Things I learned at the Saints' last game of the season:
1) The easiest QB job in the NFL belongs to Jake Delhomme. Just fling the ball up in the air in the general direction of Steve Smith and he'll come down with it. Even if everyone in the stadium knows it's what you're going to do. Even if there are defenders in seemingly perfect position. Even if the game is on the line and he should be blanketed by 4 defenders. I've never seen anyone able to make so many clutch catches while double covered. (If you call what the Saints do "coverage." Maybe we should call it "in the neighborhood.")
2) The Saints defensive line underperformed all year. Thus, no pressure on quarterbacks, thus no turnovers, thus even worse exposure of a secondary that is slow to the ball to say the least. They also can't stop the run. Watching the Panthers much more athletic front line bounce around was a study in contrast to the stationary linemen the Saints have. Big contracts, big names, big girths - little production.
3) It's time for a big free agent signing in the secondary. We've missed the top prizes each of the last few off-seasons - it's time to get serious and get a playmaker, or two. We can't fill this need with a guess on draft day. We need 2 safeties and 2 corners before the Brees window of opportunity closes. Second tier corners like Randall Gay and Aaron Glenn are ok players but they will not take us to the next level. And just go ahead and cut the safeties now and put them out of our misery.
4) Deuce can still play. I don't care what anyone says. Maybe he doesn't have breakaway speed anymore, but the Saints have plenty of that on offense. They need the steadiness he provides. He makes the first guy miss, breaks tackles, and moves the pile. If the Saints don't re-sign him he will do damage somewhere else. In totality his game is still strong. Did you notice Bell fail to pick up a blitz? It's not that easy - we take Deuce for granted.
5) Can Reggie Bush play cornerback? Just wondering.
6) Drew Brees had an incredible game. I have never seen a defensive line walk around before the snap like the Panthers did, and he still shredded them. If Lance Moore catches the last pass, Drew is the all-time single season yardage leader, and he deserved that.
7) Drew is job security for Sean Payton. They work so well together you couldn't split them up. But the coach has to draft all defensive players again and try to improve the defense. Get to work now evaluating talent. You don't have to worry about good teams doing any scouting for the next month. They're busy. You're not.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
At the Cinema - November 2008
Movies I’ve seen lately rated on my unique 10 point scale:
Quantum of Solace - 6 – I’ve already forgotten what this was about. It was slightly better than I expected after reading the reviews – but only slightly. So much action, most of it ridiculous of course, that the fact that Daniel Craig is a good, but relentless James Bond is beside the point. Where was that gadget guy? Did he leave with the fun?
Pineapple Express – 1 – For the one time I laughed. In the great tradition of stoner movies such as Cheech and Chong, having never been stoned I didn’t get it. If you’re a stoner I’m sure you’ll find this hilarious, but only if you’re sufficiently stoned. Where can I get my money back?
Role Models – 8 – Hilarious with heart. I went just to kill time, and it killed me. Great comedy – go see it.
Cadillac Records – 8 – This historical accounting of Chess Records is a must for music lovers. Special kudos to Jeffrey Wright who gives a note perfect performance as Muddy Waters. This story of Little Walter, Howling Wolf, Etta James, and Chuck Berry and their music is beautifully done and sung. I’ll probably even buy the DVD.
Changeling - 7 – Angelina Jolie shines as she captures the 30’s all by herself. Clint Eastwood calmly drives us through another accounting of the corrupt Los Angeles police department. It’s riveting stuff, beautifully done. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - no one lights up the screen like Angelina. She is our movie star.
Journey to the Center of the Earth – 6 – Saw it in 3D and while it didn’t come up to one of the personal favorites of my youth, the Pat Boone/James Mason version, it’s fine family fare and fun enough for the money.
Synedoche New York - 7 - Complicated, brilliant and maddening. Not for the faint of concentration, and definitely not for everybody. I'll need to see it again for a final verdict - it's that complex.
Quantum of Solace - 6 – I’ve already forgotten what this was about. It was slightly better than I expected after reading the reviews – but only slightly. So much action, most of it ridiculous of course, that the fact that Daniel Craig is a good, but relentless James Bond is beside the point. Where was that gadget guy? Did he leave with the fun?
Pineapple Express – 1 – For the one time I laughed. In the great tradition of stoner movies such as Cheech and Chong, having never been stoned I didn’t get it. If you’re a stoner I’m sure you’ll find this hilarious, but only if you’re sufficiently stoned. Where can I get my money back?
Role Models – 8 – Hilarious with heart. I went just to kill time, and it killed me. Great comedy – go see it.
Cadillac Records – 8 – This historical accounting of Chess Records is a must for music lovers. Special kudos to Jeffrey Wright who gives a note perfect performance as Muddy Waters. This story of Little Walter, Howling Wolf, Etta James, and Chuck Berry and their music is beautifully done and sung. I’ll probably even buy the DVD.
Changeling - 7 – Angelina Jolie shines as she captures the 30’s all by herself. Clint Eastwood calmly drives us through another accounting of the corrupt Los Angeles police department. It’s riveting stuff, beautifully done. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - no one lights up the screen like Angelina. She is our movie star.
Journey to the Center of the Earth – 6 – Saw it in 3D and while it didn’t come up to one of the personal favorites of my youth, the Pat Boone/James Mason version, it’s fine family fare and fun enough for the money.
Synedoche New York - 7 - Complicated, brilliant and maddening. Not for the faint of concentration, and definitely not for everybody. I'll need to see it again for a final verdict - it's that complex.
Sweet Caroline
It doesn't appear New York's governor is leaning towards appointing Caroline Kennedy to replace Hillary Clinton as New York's junior Senator.
That's a shame - let me come out in support of her and here's why:
She's not a politician. She's being criticized as being unqualified. Terrific! Look at what the qualifed ones have done! She could not be called a commoner by any stretch, but she seems like a normal, caring person. What we need is more normal, regular people in Congress. Ones with common sense. The more unqualified the better.
I remember watching a Congressional hearing once. Must have been home sick that day. I watched all the Congressmen give long winded speeches followed by leading questions of some poor shmuck who was testifying. Then, suddenly, a revelation. Mary Bono (Sonny's widow who had been elected to replace her husband and still serves) gave no long speech and asked a simple and direct question - the kind of question that any American would ask (except the windbags who had been asking questions.) It was an incredible moment and I've never forgotten it. A normal person asking a real question. And it was the question every viewer would have asked. I hope she's still doing it. It actually caught the witness offguard. Beautiful.
So, let's send more regular people to Congress. They may not be able to author complex laws, but I'm thinking we can hire lawyers for that, instead of electing them. All in favor say aye.
That's a shame - let me come out in support of her and here's why:
She's not a politician. She's being criticized as being unqualified. Terrific! Look at what the qualifed ones have done! She could not be called a commoner by any stretch, but she seems like a normal, caring person. What we need is more normal, regular people in Congress. Ones with common sense. The more unqualified the better.
I remember watching a Congressional hearing once. Must have been home sick that day. I watched all the Congressmen give long winded speeches followed by leading questions of some poor shmuck who was testifying. Then, suddenly, a revelation. Mary Bono (Sonny's widow who had been elected to replace her husband and still serves) gave no long speech and asked a simple and direct question - the kind of question that any American would ask (except the windbags who had been asking questions.) It was an incredible moment and I've never forgotten it. A normal person asking a real question. And it was the question every viewer would have asked. I hope she's still doing it. It actually caught the witness offguard. Beautiful.
So, let's send more regular people to Congress. They may not be able to author complex laws, but I'm thinking we can hire lawyers for that, instead of electing them. All in favor say aye.
Friday, December 12, 2008
So Sorry
Dear Sirs,
Just a few apologies. We are dreadfully sorry.
First, we’re sorry we didn’t know how to travel to Washington. We really had no precedent. When Citigroup needed cash transferred right into their account, twice what we’re asking for, they didn’t even have to make the trip. We were naïve. We were asking for a loan, not a gift. Sorry.
Sorry, we didn’t realize the rules were going to be different for our bailout, about one 20th of what has been promised to financial institutions that made bad loans. Sorry, we didn’t realize all bad judgments weren’t equal.
Sorry, we didn’t cause this horrible economic mess. Now we get how this works – cause the blow up and you get tons of cash because of your poor business practices. Be a victim of the slowdown and you get tongue-lashed by all of America because of your 120 incompetent years in business. I’m sure this same technique will work on the millions of small businesses that are about to go under. Take them to the woodshed for not having a stockpile of cash to get them through this little credit crunch they didn’t cause.
Sorry, we built all those gas-guzzling SUV’s that kept us solvent, that you’re now chastising us for. The American consumer wanted them, but we were foolish. We should have tried to force them into tiny cars they didn’t want, that weren’t profitable. That way we could’ve come begging sooner, and we could have given up even more market share to our competition.
Sorry, we didn’t have a business plan you liked the first time. We rarely plan anything. Because it takes years of research, design, and engineering to build and market an extremely complicated piece of machinery while trying to predict the market conditions that will be present five years later – don't let that fool you. We’ll bring you a plan you like next time.
Sorry, we didn’t volunteer to give up our salaries sooner. We would never be so bold as to suggest that each Congressman do the same when they run the deficit up to say $10 trillion. Give yourself another raise and increase your pension. And please, learn from our mistake – don’t let anyone see how you fly.
Sorry we didn’t grovel more in our first trip.
Sorry we’re worried about all the jobs we provide, not just within the industry, but on the periphery. Sorry that so much sales tax revenue comes from the auto industry. If we shutter, I’m sure local governments will find a replacement for that revenue. I’m sure every GM store that closes will have no trouble placing their employees.
Sorry, we didn’t respect your business acumen more. You’re telling us we’ve been non-competitive for a long time. You’re right – it’s been a struggle. We’re not going to lie. But we’re invigorated with the thought of your oversight. Any entity that can spend $600 billion over 8 years searching for weapons of mass destruction can certainly advise us on what cars people will buy.
Sorry, we’ve honored those union contracts. You’re right - we should’ve filed bankruptcy several times and gotten those contracts broken. If we’re not going to keep the Geneva Convention, why should we worry about silly contracts that have improved working conditions and standards of living for millions of Americans.
Sorry, the public is against the bailout. We know it, and it hurts. We haven’t fulfilled our obligation to our customers and it’s obvious we’re not held in the esteem we once were. Competition came in and took our business. It’s the way capitalism is supposed to work. Sorry, maybe we should just quit and let all those jobs move overseas, or to non-unionized factories. Sorry, we’ve already moved so much of our manufacturing to other countries. It’s not what we wanted, but we kept the obligation to our stockholders to try to stay whole. Sorry, we should’ve kicked our stockholders to the curb in a bankruptcy like so many other big companies have done.
Sorry that there is no longer a "Buy American" sentiment. Remember when Wal Mart built its reputation on selling American made products. As usual, Wal Mart was ahead of the curve, abandoning that silly sentiment. What were we thinking?
Sorry, we have such a terrible business model that everyone is piling on. Why, we’re so stupid we actually provide the financing for dealers to stock our products. Then we provide financing for people to buy our product from the dealers. What other business would do such a stupid thing? Talk about risky loans. Talk about being upside down on your mortgage! You have to wonder how we've made it work this long.
I’m sure our high performing banks will snap up that business when we’re gone.
Sorry, we have so much to learn from you. We can’t wait for your conditions. This should be good.
Just a few apologies. We are dreadfully sorry.
First, we’re sorry we didn’t know how to travel to Washington. We really had no precedent. When Citigroup needed cash transferred right into their account, twice what we’re asking for, they didn’t even have to make the trip. We were naïve. We were asking for a loan, not a gift. Sorry.
Sorry, we didn’t realize the rules were going to be different for our bailout, about one 20th of what has been promised to financial institutions that made bad loans. Sorry, we didn’t realize all bad judgments weren’t equal.
Sorry, we didn’t cause this horrible economic mess. Now we get how this works – cause the blow up and you get tons of cash because of your poor business practices. Be a victim of the slowdown and you get tongue-lashed by all of America because of your 120 incompetent years in business. I’m sure this same technique will work on the millions of small businesses that are about to go under. Take them to the woodshed for not having a stockpile of cash to get them through this little credit crunch they didn’t cause.
Sorry, we built all those gas-guzzling SUV’s that kept us solvent, that you’re now chastising us for. The American consumer wanted them, but we were foolish. We should have tried to force them into tiny cars they didn’t want, that weren’t profitable. That way we could’ve come begging sooner, and we could have given up even more market share to our competition.
Sorry, we didn’t have a business plan you liked the first time. We rarely plan anything. Because it takes years of research, design, and engineering to build and market an extremely complicated piece of machinery while trying to predict the market conditions that will be present five years later – don't let that fool you. We’ll bring you a plan you like next time.
Sorry, we didn’t volunteer to give up our salaries sooner. We would never be so bold as to suggest that each Congressman do the same when they run the deficit up to say $10 trillion. Give yourself another raise and increase your pension. And please, learn from our mistake – don’t let anyone see how you fly.
Sorry we didn’t grovel more in our first trip.
Sorry we’re worried about all the jobs we provide, not just within the industry, but on the periphery. Sorry that so much sales tax revenue comes from the auto industry. If we shutter, I’m sure local governments will find a replacement for that revenue. I’m sure every GM store that closes will have no trouble placing their employees.
Sorry, we didn’t respect your business acumen more. You’re telling us we’ve been non-competitive for a long time. You’re right – it’s been a struggle. We’re not going to lie. But we’re invigorated with the thought of your oversight. Any entity that can spend $600 billion over 8 years searching for weapons of mass destruction can certainly advise us on what cars people will buy.
Sorry, we’ve honored those union contracts. You’re right - we should’ve filed bankruptcy several times and gotten those contracts broken. If we’re not going to keep the Geneva Convention, why should we worry about silly contracts that have improved working conditions and standards of living for millions of Americans.
Sorry, the public is against the bailout. We know it, and it hurts. We haven’t fulfilled our obligation to our customers and it’s obvious we’re not held in the esteem we once were. Competition came in and took our business. It’s the way capitalism is supposed to work. Sorry, maybe we should just quit and let all those jobs move overseas, or to non-unionized factories. Sorry, we’ve already moved so much of our manufacturing to other countries. It’s not what we wanted, but we kept the obligation to our stockholders to try to stay whole. Sorry, we should’ve kicked our stockholders to the curb in a bankruptcy like so many other big companies have done.
Sorry that there is no longer a "Buy American" sentiment. Remember when Wal Mart built its reputation on selling American made products. As usual, Wal Mart was ahead of the curve, abandoning that silly sentiment. What were we thinking?
Sorry, we have such a terrible business model that everyone is piling on. Why, we’re so stupid we actually provide the financing for dealers to stock our products. Then we provide financing for people to buy our product from the dealers. What other business would do such a stupid thing? Talk about risky loans. Talk about being upside down on your mortgage! You have to wonder how we've made it work this long.
I’m sure our high performing banks will snap up that business when we’re gone.
Sorry, we have so much to learn from you. We can’t wait for your conditions. This should be good.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Saints begin trip to Kiper Bowl
Close but no frozen cigar. This time the Saints actually gave the tough Bears defense all they could handle, taking them into overtime before displaying their suffering safety play. We never touched the ball in the OT.
Actually, it's a conspiracy on the part of the NFL. Hey guys, let's take a home game away from them and put them in London. Then let's make them go to Chicago every year - not too early now - wait til December - and make them play on that ridiculous turf that the Bears apparently resod whenever the Saints are coming to town.
Actually, the Saints had a much better game plan and if not for a couple of long kick returns by the Bears, one for a TD to start the game, probably would have won. The Saints played well enough to take it to OT.
Now we start our march to the Kiper Bowl. On the shopping list - Safeties, corners, more speed on defense. Two games to go. Winning record still possible. Small consolation, but considering the injuries I think they've done all they could do, We lost 3 games we gave away in the kicking game. Wait 'til next year - for the 40th time.
Actually, it's a conspiracy on the part of the NFL. Hey guys, let's take a home game away from them and put them in London. Then let's make them go to Chicago every year - not too early now - wait til December - and make them play on that ridiculous turf that the Bears apparently resod whenever the Saints are coming to town.
Actually, the Saints had a much better game plan and if not for a couple of long kick returns by the Bears, one for a TD to start the game, probably would have won. The Saints played well enough to take it to OT.
Now we start our march to the Kiper Bowl. On the shopping list - Safeties, corners, more speed on defense. Two games to go. Winning record still possible. Small consolation, but considering the injuries I think they've done all they could do, We lost 3 games we gave away in the kicking game. Wait 'til next year - for the 40th time.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Bad News, Good News on the narrowing path to the Super Bowl
Bad news – Looks like we’ll have to deal with Matt Ryan for a long time.
He’s an NFL quarterback. I remember those yearly visits from Joe Montana and Steve Young. It wasn’t fun being in the division with them back then, and this is not going to be a fun run. It seems like the only incompletion he threw today was the one the Saints needed him to throw. The rest of the afternoon was a clinic, albeit one in how to hit wide open receivers.
Good news – Pierre Thomas had the breakout game that should finally establish him as a go-to option for Coach Payton. In one of those games where it was apparent that the team that had the ball last was going to win, the Saints balanced up their attack, and offensively kept the Falcon off balance – and successfully ran the ball to run out the clock. Guess the coach got my letter. That’s the thing – the Saints weaponry on offense isn’t limited to the passing game. If you couldn’t throw the ball at all, wouldn’t you be satisfied with Thomas, Bush, Deuce, and Karney as your running backs?
So, now we’re off to do one of the things we haven’t done in a long time – win in Chicago.
Coach, let’s match the game plan to the conditions.
Please.
He’s an NFL quarterback. I remember those yearly visits from Joe Montana and Steve Young. It wasn’t fun being in the division with them back then, and this is not going to be a fun run. It seems like the only incompletion he threw today was the one the Saints needed him to throw. The rest of the afternoon was a clinic, albeit one in how to hit wide open receivers.
Good news – Pierre Thomas had the breakout game that should finally establish him as a go-to option for Coach Payton. In one of those games where it was apparent that the team that had the ball last was going to win, the Saints balanced up their attack, and offensively kept the Falcon off balance – and successfully ran the ball to run out the clock. Guess the coach got my letter. That’s the thing – the Saints weaponry on offense isn’t limited to the passing game. If you couldn’t throw the ball at all, wouldn’t you be satisfied with Thomas, Bush, Deuce, and Karney as your running backs?
So, now we’re off to do one of the things we haven’t done in a long time – win in Chicago.
Coach, let’s match the game plan to the conditions.
Please.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Saints sputter in last trip to Tampa
Dear Coach,
Don’t get us wrong – we really appreciate the fact that you have brought the Saints up to a competitive level. We sat through many a 4 – 12 season wishing we had a coach and a quarterback that could mount a passing attack. It's ironic and rather funny to listen to Bobby Hebert pontificate after games when he and Jim Mora masterminded so many first half wins that turned into coulda shoulda woulda's by playing Rush Limbaugh second halves. No one can accuse you of that. You've got that gas pedal floored going into the curve.
The problem is that it’s not a video game. It’s real football and it’s sometimes played in real weather. I just don’t understand a couple of things. First, you’re from Chicago. So I know you must know what it takes to win in slop. Secondly, you coached with Parcells who certainly believed in smash mouth football and wearing the other team down.
You really believed you could throw the football 50 times in that rain last weekend and win? If ever a game called for Deuce up the middle this was it. Some speculate he’s finished. I don’t know how anyone can tell. When he goes in the game it’s the Stecker effect all over. Everyone knows he’s going to get the football. He can’t be effective for 10 plays a game. Neither can Pierre. Neither can Reggie. I know you’re enamored of all the weapons you have, but maybe you need to land on one.
Speaking of Reggie, it’s time to commit to Pierre. The next hole Reggie hits will be his first. He’s dancing with the stars and he’s going to end up just like the 2 players he reminds me of – Barry Sanders and Gale Sayers. They never won a championship either. Scatbacks don’t win championships. Big backs do – John Riggins, Larry Csonka, Jerome Bettis, need I go on? So think long and hard before you put Deuce out to pasture. The big ones are hard to find and he still moves the pile. I know you’ll still find use for Reggie and he’ll scare the other team as much as he scares me.
So, I’m sure you’ve heard the word “balance” about a million times this week. Ask me who’s going to win any game and I’ll tell you about 80% of the time it’s the team that’s running the ball in the 4th quarter. Maybe that’s why that come from behind stat has gotten so much play. Just remember that you can’t run the ball in the 4th quarter if you haven’t run it in the first 3.
The Giants and Steelers wear people down. They’ve got it. We want it.
Let’s put the controller down and play some football.
Don’t get us wrong – we really appreciate the fact that you have brought the Saints up to a competitive level. We sat through many a 4 – 12 season wishing we had a coach and a quarterback that could mount a passing attack. It's ironic and rather funny to listen to Bobby Hebert pontificate after games when he and Jim Mora masterminded so many first half wins that turned into coulda shoulda woulda's by playing Rush Limbaugh second halves. No one can accuse you of that. You've got that gas pedal floored going into the curve.
The problem is that it’s not a video game. It’s real football and it’s sometimes played in real weather. I just don’t understand a couple of things. First, you’re from Chicago. So I know you must know what it takes to win in slop. Secondly, you coached with Parcells who certainly believed in smash mouth football and wearing the other team down.
You really believed you could throw the football 50 times in that rain last weekend and win? If ever a game called for Deuce up the middle this was it. Some speculate he’s finished. I don’t know how anyone can tell. When he goes in the game it’s the Stecker effect all over. Everyone knows he’s going to get the football. He can’t be effective for 10 plays a game. Neither can Pierre. Neither can Reggie. I know you’re enamored of all the weapons you have, but maybe you need to land on one.
Speaking of Reggie, it’s time to commit to Pierre. The next hole Reggie hits will be his first. He’s dancing with the stars and he’s going to end up just like the 2 players he reminds me of – Barry Sanders and Gale Sayers. They never won a championship either. Scatbacks don’t win championships. Big backs do – John Riggins, Larry Csonka, Jerome Bettis, need I go on? So think long and hard before you put Deuce out to pasture. The big ones are hard to find and he still moves the pile. I know you’ll still find use for Reggie and he’ll scare the other team as much as he scares me.
So, I’m sure you’ve heard the word “balance” about a million times this week. Ask me who’s going to win any game and I’ll tell you about 80% of the time it’s the team that’s running the ball in the 4th quarter. Maybe that’s why that come from behind stat has gotten so much play. Just remember that you can’t run the ball in the 4th quarter if you haven’t run it in the first 3.
The Giants and Steelers wear people down. They’ve got it. We want it.
Let’s put the controller down and play some football.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Climbing to the Super Bowl
Say this – The Saints are wildly entertaining when they win.
Turning over their roster like pancakes, the Saints have passed their way back into a faint whiff of contention. And when I say passed of course I’m talking about Drew Brees who just continues his shock and awe campaign. I doubt that Drew will win the NFL MVP, but it will be a shame, because he’s got the Saints on his shoulders, wishing on a star.
A couple of other things – I’ll admit I was wrong about Jason David, if you’ll admit I was right about Pierre Thomas. And here’s the blasphemy – the Saints are better with Pierre carrying the ball 15 times a game than with Reggie doing it. Now Reggie’s always a threat, and he should be our punt returner – but he’s as big a threat to lose 7 yards as he is to gain 7. All Pierre does is hit the holes, break tackles, and move the pile. He’s a standard issue running back on his way to maybe not greatness, but awful goodness. Think Brian Westbrook.
While we’re on the subject of free agents, Lance Moore may be on his way to the Pro Bowl. With Marques Colston and Lance Moore and Jeremy Shockey, the potential for this offense is as exciting as their performance Monday night would indicate.
Now, the depleted defense is another story. They played well enough to win by applying a little pressure to a quarterback not named Brett Favre and not playing like him. I don’t even think Jason David’s play was fluke. I actually think he’s improving, but let’s not get too cocky – chasing NFL wide receivers around that rectangle is like me chasing my dog around the backyard. She knows where she’s going, and I can only guess. So, he will get burned again, but maybe will balance the burns with the big plays.
Now, it’s on to Tampa Bay, and the long climb back into contention, best achieved by a 7 game winning streak. Who wins the Super Bowl? The team that gets hot in January. Maybe the Saints are warming up.
Turning over their roster like pancakes, the Saints have passed their way back into a faint whiff of contention. And when I say passed of course I’m talking about Drew Brees who just continues his shock and awe campaign. I doubt that Drew will win the NFL MVP, but it will be a shame, because he’s got the Saints on his shoulders, wishing on a star.
A couple of other things – I’ll admit I was wrong about Jason David, if you’ll admit I was right about Pierre Thomas. And here’s the blasphemy – the Saints are better with Pierre carrying the ball 15 times a game than with Reggie doing it. Now Reggie’s always a threat, and he should be our punt returner – but he’s as big a threat to lose 7 yards as he is to gain 7. All Pierre does is hit the holes, break tackles, and move the pile. He’s a standard issue running back on his way to maybe not greatness, but awful goodness. Think Brian Westbrook.
While we’re on the subject of free agents, Lance Moore may be on his way to the Pro Bowl. With Marques Colston and Lance Moore and Jeremy Shockey, the potential for this offense is as exciting as their performance Monday night would indicate.
Now, the depleted defense is another story. They played well enough to win by applying a little pressure to a quarterback not named Brett Favre and not playing like him. I don’t even think Jason David’s play was fluke. I actually think he’s improving, but let’s not get too cocky – chasing NFL wide receivers around that rectangle is like me chasing my dog around the backyard. She knows where she’s going, and I can only guess. So, he will get burned again, but maybe will balance the burns with the big plays.
Now, it’s on to Tampa Bay, and the long climb back into contention, best achieved by a 7 game winning streak. Who wins the Super Bowl? The team that gets hot in January. Maybe the Saints are warming up.
Friday, November 21, 2008
So Far Outside the Box
Question: How do we save the American Auto Industry?
Answer: Make Americans buy American Cars
I’ll get to the how later.
And let me acknowledge that I worked for Ford Credit for 20 years so there is full disclosure.
The great thing about having a laptop is that you can work in front of the TV, so I sat there watching the hearings on the proposed GM/Ford/Chrysler bailout. Our esteemed Senators, and the press, have chastised the Big 3 for, among other things: Executive compensation, use of corporate jets, not making cars people want, not having a business plan, etc, etc. These are all smokescreens and have nothing to do with whether or not these companies will survive.
What matters is on the delivery end. The fact that Detroit cars are now mostly comparable to foreign cars is irrelevant to the public. They lost the public’s trust and their products, no matter how many ads they run during American Idol, are not perceived as 1) reliable or 2) cool. The Big 3 could do all the things the Senators want them to do, and it still wouldn’t matter. The only thing that will help the Big 3 is if they sell more cars, and there is no evidence that grounding a corporate jet or presenting a flowery plan to Congress will do that.
The American consumer, and only the American consumer will decide whether or not these companies survive.
The typical Joe the plumber isn’t going to understand executive compensation but here’s the way I look at it: It’s an investment in talent, just like Derek Jeter is. If you owned a huge company that just made a million dollar profit in one year, and there was a potential CEO out there who could increase that profit from a million to a billion, would you pay that guy $25 million? Of course you would. And by the way, if you have to lure the high priced talent by promising him the use of a corporate jet, you do that too. It’s all relative. Exxon made how many billions last quarter? What would you pay that CEO? The problem shouldn’t really be with the public, it should be with the worker – who used to see the leader of his company make 25 times what he makes, but that now has risen to 500 times what the lowest paid worker makes. Now he/she should be pissed!
The dilemma is in the failing. The CEO's still get paid when they fail (see wall street) and that really bugs us, just like when our high priced free agent suddenly gains weight and can’t find the end zone.
So, how do we hold on to the Big 3? The bailout is just corporations doing what people do when there’s a handout – stand in line. If there’s money being given out, we’re “all in” – it’s who we are.
So, no bailout. My plan would be much more effective (and probably way more costly to our government.) Give the American Public an incentive to try American Cars one more time. Remember the typical Gen X er doesn’t even have these cars on their radar – they’re on their fourth Toyota.
So, here it is: I propose the American Investment Act of 2009. Starting on January 1, anyone who leases an American car will be entitled to deduct their lease payment 100%.
The act will go 5 years. The Big 3 must set accurate residual values – no unfair competition – your cars aren’t good lease deals for a reason and you can’t artificially pump them up and take a loss later.
This would mean that anyone who wants to take advantage of the lease savings would probably lease 2 cars during the term of the act – and would either fall in love with the product or not. If the cars are what you say they are, you would have recaptured America. If not, pull the plug and turn out the lights. After 2 cycles, you will have had every chance to hold on to the customer. If you fail, you will go out of business and no one will say you didn’t get a shot.
The argument against this is that it’s not free market. I’ll concede that, but other nations take nationalistic action all the time. I actually think it would help foreign manufacturers as well by goosing the economy. In fact, if you want to take it further, provide a sales tax break on all “made in America” products. The recession would be over by March.
At the same time, we have to keep perspective. This week I took 3 hours to read Newsweek’s election edition cover to cover. It was a fascinating recap of the campaign. I highly recommend it. But the thing that blew me away was a statistic that I’m going to link to my previous “lucky sperm club” comment.
Here are the top 3 world populations:
1 China 1,347,563,498
2 India 1,184,090,490
3 United States 309,162,581
According to Newsweek in India there are 400 million people (that’s 100 million more than our entire population) that don’t have electricity.
400 million!
I’m flabbergasted.
So, let’s keep perspective and be thankful that we’re going to microwave a pizza tonight.
It will be terrible, but there are 400 million people in one country that wouldn’t know a microwave from a TV and would be thrilled to stick a frozen pizza in either – if they could freeze anything.
They should be so lucky as to have to choose between an Audi and a Buick.
Answer: Make Americans buy American Cars
I’ll get to the how later.
And let me acknowledge that I worked for Ford Credit for 20 years so there is full disclosure.
The great thing about having a laptop is that you can work in front of the TV, so I sat there watching the hearings on the proposed GM/Ford/Chrysler bailout. Our esteemed Senators, and the press, have chastised the Big 3 for, among other things: Executive compensation, use of corporate jets, not making cars people want, not having a business plan, etc, etc. These are all smokescreens and have nothing to do with whether or not these companies will survive.
What matters is on the delivery end. The fact that Detroit cars are now mostly comparable to foreign cars is irrelevant to the public. They lost the public’s trust and their products, no matter how many ads they run during American Idol, are not perceived as 1) reliable or 2) cool. The Big 3 could do all the things the Senators want them to do, and it still wouldn’t matter. The only thing that will help the Big 3 is if they sell more cars, and there is no evidence that grounding a corporate jet or presenting a flowery plan to Congress will do that.
The American consumer, and only the American consumer will decide whether or not these companies survive.
The typical Joe the plumber isn’t going to understand executive compensation but here’s the way I look at it: It’s an investment in talent, just like Derek Jeter is. If you owned a huge company that just made a million dollar profit in one year, and there was a potential CEO out there who could increase that profit from a million to a billion, would you pay that guy $25 million? Of course you would. And by the way, if you have to lure the high priced talent by promising him the use of a corporate jet, you do that too. It’s all relative. Exxon made how many billions last quarter? What would you pay that CEO? The problem shouldn’t really be with the public, it should be with the worker – who used to see the leader of his company make 25 times what he makes, but that now has risen to 500 times what the lowest paid worker makes. Now he/she should be pissed!
The dilemma is in the failing. The CEO's still get paid when they fail (see wall street) and that really bugs us, just like when our high priced free agent suddenly gains weight and can’t find the end zone.
So, how do we hold on to the Big 3? The bailout is just corporations doing what people do when there’s a handout – stand in line. If there’s money being given out, we’re “all in” – it’s who we are.
So, no bailout. My plan would be much more effective (and probably way more costly to our government.) Give the American Public an incentive to try American Cars one more time. Remember the typical Gen X er doesn’t even have these cars on their radar – they’re on their fourth Toyota.
So, here it is: I propose the American Investment Act of 2009. Starting on January 1, anyone who leases an American car will be entitled to deduct their lease payment 100%.
The act will go 5 years. The Big 3 must set accurate residual values – no unfair competition – your cars aren’t good lease deals for a reason and you can’t artificially pump them up and take a loss later.
This would mean that anyone who wants to take advantage of the lease savings would probably lease 2 cars during the term of the act – and would either fall in love with the product or not. If the cars are what you say they are, you would have recaptured America. If not, pull the plug and turn out the lights. After 2 cycles, you will have had every chance to hold on to the customer. If you fail, you will go out of business and no one will say you didn’t get a shot.
The argument against this is that it’s not free market. I’ll concede that, but other nations take nationalistic action all the time. I actually think it would help foreign manufacturers as well by goosing the economy. In fact, if you want to take it further, provide a sales tax break on all “made in America” products. The recession would be over by March.
At the same time, we have to keep perspective. This week I took 3 hours to read Newsweek’s election edition cover to cover. It was a fascinating recap of the campaign. I highly recommend it. But the thing that blew me away was a statistic that I’m going to link to my previous “lucky sperm club” comment.
Here are the top 3 world populations:
1 China 1,347,563,498
2 India 1,184,090,490
3 United States 309,162,581
According to Newsweek in India there are 400 million people (that’s 100 million more than our entire population) that don’t have electricity.
400 million!
I’m flabbergasted.
So, let’s keep perspective and be thankful that we’re going to microwave a pizza tonight.
It will be terrible, but there are 400 million people in one country that wouldn’t know a microwave from a TV and would be thrilled to stick a frozen pizza in either – if they could freeze anything.
They should be so lucky as to have to choose between an Audi and a Buick.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Bailing out on that Super Bowl Trip
The US government is considering bailing out Detroit.
No, Not the Lions.
Because if they were going to bail out a football team, who rivals the 40 years of mediocrity established by our New Orleans Saints?
Consider that FEMA repair of the Superdome just a down payment.
Bail us out of our misery. Buy out our season tickets. Their value is dropping faster than the housing market.
Sean Payton may be an aerial genius. He’s constructed a wonderful passing attack with an outstanding quarterback and a bevy of excellent receivers. But Mike Martz can’t get a head coaching job because aerial circuses don’t translate to wins. Maybe our coach will learn to construct a defense and a balanced offensive attack at some point, but it’s not looking good.
Watching the Saints disintegrate into an injury-riddled, bickering group has not been pleasant. And, don’t try to tell me they’re not good on the road. Where they’re playing has little to do with their inadequacies.
So, it’s off to Kansas City, Kansas City here we come. Having a tough year Herm? We’re sending a little care package your way. Wasn’t it just last year that Kansas City had that great draft that was going to turn their franchise around? Well, just ask Cleveland. Just ask New Orleans. One draft doesn’t get you drunk and it doesn’t make your team. It takes several good drafts in a row to turn a team around. The clinker we had between Bush and Ellis/Porter is killing us. Not knocking Robert Meachum, but he wasn't what we needed. Was there a starting safety somewhere in that draft? Let’s hope we aren’t in our wishful Mel Kiper mode too soon.
It’s going to take an incredible win streak to salvage this season. If Drew Brees breaks Dan Marino’s record it will be because of too many 400 yard losing efforts. If he doesn’t, there’s hope. I guess we can draw inspiration from the fact that stranger things have happened.
Like trillion dollar bailouts.
No, Not the Lions.
Because if they were going to bail out a football team, who rivals the 40 years of mediocrity established by our New Orleans Saints?
Consider that FEMA repair of the Superdome just a down payment.
Bail us out of our misery. Buy out our season tickets. Their value is dropping faster than the housing market.
Sean Payton may be an aerial genius. He’s constructed a wonderful passing attack with an outstanding quarterback and a bevy of excellent receivers. But Mike Martz can’t get a head coaching job because aerial circuses don’t translate to wins. Maybe our coach will learn to construct a defense and a balanced offensive attack at some point, but it’s not looking good.
Watching the Saints disintegrate into an injury-riddled, bickering group has not been pleasant. And, don’t try to tell me they’re not good on the road. Where they’re playing has little to do with their inadequacies.
So, it’s off to Kansas City, Kansas City here we come. Having a tough year Herm? We’re sending a little care package your way. Wasn’t it just last year that Kansas City had that great draft that was going to turn their franchise around? Well, just ask Cleveland. Just ask New Orleans. One draft doesn’t get you drunk and it doesn’t make your team. It takes several good drafts in a row to turn a team around. The clinker we had between Bush and Ellis/Porter is killing us. Not knocking Robert Meachum, but he wasn't what we needed. Was there a starting safety somewhere in that draft? Let’s hope we aren’t in our wishful Mel Kiper mode too soon.
It’s going to take an incredible win streak to salvage this season. If Drew Brees breaks Dan Marino’s record it will be because of too many 400 yard losing efforts. If he doesn’t, there’s hope. I guess we can draw inspiration from the fact that stranger things have happened.
Like trillion dollar bailouts.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
An Election Commentary
What just happened?
As I watched the riveting election coverage Tuesday night I was fascinated with the joy displayed by the enthusiastic crowds not only here but world-wide. That an everchanging America had turned to a bi-racial man, born in Hawaii, educated in Indonesia, raised by a single parent, with family spread all over the world to lead a nation in economic crisis while fighting two wars was of such significance that even the most cynical had to marvel at the moment. After an endless endurance-contest of a campaign, an impressed nation turned to Barack Obama to pull us out of the quicksand.
How could we get to this incredible historical marker?
I’m reminded of the mid 90’s when I experienced a diversity initiative at Ford. Ford made a conscious effort to promote and call in a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds not because it was the right thing to do, but because it was good for business.
I often say that there’s a group of people that won the sperm lottery – they were born white in America, thus endowed with a huge head start on the billions who aren’t. That means Little League rather than picking fruit. It means fishing as a hobby rather than a necessity. It means hearing about kids starving in Africa instead of actually starving in Africa. It means an incredibly gifted existence of easy weekends, soccer practices, family picnics, beach trips, second homes, country clubs, season tickets, HBO, and being treated to an almost daily introduction of some new technology. It means running on a treadmill rather than some Kenyan dirt road. It means wondering about who to vote for on American Idol tonight instead of wondering if the village will be raided tonight. It means watching Dancing with the Stars, instead of sleeping under the stars. For many our life’s work is learning and preserving a family business. I usually rant from my couch, with my big-screen, high def TV in front of me. It’s the fourth couch of my adult life. I’m so lucky. Many people in this world will never own a couch, much less get to see Jessica Alba in High Definition. I didn’t invent capitalism or democracy, but I sure was born into a great club. Keeping perspective should be a higher priority. Our club works hard, but we work to prosper, not to survive.
So, back to what just happened.
First it must be said that George W. Bush happened. His approval ratings sank at home as his policies made the world see the United States as an aggressor rather than a peacemaker. The great empathy that 9/11 had generated worldwide turned to anger as we invaded a country looking for something we never found. To make matters worse, we declared “mission accomplished” and then muddled around for 7 more years trying to accomplish it, with the 9/11 perpetuator still at large. We topped this off by borrowing all the money to fight the war, and as the debt mounted to unprecedented levels, the economic foundation began to shake and shudder. The once robust American economy began to nosedive, dragging the rest of the world behind. Suddenly, instead of needing a skilled warrior, it began to look like we needed a skilled peacemaker.
So Bush beat McCain for the second time. Beat him in the primaries in 2000 with his Rove bag of dirty tricks (in retrospect wouldn’t we have been better off with McCain then) and then beat him again this year by leaving the pool table with no good shot.
The campaign predictably morphed into the longest blame game this side of Bill Buckner.
The Democrat was accused of being Unqualified, Un-American, Anti-American, anti-war, anti-Semitic, tax-raising, not-lapel-pin-wearing, Muslim, wealth-spreading, terrorist-associating, communist, fascist, socialist.
The Republican was accused of being a too-old, impulsive, combative, nasty, hawkish, self serving, pandering, dubious judgment, shadow of his former Maverick self, flip-flopping, out of touch military man who had stood up to Bush years ago, but stooped to mimeographing the Bush policy playbook this time.
As Cyberbull flowed it was so impressive that a steady Obama refused to get swift-boated like John Kerry, or chadded like Al Gore and went on the offensive just enough to dispel the lies without unleashing similar attacks on McCain. Never once did Obama mention McCain’s Keating Five scandal which couldn’t have been more relevant with the Wall Street crisis. America picked the man who had run the better campaign as the man who would do better at pulling together the almost impossible-to-run U.S. Government. He never wavered from his message of hope and change. The hardest thing to fathom is why anybody would want the job, especially now.
Meanwhile, a bailout package and stimulus packages didn’t seem to improve the economy, suggesting that a world-wide economy was a little more complicated than trickle down economics. Trickle down hasn’t trickled in a long time. The “cut taxes” message which has always so impressed the electorate rang hollow, as if we finally realized that cutting taxes is not a perpetual activity. The money for roads, bridges, schools, and wars has to come from somewhere. We don’t like taxes, but I guess we like dirt roads less, not to mention un-cared for veterans who’ve been deployed over and over.
It was amazing to me that Obama actually proposes rebuilding the infrastructure, including the power grid, and making energy reinvention a center piece of a new economy, creating jobs and a return to prosperity. This is impressive, visionary stuff. I’ll be even more amazed if he pulls it off. If our economy gets moving again maybe we’ll do as good a job rebuilding New Orleans as we will at rebuilding Bagdad (and Iraq has money – Louisiana doesn’t. I guess war entitles a country to the ultimate corporate welfare.)
Meanwhile the business world is scared to death of Universal Healthcare, when it is the union-demanded health care costs that, built into our products, has made us uncompetitive and is just another thing that cost us jobs. A dilution of Health Care costs may just work. Some call it socialism. But most of us wonder if we can’t take care of our sick how good a nation are we?
My sincere hope is that the new President can rally the troops – the ones who sit in chairs in the Capital. He needs to build a consensus and attack problems with a united front. The democrats gave Bush everything he wanted over the last 8 years lest they be seen as unpatriotic and unsupportive of the troops. That Bush’s ill-conceived or poorly executed policies imploded just set the table for the Democrats. It seems that 8-year Presidents can’t avoid going out on the downslide.
Don’t expect the Republicans to be as accommodating. They still have a very clear ideological base - their numbers and support are just shrinking. Or, more accurately it could be said that the Democrats are out-recruiting and out-registering them. Don’t be fooled. Remember Ken Starr? This is a new day, with new weapons. Every square inch of media, turf, and air space is an ideological battle ground. People still fall for Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity’s angry dribble that assumes or wishes for a frozen culture. The windbags of America always have the answer – even when there is no answer.
The President-elect may well be overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the presidency of this incredibly complicated and ever-changing country. The question may well be not “why would anyone want this job,” but “who could possibly do this job?”
With decimated markets and failed policies in abundance, where does he start the rebuilding process? Is there any low-hanging fruit that he can pick right away? The lucky sperm club that is the most worried, actually has the least to worry about. Relax, sit back, and watch your 401K. We’ve never understood the underclass that just overran the election. They wanted change, they needed change, and they got change. Will it help them? In 4 years we’ll be better off – will they?
I hope we all will. In one night we recaptured the world’s imagination as the most amazing country that’s ever been. We chose Diversity. Not just because it was the right thing to do, but because it was good for business.
As I watched the riveting election coverage Tuesday night I was fascinated with the joy displayed by the enthusiastic crowds not only here but world-wide. That an everchanging America had turned to a bi-racial man, born in Hawaii, educated in Indonesia, raised by a single parent, with family spread all over the world to lead a nation in economic crisis while fighting two wars was of such significance that even the most cynical had to marvel at the moment. After an endless endurance-contest of a campaign, an impressed nation turned to Barack Obama to pull us out of the quicksand.
How could we get to this incredible historical marker?
I’m reminded of the mid 90’s when I experienced a diversity initiative at Ford. Ford made a conscious effort to promote and call in a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds not because it was the right thing to do, but because it was good for business.
I often say that there’s a group of people that won the sperm lottery – they were born white in America, thus endowed with a huge head start on the billions who aren’t. That means Little League rather than picking fruit. It means fishing as a hobby rather than a necessity. It means hearing about kids starving in Africa instead of actually starving in Africa. It means an incredibly gifted existence of easy weekends, soccer practices, family picnics, beach trips, second homes, country clubs, season tickets, HBO, and being treated to an almost daily introduction of some new technology. It means running on a treadmill rather than some Kenyan dirt road. It means wondering about who to vote for on American Idol tonight instead of wondering if the village will be raided tonight. It means watching Dancing with the Stars, instead of sleeping under the stars. For many our life’s work is learning and preserving a family business. I usually rant from my couch, with my big-screen, high def TV in front of me. It’s the fourth couch of my adult life. I’m so lucky. Many people in this world will never own a couch, much less get to see Jessica Alba in High Definition. I didn’t invent capitalism or democracy, but I sure was born into a great club. Keeping perspective should be a higher priority. Our club works hard, but we work to prosper, not to survive.
So, back to what just happened.
First it must be said that George W. Bush happened. His approval ratings sank at home as his policies made the world see the United States as an aggressor rather than a peacemaker. The great empathy that 9/11 had generated worldwide turned to anger as we invaded a country looking for something we never found. To make matters worse, we declared “mission accomplished” and then muddled around for 7 more years trying to accomplish it, with the 9/11 perpetuator still at large. We topped this off by borrowing all the money to fight the war, and as the debt mounted to unprecedented levels, the economic foundation began to shake and shudder. The once robust American economy began to nosedive, dragging the rest of the world behind. Suddenly, instead of needing a skilled warrior, it began to look like we needed a skilled peacemaker.
So Bush beat McCain for the second time. Beat him in the primaries in 2000 with his Rove bag of dirty tricks (in retrospect wouldn’t we have been better off with McCain then) and then beat him again this year by leaving the pool table with no good shot.
The campaign predictably morphed into the longest blame game this side of Bill Buckner.
The Democrat was accused of being Unqualified, Un-American, Anti-American, anti-war, anti-Semitic, tax-raising, not-lapel-pin-wearing, Muslim, wealth-spreading, terrorist-associating, communist, fascist, socialist.
The Republican was accused of being a too-old, impulsive, combative, nasty, hawkish, self serving, pandering, dubious judgment, shadow of his former Maverick self, flip-flopping, out of touch military man who had stood up to Bush years ago, but stooped to mimeographing the Bush policy playbook this time.
As Cyberbull flowed it was so impressive that a steady Obama refused to get swift-boated like John Kerry, or chadded like Al Gore and went on the offensive just enough to dispel the lies without unleashing similar attacks on McCain. Never once did Obama mention McCain’s Keating Five scandal which couldn’t have been more relevant with the Wall Street crisis. America picked the man who had run the better campaign as the man who would do better at pulling together the almost impossible-to-run U.S. Government. He never wavered from his message of hope and change. The hardest thing to fathom is why anybody would want the job, especially now.
Meanwhile, a bailout package and stimulus packages didn’t seem to improve the economy, suggesting that a world-wide economy was a little more complicated than trickle down economics. Trickle down hasn’t trickled in a long time. The “cut taxes” message which has always so impressed the electorate rang hollow, as if we finally realized that cutting taxes is not a perpetual activity. The money for roads, bridges, schools, and wars has to come from somewhere. We don’t like taxes, but I guess we like dirt roads less, not to mention un-cared for veterans who’ve been deployed over and over.
It was amazing to me that Obama actually proposes rebuilding the infrastructure, including the power grid, and making energy reinvention a center piece of a new economy, creating jobs and a return to prosperity. This is impressive, visionary stuff. I’ll be even more amazed if he pulls it off. If our economy gets moving again maybe we’ll do as good a job rebuilding New Orleans as we will at rebuilding Bagdad (and Iraq has money – Louisiana doesn’t. I guess war entitles a country to the ultimate corporate welfare.)
Meanwhile the business world is scared to death of Universal Healthcare, when it is the union-demanded health care costs that, built into our products, has made us uncompetitive and is just another thing that cost us jobs. A dilution of Health Care costs may just work. Some call it socialism. But most of us wonder if we can’t take care of our sick how good a nation are we?
My sincere hope is that the new President can rally the troops – the ones who sit in chairs in the Capital. He needs to build a consensus and attack problems with a united front. The democrats gave Bush everything he wanted over the last 8 years lest they be seen as unpatriotic and unsupportive of the troops. That Bush’s ill-conceived or poorly executed policies imploded just set the table for the Democrats. It seems that 8-year Presidents can’t avoid going out on the downslide.
Don’t expect the Republicans to be as accommodating. They still have a very clear ideological base - their numbers and support are just shrinking. Or, more accurately it could be said that the Democrats are out-recruiting and out-registering them. Don’t be fooled. Remember Ken Starr? This is a new day, with new weapons. Every square inch of media, turf, and air space is an ideological battle ground. People still fall for Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity’s angry dribble that assumes or wishes for a frozen culture. The windbags of America always have the answer – even when there is no answer.
The President-elect may well be overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the presidency of this incredibly complicated and ever-changing country. The question may well be not “why would anyone want this job,” but “who could possibly do this job?”
With decimated markets and failed policies in abundance, where does he start the rebuilding process? Is there any low-hanging fruit that he can pick right away? The lucky sperm club that is the most worried, actually has the least to worry about. Relax, sit back, and watch your 401K. We’ve never understood the underclass that just overran the election. They wanted change, they needed change, and they got change. Will it help them? In 4 years we’ll be better off – will they?
I hope we all will. In one night we recaptured the world’s imagination as the most amazing country that’s ever been. We chose Diversity. Not just because it was the right thing to do, but because it was good for business.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
At the Cinema - October 2008
Some quick reviews. Think I'll use a 10 point scale. 10 points will be a masterpiece. 1 point will be a disaster. For example Rear Window would be a 10. The Black Dahlia would be a 1.
W. I give it a 7. Surprisingly sympathetic story of George W Bush directed by Oliver Stone. Interesting insights into his motivations. Funny in some parts, and riveting in others. The scene in which he and his advisors decide to invade Iraq was superb. Good movie.
Religulous. I give it an 8. While it was as funny as I thought it would be, it was also scarier than I thought it would be and actually contributed to my understanding of the middle east. Here's the bad news - doubt you'll ever see it in Mississippi. Like Al Gore's movie - you'll have to take a trip.
Eagle Eye. 7 points. Went to see this in an Imax theater just so I could see what an Imax theater would be like for a normal movie. The movie, which had gotten mixed reviews, was better than I expected. First, you have to concede that all action movies are basically ridiculous. Then you can appreciate them for what they are - a suspension of all universal laws, starting with gravity. I just ask that they be partially conceivable. (Like the last Indiana Jones movie for example, which lost me when they went over the 3rd waterfall, although it apparently lost most people when they "nuked the fridge," now the movie version of "jumping the shark.") So, I enjoyed Eagle Eye - I fell for everything hook, line, and sinker. As for the Imax experience, I was more impressed with the audio than the video - but I'd do it again. Price a little inflated - kind of like buying Premium gas vs. Regular.
Burn After Reading. 7 points. Very funny. Lest you think Brad Pitt can't act, see this one. An entertaining piece of fluff. That's all I ask
Trouble the Water. 7 points. Documentary built around actual camcorder footage of a family riding out Katrina in the 9th ward, then being moved around the south until returning to their damaged home, a lot of incredible footage. Unfortunately, the preponderance of hip-hop music, while understandable, begins to wear down the ear drums and keeps it from elevation to the next level.
Confederate States of America. 8 points. Caught this mockumentary on IFC channel and it shocked me at times, infuriated me at times, but mostly had me rolling on the floor. It's a phony British documentary that tells the story of what would've happened had the South won the Civil War. Can't believe anyone had the balls to make this one.
Let me also comment on a TV Show. What am I really enjoying? Terminator - The Sarah Connor Chronicles. This show interweaves its story between the two Terminator movies that took place before and the one that took place after. I don't know how they do it, but other than someone else playing (in flash forwards) the father of John Conner (instead of Michael Biehn) it is note perfect. Great stories, great action for TV. And dare I say this, but it may be elevating this story to the rarified Lord of the Rings/Star Wars air. Well done. If you've missed it, the first season is out on DVD, and you ain't seen nothing yet - the second season is even better. 8 points and moving toward 9.
I once watched Dancing with the Stars. I pretty much threw in the towel on it because like most of these shows there was too much yacking and not enough action. And I hated the result the year Emmit Smith beat Mario Lopez, a far superior dancer. Well, I would have voted early and often for Mario if I had known it would lead Emmit and his admitted appeal to his current gig on ESPN where he murders the English language every time he opens his mouth. Shame on ESPN. We can't raise the educational standards in this country when we lower the broadcast standards. Emmit isn't the only one on ESPN that garbles his syntax, but he is almost painful to listen to. ESPN is too influential - they've got to set a higher standard. Just my opinion.
W. I give it a 7. Surprisingly sympathetic story of George W Bush directed by Oliver Stone. Interesting insights into his motivations. Funny in some parts, and riveting in others. The scene in which he and his advisors decide to invade Iraq was superb. Good movie.
Religulous. I give it an 8. While it was as funny as I thought it would be, it was also scarier than I thought it would be and actually contributed to my understanding of the middle east. Here's the bad news - doubt you'll ever see it in Mississippi. Like Al Gore's movie - you'll have to take a trip.
Eagle Eye. 7 points. Went to see this in an Imax theater just so I could see what an Imax theater would be like for a normal movie. The movie, which had gotten mixed reviews, was better than I expected. First, you have to concede that all action movies are basically ridiculous. Then you can appreciate them for what they are - a suspension of all universal laws, starting with gravity. I just ask that they be partially conceivable. (Like the last Indiana Jones movie for example, which lost me when they went over the 3rd waterfall, although it apparently lost most people when they "nuked the fridge," now the movie version of "jumping the shark.") So, I enjoyed Eagle Eye - I fell for everything hook, line, and sinker. As for the Imax experience, I was more impressed with the audio than the video - but I'd do it again. Price a little inflated - kind of like buying Premium gas vs. Regular.
Burn After Reading. 7 points. Very funny. Lest you think Brad Pitt can't act, see this one. An entertaining piece of fluff. That's all I ask
Trouble the Water. 7 points. Documentary built around actual camcorder footage of a family riding out Katrina in the 9th ward, then being moved around the south until returning to their damaged home, a lot of incredible footage. Unfortunately, the preponderance of hip-hop music, while understandable, begins to wear down the ear drums and keeps it from elevation to the next level.
Confederate States of America. 8 points. Caught this mockumentary on IFC channel and it shocked me at times, infuriated me at times, but mostly had me rolling on the floor. It's a phony British documentary that tells the story of what would've happened had the South won the Civil War. Can't believe anyone had the balls to make this one.
Let me also comment on a TV Show. What am I really enjoying? Terminator - The Sarah Connor Chronicles. This show interweaves its story between the two Terminator movies that took place before and the one that took place after. I don't know how they do it, but other than someone else playing (in flash forwards) the father of John Conner (instead of Michael Biehn) it is note perfect. Great stories, great action for TV. And dare I say this, but it may be elevating this story to the rarified Lord of the Rings/Star Wars air. Well done. If you've missed it, the first season is out on DVD, and you ain't seen nothing yet - the second season is even better. 8 points and moving toward 9.
I once watched Dancing with the Stars. I pretty much threw in the towel on it because like most of these shows there was too much yacking and not enough action. And I hated the result the year Emmit Smith beat Mario Lopez, a far superior dancer. Well, I would have voted early and often for Mario if I had known it would lead Emmit and his admitted appeal to his current gig on ESPN where he murders the English language every time he opens his mouth. Shame on ESPN. We can't raise the educational standards in this country when we lower the broadcast standards. Emmit isn't the only one on ESPN that garbles his syntax, but he is almost painful to listen to. ESPN is too influential - they've got to set a higher standard. Just my opinion.
Saints route to Super Bowl detours through London
So the Saints took a European Vacation (Technically, Is England in Europe?) and surprised me with a win. They kept alive a decades-old strategy (that has resulted in at least 2 losses that I can remember) of giving the opponent one last Hail Mary attempt. It's kind of like Final Jeopardy. The first half is Jeopardy. The second half is Double Jeopardy. The last minute is Final Jeopardy. No matter what's happened previously in the game - the score can really change.
Meanwhile the Presidential Election nears and I've decided to write in a vote for Drew Brees. No one on the planet is doing their job better right now, so I'm sure he can solve the economic crisis during the bye week.
Interesting things about this game: 1) I really didn't like the safety call. If the coach really understood what we've been through he never would've got the other team within 5. At the 2 minute mark I had reconciled myself to overtime. At the 1 second mark I had reconciled myself to a loss.
2) Good to see Deuce running well. 3) Does anyone else think that Reggie's absence isn't all that big a deal. Yes, he's a great weapon, but we seem to run these crazy plays for him that are as likely to produce a big loss as a big gain. 4) It will be a shame if we lose 3 players to suspensions, but lets face it - while the front 4 are doing better at stopping the run, we haven't seen a pass rush since the last Hurricane whizzed through. Which brings me to
Things you have to give credit to Sean Payton for: 1) He holds out players that he doesn't think are healthy. Pressured early to bring back Deuce, he didn't listen to us. Deuce seems to be the Deuce of old - well maybe a step slower - but no less powerful. He may have brought Colston back a week early, and it might be time to just sit Shockey up in a luxury box, but you've got to give him credit - in general. 2) The safety. No I wouldn't have done it, and it wouldn't have been necessary if we hadn't all been napping for the on-side kick, but we got out with a W. 3) You have to give him credit for going to a 3 man line right before Vilma's interception. The way we were pressuring the QB we might as well of gone to a 2 man line.
Let's take a week off. We'll find something to do, like hold an election.
Meanwhile the Presidential Election nears and I've decided to write in a vote for Drew Brees. No one on the planet is doing their job better right now, so I'm sure he can solve the economic crisis during the bye week.
Interesting things about this game: 1) I really didn't like the safety call. If the coach really understood what we've been through he never would've got the other team within 5. At the 2 minute mark I had reconciled myself to overtime. At the 1 second mark I had reconciled myself to a loss.
2) Good to see Deuce running well. 3) Does anyone else think that Reggie's absence isn't all that big a deal. Yes, he's a great weapon, but we seem to run these crazy plays for him that are as likely to produce a big loss as a big gain. 4) It will be a shame if we lose 3 players to suspensions, but lets face it - while the front 4 are doing better at stopping the run, we haven't seen a pass rush since the last Hurricane whizzed through. Which brings me to
Things you have to give credit to Sean Payton for: 1) He holds out players that he doesn't think are healthy. Pressured early to bring back Deuce, he didn't listen to us. Deuce seems to be the Deuce of old - well maybe a step slower - but no less powerful. He may have brought Colston back a week early, and it might be time to just sit Shockey up in a luxury box, but you've got to give him credit - in general. 2) The safety. No I wouldn't have done it, and it wouldn't have been necessary if we hadn't all been napping for the on-side kick, but we got out with a W. 3) You have to give him credit for going to a 3 man line right before Vilma's interception. The way we were pressuring the QB we might as well of gone to a 2 man line.
Let's take a week off. We'll find something to do, like hold an election.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Throwing it in Reverse on the road to the Super Bowl
In Bob Newhart's classic skit "The Driving Instructer" his student driver tells Bob he can always use the "other way of stopping" which is "throwing it in reverse" to which Bob replies, "yea, I guess that would do it."
The Saints threw it in reverse Sunday against the Carolina Panthers in what was a crucial game, laying a 30-7 egg.
They immediately left the country.
I don't really know what else to say about the game. No matter what job you have, there are days you'd like to forget. So, let's just forget this one.
Meanwhile I noticed that the TV show NCIS is using the theme "the season that changes everything."
That's exactly what I thought 2006 was going to be. Silly rabbit.
I'll be sitting back and hoping that the Saints have gained some kind of time zone advantage because they crossed 2 less time zones than the Chargers in this London home game that fortunately was left out of my season ticket package.
The Saints threw it in reverse Sunday against the Carolina Panthers in what was a crucial game, laying a 30-7 egg.
They immediately left the country.
I don't really know what else to say about the game. No matter what job you have, there are days you'd like to forget. So, let's just forget this one.
Meanwhile I noticed that the TV show NCIS is using the theme "the season that changes everything."
That's exactly what I thought 2006 was going to be. Silly rabbit.
I'll be sitting back and hoping that the Saints have gained some kind of time zone advantage because they crossed 2 less time zones than the Chargers in this London home game that fortunately was left out of my season ticket package.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Saints change their course to the Superbowl
October 13, 2008
Where did you watch the Saints game?
I took a ride to the beautiful National Harbor on the Maryland side of the Potomoc.
The National Harbor’s motto is “This Place Changes Everything.”
I parked in the garage next to a Toyota Tundra, “The Truck That’s Changing it All,” with an Obama bumper sticker that said “Change you can Believe In.”
I stopped in a phone shop to look at the new I Phone 3G. Motto: This is Going to Change Everything
The Saints had obviously spent their off days reading How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams
I feasted on my first Kobe beef hamburger for a mere $14 and thought about the book Money Changes Everything by 22 different authors.
As I watched the commercials that Fox runs for House MD I thought about their first episode of the new year: “Dying Changes Everything.”
I wanted to hurry home and watch the Dodgers – Phillies matchup. My main interest in this is of course that Manny Changes Everything for the Dodgers.
As I wondered if there is an orginal ad agency out there, The Saints obviously decided to change and add Duece to the game plan. Brees was even hotter than usual as he sliced up a pretty good Oakland pass defense.
Maybe a Change Gonna Come.
Needing a Mapquest on the Road to the Superbowl
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
The Saints vaulted into last place in their division – that’s right - behind Atlanta (where Michael Vick played) – with their performance Monday Night.
When Reggie Bush ran back his second punt for a touchdown, I was kicking myself that I had sold my tickets. An hour later I was glad I wasn’t there. That horrible walk out of the dome after an idiotic loss – how many times have I taken that walk?
Of course, here’s the obvious – if I had told you Reggie would run back 2 punts, Brees would have his typical 330 yard game, we would kick a field goal of over 50 yards, Adrian Peterson would be held to little yardage, and Pierre Thomas would consistently run kickoffs for terrific yardage, you would assume a win right?
No, Saints do that voodoo that they do so well:
Lance Moore and Robert Meacham bobble passes and they both turn out to be critical.
A field goal would get blocked and bounce up right into the arms of a sprinter for a TD.
Brees would get sacked and lose a fumble – not on the 50, but the 6.
Grammatica would miss an additional potential game winner to match his Denver effort.
Bush would get tackled by the carpet on another potential punt return TD.
Bush would fumble after being the victim of a facemask yank that everyone in America saw except those holding yellow handkerchiefs.
Jason David gets in the game just in time for the Vikings to need him.
Another rookie, Tracy Porter goes down, when it was looking like he would be an all-rookie selection, joining Sedrick Ellis on the disabled list. Calling Dr. House. Cure the curse. Send someone from Red Sox nation to explain this, or we’ll be matching the Cubs for futility.
I am now ready to support Tom Benson in his quest for a new stadium. It has become obvious that after 30 plus years in the dome that the land is cursed. The rumor of building this land on a cemetery is obviously true. The only way we can get through this bad Poltergeist movie is to move the dome. I vote for New Orleans East. Move it to the swamp. The drives home would be shorter, and when it sinks into the swamp – we’re done.
And here’s my real comment on the game – it’s awfully hard to say that a great offense that is so prolific doesn’t work – but here’s what I think. We just don’t run the ball enough. We never wear the defense out. We wind them from chasing us, but we don’t grind them, and punish them. We can’t throw it 40 times a game and win – nobody can.
No matter how great the quarterback is playing.
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Greatest Restaurant?
Just a quick note on restaurants. Liz and I got to visit Brigtsen's in New Orleans again this weekend. We've been all over this country in our quest to never miss a meal. From our incredible experiences at the Inn at Little Washington in Virginia, Il Mulino in New York, and many others, we seem to always come back to Brigtsen's as our favorite.
We got to have a nice conversation with Frank Brigtsen and his wife. They've kept it small and they're always there. It's not cheap, but compared to many around the country it's a huge bargain. The food is creative and often just stunning. There are many great restaurants in New Orleans, (at last count I'd eaten at about 150 of them - there are many I love) Some are rated higher at different times. The hot ones come and go. Sometimes you'll get a great meal in a restaurant, then return to find it was a fluke.
But, for my money, year in year out, for 22 years now - Brigtsens is simply the best. Anywhere. It's consistency, service, atmosphere, and food leave you feeling about as happy as a restaurant can make you. Go.
Setting a Course for The Super Bowl
September 29, 2008
Sunday in the dome with Sean was a wonderful combination of Drew’s aerial circus and a return to meaningful action by Deuce McAlister.
With sports talk shows around town providing pressure on Coach Payton, Deuce provided the bailout the Coach needed. Adding a new weapon to the arsenal – we’ll call it “power” – McAlister repeatedly picked up the short yardage when it was needed – something lacking for the last 12 months or so.
Other images that stuck: First and foremost, it’s Drew Brees, who’s playing as well as any QB on the planet right now, threading long passes (there’s 3 words you don’t see together very often) and short.
There’s Lance Moore. Not an imposing receiver he only does two things well – get open, and catch the ball. There’s Robert Meachum providing another deep threat and making us wonder where he’s been.
Say this for Payton: It doesn’t seem like he’ll play anybody until he thinks they’re ready. Meachum, McAlister, Mackenzie – he won’t use them until he’s satisfied.
With Dallas beaten and suddenly looking vulnerable, Washington gaining respect so that loss doesn’t look so bad in the rear view mirror, and one AFC Western Division loss (Denver) behind us, the future should look good. The Saints should win the next 2 at home before embarking on their long road trip. Carolina and Tampa Bay still have Denver and San Diego to face, so the division race should come down to the head to head match ups with <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Tampa and Carolina that await. Obviously getting some bodies back will be helpful, but power wins football games, and Deuce’s return was a jolt of power for a team that needs to add a little strength to their formidable finesse.
I've always been amused when fans of a team criticize their quarterback. "We need a new quarterback," like they grow on trees, or John Elway is going to come out of retirement. Well, if you're a Saints fan - we've got a quarterback. He's not going to pilot a victory every time; no one is. But he sure is fun to watch. Enjoy it while you can, and hope he plays as long as Brett Favre.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Fantasy Politics
December 12, 2011
Suddenly - Back to 49 States.
In a stunning move that has sent shockwaves around the world, President Sarah Palin today authorized the sale of Alaska to Canada for a stunning $3 Trillion. In a move rich with irony on many levels, President Palin made the announcement in a tumultuous press conference.
“No one can imagine how difficult this has been. Unfortunately it is a heartbreaking day for me, my family, and the people of my home state. But, much like Abraham Lincoln, today I had to make a most difficult choice in order to preserve our union, at least 49 states of it. With our country on the verge of economic collapse, this reverses our position and saves us. The money will be used to retire 2 separate trillion dollar debts that were incurred – the Iraq war and the Wall Street bailout of 2008. The rest will be applied to the mounting deficit and return us to sound financial footing. We will only have a deficit of $15 trillion after this transaction.”
When asked about the alternatives, President Palin would not confirm the recent rumors that Indonesia had bid on Hawaii and Japan had bid for Nevada, nor that Canada had also asked for Maine. She did however concede that the rich oil reserves of Alaska were the primary bargaining chip, and the most difficult thing to value, given that oil recently crossed the $200 a barrel mark. With gas at $8 a gallon, and the depression dragging on, it is expected that Wall Street would respond positively.
The response from President Palin’s anticipated 2012 opposition was swift:
Presumed Democratic Nominee Senator Hillary Clinton was quick and vicious, “This is the American people getting what they wanted – 12 straight years of Republican protection of corporate misconduct and irresponsibility at the expense of the common man. A Fire Sale was inevitable – but I never dreamed the assets we would sell off would be our own citizens. This may be the low point in Republican rule. I hope those CEO’s are happy in their mansions.”
Presumed Rational Party Nominee Ron Paul was also quick to comment. “For years my former party was too worried about moral issues like abortion and gay marriage. We forgot about the ethical issues that govern the behavior of our corporations. We failed to protect the everyman, and we’re trying to make up for this by selling America. There’s no precedent for this action. What’s next, sell Louisiana back to the French, and sell Arizona to the Indians?”
Administration officials defended the move. Treasury Secretary Mike Huckabee issued the following statement. “President Palin was presented with a very difficult decision. We have debated this intensely for months as our financial situation deteriorated. With our creditors breathing down our neck, particularly China, we could not risk further foreign ownership of our assets. This way we at least controlled our destiny, unpleasant as it was. We all feel great sympathy for President Palin, but she held out as long as she could, and I must say did a tremendous job in the negotiations with the Prime Minister.”
Analyst reaction ranged from supportive to stunned. The Fox News Network quickly fell in line, most saying that Alaska was a small price to pay for ending the second depression in U.S. history. Sean Hannity said, “First President McCain, then President Palin, have pulled out all the stops trying to end this recession. When the privatization of Social Security and the defeat of Universal Health Care failed to stimulate recovery, it became obvious that bold action had to be taken, or many more U.S. assets would have been seized. The recent failed bid by the Japanese to buy Mr. Rushmore from the US government was just a sign of things to come. They did not take kindly to being rebuffed. When Ford and Chrysler were sold to Toyota and Tata in 2010, it became obvious that we could not compete in the global economy without an incredible infusion of capital.”
MSNBC was not so kind. Keith Olberman said “Our economy has deteriorated to this point because of irresponsible fiscal and governmental policy, period. We as Americans, and our government, by its very structure have been focused on short term and short cuts. We have failed to discipline and regulate our corporations and they have absconded with our economy. If we don’t address the systematic problems we have, we are doomed to repeat this. I wonder how President Bush is going to feel when we put Texas on the block. Will he think Iraq was worth it then?”
President Palin began immediately meeting with legislators as she started the process of clearing the legislative hurdles.
Sliding Towards the Super Bowl
We've seen a lot of losses in 40 years.
They're all the same on the record books. A loss.
Who cares that they had every chance to win and blew it.
Again.
I thought the biggest play, and the worst play call, was on the 2 point conversion. Meachum was spread out one on one and certainly could have gotten open.
Instead we rolled the whole offense to his side, bringing the whole defense. No chance.
The offense played well enough to win. So did the defense after the first 21 points. Brees did all he could do and Duece is still MIA.
Why do I feel like the Saints exist in a permanent state of deja vu?
Is this some kind of Twilight Zone episode? Will it ever end?
Did they have to film this episode in HD?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Application for Bailout
Dear George,
Please put my check in the mail.
I’m sorry I’m so late with this, but I need a bailout. Let me explain. I had a business. It tanked like Lehman Brothers, AIG, Bears Stearn et al. It was a restaurant and I tried hard but lost a lot of money.
Here’s the good news: I never paid myself $31 million a year as the CEO. In fact, I rarely paid myself at all, and still have bills from the business I’m trying to pay. Didn’t file bankruptcy like Lehman Brothers. Paid all my tax bills – eventually – out of my own pocket. Didn’t get to play with derivatives, hedge funds, or any gimmicks to make it look like I was making money so I could pay myself a big bonus.
Sorry, I was unaware of the bailout program at the time, but I’m sure that the economy can not take a further hit by remembering my losses, so I could really use a check for $1.5 million to spread among my partners and stockholders, and my wife who didn’t see me for 5 years. Please fed ex – the sooner I get the check the sooner the Gulf Coast economy will improve.
Thanks,
Rick
PS: Bill the grandchildren
Monday, September 15, 2008
Week 2 - Walk to the Super Bowl
Well, we've perfected the taunting. Now maybe we can learn to finish a game.
If you weren't buying it last week when I said Reggie Bush was a little star-crossed, I give you a man who can turn a touchdown punt return into a taunting penalty. Didn't he learn anything in the NFC championship? It's about winning - not scoring. There's a saying that comes to mind about dreams here, but I can't print it....
What ever happened to turning around and celebrating with your teamates - the other 10 players who just happened to contribute to the score? In other words, every td dance, every Lambeau Leap, every self expression is in essence a dis of your teamates. But that's off the subject of this particular foldarama.
Unfortunately, the Saints picked this week to add to their long history of building opposing quarterback's confidence. The QB got hot. The Saints insist on playing that press, man to man coverage, and they got burned. Tracy Porter had played a pretty good game up til that point. Then, evaporation.
Bad timing. We really needed to go to Denver 2-0, as the Broncos look like a juggernaut on offense. What's the over/under, about 80? That would put it Broncos 50, Saints 30. Not that this is a prediction mind you, but can you imagine Jay Cutler watching the film of Jason Campbell ripping the Saints' defense to shreds. Wipe the drool, Jay.
Let's taunt after the game, Reggie. 2 Hours after. And taunt a team we won't have to play again.
Needs: Someone that can pound it on the ground in the 4th quarter when we have a lead. Duece? Pierre? Some defensive pressure that hits the QB say 8 times a game.
Well, I enjoyed the hospitality of Redskins stadium, although I didn't enjoy the heat. Will never take that 72 degree Superdome for granted again. Still the best place to watch a pro game.
Things I Don't Understand
A Quick List of Some Things I Don’t Understand:
- Why the standard length of a “big” movie has gone from 2 hours to 2 ½. Please movie guys, bigger isn’t better. These special effects movies are obliterating our senses. I love them, but I’m numb, and I have to go to the bathroom after I drink that $6 Diet Coke that doubles my liquid intake for the day. I don’t know many people that like Woody Allen anymore, except me – but he makes a short, concise, to the point movie. Laugh and go home. I went to see Vicky Christina Barcelona. Good laughs, lesbian kiss, now go home.
- Smoking. Imagine 100 years from now, when it has been over for 50 years and we try to explain it. "Let me get this straight – you inhaled smoke into your lungs? On purpose?"
- Why Sarah Jessica Parker is a star. Who thought she was good looking? Never thought she was attractive, nor very compelling as an actress. Which brings me to...
- Why there was never any real sex in Sex in the City. Thought it was tame and lame, and about as funny as “Friends.” I thought it should’ve been called Shoes in the City. (Check out Weeds on Showtime if you want to see something funny.)
- Why the right wingers, the religious right, the conservatives – are so nasty. The negative campaigning that has been sent to me by email, usually about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is unbelievably nasty – and unbelievable. I can’t figure out why people who (usually) confess such high morals would employ such tactics. I’ll call it the Limbaugh/Rove phenomenon and wonder how people can act this way. What ever happened to discussions of issues? Makes me long for the good old days of meaningless campaign promises.
- Why the Republican party is so good at winning elections and so bad at governing. Why the Democratic party is good at talking and so bad at winning elections.
- Why the central figure in rebuilding the 9th Ward of New Orleans is an actor? See http://www.makeitrightnola.org if you don’t believe me.
- Why Pacman Jones is back in the NFL so fast. Am I the only one who thinks any other owner but Jerry Jones would have had to wait longer? If it looks like a fish and smells like a fish, it’s fishy.
- Why hair is so important. To solve the energy crisis I say we take the money we spend on hair products and use it to develop solar power.
- Why we are so shortsighted in our energy planning.
- Why the Saints refuse to hand the ball to Pierre Thomas. Nothing against Aaron Stecker, for example – he’s a nice ball player. But, Pierre is a real RUNNING BACK. In the one game he actually started, he only did what no Saints running back in 40 years has done – rush for 100 and catch passes for 100. What am I missing? Does he fumble the ball every play in practice? Does he spill Gatorade? Is he a bad guy? Give him the ball 20 times a game already. He produces.
- Why we think Senators can make effective Presidents. Idon’t think either of the candidates sound too bad, but let’s face it – all they’ve done is vote. They haven’t proven that they have the administrative skills to lead or govern. Would we let a Supreme Court judge become President? Different branches – different functions, different skill sets. Here we go, rolling the dice again…..
- Why our Presidential race is deteriorating into such mud slinging. Wouldn’t it be nice if they both just gave us their plan and tried to sell it to us? Here’s my mud, because I’m thunderstruck on this one….
- How we can have a Presidential candidate who admits he knows nothing about computers or the internet. What? This man is going to run an economy he can’t possibly understand, and lead us in the global competition that we’re in? Does the man who runs your company have computer skills? How would you feel if he got replaced by someone who didn’t? My mother, several years older than McCain, can surf the net on her dial up connection. And I thought she was out of touch because she was still on dial-up. We’re about to elect a man who hasn’t dialed up yet!
- Why Jason David still has a roster spot on the Saints.
- Why hotel rooms have no receptacles. I usually spend my first few minutes when I arrive holding an iron and wondering where to plug it in.
- And lastly, I don’t understand why race is still an issue in this country. But, I do know what’s finally going to put race as an issue to bed. Bed. That’s right, sex. Young people, let’s say under 30, don’t care. They’ve been brought up in an era where intermingling with a wide variety of cultures, races, ethnic groups, is a way of life. They’ve been brought up with Diversity. They embrace it as all they know. They date, they party, and they have sex. They don’t see race anymore. They don’t care. So, now the population is divided into those who embrace change and growth, and those who fight it. But, that’s always been true, hasn’t it?
Week 1 - The March to The Super Bowl
September 8, 2008
The Saints began their march to the Super Bowl. You may have caught it.
Here were the highlights:
Things we haven't seen much of:
1. Defensive Backs that actually knock down a few passes
2. Interception by a linebacker.
3. A middle linebacker making tackles
4. A tight end that actually knows where the first down marker is.
5. Reggie breaking loose.
6. Pierre Thomas being used
7. Some pressure from the defensive line.
Things we take for granted:
1. Drew Brees - set up to have an MVP year.
2. Marquis Colston - could someday surpass Rickey Jackson as the greatest Saint ever.
Does anyone else but me see that Pierre Thomas is a real running back?
Does anyone else but me think we still could have blitzed a little more? Jeff Garcia wasn't at his sharpest. He'll play better next time.
Does anyone else but me think that Reggie Bush is a little star-crossed. Maybe this game will be the one that builds his confidence, but
Does anyone else think that swing pass is going to get someone decapitated?
Does anyone else watching Hard Knocks on HBO not believe that the road to the Super Bowl goes through Dallas? They are loaded.
Next game at Redskins - and although I didn't get to go to the opener because I'm in Washington, I get to go to game 2 because I'm in Washington.
Watch for me.
Piling On and Blurry Action
July 29, 2008 - The Dark Knight
It was fairly obvious that before it even hit theaters The Dark Knight was going to do record box office.
I remember The Titanic buzz and this has the same type of chatter.
Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t hate The Dark Knight. There were several things I really liked. For example the relationship between Bruce Wayne, his ex girlfriend and her new boyfriend is complex and realistic. There are no easy answers and it’s a dark movie – a welcome change from the happy happy of most movies. It was good and in some parts even very good.
The buzz, Oscar and otherwise, is all about Heath Ledger in a flashy role that’s meant to be played with an over the top gusto that few roles are. He delivers, but the acting throughout is superb, even if the old warhorses Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine are just too predictable.
The almost unanimous rave reviews this movie has received puts me at a distinct disadvantage as I begin to dissent.
But I’m going to. This is not a great movie because it has the same two diseases that all the action pictures seem to have these days.
The first one is what I call Blurry Action. They take a camera and jam it up close on a fight and fists go swinging and it has this great look. But, you really just don’t see anything. Other examples are the supposedly great fight scene in the Bourne Ultimatum.
Very quick, very dashing – but you don’t really see anything. Compare The Phantom Menace with the first Star Wars. In the first picture during the classic light saber fights the camera is pulled back and you see great moves. In the last movie you see a blur.
I remember walking out of The Phantom Menace next to two enthralled youngsters who were going nuts over what they just thought they saw. Then one said it best, “I can’t wait to get the DVD for the extras so I can slow all the action down.” Exactly.
Then there is the excessive length. My first reaction as I left my seat was that I had just seen 2 movies. They just kept piling on the action, the twists. Afraid to stop. Or maybe they just don’t know when to stop. I guess you can’t make a big budget blockbuster in under 2 hrs and 20 minutes. I call it lack of restraint and it permeates our society.
And this movie. Too much. Enough already. They just kept piling it on.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Bye George
Whenever I hear the term “freedom of speech” I will always think of you.
Who will puncture our pomposity now?
I can honestly say that no one has made me laugh more in my lifetime than George Carlin. His viewpoint was often insane and insanely funny.
On a trip to Vegas my wife and son had to convince me to go see him live for the first and only time. I was afraid he would disappoint me after I had been listening to him for 40 years. Fortunately, my fears were unfounded. He had me at “hello.” His first line on stage cracked me up and he was off and running. I’ve never forgotten that opening remark, but unfortunately I can’t repeat it here.
Most people never want to hear the contrarian view. George smacked us in the face with his free speech. He offended everyone at one time or another – and he didn’t care. He relished it. He thought it was necessary. He thought it was important. He thought it was funny. He was right. He provided wit, perspective, counter-balance, and profanity analysis. He ripped apart the things we put on a pedestal, then for good measure he tore down the pedestal. Getting people to think is dangerous,yet he was determined.
George always distinguished that belief is not knowledge, it’s only belief. Then, he harpooned our beliefs. If you watched his HBO specials (14 of them that HBO is running now as a tribute) you know he was obsessed with death, avoiding death, and the meaning of death.
If you have the guts to make it through the “you tube” clip I link to below (most of you won’t) you’ll realize the ultimate irony.
On June 22, 2008 when he died it should have been the day he finally learned what he always wanted to know.
If he found out, wouldn’t it be great to hear him describe it?
Warning: you probably won’t like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o
Thanks, George. I’m glad I live in a country where you could do what you did. Who’s going to do it now?
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
You're a Holiday
We’re halfway through our yearly holiday.
One of the articles below says it better than I could. Jazz Fest has been something I’ve been lucky enough to attend maybe 30 times since my move to New Orleans in 1978.
I’ve always said I’ve never been out of the United States except when I go to New Orleans. It is so much a unique city I won’t even go into it.
Now I can also say I’ve never left the planet earth except for jazz fest. It’s like going to another planet. One day at a time. To say you leave the world outside the gate just doesn't do it justice.
I’m sure there’s another place on earth where you could watch Robert Plant sing backup on an Alison Kraus song, then watch 2 hours later when Sheryl Crow blasts a Robert Plant song on the same stage. You know you’ve caught lightning in a bottle and it will never happen again on planet earth. And I’m sure there’s another place where you can jump up and down to Cowboy Mouth (they insist on it) but where else would you have the guts to do it in the pouring rain, like a walrus in a gold parka, especially when you thought your jumping days were over. (Do yourself a favor – don’t visualize it.) (It was kind of cool to watch about 70,000 people when it started to rain, just routinely pull out their umbrellas and parkas and go on partying and dancing, - well maybe not so much dancing - most of us are of the rockin' and swaying age. I slipped on my very gold Southern Miss Golden Eagle parka and Jonathan said I looked like a giant condom. My wife said I looked like a goose, then retreated to the grandstand, muttering some wimpy comment about lightening and we're all gonna die.) By the way we now have a name for our group - "the living room." Yes we have a small, but growing group of people we sit with every year. We set up our area against the fence by the Acura Stage like a living room. We could use some lamps and running water next year, if you can carry them.
So, this weekend or next year, come to New Orleans to leave the country, and come to Jazz Fest to leave the planet.
I know, I know – it’s not for everyone. But I promise, give it a few times, drink it in, soak it up, let it come to you, and it will become another holiday on your yearly schedule and you wouldn’t miss it any more than you’d skip Thanksgiving and go get a burger. You know how you start thinking about that turkey and dressing early that week? I start tasting the Crawfish Monica about January.
Here's some great stuff to read on Cube Fest:
http://www.whereyat.com/745?PHPSESSID=0e3e66982a10b7b80fc200ed5bbb1e97
http://www.whereyat.com/765
http://blog.nola.com/chrisrose/2008/04/chris_rose_the_man_with_a_jazz.html
http://www.gumbopages.com/looka/
http://www.eatlikeanative.com/content/view/125/1/
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