Pro Football 2011-2012
F- I- N- A- L- L- Y. This year of professional football has finally come to an end. It’s been a good year for some teams, and a great year for a lot of fans (unless you are a fan of the Colts, Rams, Dolphins, Browns, Vikings, or Deadskins……oops, typo there, I meant Redskins). Most of my friends, including my Wife, are Redskin fans, and I dearly love to tease them. You see, for thirty years I was a Baltimore Colts fan, and it was a requirement that you had to “hate” the Redskins. Of course, I don’t dislike the Redskins anymore. In fact, I am a fan (don’t you go telling my friends that), unless they are playing the Colts, or Ravens. Old habits are hard to break.
It’s been a year full of surprises and accomplishments. Some teams playing WAY over their talents, and great teams playing UNDER theirs. Fans or not, you have to enjoy watching Brady, Brees, and Rodgers. They make it look so easy, setting records as they go. And the future of the quarterback position in the NFL, Newton, Stafford, and TeBow. Next year, if things play out as predicted, we can watch first round draft picks, Luck, and RGIII. How exciting. I’m not taking anything away from the talented running backs, wide receivers, tight ends , line backers. corner backs, kickers, linemen, and special teams, I’m just saying the Old Guard at quarterback is being replaced by a new breed.
Peyton Manning. Quite possibly the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. (I’m sure Brady and Brees would disagree with that statement). Peyton, sidelined with neck surgery, had to watch his beloved Indianapolis Colts lose game after game. As you watched him on the sidelines, you could almost see the tears in his eyes. For this team does not belong to owner Jim Irsay, it belongs to Manning. He built this franchise. Without him, they would still be at the bottom of the AFC South (just like this year). The new Lucas Oil stadium isn’t called the “House that Peyton built” without reason. So, whatever happens to Peyton, whether he plays, retires, or coaches, he will always be the “Gentle Giant” of football to me.
Moving on to Super Bowl XLVI. One team, the Patriots, which I predicted before the season started, would be there. And the Giants, not a chance in h*** of being there (I predicted the Bears). But, the Cinderella Giants, and, playing beyond his natural ability, Eli Manning prevailed. They beat the dominant Patriots, and their cheating head coach Belichick, at their own game (again). And, ironically, Eli Manning did it in the “House that Peyton built”. Congrats to the entire Giants team for a job well done.
Ten years from now, will we remember which teams played, and which team won? Probably not. But, we will remember some wanna-be singer named M.I.A flipping off the crowd, and millions of people watching on TV. Such class. When will people learn that, if you want to be remembered, do great things. Create world peace. Stop global warming. Cure cancer. Don’t resort to sensationalism, as your claim to fame (aka Janet Jackson). Maybe this young lady(?), who calls herself M.I.A., will do us all a favor and really become M.I.A. (Missing in Action).
God Bless America
What’s It Like To Be A Republican in 2012
What’s it like to be a Republican in 2012? Embarrassing, Scary, Ashamed, Humiliated, Bewildered, ……….. I’m running out of adjectives here. My vocabulary is limited, so, feel free to throw-in any other words that come to your mind. I need help (some people will say in more ways than one) when did my Republican party, that I knew for decades, become the GOP we see today?
Where is the “Hooray, Hooray USA”? Where is GOD in our society? What happened to family values? What the H*** is a same sex marriage? Why can’t we close our borders? Why do I have to learn a foreign language in my own country, just so some illegal can communicate with me? And what happened to “THIS IS AMERICA, WE WORSHIP GOD, WE WAVE THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE, AND WE SPEAK ENGLISH…….LOVE IT, OR LEAVE IT”.
Now, I’m not sitting here trying to blame all of this on the Republican Party, but they all played a hand in it. Where are the “Eisenhowers’, Nixons’, Reagans’ of decades ago? The men who loved this country, what it stands for, and the people in it. The current GOP is split (partly because of the “tea party”), has no sense of direction, is way too far to the center and left, and has lost contact with the American public. They don’t seem to care about what it is that we want, it’s what they want.
I became a Republican in 1954. I was seven years old at the time. Didn’t know a darn thing about politics, but, all of my family were Republicans. That was good enough for me. Besides, the symbol for the Democrats is a donkey, and I liked being an elephant better. Big, strong, larger than life, mammal that symbolized the Republican party, and what it stood for. I know what you’re thinking right now, “Ol’ Freds’ been a Jackass most of his life”. And, you’re probably right, but that has nothing to do with my political party affiliation.
So, here we are in 2012. The Republican party is up against the Democratic, radical, insensitive, far left Obama-ism regime for the next President of the United States. The Republican party has to pull together and nominate the candidate that can bring down this out-of-control, far-left, Marxist-style man and his administration. Here they are, the cream-of-the-crop, the top-notch, the first-rate, the highest quality candidates that the Republicans can assemble:
ü Mitt Romney – Ex-governor who almost broke his state financially, authorized the highest health costs in the nation, and, next to California, is the most liberal state in the union.
ü Newt Gingrich – Ex Speaker of the House, thinks he is the second coming of Ronald Reagan (which he is not), doesn’t appear to be the same man who in 1994 was pushing term limits, tax cuts. welfare reform, and a host of other proposals.
ü Rick Santorum – Ex-Congressman, and ex-Senator, quite possibly the best candidate, excellent voting record, speaks with authority and knowledge, but lacks money and support from the old school Republicans.
ü Ron Paul – Ex-Congressman, good track record, good beliefs, good ideas, good family man, but…….not a chance in H***.
Well, there ya go. My Republican party at it’s finest. If we can get through the name-calling. mud-slinging, money-grabbing, lying, cheating primaries, we will have our candidate for the most respected political office in the world, the President of the United States.
I’m embarrassed.
State of the Union
For the first time in many years, I did not watch, or listen to, the President’s State of the Union address. I already know the state of the union, and Folks…….we’re in a hell of a mess! I don’t need to sit in my ol’ rockin’ chair and listen to Mr. Obama tell us that we are on our way to recovery, When in fact, it was Mr. Obama, his administration, the previous three administrations, and the 535 idiots in Washington, that got this great country into our current condition.
We bailed out the Banks, Mortgage Brokers, Investment Firms, General Motors, Chrysler, and the Stock Market. All of which were major contributors to the economical disaster that we face today. With public funds (that’s our money), most of these Corporations, Firms, and Companies are flourishing today. “Are you flourishing today? Has your economical conditions improved? Were you allowed to merge, and diversify? Do you have as much money in your savings account, or retirement plan then you had 4 years ago? What?…….No?…….Hmmm, me neither.”
So, here we are in 2012. Our great nation is struggling, and so are we. The country is nearing the economical level as the during the “Great Depression.” (And no….contrary to popular belief, I was NOT alive then). The cost of gasoline at the pump is going to fly past $4.00/ gallon. Our food in the markets has risen over 40%, and going higher. The only reasonably priced clothing we can buy is imported from Asian countries. One half of our domestically branded automobiles are being made in another country, and one half of the imported brands are being made here. WTF is That?????? Is there no pride in the slogan “Made In America” anymore?
I have to end this, cause now I’m making myself angry. But before I go, a quick remark on the presidential election. The voters will re-elect Mr. Obama for a second term, or whichever Republican gets the nomination. Either way fellow citizens, we are in for a long and bumpy ride. Buckle up and hang on tight. And that, my friend, is the real “State of the Union”, according to Fred.
Be sure to tell your loved ones that you love them, and God bless us all.
Coach Joe Paterno murdered
This is not the topic I had planned for my first Blog. But……this needs to be said. –
Joseph Vincent Paterno, lovingly nicknamed “JoePa”, was the winningest coach in Division I College football with 409 wins. In his 47 years of coaching Penn State’s football program, his teams have appeared in 37 Bowl games, with 24 victories, and 1 tie. Paterno is the only coach to have at least 1 win in all 4 current major bowl games. (Orange, Rose, Fiesta, and Sugar). He is also the only coach to have won 3 bowl games in every decade since 1970. Joe Paterno, as a man, has won every personal award, from the AP Coach of the Year, to the SI Coach of the Year, to the recently presented NCAA Gerald R Ford Award (2011). I am presenting this information as a prelude to the following remarks.
Joe Paterno was a very, very special person. He was loved, adored, and admired, by hundreds of thousands of people from all over this great land of ours. To include some of the greats in College and Professional football. His passion for football was unquestioned, but it was his guidance, counsuling and teachings, that turned young men into winners. And, he did it year after year.
Paterno’s football program earned millions and millions of dollars for Penn State University. Without Joe, Penn State would probably be just another underfunded, unheralded state college, like dozens of others throughout the nation. And how did Penn State repay him……let’s see…..Oh yea…..they fired him in November. The Trustees yielded under pressure from the yellow-coated media, and some of the “holier than tho” alumni. They ruined his name, his legacy, and his passion for life.
Joe gave up. He had nothing more to live for. Cancer may have taken his life, but, as far as I am concerned, Penn State murdered him.
Rest in peace “JoePa”. My condolences to the whole Paterno family.
UnderThisOldMansHat 