Taking a deep breath for 2007

Happy New Year to you as well Tilam. Another year of backbiting, insulting, and demeaning on the horizon, and that's just in our households! I expect the kid gloves to be shed during 2007!

I didn't watch any of the college bowls, although I heard that Boise State pulled a tricky dicky move against Oklahoma that was pure highlight action. That is why I love the college game more than the pro game, especially with regards to basketball...they play for glory and the win, not just for the money. Nothing makes an athlete hungry like a trophy - once they get the fat contracts, they tank it for show. But this is much more prevelant in the NBA rather than the NFL, but I still find the purity of the college game more exciting...that being said, WTF happened to Notre Dame? They got "palindromed", which is another word for scoring the reverse numbers of their opponents in points - 41-14. Charlie Weis, remember that in a way the college game is still like the pros - having a nice regular season is a plus, but if you have a good record but get blown out in a bowl game, it's a total loss.

NFL
WOW, look who's at the top of the supposed power rankings, the Chargers. Philip Rivers is the real deal in San Diego, and LT is making it look easy. Other than that, I have gotten thoroughly confused by the NFL. Other than the surety that my Vikings suck bullnuts, all the others teams are, as Tilam suggest, an enigma. The Colts once again are experiencing late season armor chinks, what happened to da Bears, and other pertinent questions abound...

G-men vs Philly: The Giants are on a 2-6 slide and the Eagles are playing quality football right now with Jeff Garcia (yes, THAT Jeff Garcia) at the QB position. Eagles 27-14
'Boys vs Seattle: Similar situation with the Cowboys on a losing streak and the 'Hawks playing well lately. You've got to go with the girl who's strutting her stuff right now - Seahawks 24-14

Colts - Chiefs: LT is the league MVP hands down, P-Man and the Colts are 2-3 in their last five games. Not to mention that the Colts defense kinda sux right now - they are 21st in the league and LAST in run defense. Not a good match up for Tony Dungy. BUT, I think he's going to pull this one out, the Colts' D is going to show and slow LT. This is my "against the grain" pick. Colts 28-24
Jets - Pats: Chad Pennington is the Comeback PotY in the NFL, but the Jets had NO expectations of making the playoffs at the beginning of the year, I think they are just happy to be there. Pats 24-10

NHL
In the "no way do I want to be a supervisor anymore" department, Chris Chelios was visibly shaken and upset that 2 of the employees of his Cheli's Chili bar in Detroit were stabbed to death by a former employee who was let go very recently. He faces life without parole - I wonder if being unemployed and looking for a job is a worse fate than being bent over a steel spring mattress with a largely endowed inmate teaching you the term "anal retentive". Oh well, he'll find out soon enough...

Anaheim and Buffalo, the 2 best teams in the conferences, have been showing a let down as of late, but don't be fooled folks, they are destined to meet for the Cup. And I give the edge to the Sabres at this point.

Penguins to Kansas City? KC is rolling out a major welcome mat for 'em, I bet this gets done.

MLB
The Yankees are still exploring a trade for Randy Johnson - it appears that the D-backs are interested in bringing him back to Arizona. I'm going to be sorry to see him go, I think he still did very well in NY despite the pressure - well, but not lights out like people expect, but don't over look the fact that he won 17 games BOTH seasons he was with the Yankees. The bad part is that on some of the "higher profile" games (read: against Red Sox) he was lit up like a Christmas tree, and his post-season performance was sub-par. That will ultimately spell his exit from NY. Too bad.
On a more interesting note, a company that uses computer imaging claims baseballs had a larger rubberized core and a synthetic rubber ring in 1998, including the ball Mark McGwire hit for his 70th homer. The company tested 35 or so baseballs made by Rawlings, and "the evidence shows his ball (the 70th HR ball hit by Big Mac) -- under the governing body of the league -- was juiced." So the BIG question is "does this evidence, disputed by MLB's COO, reduce the significant question of Mark McGwire and steroids"? If the balls were juiced, who cares if Big Mac was, they will still fly farther...stay tuned for more of this drivel. One other note: the dispute from the COO says "Beginning in 2000, we have had annual independent testing done by UMass at Lowell, baseball research center, under the direction of Dr. James Sherwood, and those tests have showed full compliance with standards". But it doesn't say anything about the balls used in 1998...

NBA...nevermind.

World News

I have to admit, I'm in the "who gives a shit" about the outcry over the Saddam Hussein video. I am somewhat disgusted by the fact that some asshole filmed it with his camera phone, believing he might get money or fame because of it. But that is the opportunistic nature of humans today with the advent of youtube and google video.
HOWEVER, the fact that Hussein got taunted and didn't die in a completely dignified manner really doesn't affect me that much. I highly doubt that HIS victims got much better treatment - those many he had hanged for "crimes" and I bet he didn't lose any sleep over those Kurds he gassed. Karma. Quid pro quo. Do unto others... Sorry, no sympathy there for him...

Interesting that the Democrats are taking control of both sides of Congress today. They sure talk a tough game; imposing a ban on gifts from lobbyists and a clampdown on travel funded by private interests (in response to Republican scandals recently), voting next week to raise the federal minimum wage, increase federal support for stem cell research and allowing the government to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices on prescription drugs for Medicare recipients. Not to mention challenging the president to end the war in Iraq. I don't know much about Harry Reid (taking the reins of the Senate) and Nancy Pelosi, tabbed as the most likely to ascend to speaker (and the first woman), I will let Tilam speak to them. Although Reid makes a funny statement, saying that "politics has prevented progress on many of those front running issues for too many years." HeHe. And I'm sure he wasn't one of those politicians?
Bush also claims that he has a 5 year plan for balancing the budget. What a shrewd move on the part of the Republicans - should the Dems win the Oval Office in 2008, the GOP can fully blame them if the budget doesn't balance, stating that Bush's plan would have done it had they just followed the steps. Political poison pill, if you ask me.
And a final quote from John McCain..."We forgot why we came to Washington. We lost our way, we got engaged in earmarking and pork barrel projects, and we valued power over principle and we paid a heavy price for it." Isn't this descriptive of all of our elected officials in Washington? :P