The entire Michael Vick/dogfighting saga has really been unbelievable. For an athlete of his stature to even be close enough to the situation to be credibly indicted says something about his incredible lack of judgment. But before I get to Vick himself, there are some other things that I have been thinking about in relation to this story.
- The Modern News Approach is Dangerous - In my mind, Vick is guilty. I think there is too much pointing to that, the least of which is the fact he was even included in a FEDERAL indictment. However, the problem is that I am not alone. Everyone has an opinion already. This story has been covered 24 hours a day for two days now. There are 24 hour television news channels, talk radio shows, internet new, internet sports, sports television shows. It is a saturation of news. I was listening to Tom Brokaw on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike yesterday morning. The hosts asked him about how he felt the story was being handled. He said exactly what I have felt for a long time. When there is this much coverage out there, it doesn't take long to cross the line to irresponsible journalism. I would go one further. On just about any news story, you pretty much exhaust the angles and facts in about four hours. Then you are stuck with two option: wait for updates or talk about the same stuff. That is what you find on the media outlets. You have people who keep talking and talking about the same exact details. And then everyone is desperately searching for leaks, hints, rumors, and updates. This has led to some of the irresponsible stuff we have seen over the recent past. People release news without confirmations. They use some questionable source as breaking news. Why have we had so many problems with government leaks lately? It all ties into this. The other major problem is that once you reach the point of saturation, the only way to stand out is to make off the wall statements. This is especially true in the sports news world. Every major city has AT LEAST one sports talk radio station. In Orlando we have two. Plus, ESPN has four TV channels, Fox Sports has one, CSS sports, Sunshine Sports (in Florida), and all the traditional news stations. There is a huge amount of babble going on. So many sports guys have resorted to making bizarre and controversial statements to break into that glut. That is how guys like Skip Bayless, Dan LeBatard, and Woody Paige jumped from newspaper guys to television guys. And that is how they stay there - they make ridiculous comments. I'm sure we aren't too far away from one or all of those guys defending dogfighting (if it hasn't already happened). I already have heard sportswriters defending Vick and his buddies by saying this is a racist issue. They also have tried to say that dogfighting is cultural among a group of African-Americans in the south. Really? That makes it okay? It didn't make racisim or slavery or polygamy okay. I think that we all should agree that if a cultural event involved murder and torture, it should generally be frowned upon in America. But some people have tried to defend this to get national airplay. The line between editorial and news is so blurred we don't even know what it is.
- Innocent Until Proven Guilty is Bunk - With the news going this way, that ancient concept of American justice is gone. All that matters is the initial news break. The follow-ups never get the same airplay as the first story - unless it is at the end of a whole overblown media cirucs (OJ, Michael Jackson, Paris Hilton). For example, if someone gets sued for something, that gets front page coverage. Ninety percent of the time, the suit has no merit or it gets dropped or the sued party wins or they settle. But this doesn't get the same recognition. So we hear about people suing McDonald's for getting fat. But we never hear that the courts laughed those people out of the courtroom. Or we hear someone getting charged with something, and then don't hear what happened. We assume that an indictment or getting charged with something means that person was found guilty. Now, a FEDERAL indictment is different than an average one. Those are usually extremely well researched. In most cases, it takes as much work to get a federal grand jury to indict as it would to get a full local trial won. Plus, you don't have the same risk of District Attorneys going out on personal resume building (like the Duke lacrosse case). However, in the court of public opinion, if a person is charged or sued they are seen as guilty. Sure, we may tack the word "allegedly" onto that - mainly with a sarcastic tone and a disdain for having to include it. This is soooo dangerous. With this mindset in place, if people ever do get arrested for political or religious stances, what chance do they have? In addition, it poisons the jury pool. It becomes harder and harder to find people without pre-concieved notions for the jury. What people are you left with? If they aren't aware of a major case even with this massive coverage, how in touch with society are they?
- In Sports, All That Matters Are W, L, and $ - The first statement out of Nike's Headquarters was that this whole incident had no bearing on their marketing for Vick's new shoe. They knew that this incident would not hurt sales, so they probably really wanted to rush out the shoes. Instead, that statement got torn to shreds in the press. Now they are delaying the release. Why? Do you honestly think that moms are going to stop their kids from getting the shoes because they are Vick's? Actually, there is a huge portion of people who would be buying that type of shoes who would be MORE likely to buy it now because Vick is in trouble. The NFL is not going to suspend Vick for now. The Falcons are not going to bench him until the trial affects his ability to play. Falcon fans are hoping he gets off. I admire the new NFL conduct code, but if they aren't going to use it on this, what strength does it have? The line in it that the player "brought shame or embarrassment to himself, his team, and the league." That doesn't describe Vick at all. That bong he tried to smuggle on a plane? Not embarrassing. And even if he is found innocent, having a dogfighting ring run out of his house by his friends? Nope, no shame there. Come on. Just because he's a star he shouldn't get treated different. This is the same as when Ray Lewis was charged with murder and still went to training camp. The same as when Jamal Lewis went to prison for SELLING DRUGS and didn't get suspended by the league. Ridonkulous.
- This Shows How Screwed Up Society's Priorities Are - Why is this such a heinous story? Because dogs are involved. I have said before, the best way to show that a character is a villain in a movie is to have them kill a dog. What happened in Virginia is horrible and disgusting. I think that it shows a degenerate mind. But is there this kind of uproar when people are mistreated? When a child is abused or neglected, when a homeless person is beaten, when an innocent citizen is shot, when a senior citizen is abandoned, when a baby is aborted (oops, I went there). There may be news coverage of something, but it is not intense. We are used to and jaded to ordinary, run of the mill human abuse. The only thing that shocks us out of that is something truly shocking (Virginia Tech shooting, Chris Benoit murders). I think there should be outrage over this Vick thing. Don't think I am saying anything else. But I also wish that we saw humans as worth protecting as those dogs.
As far as Vick goes, I think that it doesn't look good for him. Personally, even if he was completely clueless about the ring, even if he was totally innocent, I think he has to be held responsible for being an accessory to the whole thing. It was his house, his friends, his family members. To say that no one ever slipped in talking around him, that they completely covered their tracks whenever he was at the house, is to really stretch the limits of credibility. He had to have known something, seen a cage, heard the dogs crying, noticed the cars. At first, it looked like he was at worst a passive party in the ring. Now the new evidence that led to his indictment shows that he was involved in the money end AND the dog execution. I think it speaks boatlaods about this whole thing that NO ONE is stunned that Michael Vick was invovled. It is almost like the only question is HOW involved he was. That doesn't speak well of his reputation that with all these people talking about this (even the shock jocks), not a single person has come forward and said, "I can't picture Mike being involved in this. He is not the type of person who would stomach this or allow this." They all just want to know if he actually killed the dogs - which is something they can totally believe him doing. Wow. You must be a real jerk to have your friends not even shake their heads when you get indicted for killing dogs. This is probably the most damning evidence I have heard.
If someone like Drew Brees or LaDamian Tomlinson or Reggie Bush were accused of this, we would be stunned. It would even go so far as to say if Terrell Owens or Keyshawn Johnson or Chad Johnson - some of the more annoying players - were named in this, we would have a hard time believing it. But Vick is named, and we all go, "Sound about right." Man. Those Vick boys are something else. His brother gets accused of rape, assault, and drug use and is such a problem he actually got kicked off the Virginia Tech team - and then is arrogant and uncooperative when the Dolphins stupidly gave him a chance. Mike had about above some of the fray until recently, when it seemed like he stopped trying to cover his scummy nature. My hope is that Vick and his buddies get a fast fair trial (supposedly in October). I hope that if they are truly involved in this, they are found guilty. And if they are, I want them to get the maximum sentence (six years in prison, huge butt fine). And then I want Mike Vick to be stripped of every endorsement he has. I want him to be banned from football for life. I want Nike and Powerade and the Falcons to sue him to get back signing bonuses and contract money. And then I want THAT to be the precedent for the other NFL athletes who decide to get involved in despicable actions. That would send a nice clear message.
Showing posts with label society. Show all posts
Showing posts with label society. Show all posts
Jul 20, 2007
Apr 27, 2007
Sports Writing Central
In my opinion, the best sportswriters have the following characteristics in common:
A true passion and love for sports.
An incredible sense of humor.
An understanding that sports is not the only thing in the world.
An interest in other things to talk about.
A high intelligence quotient.
A refusal to talk down to the readers.
An ability to keep readers involved even when they don't care about the topic.
Quotability
This list is why I think that Ray Romano's character on Everybody Loves Raymond would be a horrible sportswriter. He is missing numbers 3, 4, 5, and probably 6. Skip Bayless from ESPN also is horrible because he is missing all of them. He only wants to stir up trouble. That attitude of trouble-making and arguing is sadly becoming the norm. Writers do not actually WRITE so much any more as try to make points to stir up arguments. That and get on tv.
You get to be a part of the television sports commentary scene by causing a ruckus. Usually these guys actually stink as writers. I would wager that most of the newspaper guys who have jumped to television (and vice versa) would fall in the category of "Sports Muckraker" instead of Sportswriter. ESPN is the one responsible for this. They had hours and hours to fill on their many stations, so they started bringing famous writers onto the screen. So now we have Woody Paige, Jay Mariotti, AJ Andale, Dan LeBatard, Stephen A Smith, Bayless and their ilk screaming at each other and basically trying to cause trouble instead of actually write well. It is funny, though. The best sports commentators are often the best best writers too. If you have those qualities above in your writing, you will have it in your talking too. This is my current list of best sportswriters (not necessarily in order).
Bill Simmons -- ESPN Page 2, Sports Guy World -- Not on TV now (used to write for Jimmy Kimmel)
Simmons is probably my favorite sportswriter. (You could argue his wife is the second best - her articles are hilarious.) I would rate him as a 10_10_8_9_10_9_10_10 in the eight categories. His strongest are 2 and 7. How good is he at keeping your attention when you don't care? His favorite sport is basketball (which I hate). His favorite teams are the Patriots (in my bottom NFL 10), Celtics (I only hate the Lakers more), and Red Sox (my least favorite team in any sport). He wrote several complete articles on choosing a favorite soccer team (I read all of them). The days he doesn't write actually make me upset.
Tony Kornheiser -- Washington Post -- Pardon the Interruption, Monday Night Football
I love Kornheiser. I wish he wrote more and longer. But his schedule has not allowed him to continue writing. The amazing thing about him is that he also had my favorite radio sports show and has one of my favorite tv shows (PTI). But the crazy thing is that he didn't start in sports - he used to write culture articles. And his current radio show is not always sports-themed. He's dry and droll and funny as all get out. His scores are 8_10_10_10_10_9_9_10.
Peter King -- CNNSI, Sport Illustrated -- HBO NFL show, NBC Sunday night show
King is a very rare bird. He keeps you interested in all sorts of mundane stuff - his daughters' sports efforts, he quest for good coffee. But he also has forgot more about football than most people know. One of the best pieces he ever did was a report on a sports-loving Iraqi war participant. 10_8_10_10_10_9_10_8.
The list was topped by another man until this past weekend when David Halberstam died in an auto accident in California. In MY opinion, he was the standard for sportswriting. Of course, I came up with that decision while reading a book that had nothing to do with sports. In one of my college history classes (US History 1945-Current) we had to read a book called The Fifties. This was one of seven books (yup 7) for that class alone. Now, if you have ever had a class where there are seven books to be read (and that multiplied by four classes), you know the goal is to skim and read the least possible. Well, when I hit that book about one of the most boring parts of U.S. History, I was going to be in full skim mode.
Until I started reading it. Then, I was enraptured by the style and the approach. It was amazing. I read every page and was sad when the huge work was done. The thing that was crazy was that my roommate was in a class on the History of Baseball, and he was reading a book by David Halberstam. What? The same guy who wrote this amazing book on The Fifties wrote a book on baseball? Well if you go to Amazon.com and look up Halberstam, you will see that he also has books on Michael Jordan, basketball, the Korean War (which my dad fought in), Vietnam, and American Politics. I plan on reading all of them. He was a 10 in each category.
Once I discovered ESPN Page 2, I was thrilled because Halberstam was listed as one of their writers. Unfortunately, it was not for too long because September 11 kind of drove the sports part out of him. He still wrote on sports and was on his way to do a book on quarterback Y.A. Tittle when he died. But the daily obsession with sports became something uncomfortable to Halberstam. This article was his take on the first anniversary of the attacks. It pretty much sums up Halberstam. It is weird, when I list my favorite books on places like mySpace or whatever, The Fifties usually is there. How in the world did a textbook end up on a site like that? That was the kind of impact that sportswriter had on me. Apparently, that was a common opinion. Check out this article by a very good sportswriter Jim Caple. And then, no surprise here, there is the article by the most likely successor to Halberstam - Bill Simmons. I had to laugh when I saw that when I got ready to post this.
A true passion and love for sports.
An incredible sense of humor.
An understanding that sports is not the only thing in the world.
An interest in other things to talk about.
A high intelligence quotient.
A refusal to talk down to the readers.
An ability to keep readers involved even when they don't care about the topic.
Quotability
This list is why I think that Ray Romano's character on Everybody Loves Raymond would be a horrible sportswriter. He is missing numbers 3, 4, 5, and probably 6. Skip Bayless from ESPN also is horrible because he is missing all of them. He only wants to stir up trouble. That attitude of trouble-making and arguing is sadly becoming the norm. Writers do not actually WRITE so much any more as try to make points to stir up arguments. That and get on tv.
You get to be a part of the television sports commentary scene by causing a ruckus. Usually these guys actually stink as writers. I would wager that most of the newspaper guys who have jumped to television (and vice versa) would fall in the category of "Sports Muckraker" instead of Sportswriter. ESPN is the one responsible for this. They had hours and hours to fill on their many stations, so they started bringing famous writers onto the screen. So now we have Woody Paige, Jay Mariotti, AJ Andale, Dan LeBatard, Stephen A Smith, Bayless and their ilk screaming at each other and basically trying to cause trouble instead of actually write well. It is funny, though. The best sports commentators are often the best best writers too. If you have those qualities above in your writing, you will have it in your talking too. This is my current list of best sportswriters (not necessarily in order).
Bill Simmons -- ESPN Page 2, Sports Guy World -- Not on TV now (used to write for Jimmy Kimmel)
Simmons is probably my favorite sportswriter. (You could argue his wife is the second best - her articles are hilarious.) I would rate him as a 10_10_8_9_10_9_10_10 in the eight categories. His strongest are 2 and 7. How good is he at keeping your attention when you don't care? His favorite sport is basketball (which I hate). His favorite teams are the Patriots (in my bottom NFL 10), Celtics (I only hate the Lakers more), and Red Sox (my least favorite team in any sport). He wrote several complete articles on choosing a favorite soccer team (I read all of them). The days he doesn't write actually make me upset.
Tony Kornheiser -- Washington Post -- Pardon the Interruption, Monday Night Football
I love Kornheiser. I wish he wrote more and longer. But his schedule has not allowed him to continue writing. The amazing thing about him is that he also had my favorite radio sports show and has one of my favorite tv shows (PTI). But the crazy thing is that he didn't start in sports - he used to write culture articles. And his current radio show is not always sports-themed. He's dry and droll and funny as all get out. His scores are 8_10_10_10_10_9_9_10.
Peter King -- CNNSI, Sport Illustrated -- HBO NFL show, NBC Sunday night show
King is a very rare bird. He keeps you interested in all sorts of mundane stuff - his daughters' sports efforts, he quest for good coffee. But he also has forgot more about football than most people know. One of the best pieces he ever did was a report on a sports-loving Iraqi war participant. 10_8_10_10_10_9_10_8.
The list was topped by another man until this past weekend when David Halberstam died in an auto accident in California. In MY opinion, he was the standard for sportswriting. Of course, I came up with that decision while reading a book that had nothing to do with sports. In one of my college history classes (US History 1945-Current) we had to read a book called The Fifties. This was one of seven books (yup 7) for that class alone. Now, if you have ever had a class where there are seven books to be read (and that multiplied by four classes), you know the goal is to skim and read the least possible. Well, when I hit that book about one of the most boring parts of U.S. History, I was going to be in full skim mode.
Until I started reading it. Then, I was enraptured by the style and the approach. It was amazing. I read every page and was sad when the huge work was done. The thing that was crazy was that my roommate was in a class on the History of Baseball, and he was reading a book by David Halberstam. What? The same guy who wrote this amazing book on The Fifties wrote a book on baseball? Well if you go to Amazon.com and look up Halberstam, you will see that he also has books on Michael Jordan, basketball, the Korean War (which my dad fought in), Vietnam, and American Politics. I plan on reading all of them. He was a 10 in each category.
Once I discovered ESPN Page 2, I was thrilled because Halberstam was listed as one of their writers. Unfortunately, it was not for too long because September 11 kind of drove the sports part out of him. He still wrote on sports and was on his way to do a book on quarterback Y.A. Tittle when he died. But the daily obsession with sports became something uncomfortable to Halberstam. This article was his take on the first anniversary of the attacks. It pretty much sums up Halberstam. It is weird, when I list my favorite books on places like mySpace or whatever, The Fifties usually is there. How in the world did a textbook end up on a site like that? That was the kind of impact that sportswriter had on me. Apparently, that was a common opinion. Check out this article by a very good sportswriter Jim Caple. And then, no surprise here, there is the article by the most likely successor to Halberstam - Bill Simmons. I had to laugh when I saw that when I got ready to post this.
Mar 22, 2007
Yes, I'm Irate
I've been writing less serious posts lately, but today is different. I know myself pretty well, and I know that when I get worked up, I can get to be a pretty unpleasant person. Well, when I checked the news online today, I started to get heated up. Here is what I saw:
It was not the first story or anything like that. It was the sixth headline in the list next to the main big story about John Edwards running for President even though his wife has incurable cancer. I found that minorly ironic, that he is running for President of a country with an incurable cancer as well.
I was not surprised that this court decision happened. I had read about the possibility a few months back on Wired.com - another bastion of "freedom" and "enlightenment." Basically, this judge ruled that it is unconstitutional - under that mysterious "right to privacy" that is not listed in the Bill of Rights, and the nebulous Freedom of Speech - for the government to consider it illegal for websites to expose children to material deemed "harmful to minors" by "community standards." The long and short of it: the government can no longer force websites to have age-verification when they have explicit material on it. The people who started all of this was a collection of "Sexual health" sites, salon.com, and "other web sites" - backed by our friends at the ACLU. (I wonder who those "other sites" were.)
The line that made me so angry I wanted to go up to Pennsylvania and punch the judge was this beauty: "Perhaps we do the minors of this country harm if (free speech) protections, which they will with age inherit fully, are chipped away in the name of their protection." Hang on a second....yeah....I can see where he's coming from. It is definitely more harmful to the minors of this country to violate their mythical freedom of privacy and "free speech" that to keep them from having to see sexually explicit sites. You are absolutely right, Senior U. S. District Judge Lowell Reed Jr. It is waaaay more important that my three and five year old do not have their right to free speech threatened than to keep them from accidentally finding a website with obscene pictures on it that is masquerading as a kids' site.
I mean after all, violating a minor's free speech would probably destroy them and make them a quivering shell of a person. It would make them less than human. That wrong would burn into their brain forever, so that it would pop up for decades. It would give them the wrong understanding about what a woman is supposed to be. It would make them compromise their high standards, and settle for digitally enhanced frauds. It would damage their intimacy with others and with God. It would keep them from being able to connect to their spouses. It would give them oppressive guilt and shame. It would stunt them emotionally. It would enter them into addictive behaviors that would take intense counseling to escape. It would put their marriages at risk. It would probably escalate into getting into fascination with illegal and immoral activities. It would make them come face to face with urges and desires that they have not grown up enough to understand.
I mean, pornography seems mild compared to the damage that hampering a minor's freedom of speech would cause. Porn doesn't do all of that. It's just harmless fun. Just something everyone does. No big deal. I'm glad we have the ACLU and Senior U. S. District Judge Lowell Reed, Jr. to set us straight. I mean, after all, "parents can protect their children through software filters and other less restrictive means that do not limit the rights of others to free speech." We can't have that - people's free speech being limited. Especially when it comes to free speech that looks an awful lot like a naked woman. Why, that would be criminal.
[If this post seemed a wee bit sardonic, just remember - it's just my freedom of speech.]
It was not the first story or anything like that. It was the sixth headline in the list next to the main big story about John Edwards running for President even though his wife has incurable cancer. I found that minorly ironic, that he is running for President of a country with an incurable cancer as well.
I was not surprised that this court decision happened. I had read about the possibility a few months back on Wired.com - another bastion of "freedom" and "enlightenment." Basically, this judge ruled that it is unconstitutional - under that mysterious "right to privacy" that is not listed in the Bill of Rights, and the nebulous Freedom of Speech - for the government to consider it illegal for websites to expose children to material deemed "harmful to minors" by "community standards." The long and short of it: the government can no longer force websites to have age-verification when they have explicit material on it. The people who started all of this was a collection of "Sexual health" sites, salon.com, and "other web sites" - backed by our friends at the ACLU. (I wonder who those "other sites" were.)
The line that made me so angry I wanted to go up to Pennsylvania and punch the judge was this beauty: "Perhaps we do the minors of this country harm if (free speech) protections, which they will with age inherit fully, are chipped away in the name of their protection." Hang on a second....yeah....I can see where he's coming from. It is definitely more harmful to the minors of this country to violate their mythical freedom of privacy and "free speech" that to keep them from having to see sexually explicit sites. You are absolutely right, Senior U. S. District Judge Lowell Reed Jr. It is waaaay more important that my three and five year old do not have their right to free speech threatened than to keep them from accidentally finding a website with obscene pictures on it that is masquerading as a kids' site.
I mean after all, violating a minor's free speech would probably destroy them and make them a quivering shell of a person. It would make them less than human. That wrong would burn into their brain forever, so that it would pop up for decades. It would give them the wrong understanding about what a woman is supposed to be. It would make them compromise their high standards, and settle for digitally enhanced frauds. It would damage their intimacy with others and with God. It would keep them from being able to connect to their spouses. It would give them oppressive guilt and shame. It would stunt them emotionally. It would enter them into addictive behaviors that would take intense counseling to escape. It would put their marriages at risk. It would probably escalate into getting into fascination with illegal and immoral activities. It would make them come face to face with urges and desires that they have not grown up enough to understand.
I mean, pornography seems mild compared to the damage that hampering a minor's freedom of speech would cause. Porn doesn't do all of that. It's just harmless fun. Just something everyone does. No big deal. I'm glad we have the ACLU and Senior U. S. District Judge Lowell Reed, Jr. to set us straight. I mean, after all, "parents can protect their children through software filters and other less restrictive means that do not limit the rights of others to free speech." We can't have that - people's free speech being limited. Especially when it comes to free speech that looks an awful lot like a naked woman. Why, that would be criminal.
[If this post seemed a wee bit sardonic, just remember - it's just my freedom of speech.]
Dec 26, 2006
KING-SIZED BLOGS: 2006 Year in Review - TELEVISION
I am sure you all remember the hugely popular experiment my friend Greg Ramer and I ran last year with our blogs. We swapped entries on our review of the Year That Was. So, back to raging demand by our readers, we decided to do it all again. Check out my entry, and then (when Greg gets back from huntin') check out his here. I am going to hold off on movies until later - since I may be seeing a few more this week. Without further ado, here is my look back at the year that was in TELEVISION.
Actually, here is some further ado. I am approaching my review a little different this year. I am not going to try to do some comprehensive list of anything. I am going to do three categories: MOST ENJOYED, MOST DISAPPOINTING, and OTHER NEWS OF NOTE. Now, not further ado.
MOST ENJOYED TV:
24: This became our most obsessively followed show this past year. The writing is slick, the action is incredible, the acting is super, and the twists and turns keep you involved every week. The think that sets 24 part is that it has payoff and surprises each episode. Some serial shows have major problems with their distribution of interesting revelations. 24 never fails to deliver - all 24 episodes are top notch. Good stuff.
Heroes: Sure, it could be labelled as X-Men: The Discovery. But it just a great show. Some of the acting lacks the oomph of other shows, but I am never bored with it. And I am very excited to see where it is going to go as the season goes on.
Jericho: I hate to admit it, but Heather's show won me over. I should hate this show: it deals with nuclear war, lots of tense family stuff, Skeet Ulrich is in it. But, it is very well written. (You will sense a trend here - writing makes the difference.)
American Idol: It gets better each year, it seems. Well, until the very end when Americans make stupid votes and get rid of the best contestants two weeks early - and then give Michael McDonald Lite the title. But the show is great from start to finish - from the high comedy of the tryouts, to the tension of the vicious of the weeks paring down to 24 and then 12 contestants, to the drama and music of the final 12 contests. Plus Simon Cowell is brilliant, mean-spirited, and almost always right.
The Office: This has become one of my favorite shows. It is dead-on and hillarious - but in such a low-key way. You really have to pay attention to get everything going on -- but anyone who has worked in a office situation should get a hefty dose of laughs.
HONORABLE MENTION: How I Met Your Mother, ESPN Monday Night Football, Scrubs, Little People Big World, PTI
MOST DISAPPOINTING TV:
Lost: I know, I know. I am one of the biggest Lost fans out there. But over the last 12 months, it has been more disappointing than exciting. Yes, there were some huge episodes, like last year's finale, and this fall's finale. But the majority of episodes felt like sapce filler. This is only emphasized by how little time has taken place during the series (2 months) and by how successfully other shows are pulling off this format. I hope the team behind this show gets its act together soon.
The 2006 Fall TV Season: So far, they have cancelled or banished four shows we were watching. No show is given time to develop. This about the fact that 24 was in its fifth season before it had its breakout. Most of the shows that have been canned went for style over substance. There have been few breakouts - only a couple we even care about. Get some writers, Hollywood.
The CBS Evening News: For all the buildup, it sure hasn't been the groundbreaking show it was supposed to be. I still don't watch it, and I still get my news from the internet.
NFL Network: So the NFL finally decides to broadcast games on Thursday nights and Saturday nights. And they do it on their own network - which over 40% of all Americans cannot receive. So we miss all that football. And the NFL's official position to those people who can't see it? "Get a dish." Not even kidding - actual quote.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: Emmy Voters, Rosie O'Donnell and the View, 'Til Death, Super Bowl Commercials
OTHER NEWS OF NOTE:
- I hate local news. They tried to terrify you into watching by playing up all the junk going on, instead of just worrying about communicating the news. Is there anyone who likes this? Does anyone need to be cajoled into watching news? Either you are a news watcher or not.
- I hate it when they advertise violent or adult shows on shows that kids may be watching. Like you are watching sports, and then they show some murder show like CSI's preview. Or you are watching some comedy and have to watch previews for Criminal Minds. If I wanted to watch that crud, I would watch it.
Actually, here is some further ado. I am approaching my review a little different this year. I am not going to try to do some comprehensive list of anything. I am going to do three categories: MOST ENJOYED, MOST DISAPPOINTING, and OTHER NEWS OF NOTE. Now, not further ado.
MOST ENJOYED TV:
24: This became our most obsessively followed show this past year. The writing is slick, the action is incredible, the acting is super, and the twists and turns keep you involved every week. The think that sets 24 part is that it has payoff and surprises each episode. Some serial shows have major problems with their distribution of interesting revelations. 24 never fails to deliver - all 24 episodes are top notch. Good stuff.
Heroes: Sure, it could be labelled as X-Men: The Discovery. But it just a great show. Some of the acting lacks the oomph of other shows, but I am never bored with it. And I am very excited to see where it is going to go as the season goes on.
Jericho: I hate to admit it, but Heather's show won me over. I should hate this show: it deals with nuclear war, lots of tense family stuff, Skeet Ulrich is in it. But, it is very well written. (You will sense a trend here - writing makes the difference.)
American Idol: It gets better each year, it seems. Well, until the very end when Americans make stupid votes and get rid of the best contestants two weeks early - and then give Michael McDonald Lite the title. But the show is great from start to finish - from the high comedy of the tryouts, to the tension of the vicious of the weeks paring down to 24 and then 12 contestants, to the drama and music of the final 12 contests. Plus Simon Cowell is brilliant, mean-spirited, and almost always right.
The Office: This has become one of my favorite shows. It is dead-on and hillarious - but in such a low-key way. You really have to pay attention to get everything going on -- but anyone who has worked in a office situation should get a hefty dose of laughs.
HONORABLE MENTION: How I Met Your Mother, ESPN Monday Night Football, Scrubs, Little People Big World, PTI
MOST DISAPPOINTING TV:
Lost: I know, I know. I am one of the biggest Lost fans out there. But over the last 12 months, it has been more disappointing than exciting. Yes, there were some huge episodes, like last year's finale, and this fall's finale. But the majority of episodes felt like sapce filler. This is only emphasized by how little time has taken place during the series (2 months) and by how successfully other shows are pulling off this format. I hope the team behind this show gets its act together soon.
The 2006 Fall TV Season: So far, they have cancelled or banished four shows we were watching. No show is given time to develop. This about the fact that 24 was in its fifth season before it had its breakout. Most of the shows that have been canned went for style over substance. There have been few breakouts - only a couple we even care about. Get some writers, Hollywood.
The CBS Evening News: For all the buildup, it sure hasn't been the groundbreaking show it was supposed to be. I still don't watch it, and I still get my news from the internet.
NFL Network: So the NFL finally decides to broadcast games on Thursday nights and Saturday nights. And they do it on their own network - which over 40% of all Americans cannot receive. So we miss all that football. And the NFL's official position to those people who can't see it? "Get a dish." Not even kidding - actual quote.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: Emmy Voters, Rosie O'Donnell and the View, 'Til Death, Super Bowl Commercials
OTHER NEWS OF NOTE:
- I hate local news. They tried to terrify you into watching by playing up all the junk going on, instead of just worrying about communicating the news. Is there anyone who likes this? Does anyone need to be cajoled into watching news? Either you are a news watcher or not.
- I hate it when they advertise violent or adult shows on shows that kids may be watching. Like you are watching sports, and then they show some murder show like CSI's preview. Or you are watching some comedy and have to watch previews for Criminal Minds. If I wanted to watch that crud, I would watch it.
Sep 12, 2006
9/11 Reflections, Part Three
After those last two reflections of 9/11, I guess the question is, "Where does that leave us now?" How has America changed since that day - or has it? This is just my opinion. And I know that expressing opinions about politics and religion will get you into trouble faster than just about anything else. However, this is nothing more than me expressing my views as an American. I don't claim this is researched or documented or surveyed. This is what I see in my daily life. If you don't agree, that's fine. If you agree, that's fine. If you think I'm an idiot, join the club.
Personally, I do believe that America has changed a great deal since 2001. First of all, it is a more scared place. Americans are more worried now about their safety than probably at any time in the last 100 years. True, some of this is fed by the media playing up EVERY LITTLE THING. And it is also compounded by the government's jittery chihuahua impersonation. Whatever the causes, I think that we as a country have lost that invincible swagger that defined us. Sure, you still see those patriotic "them's are fightin' words" bumper stickers. But most of the time those come off as overcompensation.
Added to this, America is a reactionary country now. It used to be that we were the trailblazers. We did something and everyone else followed, got run over, or got made fun of. Now, we are always on the defensive - responding to threats real and imagined. Take the whole airline situation. Every time a would-be terrorist tries something new, the government institutes sweeping policy changes that hurts everyone. Like the whole liquid on a plane thing. I can understand we need to be more careful about carry-on items. But that policy was put into place overnight. And the security personnel didn't even know how to handle it. So they are dumping a bunch of liquids into the same container - the very action that would have ignited the same binary liquid explosives they were trying to avoid. The government seems so worried about terrorists destroying planes that they have ignored the real problem in air travel -- the ridiculous new standards being levied on air traffic controllers. They have cut positions, increased shift time, and generally made air travel 10 times more dangerous. It was no mere coincidence that the plane crash in Kentucky happened right after this policy took place. As the research comes out, that wreck was caused by a tired traffic controller, old information, and about a dozen people dropping the ball. Basically, we have reacted so strongly to a threat from abroad that we ignored the threats from general safety mediocrity.
That last paragraph will highlight two other things about America. First, it is more cynical than ever. Second, it is more divided. I mention the first because I just ripped into the government because I am fairly certain that they are consistently making bad calls - and I am not so sure anyone else would do a better job. It isn't like I'm sitting here saying that Bush is bad or whatever. I am saying that ALL OF THEM are going to make big stupid mistakes - just in different areas. The cynicism sets in because we all think the government is up to something, hiding something, lying about something, doctoring something, torturing something, and spinning something. This has been fed by the whole "war on terror." I don't know many people who think that this war has been handled 100% right - and I don't see anyone out there who could ever fix it without screwing something else up.
The division in America is highlighted by the fact that anyone reading those last two paragraphs will form an opinion about me from them. If they agree with that opinion, they'll get all happy. If not, they'll get all angry. And the breakdown of angry and happy is probably 51/49. That's what almost every issue comes down to now. Which means that at any given time, half of the nation is ticked off about something. The unity after 9/11 is long gone. And in its place, the partisan politics of pre-2001 has only gotten worse. It is like the two sides are angry that they even had to work together for a year or so - and now they are going to be as difficult as possible.
I think America is worse of racially as well. Maybe white/black issues are not as bad - I guess your opinion on that depends on which media outlet you use and which films you watch. But there is now this lingering distrust of Middle Easterners and Muslims. You may see some people trying to act like that isn't true. But to see how true it is, just look at the fact that all CBS had to do to get huge press coverage for 2005's Big Brother was to put ONE Muslim in the house. You should have seen how people were around him. One girl even tried to vote him out first week BECAUSE he was Muslim. The government itself even tries to act like there isn't something going on in the way they randomly screen at the airport. "We don't want to look like racial profilers, so we'll pat down this 89 year old from Des Moines too."
Economically, thanks largely to the gas prices and home price escalation, things are harder for a lot of Americans. I know that the gas itself has hurt us horribly - we traded in our van about a month ago for a new minivan. With how much we are saving on gas, we are only putting out about $100 a month on the payment! But the trickle down from the gas stuff affects power bills, food costs, air travel costs, just about everything.
I honestly don't think that the terrorists knew all of this would happen - just like they never realized the towers themselves would collapse. The complete destruction of the towers was just icing on the cake - just like the long term damage to the country as a whole is just an added benefit. Do I attribute all of those above things to 9/11? No. Much of that would have happened anyway at some point - 9/11 just sped up the process. But there certainly was a chain of events that came into place. I do love this country, and I hope that things can straighten themselves out. I don't really see some magic election that will help everything be okay again - in fact 2008 scares the weewee out of me me (Cynicism alert). But I still have hope. I'm not sure what we are supposed to do at times like this. I guess it is a time to look back, honor those who perished, and then take stock and see what we can do to make things better. That last part is the hard one. Honestly, I don't know. I don't think anyone around here has the answer. Makes you really want to hold on to the fact that God controls kings and princes, that he appoints governments, and that he is not bullied by terrorist or ravaged by time. That is where our hope has to come from. Seems like a pretty unsatisfying conclusion - but honestly that is where we are right now. I hope the 10 year anniversary will be different.
Wasn't THAT a cheery post. Don't worry - I'll get back to random weirdness soon. In fact, my next post will be a socio-economic and cultural breakdown of Disney's Aladdin movies. I bet you are wondering if I'm joking...(cynic)
Personally, I do believe that America has changed a great deal since 2001. First of all, it is a more scared place. Americans are more worried now about their safety than probably at any time in the last 100 years. True, some of this is fed by the media playing up EVERY LITTLE THING. And it is also compounded by the government's jittery chihuahua impersonation. Whatever the causes, I think that we as a country have lost that invincible swagger that defined us. Sure, you still see those patriotic "them's are fightin' words" bumper stickers. But most of the time those come off as overcompensation.
Added to this, America is a reactionary country now. It used to be that we were the trailblazers. We did something and everyone else followed, got run over, or got made fun of. Now, we are always on the defensive - responding to threats real and imagined. Take the whole airline situation. Every time a would-be terrorist tries something new, the government institutes sweeping policy changes that hurts everyone. Like the whole liquid on a plane thing. I can understand we need to be more careful about carry-on items. But that policy was put into place overnight. And the security personnel didn't even know how to handle it. So they are dumping a bunch of liquids into the same container - the very action that would have ignited the same binary liquid explosives they were trying to avoid. The government seems so worried about terrorists destroying planes that they have ignored the real problem in air travel -- the ridiculous new standards being levied on air traffic controllers. They have cut positions, increased shift time, and generally made air travel 10 times more dangerous. It was no mere coincidence that the plane crash in Kentucky happened right after this policy took place. As the research comes out, that wreck was caused by a tired traffic controller, old information, and about a dozen people dropping the ball. Basically, we have reacted so strongly to a threat from abroad that we ignored the threats from general safety mediocrity.
That last paragraph will highlight two other things about America. First, it is more cynical than ever. Second, it is more divided. I mention the first because I just ripped into the government because I am fairly certain that they are consistently making bad calls - and I am not so sure anyone else would do a better job. It isn't like I'm sitting here saying that Bush is bad or whatever. I am saying that ALL OF THEM are going to make big stupid mistakes - just in different areas. The cynicism sets in because we all think the government is up to something, hiding something, lying about something, doctoring something, torturing something, and spinning something. This has been fed by the whole "war on terror." I don't know many people who think that this war has been handled 100% right - and I don't see anyone out there who could ever fix it without screwing something else up.
The division in America is highlighted by the fact that anyone reading those last two paragraphs will form an opinion about me from them. If they agree with that opinion, they'll get all happy. If not, they'll get all angry. And the breakdown of angry and happy is probably 51/49. That's what almost every issue comes down to now. Which means that at any given time, half of the nation is ticked off about something. The unity after 9/11 is long gone. And in its place, the partisan politics of pre-2001 has only gotten worse. It is like the two sides are angry that they even had to work together for a year or so - and now they are going to be as difficult as possible.
I think America is worse of racially as well. Maybe white/black issues are not as bad - I guess your opinion on that depends on which media outlet you use and which films you watch. But there is now this lingering distrust of Middle Easterners and Muslims. You may see some people trying to act like that isn't true. But to see how true it is, just look at the fact that all CBS had to do to get huge press coverage for 2005's Big Brother was to put ONE Muslim in the house. You should have seen how people were around him. One girl even tried to vote him out first week BECAUSE he was Muslim. The government itself even tries to act like there isn't something going on in the way they randomly screen at the airport. "We don't want to look like racial profilers, so we'll pat down this 89 year old from Des Moines too."
Economically, thanks largely to the gas prices and home price escalation, things are harder for a lot of Americans. I know that the gas itself has hurt us horribly - we traded in our van about a month ago for a new minivan. With how much we are saving on gas, we are only putting out about $100 a month on the payment! But the trickle down from the gas stuff affects power bills, food costs, air travel costs, just about everything.
I honestly don't think that the terrorists knew all of this would happen - just like they never realized the towers themselves would collapse. The complete destruction of the towers was just icing on the cake - just like the long term damage to the country as a whole is just an added benefit. Do I attribute all of those above things to 9/11? No. Much of that would have happened anyway at some point - 9/11 just sped up the process. But there certainly was a chain of events that came into place. I do love this country, and I hope that things can straighten themselves out. I don't really see some magic election that will help everything be okay again - in fact 2008 scares the weewee out of me me (Cynicism alert). But I still have hope. I'm not sure what we are supposed to do at times like this. I guess it is a time to look back, honor those who perished, and then take stock and see what we can do to make things better. That last part is the hard one. Honestly, I don't know. I don't think anyone around here has the answer. Makes you really want to hold on to the fact that God controls kings and princes, that he appoints governments, and that he is not bullied by terrorist or ravaged by time. That is where our hope has to come from. Seems like a pretty unsatisfying conclusion - but honestly that is where we are right now. I hope the 10 year anniversary will be different.
Wasn't THAT a cheery post. Don't worry - I'll get back to random weirdness soon. In fact, my next post will be a socio-economic and cultural breakdown of Disney's Aladdin movies. I bet you are wondering if I'm joking...(cynic)
Sep 10, 2006
9/11 Reflections, Part TWO
On September 11, 2001, we awoke after a very restless night. We had to be at the hospital on the wrong side of sunrise. This was the day they were inducing our baby. He had decided that Heather was just as good of a home as any and he refused to budge. After 42 weeks, the doctor decided the best course of action was to give nature a hand. As we drove to the hospital, Heather said that the 11th was a good number for a birthday. We had no idea what was about to happen.
After the induction, we had to sit and wait. A couple hours passed by. Heather was starting to have erratic contractions. And then a nurse walked in and said, "You may want to turn on the tv. A plane just hit the World Trade Center." We didn't understand and thought she meant that some doofus in a Cessna had hit the building. We turned it on right after the second plane struck. I remember that everyone started to understand that something was wrong - that this was more than an accident. For a while it was just surreal. There was this smoke billowing out of the towers. I'm sitting there wondering how in the world they are going to put out the fire so high up. Then the misinformation started coming in. One station reported gunmen in the Capitol. Another said that a truck had exploded on the Washington Mall. There were confirmed reports of a plane hitting the Pentagon and a plane crashing in Pennsylvania. While broadcasting from the Pentagon, one of the reporters even freaked out on air because everyone started yelling that another plane was inbound.
It was like a disaster movie gone crazy. As the smoke continued to billow out we were struggling to figure out what was going on. Heather's progression was slow, but painful. And we couldn't take our eyes off the screen. Then the first tower collapsed. It was right when CBS switched from the morning show with Bryant Gumbel to Dan Rather. There was just confusion everywhere. The nurses were distracted. The doctor was doing his best to act normal. We were getting scared. The second tower fell and I nearly threw up. Seriously - I went in the bathroom and started to cry. What the heck was going on? What were we bringing our kid into? Once that happened, and the stations started to show all the people on the street who couldn't find their family members, we shut the tv off for over a day. We couldn't take it any more. There was a baby coming and Heather needed to focus on that.
It took about 15 hours more until he showed up, and there was a lot of pain in that time. Heather's labor was very hard. And to make all of it worse was the constant fear of the unknown. We were in Jacksonville. There are three navy bases right there. No one knew who was behind the attack. Were they going to target military next? I kept thinking that at any minute we would see troops coming down the halls. Or they would start rushing the injured into the hospital. I was afraid this was the "end times" coming to fruition. I started to worry that we would be killed for our faith and this little baby was going to be alone and crying. I was just sick about everything. People all over were praying the baby wouldn't be born until the 12th - just so he didn't have to share a birthday with this awful event.
After midnight, the doctor decided to do a C-Section. I lost it. I was scared I was going to lose Heather or our child or both. I couldn't handle it. I didn't hide it very well. The doctor told me that he was going to do whatever he could and that he would take care of Heather like he would his own wife. At 2:11am, on Wednesday, September 12, 2001, Josiah David Staples finally was pulled out - after much cajoling and yanking. He was big - nine pounds, four ounces. And he had a big mop of curly black hair. And everything changed.
I had known love before. But not like this. There was this protectiveness and fear in me I had never felt. He wasn't breathing right due to the whole birthing process, so they had to take him into the nursery for extra time. I didn't even get to touch him. I went out into the hall and just stared through the shades. Our family friends were trying to find which one he was. I pointed and said, "The one that looks like a toddler." He was so huge compared to the other babies. Finally he started screaming, which was a good sign. And they took the little guy to Heather. Then I finally got to hold him - he was so little. And I was terrified.
As the night became morning, we were just exhausted. The meds Heather had gotten during the whole experience were hard to get over. So I had lots of time to just stare at Josiah. And then I got to hold him a lot, change his diapers, try unsuccessfully to swaddle him right. I used to hold him and he would just stare at me, trying to figure out what this big goateed dude was all about. And as the excitement of the birth itself wore off, I had lots of time to think - which was not good. As the anthrax scares began to pop up, and everyone tried to figure out what had happened, I got more and more terrified. I found myself in a strange place. Instead of running towards God, for the first time in my life, I ran away from Him. I didn't pray or read the Bible. Every time I tried, my mind would run to the back of the book and I would see people busting down our door and taking my baby away.
I got to be a wreck. I held it together for everyone else, but inside I was in more fear than I ever had been. I loved this little boy, but I could not truly enjoy everything because I would get so worried about his future. I wasn't able to get past that for a couple months. Part of it was getting into a Bible study. Part of it was getting more time with Josiah. He was incredible. When he was born, tons of people told us that there was a reason for him being born under those circumstances. One friend told us that he just brought joy on the darkest of days. And that was what Josiah always has done. (A tradition his sister has kept going) 2001 was one of the hardest years of my life. I was out of work for five months, and the last seven I sold furniture. We were living with Heather's parents, which was very hard for me as a husband and now father. Financially, we were in the worst place we ever experienced together. In addition, it was one of the darkest years in US history.
However, now, when I look back on 2001, all I really see is that it was the year Josiah was born. He erased all the rest of it. I don't look at our time in Jacksonville as this dark blot on my life. I see it as "the place Josiah was born." It is so weird, because I can't think of 9/11 without thinking of Josiah. They are intertwined. But that keeps the memories of that day from being so dark. I know that most people don't have that luxury. They only have the day itself without the hope. I'm thankful that I was able to receive so wonderful after all the pain. And how wonderful he has turned out to be - and I can't wait to see what kind of man he becomes.
Josiah, I love you so much. I hope that your fifth birthday is incredible. You have give us so much over the years - joy, love, fun, happiness - and most of all hope.
After the induction, we had to sit and wait. A couple hours passed by. Heather was starting to have erratic contractions. And then a nurse walked in and said, "You may want to turn on the tv. A plane just hit the World Trade Center." We didn't understand and thought she meant that some doofus in a Cessna had hit the building. We turned it on right after the second plane struck. I remember that everyone started to understand that something was wrong - that this was more than an accident. For a while it was just surreal. There was this smoke billowing out of the towers. I'm sitting there wondering how in the world they are going to put out the fire so high up. Then the misinformation started coming in. One station reported gunmen in the Capitol. Another said that a truck had exploded on the Washington Mall. There were confirmed reports of a plane hitting the Pentagon and a plane crashing in Pennsylvania. While broadcasting from the Pentagon, one of the reporters even freaked out on air because everyone started yelling that another plane was inbound.
It was like a disaster movie gone crazy. As the smoke continued to billow out we were struggling to figure out what was going on. Heather's progression was slow, but painful. And we couldn't take our eyes off the screen. Then the first tower collapsed. It was right when CBS switched from the morning show with Bryant Gumbel to Dan Rather. There was just confusion everywhere. The nurses were distracted. The doctor was doing his best to act normal. We were getting scared. The second tower fell and I nearly threw up. Seriously - I went in the bathroom and started to cry. What the heck was going on? What were we bringing our kid into? Once that happened, and the stations started to show all the people on the street who couldn't find their family members, we shut the tv off for over a day. We couldn't take it any more. There was a baby coming and Heather needed to focus on that.
It took about 15 hours more until he showed up, and there was a lot of pain in that time. Heather's labor was very hard. And to make all of it worse was the constant fear of the unknown. We were in Jacksonville. There are three navy bases right there. No one knew who was behind the attack. Were they going to target military next? I kept thinking that at any minute we would see troops coming down the halls. Or they would start rushing the injured into the hospital. I was afraid this was the "end times" coming to fruition. I started to worry that we would be killed for our faith and this little baby was going to be alone and crying. I was just sick about everything. People all over were praying the baby wouldn't be born until the 12th - just so he didn't have to share a birthday with this awful event.
After midnight, the doctor decided to do a C-Section. I lost it. I was scared I was going to lose Heather or our child or both. I couldn't handle it. I didn't hide it very well. The doctor told me that he was going to do whatever he could and that he would take care of Heather like he would his own wife. At 2:11am, on Wednesday, September 12, 2001, Josiah David Staples finally was pulled out - after much cajoling and yanking. He was big - nine pounds, four ounces. And he had a big mop of curly black hair. And everything changed.
I had known love before. But not like this. There was this protectiveness and fear in me I had never felt. He wasn't breathing right due to the whole birthing process, so they had to take him into the nursery for extra time. I didn't even get to touch him. I went out into the hall and just stared through the shades. Our family friends were trying to find which one he was. I pointed and said, "The one that looks like a toddler." He was so huge compared to the other babies. Finally he started screaming, which was a good sign. And they took the little guy to Heather. Then I finally got to hold him - he was so little. And I was terrified.
As the night became morning, we were just exhausted. The meds Heather had gotten during the whole experience were hard to get over. So I had lots of time to just stare at Josiah. And then I got to hold him a lot, change his diapers, try unsuccessfully to swaddle him right. I used to hold him and he would just stare at me, trying to figure out what this big goateed dude was all about. And as the excitement of the birth itself wore off, I had lots of time to think - which was not good. As the anthrax scares began to pop up, and everyone tried to figure out what had happened, I got more and more terrified. I found myself in a strange place. Instead of running towards God, for the first time in my life, I ran away from Him. I didn't pray or read the Bible. Every time I tried, my mind would run to the back of the book and I would see people busting down our door and taking my baby away.
I got to be a wreck. I held it together for everyone else, but inside I was in more fear than I ever had been. I loved this little boy, but I could not truly enjoy everything because I would get so worried about his future. I wasn't able to get past that for a couple months. Part of it was getting into a Bible study. Part of it was getting more time with Josiah. He was incredible. When he was born, tons of people told us that there was a reason for him being born under those circumstances. One friend told us that he just brought joy on the darkest of days. And that was what Josiah always has done. (A tradition his sister has kept going) 2001 was one of the hardest years of my life. I was out of work for five months, and the last seven I sold furniture. We were living with Heather's parents, which was very hard for me as a husband and now father. Financially, we were in the worst place we ever experienced together. In addition, it was one of the darkest years in US history.
However, now, when I look back on 2001, all I really see is that it was the year Josiah was born. He erased all the rest of it. I don't look at our time in Jacksonville as this dark blot on my life. I see it as "the place Josiah was born." It is so weird, because I can't think of 9/11 without thinking of Josiah. They are intertwined. But that keeps the memories of that day from being so dark. I know that most people don't have that luxury. They only have the day itself without the hope. I'm thankful that I was able to receive so wonderful after all the pain. And how wonderful he has turned out to be - and I can't wait to see what kind of man he becomes.
Josiah, I love you so much. I hope that your fifth birthday is incredible. You have give us so much over the years - joy, love, fun, happiness - and most of all hope.
9/11 Reflections, Part One
Five years have passed. It seems so bizarre to me that it has been that long. I know that everyone has a story about what was going on in their lives when they heard the news. We were at the hospital, awaiting the arrival of our first child. (I'll get into that more tomorrow.) This was one of those days - the ones everyone will remember forever. How couldn't you? It has to rank right up there as the most infamous days ever. What other days are even in that league? I know that Pearl Harbor is one; the JFK assassination is another; the Challenger explosion would qualify.
What do all of those days have in common? They were days when innocence and trust and safety were stripped away. With Pearl Harbor, America was no longer able to play from the sidelines in WWII. They were dragged in, not of their own doing. There were vile enemies inflicting real damage, but it was far away and easy to dismiss. When those bombers hit our ships in Hawaii, those enemies had brought their evil to our land. It was a foregone conclusion to most in the government that we would have to get involved, and that probably was true of many citizens as well. But we were AMERICA. We set the rules - we entered the war when we wanted. And then all the sudden our hand was forced, our boys were wounded, and our safety was gone.
The JFK assassination was just as shocking. There have only been four Presidential assassinations in US history. We had not seen that happen since 1899. Out of nowhere, this young President was taken away. JFK had resonated with so many people. If you liked his politics or not, you had to admit he was certainly a charismatic leader. And more importantly, he was OUR president. No matter how much an American hates a President, I doubt you would find too many who would laugh if he were killed in office. Once again, the innocence, trust, and safety was torn away. No one knew who was behind the killing. They were just stunned.
When the Challenger blew up, I was in my sixth grade social studies class. The class clown had gone to the clinic for some reason. He came back in the door and told us the Challenger had blown up. "That's not funny Damien." (Yes, his real name was Damien.) He kept insisting he wasn't kidding. We all just kind of sat stunned, with the teacher wondering if that was the one with the teacher on it. Shuttle launches had become so common by then. People hardly took notice. That was why NASA had started doing stuff like the teacher in space (in my opinion). Again, the last space related accident was in the sixties. And this was the new improved space program. It just didn't make sense for that to happen. Our sixth grade trip was to Cape Kennedy that year - in April I think. They still had the place off kilter. I remember on the tour they told us that normally we would be able to see one area, but it was restricted due to the investigation of the wreckage.
When a nation goes through events like that it takes away so much. America learned after Pearl Harbor that it was not safe from the events around them. It learned after JFK that our public officials are not safe all the time either. It learned after the Challenger that space travel is indeed dangerous (which is why there wasn't the same shock after the Columbia disaster). I think that 9/11 was so devastating because it tore away even more of the innocence and trust and safety. But this time it was from a faceless enemy. There was no war. No person of note was the target. This wasn't some adventurous frontier with a knowing risk factor.
This was a cowardly attack on innocent people. This was targeting symbols of America's success - the Twin Towers that we used as icons of NYC and the country. But it also took away our trust in our air travel. They used our own planes against us. In one horrendous act, we lost our safety in the air and in our big cities - and really in our lives. Who is to say when they will strike again? We kept hearing the terror alerts get raised. There were attacks in Japan and Spain and London and Bali. I live in Orlando, and I know there is always a fear about something happening at Disney. I am sure that this is how the nation felt after Pearl Harbor as well. I just know that for my own life, it was so shocking and distressing - and in many ways it still is. I still get choked up when I see the adjusted NYC skyline. I'm still not ready to watch films and documentaries - the wound is too raw. It didn't just affect New York - it shook the entire country in so many areas that it will never be the same. It can't be. Whether or not the new America that emerged is better or worse will take far more than five years to determine.
Tomorrow, I'm going to talk about my personal experience with 9/11 - and the hope we found in a little boy. I know that I'm not an expert at all. But that is what made 9/11 so powerful - you don't have to be a big shot to have thoughts about it.
What do all of those days have in common? They were days when innocence and trust and safety were stripped away. With Pearl Harbor, America was no longer able to play from the sidelines in WWII. They were dragged in, not of their own doing. There were vile enemies inflicting real damage, but it was far away and easy to dismiss. When those bombers hit our ships in Hawaii, those enemies had brought their evil to our land. It was a foregone conclusion to most in the government that we would have to get involved, and that probably was true of many citizens as well. But we were AMERICA. We set the rules - we entered the war when we wanted. And then all the sudden our hand was forced, our boys were wounded, and our safety was gone.
The JFK assassination was just as shocking. There have only been four Presidential assassinations in US history. We had not seen that happen since 1899. Out of nowhere, this young President was taken away. JFK had resonated with so many people. If you liked his politics or not, you had to admit he was certainly a charismatic leader. And more importantly, he was OUR president. No matter how much an American hates a President, I doubt you would find too many who would laugh if he were killed in office. Once again, the innocence, trust, and safety was torn away. No one knew who was behind the killing. They were just stunned.
When the Challenger blew up, I was in my sixth grade social studies class. The class clown had gone to the clinic for some reason. He came back in the door and told us the Challenger had blown up. "That's not funny Damien." (Yes, his real name was Damien.) He kept insisting he wasn't kidding. We all just kind of sat stunned, with the teacher wondering if that was the one with the teacher on it. Shuttle launches had become so common by then. People hardly took notice. That was why NASA had started doing stuff like the teacher in space (in my opinion). Again, the last space related accident was in the sixties. And this was the new improved space program. It just didn't make sense for that to happen. Our sixth grade trip was to Cape Kennedy that year - in April I think. They still had the place off kilter. I remember on the tour they told us that normally we would be able to see one area, but it was restricted due to the investigation of the wreckage.
When a nation goes through events like that it takes away so much. America learned after Pearl Harbor that it was not safe from the events around them. It learned after JFK that our public officials are not safe all the time either. It learned after the Challenger that space travel is indeed dangerous (which is why there wasn't the same shock after the Columbia disaster). I think that 9/11 was so devastating because it tore away even more of the innocence and trust and safety. But this time it was from a faceless enemy. There was no war. No person of note was the target. This wasn't some adventurous frontier with a knowing risk factor.
This was a cowardly attack on innocent people. This was targeting symbols of America's success - the Twin Towers that we used as icons of NYC and the country. But it also took away our trust in our air travel. They used our own planes against us. In one horrendous act, we lost our safety in the air and in our big cities - and really in our lives. Who is to say when they will strike again? We kept hearing the terror alerts get raised. There were attacks in Japan and Spain and London and Bali. I live in Orlando, and I know there is always a fear about something happening at Disney. I am sure that this is how the nation felt after Pearl Harbor as well. I just know that for my own life, it was so shocking and distressing - and in many ways it still is. I still get choked up when I see the adjusted NYC skyline. I'm still not ready to watch films and documentaries - the wound is too raw. It didn't just affect New York - it shook the entire country in so many areas that it will never be the same. It can't be. Whether or not the new America that emerged is better or worse will take far more than five years to determine.
Tomorrow, I'm going to talk about my personal experience with 9/11 - and the hope we found in a little boy. I know that I'm not an expert at all. But that is what made 9/11 so powerful - you don't have to be a big shot to have thoughts about it.
Sep 8, 2006
Can't Figure
There are some things that I cannot figure out. I try and I try, but I just can't do it. Here are just a few.
1. Why does Subway ration napkins like they are a 1980s Soviet bread line? Yet they have their cups just sitting there in front of the register for you to take on the honor system. Are the napkins that valuable? I can honestly say, they are the ONLY fast food place to ration napkins. I go to Taco Bell and order one taco and get 10 hot sauce packets and enough napkins to paper my living room. Maybe Subway wants to control how many people see that nutritional information they have printed on them. I have no idea. Today, my daughter's PullUp (copyright Huggies Corporation of America - - this blog is in no way endorsed by Huggies or the Huggies brands) leaked. On the floor at Subway. I asked the Coldplay wannabe behind the counter for napkins to clean said weewee up. He gave me attitude. I can understand you only wanting to give me two napkins for my sub, but not wanting to hand them out to clean up urine? Geez.
2. Why do mainstream restaurants insist on creating bizarre menu items and then act stunned when they lose business? I can understand if Emeril or Bobby Flay come up with some bizarre, off the wall recipe. That is like an artist going through their abstract phase. ("I call it Visualize Whirled Peas." "But Emeril, there are no peas in it. It's just garlic and essence." "Yes, you must visualize the peas.") But there is no excuse for TGI Fridays to start tossing around freaky menu items. They are TGI Fridays! You should visit their website. Sicilian Quesadillas? Fried Green Beans? What? Like frying a green bean is going to get anyone to order it. The people who would ordinarily order green beans as an item are not the type who want them fried. The people who need everything fried (me) still wouldn't go near them. Especially with a "cool" wasabi dip. How do you make wasabi cool? I thought its entire selling point was it would burn your tongue out.
3. Why does anyone act shocked when a track and field star tests positive for steroids? I'm at the point where I'm stunned when a record stands. Same with cycling.
4. Why did everyone think it was such a big deal when Katie Couric took over the CBS Evening News? Could there be a less relevant television move? Yes, it disrupted the morning show horizon. But, honestly, how many people watch the evening national news any more? I haven't watched it in years. That's what the internet is for, right? By the time 6:30 rolls around, I have already seen the Breaking News email alert, read the story, read the story revisions, read several commentaries on the story, and moved on.
5. Why is it that we think celebrities are such a "big deal?" Why should we care what Tom and Katie's alleged child looks like? Why should we care if Lindsay Lohan is engaged? Why should we care who Kate Hudson is dating? Why should we care if Brad ever marries Angelina? Yet there is an entire industry based on the fact we do care. I don't care that much about people who work with me, but I will check a website several times to see if the Federlines had their second kid. Well, not me, other people.
6. Why is it in cartoons now, parents are slowly being eliminated? Having two little kids, I see a TON of cartoons. And I have gotten disturbed by the number that do not have parental figures. It used to be that there were nannies or parents, but they would leave the scene and fun things would happen. But now, they don't exist. Max and Ruby are two bunnies - ages 9 and 4 maybe - who just go on their merry way without any supervision. There are adults on the show - and they have a grandmother who shows up from time to time. But they cook, go to bed, play, go shopping all by themselves. Little Einsteins is even worse. The kids there have a rocket and go all over the world and the galaxy alone. We never even see an adult in that show. You could say the same thing about Charlie and Lola, Backyardigans, Lazy Town, Clifford, and Dragon Tales. Yes, there are shows with parents (Higglytown Heroes, JoJo's Circus, Little Bear, Franklin). But more and more are just completely cutting out adults. Strawberry Shortcake is the worst. There are these kids everywhere who live completely by themselves, run heavy machinery, use the oven, go traveling. What is that teaching our kids? No really, I'm not sure. I feel hypersensitive - but there is a nagging feeling there.
Those are some of the things I can't figure out. I'm sure I'll give more later. Check back next week. I will have some thoughts on the 9/11 anniversary.
1. Why does Subway ration napkins like they are a 1980s Soviet bread line? Yet they have their cups just sitting there in front of the register for you to take on the honor system. Are the napkins that valuable? I can honestly say, they are the ONLY fast food place to ration napkins. I go to Taco Bell and order one taco and get 10 hot sauce packets and enough napkins to paper my living room. Maybe Subway wants to control how many people see that nutritional information they have printed on them. I have no idea. Today, my daughter's PullUp (copyright Huggies Corporation of America - - this blog is in no way endorsed by Huggies or the Huggies brands) leaked. On the floor at Subway. I asked the Coldplay wannabe behind the counter for napkins to clean said weewee up. He gave me attitude. I can understand you only wanting to give me two napkins for my sub, but not wanting to hand them out to clean up urine? Geez.
2. Why do mainstream restaurants insist on creating bizarre menu items and then act stunned when they lose business? I can understand if Emeril or Bobby Flay come up with some bizarre, off the wall recipe. That is like an artist going through their abstract phase. ("I call it Visualize Whirled Peas." "But Emeril, there are no peas in it. It's just garlic and essence." "Yes, you must visualize the peas.") But there is no excuse for TGI Fridays to start tossing around freaky menu items. They are TGI Fridays! You should visit their website. Sicilian Quesadillas? Fried Green Beans? What? Like frying a green bean is going to get anyone to order it. The people who would ordinarily order green beans as an item are not the type who want them fried. The people who need everything fried (me) still wouldn't go near them. Especially with a "cool" wasabi dip. How do you make wasabi cool? I thought its entire selling point was it would burn your tongue out.
3. Why does anyone act shocked when a track and field star tests positive for steroids? I'm at the point where I'm stunned when a record stands. Same with cycling.
4. Why did everyone think it was such a big deal when Katie Couric took over the CBS Evening News? Could there be a less relevant television move? Yes, it disrupted the morning show horizon. But, honestly, how many people watch the evening national news any more? I haven't watched it in years. That's what the internet is for, right? By the time 6:30 rolls around, I have already seen the Breaking News email alert, read the story, read the story revisions, read several commentaries on the story, and moved on.
5. Why is it that we think celebrities are such a "big deal?" Why should we care what Tom and Katie's alleged child looks like? Why should we care if Lindsay Lohan is engaged? Why should we care who Kate Hudson is dating? Why should we care if Brad ever marries Angelina? Yet there is an entire industry based on the fact we do care. I don't care that much about people who work with me, but I will check a website several times to see if the Federlines had their second kid. Well, not me, other people.
6. Why is it in cartoons now, parents are slowly being eliminated? Having two little kids, I see a TON of cartoons. And I have gotten disturbed by the number that do not have parental figures. It used to be that there were nannies or parents, but they would leave the scene and fun things would happen. But now, they don't exist. Max and Ruby are two bunnies - ages 9 and 4 maybe - who just go on their merry way without any supervision. There are adults on the show - and they have a grandmother who shows up from time to time. But they cook, go to bed, play, go shopping all by themselves. Little Einsteins is even worse. The kids there have a rocket and go all over the world and the galaxy alone. We never even see an adult in that show. You could say the same thing about Charlie and Lola, Backyardigans, Lazy Town, Clifford, and Dragon Tales. Yes, there are shows with parents (Higglytown Heroes, JoJo's Circus, Little Bear, Franklin). But more and more are just completely cutting out adults. Strawberry Shortcake is the worst. There are these kids everywhere who live completely by themselves, run heavy machinery, use the oven, go traveling. What is that teaching our kids? No really, I'm not sure. I feel hypersensitive - but there is a nagging feeling there.
Those are some of the things I can't figure out. I'm sure I'll give more later. Check back next week. I will have some thoughts on the 9/11 anniversary.
Aug 14, 2006
Mel
So I have been debating about whether or not to post about Mel Gibson. I usually try to avoid getting too involved in the ridiculous celebrity scene with this blog. It just seems that the whole scandal has not gone away. There is not any way to defend what Gibson said. Some people have tried to say that "we all have said things that we didn't mean when we were drunk." Having never been drunk, I have no clue. But what I have noticed is that excessive alcohol just lowers inhibitions and makes people more likely to do things they want to. And they say things that they try to keep buried the rest of the time. Having read what Gibson's father believes, and hearing the rumors that have been swirling for years around Mel, I wouldn't be surprised if he harbors some of those thoughts. Or at least he fights wth those thoughts - even if he didn't beleive them. I know that I heard my father say things so much that it became easy for me to lean in that direction in my opinions.
Again, none of that is to defend what Mel said. He said unbelievably stupid stuff and took shots at several groups. His comments were not just stupid, though, they were hateful and hurtful. Now, what I have a problem with is the aftermath. We get People magazine and Entertainment Weekly. Both of them ran front page promotion of articles about his heinous acts. And they both have revisited the story the next week. News sites still are reporting on the story now - weeks later. People are calling for boycotts of Gibson and his movies. Others are saying that they will never work with him again (Rob Schneider - was that even a consideration?). Still others say he should just be banished from Hollywood all together. I read some guy online who said he would never watch Braveheart again.
Sooooo, that's how Hollywood handles people who believe stupid stuff? Well, let's think about this. Roman Polanski was charged with statutory rape and fled the country. He got nominated for an Oscar in 2003 - and won. There is still an outstanding warrant for his arrest. There are dozens of high-rolling people in Hollywood that believe in aliens as deities and act like raving lunatics (Tom Cruise, paging Tom Cruise). Actors like Collin Farrell enter substance abuse facilities all the time. Instead of banishing them from Hollywood they get more and more roles, even though they haven't ever had a big movie to deserve the support. Robert Downey Jr was such a problem at one point that insurance companies would not even let a studio get a policy for him during a shoot.
Hollywood has never had a problem overlooking all kinds of things. They overlook marriages being broken up, drug use, domestic violence, moronic comments, alcoholism, wacky political stances, strange religious beliefs, and out-of-control lifestyles. So why won't they move past Mel's night of drinking and mouth-running? I think that part of it is that Mel put himself on the front lines with his Passion of the Christ movie. His religious beliefs became part of what identified him. He went from Crazy Funloving Mel to Religious Mel. And that was when things went nuts. He decided to stop acting and only direct. His projects became more ambitious - filmed in dead languages, based on fringe historical characters. He was now perceived as serious. And that was where this craziness didn't match up.
People were used to seeing him in his long beard, building his private church, talking about serious things. And the drunken bit didn't fit. And the hateful comment surely didn't fit. And when he had become associated with the Christian community, that added an extra layer. When he tripped, a major Christian symbol tripped. And that was where a lot of these people took sick joy in watching him mess up. They loved saying, "Oh is this how a Christian acts?" Personally, I think this why it became such a big story -- because it made Christians look stupid. And that is why it is still a story. Other people have said racist comments - on all different sides of the fence. They don't get banned from Hollywood. But Mel is fighting for his career. Seems awfully weird to me. But what do I know? Personally, I hope Mel recovers quickly, gets his life turned around, and works it out with the people he hurt. He is too good of an actor, a director, and a person to toss him aside. Now is one of the times that I would be happy if Hollywood did overlook some moron's acting like an idiot.
Again, none of that is to defend what Mel said. He said unbelievably stupid stuff and took shots at several groups. His comments were not just stupid, though, they were hateful and hurtful. Now, what I have a problem with is the aftermath. We get People magazine and Entertainment Weekly. Both of them ran front page promotion of articles about his heinous acts. And they both have revisited the story the next week. News sites still are reporting on the story now - weeks later. People are calling for boycotts of Gibson and his movies. Others are saying that they will never work with him again (Rob Schneider - was that even a consideration?). Still others say he should just be banished from Hollywood all together. I read some guy online who said he would never watch Braveheart again.
Sooooo, that's how Hollywood handles people who believe stupid stuff? Well, let's think about this. Roman Polanski was charged with statutory rape and fled the country. He got nominated for an Oscar in 2003 - and won. There is still an outstanding warrant for his arrest. There are dozens of high-rolling people in Hollywood that believe in aliens as deities and act like raving lunatics (Tom Cruise, paging Tom Cruise). Actors like Collin Farrell enter substance abuse facilities all the time. Instead of banishing them from Hollywood they get more and more roles, even though they haven't ever had a big movie to deserve the support. Robert Downey Jr was such a problem at one point that insurance companies would not even let a studio get a policy for him during a shoot.
Hollywood has never had a problem overlooking all kinds of things. They overlook marriages being broken up, drug use, domestic violence, moronic comments, alcoholism, wacky political stances, strange religious beliefs, and out-of-control lifestyles. So why won't they move past Mel's night of drinking and mouth-running? I think that part of it is that Mel put himself on the front lines with his Passion of the Christ movie. His religious beliefs became part of what identified him. He went from Crazy Funloving Mel to Religious Mel. And that was when things went nuts. He decided to stop acting and only direct. His projects became more ambitious - filmed in dead languages, based on fringe historical characters. He was now perceived as serious. And that was where this craziness didn't match up.
People were used to seeing him in his long beard, building his private church, talking about serious things. And the drunken bit didn't fit. And the hateful comment surely didn't fit. And when he had become associated with the Christian community, that added an extra layer. When he tripped, a major Christian symbol tripped. And that was where a lot of these people took sick joy in watching him mess up. They loved saying, "Oh is this how a Christian acts?" Personally, I think this why it became such a big story -- because it made Christians look stupid. And that is why it is still a story. Other people have said racist comments - on all different sides of the fence. They don't get banned from Hollywood. But Mel is fighting for his career. Seems awfully weird to me. But what do I know? Personally, I hope Mel recovers quickly, gets his life turned around, and works it out with the people he hurt. He is too good of an actor, a director, and a person to toss him aside. Now is one of the times that I would be happy if Hollywood did overlook some moron's acting like an idiot.
Jun 23, 2006
Worst. Sports City. Ever.
So, the Miami Heat won the NBA Championship. Whoopty doo. I say that for two reasons. First, it is basketball. And even though it could have been the most exciting series ever, it wasn't. I found myself forcing myself to watch the games. Basketball stinks - and it is getting worse. The officials gave games 3 & 5 (and maybe 6) to Miami. I saw enough to know that. [I'm not going to harp on that because Bill Simmons at ESPN did a good enough job destroying the refs in his article found here.] Combine all that with the fact that even the most "humble" player on Miami (Dwayne Wade) came off as an arrogant turd. There are few, if any, likeable and admirable players in the NBA. Of course, I already covered most of this in my award-winning post last summer.
The second reason for my lack of interest is that, in my esteemed opinion, Miami is the biggest waste of a sport city in the universe. Now I know that is a bold comment, and I haven't been everywhere. And there may be a real rathole on Glaxagore Prime that makes Miami looks super-dee-duper. But I find that hard to believe. (Besides, Glaxagorns are PASSIONATE about hackysack.) I grew up in West Palm Beach, just an errant Daunte Culpepper lob north of Miami - so I am VERY familiar with that sports scene. I had every iota of useless Miami sports crammed down my throat every day in the local papers. And since then, if possible, that place has gotten worse.
Let's analyze the Miami sports world, shall we?
NFL - Miami Dolphins - Established 1966
History: Five Super Bowl appearances, two victories (1972, 1973), twelve division championships - All time winningest coach in the NFL - All time passing leader in NFL - Only perfect season ever for a team
Recent History: An amazing ability to start the year great and collapse down the stretch has been replaced by complete ineptitude, and then by an amazing ability to start the year horribly and get hot down the stretch.
Outlook: Very strong - Good coach, good lineup, good fanbase (uncharacteristically loyal and even national)
NBA - Miami Heat - Established 1988
History: One NBA Championship (2006), six division championships
Recent History: Conference runner up and then league champs - Boasts one of the biggest young stars in NBA (Dwayne Wade) and one of the biggest old stars in NBA (Shaq), and a bunch of marginal and washed-up big names.
Outlook: You would think great, especially with Wade. But the old men on the team are going to start collapsing soon. And the fan base is pathetic - their flaws include not selling out playoff games (what??), sitting down during exciting parts (huh??), and having a jawdroppingly poor knowledge of the game (doh!).
MLB - Florida Marlins - Established 1993
History: Winner of two World Series (1997, 2003)
Recent History: Their entire history is recent. They follow a weird cycle: stink really bad, sell off big names players for prospects, prospects grow up, team gets good, get in the playoffs as the Wild Card, win the World Series, sell off the parts, repeat.
Outlook: The fans have grown to hate the team. Every time they get successful, the team dismantles everything and then sucks. They fight all the time with the city. No one goes to their games. They have empty seats during the playoff runs. They won't build them a stadium. They are leaving town.
NHL - Florida Panthers - Established 1993
History: One Stanley Cup appearance and loss.
Recent History: Sucking
Outlook: Always one of the teams talked about in the NHL's long-awaited contraction talks.
NCAA - Miami Hurricanes
History: Football has won five national titles, baseball has won four
Outlook: One of the biggest college teams in the country and will continue to be so forever. Plus, it is one of the most prolific sources of professional football players.
So, three of the professional franchises can't find a fan base (even though two of them have won championships). Why? Well the NBA and MLB both expanded to include teams into a city that had a very devoted fan base -- to other teams. It is like why the Devil Rays don't have any fans in Tampa because everyone there is a Yankee fan. Well, in Miami, there are tons of Lakers and Celtics and Bulls fans and tons of Yankees and Red Sox and Braves fans. The newness of these teams means that the long time city residents already chose teams. In addition, there are two UNBELIEVABLY popular teams (Dolphins & Hurricanes) in Miami that already take people's time and money. As a result, you have a fractured fan base. No one really likes the Marlins, so no one is going to be willing to put up ridiculous amounts of money to keep them there.
So, Miami has had twelve national championships for their major teams in the past 25 years. TWELVE! There are cities like Cleveland that are dying for ONE. Their fans are unbelievably dedicated and hardcore. But their teams just can't win. It's the same for Philadelphia. But Miami, who doesn't even appreciate it, gets a crapload of titles and then hates the teams that bring them. It cracks me up. So, now they have won another piece of metal to put on the mantle, and don't care. Next year or the year after next, when Shaq retires, Zo retires, and a few of the others get contracts elsewhere, the Heat will fade back into the pack. American Airlines Arena will be empty again. And the local fanbase and newspapers will again ridicule the team. And the Cavaliers fans will keep crying for a title. Blows your mind.
The second reason for my lack of interest is that, in my esteemed opinion, Miami is the biggest waste of a sport city in the universe. Now I know that is a bold comment, and I haven't been everywhere. And there may be a real rathole on Glaxagore Prime that makes Miami looks super-dee-duper. But I find that hard to believe. (Besides, Glaxagorns are PASSIONATE about hackysack.) I grew up in West Palm Beach, just an errant Daunte Culpepper lob north of Miami - so I am VERY familiar with that sports scene. I had every iota of useless Miami sports crammed down my throat every day in the local papers. And since then, if possible, that place has gotten worse.
Let's analyze the Miami sports world, shall we?
NFL - Miami Dolphins - Established 1966
History: Five Super Bowl appearances, two victories (1972, 1973), twelve division championships - All time winningest coach in the NFL - All time passing leader in NFL - Only perfect season ever for a team
Recent History: An amazing ability to start the year great and collapse down the stretch has been replaced by complete ineptitude, and then by an amazing ability to start the year horribly and get hot down the stretch.
Outlook: Very strong - Good coach, good lineup, good fanbase (uncharacteristically loyal and even national)
NBA - Miami Heat - Established 1988
History: One NBA Championship (2006), six division championships
Recent History: Conference runner up and then league champs - Boasts one of the biggest young stars in NBA (Dwayne Wade) and one of the biggest old stars in NBA (Shaq), and a bunch of marginal and washed-up big names.
Outlook: You would think great, especially with Wade. But the old men on the team are going to start collapsing soon. And the fan base is pathetic - their flaws include not selling out playoff games (what??), sitting down during exciting parts (huh??), and having a jawdroppingly poor knowledge of the game (doh!).
MLB - Florida Marlins - Established 1993
History: Winner of two World Series (1997, 2003)
Recent History: Their entire history is recent. They follow a weird cycle: stink really bad, sell off big names players for prospects, prospects grow up, team gets good, get in the playoffs as the Wild Card, win the World Series, sell off the parts, repeat.
Outlook: The fans have grown to hate the team. Every time they get successful, the team dismantles everything and then sucks. They fight all the time with the city. No one goes to their games. They have empty seats during the playoff runs. They won't build them a stadium. They are leaving town.
NHL - Florida Panthers - Established 1993
History: One Stanley Cup appearance and loss.
Recent History: Sucking
Outlook: Always one of the teams talked about in the NHL's long-awaited contraction talks.
NCAA - Miami Hurricanes
History: Football has won five national titles, baseball has won four
Outlook: One of the biggest college teams in the country and will continue to be so forever. Plus, it is one of the most prolific sources of professional football players.
So, three of the professional franchises can't find a fan base (even though two of them have won championships). Why? Well the NBA and MLB both expanded to include teams into a city that had a very devoted fan base -- to other teams. It is like why the Devil Rays don't have any fans in Tampa because everyone there is a Yankee fan. Well, in Miami, there are tons of Lakers and Celtics and Bulls fans and tons of Yankees and Red Sox and Braves fans. The newness of these teams means that the long time city residents already chose teams. In addition, there are two UNBELIEVABLY popular teams (Dolphins & Hurricanes) in Miami that already take people's time and money. As a result, you have a fractured fan base. No one really likes the Marlins, so no one is going to be willing to put up ridiculous amounts of money to keep them there.
So, Miami has had twelve national championships for their major teams in the past 25 years. TWELVE! There are cities like Cleveland that are dying for ONE. Their fans are unbelievably dedicated and hardcore. But their teams just can't win. It's the same for Philadelphia. But Miami, who doesn't even appreciate it, gets a crapload of titles and then hates the teams that bring them. It cracks me up. So, now they have won another piece of metal to put on the mantle, and don't care. Next year or the year after next, when Shaq retires, Zo retires, and a few of the others get contracts elsewhere, the Heat will fade back into the pack. American Airlines Arena will be empty again. And the local fanbase and newspapers will again ridicule the team. And the Cavaliers fans will keep crying for a title. Blows your mind.
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