How long until we find out Nate Diaz is fired from the UFC for this comment during the joint press conference with him and Conor McGregor?
Days before the two meet in UFC 196, Nate Diaz says the entire UFC is on steroids...
"They're ALL on steroids..."
(After which his mike was cut off and another had to be provided for the follow-up to his comment!)
Either Conor McGregor is going to kick your ass or Dana White is....
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Manny Pacquiao... When I have good things to say about NIKE...
... you know the people they come out against are a problem.
Manny Pacquiao was seen as the one great hope to silence Floyd Mayweather.
Now that Mayweather has bought the thug off, Pacquiao has continued his homophobia.
In a statement that I am pretty much certain is false, he has invoked the animal kingdom to state God never intended relations between members of the same gender in any animal on Earth.
This is utterly idiotic on almost any conceivable level, but it's clear that, now with nothing to lose, Pacquiao is exposing himself again as a homophobic thug!
Well, guess what? Nike dropped him like a microphone!
Nike dropped Pacquiao for his homophobic rants.
We're headed to large-scale Gay Rights violence in this world. There is nothing else that can be said about it, with institutions like the Republican Party and NFL in this country and Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines speaking out against LGBT rights.
The day is going to have to come, by force.
And I apologize for going "here", but I have to:
And if it's such a problem to God, I have faith in my Lord and Savior that HE can straighten it out, because he created it in the first damn place!
God created LGBTs, people! Wake up. Every bit of the catechism that I studied (especially the "He knew you before you were born!" stuff and the like) indicates he created it!
Unless you, in your infinite "wisdom" (har de har har) want to tell me he didn't create LGBTs, you can shut the fuck up real good and quick.
Oh, by the way: That would mean there's another Creator out there. Parse THOSE ramifications.
EDIT TO ADD: HE'S DOUBLED DOWN -- AND THEN SOME!!!!
Yardbarker today:
He's allied himself, indirectly at the least, with the "Buggery Execution" guy -- he's beginning to quote the Bible and state that gays should be killed. (Leviticus 20:13 -- completely ignoring the entire concept of the New Testament stating that Jesus was basically making the whole situation anew through the presence and ministry of The Son of God.)
(Or do we then ignore Jesus forgiving the woman who was about to be stoned, only cautioning her to sin no more, among many, many other situations?)
Pacquiao, you've now gone and done it: I wish Marquez had killed you with the cold knockout. Thanks for nothing.
Manny Pacquiao was seen as the one great hope to silence Floyd Mayweather.
Now that Mayweather has bought the thug off, Pacquiao has continued his homophobia.
In a statement that I am pretty much certain is false, he has invoked the animal kingdom to state God never intended relations between members of the same gender in any animal on Earth.
This is utterly idiotic on almost any conceivable level, but it's clear that, now with nothing to lose, Pacquiao is exposing himself again as a homophobic thug!
Well, guess what? Nike dropped him like a microphone!
Nike dropped Pacquiao for his homophobic rants.
We're headed to large-scale Gay Rights violence in this world. There is nothing else that can be said about it, with institutions like the Republican Party and NFL in this country and Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines speaking out against LGBT rights.
The day is going to have to come, by force.
And I apologize for going "here", but I have to:
And if it's such a problem to God, I have faith in my Lord and Savior that HE can straighten it out, because he created it in the first damn place!
God created LGBTs, people! Wake up. Every bit of the catechism that I studied (especially the "He knew you before you were born!" stuff and the like) indicates he created it!
Unless you, in your infinite "wisdom" (har de har har) want to tell me he didn't create LGBTs, you can shut the fuck up real good and quick.
Oh, by the way: That would mean there's another Creator out there. Parse THOSE ramifications.
EDIT TO ADD: HE'S DOUBLED DOWN -- AND THEN SOME!!!!
Yardbarker today:
He's allied himself, indirectly at the least, with the "Buggery Execution" guy -- he's beginning to quote the Bible and state that gays should be killed. (Leviticus 20:13 -- completely ignoring the entire concept of the New Testament stating that Jesus was basically making the whole situation anew through the presence and ministry of The Son of God.)
(Or do we then ignore Jesus forgiving the woman who was about to be stoned, only cautioning her to sin no more, among many, many other situations?)
Pacquiao, you've now gone and done it: I wish Marquez had killed you with the cold knockout. Thanks for nothing.
When Title IX goes wrong...
(I'll have another Title IX story here later -- the big bombs going off with respect to Peyton Manning and the University of Tennessee.)
For all of the advancements of Title IX with respect to the rights of women and their ability to have the opportunity to participate in equal sports on an equal level, there can be some glaring drawbacks.
One of the largest (and I've believed this for literally decades!) is the concept of girls' basketball, and what usually happens when supposed high-school "games" are actually mismatches of the first order.
I posted about this before, about a "game" in my area that ended 161-2 about 12 months ago.
Well, we have another one: Gilmour Academy 108 - Northeast Ohio College Prep 1. (Deadspin, including a Twitter photo someone wanted to have the game put on SportsCenter!!!)
And from the Deadspin article, the coach, Bob Beutel, is a real beaut himself:
It's clear that many schools, at all levels, only have girls' basketball to legally justify boys' basketball under Title IX. It's clear by the statement of NE Ohio College Prep (which said all the "right things") that it was pretty clear there was no point in holding this contest.
Yes, I would go so far that, if the only alternative to satisfy Federal Law is to disgrace these girls by putting them in this position simply to be legally allowed to field a boys team, disband them both!
There is ZERO educational value -- NONE! -- in 108-1 or 161-2. Coaches have been fired and suspended for putting up some of these ridiculous scores (the 161-2 coach was banned for two games as a result, but a cursory study indicated such blowouts were common for his program!).
Be interesting to see if this "championship team" can continue it's run. They have either been district champions or runners-up in their district of Ohio the last seven years running. That was actually the first round of their playoffs!
In this cockamanie system the state of Ohio has dreamed up, three teams were randomly assigned byes, and this team, the #1 seed (19-4 -- and they actually did a holiday tournament in Washington DC this year, in which they played two teams from Georgia and one from California (losing twice!) also has wins of 92-15, 73-24, 75-32. and 78-37 in just the month of December alone!
As for their opponents, it's almost clear this is a college-prep charter private school, part of an 8-school network in three states. There is nothing on this network's website which even indicates the athletic teams in the school at all! The Cleveland article states the team ended it's season at 1-12.
Really... This is on the sanctioning body: WHY WAS THIS ALLOWED TO TAKE PLACE?
For all of the advancements of Title IX with respect to the rights of women and their ability to have the opportunity to participate in equal sports on an equal level, there can be some glaring drawbacks.
One of the largest (and I've believed this for literally decades!) is the concept of girls' basketball, and what usually happens when supposed high-school "games" are actually mismatches of the first order.
I posted about this before, about a "game" in my area that ended 161-2 about 12 months ago.
Well, we have another one: Gilmour Academy 108 - Northeast Ohio College Prep 1. (Deadspin, including a Twitter photo someone wanted to have the game put on SportsCenter!!!)
And from the Deadspin article, the coach, Bob Beutel, is a real beaut himself:
“Our intent was to not run anything up, and we took steps to not disrespect our opponent,” Gilmour coach Bob Beutel said. “They went 0-for-28 from the field and 1-for-4 from the free-throw line. We let them shoot.”No, at some point, the only way not to "disrespect the opponent" is either to stop the game or not let it take place at all. Beutel claimed in a Cleveland interview that he was actually subbing JV players into the game in the first quarter. ESPECIALLY if this is true, how in the fucking Hell do you allow this to go on, as a sanctioning body, much less the schools involved???
It's clear that many schools, at all levels, only have girls' basketball to legally justify boys' basketball under Title IX. It's clear by the statement of NE Ohio College Prep (which said all the "right things") that it was pretty clear there was no point in holding this contest.
Yes, I would go so far that, if the only alternative to satisfy Federal Law is to disgrace these girls by putting them in this position simply to be legally allowed to field a boys team, disband them both!
There is ZERO educational value -- NONE! -- in 108-1 or 161-2. Coaches have been fired and suspended for putting up some of these ridiculous scores (the 161-2 coach was banned for two games as a result, but a cursory study indicated such blowouts were common for his program!).
Be interesting to see if this "championship team" can continue it's run. They have either been district champions or runners-up in their district of Ohio the last seven years running. That was actually the first round of their playoffs!
In this cockamanie system the state of Ohio has dreamed up, three teams were randomly assigned byes, and this team, the #1 seed (19-4 -- and they actually did a holiday tournament in Washington DC this year, in which they played two teams from Georgia and one from California (losing twice!) also has wins of 92-15, 73-24, 75-32. and 78-37 in just the month of December alone!
As for their opponents, it's almost clear this is a college-prep charter private school, part of an 8-school network in three states. There is nothing on this network's website which even indicates the athletic teams in the school at all! The Cleveland article states the team ended it's season at 1-12.
Really... This is on the sanctioning body: WHY WAS THIS ALLOWED TO TAKE PLACE?
I had a lot of good things to say about NHL discipline....
I'm beginning to retract more than a few of them, though...
We seem to be having a large-scale problem with the NHL, at this point, and it seems to be centering around stuff at the head.
Both Gary Bettman and the concussion stuff.
Bettman declined Wideman's direct appeal to him (Deadspin), and kept his suspension at 20 games. He also announced he did not believe Wideman's statement he was concussed.
It was already noted on Calgary's first broadcast after the initial announcement of the suspension that Bettman could've increased Wideman's penalty -- so, if he does not believe Wideman was concussed, why did he not ban Wideman from the sport for an offense that, even for a first-timer, is a life ban offense?
If you don't believe Wideman, and you believe that he sent a text message stating he hated the refs on top of it (which opens up another can of worms, as the NHL basically was able to get their hands, supposedly, on such a text message), WHY THE HELL IS WIDEMAN NOT BANNED?
Look, I still agree that I believe that Wideman was concussed (and where the fuck was Player Safety on the hit which preceded this, which concussed him?), so this is only operating under Bettman's assumption that Wideman was not concussed and probably had a (again, in Bettman's mind) vendetta against the officials:
This will go before the arbitrator, but someone needs to ask both sides of the question: Was Wideman concussed? If he wasn't, how do you justify keeping the suspension at 20 games? The official involved is still not back with the league, to my understanding, as of this writing.
--
And then another Deadspin gem from the NHL, showing that Brendan Shanahan and Player Safety are slipping, and badly.
Radku Gukas of Philadelphia was banned for three games in December for a check to the head.
Just in the month of February (and you can find all videos of the incidents on the Deadspin article):
We seem to be having a large-scale problem with the NHL, at this point, and it seems to be centering around stuff at the head.
Both Gary Bettman and the concussion stuff.
Bettman declined Wideman's direct appeal to him (Deadspin), and kept his suspension at 20 games. He also announced he did not believe Wideman's statement he was concussed.
It was already noted on Calgary's first broadcast after the initial announcement of the suspension that Bettman could've increased Wideman's penalty -- so, if he does not believe Wideman was concussed, why did he not ban Wideman from the sport for an offense that, even for a first-timer, is a life ban offense?
If you don't believe Wideman, and you believe that he sent a text message stating he hated the refs on top of it (which opens up another can of worms, as the NHL basically was able to get their hands, supposedly, on such a text message), WHY THE HELL IS WIDEMAN NOT BANNED?
Look, I still agree that I believe that Wideman was concussed (and where the fuck was Player Safety on the hit which preceded this, which concussed him?), so this is only operating under Bettman's assumption that Wideman was not concussed and probably had a (again, in Bettman's mind) vendetta against the officials:
- He gets up from the hit.
- He slams his stick on the ground.
- He goes over.
- He puts two fists into the official's back, cross-checking the official down.
This will go before the arbitrator, but someone needs to ask both sides of the question: Was Wideman concussed? If he wasn't, how do you justify keeping the suspension at 20 games? The official involved is still not back with the league, to my understanding, as of this writing.
--
And then another Deadspin gem from the NHL, showing that Brendan Shanahan and Player Safety are slipping, and badly.
Radku Gukas of Philadelphia was banned for three games in December for a check to the head.
Just in the month of February (and you can find all videos of the incidents on the Deadspin article):
- February 2: Is tossed for a major for clipping Lucas Lessio of Montreal. The refs completely botch the call, and probably had to call the penalty on orders from Toronto. Replay shows not only a hip to the knee, but an official RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PLAY with no problem with the hit, or so it seemed. Lessio had just been called up to the NHL (he was in his first NHL game), and only returned to play last night after the injury.
- February 11: Another cheap shot, another injury, another rookie! Daniel Catenacci of Buffalo. Elbow to the side of the head. Injured reserve on the 12th. The Sabres demanded a hearing, and got none!
- February 16: Bobby Farnham of New Jersey. Third ejection in two weeks for Gudas. Blindside interference cheap shot. Match penalty for intent to injure.
@NHLPlayerSafety HEY! Radko Gudas... Three cheap shot ejections in two weeks. Suspension or explanation, please!! #FuckGudas— Michael Falkner (@darkstar7646) February 18, 2016
Time for the bear to come out of hiberation...
Been quite a bit of low-level stuff, and about two high-level stories in the last couple of weeks.
Thing is, this has been about the first time in eighteen months I've had some degree of lull in the blog.
And the thing is, there's been SOME stuff (and two real biggies -- Peyton and Pacquiao), but it's been somewhat quiet on the front.
Time for me to delve into some of it, though...
Thing is, this has been about the first time in eighteen months I've had some degree of lull in the blog.
And the thing is, there's been SOME stuff (and two real biggies -- Peyton and Pacquiao), but it's been somewhat quiet on the front.
Time for me to delve into some of it, though...
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Super Farce 50: Peyton Manning: Corporate Whore To The Very End
And do people want to know why that game was so obviously rigged for Denver?
What does the corporate whore quarterbacking Denver do about the moment the game ends?
He hugs Papa "Thirty-Two Car Moat" John.
Then, in the interview on-field, as they are setting up the stage for the presentations, Manning breaks league rules (and maybe Federal Law?) by shilling for Budweiser during the interview.
But why not? Has there been another player so obvious in carrying water for the league for the last God Knows How Many years?
And this goes back to when he was BMOC of the University of Tennessee, or does anyone want to remember the fact he basically teabagged a female trainer in 1996, and had to pay more about it when he wouldn't shut the fuck up about it under court order in 2005?
Peyton Manning is a Corporate Whore. He is the perfect latest representation of the Corporate Era.
None of this should surprise you -- nor should the fact he was handed a ring on the way out.
What does the corporate whore quarterbacking Denver do about the moment the game ends?
He hugs Papa "Thirty-Two Car Moat" John.
Then, in the interview on-field, as they are setting up the stage for the presentations, Manning breaks league rules (and maybe Federal Law?) by shilling for Budweiser during the interview.
But why not? Has there been another player so obvious in carrying water for the league for the last God Knows How Many years?
And this goes back to when he was BMOC of the University of Tennessee, or does anyone want to remember the fact he basically teabagged a female trainer in 1996, and had to pay more about it when he wouldn't shut the fuck up about it under court order in 2005?
Peyton Manning is a Corporate Whore. He is the perfect latest representation of the Corporate Era.
None of this should surprise you -- nor should the fact he was handed a ring on the way out.
Super Farce 50: Observations From The National Bloodfeast
- I can't believe, for the life of me, anyone outside of the Carolinas or Panther fans even thinking of betting for or believing Carolina would win. This was so obviously The Peyton Manning Retirement Party, and the only thing which surprised me is that they gave Carolina no "hope spot" in the entire game to indicate it was going to be viewed as a two-way contest. It was clear that the NFL felt Peyton Manning such a broken man physically that they could not count on him doing One More Drive at the end, so the game was effectively done the way it was.
- You know I'm doing this one: It was evident from the go that the officials and New York were in full charge of the game from whistle to whistle. The worst call, though, was probably the biggest -- and it was in the first quarter. We had a Calvin Johnson ruling again, and the rule worked as intended: It set the table for Carolina to be hamstrung for the rest of the game with a shit call. First play, second Carolina drive with about seven minutes to go in the quarter, Newton passes to Cotchery for 25 yards. The pass is ruled incomplete on the field, and Carolina challenges. The replay shows a clear Calvin Johnson situation, but the blazes if I can find where the ball actually contacts the ground. Ruling on the field "stands", meaning there was no conclusive evidence (even with all of the extra cameras used for the Super Bowl) that the ball never touched the ground?????? Two plays later, fumble into the end zone for the touchdown, and Denver never looks back.
- Aqib Talib should've been thrown out of the game. Before he should've, though, he was involved in an incident in which he got a separate unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and the cameras catch what, to me, was a 50-50 situation. Both players were unsportsmanlike, yes. Yes, Talib took his chinstraps and threw them down during the exchange, but that wasn't anything more than offsetting -- the penalty gave Carolina a fresh set of downs it could do nothing with, but indicated the officials and New York were understanding the flow of the game and trying to offset Denver a bit.
- But it was the play before Carolina's lone touchdown that should've been the end of Talib's night. A 13-yard pass from Newton to Brown to the Denver 2 is only stopped by Talib taking Brown by the facemask and helicoptering him to the ground. Not only should he have been tossed as a function of a flagrant dangerous facemask, but the only reason the touchdown was stopped (for one play) was his foul. The referees should've awarded the six and tossed Talib.
- Cam Newton appeared to get away with intentional grounding at least twice. One of the things which should've indicated to viewers paying attention that the game was Denver's was something else: Newton didn't even really attempt to use his speed and the like for the entire first quarter!
- The long punt return that led to Denver's second field goal had two problems: One, it did look like the punter got a fair degree of nailed on the situation (even running into the kicker would've nullified the return if nothing else). Two, there was all sorts of confusion, and almost certainly a penalty for failing to give Norwood the opportunity to catch the ball, fair or otherwise. Deadspin noted five Panthers avoided tackling Norwood during the return -- though I might only count the last three, as I think the first two probably interfered with his ability to catch the ball.
- There was a play with some question on it in the third quarter at 13-7 Denver just before Carolina missed the field goal There was a flag for a defensive holding situation, but it was picked up, stating there was no foul -- and no one decided to actually get the public to look at it to see what the confusion was.
- Not to mention that Carolina felt Talib had committed his fourth penalty of the game by jumping offside on the missed field goal.
- The game was one of the dirtiest in Super Bowl history, as SEVEN 15-yard penalties were accepted -- it was clear the officials were given orders to call the chippy nature of the NFL tightly, but the penalties just seemed to highlight the violent nature of the game...
- ... a game so violent that, by about three minutes to go in the third quarter, there were at least three ANNOUNCED players with concussions in the locker room.
- If there was any remaining doubt that the game was The Peyton Manning Retirement Party, the announcers were not only saying they did not believe Carolina would be able to score twice (at 16-7), but were already beginning to talk "The End" for Manning at the start of the 4th quarter.
- Another key bad call was when Ted Ginn Jr. got MUGGED in the 4th quarter on a driver which led to Carolina's field goal, but a touchdown makes it a 2-point game.
- The final straw (and the announcers noted it) was on the fumble that gave Denver it's final touchdown, a fumble in which Cam Newton did not go into the pile to get. In the Super Bowl... Cam Newton played his role to the hilt -- and if Carolina (or Newton with another team) gets back real soon, don't think that won't weigh in his favor.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
And the NFL cares none of this about legitimacy... of any form.
Something for both fans and myself to think about either before we head out around the time of the National Bloodfeast or afterward when we're bitching out that our team/bet/proposition/square/etc. got screwed by the officiating...
The NFL just inducted Eddie DeBartolo into the Hall of Fame.
THAT Eddie DeBartolo.
Failure to report a felony.
Paid $200,000 to settle a sexual assault.
Complete abrogation of the salary cap to several FIXED Super Bowls for the Niner Empire.
Could go on and on and on...
But my anonymous friend made a very good point this afternoon: The NFL cares not a whit for any of this. Look who they just immortalized.
I guess pieces of shit do run together -- don't they, Mr. Goodell?
The NFL just inducted Eddie DeBartolo into the Hall of Fame.
THAT Eddie DeBartolo.
Failure to report a felony.
Paid $200,000 to settle a sexual assault.
Complete abrogation of the salary cap to several FIXED Super Bowls for the Niner Empire.
Could go on and on and on...
But my anonymous friend made a very good point this afternoon: The NFL cares not a whit for any of this. Look who they just immortalized.
I guess pieces of shit do run together -- don't they, Mr. Goodell?
Official Super Fraud Prediction for Super Farce 50, As If There Was Any Other...
Today's the biggest TV production in US history. Every aspect of it will be controlled to the microsecond--except the game--if you buy that.— Brian Tuohy (@TheFixIsInTuohy) February 7, 2016
This post may make me look like a real idiot in 12 hours.
In zero uncertain terms, this is the easiest call I've had to make, but there IS one caveat.
There is a rigged scenario in which Carolina wins. And the late news about Peyton Manning, his wife, and the HGH situation does leave the gate open a small crack for a situation not unakin to the Giants upsetting the 18-0 Patriots because Spygate blew up (in at least one of it's iterations) right before that Super Bowl. (And it made sense then as it does here. Then, the Giants had the one pass rush that could disrupt the Patriots' offense. Here? Cam Newton could catapault into mega-star.)
There should be no dispute: If this game were legitimate, forget Carolina winning by a large margin -- Denver wouldn't even be here!
Carolina is the better team on the field, and they have the rigged angle. Cam Newton has been groomed by the US Sports Machine to be the Next Great Black Hope. (And, suprisingly to people like me, he's been a model citizen in an NFL where it is to advantage that you are anything but.)
The problem here is simple: If the NFL is going to give Ray Lewis a ring on the way out, how do they not do the same for Peyton Manning? This man is not well. (I would not rule out the possibility that a well-timed hit kills Manning as he throws the winning touchdown pass -- that's how much of a time bomb has been on his neck ever since the surgeries.)
There are very few people who have carried more water, both on the field (helped throw two Super Bowls to much more league-friendly (at the time) teams) and off (his endorsement work, especially for Papa
And Vegas wins too, for the moment: Much early money on Carolina moved the line almost to a touchdown in their favor, but a lot of street money (at the very least) has come in over the top on Denver in the last several days.
I do believe that Carolina will go out to a rather early two-touchdown lead, and Manning may well be benched for Brock Ostweiler. The game will then stagnate, and Carolina will still hold a ~10-point lead entering the fourth quarter, when Manning returns for the all-too-predictable comeback.
Denver wins. Manning is carried off the field as MVP -- one way or the other.
Saturday, February 6, 2016
(NBA Hack-A-Player) It's going about as I expected...
Last year, when it was just a couple or three specific players, Adam Silver probably said the right thing that it could be a situation where those players need to learn to shoot free-throws.
The problem, now, is two things have happened that I fully expected from that stand:
First, it's become an epidemic. Though the same three players are still the target for about 70% of such fouls, it has become such a regular coaching strategy that over 20 such players are now involved and such a strategy seems to be implemented every night!
(So much so that one player for the Golden State Warriors was Hack-A-Player'ed at midcourt, seemed to go into a shooting motion, and sank a half-courter which, IMHO, should've counted with the NBA's continuation rules.)
Last year, according to statistical experts, Hack-A-Player was implemented 164 times. We're already up to 260, and we haven't even hit the All-Star break or the playoff push yet.
Second, it now DOES sound like Adam Silver's mind has been changed, more as a result of the explosion in the number of players being hacked than anything else.
(And Mark Cuban is yelling for people to learn to shoot free throws.)
That said, the concept of Adam Silver talking about the NBA as an entertainment property is concerning, given the NBA's long history and reputation of fixing.
Andre Drummond of Detroit (one of the three main players targeted) missed 23 free throws out of 36 (an NBA record for misses) on January 21.
Players are now deliberately jumping on the backs of Hack-A victims to force them to the line, even when other players are shooting free throws! (Isn't that a technical foul anyway to do that during free-throw attempts??)
The problem, now, is two things have happened that I fully expected from that stand:
First, it's become an epidemic. Though the same three players are still the target for about 70% of such fouls, it has become such a regular coaching strategy that over 20 such players are now involved and such a strategy seems to be implemented every night!
(So much so that one player for the Golden State Warriors was Hack-A-Player'ed at midcourt, seemed to go into a shooting motion, and sank a half-courter which, IMHO, should've counted with the NBA's continuation rules.)
Last year, according to statistical experts, Hack-A-Player was implemented 164 times. We're already up to 260, and we haven't even hit the All-Star break or the playoff push yet.
Second, it now DOES sound like Adam Silver's mind has been changed, more as a result of the explosion in the number of players being hacked than anything else.
(And Mark Cuban is yelling for people to learn to shoot free throws.)
That said, the concept of Adam Silver talking about the NBA as an entertainment property is concerning, given the NBA's long history and reputation of fixing.
Andre Drummond of Detroit (one of the three main players targeted) missed 23 free throws out of 36 (an NBA record for misses) on January 21.
Players are now deliberately jumping on the backs of Hack-A victims to force them to the line, even when other players are shooting free throws! (Isn't that a technical foul anyway to do that during free-throw attempts??)
Another Legend, Another Life Made Better By Football
Montana.
As in Joe.
As in the quarterback an entire cable television network tries to sell as The GOAT.
USA Today interview yesterday, admits the body is basically broken.
Just think of that when they carry Peyton Manning off the field tomorrow...
... one way or the other!
As in Joe.
As in the quarterback an entire cable television network tries to sell as The GOAT.
USA Today interview yesterday, admits the body is basically broken.
- Arthritis: One elbow, both knees, both hands.
- A knee he can't straighten and doctors have said needs replacement. The knee cannot support that much weight, either.
- Three neck fusions and an imminent fourth.
- Nerve damage, neck and eyes.
Just think of that when they carry Peyton Manning off the field tomorrow...
... one way or the other!
Another sacrifice to the altar of sports...
And, given his background, I'd be shocked if there wasn't the possibility of numerous head injuries here too.
This time, I'm not talking football or hockey.
BMX legend Dave Mirra is dead at 41.
Reports are, suicide.
I don't think I need to draw the connection from here. Yes, BMX riders at his level had helmets and all that kind of stuff.
But the massive amount of crashes and the like such riders take would have to take a toll on them physically and mentally.
Some of the football reports have indicated that some of the impacts and damages have approximated motorcycle or car crashes.
So I would not be shocked in the least if Mirra also has CTE, and I don't think anyone (least of all the X-Games Sports and Programming Network) wants to find out.
This time, I'm not talking football or hockey.
BMX legend Dave Mirra is dead at 41.
Reports are, suicide.
I don't think I need to draw the connection from here. Yes, BMX riders at his level had helmets and all that kind of stuff.
But the massive amount of crashes and the like such riders take would have to take a toll on them physically and mentally.
Some of the football reports have indicated that some of the impacts and damages have approximated motorcycle or car crashes.
So I would not be shocked in the least if Mirra also has CTE, and I don't think anyone (least of all the X-Games Sports and Programming Network) wants to find out.
Super Fraud 50: Is it just me, or is it TOO DAMN QUIET?
There is ONE possible real story which could move the meter in the last 36 hours before the game (and I'll mention it when I make my pick), but there is a general feeling that mirrors something I've been feeling in my neighborhood before large-scale incidents...
It's way too damn quiet in the Bay Area right now.
Now, for those (wealthy enough to be) in the Bay Area right now, they might think I'm full of shit. No arguments there -- the NFL hype and media and money machines are going full-tilt. I get all that.
But the real sense is that, as Super Bowl situations go, hasn't this seemed like one of the quietest Super Bowl preparations in recent memory?
And that's what has me here... The bulk of the story has been either a race discussion on the latest Great Black Hope (Cam Newton) or the continuing Johnny Manziel saga or the latest lies on the NFL and concussions and all that kind of stuff.
Almost none of it is on the game itself and most of it has been, at best, muted.
And that makes me think: Uh-oh. There's a ticking time bomb in the neck of the main star of this game, as far as the memes of history and the NFL are concerned.
It's too quiet, and I hope I'm wrong. But I do wonder if that means something...
It's way too damn quiet in the Bay Area right now.
Now, for those (wealthy enough to be) in the Bay Area right now, they might think I'm full of shit. No arguments there -- the NFL hype and media and money machines are going full-tilt. I get all that.
But the real sense is that, as Super Bowl situations go, hasn't this seemed like one of the quietest Super Bowl preparations in recent memory?
And that's what has me here... The bulk of the story has been either a race discussion on the latest Great Black Hope (Cam Newton) or the continuing Johnny Manziel saga or the latest lies on the NFL and concussions and all that kind of stuff.
Almost none of it is on the game itself and most of it has been, at best, muted.
And that makes me think: Uh-oh. There's a ticking time bomb in the neck of the main star of this game, as far as the memes of history and the NFL are concerned.
It's too quiet, and I hope I'm wrong. But I do wonder if that means something...
End this Johnny Manziel story. NOW.
Johnny Manziel needs to be locked up.
For his own good.
NOW.
And even his father is realizing it.
Manziel is on and off again in a domestic violence investigation regarding his ex-girlfriend, but this is a clear 5150/Baker Act thing. I know about these things personally. Yes, Manizel needs to be suspended for the domestic violence -- yes, he's going to be cut from the Browns as soon as league rules and the league year allow.
That said, Johnny Manziel is about to die. His father, yesterday, said that, after twice trying and failing to get Johnny into treatment (which would represent at least attempt #3) this week, that Johnny Manziel will not see his next birthday in December.
He's right, and it's far past time for him to invoke whatever laws are necessary to force an involuntary hold on Manziel. Speaking as someone who needed a 5150 situation many times, if this is anything like that, Manziel is a threat to himself and others -- and he doesn't care.
The ex-girlfriend now has a restraining order against Manziel (and, in Manziel's current mental condition, I can't see that holding up!), Manziel's agent has left him, Manziel is almost certainly going to be suspended a good part of next season if anyone would take a flier on the guy.
This has "immediate suicide" written all over it -- and someone needs to end this story, get this guy (who never should've gotten to this point!) out of football, etc.
And if what I believe will happen does, I would urge the father to donate the brain to science so we can probably add another to the growing roll of CTE football victims...
For his own good.
NOW.
And even his father is realizing it.
Manziel is on and off again in a domestic violence investigation regarding his ex-girlfriend, but this is a clear 5150/Baker Act thing. I know about these things personally. Yes, Manizel needs to be suspended for the domestic violence -- yes, he's going to be cut from the Browns as soon as league rules and the league year allow.
That said, Johnny Manziel is about to die. His father, yesterday, said that, after twice trying and failing to get Johnny into treatment (which would represent at least attempt #3) this week, that Johnny Manziel will not see his next birthday in December.
He's right, and it's far past time for him to invoke whatever laws are necessary to force an involuntary hold on Manziel. Speaking as someone who needed a 5150 situation many times, if this is anything like that, Manziel is a threat to himself and others -- and he doesn't care.
The ex-girlfriend now has a restraining order against Manziel (and, in Manziel's current mental condition, I can't see that holding up!), Manziel's agent has left him, Manziel is almost certainly going to be suspended a good part of next season if anyone would take a flier on the guy.
This has "immediate suicide" written all over it -- and someone needs to end this story, get this guy (who never should've gotten to this point!) out of football, etc.
And if what I believe will happen does, I would urge the father to donate the brain to science so we can probably add another to the growing roll of CTE football victims...
Thursday, February 4, 2016
USA Today Asks The Question No One Wants To Answer
"Is it immoral to watch the Super Bowl?"
That is the question that Tom Krattenmaker poses in an opinion column today, citing the massive amount of brain injury evidence and the fact that many parents are now withholding their boys from football as a result.
The Public Religion Research Institute did a study on the Super Bowl, the National Religion (at least as I call it) of football, and parents' attitudes toward letting their children play it.
If this survey is indicative, most Americans believe that these players are not good people and "deserve what they get". That they are discarded like old gears and die broken men is actually a GOOD THING to these people...
That is the question that Tom Krattenmaker poses in an opinion column today, citing the massive amount of brain injury evidence and the fact that many parents are now withholding their boys from football as a result.
The Public Religion Research Institute did a study on the Super Bowl, the National Religion (at least as I call it) of football, and parents' attitudes toward letting their children play it.
- Football is still the favorite spectator sport, by almost 40% of this country. The next sport down (basketball) has about 11%. The only demographic which does not share this belief is Hispanics, who (to no one's surprise) prefer football of a different kind -- soccer. ... which, of course, should also mean that they openly desire to see other people getting killed...
- ... as long as it's other people. Over three in ten (31%) now state that, if they had a son, they would not allow the child to play football.
- It does appear that The National Religious nature of football is what draws people to it -- of the survey, only about 12% of people reported actually playing the game. Baseball or softball more than doubled that number, but The Former National Pastime now ranks third, and only a tick above soccer, in fan interest. And now children are gravitating away from playing baseball and softball more to playing soccer.
- An interesting statistic: The massive interest in the Super Bowl is appearing to be aging. Of the people surveyed, 30% of young adults said they were very likely to watch the game. For those 50 and over, the number surges well over 40%.
- White Protestants are more likely than any other religious demographic to watch, with atheists (stated, more, "religiously unaffiliated") down around 33% of interest.
- If you need an idea of what America actually believes about football, watch this next point. Basically, the players are villains to most Americans. Between the concept of that they care more about money than the game and that they are poor role models, over half of those surveyed actually said what concerned them the most about football is a problem with the players. Only 7% (correctly) noted that it encouraged violent treatment of women, and only a small sliver talked about concussions.
If this survey is indicative, most Americans believe that these players are not good people and "deserve what they get". That they are discarded like old gears and die broken men is actually a GOOD THING to these people...
- Though most Americans concede that the sport is more dangerous than others, most Americans lie to themselves and say the game is not more dangerous in current years than in past years.
"But as the years pass, I suspect qualms like mine will start infiltrating more fans’ heads. More will begin to see the ways in which our football spectating resembles the “sport” perpetrated in The Hunger Games, albeit without the direct killing. More of us realize that what we take to be a “game” that young men “play” is actually not a game, but a path out of poverty pursued mainly by the desperate.
As the sports-and-politics columnist Dave Zirin aptly puts it, the day is likely coming when “no one will play this game if they don’t have to. … The pool of players will become smaller and less economically affluent in the years to come. We will then have to reckon with just what the hell it is we are watching every Sunday.”
More on the Wideman Situation
- According to the Flames' telecast on SportsNet West (Canada) last night, both the remaining steps Wideman has have danger: Both Bettman and the independent arbitrator could increase the suspension.
- According to that same telecast (picked up on the NHL.TV package), the NHL Officials Association is not happy with Wideman getting only 20 games. It wasn't unhappy enough for a work action (there was at least one statement implying such if the suspension was only 10), though several people watching the NHL Officials Association thought 20 was sufficient punishment. ... which was ridiculous both ways. If it's intentional, it's a "life ban" offense, and I don't care if the guy has had 11-12 clean seasons. We have had significant uptick in referee abuse across the board in North America, and it needs to be stopped, whatever the cost -- IF THE HIT WAS INTENTIONAL. But, that said...
- The potential appeals to Bettman (which will happen: the NHLPA immediately appealed) and the independent arbitrator could get really sticky, and could go to the court system -- the NHL is already facing a lawsuit, similar to the NFL's, on concussion issues. It was obvious to several people I've talked to that he was concussed, and that is why Deadspin has an article today that the NHL is actively fearing Wideman's defense, because it could be used against the league in court. If the suspension is upheld (or especially if it is increased!), Wideman could immediately add his name to the lawsuit, stating that the fact he was boarded into the boards head-first, was diagnosed with a concussion (which has led in the past to players checking teammates), and then suspended as if the hit on the ref was intentional means the league has no desire to protect players from head injuries and their after-effects.
- To that statement's merit, no suspension for the hit from Player Safety.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Another NFL Great, Another CTE Confirmation
Ken Stabler.
Grade 3 CTE, confirmed by the doctor who examined the brain.
The list goes on.
Grade 3 CTE, confirmed by the doctor who examined the brain.
The list goes on.
Wideman banned for 20.
Unbelievable decision, regardless of which side of the fence you go on.
The NHL has suspended Dennis Wideman under the Abuse of Officials rule for 20 games, the minimum suspension that the rule states for intentional attempt to injure a game official.
By invoking Rule 40, it appears as if they have invoked Automatic Suspension Category I (Rule 40.2), in which any attempt or actual physical force to try to injure an official is minimum 20 games.
Wow. It's bullshit, no matter which way you go.
It's clear he's boarded into the boards head-first, and what happens happens afterward. I've had friends look at the video and accompanying pictures and state that it's a Grade 2 concussion. And I have absolutely no argument with any of that.
On the other side of the coin: If the NHL believes that Rule 40 applies and that it merits 20 games, it appears the NHL believes that intent to injure with actual physical force was applied. Especially with the rising public awareness of physical attacks on game officials across the North American sports spectrum (and blog readers know I have ZERO TOLERANCE for that shit!!!), you would think the NHL would be looking minimum rest of the season and playoffs (and I'd have started the bidding at an additional season), if not applying the standard several Canadian junior leagues have used to throw players out of the sport for life for attacking referees.
So whichever view you take, this is almost a kow-tow to a threatened work action by the NHL Officials Association if they didn't get a sizable suspension.
Whether it's zero games (he was concussed, making mitigating factors) or life ban (for an intentional attack), 20 games was a bullshit call.
The NHL has suspended Dennis Wideman under the Abuse of Officials rule for 20 games, the minimum suspension that the rule states for intentional attempt to injure a game official.
By invoking Rule 40, it appears as if they have invoked Automatic Suspension Category I (Rule 40.2), in which any attempt or actual physical force to try to injure an official is minimum 20 games.
Wow. It's bullshit, no matter which way you go.
It's clear he's boarded into the boards head-first, and what happens happens afterward. I've had friends look at the video and accompanying pictures and state that it's a Grade 2 concussion. And I have absolutely no argument with any of that.
On the other side of the coin: If the NHL believes that Rule 40 applies and that it merits 20 games, it appears the NHL believes that intent to injure with actual physical force was applied. Especially with the rising public awareness of physical attacks on game officials across the North American sports spectrum (and blog readers know I have ZERO TOLERANCE for that shit!!!), you would think the NHL would be looking minimum rest of the season and playoffs (and I'd have started the bidding at an additional season), if not applying the standard several Canadian junior leagues have used to throw players out of the sport for life for attacking referees.
So whichever view you take, this is almost a kow-tow to a threatened work action by the NHL Officials Association if they didn't get a sizable suspension.
Whether it's zero games (he was concussed, making mitigating factors) or life ban (for an intentional attack), 20 games was a bullshit call.
Several Other Odds and Sods for Groundhog Day 2016
- Reports are Johnny Manziel is finally done in Cleveland. Let's hope that's the end of a completely-unearned NFL career.
- Broncos practice-squad player Ryan Murphy has been expelled from the Super Bowl by the team for being questioned regarding a prostitution sting near the stadium in which the game will be played. The coach states he remains on the practice squad, however, especially because his brother, not he, was cited.
- Tragedy tonight in college basketball. Jibri Bryan of Mercer University shot and killed tonight in a store parking lot. He was 23. (One commenter to the Deadspin piece notes that Chicago had 51 murders in January of 2016, 48 of them gun-related.)
- In what cannot be seen as good news for Dennis Wideman, the discipline hearing in New York ended Monday with no decision on punishment, and there may be no decision on Tuesday either, when Calgary retakes the ice... According to Chris Johnston of SportsNet, the hearing took over 90 minutes. There was word a possible work stoppage/game tampering by the NHL Officials Association might come if the league did not hit Wideman with a huge suspension (one Tweet said the minimum they might accept is 10 games).
- ... to which those of us (including myself!) who have ordered the out-of-market Internet package wish to see that game and others. The NHL launched their new NHL.tv app, website, and update to their out-of-market Internet package. Too bad, shortly before the end of the Eastern games, the stress of the new service (60 frames per second, new $2.99/month option for the last five minutes and any overtime or shootout of any out-of-market game, etc.) caused the entire situation to crash. Many bitched on Twitter -- it's a Day One thing, let's see what they do with it.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
So now they're actually finding MOTORS in bicycle racing???
This goes square into the "ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?" category!
A Belgian cheater, a female "rider" in the Under-23 World Championships, was caught with a motor on her motorcycle.
Let that process...
Someone actually took and put a MOTOR on a bicycle, thinking no one would catch them doing it!
I'll let Deadspin fitness sub-blog Fittish explain it for you, but it's long past clear this entire supposed "sport" needs to be blown up.
A Belgian cheater, a female "rider" in the Under-23 World Championships, was caught with a motor on her motorcycle.
Let that process...
Someone actually took and put a MOTOR on a bicycle, thinking no one would catch them doing it!
I'll let Deadspin fitness sub-blog Fittish explain it for you, but it's long past clear this entire supposed "sport" needs to be blown up.
Well, more to why Randle was cut from the Cowboys...
... and this might have serious implications.
It now appears that Joseph Randle was cut from the Cowboys for "instability" (you may read that as "CTE-laced behavior") and the fact that the Cowboys found out he has been gambling on sporting events during the season in which he was cut in November.
That's a big no-no in the CBA. The Deadspin article goes on to talk about his last game with the Cowboys, when he pulled himself out after one series and never returned on October 25.
Randle has denied the gambling.
It now appears that Joseph Randle was cut from the Cowboys for "instability" (you may read that as "CTE-laced behavior") and the fact that the Cowboys found out he has been gambling on sporting events during the season in which he was cut in November.
That's a big no-no in the CBA. The Deadspin article goes on to talk about his last game with the Cowboys, when he pulled himself out after one series and never returned on October 25.
Randle has denied the gambling.
Another bunch of high-school rapists animalizing a "teammate"...
If we ever find out the truth about this fucking kind of hazing, we're going to find out it's happened to thousands of kids, if not hundreds of thousands...
Latest example: "Rape by instrumentation" -- non-consensual sexual penetration with an object -- charges in Oklahoma against four males, one 18, two 17, and one 16. Two victims were involved: 16 and 12.
The 16 year-old was fondled over his clothing at the back of the bus, and the 12 year-old got the same both at the back of the bus and at the school. It only ended when they got caught... by the family of the 12 year-old.
One coach has been fired, another has resigned.
One has to wonder when someone is just going to take some of these kids out back, shoot them, and get it over with.
Latest example: "Rape by instrumentation" -- non-consensual sexual penetration with an object -- charges in Oklahoma against four males, one 18, two 17, and one 16. Two victims were involved: 16 and 12.
The 16 year-old was fondled over his clothing at the back of the bus, and the 12 year-old got the same both at the back of the bus and at the school. It only ended when they got caught... by the family of the 12 year-old.
One coach has been fired, another has resigned.
One has to wonder when someone is just going to take some of these kids out back, shoot them, and get it over with.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Super Farce 50: "Of Course You Realize, This Means WAH!!"
At least one intrepid San Franciscan, according to Deadspin, has a perfect representation of the ownership that the NFL has over the Bay Area -- an ownership so complete from probably Petaluma to Gilroy and damn near to Sacramento that, had I been required to go back to the location and life I had before I moved where I am now, it would probably be a one-way trip to the county jail (or to a four-block area which as basically been "given" to them -- might as well have barbed wire around it too if you think that's going to keep them in!) just for the crime of being homeless and, hence, defecating on the NFL -- and probably for far more than the next 10-14 days until San Francisco gets their city back.
Hence, this San Franciscan took it out on one of the many Super Bowl structures with a completely-appropriate result:
And here's another:
After the second time it was pushed over, they just trucked that one off and now security is actually guarding some of the signs. And San Francisco has to PAY the $5,000,000 for all this tomfoolery!
I'm sure there will be more. The same Tweeter had this factoid: That Super Bowl City that Ed Lee and his minions opened, right on the Embarcadero basically to tell all people you will either be corporate and rich or not welcome in San Francisco as long as the NFL is The City's Lord and Savior? 7,000 on the first day. Projected total by the National Bloodbath: ONE MILLION.
As a former (and probably future) homeless San Franciscan, I am left with one response: Good luck, motherfuckers.
Hence, this San Franciscan took it out on one of the many Super Bowl structures with a completely-appropriate result:
And here's another:
— shanan (@shanand) January 30, 2016
After the second time it was pushed over, they just trucked that one off and now security is actually guarding some of the signs. And San Francisco has to PAY the $5,000,000 for all this tomfoolery!
I'm sure there will be more. The same Tweeter had this factoid: That Super Bowl City that Ed Lee and his minions opened, right on the Embarcadero basically to tell all people you will either be corporate and rich or not welcome in San Francisco as long as the NFL is The City's Lord and Savior? 7,000 on the first day. Projected total by the National Bloodbath: ONE MILLION.
As a former (and probably future) homeless San Franciscan, I am left with one response: Good luck, motherfuckers.
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