By:Kurt Schonhardt
As Thanksgiving approaches, it's important to look back and give thanks for everything that you have. For some NFL fans, finding something to be thankful for is easier than others, but we found a reason for all 32 teams. Yes, even the Lions.
AFC East
New England Patriots -thankful that they don't have to keep crying in their Samuel Adams over Tom's injury because it seems that Matt Cassel has finally figured out that Randy Moss is, in fact, really good.
Miami Dolphins - the 'Wildcat' formation, of course. They keep winning with it. If you'll indulge me for a second, I promise it will be worth it.
New York Jets - thankful that even though Brett Favre looks like he has no clue what he's doing or no idea who he's throwing the ball to, the J-E-T-S are winning games again.
Buffalo Bills -thankful that only 6 of their games are interdivision games. 0-3 so far. They are 6-2 against the rest of the league.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals - that they play in the NFC West and will easily get a playoff spot whether they end up 7-9 or much better.
San Francisco 49ers - thankful that you have Mike Singletary as your head coach. He's fiery, he's intense, he's coaching a team with little to no talent. It's like Jimmie Johnson being forced to drive a Ford Pinto instead of a Taurus.
Seattle Seahawks - Hey, you get a new coach next year. You know, someone that might actually try to make the team a little better?
St Louis Rams - Donnie Avery has been the lone bright spot on a dismal season in the dome. Think if they had a decent QB to get him the ball.
AFC South
Tennessee Titans - really, do you need anything more than 10-1? Don't be greedy. Remember there are starving Lions fans in Detroit that would take any leftover wins you guys don't need.
Jacksonville Jaguars - you can be thankful that your coach is completely pissed about being 4-7 and will try to make things better. Chiefs fans, Lions fans, Bengals fans all get to watch their teams struggle and the coaches seem completely apathetic about it.
Indianapolis Colts - it was a horrific start to the season and now your team appears to be in full-on playoff mode. And doesn't it seem like the better Peyton plays, the more commercials we get the pleasure of watching him in?
Houston Texans - thankful that the other Texas team is getting all the attention for their struggles and for the most part, everyone is ignoring yours. On a more serious note, thankful that the Hurricane wasn't much, much worse than it could have been.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys - Romo and T.O. look to be back on track, maybe just in time to save the season. At least the Seahawks are visiting for Turkey Day and not the Giants.
New York Giants - Speaking of the Giants, they are thankful that they could have another running back get hurt and still not suffer a drop off at the position. How many teams wish they could say that? All of them, that's how many.
Philadelphia Eagles - thankful that Andy Reid finally had enough balls to bench McNabb. You can't keep turning the ball over and expecting the coach to have your back. McNabb is thankful that Kevin Kolb didn't come in and throw 3 TD's in the second half on Sunday.
Washington Redskins - two words. Jim Zorn.
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - you have a gritty, short, tough QB that is getting you win after win. And he's got a smokin hot wife to boot.
Carolina Panthers - hey, look at that! Steve Smith hasn't broken anyone's eye socket in like 3 months now. Way to go!
Atlanta Falcons - thankful that the Chargers couldn't find any need for Michael Turner. You know, just in case LT were to struggle? But that couldn't happen, right?
New Orleans Saints - thankful that they got to watch Deuce McAllister break the all-time Saints TD record at home.
AFC West
Denver Broncos - if I were a fan, I'd be grateful that Jay Cutler is getting a bit of a lesson in humility. Seriously Jay, don't every mention yourself with John Elway in the same breath while talking to anyone from Colorado. All the while your team is running away with the division because everyone else has given up.
San Diego Chargers - thankful that they can at least blame Ed Hochuli for their poor showing this year and completely ignore the fact that LT and Antonio Gates appear to be past their peak.
Kansas City Chiefs - they are thankful that they likely won't end up as the worst team in the state, thanks to the Rams.
Oakland Raiders - thankful that their team has won any games with an owner that's nuttier than a pet racoon
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers - thankful that Big Ben is apparently, like his namesake, made of steel. He's been crushed so many times this year, it seems crazy that he's still playing.
Cleveland Browns - thankful that after the season, Romeo Crennel will be able to join his buddy Charlie Weis as coordinators on some other team.
Baltimore Ravens - thankful that Joe Flacco has made for a servicable quarterback so far.
Cincinnati Bengals - thankful knowing that you're simply 1 healthy QB, a decent running back or two, a couple of receivers that won't destroy the chemistry of the whole team and a halfway decent defense from having a good team.
NFC North
Chicago Bears - thankful that just maybe they have a quarterback. Let's see, there was Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman, Brian Griese and now Kyle Orton 2.0, who looks to really have figured it out.
Minnesota Vikings - they give thanks that their defense can score at will and their offense doesn't allow the other team's defense to score enough to beat them.
Green Bay Packers - that Aaron Rodgers hasn't played so bad that they are wishing for you know who to come back, even after he completely screwed over the entire state of Wisconsin.
Detroit Lions - thankful that Matt Millen is gone. Thankful that they'll be able to grab another stud receiver with their first overall pick and thankful that they'll get tons of media attention in Week 17 as they try to stay defeated for an entire season.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Football personalities compared to Thanksgiving food
Turkey-John Madden has become the industry standard. Some people by now are sick of this meat but in the end you had to admit it's not thanksgiving with out it.
Turducken-Joe Buck. Because when he talks it feels like someone is trying to jam things inside me that don't belong there.
Gravy-Gus Johnson makes everything better and can jazz up even the biggest pile of shit on your plate.
Stuffing-Emmitt Smith. Just throw a heap of gizzards and bread together and hope - pray - something good comes of it. Luckily, like Emmitt, you really can't go wrong. Even when he's bad (always), he's oh so rewarding.
Hard Cider-Frank Caliendo. It's not something you'd choose to drink normally, but at least one day out of the year you hope it gets the job done as you try to drown out your bantering family.
Sweet Potatoes (with marshmallows)-Cris Collinsworth. Tasty, hits the spot, and is too often surrounded, covered up, or drowned out by ex-players who offer nothing but fluff.
Fancy Table OrnamentJimmy Johnson. Most brilliant thing at the table, but in the end gets put to the side.
The Last Piece of Pumpkin PieBrent Musberger. Some people cannot stand him (or the pie), and some people say College FB doesn't exist without him. As the women head to the stores for black Friday and super savings Saturday, we are stuck at home, molded into our couch listening to Musberger, much as we reluctantly reach for a second piece of pie as the table clearing and clean-up begins on Thurdsay afternoon.And who's preparing this feast?
Posted by Hugging Harold Reynolds at 11/26/2008 09:00:00 AM
Turducken-Joe Buck. Because when he talks it feels like someone is trying to jam things inside me that don't belong there.
Gravy-Gus Johnson makes everything better and can jazz up even the biggest pile of shit on your plate.
Stuffing-Emmitt Smith. Just throw a heap of gizzards and bread together and hope - pray - something good comes of it. Luckily, like Emmitt, you really can't go wrong. Even when he's bad (always), he's oh so rewarding.
Hard Cider-Frank Caliendo. It's not something you'd choose to drink normally, but at least one day out of the year you hope it gets the job done as you try to drown out your bantering family.
Sweet Potatoes (with marshmallows)-Cris Collinsworth. Tasty, hits the spot, and is too often surrounded, covered up, or drowned out by ex-players who offer nothing but fluff.
Fancy Table OrnamentJimmy Johnson. Most brilliant thing at the table, but in the end gets put to the side.
The Last Piece of Pumpkin PieBrent Musberger. Some people cannot stand him (or the pie), and some people say College FB doesn't exist without him. As the women head to the stores for black Friday and super savings Saturday, we are stuck at home, molded into our couch listening to Musberger, much as we reluctantly reach for a second piece of pie as the table clearing and clean-up begins on Thurdsay afternoon.And who's preparing this feast?
Posted by Hugging Harold Reynolds at 11/26/2008 09:00:00 AM
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
According to James A Funk's Human Action Theory written in 1932
Depression produces Thrift
Thrift produces Confidence
Confidence produces Investment
Investment produces Activity
Activity produces Prosperity
Prosperity produces Easy Credit
Easy Credit produces Overproduction
Overproduction produces Fictitious Sales
Fictitious Sales produces Fictitious Collateral
and these produce Panic
Panic produces Depression, and
The more things change, the more they are the same.
Depression produces Thrift
Thrift produces Confidence
Confidence produces Investment
Investment produces Activity
Activity produces Prosperity
Prosperity produces Easy Credit
Easy Credit produces Overproduction
Overproduction produces Fictitious Sales
Fictitious Sales produces Fictitious Collateral
and these produce Panic
Panic produces Depression, and
The more things change, the more they are the same.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Quotes about the economy
Quotes about the economy:
Inflation is when the creaking of the pillars of the economic system can’t be heard above the rustling of the banknotes.
Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing; it was here first.
A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
Pity the man who believes in communism-he believes in something that doesn’t believe in him.
Don’t know what your tax bracket is? Look up “bracket” in the dictionary. It’s something that nails objects to the wall.
In Communism, all share equally in getting the short end of the stick. Capitalism makes longer sticks.
If your faith in the free enterprise system is running down, a trip to Russia is a wonderful booster shot.
It is extraordinary to what an expense people will go to in order to get something for nothing.
Toughest thing about making a living? Getting up and doing it all over again tomorrow-buying things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like
Bureaucrates are often very good at cutting red tape- the only problem is that they tend to cut it lengthwise.
The secret of economy is to live as cheaply the day after payday as you did the day before.
In caveman days, every woman had a fur coat, every man a private club, and backyard barbecues were mammoth.
I remember when a liberal was generous with his own money- Will Rogers
The more government in the economy, the less economy in the government.
Inflation is when the creaking of the pillars of the economic system can’t be heard above the rustling of the banknotes.
Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing; it was here first.
A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
Pity the man who believes in communism-he believes in something that doesn’t believe in him.
Don’t know what your tax bracket is? Look up “bracket” in the dictionary. It’s something that nails objects to the wall.
In Communism, all share equally in getting the short end of the stick. Capitalism makes longer sticks.
If your faith in the free enterprise system is running down, a trip to Russia is a wonderful booster shot.
It is extraordinary to what an expense people will go to in order to get something for nothing.
Toughest thing about making a living? Getting up and doing it all over again tomorrow-buying things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like
Bureaucrates are often very good at cutting red tape- the only problem is that they tend to cut it lengthwise.
The secret of economy is to live as cheaply the day after payday as you did the day before.
In caveman days, every woman had a fur coat, every man a private club, and backyard barbecues were mammoth.
I remember when a liberal was generous with his own money- Will Rogers
The more government in the economy, the less economy in the government.
Interesting Facts about ACC mascots
University of North Carolina Tar Heels
According to legend, the term "Tar Heels" originated to describe North Carolinians after a battle during the Civil War when North Carolinian soldiers stuck their ground while soldiers from other states retreated. After the battle, other soldiers asked the North Carolinians what they planned to do with the tar they had back in North Carolina and the North Carolinians answered that Confederate President Jefferson Davis was going to "put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight." UNC-CH adopted the nickname for North Carolinians as the school's nickname.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
In 1922, Hank Garrity, Sr. took over the Wake Forest athletic program and made plans to rebuild it after it had basically disintegrated. After a decisive win over rival Duke, sports editor Mayon Parker of Ahoskie thought the best way to describe Wake Forest's "devilish" play was to dub them the "Demon Deacons." The personification of the Demon Deacon came in 1941 when a frat brother dared Jack Baldwin to dress up as the school's mascot.
Duke Blue Devils
"Blue Devils" was orignially the nickname of a group of well-known French soldiers recognized for their bravery in World War I. In 1921, then Trinity College, lifted a ban on football at the school. Students felt that their team needed a nickname and The Trinity Chronicle student newspaper attempted to take a vote on what the nickname should be. Unfortunately, the results of the vote were indecisive and it was not until 1923 that the editors of the school paper decided to go with "Blue Devils" to describe the university's athletic teams. Eventually, the name caught on and became the official mascot.
Virginia Tech Hokies
The term "Hokie" came from a cheer written by O. M. Stull, class of 1896. The cheer won first place in a contest and is now known as "Old Hokie." It goes like this:
Hoki, Hoki, Hoki, Hy. Techs, Techs, V.P.I. Sola-Rex, Sola-Rah. Polytechs - Vir-gin-ia. Rae, Ri, V.P.I.
The word Hokie, which was then a word that mean "hooray," stuck as the school's nickname.
University of Virginia Wahoos
In the 1890s, UVa fans would sing a chant that included the phrase "wah-hoo-wah" during baseball games against then rival Washington and Lee. The Washington and Lee fans, attempting to poke fun at UVa, called their players "a bunch of rowdy Wahoos." UVa fans liked the name and by the 1940s it was being used as frequently as the school's official nickname, the Cavaliers.
According to legend, the term "Tar Heels" originated to describe North Carolinians after a battle during the Civil War when North Carolinian soldiers stuck their ground while soldiers from other states retreated. After the battle, other soldiers asked the North Carolinians what they planned to do with the tar they had back in North Carolina and the North Carolinians answered that Confederate President Jefferson Davis was going to "put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight." UNC-CH adopted the nickname for North Carolinians as the school's nickname.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
In 1922, Hank Garrity, Sr. took over the Wake Forest athletic program and made plans to rebuild it after it had basically disintegrated. After a decisive win over rival Duke, sports editor Mayon Parker of Ahoskie thought the best way to describe Wake Forest's "devilish" play was to dub them the "Demon Deacons." The personification of the Demon Deacon came in 1941 when a frat brother dared Jack Baldwin to dress up as the school's mascot.
Duke Blue Devils
"Blue Devils" was orignially the nickname of a group of well-known French soldiers recognized for their bravery in World War I. In 1921, then Trinity College, lifted a ban on football at the school. Students felt that their team needed a nickname and The Trinity Chronicle student newspaper attempted to take a vote on what the nickname should be. Unfortunately, the results of the vote were indecisive and it was not until 1923 that the editors of the school paper decided to go with "Blue Devils" to describe the university's athletic teams. Eventually, the name caught on and became the official mascot.
Virginia Tech Hokies
The term "Hokie" came from a cheer written by O. M. Stull, class of 1896. The cheer won first place in a contest and is now known as "Old Hokie." It goes like this:
Hoki, Hoki, Hoki, Hy. Techs, Techs, V.P.I. Sola-Rex, Sola-Rah. Polytechs - Vir-gin-ia. Rae, Ri, V.P.I.
The word Hokie, which was then a word that mean "hooray," stuck as the school's nickname.
University of Virginia Wahoos
In the 1890s, UVa fans would sing a chant that included the phrase "wah-hoo-wah" during baseball games against then rival Washington and Lee. The Washington and Lee fans, attempting to poke fun at UVa, called their players "a bunch of rowdy Wahoos." UVa fans liked the name and by the 1940s it was being used as frequently as the school's official nickname, the Cavaliers.
Monday, November 10, 2008
David Knighton Kicked out of School
Harding has a reputation of kicking people out of school and a very strict rules policy. I personally believe that as christains this is not they way we should act. As Christians we all make mistakes. Our job is to try to bring everyone we know to christ no matter what mistakes they have made in the past. We are not the judge only God is. We should not kcik students out of school for minor infractions only major ones (I am not making a judgement on if the bleow article is a major or minor infraction). I just think as Christains we should show the grace that we are given and remember that these young adults might make mistakes and to kick them out of school and have them lose the money they paid, the lose of a semester of work, and the bad feelings that will be created to God might not be the best decision. I don't know how you try to make Harding students reflect christ while letting them expierence life and make mistakes. I don't know if make them doing couseling sessions, loss of scholorships, or give them so many warnings (like 3 strikes and your out). I feel sory for this indivual listed below, even though certain things have been left out. I won't go into to much detail but the article makes it seem like it was a random girl not his girlfriend who they went on date that night. Any one who went to Harding knows you can get into the dorms after curfew for a few hours so she was very late. Also they both lied to the administration as to were she was. Which did not help their case. This also was not a first time they have had problems with this indivual.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- One of the top quarterbacks in Division II might not play again at the college level.
David Knighton of Harding University has been suspended from school for a code of conduct violation. His father, Reggie Knighton, said the senior is being punished for allowing a female student to spend the night at his off-campus residence.
"My son is being done a great injustice," Reggie Knighton said Wednesday.
Harding (2-8) plays its final game of the season Saturday at Arkansas Tech.
David Knighton, a member of The Associated Press Little All-America team last year, has appealed his suspension.
Harding, a private school in Searcy affiliated with the Churches of Christ, says in its student handbook that "staying overnight in a motel, hotel or any such arrangement with a member of the opposite gender will result in suspension, although explicit sexual immorality may not have been observed."
David Knighton was not available for comment. His father said he believed the incident in question happened last weekend.
"My understanding is that this young lady, she missed a curfew and needed a place to stay. She knew she was in trouble, was probably going to be suspended or something like that," Reggie Knighton said. "She called David and asked if she could come over there. David said, 'Well, I'm not telling you to come over here. The door is open."'
Reggie Knighton said the young woman came over.
"She slept on the couch, left that morning," he said.
He said his son found out about his punishment soon after.
"They were judge, jury and God all in one," Reggie Knighton said.
The school would not go into detail about Knighton's situation.
"Harding has a long-standing policy of not discussing student personnel matters," a school public relations director said in a statement. "The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations prohibit us from releasing information from students' records. Included in that information is any disclosure involving student disciplinary records, academic records or health records."
Reggie Knighton defended his son, saying the woman's safety could have been at risk if Knighton had turned her away.
"This decision that he made, he thought was a Christian decision -- not to leave someone out in the cold," he said.
David Knighton has thrown for 3,834 yards and 24 touchdowns this season.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- One of the top quarterbacks in Division II might not play again at the college level.
David Knighton of Harding University has been suspended from school for a code of conduct violation. His father, Reggie Knighton, said the senior is being punished for allowing a female student to spend the night at his off-campus residence.
"My son is being done a great injustice," Reggie Knighton said Wednesday.
Harding (2-8) plays its final game of the season Saturday at Arkansas Tech.
David Knighton, a member of The Associated Press Little All-America team last year, has appealed his suspension.
Harding, a private school in Searcy affiliated with the Churches of Christ, says in its student handbook that "staying overnight in a motel, hotel or any such arrangement with a member of the opposite gender will result in suspension, although explicit sexual immorality may not have been observed."
David Knighton was not available for comment. His father said he believed the incident in question happened last weekend.
"My understanding is that this young lady, she missed a curfew and needed a place to stay. She knew she was in trouble, was probably going to be suspended or something like that," Reggie Knighton said. "She called David and asked if she could come over there. David said, 'Well, I'm not telling you to come over here. The door is open."'
Reggie Knighton said the young woman came over.
"She slept on the couch, left that morning," he said.
He said his son found out about his punishment soon after.
"They were judge, jury and God all in one," Reggie Knighton said.
The school would not go into detail about Knighton's situation.
"Harding has a long-standing policy of not discussing student personnel matters," a school public relations director said in a statement. "The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations prohibit us from releasing information from students' records. Included in that information is any disclosure involving student disciplinary records, academic records or health records."
Reggie Knighton defended his son, saying the woman's safety could have been at risk if Knighton had turned her away.
"This decision that he made, he thought was a Christian decision -- not to leave someone out in the cold," he said.
David Knighton has thrown for 3,834 yards and 24 touchdowns this season.
Daniels always in the right place
Daniels always in right place
Sunday, November 09, 2008
BY JOHN NALBONE
PHILADELPHIA -- Free safety Brian Dawkins has put in 13 years of hard labor with the Eagles and is still searching.
Right tackle Jon Runyan will run his streak of consecutive regular season starts to 185 tonight against the NFC East-leading Giants at Lincoln Financial Field, while quarterback Donovan McNabb has attempted 4,020 passes since being drafted second overall in 1999.
Left tackle Tra Thomas has protected McNabb's blindside for nearly all of those throws, yet he has not reached the pinnacle in a sport often judged by just one thing when all is said and done.
Winning a Super Bowl.
Torrance "Tank" Daniels must be living pretty darn good.
Let go by the Eagles following the 2006 season after appearing in just six games, the backup linebacker and special teams performer was picked up by the Giants, whose newly-hired defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, was familiar with Daniels' work when both men were employed by Andy Reid.
Comparable to his brief stint with the Eagles, who originally signed Daniels as an undrafted free agent before affording him the opportunity to become the first player from Division II Harding University to play in the NFL, Daniels spent most of the 2007 season on the Giants' practice squad.
Lighting struck for the 26-year-old Daniels in Week 13 of the regular season, when he was moved to the active roster.
Although he appears nowhere in any statistical category over the final four regular-season games with New York, Daniels showed enough intangibles to stick around for the playoffs.
To make a long story short, Daniels forced a fumble in the NFC wild-card game against Tampa Bay and, a few weeks later, found him self on the field celebrating with the Giants after they stunned the unbeaten New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
"I just feel so fortunate to be in the league only three years and have a Super Bowl ring," Daniels said. "Not only that, I have been to the playoffs every year. To be a Super Bowl champ, it took a long, long, long time even after winning to have it kind of sink in. Then I came back here to Philadelphia (in September), seeing great, I mean great players that are 10 times bet ter than I am, who still don't have what I have. It's pretty humbling."
To recap, an undrafted free agent from a Division II college that has spent the majority of his career on the practice squads of two teams -- whose most notable contribution in the NFL was a forcing a kick return out of the hands of the Buccaneers' Michael Spur lock early in last season's playoff run -- has made the playoffs each year he has been in the league and returned to the Eagles (5-3) a champion after being let go by the Giants (7-1).
Bad stuff happens to good people all the time.
But so do good things.
So when men such as Daniels can find time to visit wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center before he and his Big Blue teammates were feted at the White House, there is hope for Dawkins, McNabb, Runyan, Thomas and every other member of the Eagles still in search of the NFL's Holy Grail.
That seemingly endless journey continues tonight against the defending champs in a game the Eagles, who are winless in the divi sion, must have.
"The guys in here work so hard," said Daniels, one of only three Eagles with Super Bowl rings.
Cornerback Asante Samuel (2/ Patriots) and Dan Klecko (3/ Patriots and Colts) are the others.
"They deserve to experience what I was lucky enough to experience last year," he said. "It's not easy, obviously. Every year, every week it's something different in the NFL. It's a beast, but once you taste it a little bit, you want more and I believe this team can be a champion."
Contact John Nalbone at jnalbo ne@njtimes.com
Sunday, November 09, 2008
BY JOHN NALBONE
PHILADELPHIA -- Free safety Brian Dawkins has put in 13 years of hard labor with the Eagles and is still searching.
Right tackle Jon Runyan will run his streak of consecutive regular season starts to 185 tonight against the NFC East-leading Giants at Lincoln Financial Field, while quarterback Donovan McNabb has attempted 4,020 passes since being drafted second overall in 1999.
Left tackle Tra Thomas has protected McNabb's blindside for nearly all of those throws, yet he has not reached the pinnacle in a sport often judged by just one thing when all is said and done.
Winning a Super Bowl.
Torrance "Tank" Daniels must be living pretty darn good.
Let go by the Eagles following the 2006 season after appearing in just six games, the backup linebacker and special teams performer was picked up by the Giants, whose newly-hired defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, was familiar with Daniels' work when both men were employed by Andy Reid.
Comparable to his brief stint with the Eagles, who originally signed Daniels as an undrafted free agent before affording him the opportunity to become the first player from Division II Harding University to play in the NFL, Daniels spent most of the 2007 season on the Giants' practice squad.
Lighting struck for the 26-year-old Daniels in Week 13 of the regular season, when he was moved to the active roster.
Although he appears nowhere in any statistical category over the final four regular-season games with New York, Daniels showed enough intangibles to stick around for the playoffs.
To make a long story short, Daniels forced a fumble in the NFC wild-card game against Tampa Bay and, a few weeks later, found him self on the field celebrating with the Giants after they stunned the unbeaten New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
"I just feel so fortunate to be in the league only three years and have a Super Bowl ring," Daniels said. "Not only that, I have been to the playoffs every year. To be a Super Bowl champ, it took a long, long, long time even after winning to have it kind of sink in. Then I came back here to Philadelphia (in September), seeing great, I mean great players that are 10 times bet ter than I am, who still don't have what I have. It's pretty humbling."
To recap, an undrafted free agent from a Division II college that has spent the majority of his career on the practice squads of two teams -- whose most notable contribution in the NFL was a forcing a kick return out of the hands of the Buccaneers' Michael Spur lock early in last season's playoff run -- has made the playoffs each year he has been in the league and returned to the Eagles (5-3) a champion after being let go by the Giants (7-1).
Bad stuff happens to good people all the time.
But so do good things.
So when men such as Daniels can find time to visit wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center before he and his Big Blue teammates were feted at the White House, there is hope for Dawkins, McNabb, Runyan, Thomas and every other member of the Eagles still in search of the NFL's Holy Grail.
That seemingly endless journey continues tonight against the defending champs in a game the Eagles, who are winless in the divi sion, must have.
"The guys in here work so hard," said Daniels, one of only three Eagles with Super Bowl rings.
Cornerback Asante Samuel (2/ Patriots) and Dan Klecko (3/ Patriots and Colts) are the others.
"They deserve to experience what I was lucky enough to experience last year," he said. "It's not easy, obviously. Every year, every week it's something different in the NFL. It's a beast, but once you taste it a little bit, you want more and I believe this team can be a champion."
Contact John Nalbone at jnalbo ne@njtimes.com
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Tough times ahead for Republicans
A new generation transforms US politics
By James Carville
American voters have emphatically slammed the door on eight long years of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney’s divisive politics and disastrous policies. Following a predictable and ho-hum closing stretch of the campaign, Barack Obama was overwhelmingly elected president. The most important and most textured race for the presidency in my lifetime, in most Americans’ lifetimes, deserved a more dramatic finish.
The historical significance of electing our first African-American president cannot be lost on me, as I remember what it was like growing up in the segregated South. To say that I never thought I would see an African-American president in my lifetime is to understate what Mr Obama’s achievement says about America.
Additionally, although there seem to have been no fireworks or fuss marking its demise, with this election the Republican party has lost not only the White House and more than a few seats in Congress but an entire generation of voters. I have written in these pages, as early as August 2007 (see: “How Karl Rove lost a generation of Republicans”), that the Bush-Cheney-Rove triumvirate alienated a vast majority of young voters with its culture wars, ill-planned Iraq war and thorough, relentless bungling of domestic and foreign affairs. What was once a split demographic has become a solid voting bloc for the Democratic party for many years to come. Mr Obama and congressional Democrats made history on Tuesday night in no small measure due to the unprecedented enthusiasm of America’s youth. Mr Obama addressed them in his victory speech: “It [our campaign] drew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.” Quite simply, young voters (18-29 years old) delivered and delivered big.
Exit polling indicates that Mr Obama won two-thirds of those voting under 30 years old against 32 per cent for John McCain. Compare that with a 54-45 margin for John Kerry in 2004 and a 48-46 margin for Al Gore in 2000. Consider this: if young people had voted for Democrats at about the same proportion of the overall electorate (52-46) as they had voted as recently as 2000 for Mr Gore and for many cycles prior, Mr Obama would not have won North Carolina or Indiana. Young voters also provided the margin of victory in key battleground states such as Florida, Virginia and Ohio. The youth vote expanded the map for Mr Obama; it put him over the top in states not won by Democrats in decades.
Additionally, exit polling indicates young voters increased their share of the electorate to 18 per cent, which is no small feat. These numbers will be studied for years to come. But already it is clear that the importance of the margin by which Mr Obama and Democrats up and down the ballot won 18-29 year olds must not be understated.
By large margins, young people believe that Mr Obama can and will change the direction of the country. Their view that government should take an active role in society separates them from older voters. Young people want to see government try to solve problems, like environment and healthcare, and are willing to pay a little more in taxes to make it happen. Their view is indicative of a larger problem for the Republican party.
In presidential politics, party dominance is cyclical. Look at 1896-1932, then 1932-1968, then 1968-2008. Republican dominance over the past 40 years (the exceptions being one term for Jimmy Carter and two for Bill Clinton) grew out of a reaction to the 1960s. It was rooted in the power of the white male vote. But that voting bloc is shrinking while emerging Democratic constituencies are projected to grow in size and voting strength. To put it simply, every shrinking demographic is Republican and every growing one is Democratic.
One party has to lose a presidential election every four years. Congressional seats change hands every election cycle. Elections come and go and usually they are without deep or abiding consequence for either party. That is politics. But occasionally there is the election, like this one, that makes a resounding, lasting impact on the US political landscape. The Republican party, now an at all-time low in popularity, has lost a generation of voters. In 2008, a new Democratic majority has emerged with young voters at the helm. It is a majority that will continue for 40 more years.
The author is an international political consultant and CNN political contributor. He was chief strategist for Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, and is working on a book, ‘40 More Years: Electing a Democratic Majority for the Next Generation’
By James Carville
American voters have emphatically slammed the door on eight long years of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney’s divisive politics and disastrous policies. Following a predictable and ho-hum closing stretch of the campaign, Barack Obama was overwhelmingly elected president. The most important and most textured race for the presidency in my lifetime, in most Americans’ lifetimes, deserved a more dramatic finish.
The historical significance of electing our first African-American president cannot be lost on me, as I remember what it was like growing up in the segregated South. To say that I never thought I would see an African-American president in my lifetime is to understate what Mr Obama’s achievement says about America.
Additionally, although there seem to have been no fireworks or fuss marking its demise, with this election the Republican party has lost not only the White House and more than a few seats in Congress but an entire generation of voters. I have written in these pages, as early as August 2007 (see: “How Karl Rove lost a generation of Republicans”), that the Bush-Cheney-Rove triumvirate alienated a vast majority of young voters with its culture wars, ill-planned Iraq war and thorough, relentless bungling of domestic and foreign affairs. What was once a split demographic has become a solid voting bloc for the Democratic party for many years to come. Mr Obama and congressional Democrats made history on Tuesday night in no small measure due to the unprecedented enthusiasm of America’s youth. Mr Obama addressed them in his victory speech: “It [our campaign] drew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.” Quite simply, young voters (18-29 years old) delivered and delivered big.
Exit polling indicates that Mr Obama won two-thirds of those voting under 30 years old against 32 per cent for John McCain. Compare that with a 54-45 margin for John Kerry in 2004 and a 48-46 margin for Al Gore in 2000. Consider this: if young people had voted for Democrats at about the same proportion of the overall electorate (52-46) as they had voted as recently as 2000 for Mr Gore and for many cycles prior, Mr Obama would not have won North Carolina or Indiana. Young voters also provided the margin of victory in key battleground states such as Florida, Virginia and Ohio. The youth vote expanded the map for Mr Obama; it put him over the top in states not won by Democrats in decades.
Additionally, exit polling indicates young voters increased their share of the electorate to 18 per cent, which is no small feat. These numbers will be studied for years to come. But already it is clear that the importance of the margin by which Mr Obama and Democrats up and down the ballot won 18-29 year olds must not be understated.
By large margins, young people believe that Mr Obama can and will change the direction of the country. Their view that government should take an active role in society separates them from older voters. Young people want to see government try to solve problems, like environment and healthcare, and are willing to pay a little more in taxes to make it happen. Their view is indicative of a larger problem for the Republican party.
In presidential politics, party dominance is cyclical. Look at 1896-1932, then 1932-1968, then 1968-2008. Republican dominance over the past 40 years (the exceptions being one term for Jimmy Carter and two for Bill Clinton) grew out of a reaction to the 1960s. It was rooted in the power of the white male vote. But that voting bloc is shrinking while emerging Democratic constituencies are projected to grow in size and voting strength. To put it simply, every shrinking demographic is Republican and every growing one is Democratic.
One party has to lose a presidential election every four years. Congressional seats change hands every election cycle. Elections come and go and usually they are without deep or abiding consequence for either party. That is politics. But occasionally there is the election, like this one, that makes a resounding, lasting impact on the US political landscape. The Republican party, now an at all-time low in popularity, has lost a generation of voters. In 2008, a new Democratic majority has emerged with young voters at the helm. It is a majority that will continue for 40 more years.
The author is an international political consultant and CNN political contributor. He was chief strategist for Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, and is working on a book, ‘40 More Years: Electing a Democratic Majority for the Next Generation’
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Top Ten Hockey Quotes
Top Ten Hockey Quotes:
10. "Guys, I don't want to tell you half-truths, unless they're completely accurate." - coach Alain Vigneault.
9. "Luc Robitaille is a great kid and good player, but ask anybody on the street and they'd probably think Luc Robitaille is a type of salad dressing." - L.A. Kings owner Bruce McNall on why he brought Wayne Gretzky to Hollywood in 1988.
8. "We only speak two languages here: English and profanity." - Penguins coach Kevin Constantine on the many languages spoken by his team.
7. "He's the kind of guy who will stab you in the back right to your face." - St. Louis Blues superstar Brett Hull on coach Mike Keenan.
6. "We have only one person to blame, and that's each other." - New York Rangers defenseman Barry Beck.
5. "I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body." - Saku Koivu.
4. "Getting cut in the face is a pain in the butt." - Calgary Flames' Theo Fleury.
3. "Wayne came over to the bench one day after seeing (Zdeno) Chara, and said 'That's why I'm quitting.'" - Rangers coach John Muckler, laughing about Wayne Gretzky's comment on Ottawa's 6'9" defenseman Zdeno Chara.
2. "Tell him he's Wayne Gretzky." - Oilers coach Ted Green, after Shaun Van Allen suffered a concussion and couldn't remember who he was.
1. "How would you like it if, at your job, every time you made the slightest mistake a little red light went on over your head and 18,000 people stood up and screamed at you?" - Hall of Fame Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante.
10. "Guys, I don't want to tell you half-truths, unless they're completely accurate." - coach Alain Vigneault.
9. "Luc Robitaille is a great kid and good player, but ask anybody on the street and they'd probably think Luc Robitaille is a type of salad dressing." - L.A. Kings owner Bruce McNall on why he brought Wayne Gretzky to Hollywood in 1988.
8. "We only speak two languages here: English and profanity." - Penguins coach Kevin Constantine on the many languages spoken by his team.
7. "He's the kind of guy who will stab you in the back right to your face." - St. Louis Blues superstar Brett Hull on coach Mike Keenan.
6. "We have only one person to blame, and that's each other." - New York Rangers defenseman Barry Beck.
5. "I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body." - Saku Koivu.
4. "Getting cut in the face is a pain in the butt." - Calgary Flames' Theo Fleury.
3. "Wayne came over to the bench one day after seeing (Zdeno) Chara, and said 'That's why I'm quitting.'" - Rangers coach John Muckler, laughing about Wayne Gretzky's comment on Ottawa's 6'9" defenseman Zdeno Chara.
2. "Tell him he's Wayne Gretzky." - Oilers coach Ted Green, after Shaun Van Allen suffered a concussion and couldn't remember who he was.
1. "How would you like it if, at your job, every time you made the slightest mistake a little red light went on over your head and 18,000 people stood up and screamed at you?" - Hall of Fame Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Quote of the Day
The Quote of the Day Is:
“The budget should be balanced. Public debt should be reduced. The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered, and assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed, lest Rome become bankrupt.”
- Marcus Tullius Cicero
(106 B.C.- 43 B.C.)
Roman statesman
“The budget should be balanced. Public debt should be reduced. The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered, and assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed, lest Rome become bankrupt.”
- Marcus Tullius Cicero
(106 B.C.- 43 B.C.)
Roman statesman
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