Writing at, of all places, Newsweek, Thomas Krannawitter gets to the nut of this election:
Arguably, the most important reason to reelect Donald Trump in 2020 is to remind Americans how elections should be decided. Right now, there are two large groups who think they—not us—should decide elections in America: violent, rioting, vandalizing mobs of progressives, and millions of unelected bureaucrats who now form what early progressives called the "permanent government."
Both need to learn a lesson. For the violent mobs: Elections should be decided by ballots, not threatening fellow citizens with bullets. We will not stand for it and you only strengthen our resolve.
Threats of violence if Trump wins are sufficient reason to vote for him.
To boot, unelected progressive bureaucrats—public employees, servants of the people—had the audacity to use the power of our government in an attempt to overturn our election results in 2016 simply because one of their own did not win.
Enough.
More, much more actually at the link. Read the whole thing.
Why do I believe Trump is going to win? Because enough people recognize the last four years have been less about Trump's policies than about the reaction to him.
I cannot recall a day in which some news outlet, somewhere, has excoriated the Bad Orange Man. I cannot recall a day when Chuck Schumer, or Nancy Pelosi, or some other grandee, has avoided a lectern. The signal to noise ratio is off the charts. We had this:
Ripping good
And this:
Chickenshit Congressman eats chicken
And this:
Not how you laid it out, Congressman
Trump is a bullshit artist. The Democrats are liars. If the American people let the Democrats get by with their behavior without some form of reckoning, it's going to get really ugly.
A few disjointed thoughts. I have more, but we'll start here.
I haven’t voted for a Democrat for president in my lifetime. I have voted for Libertarians a few times and in 2016 I cast a write-in vote for my wife. Most of the times I’ve voted for a Republican, it’s been with limited enthusiasm.
Chin music
I was Never Trump in 2016 because I thought he was a charlatan. When Trump defeated Hillary Clinton, who I knew was a charlatan, I was mostly amused. Still, at the point the election was decided, it was time to give Trump a chance, so I put the Never Trump stance away. In the four years since last Election Day, I have observed Trump’s presidency and have been amazed. He may sound like a carnival barker, but he’s actually kept his promises. And despite every obstacle and attack he’s faced, I strongly believe he will be re-elected on Tuesday. And yes, I plan to vote for Donald Trump. Donald Trump has all manner of uncorrected personality traits, but he’s far superior to his opponent.
The modern Democratic party is a hot mess, a septic tank gumbo of careerism, cronyism, corruption, and collusion. Its luminaries are uniformly appalling. Its standard-bearer is clearly demented – put him in a bathrobe and he’d be a modern-day version of Vincent “The Chin” Gigante, except without the artifice. Joe Biden was a plagiarizing buffoon in 1988 and he’s been on the slide ever since then, but the party apparat felt he was a better candidate than any of the others who were running against him. It's a stunning indictment of the Democratic Party.
Old dude, I have an axe to grind about certain things. Just when I was getting ready to see the Badgers follow up the beatdown they had, some people deserve some ridicule.
Just some?
Oh, I have lots. Stay tuned.
I sense Very Special Comments ahead.
You have no idea.
Oh, I have an idea.
When I find myself agreeing with SEC shills, you know things are messed up. I am feeling the HYYYYYYPPPPEEE, and it is time to watch me work.
Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (-19.5) vs. Maryland Terps So it turns out that PJ Fleck has some things to figure out, and those things might not require his brand enhancing. The Gophers looked overmatched against Michigan at home, and are looking to wash that taste out of their mouth. I'll be honest, I didn't watch the Terps game, but getting beat down that badly by the Purple Nerds is hilarious. It is a long journey on a short week, but the Rowers of the Boat should continue to be Elite, and the Gopher fanbase can keep drinking the Kool Aid and keep buying the snake oil. Of course, if they somehow lose, then the honeymoon is over. Terps 24, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 0.
I don't quite follow you, but that's okay. Maryland is awful, so this is get well time for the Flecktones.
Flecktones?
Nothing quite like a jazz banjo player. Gophers 31, Terrapins 20.
Minnesota Vikings (+6.5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers The Vikings have struggled this year, and are dangerously running low on defensive backs. That is going to be a huge problem when they face off against a Packers team that lit up their secondary in Week 1. Look, the Packers looked good against Houston last week. The problem is that the injury report is getting long. The Packers should still win this game, but the Vikings will make things very difficult. Look for the Packers to try and torch the Viking secondary. If the Vikings lose this game, pray for Cory Cove and Ron Johnson. Packers 45, Vikings 10.
The weather should be nicer at Lambeau and the Vikings may need to bring back Wasswa Serwanga or Ed Sharockman. This could be ugly. Packers 43, Vikings 24.
And now, time for a Very Special Comment. Barry Alvarez may be a living legend, but why not try and find a way to play? Nebraska fans are right to be angry at the Badgers and they should be allowed to play a non conference game. It's become obvious that Kevin "Karen" Warren and the Big Ten "leadership" really didn't want to play, and the only reason they are is because they know that nobody else caved. What they should have done was to do what the SEC did. Look, I hate that conference. Those schools cheat, and the constant love affair that ESPN has with that conference makes me shake my head in disgust. But you know what, they actually had a plan. They built in multiple bye weeks to provide a cushion in case of positive tests that they knew would happen. When Florida had their outbreak, Greg Sankey didn't panic and adjusted. When the Marlins and Cardinals had their outbreaks, Rob Manfred adjusted the plan. I'd also like to note that as a baseball fan, Rob Manfred doesn't seemingly even like baseball when compared to Bud Selig. When I am agreeing with Paul Finebaum and Clay Travis on the Big Ten, you know that's how angry I am.
I've been a Big Ten and Wisconsin fan for 20 years. I've planned years of fall Saturday afternoons and evenings around watching Wisconsin take on all comers from the league. In this blog space, I have defended the Big Ten and fought for fairness against the SEC lovers who don't understand or respect the conference and the glorious shared history that these teams have. Karen Warren's leadership would make any Boy Scout youth leader cringe. A 21 day wait to return to competition after 2 positive tests? It's disrespectful to the players, coaches, and most importantly the fans of the Big Ten to admit that they are only doing this because other conferences refused to quit. Karen Warren needs to resign now. He had plenty of time in the spring to come up with a plan. I get that the college presidents can't worry about football all the time. But they hired Warren to take care of the athletic side of the league.
What I would have done is simple. I would have started in late September, and built in 3 bye weeks for each team. I would have released a statement saying that positive tests were going to happen, but that the conference is committed to playing and that this plan would have worked. By the way, that took me all of 10 minutes to come up with. Fire Karen Warren and all of the league presidents. Those presidents are screwing over college kids this year. And Free Mertz. Ben out!
Last time I picked Clinton to win. In 2012 I picked Romney to win. So this is probably Trump's kiss of death, but here goes:
Sweep the north
A few particulars:
If Biden had Minnesota in the bag, he wouldn't be coming here tomorrow. But he is. And so is Trump. Even though Biden's event is in St. Paul and Trump's is in Dodge Center Rochester, I'd bet Trump draws a significantly bigger crowd.
I dispensed with the fractional measurements (on Nebraska and Maine) mostly to keep it clean.
Pennsylvania and North Carolina are currently set up for voter fraud, but based on what I'm reading Biden hasn't built up enough of a lead in the early voting in either state for fraud to work. There's a plausibility limit to how many found ballots you can find. And Pennsylvania relies on fracking. I also don't think ongoing riots in West Philly are particularly propitious, either.
Wisconsin is supposedly turning to Biden, but I don't see it. Biden has hinted at more lockdowns and while the 'Rona is on the rampage in my home state, most people there don't want to be locked down all winter. The 17-point Biden lead reported recently is clearly crap. If it were true, Trump wouldn't be visiting Wisconsin, but he will be in Green Bay tomorrow.
Team Biden and their many enablers in the media have kept the Hunter Biden shenanigans out of the press, but word gets around.
Biden is not healthy; yes, he's been able to get through two debates, but he's barely campaigned at all in the last week and it looks like he could stroke out on the hustings at any time. People have noticed that as well.
Trump voters don't talk to pollsters. But they vote.
Amy Coney Barrett is now a Supreme Court justice. This is good news for many reasons. A few observations:
Justice Barrett
I don't know what happens with Roe v. Wade going forward, and neither does anyone else. A challenge may never reach the Supreme Court. In fact, that would be my guess.
The two cases that matter more to me are Citizens United and Heller. Both of these are now safe for a generation or more.
Liberals hate the result, because they have plans and they need the Supreme Court to make things happen for them. Even if John Roberts lets his freak flag fly and sides with the liberals going forward, he's going to be on the wrong side of 5-4 majorities in many instances.
Will the Dems pack the Court? They would like to, but I don't think Joe Biden is going to win the election, so it's moot at this point. But that's a subject for another post.
My guess? Barrett will be one of the all-time greats on the Court. She is brilliant and principled. Her intellect is second to none. It's no surprise the Dems hate her, because she is the antidote to the dim cynicism of the modern Left.
Old dude, it is great to have the Big Ten back. No thanks to the presidents and conference leadership being scared. Will the Badgers win and will the Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat keep on rowing?
Both results would be desirable, to varying degrees.
It's just great to have college football that is actually interesting to talk about. I am feeling the HYYYYYYPPPEEE!
Won't look like that tomorrow night, but in spirit...
Yes indeed, old dude! It is time to pick some games, and time to watch me work.
Michigan Wolverines (-3) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat This game features two coaches that will be very animated on the sidelines. This game is really going to be interesting. For the Wolverines, they have failed to live up to the high expectations that the entitled Michigan fanbase has; in addition to the Khaki Man expectations coming from when he left the NFL for his alma mater. The Gophers should be the favorite as they are probably a favorite to win the West, though there is one knock against PJ that even his sayings and twisting of truth can't hide. He has struggled against his rivals and has only won 2 trophy games in his tenure. Also, the Gophers no longer will be underestimated and will have no crowd in the stands. That is, unless a certain elected official in Saint Paul decides so. I think the Golden Elite Rowers will be #Elite, though I think they won't be Big Ten West "co-champs" again. Oh, and will the Gophers be selling Gameday shirts with oar branding at Goldy's Locker Room? Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 24, Wolverines 10.
It's tough, because we know things about both programs, but nothing about these teams. Gophers have not beaten the Wolverines in Minneapolis for a long time. Does that end Saturday? I think so. High scoring for sure. Gophers 31, Michigan 28.
Illinois Fighting Illini (+19.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers This game is a rematch of that horrible game last year in Champaign, where things went really bad for the Badgers. This time, it will be Graham Mertz getting the nod at quarterback. Mertz is highly touted among some in the Badger fanbase, and I will be curious to see how he does. It sucks not having JT in the backfield, but this team has enough talent to win comfortably. Badgers cruise at home, and move on to the next one. Badgers 42, Illini 17.
Illinois made progress last year, but their victory against the Badgers was kinda fluky. Bucky has plans for this season and the Illini aren't going to stop them. Badgers 49, Illinois 20.
Boise State Broncos (-16.5) vs. Utah State Aggies. You remember last week when there was a mention of another conference coming back. That would be the Mountain West, a conference that I have never picked a game in conference play. They have handled the chaos better than the Big Ten. I'll be honest, I'm not an expert on Mountain West football, and generally watch a bit more of their hoops than their football. Utah State is run by Gary Andersen, who is still in witness protection after that one Big Ten title game. Boise State is one of the original BCS Busters, and I love the Smurf Turf. Boise State was predicted to win the league, and are the favorite so far to win the autobid to a big bowl game. Utah State can win especially considering that Logan is not an easy place to play out in that league. But Boise has too much talent. Broncos 28, Aggies 17.
Sure. Whatever you say. Boise State 27, Utah State 14.
Glorious Green Bay Packers (-3.5) vs. Houston Texans The Packers had a horrible quarter against the Bucs, and really looked terrible last week. They are banged up, and you know that Houston was looking at that tape. The Texans have talent, but thanks to their previous head coach are very much a flawed team. What the Packers need to do is keep DeshaunWatson in the pocket, and get some pressure. The Smith brothers have been quiet. I think the Packers can get back on track, though this might be a shootout. Packers 48, Texans 37.
The Texans are talented but dumb. The Packers will not have an easy visit to Houston, but I expect them to win this week. Packers 38, Houston 28.
Enjoy your football this weekend. Thanks in particular to the Mountain West website and Mountain West Connection for helping me with research. Ben out.
The New Yorker has suspended reporter Jeffrey Toobin for masturbating on a Zoom video chat between members of the New Yorker and WNYC radio last week. Toobin says he did not realize his video was on.
So what kinda Zoom call was this? Back to the second link:
Two people who were on the call told VICE separately that the call was an election simulation featuring many of the New Yorker's biggest stars: Jane Mayer was playing establishment Republicans; Evan Osnos was Joe Biden, Jelani Cobb was establishment Democrats, Masha Gessen played Donald Trump, Andrew Marantz was the far right, Sue Halpern was left wing democrats, Dexter Filkins was the military, and Jeffrey Toobin playing the courts. There were also a handful of other producers on the call from the New Yorker and WNYC.
I will say this: having the notorious lefty Jane Mayer pretending to be "establishment Republicans" isn't nearly as a big a stretch as one might think.
Okay, let's think about this. You had a bunch of big-shot writers LARPing on a Zoom call. The players (so to speak) are indulging in a strange fantasy ritual. And in the midst of this Toobin changed his surname into an Urban Dictionary verb. Just a reminder: these are our betters.
The good news is that next week the best college football conference in the land will get back in action.
The Midwest Conference? Beloit/Knox? Grinnell/Ripon?
While that would highly entertaining, I mean the B1G, which means we'll be picking college games again next week.
The news America is waiting for.
Well, yeah. In the meantime, the Vikings look like they will be playing after all and the Packers head south to play the Bucs.
Will either game provide Southern Comfort?
I sincerely doubt that. Still, I am feeling the HYYYYPPPEEE and it is time to watch me work.
Atlanta Falcons (+4) vs. Minnesota Vikings The big story around the Vikings is the decision by Mike Zimmer to go for it last week out in Seattle. My take on the situation is that it never should have come to that in the first place. The Dalvin Cook injury was unfortunate, and that certainly had an impact. You can't anticipate injuries. On the other hand, the Vikings had a double digit lead early in the second half. You have to hold that lead if you want to beat an elite team in this league. Also, Kirk Cousins deserves the blame for the late fumble and the costly pick that got the Seahawks back in the game. The Falcons are a professional football team, despite all evidence that suggests otherwise. This is going to be a hard game for them. They have had their problems with the virus this week, and are without a head coach. Dan Quinn deserved to get fired, though he should have been fired after 28-3 in the Super Bowl four years ago. I have believed that for years, and it looks like people are starting to recognize that fact. The Vikings should win, though give the rock to Mattison. As a fantasy owner, that would be really good. Vikings 35, Choking Hazard 10.
Vikings should win. I do worry about a team that changes coaches, though -- sometimes the players come out with a chip on their shoulders. I also worry about the Viking secondary holding up against the Atlanta receiving corps, which should include Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley this time. Vikings have to win this, but it's going to be tough. Vikings 31, Falcons 28.
Glorious Green Bay Packers (-1) vs. Tampa Bay Bucs The Packers have already gotten some good news this week with getting some players back healthy. This is going to be a tough task, as the Packers have struggled to play well in Florida in the past and the Bucs are talented. One important factor to keep in mind is that the Bucs are allowing some folks into the building, and that hasn't happened yet for the Packers this year. Obviously nobody was in Lambeau for the first two home games, and the Saints and Vikes don't allow fans in their venues. Tom Brady is certainly no slouch, and he also gets his best weapons back healthy. I think the Packers can win another close game, but this will be more like the Vikings game or the Saints game than the LOLions or Falcons games. Packers 31, Bucs 24.
You know what's wrong? This is wrong.
Tampa will be tough. Brady is better than Johnny Unitas in a Chargers uniform, but he's not the same guy he was two years ago. Matt LaFleur has had a week to cook some things up in his laboratory and he'll be featuring someone you aren't expecting. Wild guess? Equanimeous St. Brown. Packers 34, Bucs 27.
Enjoy your football this weekend. Next week I can talk about the Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat and the Badgers again. Oh, and I have a surprise game to pick to give props to another conference that may or may not happen. Ben out.
Hunter Biden introduced his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, to a top executive at a Ukrainian energy firm less than a year before the elder Biden pressured government officials in Ukraine into firing a prosecutor who was investigating the company, according to emails obtained by The Post.
The never-before-revealed meeting is mentioned in a message of appreciation that Vadym Pozharskyi, an adviser to the board of Burisma, allegedly sent Hunter Biden on April 17, 2015, about a year after Hunter joined the Burisma board at a reported salary of up to $50,000 a month.
“Dear Hunter, thank you for inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent [sic] some time together. It’s realty [sic] an honor and pleasure,” the email reads.
An earlier email from May 2014 also shows Pozharskyi, reportedly Burisma’s No. 3 exec, asking Hunter for “advice on how you could use your influence” on the company’s behalf.
Someone tried to give the laptop with this data a bath:
The blockbuster correspondence — which flies in the face of Joe Biden’s claim that he’s “never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings” — is contained in a massive trove of data recovered from a laptop computer.
The computer was dropped off at a repair shop in Biden’s home state of Delaware in April 2019, according to the store’s owner.
Other material extracted from the computer includes a raunchy, 12-minute video that appears to show Hunter, who’s admitted struggling with addiction problems, smoking crack while engaged in a sex act with an unidentified woman, as well as numerous other sexually explicit images.
The customer who brought in the water-damaged MacBook Pro for repair never paid for the service or retrieved it or a hard drive on which its contents were stored, according to the shop owner, who said he tried repeatedly to contact the client.
The client didn't apparently want it. Wonder why?
The shop owner couldn’t positively identify the customer as Hunter Biden, but said the laptop bore a sticker from the Beau Biden Foundation, named after Hunter’s late brother and former Delaware attorney general.
That would seem to be of interest. But there's more:
Photos of a Delaware federal subpoena given to The Post show that both the computer and hard drive were seized by the FBI in December, after the shop’s owner says he alerted the feds to their existence.
Chris Wray and his gang may not have an interest, but others did:
But before turning over the gear, the shop owner says, he made a copy of the hard drive and later gave it to former Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s lawyer, Robert Costello.
I'd wondered what Rudy had been up to. There' more:
Steve Bannon, former adviser to President Trump, told The Post about the existence of the hard drive in late September and Giuliani provided The Post with a copy of it on Sunday.
But why did it matter?
Less than eight months after Pozharskyi thanked Hunter Biden for the introduction to his dad, the then-vice president admittedly pressured Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk into getting rid of Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin by threatening to withhold a $1 billion US loan guarantee during a December 2015 trip to Kiev.
“I looked at them and said: I’m leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, you’re not getting the money,” Biden infamously bragged to the Council on Foreign Relations in 2018.
“Well, son of a bitch. He got fired.”
He sure did. But if you'll recall, President Trump was the one who was impeached over dealings in Ukraine. We don't talk much about that impeachment much any more. Wonder why....
Old dude, thanks to the lack of NFL games of interest and utter incompetence of the Big Ten presidents and Kevin Warren, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Yeah, but Xavier won! And so did Irondale! And so did Washburn!
So you're doing high school football now? Are you Randy Shaver?
We've picked high school games before.
Right, but you have to pick them. We didn't pick any of those games.
Oh, I guess we didn't.
Anyway, thanks for the update there, Shaver. Meanwhile, I ask again -- can Kevin Warren join Bill O'Brien on the unemployment line already? And when will Congressman Anthony Gonzalez run the league already?
Have they asked him?
No, but I'm asking him. That should count for something.
Good point. He really should be taking your calls.
You're finally figuring it out, old dude! I am feeling the HYYYYPPEEEEE! and it is time to watch me work.
Minnesota Vikings (+7) vs. Seattle Seachickens So the Vikings won a game that they needed to win on the road, and at least for one week the "fire everyone" subset of Vikings fans can avoid tying up the KFAN phone lines. However, this week is going to be much less of a sure thing. The Seahawks are 4-0, and are arguably just as good as the Packers. One thing to keep in mind, the bandwagon Seahawks fans who don't know who Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselback, and Mike Holmgren even are will be nowhere to be seen on Sunday. Look, the Vikings haven't won here the last two years, and the Seahawks can pass the ball. Plus, Kirk Cousins also struggles in prime time. Get ready for the announcers to reference that every 10 seconds. Sorry Vikings fans, I don't like your chances, even though winning will help the Packers out. Pray for Corey Cove and Ron Johnson on KFAN when they have to do what they do. Seachickens 49, Vikings 10.
I believe the phrase is "Let Russ cook." And he is cooking. The Vikings need to put pressure on Russ to slow him down. They haven't done anything like that all season. I agree, a long night up in the Emerald City. Seahawks 34, Vikings 14.
Philadelphia Eagles (+7) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Well, the LOLions and Packers are on bye, and the college games were not interesting enough to comment. So, we get to discuss the Iggles and Yinzers. The Steelers are a confusing team. Yes, they beat the Titans, but they were in a dogfight for much of their games against the Giants and the Broncos, teams who have struggled so far. The good news for the Steelers is that they are healthy and have gotten rid of the off the field drama from Antonio Brown that led to the end of the Killer B era of the team. Big Ben has looked healthier and is still a Leader of Men. It also helps that they have James Conner and he is a great back to have for fantasy. I should know, I drafted him. As for the Eagles, it is time for a Very Special Comment.
The NFC East is going to be one of the worst divisions in the history of sports. After 4 weeks, the Eagles somehow lead the division with a record of 1-2-1. And somehow this joke of a division is going to be featured on national television just about every freaking week. I thought that the 2014 NFC South was a joke, but that Panthers team could probably beat every team in this division twice. This Eagles team is flawed, and quite frankly they have the wrong quarterback leading the team. Carson Wentz has been unable to stay healthy, and should have been traded after they won the Super Bowl. There, I said it. Big Dick Nick may be a flawed quarterback, but the dude was very comfortable in Doug Pederson's system. Look, I know that Frank Reich left to coach the Colts, and that the QB coach on that team is a scapegoat for Mike Zimmer and Vikings fans. But if this flawed quarterback is the face of a team that is the projected 4 seed and gets a home playoff game by virtue of being in a division that is a dumpster fire, it's a sad state. If a team like the Niners or Cardinals misses out to this Eagles team, then the NFL needs to change the playoff format.
Sorry, needed to get that out of my system. There will be some Yinzers at this game, and I will be honest. I want the Eagles to win, so a certain YouTube series will refuse to die. Sorry Tree. E A G L E S EAGLES 35, This Week On Days Of Our Steelers 10.
You should probably play some of his NSFW highlights, doncha think?
I probably shouldn't reveal where Benster gets some of his insights, but at least Benster mostly avoids F-bombs, so that's something. It's also more than most Eagles fans can manage. I think the Steelers are a better team, especially at home. And it will play out that way. Steelers 31, Eagles 19.
Very quick analysis from your mostly moribund blogger:
Pence was exactly as I expected him to be -- solid, Midwestern, generally authoritative. He stayed on point, never lost his cool, and he did two things to set up the next week or two of the campaign. First, he made sure everyone realized that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden will not answer the question on packing the Supreme Court. This is an important question, not some Matsu and Quemoy thing. Second, he turned the question of accepting the results of the 2020 election into an opportunity to remind everyone how the Democrats still haven't accepted the results of 2016. Nicely done.
Harris wasn't terrible, but she's a demagogue and she has a difficult time keeping her cool. The mannerisms and smirking you got on the split screen did her no favors. She was also evasive on several points and tripled down on the dishonesty of Biden's performance the week before, especially the lie about Charlottesville. She lost the debate, but she didn't lose the election.
SNL won't have to work very hard for their punchline this week:
Pretty fly for a white guy
I give Pence credit; I would have swatted the fly away for sure, but he kept his composure. I suppose his days in the employ of Dr. Benton Quest helped him to learn how to deal with insects.
Old dude, the good news is that our picks have not been delayed. And thank the Lord that the Vikings have been safe so far.
So far. The Titans are in a bad way, but it doesn't appear they gave the Vikings any of the 'Rona, so that's something. I have to admit their team charter was a bit suspicious:
Well, that's a little morbid, Old Dude!
You want worse? I can do worse.
While I don't doubt that, I'd rather you not. Back on the field, the Vikings are playing for their lives, whereas the Packers are going to have to play the Falcons to continue their hot start. I am feeling the HYYYYPPPPEEEE! over the start the Packers have had. Boy, it's been fun.
It's going to get worse for someone. Three of the teams you're featuring are winless. Some might also be clueless.
Right. But enough goofing around. It is time to pick some games. Watch me work.
Minnesota Vikings (+3.5) vs. Houston Texans The Vikings gave it their best shot last weekend against the Titans, but things fell apart late and now the temperature on the team has been turned all the way up. Mike Zimmer might be playing for his job, and not having their practice facility opened really hurts. The good news is that they are playing the Texans, a team that has a really bad leader at the helm. Bill O'Brien may have done great work at Penn State post-sanctions, but he has been really questionable while coaching the Texans. He famously blew a 24 point lead in a quarter against the Chiefs, and somehow traded his best receiver for pennies on the dollar. Oh, and the Texans have no offensive line against a blitzing team. Look, the Vikings may be going in the wrong direction. But they will win this game. If they don't, pray for Corey Cove and Ron Johnson. Vikings 31, Bill O'Brien Is A Hack 0.
Cove and Johnson are well compensated, so I guess I wouldn't worry about them so much. As for the game, it really comes down to whether the Vikings can fix their offensive line. The Texans have a lot of defensive talent, but I'm not sure it adds up to a good defense. On the offensive side of the ball, getting Dalvin Cook going is absolutely essential. He's been decent, but you always wonder when then the next injury will hit. What do we say about desperate teams at home? Texans 31, Vikings 27.
Hotlanta Falcons (+7) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers If you had told me at the start of the year that the Packers would be 3-0 and win in New Orleans without Davante Adams, I would have been a bit confused. The bad news for the Packers is that Aaron is going to be dangerously short on wideouts even if Adams goes. I'll be straight with you -- this game makes me nervous. Look, I know the Falcons have choked two games and Dan Quinn should have been fired after 28-3. There, I said it. But the thing is that the Falcons are desperate, and a lot more talented then people think. This game reminds me of the Packers/Eagles game from last year, and we know how that went. The Packers can win this game, but don't be surprised if the Falcons are playing for their jobs. This game has trap written all over it with a neon sign that you can't miss from the freeway, even on a dark night. Packers 28, Fire Dan Quinn 24.
Looks like this, I think:
What concerns me is the lack of receivers for the Packers. It's not clear if Davante Adams will be available and we are certain Allen Lazard is not available. So it's possible the #1 for the Packers will be Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who is not the most reliable guy on the team. Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers seem to have a plan for most issues, though. I think the Packers keep winning, but it won't be easy. Packers 38, Falcons 30.
Thanks for reading, and may the President and First Lady get better. I'll see you next week if I don't get cancelled. Ben out.
As news came over that President Trump and the First Lady have the 'Rona, the reaction was typical -- most of the leftists on my social media feeds were almost gleeful. I could publish several examples, but frankly, what's the point? We all know how leftists are. While it's momentarily disheartening to see your otherwise sensible friends become raving loons when Orange Man Bad is the topic of conversation, it's no longer surprising.
I am hopeful the President recovers quickly. We need him.
They were contemporaries on the pop charts and they left this mortal coil on successive days. Helen Reddy, best known for her feminist anthem "I Am Woman," died yesterday at the age of 78. "I Am Woman" was a smash hit, but it's actually fairly polite and with a moderately brassy arrangement typical of the time:
She had a few other hits over the years, but as a practical matter she disappeared by the end of the decade. Her later hits were somewhat weirder, like this one:
That was yesterday. Today, word came that another familiar face from the early 70s, Mac Davis, had passed away. Davis had one foot in the pop world and another in country, and first made his name as a songwriter. He wrote this one for Elvis Presley:
Not exactly a social justice move, but certainly of the period. About a year later, Davis had his largest hit with this song:
"Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me." It was a smash hit. And I hate this song with every fiber of my being. It's horrible and smarmy, a cautionary tale told by a cad. But it sold a lot of records and since Davis was a reasonably handsome dude, he managed to have a decent career, including a year or two with his own television variety show, in a time where the networks were so in love with the concept that they gave one to a pair of mimes. This might be the most 70s video of all time:
Then again, this is likely the most 70s video of all time.
Yeah, I digress more than a little. But all these years later, the common thread is that entertainers were interested in entertaining, even if they were a little mixed up on their concepts. I don't miss the 1970s, but I am glad we can visit.
Yeah, the first debate was a straight-up shitshow. A few very brief thoughts:
Biden didn't drool on himself, so that's positive. I kinda think Trump made his life easier, because if he'd just dropped the insults on Joe and let him respond, Biden might have said something he would later regret, but Trump can't help himself. Also, many people will object to the full frontal assault on Biden's son Hunter. But my guess is this: if Trump gets a sufficient amount of voters to do a little research on Hunter Biden's, ahem, career, it will work to Trump's benefit.
Trump is a rat bastard, but he fights. And in a moment where the Left is bidding fair to destroy much of what I hold dear, a rat bastard is probably the right guy for the job of opposing the Left.
Chris Wallace begged a lot of questions, none to Trump's benefit. And he lost control of things more than once. As annoying as Trump and Biden were, Wallace was a bigger disgrace than either of them.
Trump did make one important point concerning the peaceful transition of power; he never got one when he was elected and he's been at war with the Deep State from the jump. I think a lot of people understand that but haven't thought about it much. Maybe the message got lost in the brawling, but it's possible that may resonate with a few people.
I'd like to say we deserve better candidates for president, but based on my social media feed I don't think that's right. We have the campaign and the candidates we have because we allow the worst government class ever to maintain their sinecures.
Old dude, it might be the last stand for the Vikings already. Can they get it done at home against a good Titans squad?
They kinda have to. If they go 0-3 and either the Packers or da Bearz win, they are buried already. And the schedule doesn't get any easier.
We shall see. In the meantime, the Packers are down on the Bayou to face the Saints in a game that I believe will be consequential down the line.
No question. A win in New Orleans would be huge.
I am feeling the HYYYYYYYPPPPEEE!, and it is time to watch me work.
Tennessee Tuxedos (-3) vs. Minnesota Vikings Last week was a terrible game for the Vikings, and they are up the creek without a paddle already. Lots of theories have been thrown around as to why this is, but I honestly think that the Vikings might need to adapt to a changing NFL world. Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman have had success during their run together, but quite honestly it seems like they have failed to adapt to the speed based NFL style that we see a lot of on Sundays as well as Fridays and Saturdays. The Purple can win this game, but they need to stop Derrick Henry. I think they can, and start to save their season. Vikings 21, Titans 10.
First, a word from our sponsor:
I think the Vikings win tomorrow as well. It's not going to be easy, but the desperate team at home rule is very much in effect. And I think Dalvin Cook can get it going against a good, but not great Titan defense. The key is not to fall behind early. Vikings 24, Titans 21.
Glorious Green Bay Packers (+3) vs. New Orleans Who Dat Saints. This game is going to be very difficult for the Packers to win. I know that there are going to be no fans in the Dome, but the Packers have been run out of the building the last two trips they made. The Saints didn't look good out in Vegas last week, and both teams are down their best receiver. The key for the Packers is going to be starting better than they did the last two weeks, and make Drew Brees have to run for his life. If the Packers win this game, they will have a 3-0 mark and have won 2 of their toughest road games this season. I think they can. If the Saints lose, will their fans keep blaming the refs? I hear that is the secret ingredient in the gumbo down there. Packers 63, Ref Voodoo 40.
Has Drew Brees lost his edge? It looked that way in Vegas. I suspect he'll be better tomorrow night, but he doesn't seem to move as well and I think the lack of Michael Thomas will hurt the Saints more than the lack of Davante Adams will hurt the Packers. The Saints are talented, but there's little talent gap between the two teams. And at this point, I would take Aaron Rodgers over Drew Brees. So my Kool-Aid is chilling in the fridge. Packers 34, Saints 27.
Enjoy your football this weekend, and good on the MAC, Pac 12, and Mountain West for playing. Ben out.
My next door neighbor died last weekend. He was a successful general contractor who had built over 50 homes and remodeled countless others, including the house across the street. His lawn is smoother than the 18th fairway at Augusta National. He had every power tool known to man and knew how to use them. He owned a boat that might be worth more than my house. He had friends and companionship. He was muscular and looked the picture of health. And yet, his heart gave out, apparently after a period of despair following some business and personal reversals that weren't immediately evident. And he was young. He died at the age of 44.
There’s no sense in any of it. I didn’t know my neighbor well; we would chat from time to time, but mostly he went his way and I went mine. One of his coworkers knocked on my door earlier this week and asked me what happened. And I really couldn’t tell him much more than what we saw out our window; the police cars, the ambulance that left empty, the hearse that left with his body. His co-worker was distraught. I knew what happened, but I could not tell him why, so I wasn't much help.
It’s been a weird time on my street. Beyond the imposed social distancing from the pandemic, our street has been under construction for months. Only in the past month have we been free to move about without dodging bulldozers and steamrollers. Lately, in this period of weirdness, some of my other neighbors have been putting on impromptu concerts in the cul-de-sac on the end of my street. The family at the end of the block has a number of talented musicians and one of their adult sons has a college roommate who has moved to Minnesota; the roommate is a talented guitarist and can play pretty much anything. Beyond that, we have several other guitarists in the neighborhood. It’s turned into a bit of a jam session with a socially distanced audience of neighbors, putting out their lawn chairs and sipping a few beers. I’ve taken the microphone a few times to sing along. It’s been a nice thing, a source of joy. We always intended to invite my next door neighbor, but it never happened.
We seek a tidy summation, a suitable framework for what we experience. Generally, such things aren't available. I pray for many reasons, but most often for understanding. In a year riddled with conundrums, my neighbor's demise tops the list. I continue to pray for his soul, for his family, and for understanding.
Old dude, some say that Davante Adams is still getting wide open against the Viking secondary at the People's Stadium to this day.
He was not challenged. That much is certain.
Oh, and I also have been grinding an axe about something. That means that someone is going to get reamed.
An axe is probably a poor choice for reaming, but whatever.
I'm feeling the HYYYYYYYYPPPEEE!, and it is time to watch me work.
Minnesota Vikings (+3.5) vs. Indianapolis Colts. The Vikings fanbase is already blaming Kirk Cousins for the loss last week, but it wasn't his fault. The defense was horrible, and they ran into a GOAT who is disrespected. But don't worry, it is somehow all Kirk Cousins's fault. The Colts are an interesting team. Philip Rivers is now the quarterback, and they have JT at running back. I think that the Vikings are going to be in trouble if they don't win this game. Quite honestly, I think Vikings fans are already getting in on the phone lines to KFAN to complain about the team. If the Purple loses, pray for Corey Cove and Ron Johnson at about 3:30 on Sunday. Colts 50, Vikings 14.
I am curious about how this one will go. The Colts are not as intimidating without their fans (all dome teams are like that), but they have talent on offense. If I am the Vikings, and I am glad I am not, I get Irv Smith involved. Vikings 23, Colts 21.
Detroit LOLions (+6) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers The Packers looked really good last week, and it honestly makes me excited about this year. Aaron looks like he is going on a revenge tour, other wideouts stepped up, and Adams was Adams. Even with Kenny Clark being out this week, I think that the team still has a chance to win. The LOLions outdid themselves last week with blowing a lead against Da Bearz and literally dropping an easy W. The LOLions have talent, and they aren't scared of the Packers. But these are the LOLions, and they will always choke when it matters. Packers 35, LOLions 10.
I agree. The Lions always find a way to lose. Could be a shootout. Packers 35, Lions 27.
Enjoy your football weekend, and now it is time for a Very Special Comment. So, the Big Ten is coming back and have announced a schedule and a plan. I'm not giving Kevin Warren and the Big Ten presidents any credit, however. Part of what being a leader is to understand who your customers and workers are. Kevin Warren may have had success with the Vikings, but so far has stained the proud legacy of the Big Ten by postponing the start of the season after releasing a schedule. The players wanted to play, and the coaches were in support of them. It hasn't been perfect in the SEC, ACC, and Big XII, but they have played games and have been managing any outbreaks. I expect Warren to resign, and please go back to the NFL. He knows nothing about the culture of the Big Ten, and clearly doesn't understand how passionate the fanbases of the league are. Jim Delaney did a couple of things I disagreed with, but his worst crime in my eyes was moving the basketball tournament away from Chicago and Indy in 2018 and getting the tournament off Selection Sunday for a year. Warren in less than a year cancelled a football season without informing ESPN and Fox after revising the schedule and costing both outlets valuable content for weeks. To make matters worse, those networks might not forgive him in the next round of media rights deals that will happen in the next couple of years. Warren makes Manfred and Goodell look like competent heads of leagues. Do you know how hard that is to do? Just leave already and go back to the Vikings. Then, we can replace him with Congressmen Anthony Gonzalez. The Congressman played football in the Big Ten, is a smart man, and more importantly understands the culture as a native of Ohio.
However, we can't let the presidents off the hook for this either. It had to take a lawsuit to figure out who voted to cancel, and they then allowed sports to be cut at Iowa and Minnesota. Those athletes may not be revenue producing, but they agreed to represent their schools and are generally speaking very good in the classroom. Will they get their teams back with the money that Fox and ESPN will be paying? When noted Big Ten critics such as Clay Travis and Paul Finebaum are right for calling these "leaders" out and I agree with those two, it's a sad day. When you release a schedule, at least try to honor it. And for the love of God, don't be upset when the college kids try and get around the rules. They are college kids. It's like sometimes they forget they were those college kids back in the day. Plus, the virus is not prevalent that much on college campuses, and you guys freaked out after testing numbers came in. How can you be so surprised that people are going to be sick when you test them? It's like buying your kid McDonalds for weeks and being surprised that they've gained weight. I will not congratulate the Big Ten for doing what they should have done in the first place. Thank the lord that the football parents sued the league. I have defended the league in this space for over a decade, but I won't defend you guys on this one.
Sorry about that, but it ticks me off when the oldest and greatest conference in the land looks this bad. Ben out.
