sure, ethnic groups have their own sub cultures, but the largest of these-the “African” American’s-is so narrow minded that it fails to see its own self destructive nature.

If there is an American Culture left somewhere that would make me stand up and be proud to be American again then somebody please let me know because, as an American, I am tired of hanging my head in shame to be called an American over the embarrassment at what my once great country as has become.

Controversy at Big Blue? I think not!

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It just so happened that I was up in Michigan this past weekend when the story about possible NCAA rules violations concerning the amount of practice time which student athletes for the Michigan Wolverine Football program participate in. It came out that, supposedly, 2nd year coach Rich Rodriquez was making players practice or show up to watch film more than the 20 hours that the NCAA allows programs to assign per week…I have to echo the words of many on this issue: you’re kidding right? This is a joke, right?

The program has it’s worst year ever last year and a couple of pussified players who didn’t make the team last year (one of them is a transfer to a school on the west coast this year) come out crying like little bitches about how Rich Rod is “working us too hard-beyond what the N-C-A-A would allowwww”.

This kind of shit pisses me off-it’s just so pathetic that it infuriates me.

Anyone who knows anything about sports-at any level-knows that to make “the team” you have to put in extra effort. Now, because of NCAA rules no student athlete can practice more than the aforementioned 20 hours per week, so programs have “voluntary practices” and video sessions which athletes may, or may not, participate in. Of course, if you want to make the team, or be a starter on the team, you are going to participate in as many of these voluntary activities as possible. I

Only losers who don’t care, or whiny little bitches like those who are causing trouble for Big Blue, would not participate in these extra activities-they are a part of life for the student athlete who wishes to make the team and a necessity for those student athletes who want to start for their team.

Unfortunately, U of M is now going to be investigated by the NCAA-causing unnecessary grief and stress for a program that needs to focus on getting better and winning football games and not on the “controversy” which now surrounds it…Controversy my ass…This reeks of “whinyness” and the cry baby attitude of those who weren’t good enough or who didn’t possess the determination and willingness it took/takes to be a winner. I hope that the NCAA see’s what all of us outsiders see-that this is a farce and a waste of time to “investigate”.

On the passing of Ted Kennedy

NOTE: Originally written on August 28th but a combination of computer issues and a vacation prevented me from posting it appropriately. My apologies…

I admittedly did not know very much about “Teddy” Kennedy and what I knew of the man I didn’t like very much, but, in his death I have to ask: What did he do that was so great?

I know that he was considered a leader of the modern Liberal ideology, but what is that doing for us? Destroying our society by breeding generation after generation of Americans to depend on the Federal Government to “take care of them” as opposed to learning to think and produce for themselves.

I know he was considered a “champion” of the poor, but how many did he help? As far as I could tell, Ted Kennedy helped create not one policy which improved the overall status of the “poor” in our country. Oh sure, he increased the size of their entitlements, but nowhere do I see one thing that he did which really helped the poor to not be poor anymore. In fact, I would say he helped to make it easier to STAY poor-if anything at all.

Further, I know of no policies for which his backing allowed for a “bridge” between our 2 dominant political parties so as to pass important Legislation, so, needless to say, to me Ted Kennedy was far from “great”.

I am, of course, no fan of Liberalism, and so it should come as no surprise to anyone that I am so critical of Ted Kennedy but, I am impartial as it comes to critiquing the individual accomplishments of people and their relevant importance to others and with Ted Kennedy I just don’t see it. Personally, all that I saw in Ted Kennedy was a man who despised the success and achievements of anyone outside of himself, his friends and his family and a man who seemed willing and wanting to go to any length necessary to prevent people of becoming independently successful-just so long as it didn’t cost him or the “poor” anything.

In fact, I don’t see why the entire Kennedy family is so “well liked” at all-especially if you look at their history.

To a person, every prominent male member of the Kennedy family had controversy.

We all know of JFK’s “supposed” infidelities and his cut throat, take no prisoners attitude towards politics, and then there were Robert’s borderline criminal pursuits of the Mafia which eventually lead to his murder. As for Ted himself, he suffered from his own controversies in the 1970’s which ruined his presidential bid of that time and “delayed” his rise through the political ranks until the later half of the 1980’s. We also know that the family has a whole were/are some of the best at working the closed door political scene that we have ever had in our country-willing to do whatever is necessary to pass legislation which they deem necessary, whether its needed or not.

When viewed openly, the Kennedy family appears to be some of the more corrupt people in the country and not the “champions” of righteous they are seemingly held up as.

I digress…I know that it’s not fair to talk about those who have long since past by us, but Ted was a Kennedy after all, and he sure lived up to all that his namesake meant, and it is my opinion that we-those of us who seek to strive for the betterment of ourselves and our society through our hard work-should be glad that we are rid of him.