Thursday, November 30, 2006

NFL Picks - Week 13

Now that's more like it! The mojo was working big time last week, to the tune of 13-3. If only I felt that confident for Week 13. Not sure why, but I have very little faith in the picks this week. That said, starting with correctly picking the Thursday night game, I'm off to a good start. Skip down to the Sunday section to see the remaining selections....

THURSDAY
CINCINNATI over Baltimore
While I'm rooting for the Ravens, something tells me the Bengals will find a way to get done at home on (semi) national TV. After smacking down the hated Steelers last week, Baltimore could suffer a slight letdown - enough for Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson and Co. to get out with the W.
Cincinnati 24 Baltimore 16


SUNDAY
Indianapolis over TENNESSEE
Love the never say die attitude Jeff Fisher has instilled in his young Titans, and I truly believe the kids can and will hang tough against the mighty Colts. If we were using spreads, I'd be tempted to grab Tennessee, but since we're not, I'll stick with Manning and Co.
Indianapolis 27 Tennessee 16

ST. LOUIS over Arizona
Rams pulled one out last week, which might finally have them back on track. Staying at home to face the woeful Redbirds can go a long way toward maintaining the good feelings in St. Loo.
St. Louis 30 Arizona 20

CHICAGO over Minnesota
Bears, back home after 3 week road stint, and coming off a loss, are as close to a lock as you will see in the NFL this season. Vikes are so up and down anyway, and walking into this situation won't help them fix all that has gone wrong thus far.
Chicago 35 Minnesota 10

N.Y. Jets over GREEN BAY
Taking the Jets on the road at Lambeau? Yep. Unthinkable in recent years, these are not your Momma's Packers, and Coach Mangini has his team poised to potentially run the table and get a decent playoff seed. Funny thing is, they're not this good, but when you beat what the league gives you, you deserve the accolades.
N.Y. Jets 23 Green Bay 14

NEW ORLEANS over San Francisco
Saints move closer to improbable playoff berth by knocking off tough Niner squad. Drew Brees for MVP, anyone? Sean Payton should just be handed Coach of the Year now as well.
New Orleans 27 San Francisco 20

San Diego over BUFFALO
Much as I'd like to think the Bills can pull this one out, I just can;t bring myself to pick them. Bolts get Merriman back on defense to solidify what was one of the league';s top units in the first part of the year. That, plus LT, spells another win for San Diego.
San Diego 28 Buffalo 17

Kansas City over CLEVELAND
Given 10 days off to refresh Larry Johnson's legs, KC should be able to keep pace in the playoff race. Chiefs could use a laugher here after a few tight games in arow, and a date with the Ravens next week.
Kansas City 23 Cleveland 14

WASHINGTON over Atlanta
Eat it, Falcons. I will never pick you again until you show me something, anything. Skins playing for pride and '07 jobs, will prevail as we move closer to an implosion in Atlanta.
Washington 24 Atlanta 17

NEW ENGLAND over Detroit
Pats can use big win over Bears as a springboard to division title, and will not suffer a letdown at home against Detroit. Matt Millen should take notes while here on how to properly run a franchise.
New England 30 Detroit 7

MIAMI over Jacksonville
Red hot Fins look to gum up the playoff works against roller coaster Jags. Jacksonville is not the same on the road, as I've mentioned in this space, and Miami is doing its second half run, as also mentioned here. Add those together, and all signs point to Miami.
Miami 17 Jacksonville 10

OAKLAND over Houston
What a wacky team, these Raiders. Steadily more competitive, thanks solely to a defense which has played it's collective heart out, they can finally break out with a win against a Texan team which had to travel cross country after losing to Jets last week. Art Shell is still an awful coach, though.
Oakland 17 Houston 10

PITTSBURGH over Tampa Bay
The Underachiever Bowl pits two teams who had much higher expectations in September against one another. Since the Steeler loss was the uglier one a week ago, and they're back home, they get the slight edge.
Pittsburgh 24 Tampa Bay 13

N.Y. GIANTS over Dallas
I have absolutely no idea why I'm choosing the Giants. They appear to be coming apart at the seams, squabbling internally, as well as with the media, while their young quarterback seems to be regressing to the point where he looks like a scared rookie again. Cowboys come in red hot, with QB Tony Romo the toast of the league. Maybe the G-Men, who will get back Sam Madison and perhaps Umienyora, can pull it together for one week and tough one out in front of the hoe folks in what should be a cold, windy Giants Stadium.
N.Y. Giants 20 Dallas 17

Seattle over DENVER
The Jay Cutler era begins, at a strange time, this late in the season. Though the switch is entirely warranted, it is still a huge gamble by Mike Shanahan. He likely would not have had to do this if the running game was doing well, and I'm having trouble seeing how things will be much different with the kid taking the snaps. Hawks are no strangers to playing in the high altitude, and surely studied the films of Larry Johnson and Michael Bennett shredding the vaunted Bronco defense on Turkey Night.
Seattle 24 Denver 16

MONDAY
Carolina over PHILADELPHIA
Early NFC favorites Carolina struggling along at 6-5, but should not encounter a lot of resistance facing porous Philly defense. It just seems like the right time for the Panthers to make their annual run toward January, and this is a good place to kick it off.
Carolina 23 Philadelphia 15

Last week: 13-3
Overall: 111-65 (63.1%)


Wednesday, November 22, 2006

NFL Picks - Week 12

Ah, early post this week due to the Turkey Day games. I'm particularly cheesed about the prime time matchup between Denver and Kansas City, which will only be seen by the approximately 27 people who have NFL Network. A good example of strong arm tactics here by the NFL, which figures it can force cable systems to put its channel on a basic level tier (a la ESPN) by stimulating fan outrage. Word is the league would eventually love to have all of the games on their channel, thus saving the literally billions of dollars currently spent on the contract with CBS, NBC and ESPN. Because, as you know, the league is barley scraping by and desperately needs an influx of extra capital.

On to the picks....

THURSDAY

Miami over DETROIT
What, picking against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day? Yep. Despite what you may have heard, Detroit is only two games over .500 in these games all time. That, plus the fact that Miami is playing very well, and the Lions are banged up, equals a Dolphin win.
Miami 24 Detroit 10

DALLAS over Tampa Bay
Bucs can't score, and Dallas has too much riding on this game to suffer a letdown after big win over Indy last week. Romo is the real deal, especially since he is allegedly dating Jessica Simpson.
Dallas 23 Tampa Bay 7

KANSAS CITY over Denver
Cheifs looking to atone for early season loss at Mile High (that's right, I refuse to call it by it's corporate name). Broncos defense was exposed last week by mighty Chargers, and while KC won't put up 35, but will score enough to grab the win and tighten things up in the AFC West.
Kansas City 23 Denver 16

SUNDAY
San Francisco over ST. LOUIS
Reeling Rams run into red hot Niners, led by the punishing ground attack of Frank Gore. St. Loo might just about be finished for '06, while San Fran can inject itself right into the thick of the playoff picture with win here.
San Francisco 24 St. Louis 17

MINNESOTA over Arizona
Reverse logic pick here. Vikes have invented new ways to lose each week, while Cards were finally able to get off the schnied last week and win. Minny defense, at home, should be able to shut down Zona, one would think.
Minnesota 27 Arizona 10

Carolina over WASHINGTON
Here come the Panthers. While Washington QB Jason Campbell looked decent in his debut last week, he will be tormented by Carolina's pass rush, and swarming defense. Delhomme to Smith continues to click, pacing the way to another win.
Carolina 23 Washington 7

Cincinnati over CLEVELAND
Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson have rediscovered each other quite nicely over the past few weeks, and depite Cincy's defensive lapses they will have enough to overpower Browines in the Dawg Pound.
Cincinnati 30 Cleveland 17

N.Y. JETS over Houston
Both teams very accustomed to playing close games, and that should play to form here. Texans have been a tough out all year, but the J-E-T-S should have enough to survive and move on.
N.Y. Jets 20 Houston 14

BUFFALO over Jacksonville
Upset special. Jags are not the same team on the road, and Bills have been in every game lately, win or lose. The loss of Donovan Darius will hurt Jacksonville, especially with the Losman to Evans connection heating up for the Bills.
Buffalo 22 Jacksonville 17

New Orleans over ATLANTA
Falcs continue to frustrate just about everyone, with the exception of those who bet against them each week. Drew Brees can light it up again this week, even without Marques Colston. Is the Jim Mora Jr. job watch underway yet?
New Orleans 27 Atlanta 16

BALTIMORE over Pittsburgh
Ravens are most definitely for real, folks. Steelers have been able to win two in a row despite some critical mistakes by Ben Roethlisberger, and some shaky defensive play. The difference here? Ravens make teams pay dearly for those mistakes, like good teams always do.
Baltimore 24 Pittsburgh 14

SAN DIEGO over Oakland
Unlike the recent trend, I don't see the Chargers falling way behind and needing a big second half comeback to emerge with a victory. Spotty defense might allow the Raiders to put up more points than usual, but LT and Co. look almost unstoppable right now.
San Diego 34 Oakland 16

N.Y. Giants over TENNESSEE
G-Men looking all kinds of awful of late, but something tells me they're due for a nice bounce back game this week. Titans have played like a young team on the way up, looking great one week, awful the next. This week, it's awful's turn.
N.Y. Giants 20 Tennessee 10

NEW ENGLAND over Chicago
Best game of the week, on paper anyway. Pats have beat up weaker temas this year, while losing to better ones. Bears playing third straight on the road, and that has to catch up with them at some point. The hunch here is that Brady and Bellichek come up with just enough to squeeze past Da Bears.
New England 20 Chicago 17

INDIANAPOLIS over Philadelphia
Sorry, NBC. Thought you had a primo matchup with the potentially unbeaten Colts verses McNabb and the Eagles, eh? Indy, coming back to the dome after a loss, facing the McNabb-less Eagles, sounds like a blowout to me.
Indianapolis 34 Philadelphia 17

MONDAY
SEATTLE over Green Bay
Man, ESPN is getting some clunkers this year. Similar to Colts, Hawks coming back home after ugly road loss, against inferior opponent, means this one will be over early, and those of us on the East coast can go to bed at a decent hour. Thanks guys!
Seattle 40 Green Bay 13

Last week: 10-6
Overall: 98-62 (61.3%)

43 Years Ago Today...



..a Nation lost its innocence.

You would think that by now, with most of the major players dead, someone like Gerald Ford (Warren Commission member) would step up and say "Yeah, we know it wasn't just Oswald, but we were afraid to start World War III, so we stuck to the tidy cover story."

I'm not holding my breath.

Barbaro Cares Not What You Think




Remember Barbaro, the immensely talented thoroughbred horse who was on the way to Triple Crown winning glory before injuring his leg last spring? Tough break for his owners, who watched tons of potential income dissolve, and for the horse himself, who was likely to be put down. Headlines were made when it was decided to try and perform delicate surgery to save the animal. In most other cases, the horse would have to be put down, but not Barbaro. You see, he is the Wonder Horse who has inspired us all. Don't believe me?

Check this out: Barbaro's Message Board

I always thought people were nuts, but this goes beyond any stupidity threshold I've ever imagined. I posted an item on this message board yesterday, but I doubt it will ever see the light of day. It was along the lines of this:

What the heck is wrong with you people? Barbaro is a freaking HORSE! Not only can he not read, but he also cannot comprehend what is read to him. If he didn't have the ability to run really fast, he'd be Alpo right now!

It takes a truly special breed of nutjob to sit down at the keyboard and compose a gushing love note to an animal that would probably kick them in the face if they got too close. An animal which is not even very high on the intelligence chain. An animal which probably eats and gets better medical care than half of the people in this country.

Get well soon, you big handsome horse!

Saturday, November 18, 2006

NFL Picks - Week 11

Man, this is one of the oddest NFL seasons I can remember, and I go back a long way. I guess this is what Pete Rozelle had in mind when he dreamed of parity - any team, in any given week, has the ability to look like absolute garbage, particularly after a week where it looked amazing. Picking the games has become a crap shoot of sorts, and since I don't give each game much though, that sounds like the best course to take. On the Week 11....

NEW ORLEANS over Cincinnati
Bengals were in command, at home, against SD last week and let it all slip away in the second half. Saints coming off tough road loss in Pittsburgh, and might be coming gradually back down to earth after hot start, but I'll take the home team in a close one here.
New Orleans 30 Cincinnati 24

HOUSTON over Buffalo
Texans have been a tough out of late, and Bills left it all on the field last week at Indy, narrowly missing the upset. Letdown here? You betcha.
Houston 17 Buffalo 10

New England over GREEN BAY
What's up with the Pats? Nothing a week on the road against a weak defense can't cure. Brady might be hurt, and he took some clean shots last week form the Jets, but it is impossible to fathom this team losing three in a row.
New England 27 Green Bay 16

KANSAS CITY over Oakland
Watch out, Chiefs. The Raider D continues to impress, and will look to welcome back Trent Green with a few love taps. Problem continues to be total lack of offense, and KC, in Arrowhead, will make life miserable for Aaron Brooks.
Kansas City 19 Oakland 10

BALTIMORE over Atlanta
The Falcons are the single most frustrating team in the league for both gamblers and fantasy leaguers. In all probability, they will get it together and spank the Ravens in Baltimore, just to confound everyone. I can't predict that, in good faith, so the pick here is with the hometown team.
Baltimore 23 Atlanta 12

Chicago over NY JETS
Bears erased doubts of legitimacy last week in smacking Giants. Jets coming off huge win in Foxboro, and should give Chicago all it can handle. Close game, but talent prevails.
Chicago 24 NY Jets 16

Pittsburgh over CLEVELAND
Crapshoot, but Steelers have to be good enough to beat the Brownies, right? Right?
Pittsburgh 24 Cleveland 17

CAROLINA over St. Louis
Panthers, despite sleepwalking through parts of last week's game against Tampa, look poised to start a second half run, while the 4-5 Rams seem to be going in the opposite direction.
Carolina 27 St. Louis 14

PHILADELPHIA over Tennessee
Eagles, at home, should cruise past undermanned Titans, but look for Vince Young to pull off at least one highlight reel worthy play in this one.
Philadelphia 31 Tennessee 14

TAMPA BAY over Washington
No Portis, and Jason Campbell putting down his clipboard to take the snaps spells doom for the Skins. Bucs will have to work very hard not to win here.
Tampa Bay 23 Washington 11

MIAMI over Minnesota
Dolphins suddenly hot (since the pressure is off), and Vikes are tanking. Which means Minny wins by 30, using the logic of 2006. Still can;t go that way, so I'm taking Miami.
Miami 23 Minnesota 16

Seattle over SAN FRANCISCO
Hawks might be getting back Alexander and Hasselbeck, which makes this a blowout. If only one of them returns, or if neither do, SeaHags still have enough to take care of business here.
Seattle 30 San Francisco 10

Detroit over ARIZONA
Can't pick the Cardinals at all until they show me something, and they have shown zero since blowing the Bear game. Banged up Lion D could help Zona keep it interesting, but Kitna and the Lions win a game whihc nobody will want to see.
Detroit 34 Arizona 27

DALLAS over Indianapolis
Upset special! Cowboys have the horses to pull this off, but must stick to the game plan. I would think the Colts would rather drop one at some point, since they do not like the pressure of gunning for 16-0 anyway. This one could be the game of the week, and I see it going right to the final gun.
Dallas 24 Indianapolis 21

DENVER over San Diego
....or this could be the game of the week. Great prime time matchup sees the explosive Charger offense against the top ranked Denver D. I'll go with the tough defense, at high altitude, to win, but it won't be easy.
Denver 24 San Diego 20

JACKSONVILLE over NY Giants
Jags tough at home, and Eli Manning has been in a funk of late. Swarming Jags defense will make it a long night for the younger Manning, while depleted Giants will try to hang tough.
Jacksonville 20 NY Giants 13

Last week: 7-9
Overall: 88-55 (61.5%)

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Lost the Battle, Won the War?

So the first ever political endorsement made by this blog takes a dive, as you might have heard. Incumbent Joe Lieberman won convincingly over challenger Ned Lamont in the Connecticut Senate race this past week, gaining a fourth (and perhaps final) term. In hindsight, Lamont’s campaign seemed to peak during the Democratic primary, and was unable to sustain the momentum gained with the victory. Ariana Huffington pointed out that Ned seemed to begin acting like a Senator after the nomination was secured, and moved away from the one big issue which he rode to the win: Iraq. That assessment seems accurate to What?

That said, perhaps there was a larger gain from the entire Lamont run. His underdog, one issue run seemed to shine the national spotlight on the war, and those who continued to support it. The mid-term elections acted as a referendum on the War, and also to a larger extent, the Bush presidency. The results showed that America can unite against corruption, abuse of power, cronyism and lack of accountability and demand more from our elected leaders. What? Thinks the Lamont campaign had a lot to do with that.

Now, the Democrats have to prove their mettle, and make sure the only reason American voters turned the power over goes beyond them simply not being the other guy. Dems have a real chance at being agents of change in this country, and it doesn’t necessarily start with going out of their way to smite the current administration. It would be beneficial in the long term to produce legislation which will clearly show how much the President is willing to “work with” the Dems, as he humbly said he would once the votes were in. Push the core issues you campaigned on, Democrats, and make it clear where Mr. Bush will not budge. This will set the stage for the Presidential election on 2008.

It would be of great benefit to think short term as well, however. New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has laid out a plan for the first hundred hours after being sworn in which is very aggressive. Nowhere in the To Do list was the “I” word, Impeachment, mentioned. This can be broached without looking like partisian revenge for the Clinton debacle, and there are some important things that will be uncovered if investigations are launched. With subpoena power, the Dems will now be able to hold hearings and force accountability to those who have profited from the war, and abused power. These issues should be tabled, but not abandoned.

The balls in your court, Democrats, and you have a great deal of national support. Don’t blow it – there is too much riding on it.

NFL Picks - Week 10

Finally, a decent week, 9-5! This has been a wild, unpredictable year so far, and if I were picking against spreads I would be sporting a very ugly record. As mentioned a few weeks back, there are so many teams that have been impossible to bank on, varying from great to garbage week-to-week. Hoping to get back on a roll, I humbly submit the selections for week ten:

MINNESOTA over Green Bay
Do or die time for the Vikes, who need to jump start the second half with a big home win against a team they should beat. Brett Favre has had a knack of late to throw games away late, and the Minny defense needs to take advantage.
Minnesota 27 Green Bay 13

Baltimore over TENNESSEE
Okay, I’ll admit it now: The Ravens are legit. There, I said it. They seem to be able to come up with big plays, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, when needed. It is hard to imagine a meltdown against the up and down Titans. On a side note, though, did you happen to catch the highlight from last week’s Ravens-Bengals game where Rudi Johnson ran into Ray Lewis at the goal line? We’ve been conditioned to see Lewis stand up and topple anyone who crossed his path, but Johnson churned his legs, and overpowered Lewis on his way to the end zone. The lesson? The emotional leader of the Ravens D is getting old, and they had better win now.
Baltimore 30 Tennessee 10

JACKSONVILLE over Houston
Texans have been a much tougher out over the past few weeks, but Jags are much tougher at home. Despite Byron Leftwich’s attempt to generate a QB controversy, the Jacksonville D will lead the way to a home win.
Jacksonville 20 Houston 7

Kansas City over MIAMI
Very wary of second half resurgence by Saban’s Dolphins, much like last year. What that says to me is Miami plays much better when the pressure is off. No way KC takes Fins lightly after last week’s upset of the Bears. Chiefs are rolling with Damon Huard at the helm, and coach Herm Edwards should be very familiar with prepping for Miami after spending years in the same division. Game should be tight, but KC playmakers will be the difference.
Kansas City 23 Miami 17

NEW ENGLAND over N.Y. Jets
Hey, I’ll be at this game! Pats, coming off loss to Indy, will be pumped. The stat has been floating around this week that they have not lost back-to-back games since 2002, and I see nothing that would point to that streak being snapped here. Jets played Pats tough a few weeks back in Meadowlands, but winning in Foxboro is too tall an order, so long as Tom Brady doesn’t toss up ill advised passes into double and triple coverage, like he did against Indy last week.
New England 24 N.Y. Jets 10

CINCINNATI over San Diego
Bengals are in must win mode now, at home, against a somewhat banged up Charger team. Put up or shut up time for Cincy, and the hunch here is they will find a way to get it done. No Shawne Merriman will allow Carson Palmer a few extra precious seconds to find his talented receiving corps. This could be the game of the week, and in retrospect I imagine NBC would have liked this to be the Sunday nighter.
Cincinnati 27 San Diego 22

DETROIT over San Francisco
Lions showed me plenty last week in dismantling the Falcons, and staying home against woeful road team should spell an easy win. Detroit has the look of a team that will give opponents fits in the second half, by the way. Niners show some life when playing in their soon-to-be-former home, but will not do much here.
Detroit 31 San Francisco 7

PHILADELPHIA over Washington
Will Philly stop the bleeding? Skins pulled off improbable win at home over hated Cowboys last week, but both of these squads have been very tough to predict of late. That said, I’ll stick with the home team, despite the one dimensional attack. Donovan McNabb is the wild card, and he will do just enough to be the difference in this one.
Philadelphia 28 Washington 21

INDIANAPOLIS over Buffalo
Colts looked great in beating Pats last week to move to 8-0. It is hard to see how a team that has been so bad stopping the run can have this much success, and eventually someone will take advantage of that. This will not be the week that happens (I’m thinking it will happen in January, again). I have to say it was somewhat eerie seeing Mr. Automatic, Adam Vinatieri, miss a gimme that would have iced the game last week. It says something that the Colts were able to overcome that, but maybe there is something in the water in Indiana.
Indianapolis 34 Buffalo 16

ATLANTA over Cleveland
Now, we’re looking at an impossible game to call. Will we see the Falcs of weeks 7 and 8, who ran a simple, effective offense and seemingly scored at will? Or, will we see the bungling bunch from last week which couldn’t seem to get out of their own way? Brownies have been competitive of late, but it says here Atlanta finds a way to come out on top in the dome.
Atlanta 30 Cleveland 20

Denver over OAKLAND
Denver has seemingly found their offense, posting back-to-back 31 point efforts, while Raiders seemingly have never had one. Oakland D has been decent, but spending all that time on the field wears them out, and there is no good reason to think the obviously superior team will not be able to exploit that and roll to victory.
Denver 24 Oakland 9

New Orleans over PITTSBURGH
Man, is it ugly in Steel Town or what? Hard to fathom the defending champs are 2-6, but they are what they are, having played just bad enough to lose in each loss. Saints need this one, and winning on the road is a tall order, but something tells me Pittsburgh is done, and the Saints can get out of here with the W.
New Orleans 20 Pittsburgh 17

SEATTLE over St. Louis
Reeling Rams will be hard pressed to get back on track here, despite the Who Dat lineup fielded by Seattle. Hawks defense will have to step it up and dominate again, like it did against the Radiers last week. No shutout this time, but with the help of the raucous crowd, the pick here is Seattle.
Seattle 19 St. Louis 7

Dallas over ARIZONA
Cowboys need to bounce back after horrific finish in DC last week, and playing in Arizona is almost like a home game for them. Cardinals appear finished, but could still put together a solid effort against a hated rival. I just don’t think they’ll have enough in the tank to finish the job, and see the ‘Pokes emerging victorious.
Dallas 23 Arizona 13

N.Y. GIANTS over Chicago
Were the Bears exposed last week in Miami? It certainly seemed like it. Chicago’s schedule has been loaded with cream puffs, but now the fun really begins, as they begin a stretch of games against solid teams, starting with the injury depleted G-Men. Brian Urlacher should play, which will help Chicago, but the Giants banged up defense should have enough to harass and unnerve Rex Grossman. Should be a low scoring affair, but the pick when two good teams clash goes to the home team.
N.Y. Giants 17 Chicago 10

CAROLINA over Tampa Bay
Panthers mired at .500 after two straight losses, and desperately need this one to keep pace. John Fox’s team has a knack for coming up with big wins when needed, and should be able to pull one out against a game Buccaneer bunch. It could be ugly, but the better team should prevail here.
Carolina 23 Tampa Bay 14

Last week: 9-5
Overall: 81-46 (63.8%)

Monday, November 06, 2006

Connecticut Senate Race - The Choice Is Clear


For those of you who haven’t noticed, What? lives in the great state of Connecticut, hence the following commentary on the Senate race in that state.

The Connecticut Senate race this year has attracted national attention. Incumbent Joe Lieberman faced an unlikely challenge for his senate seat from an unknown businessman from Greenwich, Ned Lamont. Lamont’s entrance into the Democratic primary drew notice for his stance on one issue – the ongoing war in Iraq. By highlighting Lieberman’s support for the conflict, Ned forced others to look into the Senator’s support of this along with his support for several other of Bush’s policies.

As the Lamont campaign began to pick up momentum, the Lieberman camp seemed to take on an indignant attitude, almost questioning why someone would even challenge the three term Senator. As the war became more and more unpopular, Lieberman’s camp was forced to defend his stance, which was becoming harder and harder to understand.

A little history here on Senator Lieberman: He himself ran as a Washington outsider in 1988, defeating Lowell Weicker by telling voters how 18 years (Weicker’s length of service at that time) was too long, and it was time for a change. His message struck a chord with voters (who themselves might have grown tired of the incumbent), and he won the seat he holds to this day. The only potential interruption in his service took place during the 2000 presidential election, when Democratic candidate Al Gore chose Joe as his running mate. When faced with the decision of vacating his Senate seat to focus solely on the race for the White House, Lieberman declined, thereby insuring himself of a fallback in the event the Dems lost the election. You know how that turned out, obviously. He once again faced a crossroads as the Primary drew closer, finding himself trailing badly in the polls, and facing a likely shocking defeat. Unable to accept the will of the voters, Joe once again hedged his bets by filing the necessary paperwork to mount an independent campaign should he lose the Democratic race. Again, you know how that turned out. It was funny to listen to Lieberman the night he lost the primary, comparing it to halftime of a football game, and declaring his willingness to slug it out in the second half and win the game. The next day he formally entered the senate race (again), under something called the Connecticut for Lieberman party.

The obvious underlying message taken from the examples above is a simple one. Joe Lieberman is more concerned with taking care of himself then he is the people of this state. Despite being in office exactly as long as Mr. Weicker was when Joe told him it was time to step aside, Lieberman stubbornly continues to do whatever he can to maintain his seat of power. Despite being called out by the voters for siding with an unpopular president on the single most polarizing issue this country has seen since the Vietnam War, Lieberman insists he remain in office. Despite having been defeated by the voters from the very party he claimed to represent and serve faithfully, Lieberman continues to demand his seat at the table.

Lamont, in contrast, is a political neophyte, no doubt. What? looks at this as an opportunity to introduce new blood into Washington, which is sorely needed right now. What started as a one issue campaign has expanded to touch on domestic issues such as health care and social security. Lamont’s stance insists that the ridiculous amount of money spent each day in Iraq could, and should, be used to address real domestic issues. His staunch stance against special interest influence and lobbyists is another issue to which lip service is often paid this time of year, but ultimately little is done about, on either side of the aisle.

The latest polls show Lamont gaining, but still behind. A late push over the weekend, coupled with a big democratic turnout on Tuesday could help tighten things, and bring the Democratic nominee the victory.

Remember, it’s not the famous “kiss” planted on Lieberman’s cheek by George W. Bush after the State of the Union which has put his senate seat in jeopardy, nor is this an indictment of his sometime bi-partisian efforts. On the contrary, voting the issue as opposed to the standard party line can be an admirable thing to do, and is all too rare in this polarized political era. This race, however, boils down to one thing: the war, stupid. No issue is as important to the future of this country and the world at large. The lack of post war planning, the resulting desecration of the constitution by removing habeas corpus, the ultimate creation of an imperial presidency, all stem from this disaster. Mr. Lieberman is clearly on the wrong side here, and he, along with any candidate left who supports it, has to go.

If you live in another state, do your part this Tuesday, and help by removing any incumbent who is still in favor of the mess in the Gulf.

What? heartily endorses Ned Lamont for Senator.

Friday, November 03, 2006

NFL Picks - Week 9

The slump continues, after a 6-8 week. Let's try to bring things back with this stellar batch of predictions (details to follow):

Kansas City over ST. LOUIS
23-20

CHICAGO over Miami
27-10

New Orleans over TAMPA BAY
21-20

Atlanta over DETROIT
34-30

BALTIMORE over Cincinnati
17-16

WASHINGTON over Dallas
24-19

BUFFALO over Green Bay
31-21

N.Y. GIANTS over Houston
24-7

Minnesota over SAN FRANCISCO
27-21

SAN DIEGO over Cleveland
30-16

PITTSBURGH over Denver
20-17

NEW ENGLAND over Indianapolis
23-17

SEATTLE over Oakland
24-12

Last Week: 6-8
Overall: 72-41 (63.7%)