To the Victors Go the Spoils

Fresh off his weekend partying with members of the Boston Celtics (Awesome!!!) and Kevin Costner (Way smaller in person then you imagine) at Mohegan Sun this passed weekend, the Prez makes his official picks Shwammi style.

"Don't.......Don't.... Don't ..........DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE"-Publc Enemy

Rhode Island
Our Gangsterish friends to the east will be voting on building an Indian Casino to compete with ours in Connecticut. Here’s to hoping it doesn’t past, and that I don’t end up swimming with the fishes for referring to the citizens of Rhode Island as “Gangsterish”. My gut tells me it passes, setting up a brother vs. brother contest to the economic death for people who should get their heads out of their asses and contest the South for most “patriotic”/“powerful” region in the country.

5th District
Nancy “The Beast” Johnson vs. Chris “The Golden Boy” Murphy

Nancy “The Beast” Johnson falls in a shocker to the Chris “The Golden Boy” Murphy. Down Goes Johnson!!!! …Down Goes Johnson!!!!…..Johnson will then accuse Americans of being terrorists against themselves, and go work for Halliburton after writing a book with friend Eva Braun …….ahem…I mean Ann Coulter.

4th District
Chris “The Southern Dandy” Shays vs. Diane “The Night Train” Ferrell

Right now the polls are showing this to be a virtual tie, and national pundits see Shays struggle as an indictment of the Republican failure in Iraq. Part of me is an optimist, so I think that “The Night Train” pulls it out, even if it is not actually decided until after multiple recounts.

2nd District
Rob “I Have No Personality” Simmons vs. Joe “The Captain” Courtney

In a district that is as hotly contested as the fighting 2nd, neither candidate showed the personality required to be a more significant figure in the eyes of the public. I mean, the 2nd district is the shit….. the proverbial Gerald Green of the Northeastern United States. But each guy leaves a lot to be desired, and “The Captain” didn’t do enough to get Hispanics in Windham, Enfield, and all places in between more involved in the campaign. It will cost "The Captain", and my peeps in the fighting 2nd who are as liberal and pioneering as myself, will continue to live in the haze of bleakness and despair that only comes with a pathetic conformist congressional representative with no personality. And so let it be written on November 8th, “There will be no joy in Uncasville, the mighty Courtney has struck out.”

Governor
M. Jodi “Da Rell” Rell vs. John “The Truth” DeStefano

The fact that “Da Rell” has created a perception of herself as a source of stability in Connecticut after the disgrace of the John Rowland Era made whoever was going to run against her an up hill battle. This of coarse is despite the fact “Da Rell” was a main cog in the Rowland Political Machine. Nutmeggers are lazy when it comes to voting for the G Spot. It’s like the Celtics. Starting Gerald Green alongside Paul Pierce would help the lads in the long run, but the potential problems in the short run are considered too great, and thus steady Wally Szczerbiak will get the nod until the team is out of it or the trading deadline is upon us. Thus, like the Dems in CT Green is left to feed off the scraps of garbage time. The problem is that most Nutmeggers don’t understand that Connecticut hasn’t been to the playoffs in a long friggin’ time, and that November 7th is the trading deadline. “Da Rell” wins in a landslide, the potential political giant that is the state of Connecticut will continue to be cockblocked by the idiots that run it, and the Midwest will rejoice at the Northeast’s and America’s misfortune.

The Main Event
Joe “Mr. Armageddon” Lieberman vs. Ned “The Raging Bull” Lamont vs. Alan “Kid Gorgeous” Schlesinger

To paraphrase Dave Chappelle, What is left to be said about this political race that hasn’t already been said about Afghanistan? For all the optimism, all the intrigue, all the hype, and all the excitement that this political race has generated here in Connecticut and around the world, let us not forget that this is still America. So what if “Mr. Armageddon” backs an illegal war and an illigimate president? He didn’t try to have sex with his page boy did he? I almost want to vote for “Kid Gorgeous”, who actually had some great lines during the debates. Lamont’s summer of ’06 was magical, earning him the reputation as a potential policy reformer who garnered national figure status. But “The Raging Bull” has faded as the DNC set its sites on funding candidates that needed the cash. The Bull ran out of steam in September and got trapped in a battle between young and old. Old people vote in droves, never saw the film Garden State, go to bed at 9:00, and because they are going to die soon anyways, love Mr. Armageddon. This is going to make for one awkward meeting between Mr. Armageddon, Chris Dodd, and Nancy Pelosi down in Washington.

Thus, In CT I see some change on the horizon, but only in the fact that the dominant party has to lose some seats eventually when things go badly. Nothing in terms of extreme change, but maybe enough to help shake some things up nationally.

Also, I advise everyone to read the currant issue of Rolling Stone. The article by Matt Taibbi about Congress puts this election into a unique perspective. It is now a winner take all situation for the fate of America. However, the system and the sentiment will not allow radical change to occur, just the slow agonizing decline every Superpower in history has gone through.

As for who I am voting for, I am finding it easier to be Green this time of year then in years past. Some of the Green's have left the races, so I will replace them with Dems accordingly.

Nationally, look for Harald Ford Jr. to win in Tennesse, and potentially recapture his place as a future Presidential candidate. Ford is Clinton-esque as times, and was Obama before Obama was cool...

Strength and Honor Comarades....

America....Fuck Yeah

The Prez will hold off making predictions on the upcoming elections until this weekend. In the mean time, I have to vent….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsN3nptiz3M&NR

"If you don't turn on to Politics, Politics will turn on You" -Ralph Nader

I have enjoyed the last few weeks of campaign ads from our local political races and those occurring across the county. Ned Lamont and Joe Lieberman have been really breaking each other's balls, a very necessary move for each of them. I wish they could fight UFC style. Nancy Johnson, one of the most aggressive campaign smear artists in New England history, is in a dogfight with challenger Chris Murphy. Johnson's early attempt to link Murphy to Osama Bin Laden, Satan, and the FILM ACTORS GUILD backfired, and Murphy has yet to falter under the pressure. He is no push over bitch like Jim Maloney. It has been entertaining to say the least. Even with this said, the smugness will be reaching potentially hazardous levels as we approach the end of October. The politcal granstanding shown by Rob Simmons ad with Rudy Guliani made me want to vomit......then I did.

However, tonight in Connecticut the best political advertisement of the year will air and it will bring a temporary breeze of fresh air. The candidate, Clifford Thornton, is a Green Party member running for governor in Connecticut. Excluded from the first debate in New London, Thornton held a rally with supporters of greater choice for leadership in Connecticut. Tonight’s advertisement is the first time a Green Party candidate for governor has ever placed a campaign ad on TV in Connecticut history. As the Hartford Courant was quick to point out, legalizing ganja and cocaine may not be the best the reforms to build a platform around. However,providing Thornton the chance to debate with Rell and DeStefano on Wednesday would help to legitimize real democracy in Connecticut. Even in these dangerous times, Americans should seek to present the world a true view of democracy and provide citizens an array of ideas and perspectives on the matters at hand to choose from.

Two American genius's once wrote "There are three kinds of people in this world... dicks, pussies, and asswholes." I for one, believe this is what makes America great. America is a place where dicks, pussies, and asswholes can live under a few common ideas and drink Dunkin Doughnuts hot chocolate every day. However, politically we are really a nation of douche bags. Why in the hell do we only choose between the dicks and pussies? How long will we need to laugh at giant douches and turd sandwiches on TVshows before we seek to create a better situation? I am a testicle and I want to be represented.

Fuck Yeah….


Strength and Honor Comrades…..

Fuck Yeah

Woody Guthrie was the fucking man, and so is Tom Morello as The NIGHTWATCHMAN with Anti-Flag.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pay6Uw4-GVY

We are a Nation of Rats

-Watching a flabergasted Micheal Kay try to explain the collapse of the 2006 New York Yankees this week was worth the price of cable for the next 5 months. Yes Micheal, overpaying for old pitching is a problem. However, the entire organization and NY media's overinflated sense of self is a discrace to humanity. This is the fourth time the Yankees have been swept three in row to bow out of the playoffs under Joe Torre. Can you say chopping block?

-I saw The Departed last night. No doubt it is the best movie of this year. The question will be if it is one of the best movie of this the past 16 years, which would put it in my hallowed pantheon of greatest filims ever. It may also be the funniest movie since There's Somthing about Mary first came out. The cast, the dialogue, the story, and the music create an almost perfect movie. Rats on both sides of the law is such an excellent metaphor for the world today, where we go to war on the information from political Rats with their own agendas. Then the question becomes whose agenda are we really benefitting? The film also highlights The Dropkick Murphy's, one of the most underrated bands of my generation. A simply fantastic entertainment experience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwsQlBUZtc8&feature=PlayList&p=0A8EAB1A87521D39&index=3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYAijiz7nZM&feature=PlayList&p=0A8EAB1A87521D39&index=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs04OvxVXv0&feature=PlayList&p=0A8EAB1A87521D39&index=13

-The recent controversey between Jason Whitlock and Scoop Jackson made for some very interesting reading. Since niether is Bill Simmons, the situation got personal without ever really getting funny. Whitlock accusing Jackson of "bojangling" was biazarre. Jackson, wanting to keep his job, responded with a very professional response, but I if the big man from KC ever attends a Knicks game, he'd better keep his head on a swivel. At least we wont need to see New England hater Whitlock on ESPN anymore. Now all we need is Skip Bayless to start a beef with Jim Caple.

-BREAKING NEWS-ny daily news reporting Torre out and Pinella in. Crazy...I love it......Girardi could be great, but can you see Pinella wrestling with A-Rod on the ground questioning his manhood. This could be amazing.

-Joe Courtney needs to get his campaign on. I say he should pull a Hugo Chavez and call Rob Simmons the devil.

-A close relative of mine spoke at the govenor's awards ceremonies in Windsor a couple of weeks ago. She said meeting "da Rell" was nice, and that Destefeno needed to keep his distance. Apparently it was Jim Calhoun, my relative, and Jim Maloney separating them. Then the media came in to question da Rell about some seedy Rowland-esque ethics business.

-Buck O'Neil was awesome. The fact he did not get inducted into the Hall of Fame this year was awful. He will be missed.

-Alot of people have asked me to comment on The Mark Foley situation. As some of you know, I was at one time asked to try and commit to the process that goes into the being a Page boy in D.C. Lets just say I am glad I decided to play summer league soccer that year.....

-The past six months have been huge for Keith Olberman. I have been a farily consistent viewer, and his Murrow-esque rants about the consistant failures of the Bush Administration have been great. He has begun to defeat Fox down in the ratings when it comes to my age demographics, which is nice. The problem is that after his show is Joe Scarbough...who sucks.

-The "Lost" season opener was interesting. The problem becomes this, as the writers seek to create a plot arch for each of the new characters, as well as delve deeper into the back grounds of the existing characters, the show will never end. It becomes Gilligan's Island. If the show goes longer then 5 years, the already convoluted plot gets awful, the prime actors leave over wanting to get paid, and it becomes the X-Files. These people need to know when to say when. So I figure it has about this season and next before it gets totally lame and unwatchable.

-I took the comedy central South Park personality test, and found that am completely average in every way. It makes sense, I have always enjoyed Stan.

-This cycle its World War One and the Roaring 20's. Whoever said teaching was a 40 hour a week job was either insane or William Bennett.

The End of an ERA?

This is the Prez's offical comments on the 2006 Red Sox. These comments can also be read in the October swimsuit edition of "Sports Geeks Monthy".

Today (10/1/06) marks the end of the 2006 campaign for the Boston Red Sox. As we have known for months, competitively the season really ended in August. For three months pundits and Red Sox zealots have critiqued and analyzed the fall of a team that was outstanding in June, only to crumble in the face of disastrous performances, injuries, and inconsistent behavior.

All the usual cast of characters have received blame, Tito, Manny, Foulke, John Henry, Lucchino, Theo, the pen, the staff. The problem with placing blame over the performance of the 2006 Red Sox is that it should not go to one individual. Blaming one person for the failure of an entire organization is extremism normally seen on the streets of Tehran. But somehow is accepted across Red Sox nation when the team underperforms. Bill Simmons explains this on the Colbert Report, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm6p40VrNBM.

However, considering the past 335 days I do not feel this team “underperformed”. It was undone by things that undo teams in every sport, every year, such as Bad management decisions, poor veteran performances, injuries, bad play by young players, horrified fans, and media zealotry.

Mistakes were made, starting with the Theo/Lucchino debacle of last Halloween. This situation created a chaotic winter/spring that saw bizarre dealings. After Johnny Damon signed with Yankees I remarked to Lyman Memorial High School Athletic Director Marty Gomez, “This team is a train wreck.” Only going out and trading for Ichiro would have solved the situation. This of coarse did not happen. The interim GM’s traded our best prospect Hanley Ramirez and pitching prospect Annabel Sanchez to the Marlins for Beckett, Lowell, and Mota (who was sent to the Indians in the Crisp deal). On the surface it was a decidedly un-Theo kind of move. I do admit though, it did the trick temporarily. When Theo returned, it did seem like the band was reforming for what could be a massively successful campaign. Then they decided to deal Bronson Arroyo for Willi Mo Pena. For me the move was like a kick in the dick. The justification was that the Sox had a plethora of staring pitchers, with Arroyo the odd man out of the rotation of Schilling, Beckett, Clement, Wakefield, and Wells.

Lets say that again, Schilling, Beckett, Clement, Wakefield, and Wells. To assume that these guys would be able to hold up for the entire season was a dumb an idea for an organization to make during Spring Training. what was the consequence? Arroyo was the best pitcher in the NL in the first half. Ramirez and Sanchez became the Marlins stars of right now,(Sanchez threw a no-no, Ramirez was a consistent fantasy performer in year one) and the best the sox can do now is win 86 games. Oh yeah, the Padres made the playoffs with 10 Red Sox castaways on its roster(Including the great Dave Roberts), several from this season alone.

Why deal for Pena then? To fend off would be pursuers for Pena prior to the deadline (Yanks, Cubs, Astros)? Nah…It all had to do with Trot Nixon, the Sox veteran whose ability to sustain lengthy injuries had become a yearly rite of passage. Drafted in 1993, 7th overall, Nixon was heralded as the next Fred Lynn. He became a fixture in right field in 1999. By the beginning of this season, it became clear that at 32, facing the final year of his contract, that the Sox recent strategy of moving on to younger players would hold true in Nixon’s case. However, while Pena did show glimpses of offensive brilliance, Arroyo’s first half and Pena’s own problems with defense and several injuries stymied my motivations to root for the club despite the fact they played well in May and June. The fact is, today Nixon plays his final game as a member of the team that drafted him. It is just the beginning of an off season that must be fueled by change.

Then the staff fell apart. Injuries to Wells(His wife does not even depend on him) and Foulke’s ineptitude literally meant the team was short staffed one week where they had been too big the week before. I thought Wells should retire then and there. He made a comeback, only to get drilled with a line drive in the knee. Again I thought he was finished. By the time he came back the Sox were done, but he was steady, and actually helped the Padres clinch last night with a nice performance. The failure of the relief pitchers Julian Tavarez and Rudy Seanez forced the much heralded young guns into the spot light.(seaez was thankfully dropped, only to end up in the 619) Papelbon took over in the first week and became the most electrifying closer the sox have ever had. His september arm trouble killed my Public league Fantasy team. Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen made it into the fray, but were inconsistent, if not terrible all season. Clay Meredith, a forgotten man, was dealt with Josh Bard to, of coarse, the Padres, and became a revelation in the 619 while becoming the best set up man in the NL. Kansas City Royals castoff (THink about that for a second or two).......Kyle Snyder, looked like a bigger version of Arroyo, but was awful when it got tough in August. Wakefield’s injury, coupled with Varitek’s injury was the death blow. Beckett had a good two week stretch, earned a three year contract extension, then fell apart. Schilling broke down late. Thus, the team used a Triple/Double A staff for the final 8 weeks. I wont even speak of Matt Clement. Who was the one player even the Padres didn’t want. What a Douche. I could right about this staff forever, but I have to move on.

From August18-20 the Sox famoulsy got swept in all five games by the Yankees at home. However,that same weekend the Red Sox foundation and the Jimmy Fund raised over 2 million bucks to help fight the battle against cancer in kids. Quite frankly, for me it was just another reminder that sports is a positive vehicle for entertainment and social progression, but the media zealots still went crazy about “The Massacre”. By September, with nothing else going on after the freefall, the media turned on Manny……..again. As what happens every season, Manny’s behavior became a distraction even the most hardened teammate,(Ortiz) was done with. Now Manny’s injuries and temperament are being blamed for Ortiz falling out of the MVP race. Like last year, the organization will try to move him, but the contract will make any deal unreasonable. He has two years remaining on his contract. His deferred money will be paid to him for the next 25 years. I think he might actually get dealt, but not to the Padres. Then again, I did see Harold and Kumar go to White Castle for the 30th time last night.

It was an awful year for baseball fans all around. Harald Reynolds got fired from ESPN, Peter Gammons almost died, Bonds keeps hitting dingers and plans to play in 07, Tina Cervasio was on NESN everyday, any Fox broadcast, The Rocket was finally implicated in performance enhancing drugs investigation, No playoffs for Pedro, and the Yankees, with a team of young prospects and juicers, will probably win it all.

2006 Grades
Francona-C (His easiest season ever)
Schilling-B- (Where is the Leadership?)
Beckett-C- (Better improve, or he is Aaron Sele circa ’97)
Wakefield-C- (Injury is sign of things to come, still our number 3 next season)
Clement-F(Retire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Foulke-F(Retire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Papelbon-A+(The future ace of the staff)
Delcarmen-C-Hansen-C- (Must adjust Fast)
Gabbard-C- (Who?)
Tavarez-C- (Maybe a Starter next year? Dear god…)
Timlin-D (for Done)
Lester-C (A new Curse? Get Well!)
Snyder-C+ (Must be in the pen next year)
Jarvis-F (Who?)
Varitek-D (Not up to it Offensively before the injury)
Gonzo-B- (Best defensive SS in team history, may come back)
Loretta-C (Needs NL pitching, nice to know you)
Youkilis-B- ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiLUY51vQJ8)
Nixon-C- (Nice to know you, enjoy the NL)
Manny-B (Enjoy living on Mars)
Crisp-D (If this is his “Lost” he was the useless fat guy)
Ortiz-A+ (Without team collapse, and scary health issues, the AL MVP)
Lowell-C- (did well, but If he is our 3b next year it wont be good, made $9,000,000)
Mirabelli-D (for Did nothing)
Pedroia-C- ( That is it? Deal him now)
Pena-D (500 Ab’s might be good for him, but can he get there?)
Hinske-D (could be good to have to use in trades)
Murphy-D ( First Impression, he is Todd Benzinger light)
The management-D (as in Damn!!!!!!!!!)

Bard,Meredith,Seanez, Wells,-Playoff bound, ugggg........

Thus, the 2006 Red Sox were a combination of errors that have run their coarse from the end of the 2004 season on and various sports related decline. The success of players dealt away from the team in the past year has created a vacuum of distrust and anger toward a once bulletproof management (Are you listening Belichek?)

The potential letting go of Nixon officially ends the Lou Gorman ERA, as the Loss of Manny and Wakefield would end the Duquette Era.

Next year’s campaign starts Monday, playtime is over……

Strength and Honor comrades.