Friday, November 30, 2018
Russia Joins Rest of World in Trolling Trump
A spokesperson for the Kremlin on Thursday said [Trump's] cancellation would free up time "for useful meetings."
[Oh my God. That is brilliant.]
Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev suggested that Trump may have delivered Russia a foreign policy victory. He cited the language the president used in his post on Twitter. "Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting," the president wrote.
Kosachev wrote that, because the ships are in Russia-occupied Ukraine, Trump's statement that the ships are in Russia "is nothing but a long-awaited recognition. This is already an alarming signal for Kiev, and not for Moscow."
Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev suggested that Trump may have delivered Russia a foreign policy victory. He cited the language the president used in his post on Twitter. "Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting," the president wrote.
Kosachev wrote that, because the ships are in Russia-occupied Ukraine, Trump's statement that the ships are in Russia "is nothing but a long-awaited recognition. This is already an alarming signal for Kiev, and not for Moscow."
[Ha Ha!]
Thursday, November 29, 2018
"How Pitt could maybe – emphasis on maybe – shock Clemson again"-SB Nation
The Panthers gave themselves a roadmap two years ago.
Nobody in major college football does upsets like Pitt does upsets.
The Panthers narrowly missed pulling one off earlier this year at Notre Dame, but their recent history is loaded with them beating teams they shouldn’t.
When Pitt’s played a top-three opponent while unranked, the Panthers have won four in a row going back to 2002.
That's a completely meaningless stat. Going back 16 years? The current players were 2-5 years old! I don't even remember who we beat in 2002.
They’ve beaten three New Year’s Six teams in the last two years and haven’t themselves finished ranked since 2009. [That is a meaningFUL stat, same HEAD coach, some of the same players.]
Clemson had particular trouble dealing with one play Pitt offensive coordinator Matt Canada
called over and over again.
The play was an option with both a sweep run option and a shovel pass to a trailing tight end or H-back, and Pitt used it to pick on Clemson’s outside linebackers ...
.. and defensive ends:
It was so bad that unranked Pitt was "picking on" NUMBER TWO CLEMSON! I have only seen defensive players fooled so utterly twice before: Same year, 2016, against PSU, also a win, and last Saturday on the first Pitt play from scrimmage, which went for 47 yards, against Miami Gardens, in a loss.
Pitt does not have the Canadian Genius anymore. He's now the Maryland Genius. But the jet sweep, Canada's signature, was the play Saturday night (for ONE play) and misdirection was Matt Canada's oeuvre. The option toss or whatever that thing against Clemson is called is another page in Canada's seminal work, Misdirection. So we don't have Canada anymore but we still have the jet sweep in our playbook.
Dey did.
Now as I, Benjamin Harris, sat in Pro Player Robbie Rock Stadium last Saturday night and watched Maurice Ffrench completely ffool the Miami ddefense on the first play from scrimmage, and then ffool the "Canes" no mo the whole ffrigging game I wondered to my own self: "Did Duzz show that once and then no mo so as not to tip his hand to Dabo of Clemson?" And, "Is it not so, Benjamin Harris, self, that this is a 'freebie' for Duzz and for Pitt? That it don't matter if they win or lose on accounta they done locked up the Coastal Division and will play Clemson for the ACC championship anywho?" I had to concede that that was so. "But maybe, Benjamin Harris, self, you are thinking this because Ppitt looks so ppathetic" which I had to concede equally could explain my "mmindset."
But if you’ve watched the NFL the last two years and are wondering how The Peter Man threw for 308 yards against a Clemson defense, these shovel passes are your answer.
"The Peter Man," so-called, is Nathan Peterman, Pitt's quarterback in that Clemson game. Words can be hurtful SB Nation.
The Tigers are so good that trying to simply run over them, like Pitt has done at times this year, probably will not work. It’s a safe assumption that Clemson’s staff will drill its defensive front on how to not get conned by 2016’s toss read.
So Pitt’s current coordinator, Shawn Watson, needs to come up with some other ploy that can have Clemson scrambling for a while. He makes more money than me and can figure that out on his own.
Watson, come here, I must needs you.
2. Make it hard for Trevor Lawrence to make reads.
This was another part of the recipe last time. Pitt threw heavy boxes at Clemson and clamped down on the pass read in Tiger RPOs. Pitt used a perimeter defender to spy on receivers before attacking the run.
I, Benjamin Harris, do not know: 1. who Trevor Lawrence is 2. what "heavy boxes" are although he wouldn't like them thrown at him either 3. what "clamp down on the pass read" means 4. what "RPO's" are 5. what it means "to spy on receivers before attacking the run." As a consequence of the foregoing the undersigned does not know what the foregoing means a'tall.
It would defy reason for Pitt to win. But that’s far from the first time somebody’s said that about Pitt.
Trump cancels Putin meeting over Ukraine
The president abruptly canceled his G20 meeting, hours after his former attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in the special counsel’s Russia probe.
Now THAT is circumstantial evidence gesturing toward the big kahuna. Mueller is a substantive, sober investigator, not the wild, crazy nut that Ken Starr was.
Today's big public occurrence is Michael Cohen's guilty plea to lying to Congress in the Mueller-Trump investigation. Conehead had previously pled guilty to other offenses in a separate but related probe conducted by the Southern District of New York.
Cohen is charged with lying about when he had conversations with Moscow over building a Trump Tower there and whether, and if so when, Fuckface von Clownstick knew about Cohen’s efforts. Of course Trump has said he had no business interests in Russia during the time he was running for president.
I read details in two different stories, in the New York Times and in Business Insider, and I searched both the articles and my memory bank for the underlying, substantive crime that this lying would be evidence of. A conflict in Trump’s interests was mentioned. Is that a crime? Ties between Trump personally and his Russia business and his campaign was another. Isn’t that the same thing? Of course I was thinking lying->motive: Putin steals election for Trump->Trump sucks Putin's dick. I didn't see that.
Of course it is against the law to commit perjury. That’s an oxymoron. Perjury is a crime. Lying about whether an intern sucked your dick in the Oval Office and you jizzed on her sweater is perjury, a crime, and an impeachable offense. But I am not down with the idea that if we can't get him for the underlying substantive offense we'll get him for perjury. I'm not down with the result of a year or four year special counsel investigation on a POTUS ending in the dry hump of a perjury charge.
Ells and Gees: you lie Oh yes you do shut yo lyin' mowf you do! I lie, cops lie presidents lie, every human being on earth lies. As an older criminal defense attorney said dismissively to two young lawyers who were screaming at each other and about to come to blows: "I lie, you lie, he lies, we all lie." The difference between you and me and Bill Clinton and Donald Trump is that you and I did not lie in an "official proceeding," that's the money shot for the crime of perjury. Speaking for my own lying self however if I were the head of state and I had been asked in an official proceeding whether I had gotten a little head in my official state...Actually, disregard that illustrative personal hypothetical because actually I would not have lied about that in an official proceeding; I did not lie about that of which there is no controversy if it "is" sex to the Unfortunate First and Second Mrs Harrises when I was asked and would not have done so if I had been asked "officially." The point is, my only point here is, there is lying, there is, as a client once accused the gendarme, "false lying," there is perjury, but unless perjury is evidence of another more substantive and more grave offense not limited to, but for example, murder, of another human being, or of a nation, then in my--call it cynical if you wish--opinion the investigation into substantive, grave offenses is cynically corrupted when no substantive, grave offenses are found but "mere" perjury is because I lie, you lie, we all lie.
I am Lyin' Benjamin Harris.
Cohen is charged with lying about when he had conversations with Moscow over building a Trump Tower there and whether, and if so when, Fuckface von Clownstick knew about Cohen’s efforts. Of course Trump has said he had no business interests in Russia during the time he was running for president.
I read details in two different stories, in the New York Times and in Business Insider, and I searched both the articles and my memory bank for the underlying, substantive crime that this lying would be evidence of. A conflict in Trump’s interests was mentioned. Is that a crime? Ties between Trump personally and his Russia business and his campaign was another. Isn’t that the same thing? Of course I was thinking lying->motive: Putin steals election for Trump->Trump sucks Putin's dick. I didn't see that.
Of course it is against the law to commit perjury. That’s an oxymoron. Perjury is a crime. Lying about whether an intern sucked your dick in the Oval Office and you jizzed on her sweater is perjury, a crime, and an impeachable offense. But I am not down with the idea that if we can't get him for the underlying substantive offense we'll get him for perjury. I'm not down with the result of a year or four year special counsel investigation on a POTUS ending in the dry hump of a perjury charge.
Ells and Gees: you lie Oh yes you do shut yo lyin' mowf you do! I lie, cops lie presidents lie, every human being on earth lies. As an older criminal defense attorney said dismissively to two young lawyers who were screaming at each other and about to come to blows: "I lie, you lie, he lies, we all lie." The difference between you and me and Bill Clinton and Donald Trump is that you and I did not lie in an "official proceeding," that's the money shot for the crime of perjury. Speaking for my own lying self however if I were the head of state and I had been asked in an official proceeding whether I had gotten a little head in my official state...Actually, disregard that illustrative personal hypothetical because actually I would not have lied about that in an official proceeding; I did not lie about that of which there is no controversy if it "is" sex to the Unfortunate First and Second Mrs Harrises when I was asked and would not have done so if I had been asked "officially." The point is, my only point here is, there is lying, there is, as a client once accused the gendarme, "false lying," there is perjury, but unless perjury is evidence of another more substantive and more grave offense not limited to, but for example, murder, of another human being, or of a nation, then in my--call it cynical if you wish--opinion the investigation into substantive, grave offenses is cynically corrupted when no substantive, grave offenses are found but "mere" perjury is because I lie, you lie, we all lie.
I am Lyin' Benjamin Harris.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
[Advance] scouts... have noticed that when James is running the point, he rarely looks toward the bench to receive playcalls from coach Luke Walton. Even when he has seen them, the scouts say, he ignores them and runs the play he prefers. Walton has adjusted, and now when James is running the show, Walton will typically just let him call the game. This probably shouldn't be considered a slight -- it's just James being James.The LeBron Whisperer
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
· Nov 21, 2018
Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?
Dr. Michael Mann, professor of atmospheric science at Pennsylvania State University, told Huffington Post “[the tweet] demonstrates once again that Donald Trump is not an individual to be taken seriously on any topic, let alone matters as serious as climate change.
"He is a clown — a dangerous clown," he said.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
"Heat" lost another one. Their second in a row, fifth in six, eighth in ten, and their eighth in eleven at home! 7-13 on the season. They blow. The "Heat" blow. They're blowing up. There are going to be casualties.
Do you know Danny Ainge offered Pat Riley six draft picks for the right to draft Justise Winslow? Six. Riles' responded "Danny Ainge should shut the fuck up" and kept the pick. Owie.
Do you know Danny Ainge offered Pat Riley six draft picks for the right to draft Justise Winslow? Six. Riles' responded "Danny Ainge should shut the fuck up" and kept the pick. Owie.
Oh my goodness. The undefeated (6-0) Pitt “Dribbling Panthers” are in Iowa City tonight playing only their second “real” opponent of the season. Really real are the Iowa “Hawkeyes” too, ranked #14 in the whole country. Thirteen point faves to chase the Cats away and lookie here, Pitt leads ‘em 46-40 at the half! Holy hell, Jeff Capel. H2P.
Lyon 2 Manchester City 2
City are through the group stages of the Champions League and on to the knockout phase.
Lyon are the only team to score two goals against City this season and they did it twice, beating the Angels in the first match of the competition—and at Etihad Stadium! I thought, “Here we go again” but City won their other three matches in Group F and come out with the third highest goal difference at +9 in the entire competition, behind only Munich, +10 (4-1-0) and Madrid +10 (4-0-1). Lyon also qualify for the knockout round. Other qualifiers
Group E: Munich and Ajax.
Group G: Madrid and Roma.
Group H: Juve and Man United. So United go to the knockouts and yet...the lead story on ESPNFC is “Fellaini spares Mourinho, Man United blushes.” Oh...They got there, and got that lede because they won 1-0 at RayJay over Young Boys. HELD: Lede justified. Oh dearie me.
Lyon are the only team to score two goals against City this season and they did it twice, beating the Angels in the first match of the competition—and at Etihad Stadium! I thought, “Here we go again” but City won their other three matches in Group F and come out with the third highest goal difference at +9 in the entire competition, behind only Munich, +10 (4-1-0) and Madrid +10 (4-0-1). Lyon also qualify for the knockout round. Other qualifiers
Group E: Munich and Ajax.
Group G: Madrid and Roma.
Group H: Juve and Man United. So United go to the knockouts and yet...the lead story on ESPNFC is “Fellaini spares Mourinho, Man United blushes.” Oh...They got there, and got that lede because they won 1-0 at RayJay over Young Boys. HELD: Lede justified. Oh dearie me.
Monday, November 26, 2018
The thought came into my head this morning in the drive back from court, “Listen to the JFK-Ross Barnett tapes.” So I pulled ‘em up on my phone. I've listened to them before and they are a great listen. General Kennedy’s voice can be heard on at least two of the president’s calls that I remember but no tapes exist of the many more RFK-Barnett calls...But we do have transcripts! He-he-he.
This is hard to believe, surreal. Introduction and afterword from americanradioworks:
On September 27, 1962 Bobby Kennedy and Ross Barnett agreed on an extraordinary plan: James Meredith would arrive at the Ole' Miss campus in Oxford accompanied by at least 25 armed Federal Marshals (at the time, Marshals were Justice Department agents normally used to transport prisoners, not trained for combat). Ross Barnett would make a show of blocking Meredith, but be forced to step aside when the Marshals drew their guns. In this conversation, at 2:50 p.m., Kennedy and Barnett dicker over just how this play will unfold.
This is hard to believe, surreal. Introduction and afterword from americanradioworks:
On September 27, 1962 Bobby Kennedy and Ross Barnett agreed on an extraordinary plan: James Meredith would arrive at the Ole' Miss campus in Oxford accompanied by at least 25 armed Federal Marshals (at the time, Marshals were Justice Department agents normally used to transport prisoners, not trained for combat). Ross Barnett would make a show of blocking Meredith, but be forced to step aside when the Marshals drew their guns. In this conversation, at 2:50 p.m., Kennedy and Barnett dicker over just how this play will unfold.
Robert F. Kennedy: I will send the Marshals that I have available up there in Memphis and there will be about 25 or 30 of them and they will come with Mr. Meredith and they will arrive at wherever the gate is and I will have the head Marshal pull a gun and I will have the rest of them have their hands on their guns and their holsters. And then as I understand it, they will go through and get in and you will make sure that law and order is preserved and that no harm will be done to Mr. McShane and Mr. Meredith.
Ross Barnett: Oh, yes.
RFK: And then I think you will see that’s accomplished?
RB: Yes. Hold just a minute, will you? Hello, General, I was under the impression that they were all going to pull their guns. This could be very embarrassing. We got a big crowd here and if one pulls his gun and we all turn it would be very embarrassing. Isn’t it possible to have them all pull their guns?
RFK: I hate to have them all draw their guns, as I think it could create harsh feelings. Isn't it sufficient if I have one man draw his gun and the others keep their hands on their holsters?
RB: They must all draw their guns. Then they should point their guns at us and then we could step aside. This could be very embarrassing down here for us. It is necessary.
RFK: If they all pull their guns--is that all?
RB: I will have them put their sticks down before that happens. There will be no shooting.
RFK: There will be no problem?
RB: Everyone pull your guns and point them and we will stand aside and you will go right through.
RFK: You will make sure not the Marshals but the State Police will preserve law and order?
RB: There won't be any violence.
By the end of the day, the Mississippi governor and the attorney general decided to scrap their plan because it was too dangerous. A mob had gotten word of Meredith's imminent arrival and had begun to descend on Oxford. Barnett and Kennedy feared the staged showdown would spark a riot.
Ted Lieu
Verified account
@tedlieu
Gallup has been tracking @realDonaldTrump since his relatively small inauguration. On 1/29/17 @POTUS was at 45% approve / 47% disapprove. Today, he is at 38% approve / 60% disapprove.
The vast majority of the American people are demanding that Trump change his behavior & agenda.
OHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Brilliant play, Congressman Lieu! Brilliant, sir!
Verified account
@tedlieu
Gallup has been tracking @realDonaldTrump since his relatively small inauguration. On 1/29/17 @POTUS was at 45% approve / 47% disapprove. Today, he is at 38% approve / 60% disapprove.
The vast majority of the American people are demanding that Trump change his behavior & agenda.
OHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Brilliant play, Congressman Lieu! Brilliant, sir!
North Carolina Football Re-Hires Mack Brown
Is this like the new thing?
-Randy Edsall
-Herm Edwards
-Johnny Majors
-That I can think of off the top of my head.
Mack Brown is 67 years old, has not coached anywhere in five years; when he last coached he coached at Texas for sixteen years; coached UNC from 1988-1997.
Edwards had a better than expected first year at Arizona State. Edsall has been an Edsel at UConn in his second stint. And a jerk. Majors had nothing left when he was re-hired at Pitt. Actually, add Steve Pederson to that list with an * for being an AD not a coach.
Are you telling me that there is no up-and-coming coordinator or head coach at a smaller football school that floats your boat or tars your heels like Mack Brown does? C'mon, man. To moi all of these retreads demonstrate hiring fatigue: "Let's just bring back X rather than do a national search again," a lack due diligence.
-Randy Edsall
-Herm Edwards
-Johnny Majors
-That I can think of off the top of my head.
Mack Brown is 67 years old, has not coached anywhere in five years; when he last coached he coached at Texas for sixteen years; coached UNC from 1988-1997.
Edwards had a better than expected first year at Arizona State. Edsall has been an Edsel at UConn in his second stint. And a jerk. Majors had nothing left when he was re-hired at Pitt. Actually, add Steve Pederson to that list with an * for being an AD not a coach.
Are you telling me that there is no up-and-coming coordinator or head coach at a smaller football school that floats your boat or tars your heels like Mack Brown does? C'mon, man. To moi all of these retreads demonstrate hiring fatigue: "Let's just bring back X rather than do a national search again," a lack due diligence.
I dreamt about Trump. I dreamt that I was working for him...AH! I know why. One of the sugar plums that I put to dance in my head to help me fall asleep is "Trump Disappeared." He just vanishes one day and nobody can find him so Trump was on my mind is all...Anyway, in my dream he nuked a portion of Saudi Arabia--and at my urging--I don't know why not all of Saudi Arabia but it was a good start and I told him, "You had a good day" after nuking part of Saudi Arabia. And it would have been a good day but it would have been a better day if he had nuked all of Saudi Arabia.
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland's new King-lite won another game for the "Browns" today over rival Cincinnati. Clueless Hue Jackson, Mayfield's head coach in Cleveland this year and Cleveland's burden for three years took a job with Cincinnati when the "Brown" shit-canned him just a few weeks ago. The former pupil and coach met after the game and this was the interaction.
I have watched that a few times and but for the headlines I would not have taken note of anything unusual. Baker shook Jackson's hand without a hail-fellow-well-met and apparently eschewed a bro-hug when Jackson appears to have initiated one. I really didn't think anything of it.
However Baker proved the professional body language writers correct and proved me wrong for in his post-game remarks to the media Mayfield acknowledged that he didn't want to get all huggie-kissie with Hue:
"Left Cleveland, goes down to Cincinnati," Mayfield said when asked about his feelings about his former coach. "I don't know. That's just somebody that's in our locker room asking for us to play for him and then goes to a different team we play twice a year. Everybody can have their spin on it, but that's how I feel."
That's it for drama in the NFL today.
"Left Cleveland, goes down to Cincinnati," Mayfield said when asked about his feelings about his former coach. "I don't know. That's just somebody that's in our locker room asking for us to play for him and then goes to a different team we play twice a year. Everybody can have their spin on it, but that's how I feel."
That's it for drama in the NFL today.
Saturdays Down South
In the red North Carolina State players; in the powder blue helmets University of North Carolina players after last night's win by NC State.
Saturday, November 24, 2018
Footie Finale
Spurs did beat Chelsea and Manchester United fall seven points out of Champions League qualifying fourth place.
Prophetic Part II
Troy Ravenscroft
@ravenscroft7
I feel like this whole portion of @FauxPelini @TheAthletic article was written for @WVUfootball fans. Anytime WV looses it hurts, because it was meaningful. Imagine being a #Pitt fan? @TheAthleticCFB subscription is worth it just for this guy. #BeatOU
12:52 PM - 23 Nov 2018
looses do hurt. XIII-IX.
@ravenscroft7
I feel like this whole portion of @FauxPelini @TheAthletic article was written for @WVUfootball fans. Anytime WV looses it hurts, because it was meaningful. Imagine being a #Pitt fan? @TheAthleticCFB subscription is worth it just for this guy. #BeatOU
12:52 PM - 23 Nov 2018
looses do hurt. XIII-IX.
That is just crazy. 21-6 with under 2' to go, Ohio State in total control! And about to get the ball back. They pass interfere leading promptly to a Mich TD and then fumble the ensuing kickoff. Michigan scores immediately again and voila! it's 21-19. Two HUMONGOUS mistakes by OSU. THAT would drive any coach to distraction.
Ohio State 21 Michigan 19, :41 HT
Ohio State fumbled the kick off, Michigan recovered and scored another TD.
Ohio State 7 Michigan 6, 12:14 2Q
And this game so far is a good example of that read on Harbaugh. Michigan has dominated the game, time of possession 14:23-3:35, 6-3 first downs, 90-83 total yards and they still trail!
Ohio State has been very undisciplined, which will heap stress on Urban Meyer, they have been penalized five times for 50 yards already.
Ohio State has been very undisciplined, which will heap stress on Urban Meyer, they have been penalized five times for 50 yards already.
Ohio State 7 Michigan 0, 11:29 1Q
“Wolves” went three and out on their first possession. OSU went 42 yards in seven plays to take the lead.
In the opinion of some Jim Harbaugh’s offense does not play well from behind and they are now behind.
In the opinion of some Jim Harbaugh’s offense does not play well from behind and they are now behind.
Footie
And fullsies all around.
Watford 0 City 4
United 0 Palace 0
Watford 0 Liverpool 3
The situation is getting desperate at Manchester United. City, Liverpool, and United have now all played 13 matches. United are behind City by 14 points, 'Pool by 12 and six behind Champions League fourth place Spurs who play Chelsea in half an hour and would make the gap seven with a win. That is, United have have lost a point a match against the top two and a half point (or more) against UCL qualification after one-third of the season.
The Glazer family will only fire a manager mid-season if their "asset" is no longer in contention for the UCL. You cannot be out of it after 13 matches but if the idea is also to have reasonable hope at securing a UCL spot during the season then the Glazers may look at that ominous math, for every match they wait brings them one-half point or closer to elimination.
Watford 0 City 4
United 0 Palace 0
Watford 0 Liverpool 3
The situation is getting desperate at Manchester United. City, Liverpool, and United have now all played 13 matches. United are behind City by 14 points, 'Pool by 12 and six behind Champions League fourth place Spurs who play Chelsea in half an hour and would make the gap seven with a win. That is, United have have lost a point a match against the top two and a half point (or more) against UCL qualification after one-third of the season.
The Glazer family will only fire a manager mid-season if their "asset" is no longer in contention for the UCL. You cannot be out of it after 13 matches but if the idea is also to have reasonable hope at securing a UCL spot during the season then the Glazers may look at that ominous math, for every match they wait brings them one-half point or closer to elimination.
Watford 0 Manchester City 4, 90+3
Betcha Pep and players were watching the Liverpool score and decided to increase the GD.
Other Footie
#2 Liverpool and #7 'Arry are 0-0 in the 53' at Watford. Red Sox have got to win this one.
#8 Manchester "Buccaneers" are also nil-nil with #16 Crystal Palace, which also could be the rankings in a PAC 12 championship matchup, at RayJay.
#8 Manchester "Buccaneers" are also nil-nil with #16 Crystal Palace, which also could be the rankings in a PAC 12 championship matchup, at RayJay.
Fire Larry Scott
Oh my God. I just saw this because the game was played in the Beijing time zone last night: Washington State, #8, 10-1, and PAC 12 commissioner Scott’s last, best, forlorn hope of getting into the four team playoff laid an apple last night at home, in the snow, against arch-rival 8-3, #16 Washington 28-15. That sets up the conference title game that no one wants to, or will, see between current #17, 8-3 Utah, who play their arch-rival Brigham Young tonight when every normal person will be getting ready for bed, and the afore-referenced “Poodles”. That’s a Conference USA mathchup and the winner has NO CHANCE of making the playoff.
Under Scott the PAC expanded to Utah and Colorado confusing its brand, mocking its name (which is the new normal), created its own television network which nobody watches, and diluted its champion’s bona fides by adding a title game which guarantees that one of its two best teams will get an additional L. Great Scott! Not. Fire Larry Scott.
Under Scott the PAC expanded to Utah and Colorado confusing its brand, mocking its name (which is the new normal), created its own television network which nobody watches, and diluted its champion’s bona fides by adding a title game which guarantees that one of its two best teams will get an additional L. Great Scott! Not. Fire Larry Scott.
Googling “Ohio Stadium” to verify that that was the correct name of the Ohio State tackle football venue the undersigned came across a list of largest capacity stadiums in the world. The Wikipedia criteria for the list included permanent capacity and excluded stadiums no longer in use “(such as Strahov Stadium, which was the largest in the world and held around 220,000 spectators),” which the undersigned had never heard of and which is situated in Prague which the undersigned has been to and still had never heard of Strahov Stadium so he followed the Wikipedia link.
Upon information and belief the image of the stadium at top is of recent vintage and is just fucking gross.
Now undersigned knows what you are thinking: “Fucking Soviet swine” and the Soviets are swine and the Soviets did impress male and female Czech soldiers into performing at Great Strahov Stadium in “some of the most popular shows...those of young well-trained recruits who wore only boxer shorts while on the display or women dancing in miniskirts” but in fact Great Strahov Stadium was built by, according to the tastes of, and at that gross capacity by the Czech government in 1923 which was long before “liberation” by the swine Soviets as a venue for...synchronized gymnastics the undersigned kids you not. Other vintage photographs of Great Strahov Stadium in use:
The Main Event
There is nothing more important than what will happen today outside the lines in Columbus, Ohio.
Other:
In short pants football the First Team in the Second City go to the Capital in two hours to fend off the 13th place Hammerheads.
At 3:30 NPT the “Mountain Cats” of the University at the Confluence prowl against the University of Miami Gardens.
Last night the Miami “Cools” characteristically raced out to a big lead, this time 26 points, over an opponent but uncharacteristically did not blow it all in another fourth quarter collapse and beat the “Cows” in the Second City 103-96. Miami is not intriguing or interesting so far this season.
Ugly, embarrassing affair in Couch Burn last night. Oklahoma beat West Virginia 59-56. If those are the sixth and thirteenth best teams in the country then it’s pinball they’re playing not tackle football. The winner of that conference, the Big XII, does not deserve to be one of the four selected for the college tackle football playoff.
Other:
In short pants football the First Team in the Second City go to the Capital in two hours to fend off the 13th place Hammerheads.
At 3:30 NPT the “Mountain Cats” of the University at the Confluence prowl against the University of Miami Gardens.
Last night the Miami “Cools” characteristically raced out to a big lead, this time 26 points, over an opponent but uncharacteristically did not blow it all in another fourth quarter collapse and beat the “Cows” in the Second City 103-96. Miami is not intriguing or interesting so far this season.
Ugly, embarrassing affair in Couch Burn last night. Oklahoma beat West Virginia 59-56. If those are the sixth and thirteenth best teams in the country then it’s pinball they’re playing not tackle football. The winner of that conference, the Big XII, does not deserve to be one of the four selected for the college tackle football playoff.
Friday, November 23, 2018
MIA: Shelly Meyer, RN; Andrew Thomas, MD; Ohio State University
There needs to be an intervention here.
October 6
Meyer’s sideline demeanor has taken on a decidedly beleaguered stoop this season. The usual shouting and gesticulating, the ripping off of his headset, those are often followed by a hand moving up to the left side of his head because of severe headaches.
...
Meyer...acknowledged depression and anxiety issues late in his six-year tenure at Florida...
https://www.apnews.com/8b95c16417ab4712b8a063f7e3388843
...he revealed that he’s been dealing with an enlarged congenital arachnoid cyst on his brain. Though Meyer had surgery in spring 2014, he continues to take medicine. The cyst causes occasionally severe headaches – as in one highly visible example, the Buckeyes’ 49-26 win against Indiana, when Meyer dropped to his knees in the fourth quarter.
...
Meyer does not look well. And in his seventh year at Ohio State, there are seeming parallels to the end of his tenure at Florida. He retired from that gig after six seasons, citing stress-related health issues.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/columnist/george-schroeder/2018/11/22/ohio-state-coach-urban-meyer-clearly-pain-football-season/2085880002/
In the early morning of December 6, 2009, soon after returning home following his team's loss in the 2009 SEC Championship Game, Meyer was quietly admitted into a Gainesville hospital suffering from chest pains and dehydration. He was released later in the day, and the incident was not announced to the public at the time.[49]
On December 26, after discussions with his family, Meyer revealed his medical scare and announced that he would resign as Florida's head coach due to health and family concerns following his team's New Years Day Sugar Bowl appearance.[20] Meyer stated: "I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family."...Meyer admitted that he had suffered frequent chest pains, later discovered to be caused by Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and occasional severe headaches due to an arachnoid cyst for years, and that they were related to stress.[50]
On December 27, Meyer announced that he would take an indefinite leave of absence instead of resigning. He was unsure if he would return for the 2010 season...
On January 1, 2010, Meyer coached the Gators in their 51–24 Sugar Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats.
...
On March 17, 2010, Meyer returned full-time to his [Florida coaching] position...
...
On December 8, 2010, Meyer again announced his retirement from coaching for much the same reasons he mentioned in December 2009: his family and his health.[62][63]
Meyer's last game as Florida's coach was a 37–24 win in the 2011 Outback Bowl on January 1, 2011.
[On November 28, 2011 Meyer was named head coach at Ohio State.]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Meyer#Leave_of_absence
"I thought I was dying," Meyer said. "Mentally, I was broke."
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/11558783/ohio-state-buckeyes-coach-urban-meyer-says-was-mentally-broke-florida-gators-2009
...Meyer was known to have had brain surgery in the spring of 2014, but what he explained Tuesday was an ongoing issue that has flared up the last two years, triggering frequent pain on the left side of his head and an episode that dropped him to his knees on the sideline against Indiana earlier this month.
Monday, I told Meyer in his weekly news conference about those believing him to look anguished on the sideline and asked how he was mentally and emotionally. Meyer said he was fine and told fans not to worry about him.
Unhappy with that answer, and wanting to quell speculation, Meyer, 54, sat in his office Tuesday...in an effort to speak the truth and explain the seriousness of the cyst.
...Meyer's mood darkened as he delved into the details of his physical condition, unsure of sharing too many personal details but wanting a basic understanding of his health to be known to the public.
...Ohio State also provided this statement from Dr. Andrew Thomas, Meyer's personal physician.
"The past four years, we've been working closely with Coach Meyer to monitor and manage the symptoms that have risen from his enlarged congenital arachnoid cyst. This includes aggressive headaches, which have particularly flared up the past two years."
It was difficult to pull quotes from Meyer about what has gone on, but several things became clear through the course of a conversation in which Meyer didn't want to overplay or underplay what is happening with him.
1. His condition is serious...
2. He has managed his health since the 2014 surgery, and these days that includes daily medication...
3. ...the issue with his cyst is incurable and progressive...
...
Meyer deals with regular headaches, but the symptoms worsen in singular moments of aggravation. That could be at home, in practice, or on the sideline during games. It is not the general stress of coaching college football that's the issue, but the moments of intense anxiety that have been part of Meyer's coaching style since he started.
...
"I put my life into this job...I'm 100 percent committed to Ohio State and putting our players in the best position to win games and doing right by Ohio State."
https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2018/10/urban_meyer_reveals_seriousnes.html
"I put my life into this job": Urban Meyer must not coach another game of college tackle football.
Manifestly, Meyer cannot protect himself, he cannot quit coaching of his own volition. He must be made to quit coaching, he is in too much pain physically and mentally; the risks to his physical well-being, his sanity, even his life, are palpable. Yet scandalously an intervention is not coming from the two people, Shelley Meyer, his wife and a registered nurse, and Dr. Andrew Thomas, Meyer's physician, in the best position to intervene, nor from the university which has the employer's power to intervene. None are "doing right" by Urban Meyer.
As a consequence, in under sixteen hours Urban Meyer will be standing once again on the sideline at Ohio Stadium. He will be coaching in his biggest, most stressful, game of the season against arch-rival #4 Michigan. I pray, pray, that Urban Meyer does not collapse and die on national television tomorrow or suffer a nervous breakdown and go mad. There is tragic precedent for professional and fiduciary dereliction leading to the unthinkable.
October 6
November 17
...
Meyer...acknowledged depression and anxiety issues late in his six-year tenure at Florida...
https://www.apnews.com/8b95c16417ab4712b8a063f7e3388843
...he revealed that he’s been dealing with an enlarged congenital arachnoid cyst on his brain. Though Meyer had surgery in spring 2014, he continues to take medicine. The cyst causes occasionally severe headaches – as in one highly visible example, the Buckeyes’ 49-26 win against Indiana, when Meyer dropped to his knees in the fourth quarter.
...
Meyer does not look well. And in his seventh year at Ohio State, there are seeming parallels to the end of his tenure at Florida. He retired from that gig after six seasons, citing stress-related health issues.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/columnist/george-schroeder/2018/11/22/ohio-state-coach-urban-meyer-clearly-pain-football-season/2085880002/
In the early morning of December 6, 2009, soon after returning home following his team's loss in the 2009 SEC Championship Game, Meyer was quietly admitted into a Gainesville hospital suffering from chest pains and dehydration. He was released later in the day, and the incident was not announced to the public at the time.[49]
On December 26, after discussions with his family, Meyer revealed his medical scare and announced that he would resign as Florida's head coach due to health and family concerns following his team's New Years Day Sugar Bowl appearance.[20] Meyer stated: "I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family."...Meyer admitted that he had suffered frequent chest pains, later discovered to be caused by Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and occasional severe headaches due to an arachnoid cyst for years, and that they were related to stress.[50]
On December 27, Meyer announced that he would take an indefinite leave of absence instead of resigning. He was unsure if he would return for the 2010 season...
On January 1, 2010, Meyer coached the Gators in their 51–24 Sugar Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats.
...
On March 17, 2010, Meyer returned full-time to his [Florida coaching] position...
...
On December 8, 2010, Meyer again announced his retirement from coaching for much the same reasons he mentioned in December 2009: his family and his health.[62][63]
Meyer's last game as Florida's coach was a 37–24 win in the 2011 Outback Bowl on January 1, 2011.
[On November 28, 2011 Meyer was named head coach at Ohio State.]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Meyer#Leave_of_absence
"I thought I was dying," Meyer said. "Mentally, I was broke."
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/11558783/ohio-state-buckeyes-coach-urban-meyer-says-was-mentally-broke-florida-gators-2009
...Meyer was known to have had brain surgery in the spring of 2014, but what he explained Tuesday was an ongoing issue that has flared up the last two years, triggering frequent pain on the left side of his head and an episode that dropped him to his knees on the sideline against Indiana earlier this month.
Monday, I told Meyer in his weekly news conference about those believing him to look anguished on the sideline and asked how he was mentally and emotionally. Meyer said he was fine and told fans not to worry about him.
Unhappy with that answer, and wanting to quell speculation, Meyer, 54, sat in his office Tuesday...in an effort to speak the truth and explain the seriousness of the cyst.
...Meyer's mood darkened as he delved into the details of his physical condition, unsure of sharing too many personal details but wanting a basic understanding of his health to be known to the public.
...Ohio State also provided this statement from Dr. Andrew Thomas, Meyer's personal physician.
"The past four years, we've been working closely with Coach Meyer to monitor and manage the symptoms that have risen from his enlarged congenital arachnoid cyst. This includes aggressive headaches, which have particularly flared up the past two years."
It was difficult to pull quotes from Meyer about what has gone on, but several things became clear through the course of a conversation in which Meyer didn't want to overplay or underplay what is happening with him.
1. His condition is serious...
2. He has managed his health since the 2014 surgery, and these days that includes daily medication...
3. ...the issue with his cyst is incurable and progressive...
...
Meyer deals with regular headaches, but the symptoms worsen in singular moments of aggravation. That could be at home, in practice, or on the sideline during games. It is not the general stress of coaching college football that's the issue, but the moments of intense anxiety that have been part of Meyer's coaching style since he started.
...
"I put my life into this job...I'm 100 percent committed to Ohio State and putting our players in the best position to win games and doing right by Ohio State."
https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2018/10/urban_meyer_reveals_seriousnes.html
Manifestly, Meyer cannot protect himself, he cannot quit coaching of his own volition. He must be made to quit coaching, he is in too much pain physically and mentally; the risks to his physical well-being, his sanity, even his life, are palpable. Yet scandalously an intervention is not coming from the two people, Shelley Meyer, his wife and a registered nurse, and Dr. Andrew Thomas, Meyer's physician, in the best position to intervene, nor from the university which has the employer's power to intervene. None are "doing right" by Urban Meyer.
As a consequence, in under sixteen hours Urban Meyer will be standing once again on the sideline at Ohio Stadium. He will be coaching in his biggest, most stressful, game of the season against arch-rival #4 Michigan. I pray, pray, that Urban Meyer does not collapse and die on national television tomorrow or suffer a nervous breakdown and go mad. There is tragic precedent for professional and fiduciary dereliction leading to the unthinkable.
All eyes will be on Urban Meyer tomorrow and if the unthinkable occurs all eyes will instantly shift to Shelley Meyer, RN, Andrew Thomas, MD, and Ohio State University.
Randy Edsel is a Jerk
UConn has given up 626.6 yards per game this season, far more than the FBS record of 560.8, set by Kansas in 2015. The Huskies would have to allow minus-163 yards Saturday to avoid setting a new mark.
The Huskies have also given up 49.8 points per game, five more than anyone else in the country. If they allow 52 or more to Temple, they will become the first team since Louisiana Lafayette in 1997 (and only the second since 1918) to cede 50 per game over a full season.
Meanwhile, UConn has allowed 8.6 yards per play this season in game against FBS opponents, most of any team in the 16 seasons TeamRankings.com has tracked that stat. The second worst yards-per-play figure belongs to this year’s Georgia State team, which stands at 7.9.
Advanced stats provide a similarly bleak analysis. Using the S&P+ metric, SB Nation pronounced UConn’s D as the second-worst since Division I split into FBS and FCS (then Division I-A and Division I-AA) in 1978, better than only the 1995 UNLV unit.
The Athletic points out that UConn has stopped opponents on 40.4 percent of drives, 8 points below the next worst team and more than 25 points below the national average of 66 percent. Take out drives that expire due to the ends of halves and the figure drops to 34.4 percent.
Also via The Athletic: Opposing quarterbacks have tallied 3,166 yards on 71 percent passing, 32 touchdowns, four interceptions and a pass efficiency rating of 192.2 (which would rank third nationally behind Heisman favorites Tua Tagovailoa and Kyler Murray).
The Huskies have been at least as bad against the rush, giving up an FBS-worst 338.8 yards per game on the ground.
https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-football/hc-sp-uconn-football-temple-defensive-statistics-history-20181121-story.html
To all of which Edsel says,
“Those numbers are what they are, but if we didn’t do what we did with all those freshmen, the numbers would have been worse, in my opinion. So we did what we had to do to be the best we can be this year and then moving forward next year. Because to me, if I did it another way the numbers would’ve been worse.”
The worst ever is the best they could have been this season. They would have been worse than worst ever if Edsel hadn’t coached them UP to WORST EVER. That is utter BULLSHIT. An Edsel by any other name...
The Huskies have also given up 49.8 points per game, five more than anyone else in the country. If they allow 52 or more to Temple, they will become the first team since Louisiana Lafayette in 1997 (and only the second since 1918) to cede 50 per game over a full season.
Meanwhile, UConn has allowed 8.6 yards per play this season in game against FBS opponents, most of any team in the 16 seasons TeamRankings.com has tracked that stat. The second worst yards-per-play figure belongs to this year’s Georgia State team, which stands at 7.9.
Advanced stats provide a similarly bleak analysis. Using the S&P+ metric, SB Nation pronounced UConn’s D as the second-worst since Division I split into FBS and FCS (then Division I-A and Division I-AA) in 1978, better than only the 1995 UNLV unit.
The Athletic points out that UConn has stopped opponents on 40.4 percent of drives, 8 points below the next worst team and more than 25 points below the national average of 66 percent. Take out drives that expire due to the ends of halves and the figure drops to 34.4 percent.
Also via The Athletic: Opposing quarterbacks have tallied 3,166 yards on 71 percent passing, 32 touchdowns, four interceptions and a pass efficiency rating of 192.2 (which would rank third nationally behind Heisman favorites Tua Tagovailoa and Kyler Murray).
The Huskies have been at least as bad against the rush, giving up an FBS-worst 338.8 yards per game on the ground.
https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-football/hc-sp-uconn-football-temple-defensive-statistics-history-20181121-story.html
To all of which Edsel says,
“Those numbers are what they are, but if we didn’t do what we did with all those freshmen, the numbers would have been worse, in my opinion. So we did what we had to do to be the best we can be this year and then moving forward next year. Because to me, if I did it another way the numbers would’ve been worse.”
The worst ever is the best they could have been this season. They would have been worse than worst ever if Edsel hadn’t coached them UP to WORST EVER. That is utter BULLSHIT. An Edsel by any other name...
FT Iowa 31 Nebraska 28
Miguel Recinos drilled a 41-yard field goal through a driving rain as time expired and Iowa beat Nebraska 31-28 on Friday despite blowing a 15-point lead.
...
The Hawkeyes nearly blew this one big time though.
A curious decision by Iowa to fake a field goal at Nebraska's 3-yard line failed, and it led to a 98-yard scoring drive from the Huskers to make it 28-20 with 13:57 to go. [Neb QB]Martinez then ran it from 3 yards out with 3:22 left and found Kade Warner in the back of the end zone to tie it up.
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
TAKE THAT KIRK FERENTZ YOU IMBECILE
10:30 AM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
THAT DIDN’T WORK OH MY GOD HOW EMBARRASSING FOR YOU
11:16 AM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
Remember that time Iowa faked a field goal and it didn’t work at all
That was awesome
11:41 AM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
I bet the Iowa crowd is quiet because they’re sad their team blew it
12:08 PM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
.@Pontifex help pls
12:17 PM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
That trophy looks heavy anyway
12:19 PM - 23 Nov 2018
...
The Hawkeyes nearly blew this one big time though.
A curious decision by Iowa to fake a field goal at Nebraska's 3-yard line failed, and it led to a 98-yard scoring drive from the Huskers to make it 28-20 with 13:57 to go. [Neb QB]Martinez then ran it from 3 yards out with 3:22 left and found Kade Warner in the back of the end zone to tie it up.
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
TAKE THAT KIRK FERENTZ YOU IMBECILE
10:30 AM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
THAT DIDN’T WORK OH MY GOD HOW EMBARRASSING FOR YOU
11:16 AM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
Remember that time Iowa faked a field goal and it didn’t work at all
That was awesome
11:41 AM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
I bet the Iowa crowd is quiet because they’re sad their team blew it
12:08 PM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
.@Pontifex help pls
12:17 PM - 23 Nov 2018
Faux Pelini
@FauxPelini
That trophy looks heavy anyway
12:19 PM - 23 Nov 2018
Blackshirts Friday
You wouldn't think Nebraska's defense was back from the 28-13 score but the "Huskers" just stopped Iowa three times inside the five yard line and took over on downs. MISTAKE by "Hawkeye" coach Kirk Ferentz. Too much time left in the game to eschew a sure three and go for the TD on fourth down. Nebraska now with the ball at their own 49.
Trump is a Limp Dick
Thanks be to Wikipedia vandals who on the Thanks day “edited” Trump’s page to insert a photograph of an actual penis for the official photo of the first president of Amerika 2.0. AND with effect, unknown to this correspondent, of leading Siri, Apple iPhone’s voice query, to pull up the appropriately limp dick image.
Thursday, November 22, 2018
2018 Popular Vote Most One-Sided Since 1974
D 58,990,609
RR 50,304,975
D+ 8,695,634
That’s 53.1%-45.2%. And they are still counting. In 2016 Mrs Hillary defeated the Orange Baboon by 2,864,974.
Amerika 2.0 has changed its mind.
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Seeking the Soul
Romantic ideas of a return to the state of nature... The soul of humankind has not evolved. This is us then, circa 60,000 B.C., and now: solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. We are all Sentinelese. This is the species that God made dominate the only rock in the sky known to harbor intelligent life.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
That's God.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
That's God.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Hollywood James
4. Franklin's personality is a perfect LA fit.
I beg to differ.
"To be specific, it's pretty clear James Franklin is full of crap."
That was Jonesy after James' introductory press conference at PSU!
That is not Magic Johnson's smile up there. That is not Pat Riley's slicked back hair.
That is not Jack Nicholson. That's a used car salesman. That is Kutztown Kool, not SoCal Cool. James Franklin is not cool. He just isn't. There is nothing SoCal about him. He has never coached there, spent no time living or working there at all. He went to college at and played football in Pennsylvania, head coached in Nashville, TN and now in State College, Pennsyltucky. Lynn Swann, who is SoCal Cool, wants to hire that guy? If he does, if James convinces Swann that he's the perfect fit for SC then James could sell a ketchup popsicle. Swannie, take a powder and lie down.
That is not Jack Nicholson. That's a used car salesman. That is Kutztown Kool, not SoCal Cool. James Franklin is not cool. He just isn't. There is nothing SoCal about him. He has never coached there, spent no time living or working there at all. He went to college at and played football in Pennsylvania, head coached in Nashville, TN and now in State College, Pennsyltucky. Lynn Swann, who is SoCal Cool, wants to hire that guy? If he does, if James convinces Swann that he's the perfect fit for SC then James could sell a ketchup popsicle. Swannie, take a powder and lie down.
NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Penn State coach James Franklin addresses USC speculation, doesn’t say if he’d be a candidate
(Philly.com)
STAY JAMES STAY!
H2P!
I’tis Ovah
I see skies of Blue!
In Utah too!
In Utah too!
It’s over. Democrat Ben McAdams ousts Republican Rep Mia Love by 694 votes
Trump's Impeachment for Abuse of Power
This is from a long ago, April 2017, on abuse of power as a ground for Trump's impeachment.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/trumpcast/2017/04/corruption_abuse_of_power_and_undermining_the_rule_of_law_the_case_for_impeaching.html
Abuse of power is anything the president does that he can only do by virtue of being president [like ordering the military around which only the commander-in-chief can do] that threatens the basic freedoms and capacities of other people.
...
If the president does that kind of thing without any evidence, just on a whim, [like for a non-existent crisis] that is an abuse of power, and it’s a perfect of example of the kind of abuse of power that’s distinctive to the presidency and therefore is and should be an impeachable offense.
...
Using the intelligence agencies or the FBI to investigate people for political reasons is an abuse of power.
Absolutely. Just through the size of bully pulpit, the president has enormous capacities to act in ways that would deeply disadvantage many, many of his opponents and enemies. Having an enemies list is itself an abuse of power.
Like this, from two hours ago:
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/trumpcast/2017/04/corruption_abuse_of_power_and_undermining_the_rule_of_law_the_case_for_impeaching.html
Abuse of power is anything the president does that he can only do by virtue of being president [like ordering the military around which only the commander-in-chief can do] that threatens the basic freedoms and capacities of other people.
...
If the president does that kind of thing without any evidence, just on a whim, [like for a non-existent crisis] that is an abuse of power, and it’s a perfect of example of the kind of abuse of power that’s distinctive to the presidency and therefore is and should be an impeachable offense.
...
Using the intelligence agencies or the FBI to investigate people for political reasons is an abuse of power.
Absolutely. Just through the size of bully pulpit, the president has enormous capacities to act in ways that would deeply disadvantage many, many of his opponents and enemies. Having an enemies list is itself an abuse of power.
Like this, from two hours ago:
Trump Wanted to Order Justice Dept. to Prosecute Comey and Clinton
...Trump told the White House counsel in the spring that he wanted to order the Justice Department to prosecute two of his political adversaries: his 2016 challenger, Hillary Clinton, and the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey, according to two people familiar with the conversation.
The lawyer, Donald F. McGahn II, rebuffed the president, saying that he had no authority to order a prosecution. Mr. McGahn said that while he could request an investigation, that too could prompt accusations of abuse of power. To underscore his point, Mr. McGahn had White House lawyers write a memo for Mr. Trump warning that if he asked law enforcement to investigate his rivals, he could face a range of consequences, including possible impeachment.
...one of the most blatant examples yet of how Mr. Trump views the typically independent Justice Department as a tool to be wielded against his political enemies.
...
He has accused Mr. Comey, without evidence, [like, on a whim] of illegally having classified information shared with The New York Times in a memo that Mr. Comey wrote about his interactions with the president. The document contained no classified information.
...
...Trump’s lawyers also privately asked the Justice Department last year to investigate Mr. Comey for mishandling sensitive government information and for his role in the Clinton email investigation. Law enforcement officials declined their requests.
Back to the Slate article:
Don’t we have to draw a distinction between president who talks shit and the abuse of power?
...the president can talk shit in a way that an ordinary politician can’t because of the consequences of what he has to say. So the allegation of criminality, which is a great example, just doesn’t fit into that category once you’re president. So candidate Donald Trump could say to Hillary Clinton, You ought to be in jail, but let’s imagine that he’s running for re-election and he says, “I believe that you’re guilty of crimes.” That could trigger an investigation of the person. That means that the exact statement with the same exact words have a different effect—I would say an unconstitutional effect—because they’re said by a person who is in fact the president at the time. That’s where I would draw the line very, very clearly.
...
Under impeachment, no one’s going to put the president in jail for what he said, but when it comes to removing the president from office, he can’t say, Well, that was just me exercising my free speech. Free speech says that Congress can’t make a law punishing you for speaking, but it doesn’t say that it can’t impeach him for things that he’s said. He’s not immune from impeachment. I think that’s sort of the punchline. The president is never immune from impeachment.
That is the punchline. Very good, thoughtful analysis by Noah Feldman, Harvard Law prof.
I think we got him. With Professor Feldman's cogent explanation Trump is going to get impeached on at least two counts of abuse of power.
Trump’s Caravan: Troops Coming Home
He sent 5,800 U.S. military men and women to the southern border for a non-existent crisis for blatantly political purposes. That is abuse of power. That is an impeachable offense.
"Ivanka Trump used a private email account to discuss government business"-CNBC, et al
What the f? How could she do that after HRC? The Trumps are just congenital brain defects.
Sunday, November 18, 2018
A cold is so annoying. It comes on so subtly and you don't know if it's anything at first so you go to work or whatever and then,"Am I getting a cold?" And then once you realize, "Yep, got a cold.", you don't know what to do. You don't feel bad enough like with the flu that you can just in good conscience surrender. So then you have to interrogate yourself. "Hmm, should I stay at work or should I be a little peepy BITCH and go home?" THAT annoys you. If you stay you're going to be annoyed because your nose is running and your throat is a little irritated and it's interfering with your work and if you go home you're going to be annoyed because having a runny nose and a scratchy throat is frigging ANNOYING! And you know there is practically nothing you can do about a cold. Get Airborne, check. Get chicken noodle soup, check. Think I feel better? Do I SOUND like I feel better? Huh? You feel like a baby even accepting commiseration, like it's not even worth it. "Erika, I'm going home I've got a little cold." "Oh, I'm sorry Ben. Feel better." Ooh does baby Ben have booger noses, let's have a pity party one two three ahhh. I feel like you're only entitled to a certain number of "I'm sorry's" in your life and you shouldn't waste one on a cold. "I'm sorry" should be reserved for gunshot wounds, sciatica, Trump. So, I'm fine okay, I'm fucking FINE!
The undersigned is on record as predicting that The next great coach in college tackle football will be Brian Kelly Note that that prediction was made right after Kelly completed his final season at Central Michigan. Man. I dunno what I was drinking that New Year's Day 2007 but it produced an epiphany. Sheesh, that was a good 'un.
Kelly is a good 'un, too, an extremely good one. But I did not predict extreme goodness, I predicted greatness. When that prediction was made almost twelve years ago Kelly had just been hired by Cincinnati where he coached three full seasons, going 10-3, 11-3 and 12-0. Which made me look like a savant for once instead of an idiot but even in his last year at Cincy, the 12-0 year when Cincy finished the regular season ranked fourth in the country, note that fourth best is not best. I am sure you noted that. Fourth best is extreme goodness but not greatness and Cincinnati went on to lay an egg in the Sugar Bowl against #5 Florida. Note: Just as he had left CMU after their regular season but before their bowl game for Cincinnati, Kelly left Cincinnati after their perfect regular season and before their bowl game for Notre Dame. The Kelly-less "Bearcats" got mauled by the"Gators" who just ate 'em alive, 51-24. Florida led 30-3 at the half.
Note the similarities among Kelly's 2009 Cincinnati team, his 2012 Notre Dame team, and his 2018 Notre Dame team. 2009 Cincy: 4th ranked before bowl, considered overrated, blown out in bowl, trailed 30-3 at half (sans Kelly), final rank, 8th; 2012 ND: #1 ranked before bowl, considered overrated, blown out in bowl, trailed 28-0 at half, final rank, 4th; 2018 ND: 3rd ranked (season incomplete)...Are they considered overrated?...No, I don't think so but I and most others do not think they are national champions in-waiting. When they make the college football playoff this year if they get blown out again then the symmetry will have been perfect.
There is another similarity among those three extremely good Brian Kelly coached teams, a factor in fact common to every Brian Kelly coached team, twenty-nine of them, the factor in the opinion of the undersigned savant--Or idiot!--that explains the near brushes with greatness: No great quarterback has ever played for Brian Kelly.
That is remarkable! Notre Dame used to be QB U! Four of Notre Dame's seven Heisman Trophy winners have been quarterbacks. Not among Heisman winners are these All-American ND QB's: Jimmy Clausen, Brady Quinn, Rick Mirer, Tony Rice, Tom Clements, Joe Montana (not even an AA!), Joe Theismann, Terry Hanratty, Daryle Lamonica. The last pre-Kelly Notre Dame team, 2009, Jimmy Clausen was an All-American quarterback. No "Irish" QB under Brian Kelly has ever been named All-American much less won a Heisman. Further, Kelly has not been able to decide on a QB at Notre Dame! In his nine seasons in South Bend, including this season, Kelly has rotated two quarterbacks as starters in seven seasons. Here's the list:
2010 Tommy Rees-Everett Golson
2011 Tommy Rees-Dayne Crist
2012 (The Alabama blow out year) Tommy Rees-Everett Golson
2013 Tommy Rees
2014 Everett Golson-Malik Zaire
2015 DeShone Kizer-Malik Zaire
2016 (Notre Dame cratered to 4-8) DeShone Kizer
2017 Brandon Wimbush-Ian Book
2018 Brandon Wimbush-Ian Book
Remarkable! How can you go nine years at Notre Dame and never recruit or develop a great quarterback? C'mon. In Charlie Weis' five unhappy years there he had three All-Americans at QB. C'mon, man.
Kelly's quarterbacks in four years at Cincinnati, Dustin Grutza, Ben Mauk, Zach Collaros, Tony Pike, and Brendon Kay, were better than he has coached in nine years at Notre Dame I mean come on man.
So. Therefore. Brian Kelly, no doubt just to spite me and deny me savant status, has never achieved coaching greatness because he has spent nine frigging years at Notre Dame playing musical quarterbacks. The bitch.
Kelly is a good 'un, too, an extremely good one. But I did not predict extreme goodness, I predicted greatness. When that prediction was made almost twelve years ago Kelly had just been hired by Cincinnati where he coached three full seasons, going 10-3, 11-3 and 12-0. Which made me look like a savant for once instead of an idiot but even in his last year at Cincy, the 12-0 year when Cincy finished the regular season ranked fourth in the country, note that fourth best is not best. I am sure you noted that. Fourth best is extreme goodness but not greatness and Cincinnati went on to lay an egg in the Sugar Bowl against #5 Florida. Note: Just as he had left CMU after their regular season but before their bowl game for Cincinnati, Kelly left Cincinnati after their perfect regular season and before their bowl game for Notre Dame. The Kelly-less "Bearcats" got mauled by the"Gators" who just ate 'em alive, 51-24. Florida led 30-3 at the half.
Note the similarities among Kelly's 2009 Cincinnati team, his 2012 Notre Dame team, and his 2018 Notre Dame team. 2009 Cincy: 4th ranked before bowl, considered overrated, blown out in bowl, trailed 30-3 at half (sans Kelly), final rank, 8th; 2012 ND: #1 ranked before bowl, considered overrated, blown out in bowl, trailed 28-0 at half, final rank, 4th; 2018 ND: 3rd ranked (season incomplete)...Are they considered overrated?...No, I don't think so but I and most others do not think they are national champions in-waiting. When they make the college football playoff this year if they get blown out again then the symmetry will have been perfect.
There is another similarity among those three extremely good Brian Kelly coached teams, a factor in fact common to every Brian Kelly coached team, twenty-nine of them, the factor in the opinion of the undersigned savant--Or idiot!--that explains the near brushes with greatness: No great quarterback has ever played for Brian Kelly.
That is remarkable! Notre Dame used to be QB U! Four of Notre Dame's seven Heisman Trophy winners have been quarterbacks. Not among Heisman winners are these All-American ND QB's: Jimmy Clausen, Brady Quinn, Rick Mirer, Tony Rice, Tom Clements, Joe Montana (not even an AA!), Joe Theismann, Terry Hanratty, Daryle Lamonica. The last pre-Kelly Notre Dame team, 2009, Jimmy Clausen was an All-American quarterback. No "Irish" QB under Brian Kelly has ever been named All-American much less won a Heisman. Further, Kelly has not been able to decide on a QB at Notre Dame! In his nine seasons in South Bend, including this season, Kelly has rotated two quarterbacks as starters in seven seasons. Here's the list:
2010 Tommy Rees-Everett Golson
2011 Tommy Rees-Dayne Crist
2012 (The Alabama blow out year) Tommy Rees-Everett Golson
2013 Tommy Rees
2014 Everett Golson-Malik Zaire
2015 DeShone Kizer-Malik Zaire
2016 (Notre Dame cratered to 4-8) DeShone Kizer
2017 Brandon Wimbush-Ian Book
2018 Brandon Wimbush-Ian Book
Remarkable! How can you go nine years at Notre Dame and never recruit or develop a great quarterback? C'mon. In Charlie Weis' five unhappy years there he had three All-Americans at QB. C'mon, man.
Kelly's quarterbacks in four years at Cincinnati, Dustin Grutza, Ben Mauk, Zach Collaros, Tony Pike, and Brendon Kay, were better than he has coached in nine years at Notre Dame I mean come on man.
So. Therefore. Brian Kelly, no doubt just to spite me and deny me savant status, has never achieved coaching greatness because he has spent nine frigging years at Notre Dame playing musical quarterbacks. The bitch.