Happy New year:
Hope you all enjoyed the 2015 Year in Review.
Timmy started an intramural basketball program this week. Unlike soccer, which I know nothing about, I played basketball for years. Not that I was any good, but pretty much from third grade through sophomore year of high school, I either played CYO or for one not so glorious year, I was on the freshman team in high school. So at least when I'm watching the coaches work with him, I have an idea what is going on. I'm not coaching, so I just have to keep my big mouth shut.
NEWS: Obama's Executive Action on Guns.
I've avoided the gun debate on here for many many reasons. Mainly, because it usually flares up right after something tragic happens and I really don't feel like that's the time and the place to debate it.
Personally, there have been times where I thought having a gun in the house would be a good idea, especially after a series of thefts in Woodside when I was a kid. The fact of the matter is, I wouldn't know what to do with a gun if I had one and I'd probably end up hurting myself more than the perp I was trying to stop.
The President last week called a press conference at the White House to announce that he was enacting executive orders to strengthen criminal background checks for anyone looking to purchase a gun.
We can debate whether his measures will help any or even if President Obama had the power to do what he did. I think what bothered me, was those who questioned his authenticity, when he became emotional talking about the kids who were killed at Sandy Hook. Look, I'm the first to admit that Obama at times comes off like a robot, that he is useless without a teleprompter. But I would never, could never question his emotion when talking about those kids and their families. You'd have to be inhuman if you didn't. I know he met with all those families, I don't think he did that to push an anti gun agenda. And if anybody in office didn't want to meet with those people because it would hurt their standing with the gun lobby, well screw them.
(And BTW- As for those pieces of crap who think Sandy Hook was a hoax.... You know how I feel that people who think 9/11 was an inside job are lower than the scum of the earth? Well, I think those people are living saints compared to anyone who thinks Sandy Hook was a hoax)
When I watched Bowling for Columbine, Michael Moore's anti-gun movie, I felt that he was bashing America a bit too much for my liking. I felt he was more anti-American in Bowling for Columbine than he was in Fahrenheit 911. But seeing whats happened here since that movie came out, and you can't help but wonder if some of it made sense.
I know its going to take more than some executive orders, more than even Congressional legislation to solve this issue. Bleeding hearts on the left and gun loving zealots on the right aren't helping. Common sense regulation, more effective mental health treatment and overall compromise are the only things that can truly fix this problem.
President Obama gave it a shot last week. I can't knock him for trying.
SPORTS: Farewell 2015 Jets.
For most of the season, I avoided the Jets in particular and the NFL in general. In fact when they beat the Patriots on December 27, I was in Long Beach watching Star Wars, (review to follow). Of course their winning that game set up a win and they're in scenario for the following week, against none other than Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills.
Anybody who knows me and has been following my writings for a while knows how much contempt I have for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. The way Belichick weaseled out of his contract with the Jets, and went on to dominate the sport, with not just a little help from rule breaking, in one of the main reasons I am trying to stay far away from football.
But I honestly don't know what would have ticked me off worse. 1) Losing to the Pats and rendering the game against the Bills meaningless except for hanging another loss on Rex who didn't do much for the Bills this year. Or 2) What ended up happening. They upset the Pats, only to lose to a Bills team they had no business losing to. A Bills team with a lousy QB, and no defense? At least there's no shame losing to the Pats. I mean I would have been pissed, but 10-6 with two losses to the Patriots is somehow easier to stomach than 10-6 and two losses to the Bills. (By the same score nonetheless)
And unlike the Mets, who I could take some solace that they have a young roster, the Jets are made up of older guys, some of whom had career years and will never approach those stats again. I should be grateful that Ryan Fitzpatrick got the Jets to the cusp of the playoffs, but that game against the Bills showed why he's played on all those different teams and is the textbook definition of journeyman. You get what you pay for when you buy your QB at Dollar Tree. And some of the papers were anointing him the best Jets QB since Joe Namath. (The paper that made that proclamation will go nameless)
They signed Darrelle Revis in the offseason and everybody jumped for joy. Poor old Woody Johnson even got himself in trouble for saying he wished he had him the year before. They gave him a big contract with guaranteed money. And he went out and laid an egg this year. None more so than the game against the Bills. he made those receivers look like the great Bills receivers of the early 90's. And the other big off season acquisition in the secondary, Antonio Cromartie was worse. They are talking about him being a salary cap casualty in this upcoming off season.
And that leads me to this. Why the hell should there be any cap casualties. Didn't they have millions in cap space last year? Wasn't that everybody's bellyache with John Idzik? he didn't spend any money? Now they need to cut players to make cap space? Am I being crazy here? And for what? They missed the playoffs anyway. And next year the schedule will be tougher than it was this year.
The other thing that annoys me about the Jets is that every time they switch regimes, the virtues of the new guy in contrast to the old guy is hyped up. For instance, when Herm Edwards took over for Al Groh, Edwards was praised for running a loose, fun team. When Herm got canned after going 4-12, they brought in Eric Mangini, who was praised for being a disciplinarian. When Man-genius missed the playoffs a couple of times, in came Rex Ryan and we had fun fun fun till daddy took the T-Bird away. Now Todd Bowles is here and the discipline and class is back and blah blah blah.
I'm sick of it. I don't want to hear it. Win the f-cking Super Bowl, then tell me how great the coach is. Till then spare me.
**MOVIE REVIEW**MOVIE REVIEW**MOVIE REVIEW**MOVIE REVIEW**
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Starring Harrison Ford, Dasiy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac.
Saw it at Long Beach Cinema 4
Saw it With, Tara and Timmy
So no, I wasn't one of those geeks who bought my movie tickets 6 months in advance and went to the opening night showing. Look, I love Star Wars, it was the first movie I ever saw in a theater way back in 1977. But I wasn't going to go crazy to get there.
The trick of course was to avoid any and all spoilers, any big mouth who was going to give it all away.
And now that I've seen it, I certainly don't want to be the big mouth spoiler either. So basically what I can tell you is that the movie didn't disappoint, it was fairly easy to follow and the new characters that are introduced are easy to like (or hate depending on which side you are on)
When The Phantom Menace came out in 1999, I decided I would wait till all three came out and then binge watch the whole trilogy one Saturday afternoon. Well by the time Revenge of the Sith came out, I didn't have the same kind of time I had in 1999, so that plan went by the wayside. Now, we have to wait till 2017 for the next installment. Till then I had to explain to Timmy what a spoiler is, and how he doesn't want to have that label put on him. I think he's got it.
4 aces.
One last sports note, Mike Piazza finally got elected to the Hall of Fame this week, on his 4th try. It's a travesty he didn't go in on the first ballot. I'm not going to rehash the whole ordeal here, (though I will set up a link to the articles I wrote after rejections 2 and 3) Lets just say this was a long time coming, and I'm happy justice was finally served.
Again a Happy and a Productive New Year to you all.
Have a Great Week
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