The #6 ranked South Florida Bulls. 4-0 with wins on the road at Auburn and at home over West Virginia. Congrats!
Bulls gore Auburn’s Tigers.
And then there were Great Expectations:
A full house at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. West Virginia vs. South Florida.
And the Bulls finished the deal…
Florida, Florida State and Miami better get it together. It’s great to have a new kid on the block.
By the time this week is complete, 25% of the season will be over. It is a time for coaches, players and fans to assess just how much progress has been made since the end of last season. People across the country are beginning to see the fruits of their labor for the NFL Draft, training camp and the exhibition season. Coaches can see the extent to which players have embraced and executed new philosophies (Ben Roethlisberger), or improved upon existing strategies (Randy Moss). Players can see if those free agency decisions are as attractive now as they appeared last spring (Jason David). General managers can determine if their off-season decisions should have them bound and gagged in a rubber room (A.J. Smith). We are beginning to get separation between teams and some fundamental questions are rising to the fore:
These questions and many others will be answered over the course of the next quarter of the season. With all that has transpired, perhaps the biggest story (on the field) is really a non-story: that the Colts and Patriots appear to be the class of the AFC. After this week, we’ll check in and see how we’re doing at the first quarter turn. Last week was a good week.
This week, the NFL has a theme. I’ll call it Full Circle Week. Many division rivals are going head to head this week, but where they are not, the teams and their personnel or coaching staffs share some history. It should be interesting. Here are the picks for Week 4.
| Date & Time | Favorite | Line | Underdog | Total |
| 9/30 1:00 ET | At Miami | -4 | Oakland | 41 |
| 9/30 1:00 ET | Houston | -3 | At Atlanta | 39 |
| 9/30 1:00 ET | Baltimore | -4.5 | At Cleveland | 40 |
| 9/30 1:00 ET | Chicago | -3 | At Detroit | 44.5 |
| 9/30 1:00 ET | Green Bay | -2 | At Minnesota | 38 |
| 9/30 1:00 ET | At Dallas | -13 | St. Louis | 46 |
| 9/30 1:00 ET | NY Jets | -3.5 | At Buffalo | 37.5 |
| 9/30 4:05 ET | At Carolina | -3 | Tampa Bay | 39 |
| 9/30 4:05 ET | Seattle | -2 | At San Francisco | 41 |
| 9/30 4:15 ET | Pittsburgh | -6 | At Arizona | 41.5 |
| 9/30 4:15 ET | At San Diego | -12 | Kansas City | 39 |
| 9/30 4:15 ET | At Indianapolis | -9.5 | Denver | 46 |
| 9/30 8:15 ET | Philadelphia | -2.5 | At NY Giants | 47 |
| 10/1 8:30 ET | New England | -7.5 | At Cincinnati | 53.5 |
In Full Circle Bowl I, Daunte Culpepper and the Raiders are coming to Miami with a defense that prides itself on making teams one-dimensional. Ronnie Brown appeared to get it going against the Jets last week, even though the Dolphins came up short. The Raiders don’t have as much offense as the Jets, but they have more defense. I like Miami in a close game. Dolphins 24, Raiders 20 (Right at the line, just over the number). 35 years ago this would have been the Game of the Week. I know that Raider Nation and the Dolphin faithful can’t help but see Larry Csonka, Ted Hendricks, Cliff Branch, Clarence Davis and Paul Warfield in the recesses of their mind when these teams get together.
“Sea of Hands” (1974)
Full Circle Bowl II features the Houston Texans and Matt Schaub traveling to Atlanta to take on the Falcons and Joey Harrington. Even though Joey Billboards passed for 350+ yards last week, Arthur Blanck has to be kicking himself for letting Schaub go to Houston. The former University of Virginia signal caller has been stellar. The Texans are a team on the rise. They play tough defense and are anchored at each level by rising stars: Mario Williams (DE), DeMeco Ryans (LB – Defensive Rookie of the Year 2006), and Dunta Robinson (CB). The Texans are building the foundation for a team that can compete well into the next decade. I like Schaub to exact a bit of revenge on the Falcons, even without Andre Johnson. Texans 21, Falcons 13. I’m going under the number in Vegas. If the Texans defense shows up, the Falcons should struggle to score.
I like the Ravens to dispose of the Browns. Ravens 27, Browns 10.
Brian Griese only needs to play within himself and make an occasional pass to Bernard Berrian, Desmond Clark and Mark Bradley. How hard can that be? Chicago 35, Detroit 24.
I don’t where the points will come from for the Vikings. Green Bay 31, Minnesota 17.
Dallas is a big favorite over the Rams. I’m guessing that since Bulger divulged he’s played the last few weeks with broken ribs, he’s healing. If he’s healthy, he’ll be the first QB to pick apart the Cowboys secondary. I suspect this game will be much closer than the line. If Bulger is still banged up, the Cowboys will roll. I’m not anticipating Bulger leading a revival meeting down in Dallas – but the Cowboys defense will be in the house. Cowboys 38, Rams 21.
These were the games that made me a Steeler fan. Back in the 70’s, New Yorkers were forced to suffer through the double fiasco that was the Giants and the Jets. It seemed to me as though both teams were indifferent to winning. They played boring games. They had no personality, no distinctive style, no cool nicknames. It was before the Sack Exchange. It was before the original “LT.” It was the time of AM radio and the occasional bell bottom. It seemed like every week, there was another snoozer on television featuring the Jets and the post-OJ Bills or the Giants and some awful rendition of the Eagles. Well, that snoozer game between the Jets and Bills is back. The Juice is running through airports between Miami and Las Vegas and the Bills are still a one-dimensional team. J.P. Losman has not had the time and has not found the rhyme with Lee Evans, Peerless Price or Roscoe Parrish. The Bills have been grounded. That’s not all bad. Marshawn Lynch is special. It’s simply not enough. I like the Bills to give the Jets fits, as they often do, but come up short. Jets 17, Bills 14.
I don’t believe the Carolina Panthers are as good a team as we have been led to believe. I’m not blaming the media. I’m blaming my eyes. It is hard not to be impressed with this team. Only a few years ago, they were in the Super Bowl. More recently than that, Steve Smith has undressed the best defenses in the conference and sent teams like the Eagles home when bigger things were expected. I want to give the Falcons credit for playing a solid game last week. They were a conniption short of a victory. It happens. With Delhomme in less than perfect health and Dan Morgan nursing an ankle, I’m wondering what’s to stop Jeff Garcia and Geriatric Joey Galloway from wrecking shop on Sunday. The location of these games can’t be that big of a deal…these teams know one another well. I’m rolling with the Pirates to pull the upset. Just a feeling. Tampa Bay 23, Carolina 20.
If the 49ers are ready this season (my pick to win this division), they have to win this game. They shouldn’t put too much stock in their loss to the Steelers. When the 49ers were 18-1 en route to the 1984 Super Bowl, they stubbed their toe against the Steelers – in San Francisco. While this 49er team isn’t headed so far, that should be some consolation. During the off-season, the Niners must have marked this game on their calendars. They’ve gotta have it. Frank Gore and Alex Smith have to make it happen, period. Niners 24, Seahawks 23.
Full Circle Bowl III features the aforementioned Pittsburgh Steelers on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals, of course, are led by former Steeler offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. Their offensive line is coached by former Steeler line coach Russ Grimm. There won’t be too many surprises in this game. And yet, it could be full of trick plays and “exotic” zone blitzes. Mike Tomlin, as head coach, will be an invited guest to a chess match between Dick LeBeau and Whisenhunt. The Cardinals are rumored to be playing with Anquan Boldin. That should seal their fate. Steelers 37, Cardinals 13.
Are the Kansas City Chiefs really 12 point underdogs to the team in search of a brain. The Chargers are as lost as a team can be. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are coming off a gritty win at Arrowhead over the tough Minnesota Vikings. The game is in San Diego so the Chargers should win the game, but I can’t expect them to cover. I like what the rookie wideout from LSU is doing. I certainly like that more than what Vincent Jackson and company are doing. San Diego in a squeaker. Chargers 20, Chiefs 17.
Full Circle Bowl IV features the Super Bowl champion Colts hosting the Broncos. The question before the Broncos when facing the Colts is the same as its ever been. Can you cover? The answer, however, is greatly complicated by the tragic loss of talented DB Darrent Williams. The Broncos are still a capable team on both sides of the ball. They play sound schemes and maximize the abilities of just about everyone on their roster. So do the Colts. The Colts have Manning, Harrison, Addai and Bob Sanders. I’ll take Indy – again. Colts 41, Broncos 23.
I’m looking forward to this Eagle-Giant matchup. I’d like to see if Donovan F. McNabb’s performance against Lions was real or Memorex. I’d like to see if Eli Manning can whip Jeremy Shockey into shape. If my tight end dropped that many passes, I’d have to bust his ass – twice. Shockey needs to concentrate and leave them hootchies alone. The Giants are losing games because of his performance. The next step would be a loss of confidence by the QB. If Manning ever decides he can’t look down the seam to Shockey, the offense will begin to get throttled. Derrick Ward has been amazing. Burress has been his usual self. The Giants defense, though, is enough to make a grown man cry. This is a tough game to call. I’m flipping a coin – and going against Vegas. Giants 20, Eagles 17.
In Full Circle Bowl V, Corey Dillon leads the New England Patriots into Cincinnati against the Bengals. Patriots 38, Bengals 7-14.
In the NFL, one of the most electrifying players in the game is “the running quarterback.” The players to which this label have been affixed are blessed with tremendous speed, agility and vision. Some of these players have also been considered too nervous or undisciplined to stay in the pocket long enough for a play to develop. In recent years, much has been made about the superiority of the “classic pocket passer” over the “running quarterback.” One staunch advocate of the classic passing game is ESPN’s Ron Jaworski. The former Eagles quarterback is known for saying that “points come in the passing game” and “you can’t design your offense around a running quarterback.” He has added the proviso that mobility within the pocket is a critical aspect of playing the quarterback position. I’ve wanted to test his hypothesis for some time because my own recollection of elite quarterbacks over the past 30 years did not fully square with Jaw’s assessment. I certainly agreed that points came in the passing game. I believe that teams pass to score and they run and play defense to win. It’s nice to be able to do all three of those things, but if I could only take two, I’d take a Top 10 defense and a Top 10 running game. (I’ll take my chances with play action passes and a motion offense any day of the week.)
I have to give a tip of the hat to Jweiler over at The Starting Five. His comparison of Steve Young and Michael Vick (specifically during the first 6 years of their careers was eye-opening. His piece illustrated the extent to which MSM (mainstream media) will go to blur lines, to misinterpret statistics, and to fabricate claims absent a scintilla of evidence.
It spurred me to finally crunch the numbers. I used the same approach as J did over at TSF. I divided pass attempts by rush attempts to establish a pass:run ratio. This is a basic approach to making determinations about QB playing styles. I did not look at yards per attempt. Clearly that statistic would allow for additional separation, but that was not my principal concern here. As it is, I believe there will strong agreement between these ratios and those we recall as “scramblers” and “statues.” The term “running quarterback” is so widely used that it has escaped definition in most circles. We may not have listed all the elements, but we know one when we see one. That’s probably not sufficient for this discussion if it grows beyond this post, but it is a start. So, what then is a “running quarterback”? For me, a running quarterback is a quarterback with the capacity to run. In looking at the data, I found that quarterbacks who can run do run. Quarterbacks who cannot run, do not run. Given the skill level, athleticism and fury of defenders, running is not the worst idea. In fact, some of the greatest quarterbacks in this game were/are excellent runners. It is also probably not sufficient to say a running QB is a QB who can run because there are so many reasons why QBs run. Here are a few:
I believe there has always been a negative connotation to being a running QB. That’s not entirely surprising. Some players prefer to be called “mobile quarterbacks.” Perhaps that is more accurate. After all, most players and coaches recognize that it is easier to pass for yardage than to run; that players are more dangerous when they pose a dual threat; that powerful offenses tend to have success passing the ball. With respect to the data, I have attached a PDF chart to demonstrate a rather surprising continuum of quarterbacks in the league. For those of you with no desire to look at a PDF, the table is presented below with all of the same data.
The first thing that jumped out at me on this continuum of quarterbacks was that the cluster of four quarterbacks with 11 total Super Bowl rings: Montana, Brady, Aikman and Simms. Each has a pass ratio between 11.8 and 14.4. That is a tight grouping. It is interesting that Warren Moon is in the middle of this group with a ratio of 12.6. Moon, of course, was precluded from playing in the quarterback in the NFL due to white supremacy for six years. Stringent unwritten rules were rescinded and Moon was granted an opportunity to play. Moon’s Oilers ran the “Run ‘n Shoot” offense which may have undermined their ability to seal the deal.
Then again, Terry Bradshaw and John Elway have significantly higher ratios – and both did a great deal of running around early in their careers. Bradshaw’s numbers in Super Bowl years, though, are interesting. The numbers would support the idea that as quarterbacks and offenses mature, the pass:run ratio will increase. In the Steelers first four Super Bowl victories, Terry Bradshaw has pass:run ratios of 4.4, 8.2, 11.5 and 22.5. The Steelers won back-to-back twice. Bradshaw basically doubled his ratio with each Super Bowl win.
Other items of note: Quarterbacks with passing records and limited or no success in Super Bowls, except for Fran Tarkenton, were clustered at the traditional pocket passer end of the continuum (Favre, Warner, Marino, Fouts). Some passers who might be considered traditional pocket passers actually have much higher ratios than anticipated (Brady, Williams, Leftwich). Then there’s Kenny “The Snake” Stabler. Stabler had to be one of the more elusive pocket passers of his or any era. I was so shocked by his numbers, I need to check the data from another source. There’s more: consider the pass:run ratios of Danny White and Roger Staubach. That’s a contrast of more than 2:1.
This is just the beginning of an analysis which should weigh some of these questions:
The table is not working. Please read the PDF.
With Brian Griese poised to start for the Chicago Bears, I thought I’d take a look at the old 1997 Michigan Wolverines. In 1997, the Wolverines were undefeated and led by Charles Woodson. Woodson, an Ohio native, won the Heisman, the Nagurski and the Thorpe awards. He played both ways and led the team to victories over Ohio State and Washington State in the Rose Bowl. Michigan won a lot of close games that year and did not have as many style points as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but the did defeat everyone on their schedule. It was a long time ago, but there are more players than you might expect who are still in the NFL and who are still productive. Here’s the list (not in any particular order).
Until recently, this list also included Aaron Shea, longtime fullback for the Cleveland Browns, William Peterson (cornerback) and Josh Williams (defensive tackle). That is a surprising number of players. Admittedly not all of these players began their NFL careers in 1998, but of the 39 Michigan players on NFL rosters, nearly half played on this team. It was a tremendous accomplishment to win a national championship. Perhaps it is even more impressive that so many of those players have managed to survive the rigors of the NFL for so long.
South Florida is taking it to the Mountaineers of West Virginia. Last year, the Bulls won at Morgantown. This year, Pat White has been injured and the Bulls have brought the wood. WVU has an explosive creative spread offense and can score quickly from anywhere on the field, but South Florida has outplayed them all night. Of course, with this Mountaineer team, that means nothing. Nonetheless, the Bulls have won at Auburn this year. If South Florida can hold on in impressive fashion, they should be ranked in the Top 10. Jarrett Brown is in for Pat White – and he’s just been picked off by Ben Moffitt (pictured below en route to the end zone after picking off Pat White).
If you are a fan of West Virginia, you have to love what Rich Rodriguez has done with the spread offense. The spread offense is a great offense for programs on the rise. Utilizing this approach allows teams facing budgetary or recruiting constraints to recruit differently than teams running conventional offenses. Many teams running spreads do not deploy a tight end or fullback. WVU has the best fullback I’ve seen in years – Owen Schmitt. He can run, catch and block. The spread allows teams to forego the tremendous effort required to secure elite passers or offensive linemen who must be recruited beyond state lines. Only a few national programs are capable of stockpiling elite players at those positions every single year. West Virginia is not at that level – and has done a masterful job of getting value.
Teams like South Florida, though, are well-suited to defend against the best features of the spread. The Bulls have two corners who are likely to play in the NFL. The team also features quick, strong, aggressive defensive linemen who can get upfield in a hurry. The Bulls linebackers are fast and can close on backs and receivers in space. South Florida is the fourth team in the state with “Florida players” playing “Florida ball.”
West Virginia has a new rival – and this rival has their number. Last year, that number was 19. Tonight, it’s 6 (for now). If the Bulls can hang on, Rich Rodriguez will have to reckon with the fact that the South Florida Bulls are structurally designed to beat his team. The Bulls have demonstrated the capacity to beat WVU at their best, at home and on the road. If the Bulls hang on, it will be a new day in Morgantown. There can no longer be any illusions about ruling the roost in the Big East. That challenge will likely fall to someone else this season.
The Mountaineers leader (Pat White, above) is on the bench and their season hangs in the balance.
PostScript: Congrats to USF. South Florida 21, West Virginia 13.
From Rolling Stone online:
WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY?
Phil Spector avoided a lengthy jail sentence … for now. By the final score of 10-2, guilty votes almost convicted Spector for the murder of Lana Clarkson, but thankfully for Phil, a unanimous decision could not be reached, so we’re back to square one. Three of the twelve jurors spoke to the media following the mistrial, including the jury foreman, who only made a brief statement to explain what went down during the twelve-day deliberations. All three men said they think Spector is guilty, and noted the two non-guilty votes stemmed from jurors who felt there wasn’t enough reasonable doubt to prove that Lana Clarkson didn’t commit suicide that night in Spector’s mansion. An in-depth psychological report on Clarkson would have helped sway the two renegade jury members, said their fellow juror.The same juror lambasted Team Spector for putting on a “fake” defense that created scientific theories, paid for high-priced witnesses, and even employed the forensic scientist husband of one of its lawyers. He also criticized the defense for character-assassinating Lana Clarkson. In fact, the juror was pretty unable to mask his disappointment that two of his peers allowed Spector to slip away. As for the prosecution, strip away all female witnesses that claimed Spector pointed a gun at them and the missing evidence, and it’s still evident that Spector was the murderer, the juror remarked. Both jurors, however, said that if the charge was manslaughter, and not second degree murder, that Spector might be wearing an orange jumpsuit in San Quentin by now. Manslaughter is the key word as the prosecution seeks to rebound from this mistrial.
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Word on the street is that Californians are reconsidering the benefits of “jury nullification” occasioned by the trial of “Rock ‘n Roll’s greatest music producer.” The concept of jury nullification has a long history dating back to England, but was reintroduced to Americans 13 years ago during the eerily-similar murder trial of former USC Trojan and honorary “white” Orenthal James Simpson. At that time, the American public voiced a near universal condemnation for this practice, once affirmed by Thomas Jefferson as a solitary bulwark against injustice.
Where will America go with respect to the Spector case and the actions of jurors? While Americans don’t appear to care about this case or its outcome, I imagine that those legal pundits who follow trends will be eager to see if this case inspires a new direction. It is curious that a murder trial for such a high profile personality, one whose music has touched so many lives, has not garnered the universal, ubiquitous attention of other recent events. While media coverage of Simpson may come to mind for some, it is arguable that only a music producer like P. Diddy or Kanye West could have generated the same type of publicity.
Perhaps it is because Spector is simply not relevant. His mark on the music world is dated and largely irrelevant as today’s youth and this society move toward the harmonizing beats of Africa’s drum and percussions. Spector is an artifact of a regressive and reviled sexual culture which is largely inaccessible to most Americans (online porn proclivities aside).
Perhaps people are comfortable with who he has been for the past five decades.
Perhaps there is precious little venom directed toward him because he is a sympathetic character – one who has been humanized through his work and other aspects of popular culture. He looks like a good stiff breeze could knock him over. Is this the same man accused of holding women against their will at this Alhambra mansion?
Americans pride themselves on fairness. They pride themselves on being able to muster righteous indignation when it is appropriate – and being able to see things for what they truly are. Surely there are as many Americans protesting Mr. Spector’s long affinity with brutality. Surely there are as many protesters there with dehumanizing signs as we would expect to find in other high profile trials. Surely there were national non-profit organizations steeped in the fight against domestic violence. Surely there were people who were capable of drawing connections between Spector’s use of “performance enhancing drugs” and Chris Benoit’s descent down a path to unmitigated violence against defenseless victims. Surely there are Americans who shed tears for the victim in this case.
But when I looked, all I could find were dogs (supporting the accused) and police looking longingly for donuts (working one of the most relaxed details they’ve ever had).
When VH1 does decide to host this town meeting, I’ll be there. I may damn well be alone, but I’ll be there. “Donuts anyone?”
Quick question.
In a nation that allegedly values “freedom of speech,” why is so much news time being focused on a question to which the answers are given? It is one thing to protest the actions, words and beliefs of a head of state. It is wholly different, however, to protest, oppose and organize to eliminate the right of that head of state to speak. It does not matter that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not a citizen of the United States. (In fact, the United States is seeking to make him a subject of US military authority unless significant changes are made including the abandonment of a nuclear energy program, suspension of plans for an oil bourse, renewed US access to Iranian oil resources, and regime change away from Islamic clerical leadership.) Americans have sought to internationalize the best and worst of their political practices – and do not reserve the right to rescind those activities when unpopular speakers take the floor.
The United States is not about to suspend the misinformation broadcasts it puts forth across the planet. Why, then, should wealthy, educated, powerful citizens of the world’s leading democracy feel the need to protest the opportunity of a single head of state to speak to a hostile audience at an elite Western institution?
PHILADELPHIA — (BP). Updated September 24, 2007. Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb reports receiving ironclad assurances from all white media and Jason Whitlock/Jemele Hill that criticism of struggling St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger is forthcoming. McNabb did not elaborate on the timing, volume or tenor of the national onslaught to be directed at the Rams passer. Bulger and the Rams managed only 3 fourth-quarter points on Sunday in a contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay prevailed 24-3.
Bulger, a seventh-year player from West Virginia, inherited two of most valuable pieces from “The Greatest Show of Turf” – wide receivers Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce. He also signed a six-year $65 million contract, of which $27 million is guaranteed. With the maturation of Steven Jackson and the addition of Drew Bennett, Rams fans had high expectations for an offense that has been among the league’s best for almost a decade. Last season, Bulger played alongside McNabb’s new favorite target, Kevin Curtis. Yesterday, Curtis scorched the Linc for 200+ receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in the Eagles 56-21 declawing of Detroit’s steel blue pussy cats. In 2006, Bulger passed for 4,300 yards and posted a 3:1 touchdown to interception ratio.
Through 3 games this season, the Rams have amassed 32 points. Bulger has passed for only 651 yards and has thrown 3 interceptions. The Rams are winless.
As of this morning, there were national media reports blasting Bulger for his play over the first three weeks. Famed Sports Illustrated white supremacist Peter King cited his depleted Viagra stash as the “why” behind his limp advice to fantasy football owners to trade Bulger. There was no such advice for the Rams – and no critique of Bulger – yet.
After McNabb’s performance yesterday, he has promised nothing will change. He will be as confusing and inarticulate in confronting white supremacy in sports and media as before. He has also pledged to stick to his time line of raising superficial “racial issues” once every 8 years, 2 months and 10 days. The Eagles QB also revealed he had received an invitation for a stop over during his planned sojourn to the Brett Favre Shrine of All Things QB in Mississippi. The Republic of New Afrika has extended an invitation (no Campbell’s soup) to McNabb to study in Jackson and “get his PR game together.” No word on the status of his response.
Addendum: ESPN, FOX, the NFL Network (only the white announcers), the New York Times, the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times will all be weighing in on Bulger over the next 3 to 5 days.
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60 Minutes televised an interview last night of an interview conducted in Iran with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The interview was the usual fare. The reporter asked a number of irrelevant, mindless questions intended to inflame the audience and mask the real contention the United States has with the land of Iran.
The reporter even had the nerve to suggest that Iran might owe a debt of gratitude to President Bush for deposing of Saddam Hussein. Never mind the fact that Bush never claimed credit for the death of Saddam Hussein. Does Iran also owe a debt to Bush and his father for providing Saddam Hussein with weapons (chemical and traditional) for use against Iranian women and children over an 8 year period? Does Iran owe a debt for the exploitative extraction of mineral wealth by American and British firms? 60 Minutes was lucky that reporter didn’t catch a foot in the ass.
Just as there is no real tension with the people of Iraq, there is no true animus here. Iraqis and Iranians are simply in the way. They need to die, be killed, leave the country, or bend to the will of the US and Britain. There is no rocket science here. There is no real tension between the US and Ahmadinejad. Hell, he doesn’t even run the country really and if white supremacist anti-Muslim Jewish American journalists like NBC’s Matt Lauer can walk the streets unaccosted, there is little to fear from a solid majority of the Iranian people. This is business. It’s not personal. The hyperbole and the references to nukes and the like is to galvanize the left and right in opposition to Iran’s plans for the independent exercise of their intellectual and natural resources.
The nuclear weapon red herring is just that. If you’re childish enough to be drawn into that argument, please enter your bank account number and name in the Reply box below. I promise I won’t buy anything. I just want to test some software. Thanks. Really.
The Iranian president has been compared to Hitler. That’s not news either. Every one is compared to Hitler. Big deal. The early stories reporting Iran’s President wanted to “wipe Israel off the map” made one critical point and ignored another. Ahmadinejad was quoting the spiritual leader of the nation in affirming a widely held position. When quoted at length, his opposition was directed at the United States and Zionism. Now were it not for the extortion/bribe complex which secures UN votes, Israeli tour guides would still be forced to explain to Little Johnny exactly how Zionism isn’t really racism. If Johnny has read all of his history books, he’ll know his tour guide is full of shit. If he’s only read some of the books (and spent the rest of his time playing video games, he’ll drink the Kool-Aid.) If you don’t love Israel and give Kenesset head, you’re Hitler (whether you’re Jewish or not; violent or not; breathing or not). It took decades for the propaganda machine to achieve this level of public affirmation. It’s nonsense, but it is a testament to the effectiveness of concerted effort. Nothing to see here people, keep it moving. The next Hitler is three miles up the road.
Oh, one more thing on this Hitler business.
Is it possible that groups working in concert to convince the world that Zionism is NOT racism could have fabricated another Big Lie? If so, how big could that Big Lie be? Back to business.
