IC Blog

You Know You're...

2009-11-21T07:14:00.003-07:00

Thoughts on Pirate Radio

2009-11-21T01:26:00.003-07:00

On Friday night, my roomie Christopher and I saw Pirate Radio starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Kenneth Branagh in Harvard Square.

It is loosely based on the efforts of Britain's Labour Government under Harold Wilson to quell offshore pirate radio in the mid-1960s. The BBC had a monopoly on the public airwaves and played very little rock n' roll despite the fact rock n' roll was one of Britain's greatest exports.

Suffice it to say the music alone was worth the price of admission. Many of the songs featured in the movie I have in my music collection such as "Friday On My Mind" by The Easybeats, "This Guy's In Love With You" by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass and "Nights In White Satin" by the Moody Blues to name but several.

With rock n' roll comes sex and drugs. Yet I loved the film's libertarian spirit. Particularly in this exchange when Hoffman's character, The Count, attempts to use the f-word on the air. The station owner Quentin (played with great wit and charm by Bill Nighy) tells him to do otherwise. As Quentin puts it succinctly, "Governments loathe people being free."

Branagh plays the government minister given the task of shutting down pirate radio and the ruthless efficiency of his performance evokes John Cleese at his sardonic best. With smug arrogance that makes Obama look modest by comparison, the Minister proclaims, "That's the whole point of being the government. If you don't like something, you simply make it illegal."

The movie was originally released in the United Kingdom last April as The Boat That Rocked. I was shocked to learn it received negative reviews and did poorly at the box office. However, director Richard Curtis (who wrote the screenplay for Four Weddings and a Funeral) cut 20 minutes from the film before its release on this side of the Atlantic. Whatever Curtis did it worked because the audience, myself and Christopher included, loved the film from beginning to end.

I can see Pirate Radio enduring in a manner similar to The Blues Brothers. Both movies introduced a new generation of fans to music from previous generations. The characters in both movies were on a mission from G-d and were trying to elude the heavy hand of government. Of course, both movies are very, very funny. What's not to like?

You Know You're...

2009-11-20T20:08:00.002-07:00

Will Jason Bay Sign With The Yankees?

2009-11-20T12:58:00.002-07:00

Outfielder Jason Bay has declined the Boston Red Sox offer of a new contract and is now testing the free agent market. Bay wants a five year deal worth $75 million although he is open to a four year deal worth $60 million. The Red Sox apparently weren't willing to offer Bay any contract beyond three years.

Naturally Bay will have a lot of suitors. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and New York Mets are all said to be interested in obtaining Bay's services.

I, for one, wouldn't count the New York Yankees out of the mix.

Both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui are free agents. Despite winning the World Series MVP, it is unlikely Matsui will be back in 2010. He is strictly a DH and if the Yankees have a choice between the two they'll keep Damon who can still play the outfield. But even if the Yankees keep Damon one must keep in mind that he just turned 36 earlier this month. Bay is five years younger and is at the peak of his career.

Now the same could be said of fellow free agent outfielder Matt Holliday who turns 30 in January. But the Yankees just to love to stick it to the Red Sox. Wouldn't signing Bay away from the Red Sox (as they did with Damon) be the act of an evil empire? Besides I'm sure the Yankees would rather deal Bay's agent Joe Urbon than have to deal with Scott Boras even if they did sign Mark Teixeira a year ago.

This isn't to say that Bay has played his last game in a Red Sox uniform. Urbon is keeping the lines of communication open with the Red Sox. If Bay does agree to patrol the Green Monster he'll probably sign for four years, $60 million with a club/player option for the 2014 season.

But if the Sox lose Bay (to the Yankees or anyone else) and can't work out a deal with Boras to sign Holliday then ex-Marlin Jeremy Hermida will most likely be tapped to play left field next year. Hermida would then be in the awkward position of not only filling the shoes of Bay but standing in the large shadows cast by Manny Ramirez, Jim Rice, Carl Yastrzemski and Ted Williams. If Hermida isn't up to the task then it could be a very long year at Fenway Park in 2010.

Fewer Cervical Cancer Screenings Recommended

2009-11-20T12:39:00.002-07:00

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has recommended that women wait until they are 21 to undergo a pap test to be screened for cervical cancer. It is also recommended that women in their 20s have these tests biannually rather than annually and that women over 30 be screened every three years. The findings were published in the forthcoming issue of their trade magazine Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Now let me be clear that unlike the recent recommendations regarding mammograms this is not coming from the federal government. ACOG is a professional medical association. Obviously I have no training to comment on the medical merits of these new standards. Yet I cannot help but wonder if the Obama Administration's plan to reform health care played a role in changing these guidelines. Just as women are being asked to wait to be tested for breast cancer they are also now being asked to wait to be tested for cervical cancer. Coincidence? Highly unlikely.

The subheadline on ABC News reads, "Doctors Say Young Women Can Wait for First Pap, and Get Them Less Often." So much for preventative medicine.

Is Obama Anti-Woman?

2009-11-20T09:48:00.003-07:00

In light of the recommendation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that women not get mammograms until the age of 50 I pose this question.

Is President Obama anti-woman?

I'll withhold the suspense. Absolutely not.

He's no more anti-woman than was President Bush.

Yet if such a recommendation had been made during the Bush Administration all hell would break loose. Organizations like NOW would declare the Bush Administration as "anti-woman."

Of course, the Bush Administration (as did the Clinton Administration before it) supported the recommendation of the American Cancer Society that women get annual screenings beginning at the age of 40. Not that NOW would ever acknowledge such a thing. In fact, NOW has not criticized the Obama Administration for this recommendation. They are preoccupied with defeating the Stupak Amendment with the slogan, "Save Abortion Stop Stupak." In fact, NOW states, "It is not acceptable to achieve health care reform by pushing women into the back alleys to die." But apparently it is acceptable to achieve health care reform by pushing women to put mammograms on the back burner.

If President Obama has any sense he will distance himself from this recommendation with a forty foot pole. Yet given his actions with regard to health care reform thus far I cannot say with any certainty that he will.

Assuming President Obama does act on the recommendation of the task force it will not be a demonstration of any animosity towards the fairer sex but rather that his plans to reform of our health care system will result in rationing. Such rationing of health care will be harmful to men and women alike.

Sean Hannity

2009-11-20T09:09:00.002-07:00

Thoughts on Oprah

2009-11-20T07:57:00.004-07:00

Oprah Winfrey is due to announce that she will end her long running talk show on September 9, 2011 after 25 years on the air.

There's no doubt that over the past quarter century Oprah has become not only one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the United States she has become one of the most influential people in the world. My maternal grandmother's day is not complete until she watches Oprah.

But I have to be honest. Oprah Winfrey irritates the bejesus out of me. And that was long before she ever endorsed Barack Obama. From where I sit she comes across as a self-centered, preening and condescending. She's also something of a dilettante especially when it comes to Israel and the Palestinians. Now granted I stopped watching the show with any kind of regularity once I graduated from high school but Oprah is such a prevalent public figure it's hard to avoid her altogether.

In fact, I had this discussion about Oprah with an old friend of mine when I was visiting Ottawa last August for my grandmother's 90th birthday. She praised Oprah to skies with her charitable and philanthropic works. I won't deny that Oprah has done some good in this area. But I cannot help but think that if these endeavors weren't publicized then they most likely would not come to pass. In which case she's helping people for all the wrong reasons.

I have far more respect for someone who helps out and is circumspect about it. The late Ted Williams was a good example. Despite Williams success as baseball's greatest hitter he was not popular with the sports media in Boston and this cost him at least one AL MVP. Yet Williams spent countless hours visiting with children afflicted with cancer at the Childrens Cancer Research Foundation (now known as the Dana Farber Institute.) Yet he did not want these visits publicized.

Williams became more publicly associated with The Jimmy Fund (the Red Sox official charity with Dana Farber) after his career was over. Yet during his playing career such publicity might have helped him curry favor with the press but that was not his overriding concern. His overriding concern was the comfort of those children. The time he spent with those children was theirs and theirs alone. Ted Williams helped those children for the right reasons. I cannot say the same for Oprah.

You Know You're...

2009-11-19T16:06:00.002-07:00

Lincecum Wins 2nd Straight NL Cy Young

2009-11-19T12:46:00.004-07:00

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum won his second consecutive NL Cy Young Award beating out Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals in a very close vote.
Wainwright, who led the NL with 19 wins, actually received more first place ballots than Lincecum (Wainwright 12, Lincecum 11). But Wainwright finished third overall in the balloting with 90 votes four behind Carpenter while Lincecum received 100 votes.

Like AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke, Lincecum's 15 wins were fewer than both Wainwright and Carpenter. But Lincecum led the NL in strikeouts with 261 and was second in the NL with a 2.48 ERA. Carpenter led in the NL in ERA with a 2.24 ERA. It should also be noted that Lincecum had three no decisions in which he allowed one or fewer runs. If the Giants had given him any offensive support he could have finished with 18 wins, his total from 2008.

One can make a legitimate case for any of those three pitchers. It would have been nice to see Carpenter get it because he only pitched 21 and one thirds innings over the past two seasons. Carpenter underwent elbow surgery in 2007. He also missed more than a month this season with a strained ribcage. Given Carpenter's history with injuries there is no guarantee he will repeat this year's sterling performance in 2010.

As for Wainwright sometimes you only have one great year and this year it wasn't enough. I remember when John Tudor, another Cardinal, won 21 games with an ERA of 1.93. Most years that's good enough to win the Cy Young. The only problem was that Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets won 24 games, had an ERA of 1.53 and had 268 strikeouts to boot. Tudor never won more than 13 games in a season after that and retired after 1990. Adam Wainwright could be the John Tudor of 2009.

Yet Lincecum is my favorite pitcher to watch in MLB. Although Lincecum is only 5,11 and 160 pounds he pitches like a big man going deep into games. His wild long hair suits his wild delivery. But is a wildness that is under control when he toes the pitching rubber.

What is more amazing about his two NL Cy Young is that he did them in his second and third seasons in the big leagues. It's very rare that a pitcher is that good that quick. I would compare him with the likes of Dwight Gooden in that regard. I would only hope that he doesn't finish his career like Doc Gooden did.

It is worth noting that Lincecum was arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia at a traffic stop in Oregon last month. The marijuana possession charge was dropped but he is due to appear in court next month to the drug paraphernalia charge which is a misdemeanor. The arrest occurred after the BBWAA conducted the NL Cy Young vote. Given how close the vote was I wonder if his arrest would have had an impact on the balloting.

Of course Gooden's drug of choice was cocaine which is far more harmful in its effects than marijuana as Gooden himself can attest. Gooden just turned 45 a few days ago but appears to have turned the corner - for now. If Lincecum has no further skirmishes with the law he will be remembered for what he did on the field rather than what he did off of it.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Lincecum winning NL Cy Young honors was one of my few pre-season predictions which I got right.

Are Canada's Liberals Afraid of Losing the Jewish Vote?

2009-11-19T08:29:00.003-07:00

The Liberal Party of Canada is fuming.

They are angry about pamphlets sent by several Conservative MPs to constituencies with significant Jewish populations (three in Montreal, one in Toronto and one in Winnipeg) comparing the records of the Harper Conservative government and the Chretien/Martin Liberal governments with regard to their support for the State of Israel. The Liberals accuse the Tories of labeling them anti-Semitic although Frank Dimant of B'nai Brith Canada disagrees. Here's an article I wrote in October 2006 about Jewish Liberals turning to the Conservative Party after a number of prominent Liberals, including Ignatieff, had criticized Israel during its war with Hezbollah in Lebanon that summer.

I think the real reason the Liberal Party is angry is because they are afraid they will lose those seats to the Conservatives in the next federal election. In a poll conducted earlier this month, the Tories have nearly a double digit lead over the Liberals (38% to 28.5%). The same poll also gives Stephen Harper a two to one advantage over Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff as to whom Canadian think would make the best Prime Minister (34.8% to 17.7%). Those are not good numbers for Ignatieff. Of course, polls can change swiftly but so far it appears Ignatieff's leadership of the Liberal Party has been as much of a debacle as his predecessor Stephane Dion.

Scioscia, Tracy Named AL & NL Managers of the Year

2009-11-18T13:02:00.005-07:00

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia and Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy have been named AL and NL Managers of the Year.

This is the second time Scioscia has been named AL Manager of the Year. He won those honors previously in 2002 when the Angels won their only World Series. The Angels won the AL West for a third consecutive season in 2009. They did this despite the sudden death of rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart. Honestly, when Adenhart was killed on April 9th I thought the Angels season was over.

When a team has one of their own lose their life playing baseball is the last thing they want to do. The 1979 New York Yankees season went into the tank after Thurman Munson. The 1993 Cleveland Indians never got off the ground when pitchers Steve Olin and Tim Crews were killed in a boating accident during spring training. Twice this decade, the St. Louis Cardinals have lost players during the season. Darryl Kile died of a heart attack in 2002 and Josh Hancock was killed in a car accident in 2007. The Cardinals did everything they could just to get through the season in those years. So if the Angels had failed to reach the postseason in 2009 it would have been perfectly understood.

Yet after struggling in April, the Angels returned to their winning ways and would win the division by ten games over the Texas Rangers. Even more remarkable was that the Angels did this while key players like John Lackey, Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter missed significant parts of the season due to injury. So Scioscia deserves all the credit in the world for not only keeping the ship afloat but winning the race as well.

The Colorado Rockies were 18-28 on May 29th when manager Clint Hurdle was fired and was replaced with bench coach Jim Tracy. While Tracy guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to a NL West title in 2004 he also had two very undistinguished seasons at the helm of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006 and 2007. I honestly didn't think his hiring would do very much for the Rockies:

It is worth noting that each of the last three seasons he managed his teams have lost at least 90 games. So I'm not sure if he is the answer. Then again the Rockies might be already looking to 2010.

Well, I am also the guy who said the Yankees would finish last in the AL East this season as well.

Whatever Tracy did it worked. The Rockies were 74-42 under Tracy's stewardship and won the NL Wild Card for the second time in three seasons. So the Manager of the Year honors are well deserved.

Thoughts on the Palin Newsweek Cover

2009-11-18T12:41:00.002-07:00

I'm of two minds when it comes to the Newsweek cover of Sarah Palin.

On one hand I can see how Palin would characterize the cover as sexist. Would Newsweek put a picture of a bare chested President Obama on the cover and then feature two articles about him by Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity? Not on your life.

The picture of her in running shorts was part of a feature in Runner's World last year. Palin has been into running since her childhood. Runner's World isn't happy either because Newsweek used the photograph without its permission. Consequently, Palin is even getting some sympathy from some unlikely quarters.

But while I can understand that Palin wants to be valued for qualities other than her physical appearance there is no doubt that part of her appeal is by virtue of her physical appearance. That is a compliment, not a knock. Given that she is the 45-year-old mother of five children and a grandmother of one she looks absolutely remarkable. Women would kill for a body like that and I'm sure some of the animosity Palin gets from other women owes to her beauty.
When I look at the cover not only do I see a beautiful woman I also see someone who is active, engaged and vibrant. That is a plus not for a public figure not a minus.

Case in point: President Obama. Think about Obama's bare chest for a moment. No, Obama is not a beautiful woman. But for a man who is approaching 50 he keeps himself in very good shape by playing basketball and golf. Even if you dislike Obama's politics (as I do) one cannot deny his youthful physical appearance plays a role in his mass appeal. He has a Cary Grant like quality to him. Women are attracted to him and men want to be like him so women become attracted to them.

So while Palin might not like the Newsweek cover I am sure it will actually be more helpful than harmful to her in the long run.

You Know You're...

2009-11-18T08:59:00.003-07:00

Further Thoughts on The Prisoner

2009-11-18T08:20:00.002-07:00

The concluding episodes of The Prisoner mini-series aired last night on AMC.

My review was posted on the IC main site yesterday.

So I guess six is the one after all. But it appears that Number Six is also the New Number Two.

But if Number Six is both Number One and Number Two then who is the new Number Six?

Or perhaps they'll just call him Number Six of One.

I liked the performances of several of the supporting actors particularly Ruth Wilson as Number 313. What an expressive face!!! Her long flowing red locks didn't hurt either. Lennie James as Number 147 and Jamie Campbell Bower as Number 1112 (Number 2's son) were also very impressive. Sir Ian McKellen was good as Number 2 but I think I would have liked Malcolm McDowell in the role better. Besides Bower actually has a passing resemblance to McDowell.

Yet Jim Cavaziel's portrayal of Number Six was so lacklustre that I could see why Patrick McGoohan would have wanted nothing to do with the new series. Although the remake of The Prisoner had its moments in some ways I am glad McGoohan didn't live to see it because I don't think he would have cared much for it.

Obama Blasts Israel Over Settlements

2009-11-18T08:01:00.002-07:00

In an interview with Major Garrett of Fox News (glad to see that feud is over), President Obama blasted Israel for its plans to build 900 housing units in East Jerusalem.

Obama said, "I think it embitters the Palestinians in a way that could end up being very dangerous."

I seem to recall that Israel abandoned all 21 of its settlements in the Gaza Strip in 2005. That didn't exactly stop the rocket attacks into Israel from Gaza. Nor did it prevent the kidnapping of Corporal Gilad Shalit which prompted a month long war in Gaza in the summer of 2006. The Palestinians are embittered with or without the settlements.

It is curious that Obama takes Israel to task over settlements but has nothing to say about the electoral chaos in the Palestinian Authority. By all appearances their presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for January 24, 2010 are most likely to be postponed indefinitely. Yet this merits not a peep from the President. I guess the President doesn't want to "meddle" in the affairs of the Palestinians. But when it comes to Israel, Obama puts the peddle to the meddle.

Royals' Greinke Crowned with AL Cy Young

2009-11-17T12:17:00.004-07:00

As widely expected, Kansas City Royals ace Zack Greinke won the 2009 AL Cy Young Award.

Although Greinke won a modest 16 games he led the AL with a 2.16 ERA and struck out 242 batters. One must also consider that Greinke pitched for a team with that along with the Cleveland Indians had the worst record in AL in 2009. Had Greinke pitched for a half decent ballclub there is every reason to believe he could have won 20 games. Regardless, Greinke won 25 out of 28 first place ballots easily besting 19-game winners Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners and Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers. Yankees ace and 2007 AL Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia and 2003 AL Cy Young winner Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays rounded out the balloting. Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera, however, did not get a single vote.

Greinke has come a very long way. In 2005, in only his second big league season, Greinke went 5-17 with a 5.80 ERA. His 17 losses led the AL. Greinke missed nearly the entire 2006 season after undergoing a bout with depression and social anxiety disorder. It is a condition he has battled most of his life despite his immense physical talents. Consider what John Donovan of Sports Illustrated wrote about Greinke during spring training in 2007:

Zack Greinke is still fighting for a place in the Royals' rotation. Nobody is about to let him forget that little face-smack of reality. Kansas City's former kid wunderpitcher is currently just one of about a thousand other guys in camp -- OK, so maybe it's just five or so -- trying to fill one or two spots at the back end of a fledgling starting staff.

I'll say it again. Zack Greinke has come a very long way.

But I'll also say sooner or later there will be bumps in the road. The question is can he navigate around them?

There's no doubt the Kansas City Royals deserve an enormous amount of credit in supporting Greinke and having the patience to stand by him when times were toughest. The same could not be said for the California Angels treatment of Alex Johnson in 1971, the year after he won the AL batting title. I remember reading about Johnson in Marvin Miller's book A Whole Different Ballgame. Johnson was plagued with erratic behavior and the club could only respond by fining and eventually suspending him. Miller, who was the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, filed a grievance on Johnson's behalf. Miller argued Johnson was emotionally disabled and should have been placed on the DL instead of being suspended. An independent arbitrator overturned the suspension when it turned out Angels GM Dick Walsh had been less than forthcoming about incidents involving Johnson. In one incident, Johnson's teammate Chico Ruiz pulled a gun on him in the Angels clubhouse.

Needless to say, Major League Baseball has come a very long way in three plus decades when it comes dealing with mental illness. Let's hope that continues in the event Greinke should stumble after climbing to summit of success.

Will Belichik Be Put On Trial With KSM?

2009-11-17T10:30:00.004-07:00

I knew there would be a lot of folks angry come Monday morning at the New England Patriots stunning 35-34 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. In a classic case of what have you done for me lately, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichik has become public enemy number one for having the temerity to go for it on 4th down and 2 just before the two minute warning in the 4th quarter rather than punt the ball. It's as if he had left Pedro Martinez in the game. Jarrett Bell of USA Today calls Belichik's sanity has been called into question. Perhaps he will be put on trial with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. But then again, unlike KSM, Belichik hasn't been given the presumption of innocence.

To refresh your memory, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw Kevin Faulk what appeared to be a first down but the officials said otherwise. So the Colts took over deep in Pats territory and with 13 seconds left in the game Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw a touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne. If Belichik can be faulted it wasn't by taking a chance on fourth down. The flaw lies in using all the Patriots timeouts. As such he was in not in a position to challenge the ruling on the field.

Who can say that if the Patriots had punted the ball that the Colts wouldn't have got their touchdown anyway? If that had happened I can guarantee that these same sportswriters would have asked why Belichik didn't take a chance on the fourth down. Gregg Easterbrook of ESPN has been a voice of sanity.

The fact that Belichik has guided the Patriots to three Super Bowl titles this decade means nothing. The last Superbowl title came almost five years ago. It might as well have taken place in the paleozoic era. All that matters is Sunday.

How large the loss to Indy will loom will, of course, depend on what the Patriots do the remainder of the season and beyond. Sure the Colts could go undefeated in the regular season but if the Pats were to eliminate them in the AFC Conference Final then all would be forgiven and the "Belichik for Governor" or "Belichik for President" signs would come out of the woodwork. As with politics, a week in football can be a lifetime.

If, on the other hand, the Colts were to eliminate the Pats or if the Pats didn't make the playoffs altogether then there will probably be calls for Belichik's head. One could make the case it might be time for a change. But as we are finding out with Obama change does not come without its risks. To quote a line from the Chicago song Hard Habit to Break, "You don't know what you got until it's gone and I found out a little too late."

Mistake

2009-11-16T15:55:00.003-07:00

Bailey, Coghlan Win AL & NL Rookie of the Year

2009-11-16T13:00:00.002-07:00

The Rookie of the Year Awards were announced in both leagues today.

Unlike 2008, when Evan Longoria was a no brainer for AL Rookie of the Year, this year's recipient wasn't so clear cut.

I was pulling for Andrew Bailey though and sure enough he won this year's award. The Oakland Athletics reliever saved 26 games and had a ERA of 1.84 in 83 and one thirds innings pitched. Bailey also struck out 91 batters. It isn't easy being a closer on a last place team and I think the BBWAA took that into consideration. Bailey beat out Texas Rangers shorstop Elvis Andrus and Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello. I was surprised however that Baltimore Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold didn't garner a single vote though and I'm not the only one. He led all AL rookies with 15 home runs. But maybe the home run isn't worth what it used to be.

Bailey's selection is a testament to the Athletics strong minor league system. This is third time since 2004 an Athletics player has won AL Rookie of the Year. Bobby Crosby and Huston Street (another closer) won the award in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

A year ago Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany Soto won 31 of 32 first place votes in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting. Again, this year's recipient wasn't so clear cut. But when the balloting was all said and done Florida Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan won NL Rookie of the Year honors beating out two strong starting pitchers in J.A. Happ of the Philadelphia Phillies and Tommy Hanson of the Atlanta Braves who won 12 and 11 games, respectively. Coghlan did not make his MLB debut until May 8th but never looked back once he did hitting .321 with 9 home runs and 47 RBI. He collected 162 hits in only 128 games played.

While Coghlan's production wasn't as good as that of either Casey McGehee of the Milwaukee Brewers (16 HR, 66 RBI) or Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates (12 HR 54 RBI plus 22 stolen bases) his .390 OBP and 84 runs scored helped put him over the top. One must also remember Coghlan is a leadoff hitter thus that brings his production down. Besides Coghlan's presence made it easier for Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez to move Hanley Ramirez to the number 3 spot in the batting order. His presence also rendered Jeremy Hermida, the Marlins one time top prospect, expendable and recently dealt him to the Boston Red Sox. And if that weren't enough one must further consider that Coghlan had to learn how to play the outfield since Dan Uggla is enconsed at second base.

I am surprised that McCutchen's teammate Garrett Jones didn't get more votes belting 21 homeruns in only 314 at bats. But again please see Nolan Reimold.

Coghlan becomes the third Marlin to win NL Rookie of the Year honors since 2003. Dontrelle Willis and Ramirez won those honors in 2003 and 2006, respectively.

OBAMACARE DICTIONARY, Page 9

2009-11-16T07:02:00.003-07:00

60 Minutes is The Pitts

2009-11-16T00:34:00.003-07:00

Did you see the segment on 60 Minutes last night on the special unit disabling roadside bombs in Afghanistan?

I don't know about you but I found 60 Minutes correspondent Byron Pitts incredibly condescending when he spoke with our brave soldiers. Here's an exchange between Pitts and Colonel Jeffrey Jarkowsky, the commander of Task Force Paladin. An armored vehicle had been attacked injuring three soldiers:

"You've been briefed on the mission we went on. Was it successful?" Pitts asked Col. Jarkowsky.

"Overall, yes. It was successful in that that force was able to find IEDs," he replied.

"Did they find the IEDs? Or did the IEDs find them?" Pitts asked.

"Some of both," Jarkowsky said. "Some were found and rendered safe. I think we destroyed them and at least one of them. Others we found the hard way."

"For the American people who see those scenes of the explosions, vehicles being damaged, who say, America just got its butt kicked that day, you say what?" Pitts asked.

"Not at all. A vehicle getting blown up, doing what it was designed to do to absorb that blast, is not us getting our butts kicked. It's us removing that threat," Jarkowsky said.

First of all, outside the precincts of the liberal media, I'm not sure of any American who would say "America just got its butt kicked that day." Second, Colonel Jarkowsky handled himself with class and grace with a reporter who clearly looks down on our soldiers. But I guess that's a prerequisite these days in order to work at CBS. It will also come as no surprise that Pitts worships President Obama.

War is a difficult enterprise in which one does not know if he or she will live to see their next meal. This is all the more true with a unit given the task of disabling roadside bombs. The last thing our soldiers need to hear from reporters is that America's butt is being kicked. Would Pitts have said America's butt is being kicked in the wake of Pearl Harbor? Or when our Marines were attacked in Beirut? Or for that matter when our soldiers were killed at Fort Hood?

But let's face it. 60 Minutes is the Pitts.

Colts Stun Patriots

2009-11-15T21:55:00.002-07:00

With 14:23 remaining in the 4th quarter the New England Patriots had a 31-14 lead over the Indianapolis Colts.

It appeared the Colts would be handed their first loss of the 2009 NFL season.

Instead, the Colts had one of the greatest 4th quarter comebacks in NFL history leaving football fans all over New England fallen like the leaves.

With 12:20 left in the game, Colts QB Peyton Manning threw a 29 yard touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon to cut the lead to 31-21.

The Patriots would add three on a field goal by Stephen Gostowski to make it 34-21 with 4:17 left to play. They had a two possession lead.

But in less than two minutes Manning led the Colts down the field and Joseph Addai ran it in for a touchdown to make it 34-28. The Addai might have been cast right then and there.

Just before the two minute warning the Pats decided to go for it on 4th and 2 instead of punting the ball. Patriots QB Tom Brady appeared to have thrown a first down to Kevin Faulk but the officials ruled it fell short and it was the Colts ball deep in Patriots territory. Patriots head coach Bill Belichik couldn't challenge the play because the Patriots had already used their timeouts. Given they had already used their timeouts if the Pats had punted the ball the Colts would have started the drive in their territory.

A one yard pass from Manning to Reggie Wayne with 13 seconds left in the game allowed the Colts to sprint to the finish. The Colts won 35-34 and are 9-0. Indianapolis and the New Orleans Saints remain the only undefeated teams in the NFL.

The Patriots and Colts are to the NFL what the Red Sox and Yankees are to MLB. There will be a lot of angry people at work tomorrow.

You Know You're...

2009-11-14T12:17:00.003-07:00

Hasan's Attorney Demeans Christians

2009-11-14T11:51:00.002-07:00

Nidal Malik Hasan had a business card bearing the letters, SoA, after his name.

This means "Soldier of Allah" or "Servant of Allah."

Hasan's attorney, Colonel John Galligan (Ret), does what defense lawyers to best. Rationalize their awful behavior and demean innocent people.

Galligan said, "I know some people are saying [it means] Soldier of Allah. Is that any more troubling than saying I'm a servant of Christ?"

It is when your client shouts "Allahu Akbar" and then executes 13 people.

Demeaning Christians isn't going to help Hasan's cause much less his own.