Tragedies Foreign & Domestic

In Pakistan, a truck careened into the Marriott Hotel. Currently, forty are dead. One hundred are injured. In South Carolina, Travis Barker’s plane crashed. Four were killed. Barker’s condition is critical.

In both circumstances, the survivors and victims have our thoughts and prayers.

Betting the Pass Line (Last Week: 3-2 Season: 6-4)

Cardinals (+3) at Redskins
In 1974, the St. Louis Cardinals commenced 3-0. On Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals will also.

Saints (+5) at Broncos
Simply stated, Jay Cutler is overvalued.

Steelers at Eagles (-3)
Donovan McNabb has reemerged. Favor the Eagles.

Jaguars at Colts (-6)
Versus the Jaguars, the Colts have won consecutive contests. On Sunday, they will win another.

Cowboys (-3) at Packers
In two contests, Aaron Rodgers has sparkled. Unfortunately, Tony Romo is superior.

Betting the Pass Line (Last Week: 3-2 Season: 8-7)

Alabama (-9) at Arkansas
In 2006, Nick Saban abandoned the Miami Dolphins. In 2007, Bobby Petrino abandoned the Atlanta Falcons. I abhor them both. With that stated, Alabama is superior.

Florida (-7) at Tennessee
Once, this was a rivalry. Today, Florida will walk.

Wake Forest at Florida State (-4)
In 2006, Wake Forest defeated Florida State 30-0. On Saturday, the Seminoles will garner revenge.

LSU (-2) at Auburn
Via minimal points and maximum punishment, LSU will win.

Georgia (-6 ½) at Arizona State
Last week, Georgia defeated South Carolina 14-7. UNLV defeated Arizona State 23-20. The Bulldogs are hardened. The Sun Devils were hype.

Monologue Joke of the Evening

“In a speech today, Joe Biden said that paying higher taxes is patriotic. The Republican strategy on Joe Biden? Let him keep talking.”

The Tonight Show

Government Unites, Salvages Economy

On Friday, President Bush, Congress, and the federal government acted. The Federal Reserve expanded lending. They injected cash. They will purchase short-term debt obligations. The United States Department of Treasury guaranteed money market mutual funds. The Securities and Exchange Commission suspended short-selling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 368 points. Hallelujah!

President Bush Complete Text

Gates Ridicules Russia

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates: “The Russian leadership might seek to exorcise past humiliations and aspire to recapture past glory along with past territory. But mauling and menacing small democracies does not a great power make.”

“In reality, Russia's policies are born of a grievance-based desire to dominate its 'near abroad', not an ideology-based effort to dominate the globe. And Russia's current actions -- however egregious -- do not represent the existential and global threat that the Soviet Union represented. Russia's conventional military remains a shadow of its Soviet predecessor in size and capability.”

“Images of the Russian armor and artillery overwhelming Georgia's tiny military -- an active force of some 30,000 troops -- does not reverse that reality. I believe the Georgia incursion will, over time, be recognized as a Pyrrhic victory at best and a costly strategic overreach. Russia's recent behavior raises questions about how successful we can be in trying to pursue a constructive relationship.”

AP: New York Yankees Honor Fans

Fans will be allowed to walk on Yankee Stadium's field for three hours before the ballpark's final game Sunday. Gates will open at 1 p.m. -- about 7 hours, 15 minutes before New York plays the Baltimore Orioles in its final game at the 85-year-old stadium.

For the first three hours, fans can walk through Monument Park, behind the fence in left-center, and walk along the warning track in the outfield and to home plate. Field access will end at about 4 p.m., and Monument Park will close at about 6:45 p.m.

Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Goose Gossage, Ron Guidry, Graig Nettles and Bobby Richardson are to be part of the pregame ceremonies, which start at 7:05 p.m.

A closing ceremony for the stadium will be held after the season. New York moves to a new $1.3 billion Yankee Stadium next door. The first regular-season game there will be April 16 against Cleveland.

New Orleans Relocates Pianist

On Friday, the New Orleans Saints signed Joey Harrington. Personally, I hope he succeeds.

Monologue Joke of the Evening

“The government had to bail out two huge companies, and today they strongly hinted that they’d bail out others . . . at taxpayers’ expense of course. It’s all part of a new approach that leaders in the White House and Congress are taking — it’s called socialism.”

Jimmy Kimmel Live

O’Brien: Egomaniacal & Unemployed

On Friday, Pat O’Brien resigned. Once, O’Brien was an admirable journalist. Today, he is an ass.

NEW RULE

Sports merit compassion.

For Hurricane Ike victims, the Houston Rockets supplied meals, toiletries, and water. On Friday, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) excoriated the New York Yankees. His motivation? Their stadium’s cost. $1.3 billion.

Perpetually, athletes and franchises are scorched. They are assailed and condemned. Often, they deserve this. However, their munificence merits praise. Kucinich’s tantrum received columns. Houston’s philanthropy received paragraphs. Why? Callous, ridiculous perception. Professional athletes are millionaires. Generosity is required.

The aforesaid is both correct and incorrect. Athletes are wealthy. However, kindness still rates recognition. Ordinary citizens volunteer. They receive gratitude. Athletes should also.

Worth A Read

News Cycle

Our kindred spirits. Blogging journalism, news, and politics.

The Daily Smak

Very important question… Are you patriotic?

On Friday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad challenged Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. He requested a debate. Only one stipulation… Ahmadinejad chooses the questions, answers, and nuclear weapons.

Today’s top five or favorite sodas (1) Coke, (2) Pepsi, (3) Diet Coke, (4) A&W Root Beer, (5) Mr. Pib

Hallelujah… Rescue, Timeliness, & Cooperation

On Thursday morning, the Federal Reserve infused $105 billion. Unfortunately, the Dow Jones Industrial Average remained sluggish. On Thursday afternoon, an intervention was rumored. Another Resolution Trust Corporation? The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 410 points.

Currently, the proposal is incomplete. Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson and Congress are negotiating. With that stated, their conversation is appreciated. Their cooperation is welcome. As previously stated, America’s economy needs saving. The savior is irrelevant.

Democrats, Republicans Excoriate President Bush

Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY): “Once again the Fed has put the taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars to bail out an institution that put greed ahead of responsibility and used their good name to take risky bets that did not pay off. The only difference between what the Fed did and what Hugo Chavez is doing in Venezuela is Chavez doesn't put taxpayer dollars at risk when he takes over companies. He just takes them. I have said on more than one occasion that I don't think the Federal Reserve can handle the powers they have and this irresponsible bailout just proves my point.”

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY): “The cracks were showing as the value of mortgage-based securities slipped day by day by day. And the president and his supporters in Congress repeatedly chanted — and still chant the mantra today — that 'the fundamentals of our economy are strong.”

Senator Harry Reid (D-NV): “They were not there asking us to do anything. They were there telling us what they were going to do. We need senators, House members and president committed to change.”

Representative Roy Blunt (R-MO): “Republicans in the Congress feel like we could have had and should have had more information sooner.”

Patriots Debate Taxes

Senator Joe Biden: “We want to take money and put it back in the pocket of middle-class people. It’s time to be patriotic… time to jump in, time to be part of the deal, time to help get America out of the rut.”

Senator John McCain: “Raising taxes in a tough economy isn’t patriotic. It’s not a badge of honor. It’s just plain dumb. The billions in tax increases that Sen. Obama is proposing would kill even more jobs during tough economic times. I’m not going to let that happen.”

Yahoo: Recession Realism

A few tents cropped up hard by the railroad tracks, pitched by men left with nowhere to go once the emergency winter shelter closed for the summer. Then others appeared — people who had lost their jobs to the ailing economy, or newcomers who had moved to Reno for work and discovered no one was hiring.

Within weeks, more than 150 people were living in tents big and small, barely a foot apart in a patch of dirt slated to be a parking lot for a campus of shelters Reno is building for its homeless population. Like many other cities, Reno has found itself with a "tent city" — an encampment of people who had nowhere else to go.

From Seattle to Athens, Ga., homeless advocacy groups and city agencies are reporting the most visible rise in homeless encampments in a generation. Nearly 61 percent of local and state homeless coalitions say they've experienced a rise in homelessness since the foreclosure crisis began in 2007, according to a report by the National Coalition for the Homeless. The group says the problem has worsened since the report's release in April, with foreclosures mounting, gas and food prices rising and the job market tightening.

"It's clear that poverty and homelessness have increased," said Michael Stoops, acting executive director of the coalition. "The economy is in chaos, we're in an unofficial recession and Americans are worried, from the homeless to the middle class, about their future."

The phenomenon of encampments has caught advocacy groups somewhat by surprise, largely because of how quickly they have sprung up. "What you're seeing is encampments that I haven't seen since the 80s," said Paul Boden, executive director of the Western Regional Advocacy Project, an umbrella group for homeless advocacy organizations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Calif., Portland, Ore. and Seattle.

The relatively tony city of Santa Barbara has given over a parking lot to people who sleep in cars and vans. The city of Fresno, Calif., is trying to manage several proliferating tent cities, including an encampment where people have made shelters out of scrap wood. In Portland, Ore., and Seattle, homeless advocacy groups have paired with nonprofits or faith-based groups to manage tent cities as outdoor shelters. Other cities where tent cities have either appeared or expanded include include Chattanooga, Tenn., San Diego, and Columbus, Ohio.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently reported a 12 percent drop in homelessness nationally in two years, from about 754,000 in January 2005 to 666,000 in January 2007. But the 2007 numbers omitted people who previously had been considered homeless — such as those staying with relatives or friends or living in campgrounds or motel rooms for more than a week.

In addition, the housing and economic crisis began soon after HUD's most recent data was compiled. "The data predates the housing crisis," said Brian Sullivan, a spokesman for HUD. "From the headlines, it might appear that the report is about yesterday. How is the housing situation affecting homelessness? That's a great question. We're still trying to get to that."

In Seattle, which is experiencing a building boom and an influx of affluent professionals in neighborhoods the working class once owned, homeless encampments have been springing up — in remote places to avoid police sweeps. "What's happening in Seattle is what's happening everywhere else — on steroids," said Tim Harris, executive director of Real Change, an advocacy organization that publishes a weekly newspaper sold by homeless people.

Homeless people and their advocates have organized three tent cities at City Hall in recent months to call attention to the homeless and protest the sweeps — acts of militancy, said Harris, "that we really haven't seen around homeless activism since the early '90s."

In Reno, officials decided to let the tent city be because shelters were already filled. Officials don't know how many homeless people are in Reno. "But we do know that the soup kitchens are serving hundreds more meals a day and that we have more people who are homeless than we can remember," said Jodi Royal-Goodwin, the city's redevelopment agency director.

Those in the tents have to register and are monitored weekly to see what progress they are making in finding jobs or real housing. They are provided times to take showers in the shelter, and told where to go for food and meals. Sylvia Flynn, 51, came from northern California but lost a job almost immediately and then her apartment.

Since the cheapest motels here charge upward of $200 a week, Flynn ended up at the Reno women's shelter, which has only 20 beds and a two-week limit on stays. Out of a dozen people interviewed in the tent city, six had come to Reno from California or elsewhere over the last year, hoping for casino jobs. "I figured this would be a great place for a job," said Max Perez, a 19-year-old from Iowa. He couldn't find one and ended up taking showers at the men's shelter and sleeping in a pup tent barely big enough to cover his body.

The casinos are actually starting to lay off employees. "Sometimes I think we need to put out an ad: 'No, we don't have any more jobs than you do,'" Royal-Goodwin said.

The city will shut down the tent city as soon as early October because the tents sit on what will be a parking lot for a complex of shelters and services for homeless people. The complex will include a men's shelter, a women's shelter, a family shelter and a resource center. Reno officials aren't sure whether the construction will eliminate the need for the tent city. The demand, they say, keeps growing.

Manny is History… Thirty-Eight Still Bitches

Curt Schilling: “The guy [Manny Ramirez] got to dress in a locker away from the team for seven years. And then [when] he's on this crusade to get out of here, all of a sudden he's in the locker room every day, voicing his displeasure without even having to play the game that night.”

“Nothing makes a guy that respects the game and respects human beings like Terry Francona feel worse than looking at a guy and saying, 'Go ahead, [mess] with me, [mess] with your teammates, I'll put you in the lineup,' and then turn around to a guy who's there every day early working his [butt] off who gets 110 at-bats a year and saying, 'You know what? Yeah, I can't put you in there tonight.”

“There were times when you had players who were on like fire duty, 'Show up tomorrow, I'm not sure if you're playing or not, we've gotta find out what [Manny] wants to do.' That's not fair to anybody.”

“I wouldn't say [they're ticked], I'd probably say disappointed more than anything. Because the one thing about Manny is that he was … he was very kind, and well-mannered, but there were spurts and times when you didn't know who he was. You know, he was always kind and nice for the most part, but he'd show up the next day and say, 'I'm through with this team, I want out now. But I was a teammate, a member of this family, and I saw it … And to me, it was always those guys, the guys who played a crucial role on teams that weren't the marquee players, are the ones that were disrespected the most.”

Monologue Joke of the Evening

“The stock market crashed again today. This has been one of the worst financial weeks in American history. I was lucky — two weeks ago, I took all my money out of Lehman Brothers and invested it into the Jonas Brothers.”

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Family, Familiarity Infects Hills

Family is an inherent contradiction. They care. They complain. They assist. They meddle. They exalt. They excoriate. They offer advice. They mandate procedures. Family is both beneficial and exasperating. Unfortunately, they are also eternal.

On Monday, Holly and Lauren enjoyed lunch. They discussed relationships. Heidi and Lauren. Holly and Lauren. Heidi, Holly, and Lauren. Upon hearing this, Heidi was upset. She criticized Holly. She questioned her loyalty. I do not care. Lauren is the catastrophe. Stephanie and her are combustible. Heidi, Holly, and her would be a nightmare.

Subsequently, Audrina promoted a concert. She invited Justin, Lauren, Lo, and Stephanie. Lauren, Lo, and Stephanie attended. Why am I not surprised? As previously stated, Justin is disgusting and repugnant. He is selfish and unreliable. He is not a boyfriend.

NEW RULE

Drugs are unforgettable.

During a fifteen-month investigation, the United States and Italy arrested 507. They also seized 176 vehicles, 167 weapons, cocaine (16,711 kilograms), heroin (19 pounds), marijuana (51,258 pounds), and methamphetamine (1,039 pounds).

This morning, this story was absent. Wall Street owned the conversation. Wall Street should. Since Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has plunged 841 points. With that stated, drugs are omnipresent. They infect our children and communities. They may not merit headlines. They warrant reaction.

The Daily Smak

Hey, weren’t you Total Request Live?

In Florida, saggy pants are constitutional. Upon hearing this, Def Jam Records responded “We are relocating.”

In Tennessee, a man attempted a robbery. Unfortunately, the museum’s air conditioning system trapped him. Poor Kevin Federline…

Amidst Ruin, Bipartisan Rescue Required

On Sunday, Lehman Brothers filed bankruptcy. Bank of America purchased Merrill Lynch. On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 504 points.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Federal Reserve neglected the benchmark interest rate. The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 141 points. On Tuesday evening, the federal government rescued AIG. On Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 449 points.

On July 11, I stated the obvious. If President Bush, Congress, and the federal government did not act, the mortgage crisis would eviscerate our economy. Today, America’s scenario is scary.

These are my observations. AIG’s rescue was correct. Lehman Brother’s non-rescue was also correct. Fannie Mae and Freddie should be split. A homeowner’s protection program should be enacted. Finally, gargantuan alterations are required. Oversight, reform, and regulation are critical. America’s economy needs saving. The savior is irrelevant.

CNN: Analyzing America’s Meltdown

The Wall Street crisis has been caused by plunging housing prices. So despite the billions of dollars being thrown at the problem, experts say more trouble lies ahead. The nation's financial system is in the midst of a massive shakeup and many on Wall Street and in Washington are pointing fingers and looking for someone to blame. But in the end, it all comes back to one issue - housing.

Earlier this decade, it was much easier to get a mortgage. Home prices soared about 85% from 1996 through 2006 in inflation-adjusted dollars, creating a bubble. Then the bubble popped. And the fallout isn't over yet, experts say. In the past two weeks, the government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy and Merrill Lynch sold itself to Bank of America.

If all that weren't enough, the Federal Reserve announced late Tuesday night that it was loaning $85 billion to insurer American International Group. None of this would have happened if the housing market had not imploded, leaving all these firms with staggering losses from their investments tied to mortgages. "These institutions, which weathered all kinds of calamities before, including depressions, are being knocked out," said Lakshman Achuthan, the managing director of the Economic Cycle Research Institute. "It's a testament to the significance of the problem we have here."

Thus, experts agree that there are likely to be future shocks to the financial system until the housing market finally hits bottom. Even Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, the administration's point man in the many rescue discussions of the past month, admits this.

"The housing correction poses the biggest risk to our economy," Paulson said the day he announced the Fannie and Freddie seizure. "Our economy and our markets will not recover until the bulk of this housing correction is behind us."

But because of the depth of the housing problems, it may take a long time before real estate prices head higher again. Here's why. Home prices, while sharply off from the 2006 peaks, are still high in comparison to long-term gains in income, rents or overall prices, suggesting that they still have a way to fall, according to experts.

The reason housing is wreaking havoc even on insurers like AIG and big investment banks, who do not make mortgage loans, is that during the boom, trillions of dollars of mortgages were packaged together into securities that promised to pay investors with the proceeds of those loan payments. Those securities paid better rates than other types of assets during the boom years. So many investors from around the globe poured as much money as they could into those securities.

Faced with this demand, lenders starting making more loans to riskier borrowers, including people who might not be able to afford their mortgage payments in the future and even many with no proof of income. When prices were rising, this wasn't a problem. The risk of loan foreclosure or default was limited because many homeowners were able to sell their house for more than they owed and make a profit.

But once prices topped out and began falling, loan defaults and foreclosures started shooting higher as homeowners found it more difficult to sell their house. This created problems not just for subprime borrowers but even for those with good credit and income. When foreclosures rose, the value of the various types of securities tied to mortgages started to fall, causing huge losses up and down Wall Street. It also made banks less eager to extend credit because of the risks involved.

This credit crunch in of itself slowed the economy, leading to job losses and more defaults, feeding a downward spiral that has been difficult to stop. "A really bad situation -- a home price bubble bursting -- was made significantly worse when the recession began," said Achuthan. "Now we have to let this thing play out."

Some experts even argue that the steps being taken to rescue firms like AIG could make a recovery in housing and the broader economy more difficult, as financial firms and investors become more reluctant to lend money. "We are certainly taking credit and squeezing it tighter and tighter," said Kevin Giddis, managing director of investment bank Morgan Keegan. "Housing needs buyers. Buyers need credit."

Achuthan said that even though rates for mortgages and other types of loans have fallen in the last two weeks, those loans are becoming more difficult for many consumers and businesses to get because banks are severely tightening their lending standards. And if housing prices do fall further, that will only cause more losses in the financial sector and perhaps more failures of banks, insurers and securities firms. "I would hesitate to say the worst is behind us," Achuthan said.

So even with perhaps hundreds of billions of tax dollars going to AIG, Fannie and Freddie, one expert said the only real solution to the housing problem is for the correction in housing to finish running its course. "We want home prices to return to normal," said Barry Ritholtz, CEO of Fusion IQ and author of the upcoming book "Bailout Nation."

"Until that happens, you can throw as much money at the market as you want at the situation....and it ain't going to make any difference," Ritholtz said.

Yemen Tragedy

In Yemen, automatic weapons, a homicide car bomb, and rocket propelled grenades struck the United States Embassy. Sixteen were killed. Obviously, Al-Qaeda remains active. Terrorism remains omnipresent.

NEW RULE

Americans have eyes.

Governor Kathleen Sebelius: “Have any of you noticed that Barack Obama is part African-American? That may be a factor. All the code language, all that doesn’t show up in the polls. And that may be a factor for some people.”

Sebelius is a moron. Americans are not political wonks. However, Barack Obama has owned cable news, local news, internet, newspapers, radio, and television. Ellen, Hardball, NBC Nightly News, and Saturday Night Live… Obama has been visible. Americans can see. They comprehend his race. His race is irrelevant. John McCain is a stellar opponent. Stellar opponents induce constricted contests.

Worth A Read

Conquest Chronicles

Blogging the USC Trojans.

The Daily Smak

Hey, didn’t you used to be Milwaukee Brewers Manager?

In the Amazon, ants from mars were discovered. Upon hearing this, Jessica Simpson responded “How was their flight?”

Today’s top five or Kim Jong Il’s successors (1) George W. Il, (2) Hillary Il, (3) Kim Cheney, (4) Kim Jong Gore, (5) Governor Sarah Palin

Vapid Vikings Jettison Jackson

On Wednesday, the Minnesota Vikings chose a quarterback. Gus Frerotte is their starter. Minnesota’s decision is correct. Tarvaris Jackson was incompetent and ineffective. His talent was minimal. His tenacity was minute. Jackson was impeding Minnesota.

Moron Boneheads Embrace Calamity

As previously stated, professional sports are shortsighted. They are absurdly forgettable. Consistently, franchises ignore accomplishments. They embrace change for change.

On Monday, the Milwaukee Brewers fired Manager Ned Yost. Coach Dale Sveum supplanted him. “Yost didn't have all the answers for what is going on the last two weeks and I'm not sure I have all the answers,” said General Manager Doug Melvin. “I'm not sure this is the right one, either. We just felt a managerial change at least gives us a chance to see if we can turn it around.”

Yost’s reaction was mixed. “When I walked in, I hadn't even sat down on the couch and Doug said we were going to make a change,” he said. “They didn't ask me any questions [or] what did I think we needed to do. There was none of that. I don't agree with the decision, but I respect Doug Melvin's decision. That's what I ask my players to do. If I make a decision, I don't ask you to agree with it all the time. I just ask you to respect it.”

During his tenure, Yost amassed a 457-502 record. In 2003, he was 68-94. In 2004, he was 67-94. In 2005, he was 81-81. In 2006, he was 75-87. In 2007, he was 83-79. Upon his firing, the Brewers stood 83-67. “We have not played good for the last two weeks, that's well-documented and I, being the head of the club, must take responsibility for that,” said Yost. “They felt my responsibility was to step down and let somebody else take over.”

Since 1983, the Brewers have logged a 1,958-2,195 record. They have accrued zero playoff appearances. In my opinion, C.C. Sabathia could not alter this. Yost’s termination will not alter this.

Anthrax Target Craves Conspiracy

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT): “If he [Dr. Bruce Ivins] is the one who sent the letter, I do not believe in any way, shape or manner that he is the only person involved in this attack on Congress and the American people. I do not believe that at all. I believe there are others involved, either as accessories before or accessories after the fact. I believe that there are others out there, I believe there are others who could be charged with murder. I just want you to know how I feel about it, as one of the people who was aimed at in the attack.”

Big Five & Hot Five (During Blogger Relocation)

Big Five (Alphabetical)

Bristol Palin

Georgia

Hurricanes Gustav & Ike

John McCain

Kwame Kilpatrick

Sarah Palin

Hot Five (Alphabetical)

90210

Bristol Palin

Chad Javon Ocho Cinco

College Football

Entourage

Gossip Girl

John McCain

Republican National Convention

Sarah Palin

Monologue Joke of the Evening

“In an interview with Charles Gibson, Sarah Palin didn’t know what the Bush Doctrine was. To be fair, a month ago she didn’t know who John McCain was either.”

The Tonight Show

Josh Howard: Ignorance is Repetitive

NEW RULE

Surgery is unavoidable.

On Monday, Shawne Merriman underwent knee surgery. Said surgery was suggested one month ago. Merriman’s ignorance reward? Two tackles. Athletes must realize the obvious. Physicality governs you. You cannot govern physicality. If surgery is recommended, undergo surgery. Inaction may be frustrating. Impeding your franchise is unacceptable.

The Daily Smak

Hey, didn’t you used to be my relationship?

For seven months, my ex-girlfriend and I argued, insulted, and screamed. Honestly, Kevin Federline and Britney Spears were happier.

Today’s top five or potential Oakland Raiders Coaches (1) Fred Biletnikoff, (2) Jim Plunkett, (3) Art Shell, (4) Ken Stabler, (5) Al Davis

PETA Again Halts Animal Abuse

During a PETA investigation, Iowa farmers were filmed abusing piglets. As previously stated, I despise PETA. I loathe them. However, they merit applause. Eating meat is acceptable. However, animals should never suffer abuse.

GAME BALLS (NFL Edition)

Anquan Boldin (WR – Cardinals): 6 receptions, 140 yards, 3 td
(Win: 31-10 vs. Dolphins)

Jason Campbell (QB – Redskins): 24/36, 321 yards, 1 td
(Win: 29-24 vs. Saints)

Jay Cutler (QB – Broncos): 36/50, 350 yards, 4 td
(Win: 39-38 vs. Chargers)

Anthony Gonzalez (WR – Colts): 9 receptions, 137 yards
(Win: 18-15 at Vikings)

Earnest Graham (RB – Buccaneers): 15 carries, 116 yards, 1 td
(Win: 24-9 vs. Falcons)

Darren McFadden (RB – Raiders): 21 carries, 164 yards, 1 td
(Win: 23-8 at Chiefs)

Aaron Rodgers (QB – Packers): 24/38, 328 yards, 3 td
(Win: 48-25 at Lions)

Tony Romo (QB – Cowboys): 21/30, 312 yards, 3 td
(Win: 41-37 vs. Eagles)

J.T. O’Sullivan (QB – 49ers): 20/31, 321 yards, 1 td
(Win: 33-30 at Seahawks)

Kurt Warner (QB – Cardinals): 19/24, 361 yards, 3 td
(Win: 31-10 vs. Dolphins)

GAME BALLS (College Football Edition)

Legarrette Blount (RB – Oregon): 12 carries, 132 yards, 2 td
(Win: 32-26 at Purdue)

Donald Brown (RB – Connecticut): 20 carries, 206 yards, 3 td
(Win: 45-10 vs. Virginia)

Chase Daniel (QB – Missouri): 23/28, 405 yards, 4 td
(Win: 69-17 vs. Nevada)

Matt Grothe (QB – South Florida): 32/45, 338 yards, 2 td
(Win: 37-34 vs. Kansas)

Graham Harrell (QB – Texas Tech): 31/48, 418 yards, 5 td
(Win: 43-7 vs. SMU)

P.J. Hill (RB – Wisconsin): 26 carries, 112 yards
(Win: 13-10 at Fresno State)

Joe McKnight (RB – USC): 12 carries, 105 yards
(Win: 35-3 vs. Ohio State)

Eron Riley (WR – Duke): 8 receptions, 137 yards, 3 td
(Win: 41-31 vs. Navy)

Javon Ringer (RB – Michigan State): 43 carries, 282 yards, 2 td
(Win: 17-0 vs. Florida Atlantic)

Frank Summers (RB – UNLV): 22 carries, 103 yards
(Win: 23-20 at Arizona State)

Seahawks Hope, Sign Robinson

On Tuesday, the Seattle Seahawks signed Koren Robinson. Robinson inked a one-year contract. This transaction is intriguing. Robinson possesses immense talent. Unfortunately, his tribulations have haunted him. For Seattle, Robinson must act appropriate. The Seahawks are desperate.

NEW RULE

Relocation is random.

During my relocation, I was elated. I was excited. This transition would improve my life. Thus far, my air conditioning and washer have malfunctioned. I endured a massive blackout and windstorm. Emotion is irrelevant. Murphy’s Law is inescapable.

Worth A Read

Greg Mankiw’s Blog

Random observations for students of economics.

The Daily Smak

Hey, didn’t you used to be Ohio State?

Following seven days off, my return coincided with Ohio State-USC. Essentially, I missed Sarah Palin’s speech. I enjoyed John McCain’s speech.

Today’s top five or most impressive USC performances (1) Mark Sanchez, (2) Joe McKnight, (3) Damian Williams, (4) Rey Maualuga, (5) Clay Matthews