Sunday, April 2, 2017

Random Ramblings From the Psychotic Side of Town

Care to know why Rednecks have so much trouble with New Yorkers? Here's a good example: "Where Conn's Loss Ranks" in the New York Post. The article (by some guinea bastard named Mike Vacarro) describes the UConn women's defeat by Mississississississippi State as a momentous upset in the grand pantheon of American sport (which it was, you know, if you're into lesbo b-gall). Ok fair enough. We all know the University of Connecticut "Fighting Property & Casality Insurers" have a storied history in college basketball (at least since the 90s). But this porca stronzo ranks the Giants beating the Patriots in some long forgotten Super Bowl ahead of the USA/USSR hockey match in 1980. WTF man!? A bunch of college kids beat the Red Army team that just a few weeks previous had annihilated the NHL's best, but that ranks as less an upset than professionals beating other professionals?
But the one that stuck in my craw was as usual, Villanova/Georgetown in '85. Ok, I admit, based on their previous 28 meetings the game was an upset. But it wasn't THAT big, in fact I would call it a mild upset. Look, these were league teams. They knew each other intimately. In January that year the Hoyas beat 'Nova by two points. TWO POINTS! Their later meeting GT won by seven with late free throws making it seem ON PAPER less competitive than it was. These were two veteran teams, well matched, well coached, and Villanova was due for a win. The idea this was some world shattering upset is ludicrous and only a New York WOP with his Dago nose up some Catholic school's ass would even suggest such a thing.
Any objective student of the game knows the greatest upset in the history of NCAA basketball is NC State's victory over the University of Houston. The Cougars had two future "greatest 50 NBA players of all time" with Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon. We had a future women's figure skating commentator, bus driver and failed coach. This Houston team, had they won, would be talked about in the same breath as 1975 Indiana, '68, '71 UCLA, '57 UNC and '74 NCSU. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY gave the Pack a chance, and rightfully so. I repeat, THIS game my friends is the greatest upset in NCAA tournament history, and the Villanova/Georgetown contest doesn't even come close.
Now, on to this year tournament...UNC should have lost! I know, Carolina is a better team. That's true. But Oregon played the better game. One can only imagine the outcome had they had their best player suited up. Note to Oregon: Hit your free throws and block out.
Well, as you know I was looking forward to an 'All Carolina' final. I wanted the thrill of seeing the South Carolina Gamecocks take down the mighty Tar Heels. UNC is the Evil Empire. In the State of North Carolina they control the...well they control, that's all you need to know. What other school in these United States could run a bogus department with bogus classes for 18 long years and escape with a slap on the wrist? Back in the day SMU did much less and had their football program destroyed for all time. But it is what it is, no point in crying about it. If your goal is to run a basketball factory and semi-educate a bunch of debutants, penny loafer wearing pricks and leftist freaks, UNC does it as well as anybody I guess.
How 'bout them Zags? That guard of their's Nigel Williams-Goss (the Fifth Earl of Salisbury) is a friggin' machine. I don't think Carolina's guards can handle him. Plus, that big Pole with the beard, Karnowski! My God in Heaven, what a hoss! As I've said previously, I haven't seen that much West Coast ball this year so I didn't know, but that guy can play. When I first saw him I figured (as one does) he's just this big eastern European they found somewhere who's main function is to clog up the lane. No so! This big ugly white boy can play!
So, prediction time. I think Meeks and Big Ugly will neutralize the middle. UNC's star guard Joel Berry CLAIMS to be 100% but he ain't. I've seen too much of this kid this year. He's hitting on about 3 cylinders. Jackson for UNC is a beast so I give that to the Heels. The difference is Gonzaga's freshman forward/center Zach Collins. I haven't seen a kid this young play with such poise and skill since Bill Walton. So....I predict a close one with the Zags in a squeaker. We shall see.



Sunday, March 26, 2017

North vs. South

What a tournament uh? Man I do love me some b-ball but hey, I'm from THE hot-bed of the game. That's right, that's what I said. North Carolina produced the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan, who throughout high school had planned to attend NCSU because he so much admired David Thompson, who was unquestionably the greatest player in ACC history and arguably the NCAA (my money is on Lew Alcindor but certainly Thompson is top ten).

Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, New York City, we appreciate you, we do, but you're just filling out the card. The State of North Carolina is the King Fish, the Big Kuhana, the Mac-Daddy of college hoops...and God-damn-it don't you forget it. Alright, got that out of the way so let's talk some 2017 tourney action.

I have to say the Oregon Ducks look AWESOME! I mentioned in a previous post I haven't seen them all year but someone, somewhere, at one of the 37 sports bars I regularly frequent on a weekly basis said something about "Oregon lost their best player", so I dismissed them early. WRONG! These guys are quick as lightening, aggressive and can score. Jordan Bell is a beast. The only weakness I've seen is their coach kinda pulls them back a bit. Let 'em go coach. These dudes are having a blast, don't "Dean Smith" them out of a championship.

Zags are looking good too and I can't believe this is Gonzaga's first Final Four. Talk about a team knocking on the door, these boys are good enough to kick it in (to paraphrase Bum Phillips). And how about seven footer Przemek Karnowski? I hate to have to feed that dude but he sure would be handy around the house. Sidebar: I knew a guy like that in high school. A buddy had a flat in his Vega (remember those?) and had no jack. This kid held up the back while we changed the tire. True story.

Now comes Kentucky North Carolina. The good thing here is one of these filthy, rotten, spawn-of-Satan teams is going home. These two are the most arrogant, entitled, win at all cost and to hell with you programs in the history of college athletics. They break more rules than the Cook County Board of Elections, with much the same consequence. The best possible outcome is they BOTH lose, but actually I don't want that to happen as I have an ulterior motive. I'm backing the Heels. WHAT? Yes that's right I'm all in for the Tar Heel scum today. Not out of state pride or conference loyalty, but because there's bigger fish to fry...and that fish is South Carolina.

MY team this tournament is South Carolina. Now I'm not a Gamecock fan, but I've always believed they were family. SC was once a league team and many years ago a basketball POWER. They left the ACC in the early 70s but almost immediately tried to get back in. UNC blocked those efforts as they got their asses reamed out a little too often by the Cocks. They are OURS, not the SEC's. There is no greater rivalry in college athletics than SC vs. Clemson. SC versus State, UNC, Duke were great and I very much miss those days. We hated each other so bad as often as not we'd meet them on neutral ground in Charlotte. The thing is they belong with us, but instead we have fuqing BC and Pitt and Syracuse. Why don't we all just turn into a bunch of Damn Yankees and wear socks with sandals and Bermuda shorts? Jesus, I can't handle this shit. HAS EVERYBODY GONE CRAZY!


So, I want to see a South Carolina, North Carolina final and I want to remember the days of John Roche, Tom Owens and Kevin Joyce. I want to see the Heels bleed that Carolina Blue blood they're always harping about. I want the Old Well to burn, burn, BURN BABY BURN!!! I want the ghost of Frank McGuire to strike a righteous blow for truth and justice that will bring down the mighty Dean Dome and the corruption that built it. I want Chapel Hillians in funeral garb for the foreseeable future. I want UNC athletics to pay the price for their 18 years of bogus classes the cowardly NCAA refused to make them pay. I want the evil empire expunged from the annals of basketball history and Carolina forever remembered as UNC-CHeats!

Well, got that off my chest. Enjoy your weekend.


Sunday, March 19, 2017

🎼I Got a Basketball Jones 🎶


We all know I'm a political genus, but you may not know I'm a depository and repository of all things basketball, especially ACC basketball. Wanna talk some Everett Case, Frank McGuire or Vic Bubas? Does the names Dick DeVenzio, Charlie Davis, Chris Corchiani or Bruce Dalrymple ring a bell? Seen him but not sure who Mike Gminski is or why he's on the tube? Well friends you've come to the right place. So let's talk a little b-ball, pacifically this years tournament. However I will entertain questions from the galley after I'm done.

So, let's go down the list. I was very glad to see Villanova lose but not so happy they lost to a Big Ten school. I'm torn between my anti-Catholic school prejudice (not anti-Catholic generally however) and my hatred for the Big Ten. But if I had to choose I suppose I'd pick those communist bastards from Madison as opposed to Philly scumbags (Hey yoos guys, want I should stop at Geno's? Fuck you Carmine, I'll smash your fuckin' face ya fuckin' fanook. We had a fuckin' hoagie for breakfast!).

How 'bout UVA? Jaysus H. what a fiasco! We all knew the Cavaliers couldn't score but this was ridiculous. 39 points, by a Division 1 NCAA tournament caliber team? 39 POINTS! Shout out to Coach Bennett, high school coaching needs a guy like you...but not the ACC. There are no defensive coordinators in college ball. Get to scoring or get to stepping.

South Carolina had an exception second half against Steve Wojciechowski's Marquette Warriors. WoJo is one of Coach K's progenies and either him or Chris Collins at Northwestern probably have the inside track at Duke when the time comes. I like the Gamecocks. They're scrappy and they know how to finish. Plus I miss South Carolina being in the ACC, but let's not get into that, I'd be here all day (God-damn BC, Syracuse and Pitt; Swafford...YOU SUCK!).

Gonzaga looks good as hell, Xavier dangerous as hell and West Virginia tough as hell. Notre Dame Coach Mike Bret paid WVU a nice compliment after their loss, he said the Mountaineers always field MEN! I like that. Too many 'one and done' factories out there these days.

Jayhawks vs Michigan State, Lewis-ville vs Michigan, Wichita St vs UK and Carolina/Arkansas should all be barn-burners. Look for the Razorbacks to give "Ole Roy" all he can handle. The guys from that other Fayetteville (the one WITHOUT Ft. Bragg) got their scare the other day and they have a little tournament history (bad blood) with the ACC. They've beaten Duke, UNC, UVA in a good few Final Fours and regionals. They are not the least intimidated. So I look for the Heels to go down like a Kardashian on a Lakers trans-continental charter flight.

There you have it. If you don't like basketball that's ok. TMC has film festival going on celebrating MGM musicals with films like Guys and Dolls and An American in Paris and I Was A Teenage Cross-Dresser, so everybody enjoy your Sunday.





Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Kill the Rose

Ok, now that we've had a chance to learn some more about Paul Ryan's new and improved Obamacare I have to say it ain't all bad. But I still hate it. Let me tell you why.

You folks all remember Napoleon I'm sure, he was the short one with the weird hat. Real smart dude and came up with some insightful one-liners. He once said if you set out to take Vienna, then take Vienna.  What he was saying was (of course) follow through on your commitments. Not because it is necessary for the current situation, necessarily, but because that was the declared course of action... and everybody is watching.

Ryan-Care may be the greatest but it still sucks. We sent Trump to the Whitehouse and gave the Republicans majorities to REPEAL Obamacare. We need to see headlines all across the country saying "HEARTLESS REPUBLICANS REPEAL THE WONDERFUL AFFORDABLE CARE ACT". I didn't say want, I said NEED! Conservatives and ESPECIALLY leftists need to know our people will do what they say. We want Democrats to loose their minds and go ballistic over Obamacare repeal. We want them to do what they do best...lie and demagogue. We want them spouting the most outrageous claims, the most over-the-top 'dying in the streets' hyperbolic BS possible. We want them in full meltdown mode. Then, and only then should the Republicans bring new legislation forward to address the real problems in our healthcare system, preferably with a return to market based incentives. If they do, a year from now premiums will go down, deducibles will go down, coverage will increase and quality will go up. It will be plain as day who the good guys are, and we can hang it all around the progressive neck.

Again, I don't care what Ryan-Care does or doesn't do. I care about the optics, the politics. We need a big bold win for our side and a devastating loss for the Democrats. If we go all in for a "fix" then we lose a rare opportunity, and if this thing falls flat, our side owns it. If Ryan-Care doesn't do ALL the things a free and open healthcare market can and will do (and it won't) we conservatives will feel cheated and the progressives will feel vindicated. They will do to us what we did to them since 2009. So if you don't want a President Trotsky (a rose is a rose) then you better hope this thing dies a quick death. Otherwise the death will be ours.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

The Establishment NEVER Quits (or helps)


Do you trust these two? Like most folks I trust them to be themselves. Our Congressional leaders while useful, are not our friends. If I had to guess I'd say they view themselves much the same as British Tories, better administrators and smarter, more realistic policy makers than their Democratic counterparts. But ideologically, regardless of what they tell us (and themselves) they're not that much different from Harry Reid. They are the super ego to the liberal id, the "conservative" reason to the progressive passion. As evidence I present Ryan-Care.

Tell me, why has Obamacare failed? Well for many reasons but certainly not last on the list are the policy requirements. There were ten or twelve mandates that drove up the price of these ridiculous pieces of outhouse accutrements that made no sense whatsoever, unless of course your place of bidnez is the 1500 block of K Street. Maternity coverage for 60 year old women is my personal favorite.

But there's more. The folks who signed up were mostly the sick and elderly. Young folks hated Obamacare because...wait for it...they were forced to buy it (or pay a penalty), they're healthy and see no need, they're irresponsible, and lastly (and perhaps most importantly) they could give a shit. Plus, as if the aforementioned wasn't enough, there were little landmines built in like higher premiums for smoking. When a 22 year old goes for a mandated checkup and Dr. Feelgood starts in preaching healthy lifestyle stuff like you need to stop partying, start exercising and put down the _______ (fill in the blank; cigarette, joint, Jagermeister, crack-pipe, tit, dick etc. etc.) and they have to PAY for the privilege of being berated, well call me crazy but that ain't gonna fly. And have you ever tried to talk an Obamacare doc out of an oxycontin prescription? It's like pulling teeth, which unfortunately IS NOT covered under Obamacare.

So, did Ryan-Care (soon to be renamed Trump-Care by one and all) address these issues? No they did NOT. Is Grandma still gonna get her birth-control pills for nothing? Damn right! Is this pig gonna fly? You bet, right into Air Force 1 with Trump on board.

So keep listening to these guys with their "This is the best we can do right now, more to come later" bullshit. This is the best they're WILLING to do now or later. They have no desire to make Trump look good. They will do nothing, I repeat NOTHING to advance the Trump agenda. They proved time and time again they are just fine with leftist policies. They rolled over so much for Baraq Hussein Obama I lost count ages ago. They rode "we will repeal Obamacare" to majorities in BOTH houses. They have voted to repeal Obamacare several times (when it meant nothing) and now, with a Republican President, this is the SHIT we get?

If Donald Trump's presidency turns out to be a disaster, if he turns into the joke the establishment always said he was, it won't be Pelosi or Schumer who did it, it will be these two.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Ok, Let's Crank It Up Again

As both of you know (my two readers) I used to be a big fish in a very small pond, the Conservative Wahoo pond. I spent, gee, maybe nine or ten years expounding my world view (some say BS) to an audience primarily made up of ex-Navy officers and CW's ex-girlfiends. CW and I were a marriage made in heaven (in a heteronormative kind of way). We shared a love of politics and once had very similar opinions, and I genuinely like the guy. CW is very bright, hard working, ambitious, disciplined and focused, in other words all the things I am not. But I had something CW needed for a successful blog and maybe he saw that. After all our backgrounds are VERY different. He's a east coast guy working his way up the establishment ladder: UVA, Navy officer, think tanks, war colleges and defense institutes. I, on the other hand am just a Redneck from an obscure little tobacco town in Eastern NC. I joined the Army at 18 because my girlfriend dumped me. Three years Spec/4, public college on the GI Bill. I've been to DC three times in my life, once on a junior high field trip.

But again, I had (have) something CW needed (and still needs) but will never possess. That something is instinct. As gifted as my friend is, he is as politically nearsighted as anyone I've ever met. CW couldn't see what's just around the corner if his life depended on it, and in politics that is an absolute necessity. Plus there is no substitute for instinct, you either have it or you don't, and whatever other skills one may possess they cannot make up for the lack thereof. CW if you are reading this I apologize for pointing this out, and you have my permission (as if you needed it) to point out my innumerable flaws if you choose (both of intellect and character). But know this, I am forever grateful to you for allowing me to espouse my, as you say "over the top" views. As you probably know, most of the time I was only trying to have a little fun (I'm a fun junkie, always have been). So keep in mind we are still pals even though we've taken divergent and conflicting paths. I just wish the hell you had listened (heartbroken in fact). If you had I'd be visiting some big office in DC right about now and YOU would be making policy.

Well enough of that, all things must pass (as George Harrison once said). I was going to prognosticate and pontificate a bit but I find myself not quite in the mood now. So give me a few days and I'll give you a fresh portion of bullshit like only the Hammer can. Stay tuna.