Playing the “Gotcha” game…

Let’s face it… We all have people or things in life we hate… and sometimes we want to take someone or something down a notch for whatever grievance we have against a particular person or things.  Political correctness is the manifestation of this “gotcha” game.

Both Liberal and Conservative People alike love to play this game.  Liberals play the game as a means to balance the world and promote fairness, justice, and equality for any reason.  In doing so, they also hope to elevate themselves in the subconscious of the masses.  At the same time it is a means to destroy people or things whose lifestyles or choices they despise.  It could be Paula Deen, Hank Williams Jr., or Phil Robertson.  All they have to do is find that weak link in the persona (whether it’s about race, creed, sexual orientation, etc.), twist it just a little bit, and BAM!   A career is damaged, a particular diversity group is elevated, and Liberals can feel good about themselves.

But Conservatives also play the “Gotcha” Game and play it just as well.  For Conservatives, their motivation is more of the “Expose the Liberal Hypocrites” who promote fairness, equality, and that everyone should love each other—except conservatives, and then they can call them every expletive and vile word in the book.  Martin Bashir, Alec Baldwin, and Bill Maher are just some examples of people who Conservatives believe show this double-standard.  Taking people down who willing to pass judgment without looking in a mirror themselves provides a certain level of justice in their eyes.

This game will continue because both sides feel that the scales need to be balanced in their favor.  Neither side will ever call the gotcha game and the back and forth will continue forever—which is sad because no one really wins in the long run in the gotcha game.  Whether it divine providence or just plain “Karma”, those who point the finger will eventually get paid back—in spades.  It may not happen immediately, next week, next month, next year, or next decade.  But the forces of the Universe always find a way to square the accounts of each and every being—one way or another, whether in this world or the next.

Just remember… while you are verbally chastising a star of “Duck Dynasty”, an msnbc host, or a Government Agency now, one day you will take your turn being the human pinata.  And then maybe you’ll understand that old phrase:  “When you point a finger at someone, three fingers are always pointing back at you.”

Just something to think about in this season of Hope and Wonder…

Tale of the Tape - Ohio State/Michigan vs. Alabama/Auburn

(stolen from and with apologies to Nick Bakay)
Everybody knows that the greatest College Football Rivalry of all time is Army/Navy and it will be as long as there is a United States.  But what is the greatest current rivalry in College Football?  Is it Ohio State/Michigan or Alabama/Auburn?  To find out, I put together a list of 21 different factors to determine which rivalry is better.  Each category will be rated either Ohio State/Michigan is better, Alabama/Auburn is better, or push with an explanation as optional.  Here we go...

1.  ALTERNATE NAME FOR RIVALRY GAME - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: "The Game"; ALABAMA/AUBURN: "The Iron Bowl".  ADVANTAGE: Alabama/Auburn. Most Americans know "The Game" is the title of the Harvard/Yale Rivalry Game, not Ohio State/Michigan.
2.  CONFERENCE - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: Big Ten; ALABAMA/AUBURN: SEC.  ADVANTAGE: Alabama/Auburn.
3.  VENUES - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: The Horseshoe & Ann Arbor; ALABAMA/AUBURN: Tuscaloosa & The Plains. ADVANTAGE: Ohio State/Michigan. Michigan Stadium seats over 113,000. Nuff said.
4.  NATIONAL TITLES - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: Combined for 30, but just 8 in Poll Era. ALABAMA/AUBURN: Combined for 24, but 12 in Poll Era.  ADVANTAGE: Push.
5.  HEISMAN TROPHY WINNERS - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: 10 (Archie Griffin counts twice); ALABAMA/AUBURN: 4.  ADVANTAGE:  Ohio State/Michigan.
6.  ICONIC COACHES - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: "Woody" & "Bo"; ALABAMA/AUBURN: "Bear" & "Shug".  ADVANTAGE: Alabama/Auburn.  Bo was the only coach of the four who didn't win a National Title.
7.  ICONIC PLAYERS - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: Archie Griffin and Tom Brady; ALABAMA/AUBURN: Joe Namath & "Bo" Jackson.  ADVANTAGE: Push.  Brady may have more Super Bowl Rings and Archie is the only player to win back-to-back Heismans, but Joe Namath won the biggest game in Super Bowl history under the bright lights of New York City and Bo in his prime will never be replicated on the football field or the baseball diamond.
8.  MODERN ICONIC MOMENT IN RIVALRY - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: "Hellooooooo Heisman!" (Desmond Howard in 1991); ALABAMA/AUBURN: "Bo Over the Top" (Bo Jackson in 1982).  ADVANTAGE: Ohio State/Michigan. The Heisman pose was brilliant in its execution.
9.  BANDS & ITS SONGS - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: "Script Ohio" & "Hail to the Victors"; ALABAMA/AUBURN: "Rammer Jammer" & "War Eagle" ADVANTAGE:  Ohio State/Michigan.  2 bonus points because Ohio State is the best band in the land and because of Script Ohio.
10. CHANTS - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: "O-H! I-O!" & "Go Big Blue!"; ALABAMA/AUBURN: "Roll Tide!" & "War Eagle!". ADVANTAGE: Alabama/Auburn. Any time you can add cuss words into the middle of the chant and it works is a bonus.
11. DOCUMENTARY - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: "The Rivalry" on HBO, narrated by Liev Schreiber; ALABAMA/AUBURN: "Roll Tide/War Eagle" as part of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary series, narrated by Wright Thompson.  ADVANTAGE: Slight edge to Alabama/Auburn. If you have never heard Wright Thompson narrate a documentary, you are missing out. Wright Thompson is just as good of a narrator as Liev Schreiber is.  And Ohio State/Michigan's documentary was a little too Sunday School to be on HBO.  Jim McKay's Documentary is the only documentary on HBO that is allowed to be TV-PG.  Got it, Buckeyes & Wolverines?
12. TRADITIONAL BOWLS PLAYED FOR - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: The Rose Bowl; ALABAMA/AUBURN: The Sugar Bowl. ADVANTAGE: Ohio State/Michigan.  Pasadena is generally awesome in January.
13. GOLDEN AGE OF RIVALRY - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: "The 10-Year War"; ALABAMA/AUBURN: 2009 & 2010. ADVANTAGE: Alabama/Auburn. Little-known fact: During "The 10-Year War", Alabama won at least a share of more National Titles (2) than Ohio State & Michigan combined (1).
14. HAPLESS RIVALRY COACH - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: John Cooper; ALABAMA/AUBURN: Bill Curry. ADVANTAGE: Ohio State/Michigan.  How many potential National Titles did Michigan cost Cooper? At least 3...
15. SKULLDUGGERY - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: The whole Jim Tressel era; ALABAMA/AUBURN: Poisoning Toomer's Corner Oak Trees. ADVANTAGE: Auburn/Alabama. Tressel doesn't even rise up to the level of the Gene Jelks espionage scandal. And Michigan fans aren't insane enough to poison Buckeye trees.
16. BEAUTIFUL SCENERY - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: Um... um...; ALABAMA/AUBURN: "The Bear Bryant Twins" & Katherine Webb.  ADVANTAGE:  Alabama/Auburn (you have to ask?)
17. FASHION STATEMENT - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: Sweater vest; ALABAMA/AUBURN: Houndstooth Fedora. ADVANTAGE: Alabama/Auburn.
18. MASCOTS - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: Buckeyes & Wolverines; ALABAMA/AUBURN: Elephants & Tigers. ADVANTAGE: Alabama/Auburn. Seriously, who is intimidated by a tree nut?
19. RIVALRY GENESIS - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: Border war in the 1830s; ALABAMA/AUBURN: The Civil War and a 40 Year Stoppage due to arguing who should referee the game that ended when the Alabama State legislature forced the two teams to meet.  ADVANTAGE: Alabama/Auburn.  Ohio & Michigan fought over Toledo. Seriously, they fought a war over Toledo?!?  I hope Ohio lost the war and was forced to take Toledo!
20. RAISING FAN TEMPERATURES - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: Telling corny jokes about the opposition; ALABAMA/AUBURN: Screaming at each other on the Paul Finebaum Radio Network all year.  ADVANTAGE: Alabama/Auburn.
21. TRADITIONAL GAME TIME - OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN: Noon. ALABAMA/AUBURN: 3:30 pm. ADVANTAGE: Push. For most Buckeye & Wolverine fans, a noon start means they can leave at 3:30 pm in time to get to the Early Bird Special at Denny's. And a later start allow mostly Tide & Tigers fans to get liquored up good.

So there you have it.  In the end, the Overall Edge goes to Alabama/Auburn. And unfortunately for Big Ten fans, it doesn't appear that Ohio State and Michigan can match the intensity of Alabama and Auburn anytime soon.

A decision the Atlanta Braves will regret…

One of the great things about my childhood was my father taking me on the Marta Subway train on warm summer nights from the Avondale train station.  We would get off at the Georgia State/Capitol station, and walk past the Capitol working our way South, crossing over the Downtown Connector and I-20 to ultimately reach Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium to watch the Atlanta Braves play baseball games.  Sure, the Braves weren’t exactly good in those days and the stadium was a hellhole, but it was fun to watch those games and it was cheap entertainment in those days.

The Atlanta Falcons also played football in that stadium for many years as well.  I love to tell the story of how my dad and I watched a pre-season NFL game there against the Eagles in 1991 when a Rookie 3rd-string QB was trying his best to stay on the team by throwing darts all over the field.  That QB’s name?  Brett Favre.  I hear he went on to have a pretty decent NFL career…

Anyways, the Falcons left Fulton-County Stadium after the 1991 season for the Georgia Dome which was built closer near the GA World Congress Center and the Omni (later replaced by Phillips Arena).  And after five more seasons, the Braves would leave the place where Henry Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th home run to move across the street to the Olympic Stadium (reconfigured to a baseball stadium design and renamed Turner Field).  Fulton-County is long gone, and I never watched a game inside Turner Field, but knowing the Braves had not moved far was a comfort.

Or at least it was until this morning.  The Atlanta Braves announced that after the 2016 season, they will not renew their lease to Turner Field and will instead move to a new yet-to-be-built facility in Cobb County, near the intersection of I-75 and I-285.  It was pointed out to me that most Braves executive live in the County famous for taking very conservative stances on social issues in the 1990s, which made at least one of my GA friends suggest that neighborhood politics may have been involved in the decision.  But the decision are gives the middle finger to any fans who live south and east of the city of Atlanta, as well as those who live in the city and use Marta to commute to the games.   It’s a mistake.

Yes, I know the Falcons are about to leave the Georgia Dome to move to a new stadium, but at least they are staying in the vicinity of the old stadium, so new real new infrastructure has to be built.  But the Braves?  How are fans going to get to the games?  You are putting the facility near one of the busiest interchanges in the Southeast, you don’t have Marta access to the area of the Stadium, and you expect things to be OK?  Good luck!

In the 1980s we all saw the famous bumper stickers around Atlanta that said “Go Braves and take the Falcons with you.”  This was back when both teams sucked and were considering moves (the Braves to Tampa-St. Pete & the Falcons to Jacksonville).  Now that the Braves have been a good team for a long time, they have decided to leave Atlanta for good.  The impact will be felt and it will further strain the richer northern suburbs from the poorer southern suburbs.  It also is a blow for a city trying to revitalize a downtown area that is just now beginning to show recovery after decades of decay.

I wish the Braves would reconsider.  Turner Stadium by all accounts is a great stadium.  There is no need to build a new stadium or renovate Turner field for at least a decade.  Fulton-County survived for 31 years.  Why build a new stadium elsewhere?

The loss of little boys and girls walking down city streets to attend a baseball game cannot be easily replaced.  Those fans will never come back.  And you will lose fans for this, Braves.  Mark my words!  This is a decision that will come back to haunt the Braves.

Mourning a Video Rental Goliath…

By now, most people have heard that Blockbuster Video will shutter the last of its 300 company-owned brick-and-mortar stores AND it’s DVD-by-mail operations within the next 2 months.  The few remaining franchise stores will also likely shutter their operations around that time or shortly after, meaning Blockbuster won’t even make it to it’s 30th birthday, which would have occurred in 2015.

It’s a dramatic fall for a company that once dominated Video Rentals, Game Rentals, and even dabbed a little bit into Music Stores.  Blockbuster ran smaller Video Rental operations into the ground.  Turtles, Tower Records & Video, and other companies ultimately caved to a chain that less than a decade ago had 9000 stores.  Blockbuster was so popular once upon a time that people fought for parking spaces at the stores on Friday nights.  My wife even worked at Blockbuster for a time.

Ultimately, Blockbuster fell victim to similar circumstances that knocked Kodak out of the camera business and has left BlackBerry smartphones in tatters.  Blockbuster failed to adapt to changing circumstances, like those other two companies.  Kodak failed to adjust to the rise of digital photography, even though they were the first to create it.  Kodak has apparently survived, but it will never be the same company again.  And although BlackBerry created the first smartphone, their failure to adjust to changing demands left Apple and Google a path to run BlackBerry towards the cliffs of extinction.  In Blockbuster’s case, streaming Video over the Internet and cheaper alternatives like Netflix and Redbox destroyed Blockbuster.  There were other reasons for Blockbuster’s collapse, and I’m sure other people can explain why Blockbuster went from American titan to fading memory.

With Blockbuster now joining the pile of companies from my past that have come and gone, like Circuit City, KB Toys, Steak & Ale Restaurants, and others, I wonder if anyone will really care about Blockbuster’s demise.  What do you remember about Blockbuster Video Stores?

A Geek Looks at 40…

By now, you have seen my new FB Cover and Profile Pics.  With the Big 4-0 now just hours away, I thought it would be an appropriate time to pay homage to my past, look at the present, and wonder about the future in pictures…

The Cover Photo honors my past.  A picture was taken from approximately each year of my life, starting from my first year (Age 0) to my 40th (Age 39).  The first 18 years were easy, thanks to my sister, Sheri, putting together a scrapbook as part of my High School Graduation gift.  Because I got my first Digital Camera in 2003, the last 10 years have been easy to catalogue.  And thankfully, my sisters and I were able to fill in any gaps in-between with other pics.

The Profile Pic is my official 40th Birthday Pic.  It’s inspiration was taken from The Fab 4 and the cover of their 1963 album “With the Beatles”.  I knew to pull this off, I needed professional help.  Luckily, there is a Professional Photographer in the family whom I called upon to take the picture (thank you to Angela Zaloudek Photography). 

One interpretation is that it’s my way of saying that I exist in two worlds:  the world I choose to show, and the world I choose not to show.  Rarely do those worlds collide.  But another interpretation that I prefer is that it is my past and future colliding in the present.  Given that life expectancy for men is about or less than 80 at present, it’s probable at least half of my life’s journey is complete.  The part that is showing is my past, while the part that is hidden is my future.  And (hopefully) the future part will slowly reveal itself as time permits. 

Like my Blog Profile suggests:  “You think you know me? You don't know my full story, but maybe by following this blog, the complete picture will come into focus.”  Even I don’t completely know myself today.  The future can change me in ways that are unpredictable.  I hope I can retire, and travel the world someday.  But the future does not guarantee that.  This journey will be exciting and scary, but for now I am content that I will not be alone in my journey.  My wife, my son, my soon-to-be born daughter, my extended family, and my friends will be there as long as they can.  And I believe a Divine Power is also with me.

So while it is time to celebrate the past in the present, it is also time to begin revealing the future.  Time to let the rest of the picture come into focus…

Time to expose the Dallas Cowboys…

Once again, the NFL season is in its early stages and once again the fans of America’s Team and ESPN Sports Broadcasters are crowing about how great the Dallas Cowboys are.  They are talking about Tony Romo as an elite HOF QB, the Defense is ferocious, and this is the year Dallas makes that long-awaited Super Bowl return…

Shut up.

Let’s look at the facts… Yes, Dallas has won 3 Super Bowls since Jerry Jones took over ownership of the Cowboys in 1989 and started the team over from scratch.  Yes, Dallas has won 5 Super Bowls with three different coaches (Landry, Johnson, and Switzer) and is tied with Pittsburgh for the most Super Bowl appearances at 8.  Yes, Dallas has a great legacy, great players, a great stadium, and beautiful cheerleaders.

But…

Dallas has not come close to a Super Bowl since their last appearance in 1996.  And their playoff record since that Super Bowl XXX victory is poor… when they have somehow survived the final game of the regular season to make the playoffs.

Let’s look at some more facts…

FACT:  Pittsburgh has more Super Bowl rings (6) than Dallas (5).  And if you want to factor in NFL Champions as part of the comparison, Green Bay and Chicago have won far more NFL Titles than Dallas has.

FACT:  Since Dallas last won a Super Bowl, they have won just twice in the playoffs (once in the 1996 playoffs, and once in 2009).  To put that in perspective, 24 of the other 31 teams in the NFL have won MORE playoff games than Dallas has.  That 3/4 of the league right there.  Two other teams (Houston and Washington) have won as many playoff games as Dallas—and Houston has only been in the league since 2002.  The only team to win fewer playoff games than Dallas?  KC (0), CIN (0), CLE (0), BUF (0), and DET (0).

FACT:  All NFC South and NFC West Division Teams have appeared in the Super Bowl since Dallas last went there.  Yes, that includes the Arizona Cardinals, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Carolina Panthers.  Tampa Bay and New Orleans have not only appeared in the Super Bowl, they actually won a Super Bowl.

FACT:  Jacksonville may be a laughingstock now, but they have been in more Conference Championships games (2) than Dallas has (0) since Dallas last appeared in the Super Bowl.

FACT:  The Baltimore Ravens did not exist as a franchise when Dallas last won a Super Bowl.  The Ravens have now won 2.

FACT:  Dallas last won a playoff game on the road in the 1992 NFC Championship Game.  To put that in perspective, the Baltimore Ravens have won 9 road playoff games since Dallas won one. 

FACT:  New England, Denver, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Baltimore, and the New York Giants have all won multiple Super Bowls since Dallas last won theirs.  St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, and New Orleans have each won one ring during that time as well.

FACT:  Tony Romo struggles late in the season and in the postseason.  People try to make the argument that he is a better QB than Roger Staubach or Troy Aikman.  Maybe statwise, but those two hold all the Cowboy Super Bowl Rings.  Romo has yet to even approach Danny White’s postseason success—or even Don Meredith.  And Romo is now in his 7th full season as the starting QB.  I have seen no indication that he has evolved into the elite QB that he needs to be.  In fact, his legacy right now is making bug mistakes at the worst possible times.  See Seattle in 2006, NY Giants in 2007, Philly in 2008, and Washington last season.

Face it, Cowboy fans and ESPN apologists like Colin Cowherd… Until Dallas gets to an NFC Championship Game, much less a Super Bowl, Tony Romo, Jerry Jones, and the Dallas Cowboys will continue to be questioned and mocked.  No one is mocking Joe Flacco.  Even though he doesn’t have the great regular season stats, Joe wins in the post-season.  And now he has a Super Bowl Ring.

So Cowboy apologists had better hope Dallas wins this season.  Otherwise, the mockings will continue.

Just the way Miley planned it…

By now, everyone has seen or heard about Miley Cyrus’ performance at the MTV Video Music Awards.  Those who haven’t don’t care and don’t want to know.  Regardless, many people were shocked to see the performance either live or in replay.  Whatever innocence the one-time star of Disney’s Hannah Montana had was not just erased by her twerking and violating people in teddy bear and Beetlejuice costumes, it was nuked.  Miley will never be able to escape the images that have now been emblazoned in many people’s minds.

But it appears that it was exactly what the woman born Destiny Hope Cyrus wanted.

Make no mistake, anyone who had followed the career of Miley knew she was heading down this path the moment Hannah Montana made its debut.  The daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus was more than willing to go down this path, and her parents did everything possible to enable the chain of events that led to this moment.  In late 2007, I knew Miley’s career would transition to porn fodder and said so to my wife when we visited Disney World.  Miley had just turned 15 at the time, and was still trying to convince her fans she was the innocent country girl persona that she displayed on TV.  But the Childhood Fame Monster that had claimed Miley’s predecessors, Brittney, Christina, Lindsey, and other Mouseketeers was closing in on her at the time.  Within 2 years, Miley was posing topless with her dad in photo spreads, even though she was not legal in age.

And once she turned 18 and broke free of the Disney restrictions, Miley openly show her unrestricted side.  The change was almost instantaneous.  Miley began to show her body in ways that left little to the imagination.  Still her fans clung to the hope that she was just going through a phase.  Her engagement to Australian actor, Liam Hemsworth was seen as a step toward normalcy and it seemed that she might settle down, pursue a decent music career, and maybe go into acting.

But once the New Years’ Ball dropped on 2013, Miley kicked into overdrive in the outrageous things she was doing.  The cutting of the hair and the bleaching of it shocked a lot of people.  My wife openly wondered if Miley was a lesbian.  Then the sticking of the tongue out at events.  It was also clear that Miley and Liam were not as tight-knit as an engaged couple.  Though it appeared the main male protagonist of “The Hunger Games” broke off the engagement or at least postponed the wedding day, Miley showed off her engagement ring as if to say, “I’m still engaged, b****es!”  Liam and Miley have been rarely seen in public, and when they have, it has not been as a truly lovey dovey couple.  Then came the VMA awards, and the rest is history.

If you think Miley has gone off the deep end, think again.  Miley wants everyone to talk about her.  She saw what Charlie Sheen did when he went off the deep end, and saw similar spikes when Amanda Bynes went crazy.  Miley also took a page out of the Madonna playbook.  The Material Cougar has been at this for so long and done so many outrageous things, but has always appeared to remain in control.  Miley figured if Madonna could do it, she could too.

And she got what she wanted:  attention.  But Miley made a huge miscalculation in her attempts to shock people into looking at her.  African-Americans looked at her performance and saw racism.  Feminists screamed that Miley’s twerking was an insult to women’s rights.  A wide range of political opposites united to either mock Miley or outright condemn her.  People turned their outrage which had just been on Ben Affleck for becoming the new Batman onto her.  The only people that seemed to come to her defense were musicians and her mom, who gave her a Standing O after the raunchy number.  After all, VMAs has done some pretty outrageous things in the past, why stop now?  Heck, Lady Gaga went Lady Gaga during that same event and hardly anyone was giving Gaga heat. 

After the VMAs, Miley just Can’t Stop.  Everything she is doing makes headlines.  Now comes word that she joined Justin Bieber twerking in a new video.  Oh goody.  Justin and Miley, the perfect pairing of a new generation.  Also, she teamed up with Kanye West on a project.  Heck, why not bring in the Kardashians while you’re at it.

A wise teacher about 2000 years ago, once said:  “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet loses his soul?”  Miley and others like her have traded their souls for fame, wealth, and an honor that is fleeting.  Short term, she is “winning”.  Long term?  Don’t we all know how this will end?  Only Miley can Stop Miley now—and the longer she waits to change course, the harder it will be to come back to even a reasonable amount of respectability among the masses.