I just got back from a vacation in Vermont, near Stowe. While the vacation was not necessarily "relaxing" (three kids ages 8 - 12 will do that), I will say that I thoroughly enjoy the refreshing, small town New England friendliness.
From Keith, the baker at Thompson's Flour Shop in "downtown" Morrisville, to all the "good mornings" from strangers as you walk or jog. Coco, who pumps gas at the corner Mobil station, was as cheerful as can be, even though she was out in -8 degree weather. For some reason, New Englanders do not have the reputation as being as friendly as, say, Southerners, but the good people of Northern Vermont put to rest this lie.
Of course, being so close to Ben & Jerry's would improve anyone's attitude...
2.27.2007
2.26.2007
Religion of Peace
James Cameron of Titanic fame is coming out with a documentary that says the bones of Jesus and his family have been discovered.
Does this remind anyone else of Geraldo and the vault of Al Capone? One thing for sure, Christians will not be rioting in the streets calling for fatwas against Cameron.
Now it is possible, but does not make sense to me. After his very public ministry, Jesus did what? Retire? Marry and have a child? In obscurity? All these family members buried at various times and it never came up? Okay, I am willing to believe that Jesus did not matter to the Romans, but the Jews failed to mention it to the early converts? He was buried in Jerusalem for goodness sakes.
But I will TiVo it, so Cameron scores one I guess...
UPDATE: Or maybe not. Maybe there is a reason this has not sparked serious interest before.
Does this remind anyone else of Geraldo and the vault of Al Capone? One thing for sure, Christians will not be rioting in the streets calling for fatwas against Cameron.
Now it is possible, but does not make sense to me. After his very public ministry, Jesus did what? Retire? Marry and have a child? In obscurity? All these family members buried at various times and it never came up? Okay, I am willing to believe that Jesus did not matter to the Romans, but the Jews failed to mention it to the early converts? He was buried in Jerusalem for goodness sakes.
But I will TiVo it, so Cameron scores one I guess...
UPDATE: Or maybe not. Maybe there is a reason this has not sparked serious interest before.
2.21.2007
Strange Bedfellows
No BLOG fans, this isn't going to be a story about Thew's noctural activities with Mrs Right (middle name: Always)...
A-clod just DOESN'T get it. In some recent interviews with the press, he's admitted that his relationship with Derek Jeter has changed, perhaps not a good as it used to be. But it's all in the past, he says, we should just move on and play baseball together. We don't have to have sleepover parties and such, our friendship has cooled, etc etc etc.
What the hell are you saying? Basically, you're saying that you're no longer in the inner circle of one of the most beloved Yankees ever? Do you not understand what it is to be a Yankee? It's ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS with Jeter. It's not good enough to be a teammate who plays good baseball (except for the postseason, of course), it's about BEING A YANKEE. If that means sucking it up and bowing to the captain and kinda kissing his butt, then DO IT. Jeter will go to the well for you if you prove you're a YANKEE, which you haven't done, and the others will follow suit. Being on the same team doesn't mean you're a TEAMMATE! It's not good enough to play, you have to be a Yankee teammate.
Sheesh. He'll never get it. He'll never be a YANKEE. He'll be traded, even though Cashman isn't in a rush, he'll be gone.
A-clod just DOESN'T get it. In some recent interviews with the press, he's admitted that his relationship with Derek Jeter has changed, perhaps not a good as it used to be. But it's all in the past, he says, we should just move on and play baseball together. We don't have to have sleepover parties and such, our friendship has cooled, etc etc etc.
What the hell are you saying? Basically, you're saying that you're no longer in the inner circle of one of the most beloved Yankees ever? Do you not understand what it is to be a Yankee? It's ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS with Jeter. It's not good enough to be a teammate who plays good baseball (except for the postseason, of course), it's about BEING A YANKEE. If that means sucking it up and bowing to the captain and kinda kissing his butt, then DO IT. Jeter will go to the well for you if you prove you're a YANKEE, which you haven't done, and the others will follow suit. Being on the same team doesn't mean you're a TEAMMATE! It's not good enough to play, you have to be a Yankee teammate.
Sheesh. He'll never get it. He'll never be a YANKEE. He'll be traded, even though Cashman isn't in a rush, he'll be gone.
2.16.2007
Attracting Negative Attention
I think that gays have made much progress in their fight for recognition, but they have also done themselves a vast disservice in the manner that they have tried to achieve this, thereby slowing their progress.
"See My, I'm Gay, Deal With It!" Running around trumpeting the fact that your GAY AND FABULOUS (said with the proper lisp), drawing attention to your differences, cramming your gay-ness down peoples' throats, I think isn't quite the way to go about things. I used to work at one of the top Telecommunications companies, and probably 1/3 or our IT staff, centered on the DBA's for some reason, was gay. One of them, in particular, was VERY gay. Gaydar alarm gay. Grab the fire extinguisher gay. But (I'll call him) Dean was also a really fun guy, professional, had a great sense of humor, made me laugh, and was a quality DBA with a great knowledge of technical aspects and a focus on the customer, and we became good friends. Forcing people to acknowledge your homosexuality by shoving it into their faces (into their "personal space") makes them uncomfortable, and by doing this you foster a reaction of scorn. If you were much more subtle and pleasant and matter of fact about being gay, and your announcements and trumpeting of your love of the same sex were not plastered on page one of the newspaper, you'd find that people wouldn't feel so...well, threatened is not the true word here, but I'm going to use it anyway. Shouting on the rooftops that you're gay is making the huge issue of it, thereby causing a chain reaction where others make a huge deal of it, albeit on the negative side of acceptance. One of the reactions you have to consider is the fact that the more in their face you are about being gay, the more your audience will worry about the fact that you're going to prey on them sexually. Your behavior goes a long way in programming and determining the reaction of the people you tell.
"You're different, Deal with it" Differences, personalities, and behavior which are NOT "normal" in society, and frankly religious circles, are going to be frowned upon. Gays want to be recognized but they don't want people to think they are different - which in fact, they are. The natural human reaction among many people (the unelightened ones?) is to segregate and criticize behavior that is seen as different. So understand that you're different, non-standard, and that there are going to be some difficulties in getting people to accept you; but there will be difficulties, and you have to understand that in accepting you for "who you are" people are going to go through some stages, the first of which is usually "IEWWW, yer a fag, get away from me?".
Be patient. I'm sure that you can gain full acceptance and recognition, but if you push the issue according to a "we want it NOW" attitude all you are going to get in return in push back. See: black rights, women's suffrage, the designated hitter.
"See My, I'm Gay, Deal With It!" Running around trumpeting the fact that your GAY AND FABULOUS (said with the proper lisp), drawing attention to your differences, cramming your gay-ness down peoples' throats, I think isn't quite the way to go about things. I used to work at one of the top Telecommunications companies, and probably 1/3 or our IT staff, centered on the DBA's for some reason, was gay. One of them, in particular, was VERY gay. Gaydar alarm gay. Grab the fire extinguisher gay. But (I'll call him) Dean was also a really fun guy, professional, had a great sense of humor, made me laugh, and was a quality DBA with a great knowledge of technical aspects and a focus on the customer, and we became good friends. Forcing people to acknowledge your homosexuality by shoving it into their faces (into their "personal space") makes them uncomfortable, and by doing this you foster a reaction of scorn. If you were much more subtle and pleasant and matter of fact about being gay, and your announcements and trumpeting of your love of the same sex were not plastered on page one of the newspaper, you'd find that people wouldn't feel so...well, threatened is not the true word here, but I'm going to use it anyway. Shouting on the rooftops that you're gay is making the huge issue of it, thereby causing a chain reaction where others make a huge deal of it, albeit on the negative side of acceptance. One of the reactions you have to consider is the fact that the more in their face you are about being gay, the more your audience will worry about the fact that you're going to prey on them sexually. Your behavior goes a long way in programming and determining the reaction of the people you tell.
"You're different, Deal with it" Differences, personalities, and behavior which are NOT "normal" in society, and frankly religious circles, are going to be frowned upon. Gays want to be recognized but they don't want people to think they are different - which in fact, they are. The natural human reaction among many people (the unelightened ones?) is to segregate and criticize behavior that is seen as different. So understand that you're different, non-standard, and that there are going to be some difficulties in getting people to accept you; but there will be difficulties, and you have to understand that in accepting you for "who you are" people are going to go through some stages, the first of which is usually "IEWWW, yer a fag, get away from me?".
Be patient. I'm sure that you can gain full acceptance and recognition, but if you push the issue according to a "we want it NOW" attitude all you are going to get in return in push back. See: black rights, women's suffrage, the designated hitter.
More Musing on Life Styles
Some further thoughts on the gays struggle for acceptance. In "Gay in NJ", I said:
"I think gays do a disservice to their cause by using the courts to attempt wholesale change. I think this is because they are ultimately trying to impose moral acceptance as well as legal acceptance. I think I am like a great many Americans: while I support gay rights, I find gay sex repulsive. Does that make me a bigot? Maybe. Should the gay community care. No."
In a broader context, Jonah Goldberg in NRO discusses Dinesh D'Souza's contention that American culture does not always win the hearts and minds. But I think the issue is deeper and more complex than that. The imposition of culture, whether by accident or design, can provoke a visceral reaction. You need not look past our shore to see it. Agree or not, the movement to amend states' constitutions to define marriage as between a man and a women is the backlash against the imposition of gay marriage on the general populace. Further, you might see the rise of Evangelicals as a reaction to the imposition of a certain moral culture by Hollywood, coastal liberals, etc. on the rest of us.
I think the vast majority of people are willing to NOT impose their moral vision of the world on you, so long as you reciprocate. Liberal cultures (small "l" liberal) run up on the rocks is when they seek to impose their "culture" on an unwilling audience. The gays have run into that in the US and the US has run into it abroad.
Coming back to Hardaway's reaction, he may find gay sex disgusting. I do not believe he has anything to apologize for that. But to make the leap from "yuck" to "hate" is reprehensible.
"I think gays do a disservice to their cause by using the courts to attempt wholesale change. I think this is because they are ultimately trying to impose moral acceptance as well as legal acceptance. I think I am like a great many Americans: while I support gay rights, I find gay sex repulsive. Does that make me a bigot? Maybe. Should the gay community care. No."
In a broader context, Jonah Goldberg in NRO discusses Dinesh D'Souza's contention that American culture does not always win the hearts and minds. But I think the issue is deeper and more complex than that. The imposition of culture, whether by accident or design, can provoke a visceral reaction. You need not look past our shore to see it. Agree or not, the movement to amend states' constitutions to define marriage as between a man and a women is the backlash against the imposition of gay marriage on the general populace. Further, you might see the rise of Evangelicals as a reaction to the imposition of a certain moral culture by Hollywood, coastal liberals, etc. on the rest of us.
I think the vast majority of people are willing to NOT impose their moral vision of the world on you, so long as you reciprocate. Liberal cultures (small "l" liberal) run up on the rocks is when they seek to impose their "culture" on an unwilling audience. The gays have run into that in the US and the US has run into it abroad.
Coming back to Hardaway's reaction, he may find gay sex disgusting. I do not believe he has anything to apologize for that. But to make the leap from "yuck" to "hate" is reprehensible.
2.15.2007
Gays in Sports
Can't anyone be a bigot today? Why is Hardaway apologizing? He feels a little heat and goes all weak on us. Fag.
End sarcasm.
Thew is dead on. I would only quibble with "verb tense" here and there. There is no doubt that professional sports is not receptive to gays. But the status quo will not change unless there are more John Amaechis coming out. He has made it easier for the next guy and the one after that will be easier still.
Hardaway represents a point of view that comes from his heart, not his head. (I do not mean that in a good way.) When I was part of a fraternity, the thought of a gay Brother would not have sat well with me or the rest of the guys. Years removed, I know its wrong, but I still felt it.
I think, for me, the issue was that sex was always at the front of our "public" persona. Who are you going to "do"? Who are you doing? How many? We were young guys looking to score with girls. Promoting that image (and the resulting "successes") helped our fraternity recruit members and throw great parties well attended by the opposite sex. It fed into not only the public perception, but our own self image. For better or worse and psychologically very complicated. I would weakly say we were really nice guys, but we behaved like brutish cads.
In the midst of this sea of testosterone, the relationship between Brothers was very simple: beers and sports. Very simple. A openly gay Brother would have complicated all that (to say nothing of the total "blech" factor). I do not know if we, in fact, had a gay brother in our midst. But if we did, he would not have gotten one ounce of encouragement to come out of the closet.
Fraternities, sports teams, the military. None are particularly receptive to homosexuals. This will change, but over time.
More to follow on this issue...
End sarcasm.
Thew is dead on. I would only quibble with "verb tense" here and there. There is no doubt that professional sports is not receptive to gays. But the status quo will not change unless there are more John Amaechis coming out. He has made it easier for the next guy and the one after that will be easier still.
Hardaway represents a point of view that comes from his heart, not his head. (I do not mean that in a good way.) When I was part of a fraternity, the thought of a gay Brother would not have sat well with me or the rest of the guys. Years removed, I know its wrong, but I still felt it.
I think, for me, the issue was that sex was always at the front of our "public" persona. Who are you going to "do"? Who are you doing? How many? We were young guys looking to score with girls. Promoting that image (and the resulting "successes") helped our fraternity recruit members and throw great parties well attended by the opposite sex. It fed into not only the public perception, but our own self image. For better or worse and psychologically very complicated. I would weakly say we were really nice guys, but we behaved like brutish cads.
In the midst of this sea of testosterone, the relationship between Brothers was very simple: beers and sports. Very simple. A openly gay Brother would have complicated all that (to say nothing of the total "blech" factor). I do not know if we, in fact, had a gay brother in our midst. But if we did, he would not have gotten one ounce of encouragement to come out of the closet.
Fraternities, sports teams, the military. None are particularly receptive to homosexuals. This will change, but over time.
More to follow on this issue...
That's not a skeleton in my closet, it's my boy-toy!
So the sports world (well, mostly the pro basketball world) has been rocked by a couple of "scandals"...
John Amaechi, a quality if unspectacular center for several seasons, has come out of the closet. You can read an excerpt from his book "Man in the Middle" (no, I'm NOT going to go there...). Many questions abound about why he didn't come out earlier, why keep his life secret, yadda yadda yadda...
Well, in scandal number 2, we find out why. Tim Hardaway says "I hate gay people" and goes on to say things like "I wouldn't want him on my team", etc. Nice Tim. Way to promote the anti-gay sentiment. The next athlete who is gay will CERTAINLY out himself (herself?) now that you've set the landscape...
But frankly, I don't think a sport like the NBA is the right place for a player to come out. DEFINITELY not football, hockey, nor baseball. Look at the microcosm of sports and the people who play them today - the abundance of testosterone, masculinity, groupie promiscouity (e tu Shawn Kemp?), the entire attitude and presentation of professional athletes is "we are manly men, kicking ass, taking names, screwing bitches, we are the uber-mensch of the world!". Regardless of how good a player that person was, and regardless of how much acceptance gay people have garnered in the last however many years, I really don't think that it's good for a homosexual to come out while playing professional sports. Not because it will make them less of a person or player, but because their professional peers are, for the most part, homophobic. Or somewhat homophobic. They will ostracize and segregate their gay teammate, forcing him or her to lead a miserable and lonely existence. Sure, there will be some who don't care, but let me ask you this...of the people who said they "didn't care really" about Magic Johnson being HIV positive, how many of them do you think would trade physicality in the paint with him for a rebound, taking a chance to get a bit bloodied? NONE! Different diseases, same attitude.
By the way, in all this, Amaechi has conducted himself with class and dignity and without apology for who he is...his response to Tim the homophobe Hardaway? "It's what stops gay and lesbian people in the workplace from coming out."
John Amaechi, a quality if unspectacular center for several seasons, has come out of the closet. You can read an excerpt from his book "Man in the Middle" (no, I'm NOT going to go there...). Many questions abound about why he didn't come out earlier, why keep his life secret, yadda yadda yadda...
Well, in scandal number 2, we find out why. Tim Hardaway says "I hate gay people" and goes on to say things like "I wouldn't want him on my team", etc. Nice Tim. Way to promote the anti-gay sentiment. The next athlete who is gay will CERTAINLY out himself (herself?) now that you've set the landscape...
But frankly, I don't think a sport like the NBA is the right place for a player to come out. DEFINITELY not football, hockey, nor baseball. Look at the microcosm of sports and the people who play them today - the abundance of testosterone, masculinity, groupie promiscouity (e tu Shawn Kemp?), the entire attitude and presentation of professional athletes is "we are manly men, kicking ass, taking names, screwing bitches, we are the uber-mensch of the world!". Regardless of how good a player that person was, and regardless of how much acceptance gay people have garnered in the last however many years, I really don't think that it's good for a homosexual to come out while playing professional sports. Not because it will make them less of a person or player, but because their professional peers are, for the most part, homophobic. Or somewhat homophobic. They will ostracize and segregate their gay teammate, forcing him or her to lead a miserable and lonely existence. Sure, there will be some who don't care, but let me ask you this...of the people who said they "didn't care really" about Magic Johnson being HIV positive, how many of them do you think would trade physicality in the paint with him for a rebound, taking a chance to get a bit bloodied? NONE! Different diseases, same attitude.
By the way, in all this, Amaechi has conducted himself with class and dignity and without apology for who he is...his response to Tim the homophobe Hardaway? "It's what stops gay and lesbian people in the workplace from coming out."
2.14.2007
PTI or Pardon Tilam's Idiocy
Various and sundry from the sports world:
1) There is talk that Duke may not make the NCAA tournament. I suspect they will be in, but the outrage is how any team in the middle of their division can be ranked in the Top 25 at all. Prior to the rose color glasses being knocked off, Duke was ranked 16th while being .500 in the ACC. Of course, readers of TvT heard of Duke's woes early.
2) The USMNT beat Mexico 2 - 0 in Arizona. The US did not play particularly well, but they also did not have their first team. Mexico had their first team and could not put the ball in the net. Overall, my thought is that the USMNT needs more games like this where mental toughness helps win. Now the US is playing in Copa America against Argentina in late June. That will be more of a metric on how the team will fair in the future.
3) Lefty wins Pebble Beach. Good to have you back, Phil.
4) Boston University wins the Beanpot Championship and college hockey is ruled by Notre Dame. Mrs. Tilam's alma mater is ranked seventh in the nation, but she does not give a whit.
5) Speaking about alma mater's, mine is ranked 14th in DIII hoops. Go Maroons!
6) Marty S. is out as coach of San Diego. I am taking bets on whether the Bolts wil
l be in the playoffs next year.
7) Dodge is coming out with a very nice roadster called the Demon. (Okay, sports to cars as follows: Daytona 500 to NASCAR to fast cars to the Demon.) Nice.
8) My 8 years olds are 2 - 2 in their indoor league this year. While we are nearly an all-girls team, they are playing in a boys league. Not bad, but the difference between the sexes is starting to show.
9) It is snowing and I am smiling. Because next week the Tilam clan will be skiing at Stowe. No cellphones, no e-mail just a few feet of powder (and me trying to keep up with the little Tilams).
Ta-ta.
1) There is talk that Duke may not make the NCAA tournament. I suspect they will be in, but the outrage is how any team in the middle of their division can be ranked in the Top 25 at all. Prior to the rose color glasses being knocked off, Duke was ranked 16th while being .500 in the ACC. Of course, readers of TvT heard of Duke's woes early.
2) The USMNT beat Mexico 2 - 0 in Arizona. The US did not play particularly well, but they also did not have their first team. Mexico had their first team and could not put the ball in the net. Overall, my thought is that the USMNT needs more games like this where mental toughness helps win. Now the US is playing in Copa America against Argentina in late June. That will be more of a metric on how the team will fair in the future.
3) Lefty wins Pebble Beach. Good to have you back, Phil.
4) Boston University wins the Beanpot Championship and college hockey is ruled by Notre Dame. Mrs. Tilam's alma mater is ranked seventh in the nation, but she does not give a whit.
5) Speaking about alma mater's, mine is ranked 14th in DIII hoops. Go Maroons!
6) Marty S. is out as coach of San Diego. I am taking bets on whether the Bolts wil
l be in the playoffs next year.7) Dodge is coming out with a very nice roadster called the Demon. (Okay, sports to cars as follows: Daytona 500 to NASCAR to fast cars to the Demon.) Nice.
8) My 8 years olds are 2 - 2 in their indoor league this year. While we are nearly an all-girls team, they are playing in a boys league. Not bad, but the difference between the sexes is starting to show.
9) It is snowing and I am smiling. Because next week the Tilam clan will be skiing at Stowe. No cellphones, no e-mail just a few feet of powder (and me trying to keep up with the little Tilams).
Ta-ta.
2.12.2007
Global Warming
BTW, one thing I failed to mention is that there are other reasonable explanations to global warming other then human activity. Obviously, time will tell and further study is necessary, but that is my point. (Again, that human effluence contributes in some manner seems pretty logical, but how, in what way, to what degree and what should be done are fair questions.)
The scariest part of the sun spot explanation is the whole "lack of control" problem: we just can not stop that. The comforting part is that the cycle will change again...eventually.
The scariest part of the sun spot explanation is the whole "lack of control" problem: we just can not stop that. The comforting part is that the cycle will change again...eventually.
Gaffe? I Laugh!
Who said the best Super Bowl ads were restricted to those debuting during the Super Bowl rather then just appearing in a Super Bowl?
2.07.2007
Joke of the Day
A husband and wife were sitting on the couch one evening watching TV when the husband turned to his wife and said, "I bet you can't say something that will make me both happy and sad at the same time".
After thinking for a few minutes the wife replied, "Your dick is bigger than your brother's".
After thinking for a few minutes the wife replied, "Your dick is bigger than your brother's".
Darwinism at its Finest
Why do we continue to legislate against stupidity? Does the government feel THAT much responsible for saving us from ourselves? Read this article and see for yourself.
Now, while I really think that this accident was tragic, the young man in question is dead because he was stupid. Is it the manufacturer's fault? The bus driver's fault? Nope, the person was out in la-la land just rocking away and walked into the path of an oncoming bus. Why does the government continue to attempt to put into place completely useless and moronic laws like Mr Krueger wants to in order to protect society from the man in the mirror?
Some stupid old lady spills hot coffee on her lap and sues McDonald's? Cool, let's award her a buttload of cash and tell McDonald's to make their coffee colder. WHO IS THE IDIOT? The lady - sorry ma'am, but you're a moron. And McDonald's, not to mention society, shouldn't have to pay for your lack of intelligence.
I wish the government would keep outta this - if we're THAT stupid, then we deserve the consequences...
Now, while I really think that this accident was tragic, the young man in question is dead because he was stupid. Is it the manufacturer's fault? The bus driver's fault? Nope, the person was out in la-la land just rocking away and walked into the path of an oncoming bus. Why does the government continue to attempt to put into place completely useless and moronic laws like Mr Krueger wants to in order to protect society from the man in the mirror?
Some stupid old lady spills hot coffee on her lap and sues McDonald's? Cool, let's award her a buttload of cash and tell McDonald's to make their coffee colder. WHO IS THE IDIOT? The lady - sorry ma'am, but you're a moron. And McDonald's, not to mention society, shouldn't have to pay for your lack of intelligence.
I wish the government would keep outta this - if we're THAT stupid, then we deserve the consequences...
A minor gaffe
Yes, avid readers, Tilam has committed a foh pah! In his analysis of the Super Bowl adds, he offers his best of all time "...And, the all time best, Mean Joe?"
Thank god one of us is on the ball...The 1979 Mean Joe Green Coke commercial, which everyone agrees is a classic and would rightfully be ranked among the top 2 or 3 of all time, did not actually debut during the Super Bowl.
Perhaps we need a "stat-boy" like PTI, to correct us before we screw up in public...
Thank god one of us is on the ball...The 1979 Mean Joe Green Coke commercial, which everyone agrees is a classic and would rightfully be ranked among the top 2 or 3 of all time, did not actually debut during the Super Bowl.
Perhaps we need a "stat-boy" like PTI, to correct us before we screw up in public...
2.06.2007
Super Bowl Ads
Yep, this year was definitely a far cry from past. (Oh, Terry Tate were are you? MJ & Bird? And, the all time best, Mean Joe?)
About half of them were funny in parts. Martha Stewart wanting cilantro and the throw away line, "rookie" when he brings cumin. The lion saying "sexy, like Ricardo Montalban," and the other lion starting to talk and then saying "Ricardo Montalban?" The apes were funny. Rock, paper, scissors...BAM! The Blockbuster mouse was clever.
But nothing like years past. I seem to remember that there was at least one ad that was "must see TV" for days. Oh, well.
At least, pitchers and catchers report in the next two weeks...
About half of them were funny in parts. Martha Stewart wanting cilantro and the throw away line, "rookie" when he brings cumin. The lion saying "sexy, like Ricardo Montalban," and the other lion starting to talk and then saying "Ricardo Montalban?" The apes were funny. Rock, paper, scissors...BAM! The Blockbuster mouse was clever.
But nothing like years past. I seem to remember that there was at least one ad that was "must see TV" for days. Oh, well.
At least, pitchers and catchers report in the next two weeks...
Couple of final thoughts
Prince did a fantastic half-time show, I did not mention this before - just shows that the nearly 50 year old can still rock it BIG despite being what....5 foot nuthin?
The ads kinda sucked, I'm with Tilam on this one...but I particularly enjoyed the Snickers kiss and the Taco Bell Lions. Car-r-r-r-r-r-r-ne Asada!
The ads kinda sucked, I'm with Tilam on this one...but I particularly enjoyed the Snickers kiss and the Taco Bell Lions. Car-r-r-r-r-r-r-ne Asada!
The Game Was Up to Expectations
First, I appreciate the kudos from Thew.
Second, while I agree that Colts played solid football (certainly in the second half), I don't agree that the Bears defense or Grossman is to "blame" for the loss. I do believe that Dungy beat Smith and this was a coach's victory.
Turnovers were a factor. There were two muffed snaps that do not appear on the "fumble" line which were very important in stopping Bear's drives. That would make 8 "fumbles" and picks of which 5 were turnovers. Ouch.
Grossman did not play well, but WTF were the coaches think having him throw deep in the pouring rain? Manning was using short passes, running and the threat of going deep to march down the field. The Bears showed they could do that also, but then lost patience. And Grossman was not playing at the level necessary to make those plays. In summary, the Colts played within themselves and the Bears tried to do too much.
I agree about the whole "black" coach thing. Is the media saying that black coaches in the Super Bowl are a surprise because they are not as good? If not, drop the race thing. Tony Dungy is not a Hall of Fame black coach; he is a HoF coach who happens to have black skin. Lovie Smith (while not at Dungy's level yet) gives every indication that he will get there. Their skin color is not germane.
(In fairness, the media is always looking for an angle: oldest, youngest, first three legged coach, but adding adjectives that have no bearing on the underlying noun takes away from the main accomplishment: getting to the Super Bowl.)
On a final note: the ads were very disappointing. The Tilam family favorite was the Bud Light ad with the hitchhikers (Boy: "But he's got Bud Light." Girl: "And an ax!"). There were several that were cute, but none that were great.
Second, while I agree that Colts played solid football (certainly in the second half), I don't agree that the Bears defense or Grossman is to "blame" for the loss. I do believe that Dungy beat Smith and this was a coach's victory.
Turnovers were a factor. There were two muffed snaps that do not appear on the "fumble" line which were very important in stopping Bear's drives. That would make 8 "fumbles" and picks of which 5 were turnovers. Ouch.
Grossman did not play well, but WTF were the coaches think having him throw deep in the pouring rain? Manning was using short passes, running and the threat of going deep to march down the field. The Bears showed they could do that also, but then lost patience. And Grossman was not playing at the level necessary to make those plays. In summary, the Colts played within themselves and the Bears tried to do too much.
I agree about the whole "black" coach thing. Is the media saying that black coaches in the Super Bowl are a surprise because they are not as good? If not, drop the race thing. Tony Dungy is not a Hall of Fame black coach; he is a HoF coach who happens to have black skin. Lovie Smith (while not at Dungy's level yet) gives every indication that he will get there. Their skin color is not germane.
(In fairness, the media is always looking for an angle: oldest, youngest, first three legged coach, but adding adjectives that have no bearing on the underlying noun takes away from the main accomplishment: getting to the Super Bowl.)
On a final note: the ads were very disappointing. The Tilam family favorite was the Bud Light ad with the hitchhikers (Boy: "But he's got Bud Light." Girl: "And an ax!"). There were several that were cute, but none that were great.
2.05.2007
Finishing Strong
Well Well Well
Tilam saves the day with an ASTOUNDINGLY close 27-13 Bears win prediction. Now, truth be told I was rooting for the Colts, but my money was on the Bears, so I take a minor victory here...but Tilam's prediction comes very close to the actual final score, and kudos need to be passed out, regardless of how painful it is for me.
Some observations:
- The Colts weren't spectacular, but they played good, solid football. Well above average on the performance scale. They played like a Super Bowl winning team.
- The Bears defense was fallible and was clearly outplayed by the Colts defense. The defense in Chi-town that I thought would win the championship showed up on the other side of the ball - little role reversal here, with the Colts defense playing like the Bears had played and vis-versa.
- Rex Grossman turned out, on the big stage, to be the weak link. He threw 2 interceptions, including the perfect pass to the Colts' Kelvin Hayden early in the 4th quarter for that touchdown return.
- Turnovers, in my opinion, were NOT that much of a factor - Manning threw 1 interception, Grossman 2. The Bears took 2 fumbles, the Colts 2. So total turnovers were 5-3 for the Colts.
- Having the ball for 16 minutes more than the Bears was a key for the Colts. Manning loves to pick apart defenses with short underneath passes, while their running game makes up for the difference, and they played that to perfection with the Bears soft zone and linebackers dropping into coverage. Too much short space, which is perfectly fine for Peyton... The Colts pretty much dominated in every offensive category; first downs (24-11), passing (239-154), rushing (191-111), and ran SIGNIFICANTLY more offensive plays than the Bears (81-48, nearly twice).
- Lovie Smith and the Bears will be back here within 2 years. He is too good a coach and they are too good a team not to have another shot - watch for the Bears to pick up, YES, a quarterback in the off season. Grossman is a decent quarterback, but they need a top notch QB to bring them to the promised land.
Some annoyances:
- God is a Colts fan? What is up with these references to "doing it with the Lord"? Sheesh...
- When are we going to STOP looking at the color of a coaches skin and just say "Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy are frikkin' quality coaches"? Yes, it is significant that they are black, but things become issues only if you make them out to be one - blame the media for this useless hype. It's a tired subject in my humble opinion...
In other sports news...
The Cubs (THE CUBS!) spent $300 million this off-season acquiring free agents in a huge effort to put a winning team on the field. I can see retaining Aramis Ramirez and signing Alfonso Soriano to high deals, but shoveling $40M to Ted Lilly? What is up with that? Lilly sucked with Seattle and the Yankees, what makes them think he's going to be successful with the Cubs? Then again, he could be the next coming of Kenny Rogers in Detroit...
Tiger's streak is over at the Dubai...oh wait, it's NOT over. His streak is still at 7, since the Dubai Classic is a European Tour event...sorry, but that's going to be a record with an asterisk if he breaks it, I want him to win 12 consecutive STARTS, not 12 consecutive PGA tour events...big difference in my book.
Time to scoot, more to come later...
Tilam saves the day with an ASTOUNDINGLY close 27-13 Bears win prediction. Now, truth be told I was rooting for the Colts, but my money was on the Bears, so I take a minor victory here...but Tilam's prediction comes very close to the actual final score, and kudos need to be passed out, regardless of how painful it is for me.
Some observations:
- The Colts weren't spectacular, but they played good, solid football. Well above average on the performance scale. They played like a Super Bowl winning team.
- The Bears defense was fallible and was clearly outplayed by the Colts defense. The defense in Chi-town that I thought would win the championship showed up on the other side of the ball - little role reversal here, with the Colts defense playing like the Bears had played and vis-versa.
- Rex Grossman turned out, on the big stage, to be the weak link. He threw 2 interceptions, including the perfect pass to the Colts' Kelvin Hayden early in the 4th quarter for that touchdown return.
- Turnovers, in my opinion, were NOT that much of a factor - Manning threw 1 interception, Grossman 2. The Bears took 2 fumbles, the Colts 2. So total turnovers were 5-3 for the Colts.
- Having the ball for 16 minutes more than the Bears was a key for the Colts. Manning loves to pick apart defenses with short underneath passes, while their running game makes up for the difference, and they played that to perfection with the Bears soft zone and linebackers dropping into coverage. Too much short space, which is perfectly fine for Peyton... The Colts pretty much dominated in every offensive category; first downs (24-11), passing (239-154), rushing (191-111), and ran SIGNIFICANTLY more offensive plays than the Bears (81-48, nearly twice).
- Lovie Smith and the Bears will be back here within 2 years. He is too good a coach and they are too good a team not to have another shot - watch for the Bears to pick up, YES, a quarterback in the off season. Grossman is a decent quarterback, but they need a top notch QB to bring them to the promised land.
Some annoyances:
- God is a Colts fan? What is up with these references to "doing it with the Lord"? Sheesh...
- When are we going to STOP looking at the color of a coaches skin and just say "Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy are frikkin' quality coaches"? Yes, it is significant that they are black, but things become issues only if you make them out to be one - blame the media for this useless hype. It's a tired subject in my humble opinion...
In other sports news...
The Cubs (THE CUBS!) spent $300 million this off-season acquiring free agents in a huge effort to put a winning team on the field. I can see retaining Aramis Ramirez and signing Alfonso Soriano to high deals, but shoveling $40M to Ted Lilly? What is up with that? Lilly sucked with Seattle and the Yankees, what makes them think he's going to be successful with the Cubs? Then again, he could be the next coming of Kenny Rogers in Detroit...
Tiger's streak is over at the Dubai...oh wait, it's NOT over. His streak is still at 7, since the Dubai Classic is a European Tour event...sorry, but that's going to be a record with an asterisk if he breaks it, I want him to win 12 consecutive STARTS, not 12 consecutive PGA tour events...big difference in my book.
Time to scoot, more to come later...
2.02.2007
More Energy Nuttiness
Back to energy again, Charles Krauthammer talks about energy independence. You can just hear the annoyance in his prose. While I am not crazy about $4.00 per gallon gas, he is rock solid in his thinking.
I made a point last April about the silliness of the energy debate and even linked to another Krauthammer article. The energy "problem" is solvable and, compared to other problems, relatively easily. There is simply no will to do it.
Cowards.
I made a point last April about the silliness of the energy debate and even linked to another Krauthammer article. The energy "problem" is solvable and, compared to other problems, relatively easily. There is simply no will to do it.
Cowards.
The President Problem
Clive Crook in the National Journal gives an interesting assessment of the "problems" of the Bush presidency. It's not something obvious, but a point I have been making for awhile:
"[Crook's] point is this. The awesome obtuseness of the administration on the issue has created a falsely confident and passionate opposing consensus. Attitudes on that side can be just as tyrannical as they are within the White House. In both camps, the view is: You are either with us or against us -- and if you're against us, by the way, you're an idiot."
While I disagree with his equating the "obtuseness" of the administration (correct) with "tyranny" on both sides (this is a media created impression of Karl Rove and implies a knowing strategy that is simply lacking, hence "obtuse"), I do agree that Bush has been so polarizing that merely being anti-Bush seems to be a winning strategy. I do not believe, in fact, that the country is as anti-Bush as the numbers shows, but the Democrats seem to believe that fully and have crafted everything they are doing based on this position.
Being anti-Bush takes no thought. Criticisms without solutions is a sign of a lack of intellectual vigor. This is not what the country needs right now.
"[Crook's] point is this. The awesome obtuseness of the administration on the issue has created a falsely confident and passionate opposing consensus. Attitudes on that side can be just as tyrannical as they are within the White House. In both camps, the view is: You are either with us or against us -- and if you're against us, by the way, you're an idiot."
While I disagree with his equating the "obtuseness" of the administration (correct) with "tyranny" on both sides (this is a media created impression of Karl Rove and implies a knowing strategy that is simply lacking, hence "obtuse"), I do agree that Bush has been so polarizing that merely being anti-Bush seems to be a winning strategy. I do not believe, in fact, that the country is as anti-Bush as the numbers shows, but the Democrats seem to believe that fully and have crafted everything they are doing based on this position.
Being anti-Bush takes no thought. Criticisms without solutions is a sign of a lack of intellectual vigor. This is not what the country needs right now.
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