Welcome Back!

It's been a while.  New look, new address, new name...same attitude.  Thanks for takin it to The Rack.

Not feeling very regal today so this will be quick.

First be sure to vote in today's poll, a new addition to the blog.  Pretty simple, who ya got?

I'm taking Oregon.  I like their D better than Auburn's, especially in the backfield.  Auburn did have a tougher road, right?  It's the SEC, right?  I'm not subscribing to that caveat this year, sorry.  My Kentucky Wildcats had Auburn beat.  Kentucky, the dumpster fire that just laid an egg to Pittsburgh, a team that divorced their coach and had their interim coach get caught booze-cruisin all within a couple weeks of each other.  And all within weeks of facing "Operation When?"

Oregon did get pushed by Cal, but boat-raced Stanford.  You know...Stanford.  The team that had their coach hand-picked by Jesus, and quarterbacked by the messiah himself.


Oregon 35
Auburn 24


The Cubs just sent the minor league pitcher AND player of the year to Tampa Bay for Matt Garza.  Glad they're looking towards the future.  Congrats Jim Hendry, you're tireless efforts towards building a wild card team are winning the hearts of Cubs fans everywhere.






Ron Franklin.  You're an asshole.

The Devil's Advocate

Bigot. Racist. Divisive. Polarizing. Shocking.

All of these have been used over the last few weeks in describing conservative radio giant Rush Limbaugh. Columnists like Jason Whitlock wrote that Rush is a "opportunistic, race-baiting, anti-black entertainer."

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wrote in his blog that the NFL would be "crazy" to allow Rush in as an owner. Even NFL players and owners came out publicly against the possible acquisition.

Then, on cue, the head of the NFL Players Association DeMaurice Smith followed the lead from the General's of the Race Army, Reverand's Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and condemned the bid. The Rev's claim that Maha Rushie blatant racism over the years has caused diviseness throughout the country.

Pot, meet kettle.

These analysts and opinion makers stand at the forefront of an hypocrisy that has spread throughout the country via a media that continues to attack conservatism with guns blazing. The anger that burns inside these "objective" journalists towards Limbaugh is so hot they stoop so low with an incredible disregard for professionalism. There is no question that Rush is the most polarizing figure in this country, so I'll play devil's advocate and serve up these assholes.

Jason Whitlock

Put in his column on October 12th quotes from a Jack Huberman book that claim Limbaugh said "You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray (Dr. King's assassin). We miss you, James. Godspeed." and "Let's face it, we didn't have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: Slavery built the South. I'm not saying we should bring it back. I'm just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark."

After Limbaugh denied the comments and confronted Whitlock, the columnist refused to retract the quotes saying the quotes added to the controversy that was "helping" the talk show host.

Since then, evidence has shown el Rushbo never uttered the comments.

Whitlock claimed he just took the quotes from the Huberman book "101 People Who Are Really Screwing America." I emailed Whitlock and asked why he did not check the source himself but have not of yet received a reply.

Didn't Tom Brokaw tell us the internet would destroy journalism because of the integrity of checking sources? Apparently Jason Whitlock is no better than the blogger who "Wiki'd" the comments.

Sharpton and Jackson

It's funny, I remember both of these ambulance chasers flying to North Carolina to publicly persecute the Duke lacrosse team after they were accused of raping a black stripper. What I don't remember is a retraction or apology to those young men, who will have the accusation hanging over their heads forever, after the stripper admitted to lying to authorities about the alleged sexual abuse. Maybe I missed it...or it just wasn't covered as much as the public conviction.

Jackson himself referred to Jews as "hymies" and called New York City "Hymietown" to a Washington Post reporter. Not at all racist. Yet these two are always quick to condemn others who disagree with them politically, and do it for political gain.

NFL

It looks as if Dave Cheketts will drop Rush from his ownership bid group. The reason is simple: The NFL is a players league.

Owners are scared of what Rush may say as an owner of a franchise and Cheketts more than likely realizes he will not get voted in with Rush riding shotgun. Rush has unceremoniously fired from ESPN in 2003 for, well, being Rush. He claimed the media desired a successful black quarterback in the NFL and anointed him as better than he really was. Rush also claimed that "the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it."

Agree or disagree with the quotes, but there are arguments that support both. McNabb was before his prime when the quotes were made and was fairly inconsistent in a time where there were starting QB's in the league like Daunte Culpepper and Steve McNair. There was a definite media blitz surrounding all three, the argument is that would there be that much attention if they were white?

In 2006, 41 arrests were made involving NFL players. Over the last 5 years there have been players who have opened fire (purposely or accidentally) in night clubs or just outside, fought and slaughtered dogs, struck and killed a pedestrian while driving intoxicated, beat a wife or girlfriend, moved controlled substances, etc.

Before the NFLPA takes exception to talk-show hosts calling their players thugs, maybe they should check the arrest sheets.

Pot, you know kettle right?

The NFL owners have no problem giving second chances to their players because they are what makes the league what it is, immensely popular. The league doesn't need Rush, but let's be clear here: Rush uses words, not guns. He talks everyday about capitalism and liberal agenda's ruining the country. He does not drown pitbulls. Players who claim they wouldn't play for him because of what he stands for have no problem blocking for teammates involved in death's of innocent people.

These are actions that defiantly go against what we stand for as a country, no matter what ideologue you subscribe to. Rush is an entertainer, like Keith Olbermann who the NFL has on their highly rated NBC studio show Sunday night's. The NFL should stand up to what is right and not condemn successful individuals who want to take part in a sport they love because they speak their mind.

Rush is an entertainer. The same people that claim Rush is a racist pay money to HBO so they can watch Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. They are cultural observers but are treated and viewed as opposites because of one or the others ideologue. It's time for everyone to take a hard look at context. It seems that is what is being missed and the source of the hypocrisy that is rampant in the media.

This is why you read this blog

Because it's going to pertain to the Cubbies, recruiting, the King of Pop and a possible rant or two.

Every year I watch the lovable losers, game in and game out. And every year I obsess about almost every game. The details it takes to win. The reason why we as die hard baseball fans do this, is because we know what it takes to win in the playoffs, and when we don't see our team doing those things, we freak.

That being said, I learned a lot from last year. That's not to say I didn't see the Cubs demise coming, I did. I didn't expect it so quickly, but expected it nonetheless. What I learned was to look at the teams over the last several years and see how those World Series participants got there. And in almost every season I found a very simple formula.

The teams that got hot at the end of the season were the ones that were most difficult to beat.

Sounds ridiculously dumb, but people rarely talk about it. The year St. Louis beat Detroit, they almost missed the playoffs. They were swan-diving towards second in the Central and had to get hot at the very end just to make the field of 8. And speaking of St. Louis, ask them about the buzzsaw they ran into after the Red Sox came back from down 3-0 to beat the Yankees. Look at the Marlins, the Rockies, the White Sox or whoever played in the fall classic and you will see a matchable regular season record with a team that got flicked out of the playoffs early like a gnat; i.e. Cubs, Braves, Yankees, Mets (when they actually made it)

So I choose not to freak on the television like a 14 year-old with turrets. At least not until September.

The NL Central is wide open. Mostly because it's not very good, but partly because the good teams in it have battled injuries much like the northsiders have. With Aramis Ramirez coming back they will get a run producer they need in the middle of their lineup and a gold glove-caliber 3rd baseman to match up with his counter-part on the opposite side of the diamond, Derrek Lee. Speaking of the two, Ramie couldn't have come back at a better time. That's because he does not need to be "the man" every time he steps in the box right out of the gate. Derrek Lee, that man they rode every summer for 3 years, seems to be back to his old form. Along with Prince Fielder, God (Pujols) and Andre Ethier, D Lee has been among the National League's scorching hot hitters over the last month. That takes some pressure of Aramis to ease his way back, which he has so far, and keep the heat off of Soriano for the time being. They have won 5 of 7, but desperately need Fonsie to get into a groove and to get healthier. Dempster has just hit the DL and last year's ROY Geovany Soto may be next.

The point is not to obsess with right now, but to stay afloat and keep yourself within striking distance until next month when hopefully this club feels good.

I feel like I'm starting to sound to much like Lou.

ON TO A LITTLE RECRUITING

One of our state's best writers, Jody Demling, has a fantastic KY recruiting blog. I'm not going to give you thoughts on the entire state because I little compared to him, I will just send you here .

However I do hold a level of expertise on a few Scott County recruits, so here ya go.

• Ge-Lawn Guyn committed not long ago to Charlotte. It came as a surprise to me because I didn't see the reasoning in committing now. I see him as a guy who could really stand out in his senior year at Scott County. He is a ferocious competitor with great skills. He is a slasher that can play the point and shoot from the outside and a suffocating defender. Demling reported recently that Guyn's commit was a "soft" one, and I believe it is because he could have a monster SR year at SC and could go somewhere bigger. He has been killing it with his Indiana AAU team.
• My boy Chad Jackson. Got another look from the Italian Stallion on Tuesday and is a guy I can see play for Pitino. This kid will be the best point guard in the state, if he already isn't. He possesses incredible athleticism and his outside shot is getting better and better. He's explosive off the dribble and gets to the rim with unbelievable ease. Expect both of these boys to have a tremendous impact in their senior seasons and beyond with whichever school they choose.
  
  

I was born in 1979, right when Michael Jackson started to become big-which he would eventually turn into what Queen Latifah said yesterday "the biggest star on Earth." After his death VH-1 as well as radio stations across the country became MJ tribute airways. Through I realized for the umpteenth time how amazing an artist he was. And in so many different ways. He was also a great humanitarian who gave millions upon millions upon millions of dollars to countries and people in need all over the world. A Guinness Book of World Records amount. There was another side to Michael as well that seemed strange to the rest of the world. The only thing I can take away from his "strangeness" is to say I did not know this man personally. And I have no idea if he was really strange or not. He was never convicted of child molestation (but did settle out of court once) and although his kids wore masks when they left the house, probably not one person reading this knew what his kids looked like until yesterday. Thus making them anonymous, which is something Michael sought his entire life. Rest in peace Michael, your impact on the world will be missed.

The only rant this week is to the level of hotness Megan Fox exudes. I did not like Transformers but went to see the sequel for Fox, and Fox alone. Despite it's predecessor's cheesiness, the movie I thought was actually great. Good for me! I hope she's happy with the Korean Justin Timberlake or whatever she called him. I personally would love finding a Korean Megan Fox if that makes any difference.