YardBarker- Future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce is already making his presence known with his new Los Angeles Clippers teammates. According to Complex, the newly acquired Pierce has already let his new teammates in Los Angeles know that wearing a pair LeBron James sneakers won't be tolerated. This "anti-LeBron sneaker" policy is nothing new from Pierce, as the former Boston Celtics great instituted the same rule with the Washington Wizards the previous year. Is it corny? Yeah. Is it over the top? Absolutely. However, the fact that Paul Pierce won't let those around him wear LeBron's sneakers is comforting. The NBA is a league where the players are so quick to be buddy-buddy. So quick to forget about rivalries and the like for an opportunity to build the next 'Big 3'. Well I, for one, love that Paul Pierce still hates LeBron James as much as he does. Sure, during the glory days players hatred for each other manifested itself on the court through physical play and the occasional fight, not sneaker boycotts. However, if I have to settle for a legend instituting a locker room wide blacklisting a superstar's shoes to get my share of hostility than settle is what I will do. It's the last bit of true animosity in the NBA, and the worst part is that LeBron rarely acknowledges it. Whatever, I will support Paul Pierce in all that he does, even if it does seem silly. Not only because I have always liked Paul Pierce, not only because he's a Clipper, but because he represents an age in professional basketball that, quite frankly, was much more enjoyable. The talent level may far exceed what it was back then, but nothing beats two teams (or players) battling tooth and nail not only to win, but to make sure their opponent, and nemesis, loses. Sometimes that bad blood is more important than the actual quality of basketball anyway. Here's to hoping the Clippers and Cavaliers meet in the finals, I can promise you that Paul Pierce is already looking forward to it.
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NFL- “I don’t know my situation this week. I’m day to day,” Brees told Cox Sports Television, via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra. “I plan to and expect to start on Sunday but if I don’t we’re in good hands with Luke (McCown).”
“It’s what I can do with my arm. It’s not about pain,” he explained. “It’s about strength, it’s about mobility, it’s about functionality. Can I make the throws that I’m required to make within this offense for us to be successful? If I am, I play. If not, then Luke plays.” I said it after the game yesterday and I'll say it again, this team's problem is most certainly not at the quarterback position. Outside of one throw, Luke McCown had about as flawless of a game as you could expect from a career backup quarterback and the score still ended up being closer than it should have been. With that said, it would be nice to get the face of the franchise back on the field, especially while staring at a winless record and a primetime matchup with the Cowboys in Week 4. Here in lies the rub, you can't take a damn thing Sean Payton or Drew Brees say in regards to his injury with anything more than a grain of salt. Drew Brees would be optimistic about playing Sunday if if his right arm was completely detached and he was carrying it under his left arm. If Drew Brees got attacked by a pack of wolves he would put out a press release saying he was optimistic about playing Sunday before the attack was even over. He could fall out of a plane without a parachute and he would still take time to tweet out 140 characters of optimism to the Who Dat Nation before he hit the ground. Drew Brees is like the most optimistic person in the world, and while that's a commendable trait for your starting quarterback, it can be a little bit frustrating when pessimism is so clearly warranted. Nothing will shock me. The next time he takes snaps for the New Orleans Saints could be next week or it could be next year. At this point I would say both of those scenarios are just as likely. This is what Sean Payton lives for, and it's rubbed off on Drew Brees as well. He needs to keep the media in the dark when it comes to his injury report. It's what puts air in his lungs. It's what puts blood in his erection. Sean Payton jingling Jarius Byrd's health over the entire league's head for the last 3 months has given him a reason to get out of bed in the morning. So excuse me if I want to take a wait and see approach. If we are talking about a quarterback whose arm apparently lacked "functionality" as of yesterday then lets just say my glass is half empty. As much as I don't want to quote anyone outside the organization, I don't think I am the only one...
I think Gregg Popovich might actually be the most difficult interview in all of professional sports. Sure, you can say that Bill Belichick holds that crown, but at least you know what you are getting out of Bill Belichick. You're undoubtedly getting a bunch of mumbled responses that lake any personality whatsoever. With Gregg Popovich it's different. There have been plenty of times when Coach Pop answered questions just like he did in this video and was 100% serious. There have also been times when he has been funny, and dare I say it, even charming with the media. The problem is you never know which Popovich you are going to get. You just have to assume that no matter what he says he's not saying it in jest. It is just as likely that Popovich would chastise a reporter for a question about his beard as it is that he would take it in stride and try to get some laughs out of it.
Gregg Popovich is basically the kid that responds to a "your mom" joke by saying their mother's dead. Even if their mother is very much alive you are forced into believing that she's not. It's just safer to assume that they're serious. Just like that kid, Gregg Popovich is always working from a position of power. The only thing that could have made this interview more cringeworthy would be if the reporter had started being sarcastic as Popovich stood their stone faced. That's why he had to continue to struggle through unanswered question after unanswered question in hopes of getting even one usable soundbite. It's better to look like an idiot being too professional than look like an idiot for being too casual. Want to know how much it sucks to interview Gregg Popovich? This interview ended with Greg Popovich putting his arm around this kid and laughing. That is probably the best possible conclusion you could hope for, and this kid still looks like that 90 seconds of awkward tension has killed his will to continue along his career path. He still looks like he would grab a gun if it was within spitting distance and put a bullet right between his own eyes. Gregg Popovich actually has a ton of personality, but the multitude of ways in which he is abel to harness it makes him a damn near impossible interview. Boston- Senior Manasseh Konadu wasn’t real keen on the move at first and he had a lot of company. “Well, initial reaction was one of shock,” he says, standing in the hallway at South High Community School. “We’re used to wearing hoodies all the time.” Indeed, for students at both Burncoat and South High — the new school year brought hoodie banishment. After considering the ban for a couple of years, Binienda got a strong nudge over the summer from Worcester Police, concerned about gang violence creeping into the schools by way of hidden faces and big front pouches. “And I have to be able to see who is in my building,” she says. “And I have to be able to identify them.” The primary concern with hoodies is that some kids conceal much of their face by pulling the drawstrings tight, making it hard to determine who’s who at a glance, or even if they’re a student. Some students also use the hood to hide earbuds and headphones in class. Jeanine Greenwich’s granddaughter doesn’t like it one bit. Some 500 students have signed an online protest petition, but principal Binienda doesn’t sense a revolt in the works. “I’m just convinced if you don’t wear that hooded sweatshirts during school,” says principal Binienda, “It will make our community safer.” Oh, duh. How come we didn't think of this earlier? That's how we solve school violence. That's how we make kids pay attention in class. Just get rid of the hoodies. Couldn't be simpler. Uncomfortable kids are far more prone to obeying the rules and doing what they are told. Plus, it's a pretty well known fact that it's the wardrobe that makes the person, and not the person that makes the wardrobe. If we had just identified this problem sooner we would have been one trench coat ban away from Columbine being a lovely, endearing place to get an education. You take away hoods and front pockets and it takes away all opportunities for children to be reprehensible human beings. What are they going to do? Be in a hoodless gang? Ha! Good luck with that. That's like supporting the Ku Klux Klan without dressing in a bed sheet. Who on Earth would take you seriously? Sure, some will say that they could just require kids to keep the hood down indoors, but why open themselves up to so much uncertainty? That takes way too much disciplining. What do they look like, an institution whose job is to teach? A place that's supposed to shape the minds of our youth? How could they possibly be expected to do so when everyone is dressed like gun toting heathens? You give a kid a hood and he has no choice but to throw some headphones in and become a distraction in the classroom. You give a kid a front pocket, and he has no choice but to carry a weapon in it. I don't even know why we are stopping at hoodies. Let's ban hats, pockets, and maybe even shoes as well. If we really want to create a safe environment for our children then we need to have them strip down upon entering like they are prepping for a physical. We need homerooms everywhere to look like TSA style security checkpoints. Stripping kids down to their least comfortable clothing options is really the only way to make sure they don't kill each other, and in turn it creates an environment that is almost certainly conducive to learning.
I don't know about you, but I can barely tell the difference.... What Would You do If A $10,000 Bundle Of Marijuana Fell From The Sky And Crushed Your Doghouse?9/28/2015 The Guardian- Maya Donnelly awoke to what sounded like thunder in the early morning hours, but dismissed it as a typical monsoon storm and went back to sleep. Later that morning, she looked in the carport at her home in Nogales, near the US-Mexico border, and saw pieces of wood on the ground.
She found a bulky bundle wrapped in black plastic. Inside was roughly 26lbs of marijuana – a package that authorities say was worth $10,000 and was likely dropped there accidentally by a drug smuggler’s aircraft. “It’s all right on top of our dog’s house,” Donnelly said of the incident, which occurred on 8 September and was first reported by the Nogales International newspaper. “It just made a perfectly round hole through our carport.” Living near the border, Donnelly said she assumed the object contained drugs. She immediately called her husband, Bill, who told her to call 911. The couple said officers who responded told them an ultralight aircraft smuggling marijuana from Mexico had probably let part of its load go early by accident before dropping the rest farther north, the newspaper reported. The family will have to pay the estimated $500 in repairs, as well as pay for a new home for their German Shepherd, Hulk. But the scenario could have been much worse for the couple and their three teenage daughters. Friends and family also have gotten a laugh. Several joked that the couple could have profited from the surprise package. “That’s what everybody says: ‘Why did you call 911?”’ Maya Donnelly said. “But how can you have a clear conscience, right? We could have made lots of home repairs with that.” One word...Snitch. This lady didn't just look a gift horse in the mouth. She shot it with a tranquilizer dart and just kept beating it, and beating it, and beating it into the afterlife. Couldn't just tuck that $10,000 bundle of marijuana into her favorite hiding place and kept her mouth shut, eh? Had to go run and tell the cops. Nothing will get border patrol to crack down on the international transportation of drugs faster than telling them some errant weed crushed a dog house into oblivion. This lady just made life a little bit harder for every person that likes to indulge in some illegal herbal remedies before bed. Not only that, but this negative press for the Mexican cartels is bound to get one poor Mexican kid with bad aim prematurely executed. That blood is on your hands Maya. Can't even purchase a doghouse that's sturdy enough to save your pet from bricks of narcotics and you want to be the one that's pointing fingers? As far as I am concerned this lady is an irresponsible dog owner AND a snitch. That $500 in repairs would have been pocket change if she just let her three teenage daughters keep the lifetime supply of pot that she just passed over to the authorities in exchange for a "thank you". This woman would never have to pay for a "school lunch" ever again. If she really wanted to contribute to the war on drugs then putting her daughter's weed dealer out of business would have been a hell of a start. Instead she decided to sing like a canary and literally everyone is worse off because of it. Especially their dog Hulk who, according to that picture, is living in squalor. I find it rather strange that he didn't get more mentions in this story. After all, it was really his piece of shit residence that got destroyed. Could have used the $10,000 to upgrade him from the 'Motel 6' to the 'Four Seasons' of doghouses. Either that, or at least let him nibble on a dime bag or two to ease his PTSD from getting bombed by recreational drugs.
BSO- Shawne Merriman says he had the chance to become a movie star, but didn’t want to throw the NFL under the bus in the process.
The man formerly known as ‘Lights Out,’ told TMZ Sports that he was approached to be a part of Will Smith’s “Concussion” movie but turned it down. The former San Diego Chargers linebacker says he’s convinced the movie is “definitely going to give the NFL a black eye” … but says he didn’t feel right jumping aboard the project. The movie — set to come out in December — is supposed to blow the lid of an alleged NFL conspiracy to hide the debilitating life-long effects of concussions from players. “I turned it down and said ‘No’ … I don’t want to be a part of it because I didn’t know how they were going to make it look.” Still, Merriman says concussions are a problem among NFL vets — saying, “A lot of people have problems and the NFL should fix it .. period.” I don't know if the director of 'Concussion' actually reached out to Shawne Merriman or not, but if they did, that's was an exemplary attempt at casting. Seriously, no player, either current or former, is more suited for a role in a movie that gives the NFL a 'black eye' than Shawn Merriman. He basically is the personification of a black eye on the NFL. I know he wasn't the first professional football player to use steroids, but he pretty much showed just how effective they can be. Remember when he was dominating football games and jumping around doing his 'Lights Out' dance? Everyone was enamored with his physical abilities and passion for the game. Then they learned that very same passion was really just steroid induced rage. Seriously, Shawne Merriman got suspended for the use of illegal substances and his career faded faster than a $5 t-shirt you buy outside the stadium. That was the first time that we realized that performance enhancing drugs could have a very real, very definitive effect on the outcome of football games. Every football player that's ever served a 4 game suspension has Shawne Merriman to thank. The NFL, which largely ignored it's PED issue, has Shawne Merriman to thank for bringing it to the forefront. That guy has blown up more spots than a Mexican food addict with IBS. He has never worried about the perception of the NFL before, why would he start now? Sure, professional football is responsible for his multi million dollar bank account, but that was the case before he shed light on their steroid problem. That was the case before he used those very same steroids to contribute to the concussion problem. Oh course Shawne Merriman has "seen it (concussions) with other people". You could probably fill a 90 minute time slot talking about all the head injuries that Shawne Merriman and his drug use were directly responsible for. Never mind the allegations of domestic abuse with Tila Tequila before domestic abuse in professional sports was all the rage. To call him a thorn in the side of the NFL would be an understatement of biblical proportions. I guess my only question I have is when you've gone so far down the rabbit hole in tarnishing the NFL's brand why not completely severe ties for a chance to work with Will Smith? DailyMail- A champion NASCAR driver is to announce he is stepping down from racing - a year after the crash which killed Kevin Ward.
Tony Stewart will say he is retiring from the sport following the 2016 season during a news conference at his team's headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina on Wednesday, sources say. The move follows a difficult year for the veteran driver whose racing accident on August 9, 2014 resulted in the tragic death of Ward Jnr. The champion racer admitted that his confidence as a driver had been destroyed following the deadly accident last year. He said: 'I want to be available to them if they want to talk about it,' he said. 'At this point, I don't need to talk to them for closure. I know what happened and I know it was an accident. This season has been a disappointment for the champion racer who is just 25th in the points standing and once again failed to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Stewart said he had been struggling to get back on form and enjoy the sport again following the tragic accident in 2014. 'There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought about it. And it will be like that all your life... It's going to be a part of me forever.' Ahhh, nice try Tony. I respect the effort. You might fool some people, but you damn sure ain't fooling me. There's just no way you are getting me to believe that the bad boy of NASCAR is retiring due to emotional trauma. There's no way you can convince me that the events of that night torment him on a daily basis. This is the guy with the most notorious temper in the history of the sport. A guy that needed a PR team to step in and stop him from racing literally 24 hours after he fatally struck Kevin Ward Jr. A guy that showed little to no remorse after killing, whether accidentally or not, a 20 year old fellow driver. That guy isn't letting the pain and suffering of others get in the way of what's best for him. He never has before, and he certainly isn't now. You know why Tony Stewart is retiring? Mostly because Tony Stewart is no longer good at racing, but also because it's a blessing that he is no longer good at racing. Why do athletes, drivers included, continue to partake in their sport long after their prime has past them by? They want to go out on top. They want to ride off into the sunset known as a champion. Well, that can never happen for Tony Stewart. Not because he isn't gifted enough to win another race, but because he will never be known for anything other than killing another driver. In fact, the very reason that most of us have forgotten about this accident is because Tony Stewart has bean awful at racing since it happened. If he were winning races every month then this horrific accident, that claimed the life of a promising young driver, would still be in the news. The best thing to ever happen to Tony Stewart's reputation was the worst thing that happened to his career. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Most athletes want to finish their career in the spotlight, but the spotlight is a dark, dark place for someone like Tony Stewart. That's why he is retiring, not because is a rational human being that is prone to feelings, empathy, and other such human-like phenomenons. P.S. I will give him credit for the sad face. It does look sincere, although that may just be a pretty huge indicator of how much of a sociopath he actually is... LBS- “I was really baffled by what was said to me,” Newton said after the game via The Charlotte Observer. “I was rolling out trying to string out the play and create some type of opportunity to get a completion and the defensive lineman, you know, kind of hit me. It was close. It was right on the cusp. Was it a late hit? I don’t know. But the response that I got was, ‘Cam you’re not old enough to get that call.’”
The play happened when Newton rolled out to throw a pass to Greg Olsen in the fourth quarter and was hit by the Saints’ Tyler Davison. “I’m looking at him like what? Jesus. I didn’t think you had to have seniority to get a personal foul or anything like that,” Newton said. “You just have to be accountable. It’s one thing to be frustrated in a situation where you see a personal foul on the opposing quarterback get called, and then for me when it’s something around the same range and for that flag not to be called, it’s…I’m ticked off. Really.” That guy. That guy in the fucking camouflage suit ranting and raving about one single non-call in a game that littered with hundreds of judgment calls. That's the fucking guy the Saints lost to. I swear, every time I watch Cam Newton win a game I am amazed that his superior athletic ability is able to overcome his complete and utter lack of brain cells. It's not so much that the Saints stink. It's that they stink against people as hatable as Cam Newton. It's that they stink against a guy whose fashion choices make me want to take a screwdriver to my eyeballs. It's that they stink against a guy that stares in shock when a ref explains to him a concept that has been prevalent in all sports for as long as they have been played professionally. It's they they stink against a guy that's "ticked off" about not getting a call in a game which his team won anyway. Let me break this down for you Cam. You don't need to have seniority to get a flag thrown in your favor. You need seniority to get a flag thrown in your favor when a guy taps you with his pinky and you go flying 10 feet into the distance. You need seniority to get a flag thrown in your favor when you redefine the word embellishment with one single play. The reason a Tom Brady, or a Peyton Manning, or a Drew Brees, or even a Luke McCown gets that call is because the referee, in this case Ed Hochuli, trusts that their physical reaction was based on the severity of the hit. Basically, you get the benefit of the doubt when you aren't constantly begging for the benefit of the doubt. It's less about age and more about maturity. Cam Newton simply hasn't earned the right to get calls in questionable situations. The fact that he was crying about it postgame is a testament to the reason it happened in the first place. "Older", more mature players leave the football on the field, and don't bring their problems to the podium. Especially when it had no bearing on the final outcome of the game. The day Cam Newton stops making a spectacle of himself, and starts respecting the integrity of the game, very well may be the day that Ed Hochuli begins to respect him as one of the better quarterbacks in the game. There it is folks. Is it too late to throw it on the cover of the media guide? Seriously, there is nothing that speaks more volumes about this current Saints team than this picture. It could only be more symbolic if Marques Colston was the one letting the ball hit his hands and fall inches out of his grasp and if Brandon Browner was in the background looking at a playbook like it was written in Swahili.
So close, yet so far away. Frustration. Anger. Indifference. It's got it all. I'm pretty sure I have had the exact same reaction of every single person in this picture at one point or another. Mostly Damian Swann, who is pretty much just cursing the existence of God at this point. Been there Damian, been there. As a matter of fact, I think I have been there about 7-8 times per game since the start of the season. The most infuriating thing about this picture, and more specifically the season, is that it's right there for the taking. The victories Saints fans so desperately long for are within the team's grasp. Whether it's Drew Brees or Luke McCown. Whether it's on the road at Arizona or at home to the Buccaneers. The Saints have had a legitimate chance to win every game they have played, despite executing like a team that should lose every game by 30. I don't even know if I am impressed that they play so bad yet come so close to winning, or if I am angered by the fact that they keep pissing away gift wrapped opportunities. If this team would just lose by 20 points like common sense says they should then it would be easy to just watch without getting completely emotionally invested. Instead they drag your heart along with a string and then drive it into the ground with a stake in the dying seconds. Watching a Saints game is like watching every sports movie ever made with the complete opposite ending. There's ups. There's downs. Their hopelessness. There's optimism. Then, in the very end, when your expecting that one play that the whole game has been building up to, the one play that will make it all worth it, they completely soil themselves as the camera fades to black. Can we get an alternate ending one time? These sequels are starting to get old and repetitive. I already had the blog written in my head. Was already ready to praise Luke McCown for not only beating the Carolina Panthers, but also beating the rest of his team that decided to take the afternoon off. The receivers that tried to whiff, drop, and fumble away any chance at victory. The running backs who, no matter how plentiful they are, haven't been able to get any semblance of a ground game going. The pass rush, which might as well drop into coverage cause they couldn't beat a Pop Warner team off the ball. The secondary, which I am almost positive has Greg Olsen on it's fantasy team. The coaching, on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, which was at times head scratching and other times aneurysm inducing. Luke McCown almost beat all of them on the road in a hostile environment. Alas, like the true teammate he is, he decided to shit the bed when it mattered most, just so there wasn't only one person that was worthy of praise. Got to hand it to him. It's takes a big man to be selfless enough to piss away the whole season with one ill advised throw just so his teammates didn't feel too bad about their horrid performance. Now everyone that didn't watch the game, or doesn't understand football, can point to the one bad play McCown made all game as the reason for a loss that was due to so much more.
Well, I guess that game goes to show you that the problem definitely isn't under center. Outside of a game sealing interception you couldn't have asked for much more out of Luke McCown. I would even go as far as saying that a 100% healthy Drew Brees would only give the Saints a slightly better chance of winning, and that's more of a compliment to McCown then it is an indictment on Drew. Fact of the matter is that the season is over and it has nothing to do with the right arm of Drew Brees. A football team is so much more than one player, and outside of that player, no matter who it happens to be, this team is flat out garbage. Yeah, this team was expecting a lot of rookies to play key roles, but it's the veterans that are the ones eating the majority of the salary cap while constantly failing when it matters. Brandon Browner only takes time away from getting torched to periodically take a penalty. Marques Colston looks like 'Father Time' pushed forward the clock by about 5 years. I wish I could give an evaluation of Cameron Jordan, but he would have to do something on the field to make me notice him first. The rookies, while they have taken their bumps and bruises, are actually some of the lone bright spots on the team. It's becoming very obvious I expected too much to start this season, because this team is only halfway through a much needed overhaul that may even claim the jobs of some of it's coaches. That's how bad it is. Ridiculously unnecessary penalties. Questionable, at best, play calling. Drew Brees or not, there is just not much to get excited about when it comes to the New Orleans Saints. I may have overestimated their talent level on both sides of the ball, but the fact that this team is 0-3 and one of the worst teams in football is about a lack of execution as well. Thanks for giving us a chance Luke, but there isn't a quarterback in the world that overcome a team lacks focus , leadership, and pretty much every other positive attribute you can possibly dream up. It's going to be a long year.... As Only Rutgers Can Do, The Scarlet Knights Made A Comfortable Victory Unbearably Frustrating9/26/2015 Do you even onsides, bro? I tried to be happy. I tried to enjoy the win. I tried to accept it for what it was, a comfortable double digit victory against a terrible opponent. Alas, this team finally came out for the second half and all of that contentment went directly out the window. All that positive energy I had fraudulently built up in hopes of not sounding like an unbearable pessimist got released in what I am sure sounded, to my neighbors anyway, like a domestic dispute at a construction site. I don't want people to think that I don't appreciate the win. Trust me, with how few and far between they have been this football season (college and NFL), I treasure every opportunity to reign triumphant. With that said, as far as frustrating victories goes, this just about tops the list. I get it. I get that each game has it's own identity. I understand the '1-0' narrative that COACH (happy Norries?) Flood nauseatingly crams down our gullet every time he's not busy writing 'Dance Appreciation' papers for college kids that don't know how to read. I get that all Rutgers had to do to win today was line up and run the ball down Kansas' throat. I actually enjoyed it to an extent. Sometimes it's fun to impose your will on your opponent without taking too many risks. However, while it resulted in a win this week, what happens when Rutgers takes on the #2 team in the nation next week? What happens when they are in the heart of their brutal Big Ten schedule? I know they don't think they are running the ball for 300 yards against Michigan State. I know they don't think passes that cover no more than 6-7 yards are going to dissect one of the best defenses in college football. What then? Do we just give up? Pack it in? Continue to throw a quarterback, that quite simply cannot throw the ball at a D1 level, back out under center? Today may have been a win, but it's win that brought attention to everything that is wrong with this program from a football perspective. It's a win that should have been a blowout if Rutgers had a quarterback that could take advantage of his weapons on the outside. If only. If only, out of 28,000 students, there were one that had a NCAA caliber arm. Hmm, I wonder, where can we find on of those.... Listen, I am not saying that Hayden Rettig is Brett Favre in his prime. Quite frankly, I don't know the extent of what he can do on the football field. I do know he can make one read and make a safe 7 yard throw. I do know he's not afraid to throw the ball downfield. I do know he can throw the ball out of bounds when he's under pressure. In fact, the only conceivable reason that Rettig isn't starting would be if he's really bad at handing the ball off, because that's pretty much all Chris Laviano did today. The guy doesn't need to walk on water to give Rutgers a better chance to win against the likes of Ohio State and Wisconsin. Today I saw what I have seen all season. A kid with a weak arm. That pads his completion percentage on throws that Drew Brees could make laying on his back with a torn rotator cuff. A kid that, even when given time, is understandably scared to test his arm strength downfield. A kid that his prone to mistakes that make Rutgers fans long for the days of Freshman Gary Nova. Chris Laviano is like an athletic Chad Pennington if Chad Pennington had the football IQ of a 12 year old girl, and not the one from 'Remember The Titans'. If Cardale Jones, the guy that won a National Championship, can get benched, then I think you can justify benching a kid that can't even give up on a play without throwing an interception. Nothing I have seen from this team makes sense. Chris Laviano plays like a game manager, but makes the mistakes that a game manager is supposed to avoid to earn the label "game manager". Rutgers threw for about 20 yards in the second half against KANSAS. They were afraid to drop back and pass against one of the worst football teams in a Power 5 conference. Now tell me, without making serious changes under center, how do they expect that game plan to translate next week? But hey, at least they got the W, right? P.S. The throwback jerseys looked FRESH. I kind of miss them, and I think that officially makes me old.
P.P.S. Congrats to Norries Wilson on his first win as Rutgers Head Coach! Find myself wishing he was more than just an interim each and every day. Just don't tell him I said that... Washington Post- "Dry counties" that prohibit alcohol sales seem to have a bigger meth problem than other counties.
That's the thought-provoking conclusion of a new paper by researchers at the University of Louisville. In the state of Kentucky, some counties ("dry") prohibit alcohol sales completely. Others allow it only within certain municipalities ("moist,") or don't place restrictions on alcohol sales at all ("wet"). The Louisville researchers noticed that dry counties had higher rates of meth lab busts, as well as higher rates of meth crimes overall. And the effect is significant: "if all counties were to become wet, the total number of meth lab seizures in Kentucky would decline by about 25 percent," they found. A meth problem? A fucking meth problem? You took people's booze, and all you guys have is a meth problem? Hey Kentucky, you better get down on your hands and knees and thank your lucky stars it doesn't look a scene from 'The Purge' down there. You took away people's confederate flags and their Jack Daniel's all in the same year and there's still someone left to tell the tale?! I'm surprised the whole state didn't spontaneously combust. I don't know shit about punishment gradients or relative cost correlations, but I do know one thing. People don't want to be sober. They want to conveniently catch their buzz. I don't fancy myself much of a drug user, but if you took my alcohol the probability that a dabble with a couple crystals goes up exponentially. Can't just go around all day and all night feeling completely normal. That shit sounds miserable. There's something to be said for having a vice. I'm not sure why Kentucky would rather it be meth than alcohol, but hell, it's got to be something. After running some statistical tests, the researchers found that this is more than just a simple correlation: "Our results add support to the idea that prohibiting the sale of alcohol flattens the punishment gradient, lowering the relative cost of participating in the market for illegal drugs," they conclude. In other words: people who buy alcohol in places where it's illegal become accustomed to dealing with the black market. If you're going to get punished whether you trade in booze or trade in meth, why not give meth a spin?" Alcohol prohibition becomes a gateway to other illegal activities," as Tyler Cowen sums it up at Marginal Revolution. The actual concept at play here does make quite a bit of sense though. I guess I have never even thought about that. I have always bought my beer from places that legally sell beer. Imagine every time you bought liquor you had to walk into a basement full of all the drugs known to man. You would probably experiment too. It's like going to your favorite pizza joint. 99% of the time you are going to order a large pie and be done with it, but that 1% of the time your curiosity is going to get the best of you and your gonna order that chicken parm sub just to see what it tastes like. You can get "the usual" when ordering off the the black market menu, but every now and again you are bound to take a chance and see what you're missing out on. Plus, half the reason I don't smoke weed that often is because I never felt like having a drug dealer, but if you needed a drug dealer just to crack a cold one during Monday Night Football then what the fuck is the difference? Don't get me wrong, I would still rather live in a 'wet' county and refrain from meth usage, but I am not going to judge a bunch of Southerners for becoming meth heads when they basically have to go to the "meth store" every time they want to grab a 6 pack and unwind after work. I Would Do Anything For Love, But I Wouldn't Rape A Disabled Diaper Wearing Mute With Cerebral Palsy9/25/2015 DailyMail- A Rutgers University professor testified in her own defense Thursday, insisting that she did not rape a disabled man suffering from cerebral palsy, and that the two were 'in love.'
During cross-examination, philosophy professor Anna Stubblefield, 45, insisted she and the victim - a 34-year-old African-American man who is unable to speak or eat on his own - were in a consensual relationship. Under questioning from her lawyer Wednesday, Stubblefield explained the man could express himself through a technique known as facilitated communication in which she used her hands to help him type on a keyboard. But the prosecution Thursday questioned the method and how the man could communicate if he wanted to stop having sex in her Newark office in 2011. Stubblefield said he could bang on the floor. Stubblefield’s daughter, Zoe Stubblefield, told DailyMail.com today that the victim's family, who are black, were targeting her mother because she was white and they were 'money-hungry idiots'. Stubblefield spent the next two years working with D.J. on his communication skills, during which time she claimed he was able to write essays and academic papers, including one which was presented at the 2010 Society for Disabilities Studies conference. In May 2011, D.J. revealed to his mother and brother, who are his legal guardians, his sexual relationship with Stubblefield. The man’s mother told the court on the first day of the trial Wednesday that when she learned the truth, Stubblefield came to her and said: 'you have to let him be the man that he is.' When Plant accused Stubblefield of lying to the legal guardians of a mentally incompetent person, she replied that he was an adult capable of making his own decisions. ‘He's very much his own person. He makes his own decisions,’ Stubblefield said. ‘When people fall in love with each other, the last thing you're thinking about is, “Hey, let's go ask our moms if it's okay."’ I have a pretty strict rule for situations like these. Don't have sex if you have to remove a diaper first. With that said, I'm the single one, so maybe Anna Stubblefield is just playing the game better than I am. Who are we to tell her what's love and what's not? Who are we to deny their passion for one another? All I know about love is that it knows no bounds. It knows no race. It knows no handicapped. It may not even have a voice, or be able to go to that bathroom on it's own. Basically all I am trying to say here is that disabled mutes with cerebral palsy that happen to wear diapers need love too, and not even his own family should be able to take that away that right. Sure, maybe this guy never fully consented to sex, but he didn't not consent, and anyone that knows anything about double negatives knows that makes it completely consensual. You know how they say you can't rape the willing? We'll I think the same can be said for the non-verbal. Are we just going to act like this guy isn't a red-blooded, American man that loves pussy just because he's in a diaper? I can't imagine he was too upset to be getting a blowjob as a disabled mute with cerebral palsy. I don't think those kind of opportunities comes around too often. He's not exactly in a position to be turning down sexual gratification from anyone. In fact, I'm starting to question if this guy's family even loves him. Can't talk. Apparently can't go to the bathroom. Now he can't even get a nut? Is this even America anymore? I actually agree with this women's daughter, they are just money hungry assholes. Think about all this woman did. She taught him stuff, helped him write a paper, cleaned his pipes, and most importantly, gave his family a few hours where the house didn't smell like a dirty diaper. Forget trying to take her for all she's worth, how about throwing a little token of appreciation her way? You know how fathers are always happy when their daughters get married because now they have a new male provider? Well, having someone else provide for your handicapped mute that shits himself is the equivalent of having 10 daughters that all get married on the same day. Fuck a lawsuit, they owe this lady gift basket.
This may come off as a little ignorant, but where exactly are all these people that are yelling sexually suggestive things at random women in the streets? I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I'm not even saying that it doesn't happen often. I am just saying it doesn't happen all that much around me. I mean, 95%?!? With a "large" percentage of that percentage being groped as well?!? I feel like if the numbers were actually that high then women wouldn't even leave the fucking house. That sounds like full blown anarchy! Like women are just stepping off their front stoops right into the lunch line at Riker's Island. Not saying these stats are fabricated, but if they could get Florida on the phone and see how to properly perform a recount I would appreciate it. Plus, only like 35% of women are even mildly attractive anyway. Who the hell is hanging out the passenger side of their best friend's ride trying to holla at the other 60%? I guess it's possible that the 60% is just getting a bunch of insults and criticisms hurled at them, but if that's the case then I think we need to break this down into two different polls. Huge difference between calling a strange woman fat and asking a strange woman if she wants to come back to your place. Both are clearly frowned upon, but I just think it's disingenuous to put them in the same category.
Furthermore, I am not ready to slide this women into that 95% either. An older woman with average looks in a modest outfit that's covered by a blazer? A woman whose not ugly enough to insult, or attractive enough to catcall? Whose eye is she catching? Yeah, I know what you're thinking, "You just heard her get yelled at in the street, blah, blah, blah...". How the hell do I know she got yelled at because she's a woman? In fact, I'm fairly confident that she only got yelled at because she was a live reporter holding a microphone. You thought 95% was bad? I'd bet a pretty penny that 100% of on-scene correspondents have been harassed. Comes with the job description. She should just just be glad they did from 50 feet away, and weren't yelling "fuck her right in the pussy" directly into her earhole. Have a little more respect for your profession lady, you're not supposed to pay passer-bys any mind. I don't care if you are doing a report on public harassment or a report on Lin Wong the panda. You're supposed to stay focused and ignore a bunch of loud mouth jackasses that are trying to get on television. Start giving strangers the attention that they so longingly desire and you're bound to drive that percentage up.
P.S. Not fully convinced this wasn't set up beforehand. As a matter of fact, I have completely convinced myself otherwise. Fucking Brits, always trying to pull a fast one on us.
LBS- Paul Pierce just added some extra incentive to the Los Angeles Clippers to bring home their first NBA championship in franchise history. The veteran says he will “probably” retire if they win it all.
“This year, If we win a championship…I’ll probably be done with basketball,” Pierce said at media day on Friday. Pierce is 37 years old and nearing the end of his career, which has spanned 17 seasons in the league. He did sign a 3-year, $10.5 million deal with the Clippers, but it doesn’t sound like he plans to fulfill the term of the deal. I know, I know. This may come as surprise, but Paul Pierce will probably retire if he wins the NBA championship this season. I'll give you a minute to pick your jaws up off the floor. Paul Pierce saying he would probably retire a champion at the age 37 (or 38 depending on his birthday) is like me saying I would probably stop driving Uber if I won the lottery tomorrow. In other news, I am probably going to stop going on dates if hot women just start showing up at my door. Probably stop eating out too if a 5 star chef asks to rent out my guest room. What is this 'probably' nonsense Paul? You just took something that was a legitimate nugget of news, and turned it into a completely useless nugget of shit. How can I take a hard stance on a statement that was so incredibly flaccid? I need bulletin board material, not 'write it on a post-it and stick it on the fridge for a day' material. In all seriousness though, of course Paul Pierce will retire if the Clippers win a championship. In fact, he could have probably said the same thing prior to each of his last four seasons. I know part of the reason he keeps playing is because he has an undying love for the game. However, the opportunity to go out on top is one that every professional athlete one day hopes to be granted, and one that few rarely are. The Truth isn't getting any younger, and he's finally back on a team that has the talent to realistically make a Championship run. If there is a time for him to ride off into the sunset holding the Larry O'Brien trophy it's now, and my God would he go down in Los Angeles Clippers lore if he did.
The Good News: Drew Brees is OUT for Sunday.
Yes folks, there is a good side to this. The fact of the matter is that Drew Brees has never missed a start as a New Orleans Saint because he's played through injuries. He's played through minor injuries, and though he won't say it, he's probably played through some pretty serious injuries. Sean Payton and Drew Brees get along so well because they are both stubborn. They both don't know when to say to call a spade a spade. They both don't know when to turn off their competitive spirit. That's why I thought Drew would play this weekend, but I am actually glad that he's not. I watched Drew Brees throw ducks up and down the field last Sunday. I watched him constantly working out his shoulder that was so evidently hurt. The quarterback that I saw miss, BADLY, on balls that he could usually throw in his sleep is a quarterback that needs to give his shoulder more than one week of rest. The Saints are in an 0-2 hole, and while Luck McCown isn't necessarily the answer to getting them out of that hole, neither is starting a quarterback that can't throw the ball to the best of his abilities. If, and I emphasize IF, the Saints are going to do any damage later in the year, they are going to need Drew Brees at 100%, even if it means making a Week 3 win that much more unlikely. The Bad News: Drew Brees is OUT for Sunday. I don't think I am saying anything that football fans don't know when I say that the Saints are better when Drew Brees is playing quarterback. Considering the sad state of the offense, that has never been more true than right now. The running game has been slowed to a crawl. The offensive line, the same one that led to Brees injury, looked like a group of blind ticket collectors because they were letting anyone through. The receivers, if you want to call them that, are making the defensive backs covering them look like they are the ones running routes. The tight ends have been so invisible that you have to watch Jimmy Graham highlights just to remember that the Saints employ players at the position. Replacing a player that makes all those teammates better by inserting a career backup into the equation doesn't exactly add up to a lot more points. I haven't looked at the stats, mostly out of fear, but I don't think there are many 0-3 football teams that have made a serious playoff push. If you can't tell I am not exactly confident with Luke McCown starting Sunday, but what choice do I have. Stranger things have happened, right? RIGHT!? Oh well, buckle up your seat belts folks, because it could get ugly. However, if the Saints somehow manage to pull this one out, and Drew Brees shoulder isn't way worse than we are being told, then they might just be right back in the thick of the division. No pressure Luke. You have the chance, time to see if you can really shine.... A Man Ordered "Very Mild" Indian Food And Is Upset Because They Made A White Joke On His Receipt9/25/2015 Metro- A customer who ordered a mild curry from a local Indian restaurant was apparently horrified to discover someone had written ‘VERY MILD, WHITE PPL’ on his receipt.
A worker at Valentine Restaurant, in Southall, west London, seemed to think Stuart Lynn couldn’t handle the spiciest of foods due to him being white. But it may have all been a comical misunderstanding, with the restaurant’s owner Ruby Kandasamy saying it was not a slur. ‘Under white ppl, we don’t mean white people, but a white sauce made from milk, single cream, coconut milk and spices we add to our dishes when a curry is requested mild. “Ppl” means milk,’ she said. But Mr Lynn, 44, wasn’t buying it and is still unhappy his tolerance for spicy food was called into question based on his skin colour. ‘I was not happy at all – it said “white people” next to my curry,’ Mr Lynn, a Heathrow Airport supervisor, added. ‘It implies we can’t deal with strong curries. I do like a hot curry sometimes. I just fancied a mild one for a change. I thought it was very rude of them. Alright Stuart, settle down for a second there buddy. Maybe loosen the belt on the those plaid golf shorts a bit, because you're getting all worked up over nothing. You know how I know this isn't a big deal? Because some random Indian restaurant in London isn't even taking this complaint serious. Defending themselves by saying that the receipt says "white ppl" because they call their sauce "white ppl" is just about the most lackadaisical excuse I have ever heard. It's so lackadaisical, in fact, that I absolutely love it. I wouldn't pay Stuart 5 minutes of my time either. He's just an old, disgruntled white guy that's looking for someone, other than his wife, to get mad at. I am someone that doesn't have the taste buds for things that are super spicy either, but even I can admit that asking for your food to be prepared "very mild" is, quite literally, the whitest request ever made. I honestly don't even know what the fuck that means. The definition of the word "mild" means it's impossible to use the word "very" preceding it. Let me guess, he orders his red meat "very medium" too. Have a sense of humor Stu. If you don't want people to make white jokes at your expense then don't do things that only super white people would do. Every "Stuart" that has ever requested "very mild" food from an Indian restaurant has been made sport of, either in the kitchen or on the receipt. An Indian restaurant could lather their food in mayonnaise and it would still burn coming out the other side, so maybe stick to turkey sandwiches and chicken salad if your body isn't feeling up to the challenge big guy. Either that, or learn to laugh at yourself, because white people that get offended by white jokes are the worst kind of people on the planet. P.S. Who is out there reading receipts? Is that an old person thing? I think I have read more books in the last year than I have receipts, and I'm pretty sure I only made it like 3 chapters into one single book.
Ahh, the age old black quarterback debate. Can't ever get enough of this one. That's not even to say that there is no debate to be had. Black quarterbacks are viewed differently than white quarterbacks. They are generally seen as more athletic, and less intellectual. I don't agree with it, but it is true. With that said, I refuse to sit here and have someone tell me that RGIII is being treated unfairly because he's black. RGIII is being treated unfairly because he sucks, and in a business as cutthroat as the NFL, no one cares about you when you suck. RGIII lack of ability on a football field transcends race. Let's make a list of things we would change about RGIII as a quarterback...
1) He's a mental midget that can't handle criticism. 2) A strong gust of wind could sprain his ankle. 3) He doesn't get along with anyone else in his entire locker room. 4) He still hasn't learned how to be a pocket passer. 5) He never takes responsibility for his mistakes. 6) He's black. (if your against that sort of thing) Even the most racist of Redskins fans wouldn't put his skin color in their top 5. So there you have it Chris. The Redskins logo, that marginalizes the history of an entire ethnic group, is FARRRRR more racist than their treatment of a shitty quarterback that happens to be African American. You can't sit here and tell me that the Redskins logo and their refusal to play a black quarterback rival each other in terms of discrimination. Why you ask? Because the guy that is responsible for keeping the team name 'Redskins' is the exact same guy that is RGIII's biggest (only?) fan. If Daniel Snyder had a fucking pussy he would have Robert Griffin's children. There's not a doubt in my mind about that. If the guy was good enough to be a starting NFL quarterback then he would be playing. Not only because I'm sure the Redskins are tired of losing due to subpar play under center, but also because their owner would absolutely demand it. Now, I don't think the 'Skins have handled the RGIII situation well either, but that's because their owner is a an absolute buffoon, not because he's a buffoon that hates black people. Yahoo- An Idaho high school is requiring its cheerleaders to wear leggings or sweatpants under their uniforms after finding the short skirts were not suited for stairs or sitting without exposing the buttocks of teen girls, an administrator said on Thursday.
The decision by the school district in the northern Idaho city of Post Falls to seek more modesty for cheerleaders came after teachers at the high school reported some girls’ bottoms were sometimes visible when uniforms were worn to class on the day of football games or other sports matches, said Dena Naccarato, director of programs and instruction. A long-standing policy in the district’s dress codes requires skirts no shorter than mid-thigh but that had not been strictly applied to cheerleaders in past because no incidents raising the issue had occurred, she said. That tradition changed this year amid reports of exposures at the high school. "We can’t have anatomy showing," Naccarato said. The dress code directive has displeased some cheerleaders but has been supported by many parents who, like administrators, believe a degree of decorum is required in a learning environment, she said. Post Falls is not alone in establishing sartorial standards for its cheerleading squads. Neighboring school districts in Lakeland and Coeur d’Alene have in recent years ordered leggings or athletic pants be paired with abbreviated cheerleading skirts when worn to school. Honestly? Couldn't care less that this high school in Idaho is making their cheerleaders wear sweats under their skirts. I've never been to Idaho. I have no desire to go to Idaho. I don't even know where Idaho is on a map. I guess the point of this blog is to say that this story didn't surprise me. This is exactly the type of thing I would expect to be happening in Idaho. Restrictions on skirt length and making women cover up their anatomy is soooo 1950, and thus so perfectly Idaho. No bullshit, the last time I heard someone talking about skirt length was when my grandmother was discussing her time as cheerleader. Let that settle in. I bet people in the other 49 states will read this and be appalled by the antiquated beliefs of school systems in Idaho. Meanwhile, every person in Idaho is treating this story as a guideline for their family life. A family life that unquestionably features a stay-at-home mother that cooks and cleans. The fact that I have never been able to take this stance before is a testament to how behind the times Idaho actually is. Pretty sure the only reason this is my first blog worthy story out of Idaho is because some self loathing writer moved to Idaho yesterday to introduce them to online journalism. It can't be because there isn't any good material coming out of Idaho. High schools in Idaho have to chocked full of bored middle Americans doing stupid shit because there is nothing else to do. At least one person has had to have blown their friend's brains out with a potato launcher over the last year. No doubt in my mind. We just haven't heard about it because we don't get the Idaho Tribune. If you fell into a coma 50-60 years ago, and woke up in Idaho tomorrow you would feel right at home. Probably wouldn't even realize that you were out cold for half a century. You would just waltz on down to the corner store, grab yourself a 5 cent can of pop, and head over to the football field to check out a bunch of broads dressed like the Amish work on their front kicks.
DailyMail- A California teenager who defended a blind classmate who was being beaten up by punching his bully has been kicked off the football team.
Cody Pine was hailed as a hero for intervening after he saw the 'visually impaired' student being repeatedly hit round the head during lunch break at Huntington Beach High School, California on Wednesday. Footage, filmed by a bystander, shows the junior knocking the bully to the ground in a single punch to stop the attack. He leaves the boy lying bleeding on the ground while he checks on the visually impaired victim, before turning back to the attacker and asking him: 'You trying to jump a f***ing blind kid, bro? What the f*** is your problem?' The unnamed bully was today arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor battery and released to his parents, according to Huntington Beach Police. No arrest is expected for Cody who has been praised by his peers and online for standing up for his classmate. But his school took a different approach and are believed to have kicked the have-a-go-hero off the football team after he breached their 'zero-tolerance' policy on violence. Speaking of "zero tolerance policies", I am beginning to have a zero tolerance policy for stupid. When did we start interjecting in the high school ecosystem? Generally I would be fine with a football player getting kicked off the team for one punching a kid into a 6 month coma, but when that kid was bullying a blind kid? That's just high school maintaining it's delicate balance. No need for authority figures to step in and hand out punishments. No need for the police or principals to get involved. It's already been handled. The guilty party was dealt his punishment, and the innocent victim is now free from harm. What's the point of arresting a bully for suspicion of misdemeanor battery? First of all, I just watched it so I'm not suspicious at all. Second of all, no fake bullshit charge and subsequent arrest is going to do anything to change that kid's behavior. However, bleeding out of the side of his head in front of the entire school? It might put him to sleep at first, but in the long run it will serve as quite the wakeup call. Isn't bullying the biggest problem surrounding schools now-a-days? Isn't there a new campaign every goddamn day telling people to stop being mean? Guess what PC America. Telling kids things doesn't teach them anything. You learn from experience. This little fucker that is whooping on visually impaired kids just got served a life lesson. Don't hit blind kids. Impact correction baby. You know what lesson the kid who hit him learned? Don't protect defenseless people. Way to go Huntington Beach. You over-policed yourself so much that now your students are too afraid to police themselves. Too afraid to use their own brains to decipher right from wrong. Next time Cody Pine (most California name ever BTW) will just walk on by and not get involved due to fear of disciplinary action. That's what schools teach now-a-days. Never stand up for people that clearly need your help because you might break some stupid rule that someone instituted because they were too lazy to discuss things on a case-by-case basis. Never use your fists because everyone knows that words pack way more of a punch. What happened to "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me"? That was the education I got. Does that not apply when someone deserves to be hurt? |
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