Illustration for Haiti Donations
Made for an op-ed for the Daily Californian. It’s a little late, but click on it to read the piece and find out how to help.
Globalization and Starbucks Theory, reconsidered
Here you see the successful transmission of American cultural vanguards – Die Hard action films, the movie theater experience, cleavage, and trashy pop music – to Ukraine and Russia.
As much as the citizens may enjoy saying “Yipeekayay, Motherfucker”, I’d have thought they’d prefer importing civil liberties and respect for human rights instead. Guess not.
Just a thought while watching Kansas State-Texas
Has Bob Knight ever been happy in the broadcast booth?
For the better part of an hour and a half, the only thing he has contributed to ESPN’s telecast of the game is for the players to “move around more”. Sure, the style of play hasn’t been all that pretty, but couldn’t the General have anything positive to say (or, at very the least, some emotion to accompany his discontent)?
The contempt I hold against him for his seemingly endless grudge against Cal (his respect for Pete Newell aside, re-watch the Kansas game, or time travel backwards to ESPN College Gameday coming to Berkeley and you’ll see what I mean) is secondary; the man seriously doesn’t seem like he should (or wants to be) in the booth. He doesn’t appear to exact any pleasure from calling games – and it’s not an age thing, as the examples of Dick Vitale and Bill Raftery would attest to.
Some people may enjoy his commentary as “straight shooting” or “telling it like it is”, but I just see it as ranting and nothing more than background noise.
I think it may be, after over 40 years of coaching, his desire to jump into the game and correct the errors made by players – a great feature for a coach, not so much for a commentator; and at the same time, he is unable to make these correction, not being on the side lines – a handicap that only seems to contribute to his senility. In the end, he seems completely removed from the game (despite Musberger’s best efforts to integrate him), and yet at the same time gets in the way of watching it.
To be sure, striking the right balance between actual knowledge and experience from athletes and coaches one hand, and competence by trained announcers on the other, is difficult. Knight just doesn’t have it.
In the mean time: Onions, double order.
Especially for the San Diego Chargers:
Presenting, a kicker who can make field goals against the Jets:
Why Pac-10 Fans Should Be Excited About Lane Kiffin To USC
And it has nothing to do with football
College Football as a Political Talking Point
Here’s the latest internet ad as part of incumbent Rick Perry’s Texas gubernatorial campaign. (H/T: The Atlantic)
And here’s an ad by his opponent, Kay Bailey Hutchinson:
Maybe if Texas lost to Nebraska, one candidate would have accused the other of supporting the BCS…
10 Thoughts From College Football Bowl Season
With the National Championship Game (for the time being, it can be legally called that) between Texas and Alabama on the horizon, I figure I’d recap some quick thoughts from the other games leading up to the big one – you know, seeing as the bowl season has been my life for the past two weeks. I’ll try to spread the field as much as possible.
1. Having just watched the thrilling GMAC Bowl between Troy and Central Michigan, let me be the latest person to jump on the Dan LeFevour bandwagon (Antonio Brown ain’t bad, either). That game was the second most exciting bowl this season, exceeded only by:
2. The Humanitarian Bowl. Seriously, raise your hand if you actually had some sort interest or stake in this game. But what is it with the state of Idaho and exciting bowl games? First Boise State in ‘07, then this two years later (on the Broncos’ field, no less). Shades of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, I say.
3. Speaking of Boise: how many Cal fans think Tedford would have the chutzpah to go for the two-point conversion at the end? Or try a fake punt on 4th-and-9 in a tied BCS game?
- That play narrowly beat out these two defensive plays in the Auburn-Northwestern game for the best plays of the bowl season so far.
4. Nice job, Cal and the Pac-10:
- I’m somewhat relieved the Bears didn’t go to the Holiday Bowl after all; one can only imagine the nightmares the offensive line and Kevin Riley would have after facing Nebraska.
- In Vereen I trust. Cal’s secondary, special teams, and quarterback? Eh, not so much.
- Not sure too many fans would trust Tavita Pritchard over Toby Gerhart on 4th-and-2 with the game on the line, Coach Harbaugh.
- UCLA: It’s Temple. I repeat, Temple.
- What a roller coaster year for LaGarrette Blount. From goat, to redemption, and back to goat again.
- Touche, Mountain West.
5. You look at the Rose Bowl score (26-17) and time of possession (41:37 – 18:23) without watching the game, and immediately think “Tressel Ball” was the key. You didn’t see him let Terrelle Pryor loose.
- At last, Big 10 BCS redemption. Feels sweet, does it not?
6. With finals having just ended, some schools winding up in disappoining bowl games, recruiting season being in full swing, coaching distractions (getting fired, leaving, or temporarily stepping down), injuries or suspensions in effect, and at least two or three weeks passing since a team’s last game, is it any wonder that gambling on Bowl Pick’em isn’t the safest thing to do with your money?
7. And June Jones resurrects another program. Well done, sir. Also: it’s been a pleasure, Bobby Bowden.
8. Support our troops – and watch their football teams, too! The triple option will attack defenses from the air and the from the sea.
9. And the SI cover jinx strikes again! Combined stats for Jeremiah Masoli, Darryl Clark, Jevan Snead, and Zac Robinson? 53-for-110, 583 passing yards, one touchdown, and eight interceptions.
10. Three thoughts on the National Championship Game:
- Final Score prediction: 33-17, Alabama. History (versus the Longhorns and for Heisman winners) points directly against the Tide, but the boys in Crimson will turn it in their favor for three reasons: a) Their offense doesn’t depend on two players, b) Their offense schooled a deeper Florida defense, c) Nick Saban may not be serious about his coaching destinations, but he is serious about not allowing a repeat of last year’s Sugar Bowl.
- No matter the outcome, the push for a playoff will grow even stronger after this season, which will be the second consecutive one ending with two undefeated teams.
- Can you believe that Cincinnati-Florida could very well have been the National title contest?
Pete Rose Award Nominee: Gilbert Arenas
Gilbert Arenas’ unrepentant tweet following his gun incident in the Washington Wizards locker gets the nod here:
“I understand this is serious..but if u ever met me you know i dont do serious things im a goof ball this story today dont sound goofy to me.”
It’s helpful to think about the damage the the former All-Star guard has done over the course of a few days:
- This is the last thing the NBA needed, given the image problem that the league has tried so hard to reconstruct after the brawl at the Palace, the Jayson Williams shooting, the Jail Blazers era, as well as the Delonte West, Stephen Jackson, Antoine Walker, and Lonny Baxter incidents. And fans wondered why there were so many “NBA: Where Caring Happens” commercials – not that they’ll be of any help in the near future.
- This is the last thing Arenas’ own credibility needed; he already needed to convince critics that he is worth his six-year, $111 million contract. Only now, Arenas’ injury history is no longer the biggest question mark. Furthermore, he will probably have to change his nickname (Agent Zero may not be the most popular moniker out there anymore).
- Finally (and perhaps most overlooked), this is the last thing his own team needed; the Wizards must now attempt to regroup from a disappointing season start while facing a flurry of new distractions.
The question still begs – even if he feels completely apathetic about the whole issue, why not at least say something different in public? Do people really need to know that pulling a gun on a teammate is Arenas’ idea of humor (or potentially dispute resolution)?
Dwight K. Schrute would sum this up nicely: “Not everything has to be a lesson. Sometimes you just fail.”
Mike Leach to the Raiders: Commitment to Excellence, or to Insanity?
Just trying to get my thoughts out on this possible deal, according sources close to the Dan Patrick Show.
Let’s just do this pro-con style.
Pros:
1. His quick pass offense may be the best way to utilize the speed of Johnny Lee Higgins, Louis Murphy, and Darren McFadden – and it may be the only way to utilize Darrius Heyward-Bey.
2. After once hiring the owner of a bed-and-breakfast as offensive coordinator, there’s nowhere to go but up.
3. The Mad Scientist’s flurry of shotgun passes would help mitigate the effects of suspect pass protection.
4. It would mean the arrival of a former (Red) Raider who is quirky and has a fascination with pirates. Something tells me he’ll be a fan favorite right away.
5. The potential points scored may make up for a terrible defense.
6. If Craig James ever wants to come after Leach, he’ll have to mess with the Black Hole first.
7. As awesome as Janikowski is, Raider fans will surely prefer he kick a bunch of extra points instead of field goals.
8. A Texas Tech quarterback may finally have a place in the NFL.
9. Oakland will definitely avoid drafting Adam James at WR, no matter what his 40 time is.
10. An electrical closet may not be kind treatment of an octogenarian , but it’s one way to finally get rid of Al Davis.
Cons:
1. Does Jamarcus Russell really look in good enough shape to move his arm 50 times per game? (Note: If Leach can get Russell to throw for even 3,000 yards, I will bow down at the Mad Scientist’s feet).
2. That there’s a run-blocking offensive line in Oakland. Expect many flags on the turf during the transition - and not of the pirate variety.
3. Where does this put big Michael Bush (arguably the team’s best RB)? He’s not exactly an air-raid prototype back.
4. Steve Spurrier, Lane Kiffin, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, Dennis Erickson, Mike Riley, Rich Brooks, and Butch Davis.
5. Ask Lane Kiffin and Tom Cable how they liked working for Mr. Davis.
6. It doesn’t matter how powerful the Raiders’ offense may be; it won’t get on the field if teams continue to gash the Raiders on the ground.
7. Shane Lechler won’t see the field nearly as much!
8. Does the team really need another reminder about how they passed over Michael Crabtree last April?
9. Oakland can kiss contests on ESPN – likely the only channel what won’t black out Raiders games – goodbye.
10. Jamarcus Russell
“He’s a Good Man, Despite His Religious Handicap”
Fox News’ Brit Humme has a few choice words for Tiger Woods, as the field of journalism takes another hit (and it’s not financial):
“The extent to which he can recover seems to me depends on his faith. He is said to be a Buddhist. I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. My message to Tiger would, ‘Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.”
