Sunday Is For Contact Sports (& Mo’ Open Threads)

However, I am curious: Do any of you think the Patriots can lose a game this season?

Can lose a game? Yes they can lose on any given Sunday.

Nonetheless, they are good enough to run the slate. If the Pats lock up the division and homefield with two games left, do Brady and other starters continue to play the whole game. Without the starters, it’s a crap shoot. Belichik is playing for the Championship and not team or league records.

Good post. Yeah, if I were the coach, I’d protect my key players…. but I’ve noticed the coaches seem reluctant to do that. E.g., I’ve seen coaches continue to play the starters even when the outcome of the game is no longer in doubt. Is that because fans demand to see the stars?

(I ask because, while I enjoy watching sports, I’m not a student of any of the major sports, so I am genuinely curious.)

The most competitive teams keep their eyes on the prize. Their coaches tend to do what’s best to win the championship. They’ll keep starters in to run plays in game situation, to score points, to try plays against certain defenses, to keep the rhythm of the offense and defense in tact and aggressive.

You might pull a starter out at the end of the game if your team is ahead by 30 and you want the backup guy to get some work.

In football, sometime a team has locked their division and their home field advantage and nothing is at stake in the last game in the last game of the season. You could announce your starters will sit on Sunday. If the Pats are undefeated by then, will Belichik sit his starters? Dunno but I think he would and he’d put the responsibility to get the record on the backup team members.

The Pats play the Bills tonight at 8 on NBC.

It’s a divisional game and the Bills want to beat the undefeated Patriots who are coming off a bye week and a big win the week before against Indy.

I think I’ll watch it.

My aunt told me to watch the Patriots/Colts game, and that was VERY exciting … there was a point in the game when I thought the Patriots were going to lose, but they — as great teams do — found a way to win.

(I also had to go back/forth to watch my Seahawks, but they managed to lose in OT that day.)

Here’s how we know that Novak, the douchebag of liberty, means by the terms d’art “agents” versus “operatives”.

“Agents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party’s presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, but has decided not to use it.”

Novak, the tool of the right-wing attack machine, wrote these words July 14, 2003:

“Wilson never worked for the CIA, but his wife, Valerie Plame, is an Agency operative on weapons of mass destruction. Two senior administration officials told me Wilson ‘s wife suggested sending him to Niger to investigate the Italian report. The CIA says its counter-proliferation officials selected Wilson and asked his wife to contact him.”

If Novak was a journalist, he’d print he story for attribution: he’d name the “agents of Hillary Clinton speading the word”. If Novak were a journalist and not a tool of the politics of destruction, he’d ask what the “word”, the so called “scandalous information” was. This kind of crap is not good for our country.

SNORT. “If Novak were a journalist and not a tool of the politics of destruction …”

PERFECT, Neil. Just perfect.

Now, if Obama had said that, I’d be switching to supporting HIS campaign. Instead, Obama got all defensive — which makes some people wonder if he’s perhaps got something to hide — and played the victim, which he and Edwards had been slamming HRC for doing.

The last thing you do is give Novak the time of day, let alone free publicity for his “crap.”

Giving Novak free publicity was one reason I hesitated to write about it at all, but given that the pseudo-news networks are obsessing over it, it seemed important. Especially after I read Greg Mitchell’s adroit put-down of Novak — which is a must-read just for its adroitness-esses.

Great thread, Susan.
I sure hope McConnell loses his seat in KY – and apparently so do quite a few Kentuckians. The song “I’m Takin’ My Country Back” was originally used in ’04 and put together in Nashville by the Music Row Democrats, I’m glad it’s being used again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbO5JYV1dJc

Tony Benn and an Iraqi woman rip Bloody Bolton up. This is a must see video clip over at Crooks and Liars.

This made my day

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/11/18/tony-benn-on-the-revolutionary-notion-of-democracy/

Edwards ripped it up on Face the Nation this morning

Former Senator Edwards spoke truth to power once again this morning on Face the Nation. He made it clear that he had made mistakes ( a territory unknown to Hillary) and that he had learned from his 2002 war resolution vote. He brought up how HRC’s yes vote for the Kyl Lieberman amendment is a very serious indication that Hillary has not learned that the Bush administration will use every measure to move their agenda for more aggressive measures to be used on Iran forward. Hillary’s yes vote for the Kyl Lieberman admendment is a very clear indication of the influence that Aipac has with Hillary and that she did not learn any lessons from her yes vote on the 2002 war resolution.

On Face the Nation Edwards repeated that “intense diplomacy” with Iran and Syria and increased efforts to include all countries in the middle east is the way to move forward with negotiations with Iran.

I had no idea that John Edwards has not taken any “Pac” monies. Edwards shared that it is almost impossible to move forward in a campaign with out lobbyist money that he would like to witness lobby money taken out of the process. That corporations of course can continue to lobby but not buy a disproportionate amount of influence with their $$$$.

You know if Senator Clinton and Senator John Edwards lined up closely on all issues I would have to go with Hillary on the woman factor, but they do not. There are distinct and very serious differences on their stances on U.S. foreign policy. Edwards supports strong diplomatic means and Hillary has all ready given the Bush administration the ammunition they need to stir up more support for a first strike on Iran. Edwards learned from his 2002 war resolution vote and clearly Hillary has not. This difference is HUGE.

The MSM had been ignoring Edwards the last several months up until recently. Kept wondering why? Spread the word about Edwards in the blogosphere. Link Edwards interview on Face the Nation. (not up yet)

The Clinton crowd’s booing was obnoxious. Anyone notice how Edwqrds was placed on the far right of the stage. (how are those spots chosen?) Anyone notice how Blitzer interrupted Edwards more than anyone else?

Can not find the link to Edwards on FAce the Nation this morning really worth the watch

http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=…..ature=user

The real reason Boosh was crying about earmarks?

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/15/bush-retaliates-earmarks/

Oh sweet. Will go watch now. Do you read Steve Clemons’ blog, Kathleen? He’s been all over the “return” of John Bolton … he was a leader in crushing Bolton’s nomination.

What are trial lawyers then? They’ve contributed heavily to Edwards’ campaign.

I do like a lot of Edwards’ ideas and his brains. However, I think he has sunk himself by saying he’ll go for public financing of his campaign, which would make it impossible if he’s the Democratic nominee to compete against the GOP nominee.

And it does bother me that he paints himself as the real populist candidate while he builds a five-million-square-foot house (or whatever its dimensions are) for FIVE people.

And that — while he withdrew from his advisorship of the hedge fund after it came out that that hedge fund foreclosed on Katrina victims’ homes — he and his wife STILL make hundreds of thousands of dollars per year from income from investments in that same hedge fund.

(I know that you and I will never agree on who’s the best nominee, Kathleen, and I don’t wish to “get into it” with you since I respect your knowledge, your observations, and your dedication to issues. I also respect Edwards for saying he’s not perfect. Someone else here pointed out in another thread that Edwards has gone into trial-lawyer mode with his attacks, and I find his style/tone/wording to be too abrasive and combative for presidential campaign politics. The one good thing about his abrasive style is that, if he were president, I think he’d be a tough one, and that’s admirable.

ULTIMATELY, if he were president, I wouldn’t lose a night’s sleep — I think he’d be excellent. But I do think that the “reality bites” syndrome would hit him between the eyes, and how. He’d be hard pressed to ever realize a fraction of what he promises on the campaign trail. That said, I’d root for him to try, as long as it wouldn’t destroy him, which I fear it could.)

My hunch is Karl Rove planted the Obama smear with Novak they are old buddies from way back .

Retired New York City detective and no doubt in my mind Kerik was Rudy’s ” Bagman ” and Bush wanted him as his Homeland Security lobbyist payoff ” Bagman “.You understand Rudy’s business ventures would have made millions from Homeland Security contracts with Kerik in place there .

Novak is grasping at the last straws of his relevancy. Note the death of a rattlesnake. The last thing to go is the rattle.

It’s not like Novak has any credibility to grasp at.

And, he’s an old, sick man, at the end of his years. It isn’t pretty.

I think the Republicans have invested a lot in running against Hillary. I subscribe to the GOP.COM RSS feed to see what they’re putting out there. It’s all perjorative about Hillary.

This dustup with the douchebag of liberty could be a volley from the RNC to pushback on Obama’s advances in the polls. The real risk to the RNC is that Obama emerges from Iowa as a leader.

The slime meme – Hillary has Obama scandalinfo – is effective because Hillary would benefit if it were true and therefore would have motive to slime him if she thought he were getting too close. It works TWO ways for the RNC; it hurst Obama and it hurts Hillary.

If I were a progressive politcal news reporter, I’d sit on Novak with a camera and mic and ask him repeatedly to reveal the source of this slime meme and I’d show him refusing to do so over and over and over on YouTube or elsewhere until everyone gets the idea that Novak is the one perpetrating the slime and that he is not merely an agent of those who are.

While watching the “Debate” did anyone notice how a member of the audience asked a question only to have the question changed by CNN “reporters”? I was yelling at the tube at overt maipulation…

Did anyone notice that at least 3 canidates accused Bush of violating US laws and the Constitution and yet wont call for impeachment?

Anyone notice the google bombing occuring on some internet flash polls?

This push poll against Mit Romulan is a New Hampshire repeat.
Apparently it is being used against Repbulicans on themselves…It is fair to think it will be a national occurance in the comming year…

When will Novack be arrested for treason?

When will Haryy Reid stop whining?

His last few public statements have come across as less than assertive…”all we want is just a little oversite, that’s not to much to ask.”

How about …There WILL be over site or no more money for the real kid with the credit card….and why would not Harry respond by saying that college kids are being targeted by Credit Card companies in unethical ways?

Was the Fisa vote in the Judicuary on C-Span?

Don’t miss the Debate with turdblossom and Max Cleland on thursday on C-span…

Great insight! It fits with what we know about the raison d’etre of the Bush Administration and current Republican party leaders. It’s all about the Benjamins.

Whoever can secure and publish evidence of this theory, wins a Pulitzer. Wouldn’t it be delicious if it were Judith Regan?

RIGHT ON.

However, I think that the RNC’s real dream is that Obama gets the nomination. He is not good on the attack, and his answers in debates can tend towards the meandering and professorial. The Republicans could cold-cock him for that.

The current Republican attacks on Hillary ARE NOT about making her weak for the general — they are about destroying her so that they get Obama as their opponent in the general.

He’s also said a lot on the primary that could be used against him in general election TV ads … talking to the bad guys, etc., etc. (I know all of that is so irrational and unfair, but the GOP will exploit all that to appeal to people’s REPTILE BRAINS.)

Then there’s the never-to-be-spoken-out-loud factor of race. Racism thrives in America, throughout the nation — even here where I live. If the GOP gets Obama as their opponent, they can count on a huge number of angry white men coming out to vote just against him. (Yes, they’ll come out to vote against Hillary — but she has a plus in that she is a lot tougher than Obama, and they’ll reluctantly respect that about her.)

Ponder this thought did the Feds do 2500 hours of wiretaps on Bernie solely for him alone . Know from detective experience Bagmen are stepping stones to bigger ballplayers . Guess what ? Kerik is Libby Jr. now he knows too much. If he is found guilty guess what ? You got it he will flip . So then yep you got it amnesty a la Libby .

You wish.

Which means it’s untraceable. And even if by some stretch it could be traced, it won’t taint any of the GOP candidates.

Now, who’s behind the push-poll smears against Romney’s Mormonism? The truly curious thing is that the company conducting the poll is owned by a friend of Romney’s, is in Utah, and staffed by Mormons.

Novak should be in prison for outing an undercover agent and undermining National Security along with the rest of the traitors who outed Valerie Plame Wilson.

Lock them up or at the very least shut them up.

did you notice how no one asked a question about the Israeli Palestinian conflict and ran away fast with Governor Richardson was brave enough to bring it up.

did you notice how John Edwards was set off to the far right side of the stage.

Did you notice how Blitzer interrupted Edwards the most often/

I did many years working with Queens Office FBI Agents and Bagmen were our first targets. Why ? There carefree lifestyle set them up to take a fall from us. There is a saying about FBI guys ” They make you an offer you can’t refuse “.Simply put they tell the bad guy this is what we got on you and this is how much time we promise you will do . Rudy and Bush will have to make a move for Bernie if he is found guilty . Guys and girls Bernie is virtually Libby Jr.

I don’t find Edwards style “abrasive” what so ever. As Zbigniew Brezenski has said ‘where is the outrage”. I think Edwards is channeling some “outrage”. The fact that he has not taken Pac money is huge and I am sure has made him some serious enemies. He learned from his idiotic 2002 war resolution vote Hillary did not. Edwards moves far ahead for me on this one.

When Meet The Press post the clip of Edwards this morning I hope you will take a look. I also appreciate and respect your insights.

If you have not listened to that clip from Crooks and liars with Bolton and Tony Benn it is oh so worth it.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/11/18/tony-benn-on-the-revolutionary-notion-of-democracy/

Really appreciate Clemons. Bolton has never backed down. Talk of the Nations Neil Conans interview a few months ago with John Bolton was completely out of control. Bolton must have repeated unsubstantiated claims about Iran 10 times and Neil Conan never challenged him. Not once. It was absolutely disgusting.

Listen for yourself

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9942906

I will never forget Senators Kerry, Lincoln
Chaffee, Kennedy, Dodd, Biden’s faces during the John Bolton Nomination hearings. They had brought up how the Bush administration was still blocking their access to the NSA intercepts that they had been demanding. I thought this group of Senators was going to jump over the table and released some whoop ass on Bolton.

I believe these withheld NSA intercept have to do with Bolton accessing classified intercepts (rumors have it that Bolton may have been listening into Powells negotiations with Iran).

I will never forget Obama’s weak line of questioning and when Obama rolled over on the Condi “mushroom cloud” Rice’s nomination. I lost respect for Obama on that one.

This article by Sidney Blumenthal cleared up some
questions that I had.

” The Bolton confirmation hearings have revealed his constant efforts to undermine Powell on Iran and Iraq, Syria, and North Korea. They have also exposed a most curious incident that has triggered the administration’s stonewall reflex. The Foreign Relations Committee discovered that Bolton made a highly unusual request and gained access to 10 intercepts by the National Security Agency, which monitors worldwide communications, of conversations involving past and present government officials. Whose conversations did Bolton secretly secure and why?

Staff members on the committee believe that Bolton was likely spying on Powell, his senior advisors, and other officials reporting to the secretary of state on diplomatic initiatives that Bolton opposed. If so, it is also possible that Bolton was sharing this top-secret information with his neoconservative allies in the Pentagon and the vice president’s office, with whom he was in daily contact and well known to be working in league against Powell. If the intercepts are ever released, they may disclose whether Bolton was a key figure in a counterintelligence operation run inside the Bush administration against the secretary of state, resembling the hunted character played by Will Smith in “Enemy of the State.” Both Republican and Democratic senators have demanded that the State Department, which holds the NSA intercepts, turn them over to the committee. But Rice so far has refused. What is she hiding by her coverup?”

http://dir.salon.com/story/opinion/blumenthal/2005/04/28/powells_revenge/

Kiddies guess you know Rudy will pop up often on the Feds 2500 hours of wiretaps on Bernie . What I ponder who in the White House will also .I hope the Federal prosecutor is a good guy like Fitz and try to take his case right up to the White House .

Thanks again Larry and Susan for your insights and this important blog. will keep spreading the word. Later

Does that mean Roger Ailes is recorded too?

They know they are lying

People of the lie
http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2007/11/14/gordon-prather-3/

Antiwar Radio: Scott Horton Interviews Gordon Prather

Wednesday, November 14th, 2007 in News, Empire, War party, Iran, Nukes, Antiwar Radio, Iraq, North Korea, Neocons, WMD, Sanctions by Scott Horton| Comment |

Gordon Prather continues the discussion on Iran’s nuclear program, the recent attack on IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei by John “Bonkers Bolton,” speculation that the neocons outed Plame in order to destroy the CIA’s monitoring of Iranian nuclear black market operations, Cheney’s suppression of the Iran National Intelligence Estimate for over a year, the fact that Iran was not obligated to tell the IAEA about the things they were keeping secret, how Bolton and the neocons unraveled the Agreed Framework agreed upon by Clinton and North Korea, how Rice put it back together, the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of UN weapons inspectors in ’98, the low quality of Iran’s P1 subsonic centrifuges and the current status of IAEA negotiations.

People of the lie
http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2007/11/14/gordon-prather-3/

These guys should be in prison for outing Plame. Instead they can still access our air and media waves. throw these traitors in prison..

Kathleen, that is so powerful, so smart, so eloquent — and so damn destructive to Bolton et al. WOW! Can you imagine hearing that from Russert et al.? Silly question.

I hope everyone here follows Kathleen’s link. We all put up a lot of links here, and hope people will follow them, and most of us don’t. But this one is a MUST-CLICK.

I’m going to post that video. And the one just above it is superb too — I’ve never heard a better retort to the GOP’s warnings against “socialized” medicine. Frankly, the Democrats should run it in TV ads during the general when the inevitable attacks on the Democratic candidate’s health plan are launched, especially when the GOP decries the British/Canadian health plans.

Dedicated to Rudy and Bernie…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvBM8lnc_6c

Oh gawd. I just now turned on the Seahawk game. It’s the first quarter, and Chicago is already up 10-zip. Not good. I don’t think we’ll be going to the Superbowl this year.

Bernie got huge problems federal prosecutors will not present weak cases in court period .They always aim for a high conviction rate batting average. So figure Bernie will go down on most or all felony counts.The real issue is he is or will be Libby Jr.and how for Rudy and Bush to stop him from doing a flip.Figure it out Bush has to grant him amnesty at least.It will be interesting to see the names of those on his legal defense fund he had already setup.

So, I was listing to my Proclaimers and god bless’em for their great poetry. I am about as English, like or not, as I am Scot, but I love my Scot roots much much. My politics have been defined as much by Scottish Nationalism as Stokley Carmichael, and the writings of Sisulu, Tambo and Mandela, strange mix. But this song really represents why I love my Scot roots, and it is something US citizens might consider a little here and there. Thanks open thread. I rarely avail you…and thanks Susan, Larry, and all ya rest…

Cap In Hand by The Proclaimers
I could tell the meaning of a word like serene
I got some ’o’ grades when I was sixteen
I can tell the difference between magarine and butter
I can say saskatchewan without starting to stutter

But I can’t understand why we let someone else rule our land
We’re cap in hand

I could get a broken jaw from being in a fight
I know it’s evening when day turns to night
I can understand why stranraer lie so lowly
They could save a lot of points by signing hibs goalie

But I can’t understand why we let someone else rule our land
We’re cap in hand

We fight – when they ask us
We boast – then we cower
We beg
For a piece of
Whats already ours

Once I thought I could make God a bribe
So I said I was in his lost tribe
Getting handouts can be so frustrating
Get in line son, there’s five million waiting

I can’t understand why you let someone else rule your land
You’re cap in hand.