Imagine if today President Obama announced that because the 2016 election had created such a political and societal divide in the United States, he was going to push for the small "blue" pockets on the map to become their own country--within the borders of the United States. We'll call that new country "The Hillaryland". And "The Hillaryland" will have full autonomy over its territory. It will have its own military. It will be allowed to establish its own laws. It may print its own currency. It will even be allowed to use Washington, DC as its capital. And of course, the United Nations will be more than happy to recognize its existence.
In setting up "The Hillaryland", all non-Democrats who moved into those districts in the last 40-years will be made to move out. All development of "The Hillaryland" for non-Democrats would also be banned. Non-Hillaryland residents looking to travel through "The Hillaryland" will have to use secured roadways that won't actually allow you to get off until you are out of "The Hillaryland". Some parts of "The Hillaryland" will be surrounded by walls and barbed wire fences to keep the two "nations" apart.
Of course, this won't make things perfect for those inside "The Hillaryland". Even after achieving nation status, it will still need to be provided with almost all of its natural resources, food, water and electricity from the United States. Those who consider themselves "blues"--but who don't support the leader of that party (we'll call them "Sandernistas")--will refuse to recognize the leader of the new country and will do all they can to undermine the success of the new nation.
Add to that, the fact that many people living in "The Hillaryland" hate the United States, want to kill people living in the United States, and want to wipe the United States off the map--so that all of it can become "The Hillaryland". And the leaders of "The Hillaryland" will turn a blind eye to those efforts--which will be backed by terrorists states around the world.
If your thinking "That would be incredibly stupid--why would anyone support such a thing?", then you understand why the Obama Administration's last-minute push to force Israel to accept a "Two State Solution" with Palestinians is so ill-advised. Yet, that is exactly the situation that the President, John Kerry and anti-Semites in the United Nations are trying to foist upon Israel as a way to "secure peace in the Middle East".
There is a reason that the "Two State Solution" has failed to gain approval in the 40-years of negotiations toward that end. It is untenable. It is unworkable. And if it isn't good enough for the country you live in--then it shouldn't be good enough for our democratic allies in Israel either.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Play For the Tie!
It's a dream scenario for the NFL, Sunday night's matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions will be a "win or go home" clash--with the NFC North Division title on the line. Imagine two teams battling for their playoff lives--all in prime time on NBC. Except it doesn't have to be a winner-take-all game. You see, if the two teams tie--they will both make the playoffs anyway--and if I was both coaches, that is exactly what I would do.
A tie would give the Packers the division title--which is what Head Coach Mike McCarthy said the team was going to Detroit to win. A tie also saves Jim Caldwell from the embarrassment of a total collapse that the Lions have been heading for the second half of the season. And to accomplish that tie, both teams should do nothing but kneel down on the ball 75-times each.
That strategy also serves both teams well. No need to worry about Aaron Rodgers aggravating one of his leg injuries the week before the playoffs start. Clay Matthews gets a week to let his shoulder heal more. Matthew Stafford doesn't have to worry about banging the broken finger on his throwing hand on a helmet and making it impossible to throw. And since the game would only take about an hour and a half to play, you can be back home sooner and getting ready for that playoff opener.
Would a double-kneel-down game make the NFL look bad? Sure. But what are they going to do about it? You think Commissioner Roger Goodell is going to suspend two head coaches for playoff games? At worst, he might arbitrarily take away draft picks next year--but as the legendary George Allen used to say, a draft pick next year isn't getting you in the playoffs this year.
NBC might be angry that their prime time game is turned into a sham-mockery. But millions of Americans will still tune in just to see if both teams do actually make no effort to run plays for an entire game--that is until they tire of Chris Collinsworth repeatedly saying "This is unbelievable. This is unbelievable." Maybe Al Michaels could kill time telling great stories about the 1980 Olympic Hockey Miracle on Ice team to keep us all entertained. The TV execs should also keep in mind that a tie still delivers them another ratings bonanza: a playoff game Saturday night at Lambeau Field--where a foot of snow or -20 degree temperatures are always a possibility.
The fans at the game itself might feel like they got ripped off--since they didn't pay big bucks to watch backup QB's kneel on the ball all night. But your team is making the playoffs--so what are you really complaining about? Plus, if both teams actually tried, the Packers would kill the Lions, so Detroit fans should be happy they don't have to witness that. Besides, you can always say that you were at the "Kneel Down Game"--which will someday grow in stature to match the Ice Bowl (which was miraculously attended by 4.5-MILLION Packers Fans).
Now before you tell me "no professional athletes would ever just play for a tie" allow me to direct your attention to international soccer--where many a nil-nil draw with no real effort to attack either goal have been played when both teams knew that ties would advance them out of pool play and into the knockout round.
So what do you say, Coach McCarthy and Coach Caldwell--how about a little "gentlemen's agreement" that no one will try to win--and both punch your tickets to the post-season?
A tie would give the Packers the division title--which is what Head Coach Mike McCarthy said the team was going to Detroit to win. A tie also saves Jim Caldwell from the embarrassment of a total collapse that the Lions have been heading for the second half of the season. And to accomplish that tie, both teams should do nothing but kneel down on the ball 75-times each.
That strategy also serves both teams well. No need to worry about Aaron Rodgers aggravating one of his leg injuries the week before the playoffs start. Clay Matthews gets a week to let his shoulder heal more. Matthew Stafford doesn't have to worry about banging the broken finger on his throwing hand on a helmet and making it impossible to throw. And since the game would only take about an hour and a half to play, you can be back home sooner and getting ready for that playoff opener.
Would a double-kneel-down game make the NFL look bad? Sure. But what are they going to do about it? You think Commissioner Roger Goodell is going to suspend two head coaches for playoff games? At worst, he might arbitrarily take away draft picks next year--but as the legendary George Allen used to say, a draft pick next year isn't getting you in the playoffs this year.
NBC might be angry that their prime time game is turned into a sham-mockery. But millions of Americans will still tune in just to see if both teams do actually make no effort to run plays for an entire game--that is until they tire of Chris Collinsworth repeatedly saying "This is unbelievable. This is unbelievable." Maybe Al Michaels could kill time telling great stories about the 1980 Olympic Hockey Miracle on Ice team to keep us all entertained. The TV execs should also keep in mind that a tie still delivers them another ratings bonanza: a playoff game Saturday night at Lambeau Field--where a foot of snow or -20 degree temperatures are always a possibility.
The fans at the game itself might feel like they got ripped off--since they didn't pay big bucks to watch backup QB's kneel on the ball all night. But your team is making the playoffs--so what are you really complaining about? Plus, if both teams actually tried, the Packers would kill the Lions, so Detroit fans should be happy they don't have to witness that. Besides, you can always say that you were at the "Kneel Down Game"--which will someday grow in stature to match the Ice Bowl (which was miraculously attended by 4.5-MILLION Packers Fans).
Now before you tell me "no professional athletes would ever just play for a tie" allow me to direct your attention to international soccer--where many a nil-nil draw with no real effort to attack either goal have been played when both teams knew that ties would advance them out of pool play and into the knockout round.
So what do you say, Coach McCarthy and Coach Caldwell--how about a little "gentlemen's agreement" that no one will try to win--and both punch your tickets to the post-season?
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
A Roundabout Way to Go
Errands on Monday took me up and down the frontage roads here in Oshkosh several times--and that meant an afternoon of dealing with roundabouts. From my observations, I can tell you that 100% of pedestrians are NOT using the new orange flags put out by the city to improve their safety. Walkers at Koeller and 9th and Witzel and Washburn eschewed waving the flags maniacally to get traffic to yield the right of way to them. So what ever amount the city spent on that "safety improvement" is proving to be a waste.
Now, on to the main topic for today. Of all the poorly-designed and misplaced roundabouts in Oshkosh, the worst is at the intersection of 9th Avenue and Koeller Street. Despite it being a two lane roundabout, the engineers that designed it decided they would not allow traffic heading north in the left lane of Koeller to continue "straight through" the roundabout. Instead, all of those vehicles have to merge to the right and use the "outside lane" of the roundabout to go straight--while the "inside lane" is reserved only for left-hand turns. That design leads to back ups nearly all day in the right-hand lane or northbound Koeller--and lots of hard breaking as people round the big curve past Pizza Hut and find a line of stopped vehicles suddenly in front of them. Add to that the awkward driveway to Walgreen's on the next curve and you have a mess created solely by the roundabout and traffic engineers who think they know better.
But I'm going to let you in on a little secret that I have used since that roundabout opened to "skip the line" and still go straight on Koeller: You don't actually have to get into the right lane there. All you have to do is use the roundabout the way it is designed to continue moving. Stay in the left-hand lane--where there are usually far fewer cars waiting--and enter the roundabout. As you follow that inside lane, you will notice that the roundabout has been designed like a corkscrew so that if you go a complete 360-degrees the "inside lane" becomes the "outside lane" and you can continue heading north on Koeller from that lane. Heck, you can even make what would be a "right hand turn" from the "left hand lane" and never put anyone in harm's way. Because you are staying in a lane--not needing to ever change lanes inside the roundabout--this movement is completely legal. In fact, it is the way that European drivers navigate the outrageous traffic circles they have to deal with (see the "Look, Kids, Big Ben, Parliament scene from European Vacation" for some perspective).
Others may have been using this same technique to "skip the line" and might wonder why I would ruin our "shortcut" by telling a vast radio audience. But wouldn't you like to get rid of the other scourges of that intersection: people two car-lengths away from the roundabout with their right turn signal on trying to get into the right lane to go straight and the people who completely ignore the signage and drive straight through from the left lane and nearly sideswipe those in the outside lane? Consider my advice to be "looking out for one another".
Does it make sense to drive in a complete circle to go straight on a street? Obviously not. But I guess it's the best we can do in the name of "improving safety".
Now, on to the main topic for today. Of all the poorly-designed and misplaced roundabouts in Oshkosh, the worst is at the intersection of 9th Avenue and Koeller Street. Despite it being a two lane roundabout, the engineers that designed it decided they would not allow traffic heading north in the left lane of Koeller to continue "straight through" the roundabout. Instead, all of those vehicles have to merge to the right and use the "outside lane" of the roundabout to go straight--while the "inside lane" is reserved only for left-hand turns. That design leads to back ups nearly all day in the right-hand lane or northbound Koeller--and lots of hard breaking as people round the big curve past Pizza Hut and find a line of stopped vehicles suddenly in front of them. Add to that the awkward driveway to Walgreen's on the next curve and you have a mess created solely by the roundabout and traffic engineers who think they know better.
But I'm going to let you in on a little secret that I have used since that roundabout opened to "skip the line" and still go straight on Koeller: You don't actually have to get into the right lane there. All you have to do is use the roundabout the way it is designed to continue moving. Stay in the left-hand lane--where there are usually far fewer cars waiting--and enter the roundabout. As you follow that inside lane, you will notice that the roundabout has been designed like a corkscrew so that if you go a complete 360-degrees the "inside lane" becomes the "outside lane" and you can continue heading north on Koeller from that lane. Heck, you can even make what would be a "right hand turn" from the "left hand lane" and never put anyone in harm's way. Because you are staying in a lane--not needing to ever change lanes inside the roundabout--this movement is completely legal. In fact, it is the way that European drivers navigate the outrageous traffic circles they have to deal with (see the "Look, Kids, Big Ben, Parliament scene from European Vacation" for some perspective).
Others may have been using this same technique to "skip the line" and might wonder why I would ruin our "shortcut" by telling a vast radio audience. But wouldn't you like to get rid of the other scourges of that intersection: people two car-lengths away from the roundabout with their right turn signal on trying to get into the right lane to go straight and the people who completely ignore the signage and drive straight through from the left lane and nearly sideswipe those in the outside lane? Consider my advice to be "looking out for one another".
Does it make sense to drive in a complete circle to go straight on a street? Obviously not. But I guess it's the best we can do in the name of "improving safety".
Monday, December 26, 2016
Our New Holiday Tradition
Americans apparently have a new holiday tradition: Arguing whether Mary and Joseph were refugees. My social media timelines were filled this weekend with posts and counter-posts arguing the "immigration status" of Biblical characters.
It started every time with someone on the Left tweeting or Facebook posting that they find it interesting that Christians are celebrating a family that were refugees that were given nowhere to live--even though Mary was pregnant. The insinuation was that if you don't believe in unfettered immigration to the United States, you are not a "real Christian".
Those posts were then answered by "amateur biblical scholars" more than willing to cite passage and verse that Mary and Joseph were not forced from their homes to seek asylum in another country--but rather came to Bethlehem to register for the Roman Census and to pay their taxes. So they had every intention of going back to Nazareth. And as for having no place to stay, you have to consider that there wasn't a hotel at every off-ramp on the footpaths between towns in the days of antiquity. Plus, the Greeks used similar words for "stable" "cave" and "guestroom"--so early translators could have easily misinterpreted the initial gospel texts.
"But what about them having to flee into Egypt to escape King Herod's wrath?" would be the next post--which led to arguments about whether they just "took a detour on the way home"--or if the family had to actually live in a foreign land until Herod died. And let's just say the conversation usually took on a not so "merry and bright" tone.
The problem with this argument is that the source material upon which both sides make their claims is seriously flawed. Of the four gospels, only two--Matthew and Luke--address the birth of Jesus, and their stories differ. Matthew--who was proselytizing to a mainly Jewish audience never mentions Mary and Joseph having to travel to Bethlehem--and makes no mention of stables and mangers. It also is from that account that you get the story of the family fleeing to Egypt.
Luke's account--which was intended for the greater Roman Empire at the time--is where we get the "modern" version of the nativity--with trip from Nazareth, the no room at the inn and angels making announcements to shepherds (whom Jews considered dirty, lowly folk--but Romans considered important parts of society). Luke makes no mention of fleeing to Egypt. instead stating that the family went to Jerusalem and then back to Nazareth.
So when it comes to shaming those who want the immigration laws we currently have on the books you may want to use source material that is a bit more clear--and that actually happened. Maybe next Christmas we can all argue about the proper way to crack an egg--courtesy of the Liliputians and Blefuscudians in Gullivers Travels.
It started every time with someone on the Left tweeting or Facebook posting that they find it interesting that Christians are celebrating a family that were refugees that were given nowhere to live--even though Mary was pregnant. The insinuation was that if you don't believe in unfettered immigration to the United States, you are not a "real Christian".
Those posts were then answered by "amateur biblical scholars" more than willing to cite passage and verse that Mary and Joseph were not forced from their homes to seek asylum in another country--but rather came to Bethlehem to register for the Roman Census and to pay their taxes. So they had every intention of going back to Nazareth. And as for having no place to stay, you have to consider that there wasn't a hotel at every off-ramp on the footpaths between towns in the days of antiquity. Plus, the Greeks used similar words for "stable" "cave" and "guestroom"--so early translators could have easily misinterpreted the initial gospel texts.
"But what about them having to flee into Egypt to escape King Herod's wrath?" would be the next post--which led to arguments about whether they just "took a detour on the way home"--or if the family had to actually live in a foreign land until Herod died. And let's just say the conversation usually took on a not so "merry and bright" tone.
The problem with this argument is that the source material upon which both sides make their claims is seriously flawed. Of the four gospels, only two--Matthew and Luke--address the birth of Jesus, and their stories differ. Matthew--who was proselytizing to a mainly Jewish audience never mentions Mary and Joseph having to travel to Bethlehem--and makes no mention of stables and mangers. It also is from that account that you get the story of the family fleeing to Egypt.
Luke's account--which was intended for the greater Roman Empire at the time--is where we get the "modern" version of the nativity--with trip from Nazareth, the no room at the inn and angels making announcements to shepherds (whom Jews considered dirty, lowly folk--but Romans considered important parts of society). Luke makes no mention of fleeing to Egypt. instead stating that the family went to Jerusalem and then back to Nazareth.
So when it comes to shaming those who want the immigration laws we currently have on the books you may want to use source material that is a bit more clear--and that actually happened. Maybe next Christmas we can all argue about the proper way to crack an egg--courtesy of the Liliputians and Blefuscudians in Gullivers Travels.
Friday, December 23, 2016
THE FESTIVUS AIRING OF GRIEVANCES!!!!!!
Happy Festivus!! Welcome, newcomers. The tradition of Festivus begins with the Airing of Grievances--where I list all the ways that you have disappointed me this year. I'VE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH YOU PEOPLE!!
DANGEROUS ROUNDABOUTS!! The City of Oshkosh has realized that drivers are just too dumb to understand the rules of roundabouts, so now pedestrians and bikers must wave orange flags while they cross--which will deter absolutely no one from gunning it to beat the driver that actually has the right of way.
SEGREGATED PARKING!!! I had to run in the store for one item recently, but had to park a quarter mile away because the first ten spots in every row are "reserved" for the handicapped, expectant mothers, mothers with babies, senior citizens, veterans and the "Associate of the Month". Where is the reserved spot for "Guy who is running in to get one item and will literally be here for two minutes"???? I'm going to start making that spot in the crosswalk directly in front of the door from now on.
ANTI-TRUMP CELEBRITIES!! Amy Schumer, Barbra Streisand, Bryan Cranston, Miley Cyrus, Cher and Chelsea Handler are among the dozens of famous people who claimed they would leave the US if Donald Trump won the election. Well, what are you still doing here? Are you waiting for Inauguration Day to finally make good on your promise? And why do these celebs always say they're moving to Canada? Why not go to your "socialist paradises" like Sweden or Denmark? Could it be that you don't actually want to give up 90% of your income to pay for all of those social programs?
NFL SCHEDULERS!!! Is it really that complicated to give the teams playing on Thursday night a bye the week before so the players aren't competing on short rest? Maybe some folks at the league office should be subjected to the beating players absorb in a game and then come back four days later to make out the schedule. We might see more common sense applied after that.
CUBS FANS!!! Let's not forget that your club is still has one title in the past 108 years. The super-volcano under Yellowstone Park is due for a cataclysmic eruption as well and nobody is rooting for that either.
JILL STEIN!!! Please do not ever run for President--or even school board--again. Citizens have already suffered enough of your attention-grabbing efforts to undermine the integrity of the election process and your hair-brained, mis-informed statements to the press.
TEAM USA HOCKEY COACH JOHN TORTORELLA!!! Thanks to your incompetence, what should have been the best sporting event of the year was ruined by a terrible US performance and having to watch crybaby Sidney Crosby hoist the World Cup of Hockey trophy after beating a bunch of no-name Europeans in the finals.
And now we move to the Feats of Strength! Festivus is not over until you pin me!!
DANGEROUS ROUNDABOUTS!! The City of Oshkosh has realized that drivers are just too dumb to understand the rules of roundabouts, so now pedestrians and bikers must wave orange flags while they cross--which will deter absolutely no one from gunning it to beat the driver that actually has the right of way.
SEGREGATED PARKING!!! I had to run in the store for one item recently, but had to park a quarter mile away because the first ten spots in every row are "reserved" for the handicapped, expectant mothers, mothers with babies, senior citizens, veterans and the "Associate of the Month". Where is the reserved spot for "Guy who is running in to get one item and will literally be here for two minutes"???? I'm going to start making that spot in the crosswalk directly in front of the door from now on.
ANTI-TRUMP CELEBRITIES!! Amy Schumer, Barbra Streisand, Bryan Cranston, Miley Cyrus, Cher and Chelsea Handler are among the dozens of famous people who claimed they would leave the US if Donald Trump won the election. Well, what are you still doing here? Are you waiting for Inauguration Day to finally make good on your promise? And why do these celebs always say they're moving to Canada? Why not go to your "socialist paradises" like Sweden or Denmark? Could it be that you don't actually want to give up 90% of your income to pay for all of those social programs?
NFL SCHEDULERS!!! Is it really that complicated to give the teams playing on Thursday night a bye the week before so the players aren't competing on short rest? Maybe some folks at the league office should be subjected to the beating players absorb in a game and then come back four days later to make out the schedule. We might see more common sense applied after that.
CUBS FANS!!! Let's not forget that your club is still has one title in the past 108 years. The super-volcano under Yellowstone Park is due for a cataclysmic eruption as well and nobody is rooting for that either.
JILL STEIN!!! Please do not ever run for President--or even school board--again. Citizens have already suffered enough of your attention-grabbing efforts to undermine the integrity of the election process and your hair-brained, mis-informed statements to the press.
TEAM USA HOCKEY COACH JOHN TORTORELLA!!! Thanks to your incompetence, what should have been the best sporting event of the year was ruined by a terrible US performance and having to watch crybaby Sidney Crosby hoist the World Cup of Hockey trophy after beating a bunch of no-name Europeans in the finals.
And now we move to the Feats of Strength! Festivus is not over until you pin me!!
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Going Rogue
Allow me to be a Star Wars geek today....
Last weekend I went to see the new Star Wars movie Rogue One. I'm not going to give you a full review or give out any spoilers here--but I will tell you it's a great addition to the franchise and features a darker tone that was certainly welcomed by many hardcore fans. But the movie also proves what a waste the "Prequel Trilogy" written and directed by Star Wars Creator George Lucas really was.
The highlights for many of us in Rogue One are the brief appearances by Darth Vader. Those got me to thinking that Lucas could have used the three prequels to not just tell us how Anakin Skywalker became Vader (which really hamstrung him on plot lines)--but also how Vader came to impose the will of the Empire upon the rest of the galaxy. George could have employed the technique that Francis Ford Coppola used in The Godfather II--weaving a new storyline with flashbacks to tell a back story at the same time. Instead of the juxtaposition of Michael Corleone moving the family business to Las Vegas and Vito Corleone establishing the "family" in New York City, the Star Wars prequels could have featured vengeful Sith Lord Vader destroying his remaining enemies while reflecting back on how he came to epitomize the Dark Side of the Force.
Those scripts would have fixed the often-times glacial pace of action in the prequels. Scenes of Vader slaughtering opposition families could have been followed by Qui Gon and Obi Wan finding him on Tattoine, winning his freedom from slavery and attacks from Darth Maul--without a lot of the boring conversations and the overly-extended pod racing scene. Think of how powerful a scene would be where Vader is immersed in his life-sustaining Bacta tank and his mind flashes back to his times with Padme--or battles with Rebellion forces are intermixed with those from the Clone Wars. And how awesome would it have been to experience Darth's inner struggles with the evil being he had become and the way he was lied to by the Emperor/Chancellor Palpatine that established his destiny?
With Disney's goal of having a Star Wars franchise movie released every year as long as people are willing to shell out money to see them, perhaps a screenwriter and a director 20-years from now will "re-imagine" the Prequel Trilogy--and make them what they should have been.
Last weekend I went to see the new Star Wars movie Rogue One. I'm not going to give you a full review or give out any spoilers here--but I will tell you it's a great addition to the franchise and features a darker tone that was certainly welcomed by many hardcore fans. But the movie also proves what a waste the "Prequel Trilogy" written and directed by Star Wars Creator George Lucas really was.
The highlights for many of us in Rogue One are the brief appearances by Darth Vader. Those got me to thinking that Lucas could have used the three prequels to not just tell us how Anakin Skywalker became Vader (which really hamstrung him on plot lines)--but also how Vader came to impose the will of the Empire upon the rest of the galaxy. George could have employed the technique that Francis Ford Coppola used in The Godfather II--weaving a new storyline with flashbacks to tell a back story at the same time. Instead of the juxtaposition of Michael Corleone moving the family business to Las Vegas and Vito Corleone establishing the "family" in New York City, the Star Wars prequels could have featured vengeful Sith Lord Vader destroying his remaining enemies while reflecting back on how he came to epitomize the Dark Side of the Force.
Those scripts would have fixed the often-times glacial pace of action in the prequels. Scenes of Vader slaughtering opposition families could have been followed by Qui Gon and Obi Wan finding him on Tattoine, winning his freedom from slavery and attacks from Darth Maul--without a lot of the boring conversations and the overly-extended pod racing scene. Think of how powerful a scene would be where Vader is immersed in his life-sustaining Bacta tank and his mind flashes back to his times with Padme--or battles with Rebellion forces are intermixed with those from the Clone Wars. And how awesome would it have been to experience Darth's inner struggles with the evil being he had become and the way he was lied to by the Emperor/Chancellor Palpatine that established his destiny?
With Disney's goal of having a Star Wars franchise movie released every year as long as people are willing to shell out money to see them, perhaps a screenwriter and a director 20-years from now will "re-imagine" the Prequel Trilogy--and make them what they should have been.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Bowl Blowout
I always throught the collapse of the ludicrous college bowl structure would come from ESPN no longer being able to find gullible corporations to sponsor the myriad of meaningless games that exist strictly to give them live content at this time of year. The two bowl games played this week were sponsored solely by the Chambers of Commerce for Miami Beach and Boca Raton (which disappointingly was not played at Del Boca Vista in the middle of the afternoon so that attendees could still make it to the eat at the Early Bird Specials). There are four bowls this year with no title sponsor--meaning ESPN is likely taking a bath on the costs of putting on the games.
But a new trend developing this year is serving as an even greater threat to the meaningless bowls--players refusing to play. LSU's Leonard Fournette and Stanford's Christian McCaffrey have both announced they are going to sit out their team's bowl games--so they don't risk injury before the NFL draft. Both are considered to be potential first round draft picks--so some big bucks are on the line. That has to give many other top pro prospects cause to consider whether they should play an extra game (or if they are in the College Football Playoff--two more games) for no financial benefit.
Imagine you are LSU's interim coach (they fired Les Miles mid-season) and Stanford's head coach and the guys that you have built your offenses around are voluntarily walking away from giving you a chance to win. You probably still want to play the game--but your level of focus and excitement probably went down a few notches after their announcements. And if you are one of the other kids who will still take the field for the bowls you have to wonder in the back of your mind if it's really worth it for you to still play.
We even had an entire team threaten to boycott their bowl game. Every member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers threatened to boycott all football activities through the end of the season as a protest for the suspension of ten teammates for allegations of sexual assault of another student. None of the players were criminally charged--but burden of proof and probable cause no longer exist on campuses dealing with the "threat of rape culture" don't care about that. Over the weekend, the players capitulated and returned to prepare for their butt whipping in the Holiday Bowl.
But it can't be too long before an entire team--whether it be loaded with future pros or aggrieved victims of the war on "toxic masculinity"--decides it has no interest in a couple more weeks of practice and a trip to Detroit for the Motor City Bowl--when they could be home with their families for the holidays--or not taking more blows to the head to increase their odds of developing CTE in middle age.
But a new trend developing this year is serving as an even greater threat to the meaningless bowls--players refusing to play. LSU's Leonard Fournette and Stanford's Christian McCaffrey have both announced they are going to sit out their team's bowl games--so they don't risk injury before the NFL draft. Both are considered to be potential first round draft picks--so some big bucks are on the line. That has to give many other top pro prospects cause to consider whether they should play an extra game (or if they are in the College Football Playoff--two more games) for no financial benefit.
Imagine you are LSU's interim coach (they fired Les Miles mid-season) and Stanford's head coach and the guys that you have built your offenses around are voluntarily walking away from giving you a chance to win. You probably still want to play the game--but your level of focus and excitement probably went down a few notches after their announcements. And if you are one of the other kids who will still take the field for the bowls you have to wonder in the back of your mind if it's really worth it for you to still play.
We even had an entire team threaten to boycott their bowl game. Every member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers threatened to boycott all football activities through the end of the season as a protest for the suspension of ten teammates for allegations of sexual assault of another student. None of the players were criminally charged--but burden of proof and probable cause no longer exist on campuses dealing with the "threat of rape culture" don't care about that. Over the weekend, the players capitulated and returned to prepare for their butt whipping in the Holiday Bowl.
But it can't be too long before an entire team--whether it be loaded with future pros or aggrieved victims of the war on "toxic masculinity"--decides it has no interest in a couple more weeks of practice and a trip to Detroit for the Motor City Bowl--when they could be home with their families for the holidays--or not taking more blows to the head to increase their odds of developing CTE in middle age.
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