A sports guy, or was it mama, once said about athletes and their late night antics: nothing good happens after midnight.
Since hearing this statement, when any athlete gets in any trouble, the first thing I do is quickly dig into the article and find out what time the trouble occurred.
And every time, the incident is after the witching hour.
Once again this week, this admonition rings eerily true.
Nov. 27 @ 2:25 a.m. - Tiger Woods, arguably the best golfer in the history of mankind, rams into a tree and fire hydrant. His super-model wife, Elin, has to smash back window out of their Cadillac Escalade to excavate her husband.
Dec. 1 @ 3:25 a.m. - Carlos Dunlap, NFL first-round lock and Florida Gator superstar defensive end, was found asleep behind the wheel of his running car at a traffic light.
On one end of the spectrum is Woods, the epitome of media savvy and astute public relations moves. In fact, Woods' purposeful choice to be totally secluded from the spotlight both infuriates sports fans and adds allure to his Superman mystique.
But now the media, public and allegedly the authorities are pulling on Superman's cape to discover what was the Kryptonite that caused this mysterious early a.m. meltdown.
The public cry is : What in the world is Tiger pulling out of his driveway at 2:25 a.m.? Couldn't he tell the Nanny to go get the diapers at WalMart or go get another gallon of low-fat milk?
The actual incident and subsequent fallout is even more glaring and astonishing considering how secretive Woods' private life has been.
And on the other end of the sports spectrum is Dunlap's front-seat green-light nap.
Compared to Woods' ultra polished media experience, Dunlap is an immature, big-man on campus - 6'6",290 lbs lieral big - who probably actually thinks he is Superman, Batman and Spiderman all rolled into one.
And why not think he's unbreakable: last year's BCS Defensive MVP, SEC Championship game this weekend, NFL riches about to be laid at his feet, so who's to blame Dunlap for being punch-drunk with it all.
Unfortunately, Dunlap decided to (allegedly)get drunk on some adult punch and was charged with DUI, after failing a field sobriety test and refusing a breath test.
Now days before the biggest game of his young life, Dunlap will sit home with his suspension.
Like many before him, the cloud of bad character will hang over him, and likely cost him millions of draft-day dollars.
On the other hand, Woods uses cash as garden compost, so any collateral monetary damage from this incident doesn't matter a lick.
The only damage, and it may be substantial, is to Woods' aura of robot-like perfection.
Why Woods hasn't stepped up and simply explained the circumstances of this incident is mysterious.
Yes, Woods now has been cleared of any wrongdoing, and will pay one-billionth of his annual income, or a $164 fine.
Yes, this was on private property and thus, Woods correctly asserts it can remain a private matter. And if you could read the cartoon bubble above Woods' head, it would be peppered with his famous sailor's language, "It aint none of your f*$%* business."
All this is true, but reality is in today's cyber world, every 10-year-old now blogs, takes digital pictures and tweets. The result? Every public figure's business is everyone's business.
So, Superhero and College BigMan, take some simple mama's advice: Just stay home and don't go out after midnight, 'cause nothing good happens after midnight.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
64 Seconds of Infamy
Now that my wide-eyed, mouth-open-in-total-disbelief expression has faded, I can now rationally discuss what was the worst 64 seconds of time and game management in the history of college football, the ending of the LSU-Ole Miss debacle.
As a youth coach, I try to impart foundational lessons to my players. One of the most basic being, when you're in the game and on the field, you must think one-step ahead, and be prepared for your responsibility. "Before the pitch, if the ball is hit to you, where will you go with it?" I ask.
Great players and great coaches aren't robots, they are game managers ready for all circumstances using their God-given physical talents and their disciplined preparation.
First of all, for 58:44 of the game, LSU was outhit, out-hustled, out-schemed (aka out coached) and overall, just simply out-played.
But as the Fat Lady was stepping onto the stage, LSU got lucky and inexplicably Ole Miss, especially McClusker, seemed to purposely avoid recovering LSU's onside kick.
Then one very good wide-reciever bubble screen and 26 yards later, the horrific unraveling of a miracle comeback began.
LSU fans were salivating: 64 seconds remaining to victory, at the Ole Miss 32 yard line.. without a single-yard more gained we line up for a game-winning 49-yard FG by Jasper, who's already nailed a 50-yarder at this same endzone.
Hand the ball off, run two up-the-gut plays, kick winning FG, go home and prepare for Razorback game next week, right?
Wrong, here's where the Mad Hatter Miles went mad.
1st down: Jefferson drops back to pass (WHAT!!!).. incomplete.
Freeze time.
(Every coach on the planet tells their QB right now: "Son, whatever you do don't take a sack! Step back, do your read, not open, throw it away!")
2nd down: Jefferson take 3-step drop to pass again (ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!!!), slides back 2 steps too much right into outside rushers path.. SACK!
3rd down: Jefferson throws off-target bubble screen to Ridley, drawing him backward, tackled immediately... (CALL TIMEOUT!!!CALL TIMEOUT!!!)
26 seconds...Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock.... Timeout LSU with 9 seconds remaining.
17 painful seconds run off for absolutely no reason. 17 seconds.
Okay, sanity will come back to Miles' planet right? He'll tell Jefferson we're going to throw a Hail Mary, if it's caught outside endzone, we'll :
1) have a quick snap play called to throw it again to endzone or
2) we'll rush Field Goal unit onto field and kick game-winning FG.
Sorry, fans, Miles went with option #3: none of the above, and no plan at all.
Toliver miraculously catches jump-ball with 1 second.
“There was a lot of confusion on the sideline, and we didn’t know what to do,” Jefferson said. "When Terrance caught it, I thought the field-goal unit was going to come out and kick the field goal and we were going to win the game.”
"Confusion on the sideline".. ya think?!
In the bedlam, Jefferson goes deer-in-the-headlights and then beyond comprehension, "clocks it," or in plain-speak takes the snap and grounds the ball, effectively ending the game.
With some justification, Jefferson is getting thrown under the bus for this brain-dead decision. Hundreds of games have to teach you to know not to do this!
But to his credit, Miles fell on the sword today at his post-mortem, completely taking the blame for this 64 second debacle.
Manning up today though doesn't erase the complete gameday incompetence Miles exhibited this past Saturday.
As a youth coach, I try to impart foundational lessons to my players. One of the most basic being, when you're in the game and on the field, you must think one-step ahead, and be prepared for your responsibility. "Before the pitch, if the ball is hit to you, where will you go with it?" I ask.
Great players and great coaches aren't robots, they are game managers ready for all circumstances using their God-given physical talents and their disciplined preparation.
First of all, for 58:44 of the game, LSU was outhit, out-hustled, out-schemed (aka out coached) and overall, just simply out-played.
But as the Fat Lady was stepping onto the stage, LSU got lucky and inexplicably Ole Miss, especially McClusker, seemed to purposely avoid recovering LSU's onside kick.
Then one very good wide-reciever bubble screen and 26 yards later, the horrific unraveling of a miracle comeback began.
LSU fans were salivating: 64 seconds remaining to victory, at the Ole Miss 32 yard line.. without a single-yard more gained we line up for a game-winning 49-yard FG by Jasper, who's already nailed a 50-yarder at this same endzone.
Hand the ball off, run two up-the-gut plays, kick winning FG, go home and prepare for Razorback game next week, right?
Wrong, here's where the Mad Hatter Miles went mad.
1st down: Jefferson drops back to pass (WHAT!!!).. incomplete.
Freeze time.
(Every coach on the planet tells their QB right now: "Son, whatever you do don't take a sack! Step back, do your read, not open, throw it away!")
2nd down: Jefferson take 3-step drop to pass again (ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!!!), slides back 2 steps too much right into outside rushers path.. SACK!
3rd down: Jefferson throws off-target bubble screen to Ridley, drawing him backward, tackled immediately... (CALL TIMEOUT!!!CALL TIMEOUT!!!)
26 seconds...Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock.... Timeout LSU with 9 seconds remaining.
17 painful seconds run off for absolutely no reason. 17 seconds.
Okay, sanity will come back to Miles' planet right? He'll tell Jefferson we're going to throw a Hail Mary, if it's caught outside endzone, we'll :
1) have a quick snap play called to throw it again to endzone or
2) we'll rush Field Goal unit onto field and kick game-winning FG.
Sorry, fans, Miles went with option #3: none of the above, and no plan at all.
Toliver miraculously catches jump-ball with 1 second.
“There was a lot of confusion on the sideline, and we didn’t know what to do,” Jefferson said. "When Terrance caught it, I thought the field-goal unit was going to come out and kick the field goal and we were going to win the game.”
"Confusion on the sideline".. ya think?!
In the bedlam, Jefferson goes deer-in-the-headlights and then beyond comprehension, "clocks it," or in plain-speak takes the snap and grounds the ball, effectively ending the game.
With some justification, Jefferson is getting thrown under the bus for this brain-dead decision. Hundreds of games have to teach you to know not to do this!
But to his credit, Miles fell on the sword today at his post-mortem, completely taking the blame for this 64 second debacle.
Manning up today though doesn't erase the complete gameday incompetence Miles exhibited this past Saturday.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Excuse me Mr. Wizard, do you have a minute???
As a Hornets fan, at this point early in the 2009-2010 season, I want to close my eyes, click my Nike tennis heels together and go back two years.
An all-too familiar thing happened again last night against the Phoenix Suns; in total frustration, I turned off the game at halftime.
The 20-point defecit, the smiling faces of Suns' players as they rollicked unimpeded throught the lane... sleep was a much better option.
West - missed layups and zero effort to block anyone out.
Devin Brown - true colors... awful all-around. Wild drives to hoop that make you want to scream.
Peja - 0 points? Are you serious? And on one wide-open three-pointer, he shot an air-ball.
Posey - it's like he's aged 10 years in one off-season. The once "defensive stopper" and hussle player now has cement in his shoes because he is getting smoked on defense.
When 2 of your "stars" - Peja and Posey - literally give you NOTHING after 9 games, you have to re-consider playing time.
biggest shocker is the Hornets total lack of commitment on defensive end.
For a team to shoot 70% in a half, you have to almost intentionally NOT play defense.
The Suns are good yeah, but come on, they were shooting friggin' layups!!!
Defense takes intensity and heart, and it appears right now, the Hornets need a visit to the wizard for both.
An all-too familiar thing happened again last night against the Phoenix Suns; in total frustration, I turned off the game at halftime.
The 20-point defecit, the smiling faces of Suns' players as they rollicked unimpeded throught the lane... sleep was a much better option.
West - missed layups and zero effort to block anyone out.
Devin Brown - true colors... awful all-around. Wild drives to hoop that make you want to scream.
Peja - 0 points? Are you serious? And on one wide-open three-pointer, he shot an air-ball.
Posey - it's like he's aged 10 years in one off-season. The once "defensive stopper" and hussle player now has cement in his shoes because he is getting smoked on defense.
When 2 of your "stars" - Peja and Posey - literally give you NOTHING after 9 games, you have to re-consider playing time.
biggest shocker is the Hornets total lack of commitment on defensive end.
For a team to shoot 70% in a half, you have to almost intentionally NOT play defense.
The Suns are good yeah, but come on, they were shooting friggin' layups!!!
Defense takes intensity and heart, and it appears right now, the Hornets need a visit to the wizard for both.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Do they give a "it"????
At the Hornets' last home game, Chris Paul played the Toronto Raptors.
Okay, multiple other alleged Hornet players were on the court with Paul, but Paul was the only player anyone would testify under oath that actually gave any real effort.
Byron Scott said about his team's second-half effort, "For the life of me, I can't understand why we came out with that type of energy."
In cliche'sport-speak, energy is synonomous with motivation and effort.
Everyday fans will scream that Scott needs to or didn't motivate his team.
For all you non-athletes and Byron Scott haters, last night's pathetic second-half performance wasn't about coaching.
Agin, for the hard of reading: repeat, last night's loss was NOT about coaching.
What it WAS about was effort or, as Scott said, energy. Really about the lack of effort and energy.
Ask any knowledgable person (unfortunately this excludes more than 90% of anyone reading this post) and they will tell you that coaches should not have to motivate professional athletes.
Motivation/energy/effort comes from within, from the individual.
Paul is the poster child for intensity/motivation/effort/energy. Ditto Brees.
Do you think Scott or Payton has to "motivate" these two?
Motivation is part of the "it" you hear scouts and coaches mention so often.
Armstrong, JuJu, MoPete, Peja --- all either thru age or lack of basketball IQ do not have "it."
Scott could strap to each of their heads a tape recorder, turn the volume dial clockwise to the max, and blare into their ears, with screaming, yelling, motivational speeches, etc... and you wouldn't see one more lick of motivation. Why? Because these guys dont' have "it."
Yes, ultimately Bower and the Hornets management must take blame for assembling this group, but the bottom line is each Hornet player must look in the mirror, evaluate their commitment to winning and giving this organization their money's worth of "it."
Okay, multiple other alleged Hornet players were on the court with Paul, but Paul was the only player anyone would testify under oath that actually gave any real effort.
Byron Scott said about his team's second-half effort, "For the life of me, I can't understand why we came out with that type of energy."
In cliche'sport-speak, energy is synonomous with motivation and effort.
Everyday fans will scream that Scott needs to or didn't motivate his team.
For all you non-athletes and Byron Scott haters, last night's pathetic second-half performance wasn't about coaching.
Agin, for the hard of reading: repeat, last night's loss was NOT about coaching.
What it WAS about was effort or, as Scott said, energy. Really about the lack of effort and energy.
Ask any knowledgable person (unfortunately this excludes more than 90% of anyone reading this post) and they will tell you that coaches should not have to motivate professional athletes.
Motivation/energy/effort comes from within, from the individual.
Paul is the poster child for intensity/motivation/effort/energy. Ditto Brees.
Do you think Scott or Payton has to "motivate" these two?
Motivation is part of the "it" you hear scouts and coaches mention so often.
Armstrong, JuJu, MoPete, Peja --- all either thru age or lack of basketball IQ do not have "it."
Scott could strap to each of their heads a tape recorder, turn the volume dial clockwise to the max, and blare into their ears, with screaming, yelling, motivational speeches, etc... and you wouldn't see one more lick of motivation. Why? Because these guys dont' have "it."
Yes, ultimately Bower and the Hornets management must take blame for assembling this group, but the bottom line is each Hornet player must look in the mirror, evaluate their commitment to winning and giving this organization their money's worth of "it."
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Lessons from a 3-year-old son
Again and again, God always implores us to slow down, to rest in His peace.
His Spirit constantly taps me on the shoulder and says, "Join me for a little visit," or "Why don't you to put your thoughts down in a blog?"
For a split second, I think,"Yeah, Spirit, that's a great idea!' (How funny is that, me telling God He has a great idea!)
But then I shoo away the great idea with one I just know is better.... like read Sports Illustrated or check on the latest Michael Jackson rumor.
Then last night, I'm reading Kade, my 3-year-old son, the book, "If you give a moose a muffin" (a must read!). I'm tired, need a shower and just want to zoom through this classic.
But Kade wants to jump ahead, go back, jump back ahead, tell me side stories. I'm feeling my weariness and frustration rise up.
In this moment, God speaks to me.
Appreciate this moment.
Slow down.
Love on your son like I want to love on you.
This is pure love, the no rush, just enjoy the moment innocence Kade has.
At this moment, all Kade wants is my time and love.
In this moment, I feel God and His unconditional love.
His Spirit constantly taps me on the shoulder and says, "Join me for a little visit," or "Why don't you to put your thoughts down in a blog?"
For a split second, I think,"Yeah, Spirit, that's a great idea!' (How funny is that, me telling God He has a great idea!)
But then I shoo away the great idea with one I just know is better.... like read Sports Illustrated or check on the latest Michael Jackson rumor.
Then last night, I'm reading Kade, my 3-year-old son, the book, "If you give a moose a muffin" (a must read!). I'm tired, need a shower and just want to zoom through this classic.
But Kade wants to jump ahead, go back, jump back ahead, tell me side stories. I'm feeling my weariness and frustration rise up.
In this moment, God speaks to me.
Appreciate this moment.
Slow down.
Love on your son like I want to love on you.
This is pure love, the no rush, just enjoy the moment innocence Kade has.
At this moment, all Kade wants is my time and love.
In this moment, I feel God and His unconditional love.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Some teams have all the luck aka Saints aint got no luck
As disappointing as the Saints have been this year, you can temper some of it – maybe a lot of it - to just plain bad luck with injuries. Come on has any team ever had so many games lost to injuries? To so many key players? 17 players on injured reserve?
But what really ticks me off is watching the GOOD luck of other teams, specifically the Falcons.
A few examples: The Bears last night vs. Packers. First of all, the Bears suck. They score their 1st TD because a punt bounces sideways into back of a Packer blocking. Unreal luck.
Then they won on a blocked extra-pt length FG – which happens what once in a million times!
Back to the Falcons: Last week vs. Bucs, late in game with time running out, Ryan scrambles, gets hit, fumbles and a Buc lands perfectly on ball. Bucs ball, right? Game over, Bucs win. Nope, somehow the ball squirts from Buc and an O-lineman recovers. Falcons kick FG, game goes to OT, Falcons win in OT.
This week, Falcons line up vs. Vikings. Vikings fumbled the ball 6 friggin times! Despite this, Vikings still hung in til late 4th qtr. Ryan scrambles, gets hit, fumbles (is there an echo in here???) and 3 Vikings have a clear shot at recovering in end zone. Vikings recover, touchback and drive to make it a game, right? Wrong. Somehow, Falcons O-lineman (gotta theme going here) recovers ball for an Atlanta TD.
Over and over again I watch teams get lucky bounces that lead to wins. And everytime I do, I think of how many times a ball slipped thru a Saints D-back’s hands and into the other teams receivers hands (vs Tampa Bay on a crucial late game 3rd down and long), or a Saints opponent fumbled and ball bounced perfectly back to fumbler, etc. … and I get sick to my stomach.
Or how about how kickers NEVER seem to miss vs. Saints. But our wonderful Grammatica missed 2 gimme FGs vs. Skins and Broncos to lose games.
Cliché is “It’s a game of inches.” Why do the inches always lean toward the other teams?
Okay that’s it for now. I gotta go kick the dog.
But what really ticks me off is watching the GOOD luck of other teams, specifically the Falcons.
A few examples: The Bears last night vs. Packers. First of all, the Bears suck. They score their 1st TD because a punt bounces sideways into back of a Packer blocking. Unreal luck.
Then they won on a blocked extra-pt length FG – which happens what once in a million times!
Back to the Falcons: Last week vs. Bucs, late in game with time running out, Ryan scrambles, gets hit, fumbles and a Buc lands perfectly on ball. Bucs ball, right? Game over, Bucs win. Nope, somehow the ball squirts from Buc and an O-lineman recovers. Falcons kick FG, game goes to OT, Falcons win in OT.
This week, Falcons line up vs. Vikings. Vikings fumbled the ball 6 friggin times! Despite this, Vikings still hung in til late 4th qtr. Ryan scrambles, gets hit, fumbles (is there an echo in here???) and 3 Vikings have a clear shot at recovering in end zone. Vikings recover, touchback and drive to make it a game, right? Wrong. Somehow, Falcons O-lineman (gotta theme going here) recovers ball for an Atlanta TD.
Over and over again I watch teams get lucky bounces that lead to wins. And everytime I do, I think of how many times a ball slipped thru a Saints D-back’s hands and into the other teams receivers hands (vs Tampa Bay on a crucial late game 3rd down and long), or a Saints opponent fumbled and ball bounced perfectly back to fumbler, etc. … and I get sick to my stomach.
Or how about how kickers NEVER seem to miss vs. Saints. But our wonderful Grammatica missed 2 gimme FGs vs. Skins and Broncos to lose games.
Cliché is “It’s a game of inches.” Why do the inches always lean toward the other teams?
Okay that’s it for now. I gotta go kick the dog.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Shocking "Truth" about Obama - Retold
The Shocking Truth about Obama – Retold
I recently ran across a Top 10-kind of blog when I googled the phrase "truth about Obama."
Was I digging up dirt to bury Obama? No.
I simply wanted to see and know the truth about some issues surrounding Obama, ones that the liberal media just ignores, glosses over and conveniently forgets to mention.
So I copied and pasted one Obama supporter's blog observations, and did a little more subjective digging.
1. Devout Christian
Professing to be a Christian and then being shown in photographs attending church makes anyone, including Obama, about as much of a “devout Christian” as you or me standing in a garage and saying we’re master mechanics. Many alleged Christians speak words of their intentions, but their actions speak of their true character and faith. To this point, note Obama's moment of honesty in San Francisco recently. As a refresher, here is what he said (this excerpt pulled from an article, April 24, 2008, “When Will We Admit the Truth About Barack Obama?” By Selwyn Duke:
"You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years . . . . And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."
Many have labeled these comments elitist, and Obama has been trying to explain them away. But, again, the truth is plain. Apologists have asserted that Bill Clinton expressed the same sentiments in 1992; in other words, the best they can muster is that Obama is just like Clinton.
And that is the point.
To understand what is most striking about those comments, though, you have to look more deeply. Notice he mentioned "religion" in the same breath as "guns" and "antipathy to people," sandwiched right in-between the two. It's hard to escape the conclusion that he draws an equivalency among those things, which speaks volumes.
If you're a person of faith, you understand that we're supposed to cling to religion. After all, if you are serious about your faith, you must believe it is the Truth and that it is God's will that you should practice it. And why wouldn't you have the Truth at the center of your life?
The only kind of person who wouldn't have this perspective is one who has little or no faith. That certainly wouldn't make Obama unique, but remember that he has often masqueraded as a man of faith, just as he now touts his support for Second Amendment rights (in 1999 he supported a law that would have eliminated gun stores from virtually the whole country). But this bespeaks of a reality: There is Obama the myth, and Obama the man. If you want to know the former, listen to what he says; if you want to know the latter, accept what he is.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
There are crazy claims that Obama is a terrorist, doesn’t say the Pledge and turns his back on the flag….All false. But the more important issue isn’t about patriotism, it is again one of the heart.
“For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:4-5.
If one’s heart is filled with love, they speak love, encouragement and praise. If one’s heart is clouded with anger and worry, then you’ll hear venom and fear.
So, when Michelle Obama says: "For the first time in my adult life, I'm proud of my country,” you must assume her heart was not proud of America before.
3. Friend of Israel and against anti-Semitism
Great. Obama – like most politicians – wants peace with Israel and proclaims a fight against anti-Semitism.
But what taking a stand against anti-inflammatory, anti-American rhetoric?
Facts:
He spewed bigoted, virulently anti-American bile.
He equated America with al-Qaeda, said we deserved 9/11, made anti-white statements, and called our nation "the US of KKKA."
Obama calls Wright a friend, mentor and uncle; he has a 20-year relationship with him, during which time he attended Wright's church; he was married and had his child baptized by the reverend; and last year he donated $26,000 to the church.
Some say you can’t cast a “friend” to the dogs and one interviewer said Obama "cannot disown him."
A better question is this: Why, Mr. Obama, did you ever own him in the first place?
Support and acceptance of Wright’s venom? Maybe not.
Tolerance of it? There is no doubt on this. 20-years’ don’t lie.
So, again a question of the heart: If you are a man of true character, why continue for 20-years to keep Wright’s company?
4. Opposed to war
Obama’s website proudly proclaims his anti-Iraq stance and anti-war voting record.
But to paraphrase an old commercial: Where’s the beef?
Consider his position on Iran: “Iran has sought nuclear weapons, supports militias inside Iraq and terror across the region, and its leaders threaten Israel and deny the Holocaust. … If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step up our economic pressure and political isolation.”
Wow, so Obama will do like Clinton with the rabid elements of humanity: throw empty powerless sanctions. Both naïve and dangerous.
So, after the terrorists get their nasty harshly worded notices, Obama suggests we’ll go door to door and securely inventory nuclear materials.
“While other candidates have insisted that we should threaten to drop nuclear bombs on terrorist training camps, Obama believes that we must talk openly about nuclear weapons — because the best way to keep America safe is not to threaten terrorists with nuclear weapons; it’s to keep nuclear weapons away from terrorists. Obama will secure all loose nuclear materials in the world within four years. … This will deny terrorists the ability to steal or buy loose nuclear materials.”
Okay, everybody gather round! Just put all the terrorists’ toys in a chest, lock it down, and that’ll stop em!
Could Obama – or anyone - really believe the most vicious people on the planet can be thwarted this easily?
5. Defender of women’s rights
Remember, we must separate myth and the man: (this excerpt pulled from an article, April 24, 2008, “When Will We Admit the Truth About Barack Obama?” By Selwyn Duke:
In 2002, President Bush signed into law a bill titled the "Born Alive Infants Protection Act" (BAIPA). This law was necessary because, believe it or not, infants were being born alive during attempted abortions and then, ancient Spartan style, left to die. Jill Stanek wrote about this last year, saying:
"As a nurse at an Illinois hospital in 1999, I discovered babies were being aborted alive and shelved to die in soiled utility rooms. I discovered infanticide."
The act was so vile that even staunch abortion advocates would not oppose BAIPA. Stanek tells us that it passed the Senate by unanimous vote, garnering the support of senators Kerry, Kennedy and Clinton. She then pointed out:
"The bill also passed overwhelmingly in the House. NARAL went neutral on it. Abortion enthusiasts publicly agreed that fighting BAIPA would appear extreme."
But the state version of BAIPA failed for years in Illinois. Any guesses as to why? Stanek goes on to explain:
I testified in 2001 and 2002 before a committee of which Obama was a member.
Obama articulately worried that legislation protecting live aborted babies might infringe on women's rights or abortionists' rights. Obama's clinical discourse, his lack of mercy, shocked me. I was naive back then. Obama voted against the measure, twice. It ultimately failed.
In 2003, as chairman of the next Senate committee to which BAIPA was sent, Obama stopped it from even getting a hearing, shelving it to die much like babies were still being shelved to die in Illinois hospitals and abortion clinics.
6. Committees he’s a member of…
Judicial Watch Announces List of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians” for 2007
#8. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL): A “Dishonorable Mention” last year, Senator Obama moves onto the “ten most wanted” list in 2007. In 2006, it was discovered that Obama was involved in a suspicious real estate deal with an indicted political fundraiser, Antoin “Tony” Rezko. In 2007, more reports surfaced of deeper and suspicious business and political connections It was reported that just two months after he joined the Senate, Obama purchased $50,000 worth of stock in speculative companies whose major investors were his biggest campaign contributors. One of the companies was a biotech concern that benefited from legislation Obama pushed just two weeks after the senator purchased $5,000 of the company’s shares. Obama was also nabbed conducting campaign business in his Senate office, a violation of federal law.
7. Keeping weapons out of terrorists hands legislation
Again, let’s refer back to #5 above, but also this information:
We know about William Ayers, the college professor and "education advisor" who, as a Weather Underground terrorist in the 1970s, planted bombs in a campaign against our government. You might point out that this was three decades ago, but know that Ayers is unrepentant and wishes that he had planted more bombs. "I don't regret setting bombs, said Ayers in 2001, "I feel we didn't do enough."
Notwithstanding his violent past, Ayers today does not describe himself as a terrorist. "Terrorists destroy randomly," he reasons, "while our actions bore ... the precise stamp of a cut diamond. Terrorists intimidate, while we aimed only to educate."
Education through targeted bombings. Scary.
In the mid-1990s, Ayers and his wife hosted meetings at their Chicago home to introduce Barack Obama to their neighbors during his first run for the Illinois Senate.
At a 2007 reunion of former members of the Weather Underground and Students for a Democratic Society, Ayers painted a verbal portrait of life in the United States which included the following passages:
"Empire resurrected and unapologetic, war without end, an undefined enemy that's supposed to be a rallying point for a new kind of energized jingoistic patriotism, unprecedented and unapologetic military expansion, white supremacy changing its form, but essentially intact, attacks on women and girls, violent attacks, growing surveillance in every sphere of our lives, on and on and on, the targeting of gay and lesbian people as a kind of a scapegoating gesture to keep our minds off of what's really happening."
Jeff Jacoby on April 28, 2008 in an article, “Obama's ‘mainstream’ friends,” asks this:
Even if Obama doesn't personally believe these things, is it really "tired tripe" to ask why he seems so comfortable in the company of people who do? Is it really "extremely stupid politics" to wonder whether such people might play a role in an Obama administration? Rather than slam the few journalists who raise such questions, might it not behoove others in the media to follow suit?
Again, direct support and acceptance of Ayers’ violent past? No.
But there is question of tolerance for the Weathermen that begs one to ask: As president, would his zeal match that of our Islamist foes?
Stay informed, and check out things for yourself:
http://whateversowhat.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/the-shocking-whole-truth-about-obama/
http://www.judicialwatch.org/judicial-watch-announces-list-washington-s-ten-most-wanted-corrupt-politicians-2007
I recently ran across a Top 10-kind of blog when I googled the phrase "truth about Obama."
Was I digging up dirt to bury Obama? No.
I simply wanted to see and know the truth about some issues surrounding Obama, ones that the liberal media just ignores, glosses over and conveniently forgets to mention.
So I copied and pasted one Obama supporter's blog observations, and did a little more subjective digging.
1. Devout Christian
Professing to be a Christian and then being shown in photographs attending church makes anyone, including Obama, about as much of a “devout Christian” as you or me standing in a garage and saying we’re master mechanics. Many alleged Christians speak words of their intentions, but their actions speak of their true character and faith. To this point, note Obama's moment of honesty in San Francisco recently. As a refresher, here is what he said (this excerpt pulled from an article, April 24, 2008, “When Will We Admit the Truth About Barack Obama?” By Selwyn Duke:
"You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years . . . . And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."
Many have labeled these comments elitist, and Obama has been trying to explain them away. But, again, the truth is plain. Apologists have asserted that Bill Clinton expressed the same sentiments in 1992; in other words, the best they can muster is that Obama is just like Clinton.
And that is the point.
To understand what is most striking about those comments, though, you have to look more deeply. Notice he mentioned "religion" in the same breath as "guns" and "antipathy to people," sandwiched right in-between the two. It's hard to escape the conclusion that he draws an equivalency among those things, which speaks volumes.
If you're a person of faith, you understand that we're supposed to cling to religion. After all, if you are serious about your faith, you must believe it is the Truth and that it is God's will that you should practice it. And why wouldn't you have the Truth at the center of your life?
The only kind of person who wouldn't have this perspective is one who has little or no faith. That certainly wouldn't make Obama unique, but remember that he has often masqueraded as a man of faith, just as he now touts his support for Second Amendment rights (in 1999 he supported a law that would have eliminated gun stores from virtually the whole country). But this bespeaks of a reality: There is Obama the myth, and Obama the man. If you want to know the former, listen to what he says; if you want to know the latter, accept what he is.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
There are crazy claims that Obama is a terrorist, doesn’t say the Pledge and turns his back on the flag….All false. But the more important issue isn’t about patriotism, it is again one of the heart.
“For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:4-5.
If one’s heart is filled with love, they speak love, encouragement and praise. If one’s heart is clouded with anger and worry, then you’ll hear venom and fear.
So, when Michelle Obama says: "For the first time in my adult life, I'm proud of my country,” you must assume her heart was not proud of America before.
3. Friend of Israel and against anti-Semitism
Great. Obama – like most politicians – wants peace with Israel and proclaims a fight against anti-Semitism.
But what taking a stand against anti-inflammatory, anti-American rhetoric?
Facts:
He spewed bigoted, virulently anti-American bile.
He equated America with al-Qaeda, said we deserved 9/11, made anti-white statements, and called our nation "the US of KKKA."
Obama calls Wright a friend, mentor and uncle; he has a 20-year relationship with him, during which time he attended Wright's church; he was married and had his child baptized by the reverend; and last year he donated $26,000 to the church.
Some say you can’t cast a “friend” to the dogs and one interviewer said Obama "cannot disown him."
A better question is this: Why, Mr. Obama, did you ever own him in the first place?
Support and acceptance of Wright’s venom? Maybe not.
Tolerance of it? There is no doubt on this. 20-years’ don’t lie.
So, again a question of the heart: If you are a man of true character, why continue for 20-years to keep Wright’s company?
4. Opposed to war
Obama’s website proudly proclaims his anti-Iraq stance and anti-war voting record.
But to paraphrase an old commercial: Where’s the beef?
Consider his position on Iran: “Iran has sought nuclear weapons, supports militias inside Iraq and terror across the region, and its leaders threaten Israel and deny the Holocaust. … If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step up our economic pressure and political isolation.”
Wow, so Obama will do like Clinton with the rabid elements of humanity: throw empty powerless sanctions. Both naïve and dangerous.
So, after the terrorists get their nasty harshly worded notices, Obama suggests we’ll go door to door and securely inventory nuclear materials.
“While other candidates have insisted that we should threaten to drop nuclear bombs on terrorist training camps, Obama believes that we must talk openly about nuclear weapons — because the best way to keep America safe is not to threaten terrorists with nuclear weapons; it’s to keep nuclear weapons away from terrorists. Obama will secure all loose nuclear materials in the world within four years. … This will deny terrorists the ability to steal or buy loose nuclear materials.”
Okay, everybody gather round! Just put all the terrorists’ toys in a chest, lock it down, and that’ll stop em!
Could Obama – or anyone - really believe the most vicious people on the planet can be thwarted this easily?
5. Defender of women’s rights
Remember, we must separate myth and the man: (this excerpt pulled from an article, April 24, 2008, “When Will We Admit the Truth About Barack Obama?” By Selwyn Duke:
In 2002, President Bush signed into law a bill titled the "Born Alive Infants Protection Act" (BAIPA). This law was necessary because, believe it or not, infants were being born alive during attempted abortions and then, ancient Spartan style, left to die. Jill Stanek wrote about this last year, saying:
"As a nurse at an Illinois hospital in 1999, I discovered babies were being aborted alive and shelved to die in soiled utility rooms. I discovered infanticide."
The act was so vile that even staunch abortion advocates would not oppose BAIPA. Stanek tells us that it passed the Senate by unanimous vote, garnering the support of senators Kerry, Kennedy and Clinton. She then pointed out:
"The bill also passed overwhelmingly in the House. NARAL went neutral on it. Abortion enthusiasts publicly agreed that fighting BAIPA would appear extreme."
But the state version of BAIPA failed for years in Illinois. Any guesses as to why? Stanek goes on to explain:
I testified in 2001 and 2002 before a committee of which Obama was a member.
Obama articulately worried that legislation protecting live aborted babies might infringe on women's rights or abortionists' rights. Obama's clinical discourse, his lack of mercy, shocked me. I was naive back then. Obama voted against the measure, twice. It ultimately failed.
In 2003, as chairman of the next Senate committee to which BAIPA was sent, Obama stopped it from even getting a hearing, shelving it to die much like babies were still being shelved to die in Illinois hospitals and abortion clinics.
6. Committees he’s a member of…
Judicial Watch Announces List of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians” for 2007
#8. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL): A “Dishonorable Mention” last year, Senator Obama moves onto the “ten most wanted” list in 2007. In 2006, it was discovered that Obama was involved in a suspicious real estate deal with an indicted political fundraiser, Antoin “Tony” Rezko. In 2007, more reports surfaced of deeper and suspicious business and political connections It was reported that just two months after he joined the Senate, Obama purchased $50,000 worth of stock in speculative companies whose major investors were his biggest campaign contributors. One of the companies was a biotech concern that benefited from legislation Obama pushed just two weeks after the senator purchased $5,000 of the company’s shares. Obama was also nabbed conducting campaign business in his Senate office, a violation of federal law.
7. Keeping weapons out of terrorists hands legislation
Again, let’s refer back to #5 above, but also this information:
We know about William Ayers, the college professor and "education advisor" who, as a Weather Underground terrorist in the 1970s, planted bombs in a campaign against our government. You might point out that this was three decades ago, but know that Ayers is unrepentant and wishes that he had planted more bombs. "I don't regret setting bombs, said Ayers in 2001, "I feel we didn't do enough."
Notwithstanding his violent past, Ayers today does not describe himself as a terrorist. "Terrorists destroy randomly," he reasons, "while our actions bore ... the precise stamp of a cut diamond. Terrorists intimidate, while we aimed only to educate."
Education through targeted bombings. Scary.
In the mid-1990s, Ayers and his wife hosted meetings at their Chicago home to introduce Barack Obama to their neighbors during his first run for the Illinois Senate.
At a 2007 reunion of former members of the Weather Underground and Students for a Democratic Society, Ayers painted a verbal portrait of life in the United States which included the following passages:
"Empire resurrected and unapologetic, war without end, an undefined enemy that's supposed to be a rallying point for a new kind of energized jingoistic patriotism, unprecedented and unapologetic military expansion, white supremacy changing its form, but essentially intact, attacks on women and girls, violent attacks, growing surveillance in every sphere of our lives, on and on and on, the targeting of gay and lesbian people as a kind of a scapegoating gesture to keep our minds off of what's really happening."
Jeff Jacoby on April 28, 2008 in an article, “Obama's ‘mainstream’ friends,” asks this:
Even if Obama doesn't personally believe these things, is it really "tired tripe" to ask why he seems so comfortable in the company of people who do? Is it really "extremely stupid politics" to wonder whether such people might play a role in an Obama administration? Rather than slam the few journalists who raise such questions, might it not behoove others in the media to follow suit?
Again, direct support and acceptance of Ayers’ violent past? No.
But there is question of tolerance for the Weathermen that begs one to ask: As president, would his zeal match that of our Islamist foes?
Stay informed, and check out things for yourself:
http://whateversowhat.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/the-shocking-whole-truth-about-obama/
http://www.judicialwatch.org/judicial-watch-announces-list-washington-s-ten-most-wanted-corrupt-politicians-2007
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