Rachel is the spoiled, pathetic, 18-year old brat suing her parents for support after (it appears) she voluntarily left their home that she is still welcome at. I hesitate to call her a complete idiot (it's hard not to), but she's barely a legal adult (and in terms of maturity, probably still around 14).
It's tempting to blame the parents for producing and grooming such a privileged, ungrateful snot. But we over-estimate the power of parents to shape their children. Her parents appear to be guilty of having rules in their house and insisting they be followed. It's not clear what the rules are at issue that Rachel has such a beef with, but assuming they don't include daily floggings and torture, it's most likely this kid just needs to grow up.
The person that should be under fire is John Inglesino and not for allegedly allowing booze parties for Rachel and her friend (I believe his daughter), but for simply funding this nonsense as an apparently educated adult. Instead of attaching his name to what should be an obviously frivolous lawsuit, he could use that same money to support Rachel...whom he oddly is so invested in.
The sad part is that Rachel probably isn't filing this suit without some prodding or encouragement by Mr. Inglesino and when she is the inevitable maladjusted adult (likely with her own reality tv show), she may regret this.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Friday, February 28, 2014
Point Guard U
The 2014 Arizona Wildcats basketball team has been nothing short of incredible. They are currently 26-2 and both those losses come with asterisks to some extent. Within the first few minutes of the game, Brandon Ashley went down in the last-second shot loss to Cal and the flukey loss to ASU by one possession must be taken in context with the FACT that two technical fouls should have been called at the end of the game.
With wins against UCLA, Duke, Michigan, San Diego State, and beating down their entire conference...the Cats have the best resume in the game. And some of the best players:
KALEB TARCZEWSKI
This kid flashed serious potential his freshman year, but also stumbled along the way plenty of times. The jury was still out going into this year. Echoes of another big man (Kirk Walters) that showed potential and proceeded to inexplicably get worse each year were heard in my head, but that turned out to be an unfair comparison to ZEUS.
He's been a Godsend, a rare true center on a team that is known for churning out NBA-caliber guards on a regular basis. He's one of the few guys on the team that has embraced the free throw and hits them at an appropriate percentage. In many games, he's been the difference as foes have had no answer for him down below. Recently, he's shown success with longer range jump shots and if he starts hitting those at a regular clip the big man is going to be deadlier than ever.
NICK JOHNSON
The leader, the heart and soul of the team and the go-to guy in the clutch. He's hit so many big shots this year you lose count. In a team of studs, he somehow manages to separate himself as the elite scorer among them. Dude can do it all, has a nose for the basket, and doesn't seem to have a weakness.
BRANDON ASHLEY
With Zeus down low, having Bash right by him with his ridiculous wing span and skills was almost unfair. His injury hurt bad and helped other teams immensely. Hope to see him back next year.
TJ MCCONNELL
This guy is a true point guard. Last year, Mark Lyons was only masquerading as such. A pass-first, smart, effective guard like we haven't seen in AZ in some time. He's hit some giant shots and just when people were starting to question whether he could keep teams honest with the long ball, he went on a 3-point parade. Love watching him play. TJ MACKS.
RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON
He was great off the bench and has filled the shoes left by Bash nicely. At times, he goes Jordan and drives on 3 players throwing up some acrobatic craziness that doesn't work, but he's been great on the boards and has been playing smarter lately. He's had some of the nastiest dunks this season and can score at will when he's hot.
GABE YORK
One of their few bench players you felt good about that has been seeing more minutes lately and proving he deserves them. Small guy that plays way bigger. He's been pulling down boards, boxing out, covering forwards and centers and is their most deadly threat behind the arc.
AARON GORDON
Easily the most frustrating player on the team. If he could shoot Free Throws as well as me (which isn't that well), they'd be undefeated. There's a problem when the guy most likely to get fouled only shoots 43% behind the FT line. This MUST be improved, but each game it seems worse...the shots miss by more and the misses seem more brickish. It's perplexing.
The first half of the season Gordon was the best player and owned people, but the second half he's had plenty of bad games and hasn't been nearly as impressive. Everyone thought he'd be one-and-done with all the insane talent he has, but I think he needs to stay one more year. Another year with Miller would do him wonders and getting his FT percentage up would seem to be imperative to play in the NBA.
Gordon can do it all, except the easiest part of the game. Go figure.
CAN THEY WIN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT?
With Ashley playing, I'd bet money on it. With him out, they still can, but they could bow out earlier than expected. Their horrifying FT percentage will bite them down the stretch against another elite team in a close game.
They also need to stay out of foul trouble. Their bench is almost non-existent. Aside from Elliot Pitts, who has shown some improvement lately, the rest of the guys cannot be trusted. Fortunately, they have done well to avoid needing to rely on unproven players and only Gordon fouled out during regulation since Ashley went out.
BEAR DOWN!
With wins against UCLA, Duke, Michigan, San Diego State, and beating down their entire conference...the Cats have the best resume in the game. And some of the best players:
KALEB TARCZEWSKI
This kid flashed serious potential his freshman year, but also stumbled along the way plenty of times. The jury was still out going into this year. Echoes of another big man (Kirk Walters) that showed potential and proceeded to inexplicably get worse each year were heard in my head, but that turned out to be an unfair comparison to ZEUS.
He's been a Godsend, a rare true center on a team that is known for churning out NBA-caliber guards on a regular basis. He's one of the few guys on the team that has embraced the free throw and hits them at an appropriate percentage. In many games, he's been the difference as foes have had no answer for him down below. Recently, he's shown success with longer range jump shots and if he starts hitting those at a regular clip the big man is going to be deadlier than ever.
NICK JOHNSON
The leader, the heart and soul of the team and the go-to guy in the clutch. He's hit so many big shots this year you lose count. In a team of studs, he somehow manages to separate himself as the elite scorer among them. Dude can do it all, has a nose for the basket, and doesn't seem to have a weakness.
BRANDON ASHLEY
With Zeus down low, having Bash right by him with his ridiculous wing span and skills was almost unfair. His injury hurt bad and helped other teams immensely. Hope to see him back next year.
TJ MCCONNELL
This guy is a true point guard. Last year, Mark Lyons was only masquerading as such. A pass-first, smart, effective guard like we haven't seen in AZ in some time. He's hit some giant shots and just when people were starting to question whether he could keep teams honest with the long ball, he went on a 3-point parade. Love watching him play. TJ MACKS.
RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON
He was great off the bench and has filled the shoes left by Bash nicely. At times, he goes Jordan and drives on 3 players throwing up some acrobatic craziness that doesn't work, but he's been great on the boards and has been playing smarter lately. He's had some of the nastiest dunks this season and can score at will when he's hot.
GABE YORK
One of their few bench players you felt good about that has been seeing more minutes lately and proving he deserves them. Small guy that plays way bigger. He's been pulling down boards, boxing out, covering forwards and centers and is their most deadly threat behind the arc.
AARON GORDON
Easily the most frustrating player on the team. If he could shoot Free Throws as well as me (which isn't that well), they'd be undefeated. There's a problem when the guy most likely to get fouled only shoots 43% behind the FT line. This MUST be improved, but each game it seems worse...the shots miss by more and the misses seem more brickish. It's perplexing.
The first half of the season Gordon was the best player and owned people, but the second half he's had plenty of bad games and hasn't been nearly as impressive. Everyone thought he'd be one-and-done with all the insane talent he has, but I think he needs to stay one more year. Another year with Miller would do him wonders and getting his FT percentage up would seem to be imperative to play in the NBA.
Gordon can do it all, except the easiest part of the game. Go figure.
CAN THEY WIN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT?
With Ashley playing, I'd bet money on it. With him out, they still can, but they could bow out earlier than expected. Their horrifying FT percentage will bite them down the stretch against another elite team in a close game.
They also need to stay out of foul trouble. Their bench is almost non-existent. Aside from Elliot Pitts, who has shown some improvement lately, the rest of the guys cannot be trusted. Fortunately, they have done well to avoid needing to rely on unproven players and only Gordon fouled out during regulation since Ashley went out.
BEAR DOWN!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Facebook Faux Pas
I alternate between having an unhealthy obsession with Facebook and deleting my profile for months (and usually being quite productive because of it). The reality is that 95% of the things posted there are irrelevant to my life or interests and can be classified as contributing to the rotting of my brain. A few observations:
FOOD PHOTOS
When will people realize posting photos of their food makes you look like an idiot? It almost always looks unappetizing and the only good thing I can say about it would be such photos have contributed to my diets.
Equally absurd are the sad attempts to describe with lush adjectives the salad you just prepared. "Baby greens, goat cheese, California-grown oranges, and carrots drizzled with balsamic/lemon dressing" makes you sound pretentious. You made a salad. Awesome. Did anyone really need to know about this?
KID PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
I love my friends and I love their kids, but I rarely click on the videos of the little ones singing a song, eating their first bowl of cereal, or even taking their first steps. As to the latter, unless the kid is doing the tango, one clumsy stumble is like most of the others here. Louis CK does a hilarious bit about this and suggests those that don't believe it post a video of their child for 3 seconds doing something cute and then like 3 minutes of your gaping asshole opening and closing. He guarantees you'll still see the same comments ("It looks like a star is born!" "How adorable!")
It's got to be something pretty amazing to make me watch a toddler video. "Watch Brian power-bomb the dog" might work.
I think the reality is the people that truly care about your children is usually a pretty small circle of family and a few deep down good friends. The same probably rings true about adults. I know it does for me personally. I wish all my friends kids the best, but I really don't care what little Reagan at for dinner today.
The worst thing about this stuff isn't the kids, but, of course, the parents. The hyper-parenting on Facebook lets us all know who is insecure and pathetic.
TRANSPARENT BRAGGING
If you need to boast to the world about your property, perceived great personal qualities, or looks on Facebook, just find a good therapist now and spare the rest of us.
"Man, my daughter just got back from modeling and brought like 3 friends. The house is full and our 55 inch TV isn't cutting it anymore!"
Translation: I have the most gorgeous child in the world and I'm way richer than it appears...look at my giant TV...and it's about to get bigger!
I feel bad for the kid, who, as it turns out isn't really a "model", but Mom simply paid to be part of a modelling agency (real models get paid, they don't pay others). Now everyone reading this is scrutinizing the poor girl and indirectly calling her ugly under their breaths.
"We are at South Beach and wanted to go to the best restaurant in town. There was a 2-hour line but we got seated right away. It pays to know people sometimes!"
Translation: I'm amazing. I'm in Miami. I go to 5-star restaurants and am basically a celebrity.
CONSTANT BEATING A DEAD HORSE ON CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
-Yes, we know you are a Tea Party nut that supports gun rights and feels any attempt to curtail or restrict their ownership whatsoever will defile your misguided reading of the 2nd Amendment. Please continue to reinforce this long-ago obvious position of yours with daily posts about it.
POST A CONTROVERSIAL (AKA IGNORANT) OPINION AND THEN GET OFFENDED WHEN SOMEONE TAKES YOU TO TASK ON IT
-I remember one girl from High School posted something about gay people being dirty people destined for a life with Satan that good Christians should spit at when given the chance. I couldn't help myself and responded with some thoughts quite contrary to that and was met with lots of posts deriding me for daring to tarnish the thread of what had been exclusively hate-mongering supporters.
Why would you be so ignorant to think you can post something that offensive (to some) on a public forum and then not be willing to deal with any protest? Well, the answer for this particular example probably needs no telling.
SO WHY BOTHER?
Because it can be hilarious. There are probably 4-5 people on this thing that keep me coming back for more due to their outlandish behavior, complete lack of filter, and outrageous airing of their dirtiest laundry. I just wish they had Twitter or that I was ambitious enough to hide all the nonsense so my feed would only be them.
Am I hypocrite? I used to post food photos, but ironically (bags of Doritos, energy drinks, Gorditas). I have a special site for family photos. I don't brag because I am happy with what I have and feel lucky to have it. I don't have anything to lord it over other people. But I suppose I don't contribute much myself that keeps people coming back to the feed with regularity. I am a sad Facebook lurker and must admit some of these criticisms are of the armchair quarterback variety. So there you have it.
FOOD PHOTOS
When will people realize posting photos of their food makes you look like an idiot? It almost always looks unappetizing and the only good thing I can say about it would be such photos have contributed to my diets.
Equally absurd are the sad attempts to describe with lush adjectives the salad you just prepared. "Baby greens, goat cheese, California-grown oranges, and carrots drizzled with balsamic/lemon dressing" makes you sound pretentious. You made a salad. Awesome. Did anyone really need to know about this?
KID PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
I love my friends and I love their kids, but I rarely click on the videos of the little ones singing a song, eating their first bowl of cereal, or even taking their first steps. As to the latter, unless the kid is doing the tango, one clumsy stumble is like most of the others here. Louis CK does a hilarious bit about this and suggests those that don't believe it post a video of their child for 3 seconds doing something cute and then like 3 minutes of your gaping asshole opening and closing. He guarantees you'll still see the same comments ("It looks like a star is born!" "How adorable!")
It's got to be something pretty amazing to make me watch a toddler video. "Watch Brian power-bomb the dog" might work.
I think the reality is the people that truly care about your children is usually a pretty small circle of family and a few deep down good friends. The same probably rings true about adults. I know it does for me personally. I wish all my friends kids the best, but I really don't care what little Reagan at for dinner today.
The worst thing about this stuff isn't the kids, but, of course, the parents. The hyper-parenting on Facebook lets us all know who is insecure and pathetic.
TRANSPARENT BRAGGING
If you need to boast to the world about your property, perceived great personal qualities, or looks on Facebook, just find a good therapist now and spare the rest of us.
"Man, my daughter just got back from modeling and brought like 3 friends. The house is full and our 55 inch TV isn't cutting it anymore!"
Translation: I have the most gorgeous child in the world and I'm way richer than it appears...look at my giant TV...and it's about to get bigger!
I feel bad for the kid, who, as it turns out isn't really a "model", but Mom simply paid to be part of a modelling agency (real models get paid, they don't pay others). Now everyone reading this is scrutinizing the poor girl and indirectly calling her ugly under their breaths.
"We are at South Beach and wanted to go to the best restaurant in town. There was a 2-hour line but we got seated right away. It pays to know people sometimes!"
Translation: I'm amazing. I'm in Miami. I go to 5-star restaurants and am basically a celebrity.
CONSTANT BEATING A DEAD HORSE ON CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
-Yes, we know you are a Tea Party nut that supports gun rights and feels any attempt to curtail or restrict their ownership whatsoever will defile your misguided reading of the 2nd Amendment. Please continue to reinforce this long-ago obvious position of yours with daily posts about it.
POST A CONTROVERSIAL (AKA IGNORANT) OPINION AND THEN GET OFFENDED WHEN SOMEONE TAKES YOU TO TASK ON IT
-I remember one girl from High School posted something about gay people being dirty people destined for a life with Satan that good Christians should spit at when given the chance. I couldn't help myself and responded with some thoughts quite contrary to that and was met with lots of posts deriding me for daring to tarnish the thread of what had been exclusively hate-mongering supporters.
Why would you be so ignorant to think you can post something that offensive (to some) on a public forum and then not be willing to deal with any protest? Well, the answer for this particular example probably needs no telling.
SO WHY BOTHER?
Because it can be hilarious. There are probably 4-5 people on this thing that keep me coming back for more due to their outlandish behavior, complete lack of filter, and outrageous airing of their dirtiest laundry. I just wish they had Twitter or that I was ambitious enough to hide all the nonsense so my feed would only be them.
Am I hypocrite? I used to post food photos, but ironically (bags of Doritos, energy drinks, Gorditas). I have a special site for family photos. I don't brag because I am happy with what I have and feel lucky to have it. I don't have anything to lord it over other people. But I suppose I don't contribute much myself that keeps people coming back to the feed with regularity. I am a sad Facebook lurker and must admit some of these criticisms are of the armchair quarterback variety. So there you have it.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Top 5 Country Songs That Will Make You (or is it me?) Cry
I like a lot of different types of music, but one of the reasons I love country is that it's one of the few genres that can hit you so hard in the heart you have to pull over to the side of the road and cry. You won't get that with EDM or most of the trite pop songs we hear today. Here are my top 5 songs that I can't hear without bawling uncontrollably (metaphorically speaking, of course...maybe...anyways....)
5. "Almost Home" by Craig Morgan
-The song doesn't initially present as one that would hit you that hard, but a few listens and it does. It's about a guy that gives a homeless guy that is laying on the ground a little shake to see if he's still alive. Turns out, he's just napping, and his response to Craig is tragically heartbreaking.
He's not pleased about being woken up. The lyrics detail the dream he was having about the last time he was happy ("July of '55") and relates a simple childhood country day (jumping in a creek, smelling a freshly-mowed field, Daddy loading up the cane poles in the truck, etc.)
"Man I wish you'd just left me alone, 'cuz I was almost home." The double meaning is brilliant in that he's referring to the dream itself as the child is almost home from his day out, but also means, literally, heaven or what lies in death.
The suggestion that he take the guy to the Mission for some food is shaken off and he's told "boy if you left me alone, right now I'd be fishing." The old homeless guys only finds solace and brief joy in his dreams. There is nothing for him in the real world. If that doesn't break your heart, what will?
4. "There Goes My Life" by Kenny Chesney
-Sweeping song that covers an entire generation in a few minutes and does so perfectly. The chorus fits each stage of life, but has a different meaning as things progress.
"There goes my life" is initially the guys reaction to learning he's impregnated his girl by accident and is going to have to be a young father and scrap all his life goals and plans. He's not happy. He's scared and already resentful of a child that hasn't even been born yet.
The resentment vanishes in seconds once his little girl is born. The second part of the song details raising her and states poignantly "That mistake he thought he made covers up the refrigerator." He's never been more in love and states with pride and joy "There goes my life" when she toddles off to bed.
Lastly, she's grown up and is heading off to the West Coast like he had planned so long ago. He cries "There Goes My Life" and it's devastating. His everything is leaving and his life is walking away before his eyes. We all know she'll still be his little girl, but it won't ever be the same.
3. "I Drive Your Truck" by Lee Brice
-A guy describes the fragments of his best friend's life still in his truck (89 cents, an old army shirt, a half-drank bottle of gatorade). "People got their ways of coping, and I got mine. I drive your truuuuuuuuck." "Mama asked me this morning if I'd been by your grave. But that flagstone ain't where I feel you anyways. I drive your truuuuuck."
This is one where the video is required. Most of it is fairly predictable, but the end will send you over the edge. The song is sad enough to begin with, but when he returns the keys to his best friend's young wife, a doe-eyed little girl comes out and looks up with pain in her eyes. Just kill me now.
2. "Wish You Were Here" - Mark Wills
-Two people so in love. They are saying goodbye at the airport. He promises her to call her when he gets there.
"He bought a postcard, on the front it just said 'Heaven", with a picture of the ocean and the beach. And the simple words he wrote her said he loved and he told her how he'd hold her if his arms could reach. Wish you were here, wish you could see this place. Wish you were near, wish I could touch your face..."
She gets a call that night "but it wasn't from him." The plane went down, no survivors. "But somehow she got a postcard in the mail that just said Heaven." Repeat chorus. Good Jesus. Devastating.
1. "The Baby" by Blake Shelton
Starts out simple enough with his brother complaining Blakey was the youngest and got away with everything. He put his Mom throw hell, but she laughed right through it. "I could do no wrong. She would always save me, because I was her baby."
He then details the factory work, truckin' and coming of age. He calls Mom to tell her he's now a man and she says "I don't care of you're 80, you'll always be my baby."
And then..."I got a call in Alabama, said come back home to Louisiana." Mom might not make it through the night. "The whole way I drove 80, so she could see her baby." He gets there. The family is in tears. She's already passed and he never got to say goodbye. "I softly kissed that lady and cried just like a baby."
Why is this one #1? I think it's because of what it says and what it doesn't. The lyrics are simple enough, but the stuff in between the lines is a given and one that anyone that ever took their Mom for granted can relate to (and isn't that every one of us?)
5. "Almost Home" by Craig Morgan
-The song doesn't initially present as one that would hit you that hard, but a few listens and it does. It's about a guy that gives a homeless guy that is laying on the ground a little shake to see if he's still alive. Turns out, he's just napping, and his response to Craig is tragically heartbreaking.
He's not pleased about being woken up. The lyrics detail the dream he was having about the last time he was happy ("July of '55") and relates a simple childhood country day (jumping in a creek, smelling a freshly-mowed field, Daddy loading up the cane poles in the truck, etc.)
"Man I wish you'd just left me alone, 'cuz I was almost home." The double meaning is brilliant in that he's referring to the dream itself as the child is almost home from his day out, but also means, literally, heaven or what lies in death.
The suggestion that he take the guy to the Mission for some food is shaken off and he's told "boy if you left me alone, right now I'd be fishing." The old homeless guys only finds solace and brief joy in his dreams. There is nothing for him in the real world. If that doesn't break your heart, what will?
4. "There Goes My Life" by Kenny Chesney
-Sweeping song that covers an entire generation in a few minutes and does so perfectly. The chorus fits each stage of life, but has a different meaning as things progress.
"There goes my life" is initially the guys reaction to learning he's impregnated his girl by accident and is going to have to be a young father and scrap all his life goals and plans. He's not happy. He's scared and already resentful of a child that hasn't even been born yet.
The resentment vanishes in seconds once his little girl is born. The second part of the song details raising her and states poignantly "That mistake he thought he made covers up the refrigerator." He's never been more in love and states with pride and joy "There goes my life" when she toddles off to bed.
Lastly, she's grown up and is heading off to the West Coast like he had planned so long ago. He cries "There Goes My Life" and it's devastating. His everything is leaving and his life is walking away before his eyes. We all know she'll still be his little girl, but it won't ever be the same.
3. "I Drive Your Truck" by Lee Brice
-A guy describes the fragments of his best friend's life still in his truck (89 cents, an old army shirt, a half-drank bottle of gatorade). "People got their ways of coping, and I got mine. I drive your truuuuuuuuck." "Mama asked me this morning if I'd been by your grave. But that flagstone ain't where I feel you anyways. I drive your truuuuuck."
This is one where the video is required. Most of it is fairly predictable, but the end will send you over the edge. The song is sad enough to begin with, but when he returns the keys to his best friend's young wife, a doe-eyed little girl comes out and looks up with pain in her eyes. Just kill me now.
2. "Wish You Were Here" - Mark Wills
-Two people so in love. They are saying goodbye at the airport. He promises her to call her when he gets there.
"He bought a postcard, on the front it just said 'Heaven", with a picture of the ocean and the beach. And the simple words he wrote her said he loved and he told her how he'd hold her if his arms could reach. Wish you were here, wish you could see this place. Wish you were near, wish I could touch your face..."
She gets a call that night "but it wasn't from him." The plane went down, no survivors. "But somehow she got a postcard in the mail that just said Heaven." Repeat chorus. Good Jesus. Devastating.
1. "The Baby" by Blake Shelton
Starts out simple enough with his brother complaining Blakey was the youngest and got away with everything. He put his Mom throw hell, but she laughed right through it. "I could do no wrong. She would always save me, because I was her baby."
He then details the factory work, truckin' and coming of age. He calls Mom to tell her he's now a man and she says "I don't care of you're 80, you'll always be my baby."
And then..."I got a call in Alabama, said come back home to Louisiana." Mom might not make it through the night. "The whole way I drove 80, so she could see her baby." He gets there. The family is in tears. She's already passed and he never got to say goodbye. "I softly kissed that lady and cried just like a baby."
Why is this one #1? I think it's because of what it says and what it doesn't. The lyrics are simple enough, but the stuff in between the lines is a given and one that anyone that ever took their Mom for granted can relate to (and isn't that every one of us?)
WWE
The WWE has been gradually sinking for a few years now. What used to be a pretty consistently entertaining show, has turned into a generally directionless staple with more groan-worthy moments than highlight-reel worthy ones.
My thought on why is that the characters aren't what they used to be: they are gray. Back in the "old days", the heels were always bad and the faces were always good. The Iron Sheik was always evil and never likable (unlike his real life persona on twitter which is hard not to love). Hulk Hogan, when wearing yellow, was always the hero. When the Hulkster finally went bad...he was bad.
These days, the show seems to incorporate too much "reality" at times. HHH is presented as a conflicted heel that is more bad than good, but has distinct moments where he seems to truly care about being fair. He will pedigree Daniel Bryan to hand Orton the title one minute, but then make sure there is no cheating a few weeks later in an Orton match against Cena.
Orton is constantly at odds with The Authority, which makes for an odd vibe. Having everyone on the same page would seem to polarize things better. Instead, Orton comes off as a whiny, bipolar, diva that is more annoying than worthy of vitriolic hate.
The lack of consistency with the minor characters also contributes to the directionless feel to the show. Is Miz a heel or a face? I really have no idea and eventually I just stopped caring to find out. While having a Swiss Citizen being the second "Real American" was briefly hilarious, hasn't it taken away from the whole schtick a bit in the long run?
The show lacks an edge to it now that it had in the past too. The company had more cajones to go way over the PC line in the past, but now you rarely see it. The closest thing they have is Zeb Colter, whose rants about illegal immigration become increasingly funny and his Tea Party rhetoric worthy of old school polarization from fans.
Darren Young recently came out as gay. The WWE used to be notorious for making brilliant storylines out of real life events. This would seem to be ripe for one, but it's too daring for what used to be a fearless Vince McMahon. They've staged gay weddings in the good old days, but can think of nothing to do with Darren Young until recently...which now appears to be getting beat up by Titus O'Neil.
I still tune in for shits and giggles every so often on Monday nights, but they've lost me a while ago so far as finding it entertaining enough to dedicate too much viewing time. So please, WWE, a few suggestions:
1. Don't screw up Bad News Barrett like you did to Fandango, Ziggler, and Del Rio. That's a lot of talent and potential that you've rendered irrelevant with poor writing and terrible ideas. Barrett is hilarious and deserves a serious push.
2. Give Daniel Bryan the title already. Does this really need elaboration? You seem to be waiting for the right moment. It's long-since passed. You can salvage things still, but the longer you wait, the less triumphant that moment is going to be.
3. Make Batista go heel. His much anticipated return was the most underwhelming thing I've seen in a long time. Having him come out in skinny jeans and address the crowd like he was bored...yeah, the reaction shouldn't have come as a surprise.
4. Have the Wyatts convert someone hilarious. Santino Marrella? Cena?!
5. More Lesnar.
My thought on why is that the characters aren't what they used to be: they are gray. Back in the "old days", the heels were always bad and the faces were always good. The Iron Sheik was always evil and never likable (unlike his real life persona on twitter which is hard not to love). Hulk Hogan, when wearing yellow, was always the hero. When the Hulkster finally went bad...he was bad.
These days, the show seems to incorporate too much "reality" at times. HHH is presented as a conflicted heel that is more bad than good, but has distinct moments where he seems to truly care about being fair. He will pedigree Daniel Bryan to hand Orton the title one minute, but then make sure there is no cheating a few weeks later in an Orton match against Cena.
Orton is constantly at odds with The Authority, which makes for an odd vibe. Having everyone on the same page would seem to polarize things better. Instead, Orton comes off as a whiny, bipolar, diva that is more annoying than worthy of vitriolic hate.
The lack of consistency with the minor characters also contributes to the directionless feel to the show. Is Miz a heel or a face? I really have no idea and eventually I just stopped caring to find out. While having a Swiss Citizen being the second "Real American" was briefly hilarious, hasn't it taken away from the whole schtick a bit in the long run?
The show lacks an edge to it now that it had in the past too. The company had more cajones to go way over the PC line in the past, but now you rarely see it. The closest thing they have is Zeb Colter, whose rants about illegal immigration become increasingly funny and his Tea Party rhetoric worthy of old school polarization from fans.
Darren Young recently came out as gay. The WWE used to be notorious for making brilliant storylines out of real life events. This would seem to be ripe for one, but it's too daring for what used to be a fearless Vince McMahon. They've staged gay weddings in the good old days, but can think of nothing to do with Darren Young until recently...which now appears to be getting beat up by Titus O'Neil.
I still tune in for shits and giggles every so often on Monday nights, but they've lost me a while ago so far as finding it entertaining enough to dedicate too much viewing time. So please, WWE, a few suggestions:
1. Don't screw up Bad News Barrett like you did to Fandango, Ziggler, and Del Rio. That's a lot of talent and potential that you've rendered irrelevant with poor writing and terrible ideas. Barrett is hilarious and deserves a serious push.
2. Give Daniel Bryan the title already. Does this really need elaboration? You seem to be waiting for the right moment. It's long-since passed. You can salvage things still, but the longer you wait, the less triumphant that moment is going to be.
3. Make Batista go heel. His much anticipated return was the most underwhelming thing I've seen in a long time. Having him come out in skinny jeans and address the crowd like he was bored...yeah, the reaction shouldn't have come as a surprise.
4. Have the Wyatts convert someone hilarious. Santino Marrella? Cena?!
5. More Lesnar.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
BADA BING!
I won't say much about James Spero. I only know him vaguely, but he's one of those people in life that you remember. This can be good or bad and it's up to each person to decide. He's a bar promoter and apparently was so impressed with his latest promoting venture that he now owns the bar he was promoting.
Geneseo is a small, tight-knit community. I've been there before for a weekend conference and seen the "nightlife". It's a college town where SUNY Geneseo is a big deal. The selection process for students is pretty stringent for a public university and I'd say the students are brighter than your average college kid. The community in Geneseo (the city) has been described as "ultra-conservative". The population is around 8,000 people and the student population sits usually around 4,500 - 5,000. It's a small place. People know each other. Students know each other. Values matter.
So the perfect way for a slick Long Islander to ingratiate himself in such a community would be to take over one of their most cherished taverns and turn it into an "NYC/Long Island" type club that plays EDM music and has fog machines and to send out fliers to everyone letting them know during their Mardi Gras night (a few weeks after the grand opening) chicks can get in free if they flash the bouncer and to name the place after a fictitious strip club from The Sopranos. In case people were not aware of the Mardi Gras concept, the flier explains it in detail, letting the ladies know only guys will get beads at the door and the females should do "everything" they can to get them. Directions to the glory hole in the unisex bathroom were not provided.
Not surprisingly, a segment of the student population took offense and began to petition the club to change its ways (before it even opened!). Some staff from the club apparently made some statements explaining they were considering such changes, only to have Spero audaciously squash such a terrible rumor. The premiere night would go forward and women were still going to be expected to dress well enough to "catch the eye of a taken man."
The protest group took issues with the objectification of women, "aggressive" nature of the ads, and the sexual themes.
Both Spero and the protesters have every right to do what they are doing. I suppose Spero may be trying to incite someone to break the law (flashing the bouncer may be actually be a crime), but other than that, I see no legal land mines he's setting for himself.
So is any publicity good publicity? That has to be his thought as the provocative nature of the advertisements is clearly not accidental and surely he can't be so ignorant to think in this sleepy college town nobody would bat an eyelash. If the profits come in, I wouldn't expect the themes to be toned down. Bukkakke night is surely just around the corner.
But allegedly, the premiere showing was "meager". What will Spero do? Most people would switch course immediately and send out new fliers simply advertising drink specials, dancing, etc. But Spero is just the type of ballsy guy to take it as a challenge.
I can tell you the idea to set up a club there is an interesting one. It provides an alternative to the bar scene and immediately corners any market that was waiting to exist for EDM or simply a club atmosphere. With 5,000 students, not all of them are going to be offended by this stuff. Plenty may not take it too seriously and go there because it's the most fun place in town (if it is).
So I applaud Spero for going balls to the wall in a way that only he could. This stuff would not only work in Tampa, but would probably have too much competition. In Geneseo?! It's borderline absurd. Most signs point to this being a disaster. But maybe it's brilliant? The dollars that come in (or don't) will answer that question for Spero. The rest of the protesters have already decided.
If this doesn't work, he can always go open up a mega-club in Colorado City and hit them with wet t-shirt contest, Jell-O wrestling (this might actually entice some), and a thong contest.
Geneseo is a small, tight-knit community. I've been there before for a weekend conference and seen the "nightlife". It's a college town where SUNY Geneseo is a big deal. The selection process for students is pretty stringent for a public university and I'd say the students are brighter than your average college kid. The community in Geneseo (the city) has been described as "ultra-conservative". The population is around 8,000 people and the student population sits usually around 4,500 - 5,000. It's a small place. People know each other. Students know each other. Values matter.
So the perfect way for a slick Long Islander to ingratiate himself in such a community would be to take over one of their most cherished taverns and turn it into an "NYC/Long Island" type club that plays EDM music and has fog machines and to send out fliers to everyone letting them know during their Mardi Gras night (a few weeks after the grand opening) chicks can get in free if they flash the bouncer and to name the place after a fictitious strip club from The Sopranos. In case people were not aware of the Mardi Gras concept, the flier explains it in detail, letting the ladies know only guys will get beads at the door and the females should do "everything" they can to get them. Directions to the glory hole in the unisex bathroom were not provided.
Not surprisingly, a segment of the student population took offense and began to petition the club to change its ways (before it even opened!). Some staff from the club apparently made some statements explaining they were considering such changes, only to have Spero audaciously squash such a terrible rumor. The premiere night would go forward and women were still going to be expected to dress well enough to "catch the eye of a taken man."
The protest group took issues with the objectification of women, "aggressive" nature of the ads, and the sexual themes.
Both Spero and the protesters have every right to do what they are doing. I suppose Spero may be trying to incite someone to break the law (flashing the bouncer may be actually be a crime), but other than that, I see no legal land mines he's setting for himself.
So is any publicity good publicity? That has to be his thought as the provocative nature of the advertisements is clearly not accidental and surely he can't be so ignorant to think in this sleepy college town nobody would bat an eyelash. If the profits come in, I wouldn't expect the themes to be toned down. Bukkakke night is surely just around the corner.
But allegedly, the premiere showing was "meager". What will Spero do? Most people would switch course immediately and send out new fliers simply advertising drink specials, dancing, etc. But Spero is just the type of ballsy guy to take it as a challenge.
I can tell you the idea to set up a club there is an interesting one. It provides an alternative to the bar scene and immediately corners any market that was waiting to exist for EDM or simply a club atmosphere. With 5,000 students, not all of them are going to be offended by this stuff. Plenty may not take it too seriously and go there because it's the most fun place in town (if it is).
So I applaud Spero for going balls to the wall in a way that only he could. This stuff would not only work in Tampa, but would probably have too much competition. In Geneseo?! It's borderline absurd. Most signs point to this being a disaster. But maybe it's brilliant? The dollars that come in (or don't) will answer that question for Spero. The rest of the protesters have already decided.
If this doesn't work, he can always go open up a mega-club in Colorado City and hit them with wet t-shirt contest, Jell-O wrestling (this might actually entice some), and a thong contest.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
THE DEER HUNTER
I've been watching a lot of movies lately. They've almost all been exclusively forgettable, but I was pretty impressed with The Deer Hunter.
It had been on my must-see list for years and I finally got around to seeing it. Placing it in historical context and doing some internet research made it that much more interesting.
I loved the first few segments where the guys are at the wedding and hunting before being shipped off to Vietnam. Sure, Robert DeNiro looks like he should have surpassed the draft age limit, but we all suspend a little reality when watching a movie. The scenes reminded me a lot of my hometown and in some ways, it still does. Lots of young guys got plucked from these Rust Belt towns and thrown into hell during 'Nam.
The Russian Roullette scenes were captivating. There was great criticism in that the Northern Vietnamese never did this sort of thing with POWs. Northern Vietnamese took exception to their portrayal as sadistic, evil people without a redeeming quality. Later, there appeared to be some anecdotal evidence out of Singapore that there may have been an isolated instance where such a scenario did play out in the real war, but why all the fuss?
When you make a war movie, it's obviously serious business. I respect and understand any veterans insistence that a movie accurately reflect to the best of its ability how things truly were in the war. I have Uncles who can't be objective when watching war movies about wars they were in once they see what to them is such blatant fiction.
But to me, real or not, the scenes were stunning. It's one of those movie moments that leaves an imprint. The metaphor being played out with the Russian Roullette scenes is pretty obvious, but no less powerful for it's harsh transparency.
I also read that there were criticisms at the time that it was unfair to the USA. With the benefit of hindsight, this can be chalked up as the usual drum-beating hyper-patriotic bullshit. The Deer Hunter didn't glorify something that didn't deserve glorification. It was a war movie about the soldiers in the war, not about the politics or rights or wrongs. Such a movie these days would barely cause a stir in this regard and many more have been made that put the "enemy" in a far more neutral light (sometimes even a sympathetic one).
Anyways, this is one of those movies that always seems to hover around the 50s - 70s in the Top 100 Movies of All-Time list. I've seen plenty of the ones typically ahead of it and I'd say The Deer Hunter isn't getting a fair shake being that far down those lists. I'd put it Top 20.
It had been on my must-see list for years and I finally got around to seeing it. Placing it in historical context and doing some internet research made it that much more interesting.
I loved the first few segments where the guys are at the wedding and hunting before being shipped off to Vietnam. Sure, Robert DeNiro looks like he should have surpassed the draft age limit, but we all suspend a little reality when watching a movie. The scenes reminded me a lot of my hometown and in some ways, it still does. Lots of young guys got plucked from these Rust Belt towns and thrown into hell during 'Nam.
The Russian Roullette scenes were captivating. There was great criticism in that the Northern Vietnamese never did this sort of thing with POWs. Northern Vietnamese took exception to their portrayal as sadistic, evil people without a redeeming quality. Later, there appeared to be some anecdotal evidence out of Singapore that there may have been an isolated instance where such a scenario did play out in the real war, but why all the fuss?
When you make a war movie, it's obviously serious business. I respect and understand any veterans insistence that a movie accurately reflect to the best of its ability how things truly were in the war. I have Uncles who can't be objective when watching war movies about wars they were in once they see what to them is such blatant fiction.
But to me, real or not, the scenes were stunning. It's one of those movie moments that leaves an imprint. The metaphor being played out with the Russian Roullette scenes is pretty obvious, but no less powerful for it's harsh transparency.
I also read that there were criticisms at the time that it was unfair to the USA. With the benefit of hindsight, this can be chalked up as the usual drum-beating hyper-patriotic bullshit. The Deer Hunter didn't glorify something that didn't deserve glorification. It was a war movie about the soldiers in the war, not about the politics or rights or wrongs. Such a movie these days would barely cause a stir in this regard and many more have been made that put the "enemy" in a far more neutral light (sometimes even a sympathetic one).
Anyways, this is one of those movies that always seems to hover around the 50s - 70s in the Top 100 Movies of All-Time list. I've seen plenty of the ones typically ahead of it and I'd say The Deer Hunter isn't getting a fair shake being that far down those lists. I'd put it Top 20.
RICHARD SHERMAN
The Richard Sherman post-game rant after he defended a pass to save the game for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship garnered a ton of media attention. What could have amounted to just another athlete foaming at the mouth in a big moment, turned into so much more. The twists and turns were interesting and, often, pretty pathetic.
First and foremost, Sherman WAS deserving of criticism for the rant and it's a sad statement to our society that so many people required an explanation as to why. It was simply bad sportsmanship and that's why such behavior shouldn't be tolerated. But the conversation didn't end there. Let's take a look at some of the defenses, distractions, and caveats many attempted here:
MICHAEL CRABTREE IS WORSE
This may be true, but I can't think of a more irrelevant point. When someone tells you that Ted Bundy was a sadistic killer, I'm guessing you wouldn't respond: "Jeffrey Dahmer is worse."
EVERYTHING HE SAID WAS TRUE
First off, this is very debatable. Sherman may be the best cornerback in the NFL and there is a good argument to be made for that. But he's not Dion Sanders. Not everyone agrees with that. Sherman has a reputation of being the smoothest player in the NFL when it comes to getting away with pass interference and the tapes bare that out. Does this make him the best at his position? Some would say it's part of the game and more power to him and it does; but some would point to Dion and say that's an elite corner...he never had to do that kind of stuff.
The other sidebar on this is that the person that says Sherman is the best the loudest is Sherman himself. You're usually elite when others say this for you.
Most importantly, a good sportsman and classy person doesn't lord their talent over others. He has a gift and is supremely talented. There are two ways to conduct yourself when blessed with such superior skills. You can do so humbly, nobly and with respect...or you can act like Richard Sherman.
YOU CAN'T EXPECT NFL PLAYERS TO ACT LIKE BRITISH SNOBS AND INVITE EVERYONE TO TEA TIME AFTER A BIG PLAY
This is one of the many cop-outs we see about this: purposely inflating the criticism to make the criticizers look ridiculous. Nobody was ever suggesting that. If you can only defend the behavior by fabricating the nature of the criticism, you've admitted defeat.
POINTING OUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT RICHARD SHERMAN
I've seen a ton of posts that tell us that Richard graduated from Stanford, gives generously to charities, and has interesting hobbies. I understand the attempt to humanize him a bit, but it still strays from the basic point. I've never said he lacks redeeming qualities off the field. He clearly doesn't. But he also is a terrible role model and the epitome of poor sportsmanship. We live in a gray world. People are gray. Richard's good qualities don't negate his preposterous antics and bad moments. Each can stand alone.
"WHAT YOUR OPINION OF RICHARD SHERMAN SAYS ABOUT YOU"
There were a lot of these posts where the reader was essentially told they were a racist if they felt Richard's rant was anything but appropriate. I remember posting about one of them and saying that I felt my negative opinion of the rant means I value good sportsmanship and that was about it. I'm quite sure I'd have felt the same way if Heath Miller had made the same rant (although it would have made less sense). The poster never responded to this, but continued to post things letting us know they could be called racist or worse if they continued to feel Richard was naughty.
"HATERS"
This is the most common word used by people defending something they can't defend. It's the most transparent cop-out there is. It's equivalent to "Whatever" with hand gesture. It basically says Richard is above criticism and anyone who judges him could only be doing so out of jealousy. There couldn't possibly be a basis to any of it because Richard is immune from bad behavior. It's laughable.
AGE IS A FACTOR
I was surprised to see a poll done where age was not really a big factor in how people viewed his rant. I'd have thought otherwise.
I have a feeling that had he done this for my team when I was 18 I probably would have thought it was the best thing I'd ever seen. It'd have been like WWE in real life. AWESOME! But as someone much older and with children, I see it quite differently. I'd hate for my kids to see that and ever think that was an appropriate way to act in their sports league or in life in general.
ATHLETES ARE NOT ROLE MODELS
The Charles Barkley point...unfortunately, he's wrong. He's right in that they SHOULDN'T be and many never asked to be. But it's part of the gig.
Sports is a multi-billion dollar industry and kids look up to athletes whether they like it or not. The teams and leagues know this and that's why so much effort is put forth to reign in all the douchebaggery. They probably do a much better job than we realize.
ATTACKING THE IDIOTS
When something like this happens, it provides an opportunity for every imbecile with access to a computer to chime in with their racism, hatred, and ignorance. Anyone who called Sherman a racial slur or anything close to it deserves to be exposed and attacked.
But let's not forget this is somewhat of a distraction from the simple bad sportsmanship point I think most rational people were offended by in the first place. The social media response was a reminder that racism is alive and well (sorry, Sarah Palin) in this country, but it still doesn't diminish the buffoonery that is Richard Sherman.
STANFORD GRAD
To all the Sherman apologists that keep pointing out that he graduated from Stanford...don't you think this cuts both ways? While it could show that he is a lot more than the ass clown we saw with Erin Andrews after the game, it also gives him way less leeway.
I actually think Sherman is a very bright guy. You probably don't graduate from Stanford without a little wits about you. But being smart doesn't equate to having good character. He'd be better off being uneducated and dim-witted in assessing his post-game rant. Instead, we all know he should be better than that, but he wasn't...and hasn't been.
IN CLOSING
Are people being hard on Richard? Not really. If this was his first stumble into stupidity, I'd say they were, but this is just another foray into classlessness in what is becoming quite a track record. It wasn't his first and won't be his last.
At the end of the day though, it's not about Richard Sherman. It's about us. How you react and relate to these things says a lot about you. If you encourage this and would tell your kids this kind of thing was okay, then you are one of the millions of parents producing the idiots you probably complain populate this country. Your posts for "Richard Sherman for President" are meant in jest...but, sadly, I can't always be too sure.
First and foremost, Sherman WAS deserving of criticism for the rant and it's a sad statement to our society that so many people required an explanation as to why. It was simply bad sportsmanship and that's why such behavior shouldn't be tolerated. But the conversation didn't end there. Let's take a look at some of the defenses, distractions, and caveats many attempted here:
MICHAEL CRABTREE IS WORSE
This may be true, but I can't think of a more irrelevant point. When someone tells you that Ted Bundy was a sadistic killer, I'm guessing you wouldn't respond: "Jeffrey Dahmer is worse."
EVERYTHING HE SAID WAS TRUE
First off, this is very debatable. Sherman may be the best cornerback in the NFL and there is a good argument to be made for that. But he's not Dion Sanders. Not everyone agrees with that. Sherman has a reputation of being the smoothest player in the NFL when it comes to getting away with pass interference and the tapes bare that out. Does this make him the best at his position? Some would say it's part of the game and more power to him and it does; but some would point to Dion and say that's an elite corner...he never had to do that kind of stuff.
The other sidebar on this is that the person that says Sherman is the best the loudest is Sherman himself. You're usually elite when others say this for you.
Most importantly, a good sportsman and classy person doesn't lord their talent over others. He has a gift and is supremely talented. There are two ways to conduct yourself when blessed with such superior skills. You can do so humbly, nobly and with respect...or you can act like Richard Sherman.
YOU CAN'T EXPECT NFL PLAYERS TO ACT LIKE BRITISH SNOBS AND INVITE EVERYONE TO TEA TIME AFTER A BIG PLAY
This is one of the many cop-outs we see about this: purposely inflating the criticism to make the criticizers look ridiculous. Nobody was ever suggesting that. If you can only defend the behavior by fabricating the nature of the criticism, you've admitted defeat.
POINTING OUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT RICHARD SHERMAN
I've seen a ton of posts that tell us that Richard graduated from Stanford, gives generously to charities, and has interesting hobbies. I understand the attempt to humanize him a bit, but it still strays from the basic point. I've never said he lacks redeeming qualities off the field. He clearly doesn't. But he also is a terrible role model and the epitome of poor sportsmanship. We live in a gray world. People are gray. Richard's good qualities don't negate his preposterous antics and bad moments. Each can stand alone.
"WHAT YOUR OPINION OF RICHARD SHERMAN SAYS ABOUT YOU"
There were a lot of these posts where the reader was essentially told they were a racist if they felt Richard's rant was anything but appropriate. I remember posting about one of them and saying that I felt my negative opinion of the rant means I value good sportsmanship and that was about it. I'm quite sure I'd have felt the same way if Heath Miller had made the same rant (although it would have made less sense). The poster never responded to this, but continued to post things letting us know they could be called racist or worse if they continued to feel Richard was naughty.
"HATERS"
This is the most common word used by people defending something they can't defend. It's the most transparent cop-out there is. It's equivalent to "Whatever" with hand gesture. It basically says Richard is above criticism and anyone who judges him could only be doing so out of jealousy. There couldn't possibly be a basis to any of it because Richard is immune from bad behavior. It's laughable.
AGE IS A FACTOR
I was surprised to see a poll done where age was not really a big factor in how people viewed his rant. I'd have thought otherwise.
I have a feeling that had he done this for my team when I was 18 I probably would have thought it was the best thing I'd ever seen. It'd have been like WWE in real life. AWESOME! But as someone much older and with children, I see it quite differently. I'd hate for my kids to see that and ever think that was an appropriate way to act in their sports league or in life in general.
ATHLETES ARE NOT ROLE MODELS
The Charles Barkley point...unfortunately, he's wrong. He's right in that they SHOULDN'T be and many never asked to be. But it's part of the gig.
Sports is a multi-billion dollar industry and kids look up to athletes whether they like it or not. The teams and leagues know this and that's why so much effort is put forth to reign in all the douchebaggery. They probably do a much better job than we realize.
ATTACKING THE IDIOTS
When something like this happens, it provides an opportunity for every imbecile with access to a computer to chime in with their racism, hatred, and ignorance. Anyone who called Sherman a racial slur or anything close to it deserves to be exposed and attacked.
But let's not forget this is somewhat of a distraction from the simple bad sportsmanship point I think most rational people were offended by in the first place. The social media response was a reminder that racism is alive and well (sorry, Sarah Palin) in this country, but it still doesn't diminish the buffoonery that is Richard Sherman.
STANFORD GRAD
To all the Sherman apologists that keep pointing out that he graduated from Stanford...don't you think this cuts both ways? While it could show that he is a lot more than the ass clown we saw with Erin Andrews after the game, it also gives him way less leeway.
I actually think Sherman is a very bright guy. You probably don't graduate from Stanford without a little wits about you. But being smart doesn't equate to having good character. He'd be better off being uneducated and dim-witted in assessing his post-game rant. Instead, we all know he should be better than that, but he wasn't...and hasn't been.
IN CLOSING
Are people being hard on Richard? Not really. If this was his first stumble into stupidity, I'd say they were, but this is just another foray into classlessness in what is becoming quite a track record. It wasn't his first and won't be his last.
At the end of the day though, it's not about Richard Sherman. It's about us. How you react and relate to these things says a lot about you. If you encourage this and would tell your kids this kind of thing was okay, then you are one of the millions of parents producing the idiots you probably complain populate this country. Your posts for "Richard Sherman for President" are meant in jest...but, sadly, I can't always be too sure.
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