Super Bowl Pick

Before I get to my long awaited pick, I have to vent, for cathartic reasons.  Not that I am going to say anything that the rest of us have not thought, and that every columnist has not already written, but WHY AM I PUTTING MY TAX DOLLARS TOWARD $35K TOILETS?

What is with these bozos that had to go hat in hand to the government and ask for BILLIONS, and then they go spend the money on $50M jets, $40K chairs and $35K antique commodes.  Not to mention Billions in bonuses to keep their ‘best’ people.  Um, weren’t these the Best and the Brightest that resulted in $15B loss at Merrill, and a request for TARP funds?  Seriously, was Robert McNamara running the place?

But hey, I understand.  The world is in economic meltdown, Wall Street is shedding jobs by the thousands, but you need to keep your best people as these guys might have left and gone….WHERE?  This would be the same as GM paying bonuses for fear their “Brightest” go to Chrysler.  C’mon.

And what pains me more, as I expect Wall Street Bankers to be tone deaf (see below), is the already tremendous LACK of oversight of Congress.  Not that this should be a surprise, but did they ask for oversight and/or audit rights?  You think Goldman Sachs was going to pay huge bonuses without Buffett’s approval, since he gave them $5B LARGE!  Congress is full of lawyers — aren’t they supposed to be trained negotiators?  No wonder Ahmadinejad and Bin Laden run circles around us.

My favorite part is how they are going to investigate if TARP funds were used to pay the bonuses.  Listen Reid/Pelosi/ Geithner, if I give a crack addict $100, then someone else gives him $100, it does not really matter whether he used “my” money to buy crack; I enabled it.

And in another ironic twist, my Rock Center correspondent pointed out to me that the loans given to Pfizer to buy Wyeth for $70B will result in the combined company shedding 20k jobs.  Well, I am really happy about that use of my tax funds as well.

Returning to my Banker behavior comment above: I went to a reasonable business school, when Consulting and Banking were hot (and when anyone who went to Yahoo because they could not get a ‘real’ job ended up 100x as rich as us).  The rationale for going into consulting was always a combination of:

1. I don’t know what I want to do
2. I like the idea of helping companies
3. The pay is not bad

We at least gave lip service to #2.  Conversely, the Investment Banker argument usually went like this:

1. I will make a f*ing ton of money

Not once do I remember hearing that “providing access to funds to streamline our capitalist engine, and get small companies off the ground, and large companies to scale so that they could compete on a global level” as a rationale.  As a guideline, not a rule, they were usually the more shallow and avaricious members of the class — like the High School Football QB that needed to stay popular.

So that is why I can see them buying ridiculously priced curtain rods.  But that brings to mind another question: Who thinks of creating this stuff?  Really, you are Kohler, or American Standard, or some bizarro SoHo artesan, and you think that what the world needs is a $35K toilet?

Hey, as we get richer, I can see our tastes changing — buy a $5K watch, a $250K car, a $5M plane.  Even a $6K handbag maybe.  While I am not certain I could ever have enough money to feel that the above was worth the price — except for the Aston Martin DB9 — I can understand how others would.  But how warped are you to need a $35K toilet?  Does Thain do that much reading?

I am sickened, but not surprised, that he would spend his (firm’s) money on these things, but I am more disturbed that these products even exist.  That, my friends, is my, it is hoped, unique take!

Now the Cards have proven us all wrong all along, but the Steelers seem more balanced.  Arizona scores 4 times, but it is 3 FGs; whereas, Pitt finds the end zone 3 times and adds a FG –

Steelers 24

Arizona 16

Bye Week

(Time for another post, whether merited or not, as I ponder why Glade has not come out with a air freshener with the fragrance: Burnt Match.)

Here we are on Sunday, and no football.  TBH, I have hardly paid attention to the Super Bowl, which is sad.  Last year seemed like such an event, and this year, well only the fourth game in a row that the Cardinals are expected to get trounced.

In fact, Yes MSG used to attend an annual Super Bowl party replete with:

• Kentucky Fried Chicken
• Beer (ok, and wine)
• Chips and Dip
• Desserts

And the party had men, who watched the games, and the advertisements (especially those with babes), and the women watched the commercials but got annoyed with the annoying sporting action that went on between ads.

This year, I have been invited and will attend the following football party:

• Hosted by a guy from South Africa who may or may not know what a first down is
• Attended by his charming girlfriend, who emigrated from Romania, and grew up in Detroit, where they have paradoxically had one football player — Barry Sanders — and no football team in the past 40 years
• Also attended by their friends — the guy is German but grew up in Peru and considers dog training a sport; his delightful wife is an accomplished figure skating instructor, so, in general, would not expect her to appreciate football (hope I am wrong)
• And finally, they have invited their neighbor, who, while I have never met him, do know that he is in his 40s, never married, lives alone, and has cats.  Not exactly the Wikipedia entry under “Football Fan”

So wish Yes MSG luck as I try to report out on the game next week.  I may have better stories about Michele Kwan and the Tabby than about Kurt Warner and Troy Polamalu.
Speaking of the players though, I have been wondering if anyone really has ever met an Arizona Cardinals fan.  I know that I have not. Seriously.  I know they have only been there 20 years, but anyone under the age of 10 at that time probably had little allegiance to other teams, so there should be some GenX guys who like the Cards, right?

Conversely, Steelers fans come from everywhere.  At least they are not 1/100th as obnoxious as

1. Cowboys Fans — seriously, does any fan club have more “Fair-weather Fans” and Band-Wagoneers?
2. Atlanta Braves Fans — no, I don’t really think of them as America’s team, but if they are going to put that up on TBS 162 times a year, then it must be contradicted before it becomes fact
3. Red Sox Fans — whose ranks only grew once they came out with the Pink Logo-ed hats and shirts
4. Yankees Fans — New York attitude, $5T budget, need I say more
5. Lakers Fans — oh I get it, they have always had a big following in Denver; it has nothing to do with Kareem, Magic, Shaw, Kope

Seriously, I hate it when people are not from a city, but are fans of that team, even though the city they are from has a competing, yet less successful, franchise.  The time honored excuses are:

• My dad liked them
• When I was a kid I saw them on TV
• Blah blah blah

Look, we all know the reason is that you are a blatant FRONT RUNNER.  And that goes for the majority of fans of the teams listed above, especially the Red Sox, who, despite coming from a metro areas with a few million people, has 50Million fans.

At least Steeler “Nation” has ties to Pittsburgh, and Arizona “Nation” does not exist.

So, in conclusion, Super Bowl XLIII will, at least, be a fight between two honest and honorable fan clubs, even if one club has no public members.

WTH BHO

People talk about Obama not being able to meet the outsized expectations.  I tend to agree.  I woke up this morning and:

1. My mortgage was not paid off
2. Detroit was still making ugly, crap, gas guzzling cars
3. The sun was not shining and powering the grid (OK, maybe more a factor of Seattle, but still…)
4. Troops are still in Afghanistan and Iraq
5. No peace in the Middle East
6. Merrill Lynch was still part of BofA
7. The Cardinals were still in the Super Bowl

Yet, BHO and Michelle had time to go to TEN (10) parties last night.

C’mon Barry, get to work!

Day One of the BHO Era

I realize this is supposed to be a Sports blog, mainly, but when Dave Winfield is a guest on MSNBC, and is being asked about Economic and Foreign policy, I feel qualified to comment on our new President.

I admit to being pretty moved by the occasion.  Historic.  I was actually more moved when I first saw Michelle come out for one of the Balls, and thought: “Wow, that is the First Lady!”  Unlike any emotion I have ever had, but admittedly, the main competition has been Laura, Hillary, George Washington (Barbara Bush) and Nancy Reagan — whose head size alone caused me to lose sleep as a child — none of whom engendered much awe.

But, unfortunately, this new administration is already causing problems in the Yes MSG household.  My son now thinks that he cannot grow up to be President as you have to be either African American or a Woman to be elected.  He fully expect Pinup Palin in 2012 or 2016.  Poor kid.  How do I explain to him that he can still be whatever he wants?

This was on the heels of him realizing that Jews are not numerous in the NBA or NFL.  So sad that there are few role models for him to look up to.

I tried to explain that he could still be a doctor, lawyer, sports team owner, journalist, hollywood agent, banker, an Elder of Zion.  Let’s hope the message resonates.

Back to live inaugural footage!

End of the World is Nigh

(Note the title refers to the AZ Cards, not Obama — hey, I don’t want the NSA reading my blog and then rendition-ing me)

If I had asked my extensive readership in a poll about a year, which was more likely:

- Electing the First African-American President

or

- Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl

I am not sure how I would have voted.

But I do know that Kurt Warner’s faith counts for something.  (Also he is only the second QB — Craig Morton from CAL, who QB’d the Cowboys and Broncos to SB losses — to lead two team to the Super Bowl.)  Larry Fitzgerald is the best receiver in football — hands like that have not been seen since Lester Hayes used stickum.

As for Philly fans, you got your World Series so you know it had to come down to this disappoinment.  In the McNabb-Reid era, you have an impressive 5 NFC Conference Championship game appearances, and a not so enviable record of 1-4 (including 1-2 at home).  Donovan will be pilloried in Philly and will retired unloved.  Reid?  Perhaps the same fate.

Pittsburgh went more according to plan.  Rattled the rookie Flacco and did just enough on O, and a whole lot more on D to walk away with the victory.  Pittsburgh now goes into it 7th Super Bowl, second most behind Dallas 8, and can unbreak the current three way tie with the Cowboys (5-3) and 49ers (5-0) for most Super Bowl victories.

Impressively, this is Pittsburgh’s 7th AFC Championship appearance since the 1995 Season.  Coach in Waiting Cowher was, though, a pedestrian 2-4, including a pathetic 1-4 at home.  Really, this is the best coach in waiting? I know that getting there is impressive, but, really, 1-4 at home?

On another note, I think that Ray Lewis career will be squandered almost as bad as Dan Marino’s.  “Genius” Don Shula, and successor Jimmy Johnson, were unable to build even a reasonable running game and defense in Dan’s 17 years.  One Super Bowl loss for the record holder in almost all passing categories (until Favre decided to unretire ten times) is pretty poor.  Now Ray Ray is likely to last a couple of more seasons, and he does have the 2000 SB victory, but considering the strenth of the Ravens D, and the need for only a C+ offense, well, I see the same pattern.  I don’t blame Rookie Flacco or his Rookie Head Coach Harbaugh, but seeing that Brian Billick had EIGHT seasons, well….

Anyway, I think I have to go with Arizona — not necessarily that they should win — just that I want them to win.  Pittsburgh got gifted Super Bowl Xtra Large a few years ago when Jerramy Stevens and the refs conspired against the Seahawks.  Of course, the Steelers conspired against themselves in SB XXX when Yancy Thigpen decided he could not run a pattern, and Neil O’Donough decided he could not read a defense, gifting Dallas and Switzer a Super Bowl, and Larry Brown an MVP, and in a serious case of foreshadowing, and $12M contract from Da Raidahs.

Should be the least watched Super Bowl in history, although Pittsburgh usually draws a fairly national crowd.  NBC is probably breathing a sigh of relief that it was not AZ-Bal.

(I will save my Preliminary-Early-Preview of the 2009 College Football Season for later, as the UT/OU/UF BCS battle and the Bradford/McCoy/Tebow Heisman battle will be the most hyped in His-Story!  I say, watch out for darkhorse Jahvid Best )

Cardinals in the NFC Championship — bring on the Apocalypse

Well, the most surprising result of the weekend had to be the Cardinal beatdown of the Panthers.  But before I get to that, need to take care of some business on the BCS Championship.

- Who knows who would have won, but Oklahoma unable to get in from the 2, throwing a goal line interception, having a field goal blocked and then that late(r) interception all killed whatever chances the Sooners had.  They should have been up 17-7 at half, and then who knows.  But it was not to be, and now we might be looking at a Tebow Three-Peat.

- The BCS game was paralleled in a way by the Ravens-Titans game.  The Titans continued to squander opportunities, fumbles, INTs, etc. and it cost them.  Now we get a defensive game with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed v the Terrible Towel.

- SD was manhandled by Pittsburgh.  By the way, anyone remember that defensive player of the year James Harrison was accused, like former teammate Cedric Wislon, of assaulting a woman.  The Steelers said they would not tolerate such behavior, and they showed it, by cutting Wilson.  Bet Jerry Jones would like some tips on this personnel management.

- Philly’s D was very impressive against G-men.

But the real question I have is who will God support if the Cardinals follow up their surprising win over the Panthers with another, at home, against the Eagles, and then face the Ravens in a Super Bowl.  Why?

Well, Kurt Warner — Former Stock Boy at the Hy Vee, Two Time NFL MVP, Super Bowl Winner, predecessor to Eli Manning in NY,  Predecessor and Sucessor to Matt “Beer Bong and Hot Tub” Leinart in Arizona, father of like 7 (including adopted ones I think), and husband to a woman with really spiky hair — has obviously led a charmed life and he is always thanking God for his successes.

Conversely, Ray Lewis — college all American, numerous time pro bowler, future hall of famer, Super Bowl MVP, and accomplice to a double murder — also likes to say his Hallelujahs after all the Big Wins.

So WWJD?

Well, Yes MSG certainly does not know what JC will do on February 1 if these teams meet, but he does know that those hoping for peace in the Middle East may be rooting for a Philly – Pittsburgh Super Bowl to gain a couple of weeks extra in relief.

See ya after the Championships!

From Sick Bay

Yes MSG has started the New Year with the Flu, which has its obvious downside, but also its benefits.  One benefit is that I can catch a lot of random during the day TV to keep my readership updated.  Now daytime TV can be a challenge.  YOu have your SportsCenter, First Take, MSNBC, Today Show (not the third hour), then later in the day you get Rome is Burning (Rome was obviously the victim of bullies as a child), PTI, more SportsCenter and then the athletic event of the night — Bowl Games, Basketball, etc.

The main challenge is what I call the Ellen-gap.  At 11am you start with the abominable Ellen Degeneres show, so you either have to nap, run an errand, or rely on Podcasts.  Fortunately Simmons now podcasts more than he writes.

So some late goings on:

1) Cowboys release Pac Man Jones.  This is not a surprise.  Guy averaged <5 yards per punt return, fumbled against the Eagles and also got called for an unnecessary roughness penalty.  Oh, and he missed 6 games due to suspension for fighting with his own bodyguard.

The great part is that Pac Man was ’surprised’ he was released, and his agent does not think the suspension played a role in the release.  I am sure his crappy play was paramount, but the suspension did not exactly help.  And of course, this does not consider the fact that Pac Man allegedly paid someone to shoot at two guys with which he had an altercation.

Ahh Pac Man, you probably have now given away almost $30M in projected career earnings.  No biggie, you can earn that elsewhere.  See you in stripes, as this will not end well.  But I don’t think even the Raiders would sign you at this point.

2) Roland Burris.  Since Mr. Burris is about to become the only African-American member of the Senate, as Governor Hair (Blagojevich) seems to have outmaneuvered the Senate and the Prez-elect, I thought you should know some facts about him courtesy of Wikipedia and my ‘colleague’ at the NY Times, Gail Collins.

Mr Burris has a degree in Poly Sci from Southern Illinois University Carbondale

He also has a law degree from Howard University

He has TWO honorary law degrees: From National Louis University, and from Tougaloo College (Eric Holder better watch out)

But more impressively, Mr. Burris has reportedly constructed a mausoleum.  From Ms. Collins

On the negative side, you might want to include the fact that Burris has already constructed a mausoleum for himself that is topped by Illinois’s state seal and the legend “Trail Blazer.” Those are followed by a list of his historic firsts, ranging from the impressive (first African-American elected to a statewide office in Illinois) to some stuff you would really try to refrain from bragging about except at parties in which there had been a great deal of drinking (first African-American exchange student from Southern Illinois University to Hamburg). There also is a sidebar granite slab for “Other Major Accomplishments.”

Personally, I think it less suprising that a student at SIU-Carbondale (African American or Caucasian) would want to go to Hamburg.  In fact, back then many American college students wanted to go to the home of the Hamburger.  At least those students who did not have their hopes on Oscary Meyer U in Frankfurt!

3) Speaking of the Dems — wow, game has not even started and they look like they cannot script their first plays and they are likely to have 12 men on the field. Harry Reid is the verbal solution to insomnia.  Ohmigosh, how did they elect such a frumpy toad.  Talk about uninspiring.  I am not fan of the Pelosi flash either, but at least she dresses nice.

When the Dems start their press conference on seating Mr. Burris with the quote: “The first thing Mr. Burris said is that he does NOT consider this a racial matter.”  I mean, these white guys are running scared.  Who thought it was racial?  Blago is in these guys’ heads.

4) Lastly, Prez-elect Obama talked of the need for fiscal stimulus to get teh economy back on track.  In rebuttal, the Minority leaders of the House and Senate talked of the need to be fiscally prudent and spend correctly, and not have too large a deficit.  I agree with the sentiment, but c’mon.  Your own “small government, fiscally responsible” party was responsible for doubling the national debt from 5 to 10 trillion in the last 8 years.  That is right, 224 years to get to $5T in deficit, and 8 years for an added 5.

Now the Repubs are standing on principle.  Um, little late Bozos.

Enjoy the BCS Title Game tonight!

NFL Coaching Changes

Normally, coaching changes would not really be a big deal — I mean, Rod oh-and-sixteen Marinelli?  Big Surprise.  But Shanahan and Mangini are worth some quick thoughts.

First of all, Shanahan deserved to get fired.  I know he won Two SBs with John Elway, but in the last 10 years, one division title and one playoff game win.  TEN YEARS!  That is more than a honeymoon.  I am sure he will go on to coach another team, and I will be surprised if he reaches a SB, unless he gets Tom or Peyton at QB

Now let’s get to Mangini.  I have no idea really if he is a good coach.  I do think that 2 over 500 seasons in 3 does not deserve the axe.  However, he got caught in the Brett Favre maelstrom.  Not only did Brett whine his way back from retirement, make life uncomfortable for the Pack, Aaron Rodgers, etc., throw 9 interceptions to only 1 TD down the stretch (including 3 v the Dolphins), but now it also appears that his own locker room did not like him.  Thomas Jones already went on the air saying BF should have been benched.

So Brett, do us all a favor and retire, before you further tarnish your legacy.  You have not been to a SB in 11 seasons, and with the exception of a good playoff run last year, you have pretty much sucked despite everyone making excuses for you.  Regardless, don’t go all prolonged soap opera on us again and just call it quits.  The chance of you playing better for the Jets next year (and no one else would have you) is S-L-I-M.

Go back to Kiln, till the soil, and don’t appear on any pregame show.  See you in Five in Canton.