One Coin, Different Sides

From today's headlines on CNN.com and FOXNEWS.com respectively:

CNN and FOXNews are merely opposite sides of the same coin. Some of you may know this but there are so many people who claim otherwise... I can't tell you how many people tell me they watch CNN because it's more unbiased than FOX. Bull. They both have agendas - FOX is right and CNN is left. End of story.

What About Brett Fah-Vrraaah?

Let's put something to bed right now: The Minnesota Vikings are not as good as advertised. First off, their schedule during the first six weeks of the season was not exactly the symbol of strength. Second, the Steelers have been fighting all season to steady themselves in the stretch of a football game; their fourth quarter performances are reminiscent of Pee-Wee Herman impersonating a defensive line. This week, however, the Vikings showed up as themselves and the Steelers showed up as last year's Steelers: Tough defense and doable offense.

Now, let me say that I was not fortunate this past Sunday in that I was unable to watch the game and was limited to highlights and what I've read. Having said that, I still think that the Steelers were fortunate that their offense did not play the way they played Sunday with the way the defense has played on recent Sundays. If that combination had shown up, the Vikes would still be celebrating 7-0 on their way to play in Brett Favre's old stomping grounds in Green Bay. The fact that the defense stepped up just shows that they are still capable of playing at the level they did last year and if both defense and offense can show up on the same Sunday, they are going to be tough to beat down the stretch.

Some questions left now are whether Fast Willie Parker will still be a Steeler going forward. Is he expendable with the likes of Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore now strong enough to fall into second. Don't forget Isaac Redman waiting in the wings unless another team comes along while he whistles along on the practice squad. It might be to the Steelers' benefit to play Parker a little more to give other teams a look at what he can still do. Time will tell on that.

Another question is what the Steelers plan on doing with Jeff Reed. It's pretty obvious after his latest off-field antics that he is not destined to be in black and gold much longer so, who do we turn to? Let's not forget how hard it was to find someone who can kick at Heinz Field (remember Kris Brown? - he's put together a solid career in Houston).

The next game after the bye week will be crucial - it will tell which way the Steelers will head down the stretch. Denver, whether they stay unbeaten or not, will be a pivotal match up and a tell-all for the Steelers chances this season. We'll see how things pan out!

A National Emergency

Today, President Obama declared that the Swine Flu pandemic is a national emergency. It certainly is, but, hasn't it been? Couldn't one make the case that Obama and his administration should have been able to show that when it was so very bad in May and July, that we should have foreseen the fall - traditionally the cold and flu season - would be even worse?

No. Here's yet another example of where politics must be set aside. Those that know me, know full well that I'm no fan of George W. Bush - in fact I couldn't despise him more - but the hatred and dislike of the man and his job became a little too blinded when Hurricane Katrina hit. Good ole Kanye was famous - or infamous as it were - for saying "George Bush hates black people" because of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. Here, we see the same thing. No matter what, with Katrina, the response was not going to be quick enough when we saw the enormity and gravity of the situation. Who could have even guessed for one second that it would turn out as it did? The answer is, of course, no one. This is the same answer to anyone who wants to question whether the Obama administration reacted or failed to react to the H1N1 pandemic. First of all, no one could predict what something like this virus was going to become. Today's response seems like that of a thoughtful, rational leader and it certainly should go to show a few things:

See what can happen if you put political correctness, national 'feel-goodness' and a gratuitous spat with Fox News out the window? You get a focus on what's really important. Let's now take this national emergency and let it show us that we really should buy that extra bottle of Purell and wash our hands as often as possible. While it might be small, this is a good bit of leadership and I hope to see more.

Attention Whores

Congratulations, America.

Thanks, yet again, to the 24 hour news networks and the internet, we have managed to give a family of fucktards exactly what they've wanted. This family, whom I have not even taken the time to commit their names to memory, have managed to captivate this country and get the attention they have so aggressively sought.

Apparently, the father has been after TV networks to chronicle the family's everyday life in yet another "reality show." Bruce Willis was right when he was recently interviewed and called reality shows, "bullshit." I do, however, have to give credit to most of these networks for declining his attempts to exploit his bizarre family life.

I feel I've lost IQ points just in writing what little I have about this type of douchebaggery so I'm not going to perpetuate it any longer. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this whole thing though.

A Letter to Janeane Garofalo

Dear Janeane Garofalo,

Thank you for pointing out that the Tea Party protesters are are all racist. Thank you for stating that their opposition to the initiatives of the Obama Administration is not about politics or ideology but rather about "white people hating a black man," as you so eloquently put on your most recent appearance on Keith Olbermann's show.

I really do appreciate your helpful insight on this because I was unclear. You see, I remember when you were complaining about how the right-wingers called you 'unpatriotic' for disagreeing with them and their decisions. You're absolutely right and I see no parallel here. Clearly, opposition is not allowed; it's just the type of opposition.

Janeane, I now see that you and Jimmy Carter and so many others who feel this way have a lot of hatred. Not hatred towards the right - hatred of yourselves. The horrible way blacks have been treated in this country's history is atrocious. So much so that you find it hard to forgive. The color of your own skin makes you cringe when you look in the mirror. How can you wake up in the morning and go to bed at night knowing that in the time in between, you did nothing to lessen the guilt you have for being white. How awful it must be for you to wake up and see that your pigmentation is so much more pale than a black man or woman. Of course, you decide to take the only course of action that is left; you hate the white men and women. You see they disagree with the President and it must surely be about racism. The Tea Partiers or Joe Wilson... they don't state that it's about race - or even imply it in any way. So you make the statement and then is surely must be true.

You know, Janeane, you're right. It's an awful thing to hate someone because of the color of their skin. Too bad you hate whites for the color of theirs!

Kanye West is Racist

How dare I. HOW DARE I! How dare I call Kanye West, a man I've paid no attention to before today, a racist. He's a celebrity. He's a celebrity who speaks out against racism (George Bush hates black people?)

What if Taylor Swift was black, Kanye and Beyonce were white? Old argument you say? No older than the constant cry of racism by those like Kanye if you ask me.

I'm sick and tired of it. Somehow the voters "dissed" the 'sista' and Kanye, along with a healthy dose of Hennessy no doubt, was going to give Beyonce her 'props.'

I wonder if Barack Obama would insist that Taylor Swift acted "stupidly?"

What is even more certain than his racism, however, is the fact that this man is an attention whore and we've all played into his hands. He got what he wanted. He was forgiven for his previous outbursts so these ones will be no different in his minds. The sad part is, he's probably right. He'll be back next year and people will be wondering what he's going to do and then when he does nothing everyone will take note of that fact and he'll still be getting attention.

So is Kanye West really a racist? Maybe no more so than any of the rest of us but we still get to have people like him kill an argument swiftly and successfully by asserting that as the truth so I'm making my case and telling you: He is.

Steelers 13, Titans 10

The Pittsburgh Steelers began the quest of defending their Super Bowl title last night in the first regular season game in the 2009 season with a 13-10 overtime win against the Tennessee Titans.

The win, as any of you saw, was not especially pretty but it's what champions do; overcome adversity and poor play - or in last night's case - sluggish play.

The first half was really an exercise in lethargy for both teams. The passing game was more effective than the running game as was the case throughout the entire game but I think we're seeing the truth in what Willie Parker said last season; Coach Mike Tomlin seems to be moving away from the running game as a staple of the Steelers' offense. There is still no fullback and no answer as to whether there will be. (It's possible Sean McHugh could have filled that position this season had he not been injured). The running game was not the crucial problem though: About the only thing that Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth got right last night was their assessment of the Steelers' horrific record on 3rd down and short yardage. Yes, they converted when they needed last night, but it might not have mattered so much at the time had they taken care of business on previous situations.

Regarding Michaels and Collinsworth: What did they mean by Ben's legal situation being "an obvious cloud" over the Steelers? If it is hanging over the Steelers (or Ben, for that matter), I don't think it's really that obvious. Is it a concern? Probably. But, as we say, championship teams overcome adversity and they showed last night, just how different from the 2006 defending champs they really are. Of course, it's only one game but I really believe that the '06 Steelers would have lost that game.

I also like what I've seen from Mike Tomlin since his rookie season as head coach; he's got a little fire in his belly! I never asked for him to be Bill Cowher II but he was downright hushed his first season. Last year and last night, he was anything but so Tomlin has really solidified himself as the next long-term Steelers head coach. Now, all we need is to brand his era (a la "Cowher Power") to make his mark.

All in all, the win was sweet and the Steelers (and football season) is back! Oh, not to mention the return of Monday Morning Quarterback here on the Forum!