Act of Treason - A View from the Right

I recently finished reading a book by Vince Flynn, Act of Treason. It is the seventh book in his Mitch Rapp series. Rapp is a CIA operative who essentially seeks out and elimiates terrorist threats the old fashioned way. By assassinating them. I figured this blog would be a good place to discuss this book due to the author's political viewpoints. There is a clip of Flynn on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K5OQi0UdUg) that I was watching the other day. He was on The O'Reilly Factor and he and Bill were discussing the possibility of Vince's books being made into movies some day. He has apparently had a big time movie executive tell him that the stories will never work because they are "more Bush than Bush."

This is not very surprising considering how liberal Hollywood is. God forbid that someone make a movie that portrays Muslims in a negative light. We can't do that, but we can bash the Catholic Church to no end. Flynn has stated that he believes the hesitation in Hollywood is because people are afraid how the Islamic extremists would retailate. I find it pretty ridiculous that there would be any retaliation for a movie. How self absorbed can these guys really be?

Flynn has some pretty strong views about how we should combat the threat of terrorism that looms over us every day. He has stated on several occasions that he is pro torture and that when extremists are publicly stating that they want us to die, we should take them seriously. I agree with him 100%. It's hard to believe we don't have more support in this country for the war on terror. Many people have lost sight of the fact that Islamic extremists still want us dead, by any means. I don't know about you, but that makes me pretty uneasy. What is really sickening to me is how some almost look at them as a sympathetic figure. Mean old Bush is running roughshod over these guys. Woe is them. Just a couple weeks ago, there were dirty bomb threats at various NFL venues. Thankfully it just turned out to be a hoax, but you never know. These guys are crazy. If they're willing to martyr themselves, there isn't a whole lot we can do to defend against it. I don't feel sorry for them one bit.

Getting back to the book, it's great to have hope that there is a guy like Mitch Rapp working behind the scenes for the good guys. He hangs out in the Middle East for weeks on end seeking out and killing these types of guys. Now, I realize that Flynn's writing is just a work of fiction, but surely we have someone out there who is laying it all on the line to do the dirty work. I just wish the poor guy had more support from his own countrymen.

Desperate Housewives - Airdate 10/29/06

This season of DH has been much more consistent than last season. Most of the stuff I didn't like, they've moved away from or done away with altogether (ie Carlos and Gabrielle's baby). Last night's episode was a little more dark than what we've grown accustomed to, but it was still pretty good. Some random thoughts:

-I think Nicolette Sheridan has had some work done. I noticed this a couple weeks back but forgot to say anything. I think maybe she's getting botox treatments. I can't say this with 100% certainty, but I think I'm on to something here.

-At first I really hated the storyline that revolved around Tom, Lynette and Slater's girlfriend from Saved by the Bell: The College Years. It's kind of growing on me though. Lynette's last scene from last night was pretty good. Hopefully this keeps Slater's girlfriend off my screen. It will be interesting to see what they do with Tom's pizza shop. Altogether though, it's about a million times more entertaining than the storyline from last year with Tom and Lynette trying to co-exist in the corporate environment.

-This whole thing with Orson's ex-wife and this mystery girl whose body was found storyline is a little confusing. Apparently this lady resembles Orson's ex-wife, but it's not his ex-wife.

Slow TV week overall, with the World Series throwing most everyone into re-runs.

MU vs. OU - 10/28/06

I knew that this would be a tough game from the start. OU doesn't have Peterson, but they are still pretty tough and ranked 19th in the nation. MU came in ranked 23rd and has had some up and down performances over the past few weeks. It was in Columbia, so I was expecting a Missouri victory, none the less.

Well, this game fell in line with the rest of this football season - it sucked and I was wrong. OU won 26-10. MU went up 3-0 after the first drive of the game, then gave up 16 unanswered points before halftime. Brutal. Unlike my comrade Brent, I like the spread offense. It widens the field and spreads out the defense to create some natural holes. MU has balanced the run/pass pretty well, unlike Texas Tech. The two reasons why Mizzou lost this game were (1) turnovers and (2) play calling.

Lets start with turnovers - there were 5...yes, 5 turnovers. I don't care who you are playing - home or away, summer or winter - if you turn the ball over 5 times, you're going to have a hard time winning. Then there was the play calling. At one point MU had a 1st and goal from the 1 yard line, down 13 points. We line up in the shotgun all 4 times and try a lob-pass, jump-ball in the corner of the end zone on 4th down. What?? How does a Div-1 offensive coordinator still have a job after this??? Ok, the shotgun didn't work the first 3 times, so why don't we try to line up under center and power it in one time? If you can't get 1 yard at home... Anyway, this play calling is inexcusable.

I still think that Mizzou has a pretty good team, but they won't be able to win the big game due to the reasons mentioned above. I'm nervous for the Nebraska game next week because of this. They caught a break with the Huskers losing inexplicably to OK State yesterday, but they will have to beat them next Saturday to get to the Big 12 Championship. I want to be hopeful about the situation, but past experience won't let me. I see another meaningless bowl game in their future.

Week 8 NFL Picks

Show Recent Messages (F3)

Houston at Tennessee (-3)
Josh: ok. First off is Texans at Titans. Good luck with this one
Brent: Turd bowl 2006. Literally the two worst teams in the NFL
Brent: Titans favored by 3 at home, so essentially it's a push on an neutral field
Josh: no lie, titans by 3 at home. I'll take houston
Brent: I'm with you, Texans take it. Their offense is actually not terrible, which is a step up. And the Titans have nothing.

Jacksonville at Philadelphia (-6.5)
Brent: Next is Jacksonville vs Philly, with Philly favored by 6.5. This is the danger pick of the week.
Josh: how can i possibly get this one right. I gotta take philly at home
Brent: Boy, this is tough. Jacksonville has to play better this week, because they can't possbily be any worse. And TB gave Philly a lot of problems. Jacksonville and their defense rebound this week. The Jags cover.
Josh: Jax can't recover from the embarassment. McNab plays better this week too

Atlanta at Cincinnati (-3.5)
Brent: Falcons at Bengals, Cincy favored by 3.5
Josh: Another one that's essentially a push. I gotta go with the home team again. Sin-cinnati covers. Plus, chad johnson said so
Brent: The Bungles seem to have taken a step back this year. The Falcons are actually decent. Cincy may win, but the Falcons will cover the 3.5 point spread. mark it down.

San Francisco at Chicago (-16)
Brent: 49ers at Chicago, with Bears favored by a whopping 16
Josh: Bears cover. Smith gets flat runned over this week
Brent: The Chiefs are a .500 team, and they destroyed San Fran. The Bears will cover on this one, especially after the scare they had vs. Arizona. The home cookin' is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Arizona at Green Bay (-4)
Brent: Pack at home, favored by 4 over Arizona.
Josh: Pack wins and covers. AZ is a cluster f@&# right now
Brent: Yeah, Pack is showing signs of life. At Lambeau, I think they cover. But I think there's a good chance Leinhart has a great game.
Josh: Pack's gotta beat them if the raiders did. Leinhart has a decent game, but not enough
Brent: By the way, I may need some help. If we end up having a boy, my wife keeps mentioning the name "Everett"...I need some good names, pronto.
Josh: ouch

Seattle at Kansas City (-6)
Brent: Chiefs, 6 point favorites at home vs. Seattle
Brent: I'll go first. Seattle's decimated with injuries, and KC's proved that they're good at home. Chiefs cover and the Arrowhead faithful goes home happy.
Josh: KC by a touchdown, I'll take them to cover

Baltimore at New Orleans (-2)
Brent: This one's interesting, Saints at home favored by 2 against the Baltimore Ravens
Josh: is Mcnair playing
Brent: I think Kyle Boller may be prominently involved, but I have no idea. Even if he does play, there's a good chance he's carrying a clipboard by the 2nd quarter. I'm going to pick New Orleans, too much karma, too much Reggie and Deuce
Josh: agreed.

St. Louis at San Diego (-9.5)
Josh: Rams at Chargers, SD by 9.5. seems kind of steep to me
Brent: Yeah, way steep. Rams cover, unless somebody kneecaps Torry Holt
Josh: chiefs proved they can be scored on. i like the rams

Pittsburgh (-9) at Oakland
Brent: Pittsburgh is favored by 9 at Oakland
Josh: Steelers cover - bet the farm
Josh: You're taking Pitt, I presume?
Brent: I know. Yeah, I'll go Pitt. Oakland sucks

NY Jets at Cleveland (-1.5)
Josh: browns at home over the jets by 1.5. what? how do you pick this one?
Brent: I agree this makes no sense. Jets have to cover that one, right? I don't think the Browns should be favored, ever.
Josh: Frye is out with a concussion. i'll take the jets, too.
Brent: wow, who's their backup? Holcomb?
Josh: it might as well be me. they're terrible

Indianapolis at Denver (-3)
Brent: Broncos are favored by 3 at home vs. Indy. Denver's D is great, no doubt, but Indy is on a roll, Manning in particular. I think they get this one. I'm surprised isn't favored by three to be honest.
Brent: Surprised Indy isn't favored by 3
Josh: I have to agree. I'll take the Colts to cover and win

Dallas at Carolina (-5.5)
Brent: Cowboys are 5.5 point dogs on the road vs. Carolina
Brent: Week 1 of the Romo experiment won't be pretty. He'll put up some meaningless stats once the game gets out of hand. Carolina covers.
Josh: i will never take the cowboys again. well, maybe not "never." anyway, i agree. i'll take carolina
Josh: we're agreeing a lot this week
Brent: Wow, did you see the Detroit pitcher MacDougal the throw to first base on a bunt? Game 4 is all tied up!
Josh: yeah, i'm watching

New England (-2) at Minnesota
Brent: We are, it's sickening. Last game is New England favored by 2 at Minnesota
Brent: you go first
Josh: Pats cover and win easy. the spread should be more. what has minnesota done lately?
Brent: They killed Seattle at Seattle last week
Josh: everybody was hurt in seattle, though - even the trainers
Brent: Ugh, I refuse to agree with you on another pick. NE takes the game by 1, failing to cover.
Brent: It's WS time!

I'm not done yet!

As a follow up to yesterday's post, Let me give you my opinion on what I think should make the news. I know, those that know me or have read this blog are saying, "Matt's gonna give his opinion? But he seems so reserved and mellow." Right.
I read a staggering number. I read that gun owning, law abiding citizens, thwart would be crimes approximatley 2 million times a year. Did you know that? I didn't know that. You know why? Because the media is too busy covering the crap I wrote about yesterday. Or they will cover the lunatics that go in and shoot up schools, or the drive by shootings and things like this. These stories fuel their anti-gun fires! They will twist a story so hard to feed their liberal agendas. They preach that guns are evil and made only to kill other people cold heartedly.
The media's arguements for concealed carry have been paper thin at best. They said that we resort back to the old west times and there would be shoot outs in the streets. Nope, none of that. Even though I think crime would actually go down if everyone had a hog leg strapped to their hip. They also argued that people would shoot the wrong person. Give me a break. If I'm packin', and you pissed me off bad enough, trust me, I wouldn't hit the wrong person.
Here's the way I feel (uh oh! here comes the opinion!). The most important thing in the world to me is my wife and 4 daughters. Nothing will get those 5 ladies without having to come through me and my small arsenal. If you shoot, I will shoot back. I might even shoot first if the situation calls for it. I'm sure many have a problem with that. Those are the ones that will end up victims. Not me and my fam. All I can say is, you better hope you kill me with the first shot. If not, the only reason I'll call 911 is to mop you up.
I can hear the jaws hitting the floor now. Look, I 'm not a bad guy. In fact, I love to laugh and joke and have a good time. I just think it's the responsibility of every American citizen to take arms and defend themselves. Ted Nugent says that Homeland Security begins at home. He says we are much more likely to be attacked or robbed by some streetrat than to be blown up by a terrorist.
Here's what uncle Ted has to say about this subject, "You’re weird if you’ve got a problem with that. Good should live, evil should die. Make a stand America. Neutralize evil or get out of their way."

In Nuge We Trust!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

So I'm trying to read the news this morning and it hits me.........this is news???
Let me give you a little example of what the media likes us to believe is news. Did you know that transgender men are free to use all New York subway bathrooms now? That means these fruiters that can't decide who they want to be, can use the boys or the girls potty. Freaks.
Here's another one: A woman in China started slashing her wrists and throat in public and had to be stopped. Yep, they saved her life. Great. Good luck getting a job anytime soon sweet heart.
This is a good one. The rapper "Ice-T" has a new album out. The front cover is too raunchy for record stores to put it out on the shelves, so many of them are boycotting it. It's a picture of him laying on the ground naked, covered only by his naked stripper wife, Coco. Imagine that, a rapper doing something disgusting and controversial. What's next?
Model, Naomi Campbell, got arrested for assault, illegedly. Some woman went into the police office with a scratched-up face and told them that Naomi Campbell did it. So they picked her up. Is there really a jail cell that has bars close enough to hold in a model? Good grief! She has the body of a 10 year old boy! But, I digress.
Brad and Angelina adopt foreign kids, Madonna adopts a foreign kid. Who gives a crap? You know what? My oldest daughter is adopted. I don't remember one single member of the media being there to tell me what a great person I was for doing that!
Lance Bass from Backstreet Boys fame, is gay. How does this even get anyone's attention? None of them have a career anymore. It's only a matter of time before ALL of these queer little boy band idiots need publicity. What's the easiest way now a days? Come out of the proverbial closet, that's how! I hate gays, seriously.
Why don't we ever hear about anything good or uplifting? Because people don't wat to hear it anymore. It has to be gross, or negative, or controversial, or GAY to grab the attention of the liberal media.
Here's some news for you. I just went to the bathroom and came out a few pounds lighter. Alert the media.

LOST - Airdate 10/25/06

I think tonight's episode of LOST was a turning point for me in the series. Up until now, I've been pretty content with the pacing of the show and the amount of "answers" being provided from week to week. But tonight it all just sort of hit me at once.

We have three separate story lines going on at once:

1) Jack, Kate, Sawyer and the Others
2) Sayid, Sun and Jin
3) Everybody else

For the most part, each episode has dealt with 1 of the 3 groups, with tonights episode moving around a little bit, but the primary focus was on Group 1. And so far, we've basically learned nothing, other than the fact that the Others are holding Jack, Kate and Sawyer captive. But we knew that at the end of last season. And we still have absolutely no idea why they are holding them hostage. None.

Splitting up everyone is making it pretty tough to keep track of who is doing what on the island. Some characters could coceivably go for an entire month and not get any screen time. The first two seasons had everybody interacting a lot more. If there were fewer moving parts, it might work a little more smoothly. But they're actually adding characters to the cast. I guess the guy playing golf tonight was supposed to have been on the island since day 1, but this is really the first we've seen of him. Is another character even necessary at this point? Probably not. Check that. Definitely not.

At the end of the episode, there was a glimmer of hope. They were leading Sawyer up the ledge to show him something. I got my hopes up, 100% positive that we were coming to a crucial point of this season. Surely it's got to be something important, right?

Well, no.

Sawyer, Kate and Jack are being held on a different island than they were originally stranded. The original island is close by, definitely visible, but too far to swim. So there's no chance to escape. But they're already locked up, under 24 hour surveillance, and they get tasered the second they try to escape. So what good did that really do? Nothing.

Hopefully the action picks up soon. The show is becoming annoyingly slow. Make something happen!

Football, Schmootball

I must say to start off that I am one of the biggest football fans out there. I love the game, but it's just too bad that the game hates me. This year's football season is sucking the life out of me, with an emphasis on SUCKING. Let's start with my 2-5 start in fantasy football. Embarrassing. My team is full of underachievers and no-names, and those are the starters. I hate Ronnie Brown. He has really let me down this year. Maybe he should start smoking tree like Ricky. Next time Brent tells me how much he hates his team (in first place, mind you), I'm going to shove a nail in my ear.

Ok, now lets talk about my weekly NFL picks. Actually, from now on they will be known as my "weakly NFL picks." My record so far is well below .500, which is beyond embarrassing. It's just sad. Believe it or not, I have actually won money in the past with my picks. If you've ever seen Two For The Money, I have officially reached the last -30-minutes-of-the-movie-McConaughey status.

Football is my fickled mistress and she's been pretty good to me in the past. This year she is a dirty, dirty tramp.

It's Coming....

I have been waiting for this day for quite some time. Today is the 24th of October, which means that the trailer for the 6th season of 24 (the best show on television, by far) debuted online today at www.24trailer.com. I've been anticipating this day for weeks, like a little kid at Christmas.

If you're not familiar with the show, the main character is Jack Bauer, who works for the Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles. Each season takes place in real time, over the course of 1 day (24 episodes) and Jack is always responsible for saving the day. Each season essentially pits CTU in a race against the clock to stop a terrorist attack. For instance, in season 1, it's discovered that a Senator running for president is an assassination target. In season 2, there's a nuclear bomb threat. Season 3's main story is a bioterrorism threat. In season 4, there are several threats, including the kidnapping of the Secretary of Defense, and a nationwide nuclear meltdown. Season 5's focal point is a nerve gas threat.

Essentially, 24 is responsible for the glut of serial dramas we have on TV today...shows where the story continues episode to episode. Most of the new shows try to replicate the suspense you find on 24, but I haven't seen any that have actually been able to pull it off. Each episode literally leaves me on the edge of my seat at the end. It's actually preferable to watch on DVD, that way you can watch one after the other. Trust me, if you give it chance, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Given the right wing lean that this site seems to have, I can't imagine that my fellow posters would not enjoy this show.

and.........ACTION!

The Associated Press reported that Sunday, several celebrities gathered in protest (big surprise) of a natural gas facility that is being proposed 14 miles off the coast of Malibu. Let me ask you something. Do you really give a crap what a bunch of ignorant, uninformed people think? Really, all these people are known for is what they are wearing while strolling down the red carpet.
Australian-based BHP Billiton, one of the world's largest energy companies, is who wants to build this facility. They have stated that the terminal would provide a reliable source of low-poluting energy. I think this is a good thing. With all the talk about my natural gas prices, electricity, and petroleum going up again, we need all the help we can get. This is just the thing that might help keep those cost down a little. Look what happened when we started shutting down all these oil refineries. Oil prices went through the roof (with a little help from GW too). We have lots of crude, just a limited means now of refining it.
But, I digress. Back to my original question. Do you really care what a bunch of spoiled rich people think? About their political views? They seem to think you do. Everytime something like this pops up, you can be sure that Alec Baldwin, Darryl Hannah, Ben Affleck, Sean Penn, and Helle Berry will all be there holding hands in a circle singing "Kumbaya"! These ignorant people don't represent you. Did you read what I wrote earlier? BHP wants to build a facility 14 MILES of the coast of Malibu! 14 miles. Most of these idiots can't see 14 feet until they've had a Bloody Mary when they wake up at the crack of noon. Yet you can be assured that the reason that they are protesting this one is because they don't want their property values to go down in Malibu. They don't care about you or the world. Just their own little world.
Freakin' hippies.

DVD Review: X-Men - The Last Stand

At long last, I was finally able to pick up a copy of X-Men - The Last Stand at Blockbuster. It was the first movie I've rented in quite some time where I would actually classify myself as "giddy" when I picked it off the shelf. I was practically addicted to the Saturday morning cartoon back in the day.

Anyway, the movie did not disappoint. The first 45 minutes was a clinic in quality special effects. There was one scene in particular where Magneto annihilated a convoy of automobiles that was just jaw dropping.

The story was even pretty good. First of all, Jean Grey is back. Apparently she died in the last movie, but she somehow survived and is at the focal point of this movie. She is a level 5 mutant (I honestly had no idea there were levels of strength). Someone has come up with the ability to suppress the mutant gene, and basically you have Professor Xavier's guys on one side vs. Magneto's guys in a huge fight.

If I had any problem with this movie, it's how ridiculously powerful Jean Grey is in relation to everyone else. It's insane. Granted, it makes for some cool special effects, but it's just crazy sometimes. She can do anything that her mind wants to do. Anyway, that doesn't drag down the movie at all. Great rental. Get it if you haven't already.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Movie Review: School for Scoundrels

I was a little worried about actually spending money on this one at the theatre, but decided to chance it. Starring John Heder of Napolean Dynamite and Benchwarmers fame, and Billy Bob Thornton.
Heder plays a guy addicted to the self-help books. His life sucks. Nothing ever goes his way. Long story short, a friend of his hooks him up with this "underground class" that tries to help men like this. Billy Bob is the hard-a#@ instructor.
Heder plays a great wimp who actually ends up being pretty confident at the end. It's a fairly cliche movie. There's a nerd. There's a "tough guy". and of course, there's a girl. But it does take some turns that you've never seen before. It was worth the watch. Heder and Thornton were hilarious together. Billy Bob played a great male pig.
Rating: 8 out of 10

Heisman Watch

I just realized that we've barely mentioned the NCAA football season in this god-forsaken blog, so I felt obligated to chime in. It looks like Ohio State is the runaway favorite to win the national championship because every time a team gets to #2, they pee down their collective leg. As far as the Big 12 goes, it looks like Texas in the south and either Nebraska or Mizzou from the north. I like a Mizzou - Texas match-up (yes, I'm a homer) and I think it would be a good game with Texas edging them out. Next year could be a different story. As for the Heisman candidates, here's what I can come up with:

It sucks. Period. Don't get me wrong, I love the Heisman Trophy and it is a great motivating factor for Div-1A skill players. But the voting is all wrong. Example - Colt Brennan (QB-Hawaii). He currently has over 2,600 passing yards with 28 TDs and 5 INTs. This equates to a rating of 183.1 - let me repeat 183.1! I have not heard a peep about this guy and had to go fishing for stats to find his numbers. No stories on ESPN, no stat updates, nothing. It's unbelievable to me that this type of performance gets overlooked. Brennan is not the only one - there are names out there for all of the skill positions. Like RB Greg Wolfe from N. Illinois. He already has 1,413 yards and 13 rushing TDs (with 171 yards vs. Ohio State in week 1) and he barely gets mentioned as a side note on college football shows.

My point is this - the Heisman is for the best player in the land, not the biggest name player on the most publisized team. I wish they would give great performers more media attention so that they can be considered. My prediction: Troy Smith wins it after they win the national championship. The bummer of the season is Adrian Peterson's injury. That kid is a man-child and would have won it if he didn't get hurt.

Oh, by the way, go ahead and start etching the name on the 2007 trophy: CHASE DANIEL.

DVD Review: Click

We tried to rent this movie last week, but it was out of stock. This week, it was guaranteed in stock or it was free. So we go to the front desk to get a copy, and they're out. The girl writes up our free voucher, then realizes that they have a copy that has just been returned. Sweet! I even talked her into letting us use our voucher literally before the ink had dried.

The movie was pretty solid. Don't get me wrong, this is no Billy Madison or Happy Gilmore, but it's definitely a solid rent. Basically, Adam Sandler is an architect that works too much, misses his son's swim meet, disappoints the wife, and generally doesn't have enough time in the day to do anything other than work. So he stumbles across this special remote that controls real life.

My only complaint with this movie is that his wife, played by Kate Beckinsale, is entirely too skinny to have ever given birth to two kids. She's also entirely way too understanding with her husband. This guy works all the time, screws up with the kids, cancels the family vacation due to work, and she barely bats an eyelash. It's not a movie killer or anything, it was just something I noticed over the course of the movie.

Overall Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Ying and Yang

Before I start......Bill Simmons NLCS game 7 Diary on ESPN.com is hilarious. I highly recommend reading it.
For us lowly Royals fans, it was quite an odd night in baseball. The Ying- Jeff Suppan, who was mediocre at best in KC, is the NLCS MVP. The Yang- Carlos Beltran goes down looking to an 0-2 deuce to completely end the series! Simmons said it best when he said it might possibly have been the most anticlimactic ending in recent history.
Detroit and St. Louie in the show now. Cats vs. Birds. I just want to see Jimmy Leland win another one. He might look closer to dying than any coach since Sparky Anderson.
My hope is that the Tigers can get back into the baseball frame of mind since they've been off for about a month now. Good grief! I agree with Josh, Tigers in 5 if their conditioning is still OK. I love to see those Red Birds lose.

Week 7 NFL Picks

San Diego (-5.5) at Kansas City
Brent: ok...chiefs and chargers up first. Chargers favored by 5.5....thoughts?
Josh: only 5.5? chargers cover easy. i know it's arrowhead, but their D will eat us alive.
Brent: Agreed. This pick is really a no brainer. The Chiefs can't score on anybody. Not even Marty can blow this one.
Jacksonville (-9.5) at Houston
Brent: next up, Jacksonville is a 9.5 point favorite at Houston. I don't think there's any way Jacksonville doesn't cover. It just seems too easy. Houston stinks. But Mario Williams is an impact guy right?
Josh: Riiiiiiight. This one is the "go ahead and bet the farm" pick of the week. Jags cover. Tell Stamper to bet the farm, pumpkins and the cows, baby!
New England (-5) at Buffalo
Brent: Pats favored by 5 at Buffalo. aka the Stamper special
Brent: thoughts?
Josh: Next is the Pats at Bills, Pats +5. I'll take the Pats cause it'll be cold and Brady will wear the gloves
Brent: I'm tempted to take the Bills, and I might if there was three feet of snow on the ground, or if they didn't suck, but I can't go against the Pats. This is actually a big game for them being a division game and all. And they SMOKED Cincy a couple of weeks ago. Don't underestimate them
Pittsburgh (-2.5) at Atlanta
Brent: Steelers by 2.5 over the Falcons is next
Josh: Steelers at Falcons. your turn
Brent: They can't possibly play any better than they did last week vs. the Chiefs. And let's not forget that Atlanta is pretty good still. I like them in this game. This is awful, I've picked a grand total of zero upsets at this point. I hate myself.
Brent: never mind, I just picked an upset. ugh
Josh: Nice move. I was about to be really confused! I'll go with the Steelers by a field goal. I think the Chiefs handed them the confidence builder they needed last week.
Green Bay at Miami (-5)
Josh: OK, the Pack at the Fins. go.
Brent: Dolphins are favored by 5 in this one. What an ugly game. They should bump this one for an extra big 12 game this weekend. Will anyone really want to watch this one? On one hand, you have Miami's inept O going against Green Bay's swiss cheese D. Then you have Brett Favre throwing picks to the Dolphins. I think the Fins win, but not by 5. Lay your money on the Pack!
Josh: I'm with you, the Packers will cover. I just picked up Favre on my fantasy team this week on a trade. Green is supposed to be back healthy too.
Brent: I thought you meant Trent for a second. Ahman is done. Stick a fork in him. Whatever. Eagles by 5 at Tampa Bay
Philadelphia (-5) at Tampa Bay
Brent: go!
Josh: I think the Eagles cover in this one. Gradkowski's gotta come back down to earth soon, right? Eagles D will do the trick
Brent: I think this may actually be the "Bet the Stamper family farm" special of the week. This line is almost too low. Eagles in a romp.
Detroit at NY Jets (-3.5)
Brent: Jets by 3.5 at home against Detroit
Josh: Talk about a stinker! I'll take the Jets with home field (that's the only reason I can think of).
Brent: I just don't trust the Jets. I can't name hardly a single person on their offense other than that Cotchery guy. As much as I hate the Lions, I think Kitna pulls it off.
Josh: he will after I traded him
Brent: And Roy Williams is a stud. I give them a fighting chance.
Carolina at Cincinnati (-3)
Brent: That was quick. Bengals by 3 at home against Carolina. Thoughts?
Josh: This is the game of the week, easily. I think the Bengals were playng out of their shorts early and Carolina's D is ridiculous. I'll take the Panthers
Brent: Will the real Bengals please stand up? They look great and then they go and get killed by New England and lose to freaking Tampa Bay. To me the Panthers are over rated just like they are every other year. And Steve Smith still doesn't seem to be at 100%. The Panthers D is great, yes, but I'll take Cincy with the homefield. Ruuuudiiiiii
Josh: Nope. I bet the Steelers come back and win the division
Denver (-4.5) at Cleveland
Brent: Maybe so, Denver is favored by 4.5 on the road at Cleveland. Yikes.
Brent: This is the Snake special. Denver eeks out a close one and fail to cover. I'll go Cleveland. Denver just can't score on anybody.
Josh: Plummer sucks something terrible, but you just can't score on the Broncos. They cover easily
Washington at Indianapolis (-9)
Josh: Skins at Colts - only 9???
Brent: Chaz Frye will have the game of his life. Mark it down!
Brent: Yeah, what is this, a joke?
Brent: at home even
Brent: Washington lose to the Titans last week.
Josh: Yeah, Colts win with Unitas at QB
Minnesota at Seattle (-6.5)
Brent: Seattle by 6.5 at home vs. the Vikes!
Brent: By the way, the Colts cover with you at QB
Josh: sign me up! Seahawks cover easily at home. Vikings could save a lot of money and embarassment if they just stay home. Brad Johnson, Chester Taylor and no receivers? Not even fair
Josh: By the way - click, clack!!! Is that not the dumbest commercial you've ever seen?
Brent: Something crazy could happen here, especially since the Seahawks can't run the ball. But Hasselbeck looked GREAT against the Rams last week. I think the Seahawks cover, but it won't be a layup. What are you talking about? I don't watch commercials anymore, remember? I need to check the NLCS score.
Arizona (-3) at Oakland
Brent: Now for my personal favorite on the schedule...Cards at Raiders favored by 3
Josh: Ah, the Turd Furgeson Special. I'll take the Cards to cover. I don't think the Raiders will win again, ever. Seriously, who can they possibly beat?
Brent: Endy Chavez had an over the wall, homerun saving catch. Is that the same guy who used to play for the Royals?
Josh: I think. Ridiculous
Brent: They'll beat the Cards! Seriously, mark it down. AZ has a mutiny on their hands after the last two meltdowns. At the very least, they will be looking for a new kicker after this one.
Josh: They won't need a kicker. Boldin goes for 150 and 2 td's and they'll just go for two after touchdowns
NY Giants at Dallas (-3)
Brent: Last on the schedule is Dallas at home, favored by 3 against the Giants. I'll let you close it down since you should be pretty well informed on this one. I say the Giants take it. I can't put any kind of faith into Bledsoe.
Brent: Dallas looked impressive last week, but it doesn't count because it was Houston
Josh: I gotta disagree (damn, does that make me a homer now???). I'll take the Boys to cover at home. I just can't wait to se TO's reaction after every play.
Brent: Unbelievable. NY wins ugly, I'll pick them outright
Josh: by the way, doesn't Jose Valentine need to be starring in some telenovela on Univision
Brent: Yes, La Bella mas falta
Brent: I have no idea what that means.
Brent: and I think we're done!
Josh: Go Chiefs! Just try to make it respectable so I have somthing to cheer for when I come back for the Seattle gaem
Josh: or game
Brent: No kidding. I'm not very optimistic

Where is that little red button......?

Why is it that all evil foreign dictators try to lay low until a member of the American media decides they want to talk to them?
Diane Sawyer got an interview with a North Korean General named Ri Chan Bok (or something like that). He said that "If Bush continues to tell them to kneel, war will be inevitable." Sawyer asked him what was meant when they said there would be merciless blow in response to any sanction. He said he couldn't say specifically, but he wanted to make sure he pointed out that they had long and short range missiles.
OK, obviously no matter what I have to say, I'm a "Nazi" or a "Bible Thumper" or a "conservative a@#hole" so I guess I'll just go ahead and tell you like it is.
It seems nobody in this country has the sand to stand up to anyone anymore. This little Monchichi look alike in N. Korea has got to go. He's got missiles huh? Congrats! We should have ships in the harbor over there already and take out every single lauch platform that they have! End of problem. This is an impoverished nation, they have nothing and this yay hoo wants to go to war? To me this isn't even an issue.
How about that guy in Iran? What's his name......Abadaba doo A ramalamadingdong? Anyway. He's got nukes now too huh? You guys are a little late to the party aren't you? You've got one that MIGHT be able to hit California? Where's the problem there? They use the only nuke they have, and we get rid of half the Fruits and Nuts in this country. Win, win.
But seriously, the biggest problem with the leadership in our country, and yes, I mean Republicans too, is that our government is full of people that are way more worried about their legacy than what they are doing for the people they are supposed to be serving. Harry S. Truman was a leader. He had what it took to push that little red button. Tough decision? Damn right! But he did what NEEDED to be done in order to restore order and balance. Ronald Reagan was the greatest President in modern history. He made this country believe in itself after taking over for the worst President in American history. That was Carter, for all you that needed a little help there. He made us respect ourselves and hold our heads high again and realize that being an American was more than just a place to live, but it's a WAY to live. He demanded it. And not only that, but he demanded that everyone around the world respect us and fear us once again.
Look, I live in the greatest country in the world. I take my wife and children the church of my choice every Sunday. I buy as much food as I want and don't wait in a bread line for my monthly rations. I drive an SUV and play with power tools. I vote for whomever I feel is best qualified to lead my country because I have that right as an American. Why? Because Heroes like my Grandfather served in the Navy during WW2. Thank you Pop. Hundreds of thousands have died on the field of battle defending what many of you mock now a days. There is no way I can ever repay the ones that have risked there lives to die for me other than say Thank You and be the best American I can be. To be a Patriot and to teach my children the same love for country that was instilled in me when I was a child.
George C. Scott said in the movie Patton, "No poor bastard won a war dying for his country. He made the other poor, dumb bastard die for his country." He went on to say that Americans by nature love to fight for what they believe in. I wish we still lived in that day.
I love you America. I love what you stand for.

Playoff Posturing

Ok, ok - enough political reteric. Let's get back to the sports. Our friendly neighborhood Brent brought up a decent point the other day. Why do playoff baseball games happen every night, while other sports offer players much more (sometimes way too much) rest? Thank you for bringing this up, Brent, and yes, I will address it.

My main theory behind this is that the baseball season is just too long to begin with. Is it really necessary to have 162 regular season games? I like baseball a lot - I don't love baseball, but I like it. Would anyone really have a problem with a, say, 120-game season? By the time we get to the playoffs, I think they have to play games every day to beat the cold weather. I guess it is a good idea to finish the season before Thanksgiving.

As far as other sports go, I think the NFL has it right, except for the 2-week break before the Super Bowl. Hockey has it all wrong. Not necessarily with timing between games, but with the number of teams that get to the post-season. Is it really necessary to allow literally half of the teams in? Is it still that special to be a "playoff team" if you have a 50/50 shot at getting in before the season even starts? Makes no sense. The NBA is ok, but has way too much time in between games. Basketball players are arguably in the best shape of any professional athletes, so do they really need 4 days rest between games. Fatigue doesn't play a part in late season an playoff games, period.

Somebody get Stern and Selig on the phone, because there has got to be a happy medium.

The backwards "Left"

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed how backwards the bleeding heart liberals are in this country???
"We shouldn't drill for oil in Alaska because a penguin might fall down in it." "I don't eat meat because animals and humans should live as equals." "Give peace a chance!" What a load of crap!!!

I'll tell you one of the ones that bothers me the most, not because of what they are trying to accomplish, but because of how they try to justify it. Embryonic stem cell research. I can here the moans from here! "Oh no, he's not going there is he?" I understand the reasoning behind it. I know there are diseases and disabilities the "can possibly" help find ways to improve these conditions. Yeah, it might also find a way for me to grow 6 inches and play for the Steelers this weekend. Nothing is proven, it's all heresay.

Not only do they justify abortions by saying now they can be used for good, but now they want to "harvest babies". The left won't call them babies, but you can be sure that's exactly what they are. What they do is try to coax young women in to PAY THEM to have a surgical procedure done that will take some of their eggs from their ovaries. I guess what they don't advertise is that this procedure is actually quite evasive and can have lon lasting effects, like ovarian cancer and further inability to reproduce, just to name a couple. So they take the eggs and fertalize them in small petrie dishes in a lab. Can anyone tell me what happens then? The same thing that happens inside the womb. Cells divide, parts are formed, then they extract what they want. What do they do when they are done? I'm not even going to think about it.

Their justification is that it's ok because the "INTENT" is not to make a life, but to harvest what they need!!" Guess what?? The second that egg is fertilized, you've made life. I also heard the arguement this morning that there's no way this can open doors for human cloning. It doesn't get much closer than this! Fertilizing eggs in a laboratory. Hmmmm, no that doesn't sound like anything can come from that.

Was it the intent of that high school girl to get pregnant during that late night romp? Nope! But guess what? Still made a life. Their arguements are paper thin and I hate that this world has no love for human life anymore.

Save the whales! Save the DoDo birds! Save a tree! Don't eat meat! Slaughter babies so that the rich and the pompous and the vain can live a couple of years longer!!

Hippies.

Friday Night Lights - Airdate 10/17/06

After watching this show last week, I was just about to leave it for dead. Don't get me wrong, the first episode was highly entertaining. But episode two was just flat-out boring. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting much when I tuned in tonight.

For the first 15 minutes or so, I was positive that this would be my last time watching. After the catheter mess and the Dillon version of Al Bundy being a dickhead at the local burger joint I was just about at the breaking point. But something happened. The show got good. Really good. What a turnaround in the last 45 minutes.

First of all, Coach Taylor really stole the show tonight. He brought the A game in a big, big way. He really became a likeable figure, especially when he didn't just cave to the recruitment of the New Orleans ringer QB (was his nickname really Voodoo?). The part where he rounded up everyone on the bus in the middle of the night to go run hills in the pouring rain was possibly one of the best moments on TV this year. After they were done, and Smash started up the chant, I got goosebumps. Seriously. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose. Truly powerful stuff.

Unfortunately, Friday Night Lights probably won't be around much longer. I can't see why any female would ever give it a chance. Nobody considered that at NBC this fall? I think it would be better off as an ESPN series. At least then they could market the hell out of it to the guys who are going to end up watching it anyway.

Just a delightful hour of programming tonight, well, 45 minutes anyway. And next week is rivalry week, where it looked like Riggins takes an ax to a car and there's lots of fire. Can't wait.

Rating tonight: 8.5 out of 10
Season to date: 7 out of 10