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Friday Morning Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 09:57:41 AM EST
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Although Seantrel Henderson's commitment to USC may be up in the air, Lane Kiffin is not stopping in the recruiting wars. He just got a verbal commit from a 13 year old.

The latest unemployment news. At this point, it is hard to figure out what it all means. Meteor Blades tries to explain it.

The Super Bowl is Sunday. The Colts are 4 1/2 point favorites (Over/Under is 56.5.). The fun betting propositions in the Super Bowl are the prop bets. For example, I like Heads in the coin toss. We'll be posting a full rundown of the game this weekend.

This is an Open Thread.

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    Friday Morning Open Thread | 56 comments (56 topical)

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    I read the unemployment report, (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by Dr Molly on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 11:44:12 AM EST
    and I read Meteor Blades, and I still don't have any clarity at all on the situation. Is unemployment better, the same, or worse?

    Hopefully unambiguously better (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by MKS on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 12:57:49 PM EST
    next month....

    Parent
    As far as I'm concerned any jobs (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by tigercourse on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 01:18:10 PM EST
    report that does not show  100,000 + jobs (the average number of people entering the work force each month) added is a negative one.

    Parent
    did you look at the chart in that post? (none / 0) (#30)
    by Capt Howdy on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 02:58:47 PM EST
    sobering.
    it seems to have bottomed out judging by that.


    Parent
    Did you take a close look at that graph? (none / 0) (#51)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 05:44:13 PM EST
    I have no idea what it means. But, I've got a sweater-coat with unruly fringe and it looks just like the mish-mash of lines on that graph - same tangled web with threads of various lengths in multiple garish colors. The job market now looks like a garment that I find too trippy to wear. Is that where we are?

    Parent
    Go Saints! (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by CST on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 02:53:12 PM EST
    I really don't want a Manning to win the super bowl again.  Ever.  Not even their grandkids - unless they end up playing for the Pats of course :)

    I second that CST... (none / 0) (#32)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:01:47 PM EST
    but as much as I'm anti-Manning after the way the family jerked San Diego with Eli...that Peyton is in freakin' zone.  I don't know if he will be denied.

    I sure hope the Saints find a way and the football gods smile on them.

    Parent

    I miss the days (none / 0) (#37)
    by CST on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:35:32 PM EST
    when I could count on Peyton to choke.  That was pretty nice while it lasted.  And then the tables turned...

    You'd think the saints would have the gods on their side at least.  What with the name and all.

    Parent

    Me too... (none / 0) (#39)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:39:19 PM EST
    I witnessed it once, 41-0 Jets in the wild card round over Manning and the Colts.  Your squad did it more than once..this Manning doesn't even resemble that Manning.  Scary good.

    Parent
    The NE fans are a bitter lot. ;-) (none / 0) (#41)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:58:44 PM EST
    As my own brother is a testament to.

    Parent
    it's cold up here (none / 0) (#44)
    by CST on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 04:05:58 PM EST
    As Bill Simmons said in the article BTD linked to a while back about the levels of losing (paraphrasing here) - you can't really know sports pain if you live in a warm area.  There are other distractions.  If your team loses, at least you've still got the weather.  We're stuck inside with no where to go and nothing to distract us from the pain of losing.

     

    Parent

    Yep, my brother said it was 1 degree (none / 0) (#46)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 04:38:22 PM EST
    last weekend or something...

    Parent
    (in Boston) (none / 0) (#47)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 04:38:36 PM EST


    Parent
    I recommed ice fishing (none / 0) (#48)
    by jondee on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 04:46:03 PM EST
    to other people.

    Parent
    Tom Tancredo... (5.00 / 2) (#50)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 05:30:42 PM EST
    ...hates the constitution, dreams of Jim Crow laws.

    mostly because I think that we do not have a civics literacy test before people can vote in this country. People who could not even spell the word "vote," or say it in English, put a committed socialist idealogue in the White House, name is Barack Hussein Obama.

    No, the Teabaggers aren't the least bit racist.  

    Seems to me I've seen (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by jondee on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 06:04:20 PM EST
    a fair number of misspelled signs at those rallies.

    But then, smearing feces on posterboard so that it's legible isnt as easy as it looks.

    Parent

    That is a good point... (5.00 / 1) (#54)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 06:12:32 PM EST
    ...who would be more disenfranchised from that--minorities or the Teabaggin' crowd?

    The later certainly aren't the most literate crowd.

    Parent

    FWIW, CNN reporter (none / 0) (#55)
    by gyrfalcon on Sat Feb 06, 2010 at 01:04:39 AM EST
    there said he wasn't very warmly received by most there.

    Parent
    As far as I'm concerned... (none / 0) (#56)
    by kdog on Sat Feb 06, 2010 at 08:22:42 AM EST
    you gotta live under it, you get to have a say in it...any semblance of intelligence is optional.

    In fact, if we keep chaining up 12 year olds I think they should have the right to vote too...gotta live under it, get a say in it.  Maybe the little tikes will be better at it than we are:)

    Parent

    henderson (none / 0) (#1)
    by Turkana on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:03:32 AM EST
    should follow seastrunk...

    Heads? (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:08:00 AM EST
    No way man...Tails never fails!  It's a lock:)

    Another out of control cops story...cop steals milk...and no, its not what you would think unless you're one sick puppy.

    I'm feeling a safety this year (none / 0) (#3)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:10:55 AM EST
    At +800, it's a steal.

    Parent
    Would certainly make any drives... (none / 0) (#5)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:19:57 AM EST
    starting inside their own 5 very interesting for ya.  Or imagine the rare instance when it makes sense to run out the back of your own endzone for a safety at the end of tha game occuring!

    Parent
    I rarely watch local news, but I caught that (none / 0) (#4)
    by ruffian on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:18:57 AM EST
    story last night. Right after the one about the nun child-stealer.

    Welcome to Orlando!

    Parent

    WA Education heads to court (none / 0) (#6)
    by Manuel on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:22:11 AM EST
    Here are a couple of interesting education cases from Seattle.

    First on education funding.

    Then on the math wars.  Beyond the merits of the case, I worry that this sets a bad precedent.  Will every board decision be subject to court review?  Won't this lead to arguments of arbitrary and capricious from people who object to decisions?

    EU to Sweden... (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:45:48 AM EST
    Get with the data-mining spy program.

    Another case of.... (none / 0) (#8)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:52:41 AM EST
    when dropping a dime goes wrong.

    Kevin Rogers is one forgiving man...I tell ya.  Only "a little overboard"?  Thats putting it lightly bro!

    13 year olds? (none / 0) (#9)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:57:12 AM EST
    The NCAA needs to put a stop to that.  At that age, being recruited by High Schools was enough for me to deal with.

    Gotta wonder about parents... (none / 0) (#10)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 11:09:11 AM EST
    who let their child get within 100 feet of Lane Kiffin.

    And it's not like Kiffin is gonna last 5 years at USC anyway..either he'll move on to a bigger payday or be run out of town for recruiting violations by then:)

    Parent

    Kiffin = Creep (none / 0) (#11)
    by Dadler on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 11:18:52 AM EST
    I have this nagging feeling that Kiffin will commit violations that will make his earlier work look pale and weak.  Hollywood and Kiffin are a bad tonic.  IMO, of course.  Besides, I'm a UC boy by graduation, and UCLA has always been my LA college team.

    Parent
    And yes (none / 0) (#12)
    by Dadler on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 11:19:42 AM EST
    Any parent pulling a Marv Marinovich, like these folks seem to be doing, oughtta have an immediate visit from child protective services.  

    Parent
    You don't have to be an (none / 0) (#19)
    by brodie on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 12:00:06 PM EST
    overbearing parent like MM with that "home schooling" situation.  There are now the many youth sports camps run by college and professional players/coaches where your son or daughter can be trained, prepped and encouraged by the hands-on presence of the big time local coach and his assistants.

    For most parents, it's flattering to be then told that your child shows "potential to succeed" at the college level if the learning and training and normal growth continue.  Then the promise of the college scholarship to the big school enters the parents' mind, and so forth.

    Hard to fault most of these parents.  The problem seems to be not at the parent end but at the NCAA end and its lax attitudes about 13 yr olds being able to handle some serious pressure to succeed.

    Parent

    I seriously doubt if Kiffin (none / 0) (#14)
    by brodie on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 11:41:01 AM EST
    is the only college gridiron coach who's out there aggressively recruiting -- or "early evaluation", whatever euphemism is used -- in that ridiculously young age group.  Since it's apparently not yet an NCAA violation to solicit such verbal commitments from 13 yr olds, we can safely assume the practice is widespread.

    And not just in football but in basketball.

    Parent

    Safe assumption brodie... (none / 0) (#15)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 11:43:12 AM EST
    its a nasty big-money business...I say at least set up some trust funds for the little kids...everybody gets paid but them, unless they beat the odds and make it to the pros.

    Parent
    Not to mention... (none / 0) (#17)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 11:49:01 AM EST
    ...all of these "camps" that they have now.  They're nothing more than indoctrination (Nike v. Adidas)/recruiting programs.

    Got to get the hooks in 'em while they're young and starry-eyed.

    Parent

    Yep, MIH. (none / 0) (#20)
    by brodie on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 12:09:23 PM EST
    The number of big-time youth sports camps seems to have exploded over the past 25 yrs or so.  

    We have some personal family experience with these camps, with our athletically talented daughter.  It's all very seductive for child and parents, not to mention pricey.  

    Parent

    it's an industry (5.00 / 0) (#21)
    by Dadler on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 12:42:01 PM EST
    out to make big money.  

    as for kiffin, of course he's not the only one, he just seems, currently, the most slimy and slithery.  The John Calipari of college football.  

    Parent

    Looks like Tennessee (none / 0) (#26)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 02:50:54 PM EST
    survived his departure quite well...

    Parent
    Local News on Unemployment Numbers (none / 0) (#13)
    by Inspector Gadget on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 11:30:54 AM EST
    this morning said that it was all very confusing because the numbers were adjusted by a survey taken of households.

    Since the administration revised the description of "jobs [created] saved by the stimulus," I expect this new methodology is simply to hide the reality of unemployment.

    Here's a novel way... (none / 0) (#22)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 12:53:38 PM EST
    to make lemonade out of a lemon job market...or course its technically illegal.

    I love this guy...opened a Lobster Roll-Easy...but now that it has hit the papers I hope he's screening his clients carefully...would hate to see him get pinched, as would his customers.  Kinda like your friendly neighborhood bush doctor that way:)

    Parent

    The NY Jets should rescind... (none / 0) (#18)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 11:51:54 AM EST
    Rex Ryan's 50k fine...in light of new information from a witness, flipping the bird in response to this treatment is showing the upmost restraint.

    It wasn't the Jets that fined him; (none / 0) (#25)
    by Anne on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 02:40:00 PM EST
    it was the NFL, and Rex, as a representative of the NFL is being fined because regardless of whether anyone thinks it was a justified reaction to the fans, the NFL regards it as unacceptable behavior.

    Rex is going to be Rex, NFL or no NFL.  When Rex first came to Baltimore, he was arrested for assaulting another parent at one of his children's games: he just punched the guy in the mouth.

    Great coach, no question; Grade A hotheaded a$$hole with anger issues, ditto.

    Parent

    It was the Jets (none / 0) (#27)
    by nycstray on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 02:51:28 PM EST
    and NFL didn't because the Jets did and they felt it was sufficient.

    Parent
    I stand corrected - I had thought I heard it (none / 0) (#52)
    by Anne on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 05:56:21 PM EST
    was the NFL; better, actually, that it was the Jets, because that says that the behavior reflects badly on the team, not just on the NFL.

    I find it kind of interesting that Rex apparently feels that his head coaching position gives him the right to let loose in a way that he didn't as a D-coordinator in Baltimore.

    It may jive quite nicely with the in-your-face NY attitude, but I think it will eventually come back to bite him in the butt.

    Parent

    You're mistaken Anne... (none / 0) (#31)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 02:58:58 PM EST
    he was fined 50 large by the Jets, the NFL decided not to discipline him at all.  So I guess they don't think it was an unacceptable reaction, perhaps they looked into the altercation with greater care than the Jets did.

    I understand the teams and the league have an image they want to uphold and all, but their employees are human, and humans can only take so much abuse.  And a good employer backs up their employees when they are abused by customers.  The Jets treated Rex like Dennis treated Brad Hamilton at the burger joint in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"...thats not the way an employer should treat a valued employee.

    I hadn't heard about the Baltimore altercation before...no doubt Rex is a firey guy but I wonder if the guy he clocked in B'more didn't beg for it like this arse in Miami.

    I'm as non-violent as they come Anne, I've been in one donnybrook since junior high, and that was only because some juicehead wouldn't take no for an answer to a request to fight and threw a bar stool at me:) That incident taught me that sometimes people are just, as my old man used to say, "cruisin' for a bruisin'".  Thats what this smells like...this guy was trying to bait Rex into clocking him and scoring a settlement or something.  Kudos for Rex for not taking the bait.

    Parent

    C'mon kdog (5.00 / 2) (#34)
    by jondee on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:30:42 PM EST
    bait or no bait, you dont punch another parent at a kid's ballgame. Are you kidding me? We've got enough problems with this country degenerating into hooligan nation..

    Parent
    I hear ya man... (none / 0) (#38)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:37:27 PM EST
    nobody is more embarassed by some parental behavior at kids sports than I am...I've seen it first hand.  Some father of a kid tried to bait my brother, the coach, into a fight at a Little League game.  It's crazy out there.

    All I'm saying is sometimes the cavemen among us won't take no for an answer...we all can't be Ghandi and King, as nice as that would be.  
    We all have our breaking point.


    Parent

    One reason I avoid crowds (5.00 / 1) (#40)
    by jondee on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:46:07 PM EST
    and almost never go to bars any more.

    I had a good friend who was murdered years ago as the result of what started as a routine altercation.

    You never know how badly and quickly these things can degenerate into something people are still regretting years later.

    Parent

    The NFL didn't fine because the Jets stepped up (none / 0) (#33)
    by nycstray on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:28:41 PM EST
    and it was not at a game or other NFL sanctioned event. I'm guessing if the Jets didn't handle it, the NFL would have.

    Parent
    Sounds reasonable... (none / 0) (#36)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:33:04 PM EST
    probably wishful thinking on my part thinking the league would defend an employee and decline to fine.  

    The NFL does not have a good track record in this regard...look at how the old vets from the 50's have had to beg and plead for benefits from the league to receive compensation for their work related injuries and disabilities...its a shame.

    Parent

    we have (none / 0) (#29)
    by Capt Howdy on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 02:57:37 PM EST
    a snowpocolypse here

    good lord (none / 0) (#35)
    by Capt Howdy on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:30:59 PM EST
    does the world really need an Edwards sex tape?

    Judge to former Edwards aide: Turn over sex tape

    Seantrel Henderson's mom says it's USC (none / 0) (#42)
    by DFLer on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 03:59:24 PM EST
    link

    Strib sports reporter

    I had a brief chat Thursday with Bree Jasper, the mother of Seantrel Henderson. There has been much speculation since it became apparent last night that Henderson was not planning to sign a letter of intent with USC until the university goes before an NCAA infractions committee. That should happen between Feb. 19 and 21. Henderson's mom told me that Seantrel will definitely go to USC. "He's going to USC," she said. "He's definitely going to USC."

    Ah course, SH's high school, Cretin-DH, was Joe Mauer's high school

    Where are the fun prop bets? (none / 0) (#43)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 04:00:20 PM EST
    Like the O/U on the # of times it is mentioned that Archie played for the Saints or # of mentions of either Brett Farve or Jesusback?  

    Maybe we should just turn (none / 0) (#45)
    by jondee on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 04:06:23 PM EST
    the sound off and put on Stravinsky or something.

    Either that or turn it into a drinking game. Like the one my daughter was telling me about in which you take a shot every time Frodo and Sam look like they're going to start making out.

    Parent

    12 days . . . (none / 0) (#49)
    by nycstray on Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 05:28:45 PM EST
    P & Cs in Tampa! :)

    Friday Morning Open Thread | 56 comments (56 topical)

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