NFL Draft: Matt Stafford, Avoid The Detroit Lions

 

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A Message to Georgia QB Matt Stafford regarding the NFL Draft.

Matt, one week from today you're going to be in New York for the NFL Draft as player and I as media . Many people expect The Detroit Lions, holding the first pick in the player selection event, to make you the number one pick. I've got some advice for you:

Don't let 'em.

Matt Stafford (photo from Google Images)

Matt, the Detroit Lions are an organization of rich tradition, but a history of failure. The Lions have never reached the Super Bowl and playoff appearances have been few and far between. And the ownership has focused more on hiring personalities than building a winning organization. You won't win there.

Why?

Take a look at the NFL coaches who have won. All have one thing in common: they're known for systems.

Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers was known for one play, the Power Sweep, which the Packers ran to perfection winning Super Bowl's I and II.

Chuck Noll was the four-time Super Bowl winning coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers who's system consisted of a trap-based running game and aggressive pass-blocking on offense and on defense the "4-3 Stack Overset" alignment. That was the basis for the Tampa Defense that was created by Coach Tony Dungy, who was a Steelers assistant.

Coach Dungy took that Tampa Defense to the Indianapolis Colts where he was reunited with his old college coach and now offensive coordinator Tom Moore, who installed a unique spread offense, and that team set NFL records for wins and playoff appearances, and won a Super Bowl.

I could go on, and on. Tom Landry was the father of the 4-3 Defense and "zone" pass coverage with the New York Giants in the 50s, then refined the concept, creating the "Flex Defense" as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys where he won two Super Bowls.

Coach Bill Walsh is the father of the West Coast Offense and won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers (and indirectly two more, as his system was still used after he left), and for good measure A Pac 10-Championship at Stanford.

You getting the picture, Matt?

Jim Schwartz as Lions' head coach and Scott Linehan as its offensive coordinator are not known for a system that works. Name an NFL Quarterback that Linehan developed into a Super Bowl winner?

None.

While Linehan is known as a coach who's pass-patterns Urban Meyer used for his spread offenses at Utah and Florida, it's Meyer who won with a new total offense he created, and not Linehan.

Coach Linehan recently said they find the players and then make the plays for them, which means he's got no idea what he's going to do.

Don't go to Detroit, Matt. You won't win there.

So where should you go?

Denver, where Head Coach Josh McDaniels has a proven, modern offensive system. And New England, where Bill Belichick has the best situational offense in the NFL. You can learn of Tom Brady. But if you go to Detroit, don't say I didn't warn you. But if Linehan reveals his system as a result of this little attack of mine, maybe things will change.

We'll see.

Good luck.

On "Crazy Right-Wing Extremists" v. Susan Boyle

 

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On "Crazy Right Wing Extremists."

You can't please everyone, especially conservatives.

What's interesting regarding the outcome of my Susan Boyle video-blog of two days ago is the reaction I received from some viewers toward what I considered to be a throw-away line at best. I was trying to state that in a news World where we hear about "nasty pirates, mean internet commentators, and crazy right-wing extremists it's great to have some good news in the form of Susan Boyle's performance and story.

My blog post was clear as a bell, but I discovered you can't combat the insecurities of the reader; they're going to think what they want to think depending on their background and beliefs. It's literally impossible to anticipate every reaction to what's written, so better to just go for it.

As I state in the video, about 15 percent of the commenters focused on the "crazy right-wing extremists" part of the sentence and came up with some really weird interpretations. One person used the term "bigoted" to describe what they thought of my comment. In point of fact, being a "crazy right-wing extremist" is a behavior and not a race or ethnicity. For some to "go there", as the term is used, was pretty gauche to say the least.

I can't spot a "crazy right-wing extremist" on the street at a distance, and I certainly don't know what "crazy right-wing extremists" wear to a concert. But what I do know is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released a report that points to "right-wing extremists" as a threat to the safety of the country. Moreover they're reportedly growing in numbers. Remember, Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVey was a member of a "crazy right-wing extremists" or "White supremacist" group, so the FBI and Homeland Security have reasons to fear what these organizations might do.

Why support them, then?

And why be so sensitive to the use of the term "crazy right-wing extremists" that one would think I'm referring to a person who's "right wing" and calling that normal person names like "crazy" when I never made such a claim? It should come without explanation that one is who "right wing" is normal. But maybe right-wingers are hyper-sensitive now?

What's the deal with that?

Whatever it is, it is crazy to me. The people who reacted to my statement on "crazy right-wing extremists" need to stop looking for fights where they don't exist and cease acting like, well, "crazy right-wing extremists"! When reading, they should give someone the benefit of the doubt and stop looking for negatives to point to. Then they can see the real story.

Zennie62 On Susan Boyle Fan Site

 

A friend sent an email that my video "Who Is Susan Boyle" is featured on a new Susan Boyle fan site. Here it is > Susan Boyle Fan Site.

And on the matter of "Crazy Right-Wing Extremists, here's my video response:

The Death Of YOUTUBE!!! as we know it - By Brandon Keating Sr

I know it has been a while since I have posted, but I ran across something today that was quite disturbing. This is only directed to people who love youtube for what it once stood for. If you have some time, Please watch.

Susan Boyle: Just Who Is The Singer Susan Boyle?

 

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Unless you live under a rock, you know about the Scottish woman who has taken the industrialized World by storm: Susan Boyle.

Ms. Boyle, who appeared on a reality TV show called "Britains' Got Talent" last Saturday, April 11th and wowed a cynical audience and the judges, including the irascible Simon Cowell (also of American Idol) with her powerful performance of "I Dream A Dream" from Les Miserable.

What surprised millions - and does not make a great statement about our World industrial culture but is a great example of the power of online video distribution as the video has been seen over 15.9 million times on YouTube (I counted over 10 videso with over 200,000 views) as of this writing - is that someone who looks like her could sing like that.



But who Susan Boyle is as a person is a story of a good simple woman winning over a bad, complicated society. Ms. Boyle is 48 years old, unemployed, and she says never married or "kissed" which means she's a virgin. I do not laugh here because I think of her more as pure rather than question anyone's desire for her or perceived lack of same.

The Worldwide sensation lives in her childhood home in West Lothian, one of 32 council areas in Scotland, and which has Grapevine, Texas as its sister city, meaning they can claim her too.

Ms. Boyle cared for her mother until the elder Boyle's passing in 2007 at the age of 91; her father passed away 10 years before. Living alone, Susan attends Church each weekend and it was there that her singing talent developed, and where her late mother encouraged her to sing, but Boyle had reportedly stopped singing and did not know how she would do on that Saturday night she shocked the World.

Susan's life has not been one without pain. She was abused and starved of oxygen at birth as a result of that and has a learning disability because of the act. Ms. Boyle says she was teased by classmates, and apparently the scars of their comments remain to this day. Very sad.

What I identify with is, I myself having lost two fathers to prostate cancer in 2005 (my stepfather and my biological dad), and the same year my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer (she's still with me), one becomes painfully aware of their own mortality and the desire to "make one's mark" becomes ever intense. Susan Boyle's stirring song was as much a testimate to the power of the human sprit and a form of grieving as it was a display of talent. Susan wanted to make her mom smile, but in doing so made mothers all over the World smile -- my Mom called and said Boyle was the next Julie Andrews.

So, in a World of nasty pirates, mean internet commenters, and crazy right-wing extremists, we have to stop and embrace Susan Boyle for making us smile.

Visit "The Alley" On Grand Avenue

I just went around Oakland to really get out of the house, which means heading to places like Luka's, Cafe Van Kleef, and other venues. It's to socialize -- some of my best blog story tips have come in this way. But it's also to support the local businesses. In this case, the crowds generated by the successful appearance of Green Day at the Fox went away and downtown Oakland and the Lake was largely full of locals. So I dropped into The Alley really to get a copy of their menu, and the walked over to a drinkery called Smitty's two doors away.

Now I am not comfortable with Smitty's at all. Sorry but some of the clientele look like they're going to take hostages! Hey, I'm serious -- some rough-looking folks hang there. Not that I would not help raise money for an event there, but geez. I've had it with this "We're Oakland and so it's ok not to excel or be ambitious, in fact we'd prefer it if you want to be a loser."

Whatever.

That's why I'm happy for places like Pican and Flora, where you feel good for liking nice places and preferring to be around people who can dress appropriately!

Geez.

CNN Needs To Axe Lou Dobbs

I don't know how many times I need to write or say this, but I'm sick and tired of Lou Dobbs. His entire CNN show is based on some outdated conservative idea that even he can't define and his shows have no example of his thinking being challenged. It's nuts. Why CNN has this guy on is unbelievable to me.

Tea Parties in the works since August 2008

Stephen Leser of OpEd News (OEN) provides revealing information regarding the "Tea Party" domain:

You can repeat the research easily yourself. It's just a matter of looking up registration information. Check it out:
http://who.godaddy.com/whoischeck.aspx?Domain=CHICAGOTEAPARTY.COM

Please note the date of creation, August 3, 2008.

Things that make you go "Hmmmm..."

Some are trying to portray these protests as "spontaneous, grass roots" protests that are a natural "organic" response to Obama's economic policies (including those that are extensions of the GOP/Bush bank bailouts.) Leser points out the date the idea was conceived "not only predates the implementation of Obama's policies and his Presidency, it predates Obama being officially named the Democratic Nominee for President."

Now a lot of us wish taxes were lower, and suspect the rich already milk the system to pay lower tax rates despite what the rhetoric implies, but the facts support the assertion that this movement is anything but "spontaneous."

That's not exactly spontaneous, grass-roots sort of organizing.

"Who is Zachary Christenson, the owner of the domain? In turns out he is a right wing radio talk show host in the Chicago area with ties to several major Republican think tanks, and the Koch company, a Chicago area based conglomerate which heavily funds several Republican think tanks. These same Republican think tanks, like Freedomworks, the Cato Institute and Americans for Progress, just happen to be the primary groups behind the "Organic, Grass Roots" Tea Party protests. If you read the leadership of these think tanks, they are all led by heavy hitters in the RNC like Dick Armey and Steve Forbes...."

Imagine the solutions we could be creating if the GOP was willing to work together with the new administration. Instead, these "spontaneous, organic" Tea Party Protests, and the curiously naive "tea-bagging" rallying cry were planned over a period of months. They are evidently orchestrated, bought, and paid for by GOP operatives with the full knowledge of the RNC. It's no surprise the conservative media outlets are in full support; it makes for fine infotainment.

"...protest too much, methinks."

Are the people insisting it's the government that's promoting bad behavior doing anything they can to keep people from noticing the they arearrogantly promoting bad behavior? That's positively Rovian.

If you want to know the truth, my friends, follow the money.

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Simon Cowell Leaving "American Idol"? YEAH!

 

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I just read the news that Simon Cowell, the British entertainment mogul who's terrible bedside temper brings an edge to the popular reality TV show "American Idol" is now considering leaving it. My reaction? YEAH! DO IT!

Look, I never really watched American Idol at all -- but I've seen at least once -- and the reason was Cowell. I've got to be honest. I don't like it when people are mean to each other when they're supposed to work together in the real world, and I like it even less on reality TV. Cowell tossed insults at fearful contestants like they're hand grenades then he sits back and watches them cry!

Maybe Cowell is the perfect poster child for our fashionably rude society, and if that's the case and his departure would help improve American Culture, then the faster the better.

Cowell says he's tired; that going between two countries and doing three shows is hard "so one had to go" he told the British press. All I can say is please let it be "Idol" so he's not on in the American states for a while.

(And after unknown Susan Boyle's beautiful, blow-you-away rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables on "Britains Got Talent", I'm willing to be he's not skipping out on that show.)

Cowell's departure is good for Idol. Even Ryan Seacrest says this, pointing out the ratings drop I referred to earlier. But even then American Idol still rules the ratings its time slot. Maybe Americans like a villian, and Cowell is that. He told Seacrest to "Come out of the closet" and has been called childish, insulting, and a ton of names I can print here.

So who would replace Cowell? Well, someone mean, childish, ambitious, and cold for starters. For fun, let's make a list. Here's mine:

1. Dick Cheney for throwing President Obama under the bus, or trying to.

2. Sarah Palin for throwing everyone under the bus she's worked with.

3. Jamie Foxx for telling 16-year old Mylie Cyrus to make a sex tape and use heroin.

4. Rush Limbaugh for everything.

5. Chelsea Handler for having a cheap, racist TV show.

6. Alec Baldwin for yelling at his young daughter.

7. Jim Cramer, who I like but can wreck a company's stock in moments.

8. Naomi Campbell for throwing her cell phone at an employee.

9. J.J. Abrams for messing-up the San Francisco Skyline in "Star Trek" '

10. Perez Hilton who tosses made-up Internet rumors around weekly.

I'm sure you have your own list. Let's see it! Make a video of your "Top 10." I left "me" out because I didn't use the term "ego". I have a large one.

MN court declares Al Franken leading vote-getter. And the beat goes on...

Former Senator Norm Coleman has ten (10) days to appeal to the state Supreme Court. Once the petition is filed, it could further delay the seating of Minnesota's second senator for weeks. Bet he will - because even though Coleman once said he'd concede if the court found in Franken's favor more recently said he'd appeal all the way to the Supreme Court unless he won. Coleman isn't about a legal resolution, he's about staying in power - or, at best, letting the Republican machine drag out the contest at the expense of the citizens he claims to care about. How long will the GOP keep disenfranchising Minnesota voters? The citizens of Minnesota only have one Senator because they're not willing to play by the rules.

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Somali Pirate Attacks Point To Need For Somalia Aid

 

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Today, Easter Sunday, an after an kidnapping affair that lasted for several days, American sea Captain Richard Phillips was rescued after NAVY Seal Snipers took three precision shots and killed three pirates from Somalia.

Conservative blogs and websites like "HotAir" have unintelligently called for us to go into Somalia and "bomb" the pirates, but such saber-rattling will only kill innocent women and children. In other words, "American Machismo" worked to rescue the captain, but it will not work for the resolution of this problem.

In what can be described as a "growth industry" pirating in Somalia is a function of the country's lack of a government, weak economy, little military funding, and lack of financial aid from the World. In order to stop these attacks, the people of Somalia themselves must be helped.

What will work is increasing aide to Somalia and helping them establish a central government but from a distance, not via invasion. Somalia has been without a true central government since 1991, and that country's civil war. (And the United States doesn't need another incursion into that country, or for that matter another situation where American solidiers are killed, which were the events captured in a movie called Black Hawk Down.)

We can't afford to take on the task now. But we can work with the United Nations and other countries impacted by piracy to improve the Somali economy. Somalia is poor. According to the CIA, its' Gross Domestic Product is just over $2 billion, and the average life expectancy is just 47 years old. That's right: 47 years old.

So when the average Somalian hears that a pirate's making as much as a share of $22 million for a heist, that's attractive. Indeed, the BBC reports that Somalian pirates are "living the high life" becoming very wealthy even by American standards in a country that's very poor by the World's standards. So much so is the economy a problem and piracy attractive that recruiting participants has become easier over the years. The monetary spigot has to be shut off in two ways: economic and military, but we can't afford to constantly patrol several hundred thousand square miles of ocean to watch every action a band of pirates might take.

Aid to Somalia must be increased -- dramatically. But for now, I don't expect these attacks to stop, indeed, the lure of money and the culture that's developed around it is too intense to be curbed by America's success at recovering its people, even if the pirate hostage-takers were killed. They will try again, perhaps with some other country's vessel, but they will strike again.

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Special Interests inside the beltway fight health care reform

President Obama has issued an executive order establishing the White House Office of Health Reform intended to oversee "the federal government's comprehensive effort to improve access to health care, the quality of such care, and the sustainability of the health care system." Governor Howard Dean, M.D., and Democracy for America have launched the "Healthcare for All" campaign at StandwithDrDean.com, and over a quarter of a million people have enthusiastically joined in, spreading the word.

Both initiatives will help spur on reform in the health care insurance industry, and not a moment to soon. According to a recent article from Maggie Fox of Reuters,

"U.S. government economists predict that public and private health spending will hit $2.5 trillion this year, taking up a 17.6 percent share of gross domestic product. Yet studies suggest Americans get poorer care than people in other industrialized countries that have national healthcare plans, and 46million Americans have no health insurance at all."

While Howard Dean is a visible and credible public face, the effort requires your commitment, too. Change doesn't come about in Washington unless politicians know their constituents are paying attention to an issue. You've got to keep writing to them, and to newspapers, and inform your friends, neighbors, and co-workers about the shabby state of affairs caused by insurance company profiteers siphoning off lavish pay and bonuses that drive up all our costs but add no value to the health care industry.

You can help financially, too, even if you're not the sort to write to congress.

The President has nominated Nancy-Ann DeParle (who worked in the Clinton administration) to be Counselor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Health Reform. Barack Obama has a grand vision, he knows the system is broken and he's working to bring meaningful change so that health insurance works for people instead of just corporate profits despite the powerful special interests fighting to influence your representatives in Congress to leave the system just the way big insurance likes it. Don't let the folks in D.C. forget you're out here, watching.

"In 2009, Congress must take up and act on meaningful health reform legislation that achieves coverage for every American while also addressing the underlying problems in our health system. The urgency of this task has become undeniable."

~Senator Max Baucus, (D-MT)
Chairman, Senate Finance Committee
12 November 2008

The President's plan will promote public health and require coverage of preventive services, including cancer screenings. Catch the fever - make some noise!