Hi.
Trying to get in the habit of doing this once a week, but it's difficult not because of "blah blah time real life blah" as most people would claim, but simply.... where does one begin? There's so much ridiculousness that when it seems like you're just shouting into the air, and no one is listening, what is the point of even shouting?
And then I think to myself, "That's how George W. Bush got elected."
Speaking of institutions that have nothing to do with voting: Large, faceless corporations. Specifically, the NFL.
For the longest time, the NFL didn't even have a commissioner (which is a great name, and why is there no Dark Knight parody of this yet?), so finally Roger Goodell was named, who had the benefits of 1) not being a former owner of an NFL team, i.e. getting the job based on net worth, and 2) not being a total fucking idiot.
These first two points are, of course, shots at Bud Selig and Gary Bettman, respectively. The third commissioner in need of being mocked, David Stern, is a power hungry control freak, of which Goodell has also been accused.
Now I'm not actually following this story as close as most angry internetters, mostly because it's very hard to give a shit when a commissioner is actually doing his job, but here's the situation:
1) Roger Goodell is chosen commissioner.
2) Roger Goodell cracks down on concussions.
3) Roger Goodell throws the fucking book at the New Orleans Saints for the bounty "scandal."
Let's take these in order. (1) .... duh. (2) Good. It's still a problem, but these are grown men crashing into each other with the force of Mack trucks. If we wanted to protect from concussions completely, we'd all go home and play golf. You want better protection? Hire better doctors. OH AND ALSO give the players better motivation to not lie about their condition. If you've just been hit in the head, but two more catches nets you an $8 million bonus? That's math anyone can do. Even Bud Selig. (okay, probably not Bud Selig).
As for (3), the first Super Bowl I ever watched was Super Bowl XX. There were some nasty hits from a nasty Chicago Bears team that season, and bounties are nothing new, not ever. Does anyone remember pictures of numbers written on towels, said towels hanging from players waists? This happens time and again. You want to crack down on it? Fine. You want to call it a "scandal?" No, fuck you, this is a slow news day. If Vince McMahon were a little smarter, and took less steroids, the XFL would still be around today, with bodies piling up and lawsuits flying in from every direction, but dammit, people will pay good money to see violence. (SPOILER: People do not go watch NASCAR because they are fans of the left turn).
So he's doing fine. It's a position that serves at the pleasure of the NFL Board of Directors, so the real problem here is: NFL owners. They're in for life, essentially, or until they decide to sell. I've been waiting for the owner of the Houston Rockets to die for fifteen years, but more importantly, when is Donald Sterling (he of the NBA's Clippers) gonna kick the bucket? He's been running that team into the ground for ... the entire time he's owned it, and with success happening this season, it's only a matter of months before he sells the best players for pennies on the dollar for "prospects" because as long as he's making a profit, why bother trying for a trophy? He just got lucky this year. Like that one time the Arizona Cardinals made the Super Bowl. Will not be happening again in our lifetime (unless the team gets sold to someone not an idiot).
Speaking of all that (fingers crossed), Bud Adams turned 90 in January. When he dies, the Titans are done. He's a fire-breathing dragon (nee Dinosaur) in the same way Al Davis was, but once Al died, the team got even worse (as if that were possible). Long-time Lakers owner Jerry Buss died recently as well, and while I have nothing negative to say about Buss-- I may hate his team, but he actually worked toward winning Championships (except when he got rid of Shaq) -- the team has become absolute shit since he gave up control. Kobe will never win another ring. That team is over, the new guard got there because of who their family is, not because of competence.
So I'm looking forward to the Titans tanking it for the next 50 years. The Colts are there as well-- they have a decent rookie QB, but that means nothing with an inferior team around him and a front office who does not know how to build one. And with Lucas Oil stadium, they don't NEED to build one... asses in seats means a profit. Why improve?
Next week (if there's a next week), March Madness. Oh, and what is this "America 12" shit? Oh, fucking fuck Christ.....
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