Comic Cover of the Week: The Spirit #1

... from my cold dead hands.

According to The Washington Post, via Ramesh Ponnuru at the Corner, the FDA has decided you eat too much salt and you need to be saved from yourself, so it plans to regulate the amount of salt that can be used in processed food. But don't worry, they plan to phase limits in over ten years, so you won't notice it right away, you'll just end up with a vague feeling that somehow everything used to taste better. So, will people put up with this? I don't think I'm alone is saying you can pry my salt shaker from my cold, dead hands.

Eyjafjallajokull

Here's a pic of the volcano (How do Icelandic kids ever learn how to spell?) that's been in the news:


More here. Hat tip: Jonah Goldberg at The Corner.

Boo!

Boise State is replacing their blue field with... a blue field. Apparently the current one is causing glare that irritates fans. No word on the irritation caused to the rest of the nation by Boise State having a BLUE FIELD. Seriously, if the NCAA is in a rule-making mood, they need to make a rule that says everyone has to have a green field.

Durrell Summers Will Return

You never know what to expect in a college basketball season, but my anticipation for next season has increased exponentially now that Durrell Summers and Kalin Lucas will be back. A factoid the News adds (that unfortunately probably doesn't mean anything): "The last time a pair of Michigan State standouts chose to stay in school instead of turning pro, the school won a national championship."

New Rules

The NCAA is making some changes to the rules for the 2011 football season, according to ESPN:

1. No more messages on your eye black. I can see where this could have potentially been heading towards trouble, but it does kind of seem like it's a parting shot at Tebow.

2. No wedge blocking on kickoffs. I'm not sure I like this much, but it brings the rules in line with the NFL, so I guess I can't say much against it.

3. Taunting will be assessed as a spot of the foul penalty. High-stepping into the end zone will mean you never get there. I'm warming to the idea, but the NCAA needs to make sure the officials have clear guidelines for what is and isn't taunting. If a major team loses a game because of a cheap taunting call, the fans and media are going to go ballistic.

Comic Cover of the Week: Daredevil #506

Since it's a little slow around here, a new feature to entertain myself: my favorite cover frome the week's comic releases. This week, Daredevil #506.

?

How good is Jimmy Clausen? Mel Kiper Jr. has him as #4 overall on the Big Board and the highest-rated QB. Scout Inc. has him at #37 and the second-highest QB behind Sam Bradford. ESPN: The Advertising Pamphlet just featured a long article about how perfect a spiral Clausen can throw and how great his mechanics are, which was certainly fascinating from a physics standpoint. Notre Dame was 6-6, but Clausen was dealing with an injury most of the year. So, franchise QB or not? Physics aside, I'm guessing not.

Amazing Play

I heard this play on the radio yesterday, but that really didn't do it justice:

Red Dead Redemption

?

So, how do you revive a dead possum? Link courtesy of The Goldberg File.

Harrry Brown

RE: Must Be Tough

A few thoughts:

1. It might be an "easy" path, but Kansas, Syracuse, Ohio State, Kansas State, Georgetown, and Pittsburgh couldn't manage it. Can't blame the Spartans for that.

2. I admit that I don't think MSU would still be in it if the sequence had been New Mexico - Maryland - Kansas - Ohio State instead of New Mexico - Maryland - UNI - Tennessee.

3. This is actually one of my problems with the Tourney. MSU could make it to the final game without playing a team seeded higher than fifth in their region. If they were to win I expect you would hear lots of squawking from Duke/West Virginia that it wasn't fair. But fairness has nothing to do with it.

4. This is also why I'm not a fan of a football playoff. People accept a 5 vs. 5 semifinal in basketball, it would cause a riot in football. And people wouldn't watch.

Must Be Tough

It must stink going into recruits homes and telling them, "If you come play at Michigan State for 4 years, I can theoretically guarantee you will play in two Final Fours. Are you interested?" Six out of 12 doesn't stink.

If someone would have told Izzo at any time before/during the season that he'd qualify for the tournament as a #5 seed and would advance to the Final Four without playing #1 (overall) Kansas, #2 Ohio State, and would only have to play #5 seed and oh yeah, mid-major Butler, to advance to the championship game, he'd probably have said you were playing a video game. Must be nice to sail to the championship game. I guess I shouldn't use the word "sail." More like have the easiest possible path to the championship game...EVER. (I chose not to use the word "sail" because they clearly had problems with some teams, even though they weren't top seeds.)

Judge: No school prom but girl's right violated

If you thought "Prom Night" was bad, or if you thought our Prom's blew, this is probably what's to come.

Quote of the Day

For two hundred plus years we’ve kicked ass, and we’re now choosing the belief system of the idiots whose asses we’ve kicked.
-Greg Gutfeld, Daily Gut: Anger is a Right (Big Hollywood)

Carrier Games?

The News has an interesting profile of MSU AD Mark Hollis today. This part in particular caught my eye:

His latest idea: To honor the members of the armed forces with the Carrier Games, perhaps to be played Nov. 11, 2011, on the deck of the USS John F. Kennedy as it sits anchored in Jacksonville, Fla. One game would feature MSU and North Carolina (with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan as honorary captains, respectively), the other Air Force against Navy.

That is the greatest idea for a basketball game ever. Make it so.

Rabbit Fire!

I ran across this Spider-Man cover today and it made me smile:

Knuckle Down

I really like this article by Bob Wojnowski in today's Detroit News.

Quote of the Day

From today's Dilbert:

Pointy-haired Boss: Is he qualified for the job?

CEO: Like a monkey with a hammer!

Interested?

If the Lions are seriously interested in Pacman Jones, then they're every bit as stupid a decade of ridicule would suggest. Sure, Jones had skills, but he's wasted that talent by being a menace off the field. The guy isn't going to change, he's just waiting for some suckers to fall for his contrite act so he can get more money to blow at nightclubs and strip joints. Leave him be, the Lions don't need another embarrassment.

Road to Serfdom

We are driving headlong down the road to serfdom, and no advanced democracy that has come down this far has ever found an off ramp.
-Sally C. Pipes, NRO Symposium

Not A Coupon Insert

A great quote from a great article by Jonah Goldberg today:

The other side says that our rights come from God, not from government. That while the government has an obligation to promote the general welfare, it doesn’t have a holy writ to design the nation as it sees fit. The Constitution is not a coupon insert in your local paper, brimming with all sorts of giveaways and two-for-one deals. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights delineate what the government cannot do, not what it can. What was so fantastic and revolutionary about that is that for the first time in history, a nation was founded on the proposition that the government should mind its own business. Believing that doesn’t make you a fascist, it makes you a patriot.

Ain't No Grave

Prognostication

As the OSU-UM basketball game was coming down to the wire this afternoon I remarked to one of my coworkers, who was checking the score online because her boyfriend was at the game, that OSU would make a last-second three to seal the game. When she checked the score again before the last play I said OSU would definitely be making that play. Final score 69-68 on Turner's three with .2 left.

Skillet - Monster

An 8th grade female student at school brought this CD in today for PE class. Let's just say that went over better than playing the Beatles. I think I've heard this song a few times, probably on Z93 or 101.5 and never knew it was Skillet.

#1?

Ann Arbor is the number one college sports town in America, according to Forbes magazine, which is well-known for its sports expertise. And by "well" I mean "not-at-all". The criteria used are listed in the article. They seem reasonable, and I'm sure Forbes was very methodical and analytical in putting together the list. Heck, even after the past two years, there's probably a strong argument to be made for Ann Arbor. But look at some of the other cities on the list:

#3 Norman, OK (OU)
#4 Palo Alto, CA (Stanford)
#9 College Park, MD (Maryland)
#10 State College, PA (PSU)

State College? Stanford? I think there might be something important missing in these rankings.

Cosby Dropping the Hammer

Finally, someone has the stones to say what "we" all have been thinking for a long time but "we" would get in major...cough...trouble...if we said anything like this.

Say what you want, but he's pretty much right. If anyone is allowed to say something, he should be.

Way to go Dr. Hux!

Top home-school Texts Dismiss Darwin, Evolution

Check out how messed up our world is getting here. I've posted the story below.


Home-school mom Susan Mule wishes she hadn't taken a friend's advice and tried a textbook from a popular Christian publisher for her 10-year-old's biology lessons.

Mule's precocious daughter Elizabeth excels at science and has been studying tarantulas since she was 5. But she watched Elizabeth's excitement turn to confusion when they reached the evolution section of the book from Apologia Educational Ministries, which disputed Charles Darwin's theory.

"I thought she was going to have a coronary," Mule said of her daughter, who is now 16 and taking college courses in Houston. "She's like, 'This is not true!'"

Christian-based materials dominate a growing home-school education market that encompasses more than 1.5 million students in the U.S. And for most home-school parents, a Bible-based version of the Earth's creation is exactly what they want. Federal statistics from 2007 show 83 percent of home-schooling parents want to give their children "religious or moral instruction."

"The majority of home-schoolers self-identify as evangelical Christians," said Ian Slatter, a spokesman for the Home School Legal Defense Association. "Most home-schoolers will definitely have a sort of creationist component to their home-school program."

Those who don't, however, often feel isolated and frustrated from trying to find a textbook that fits their beliefs.

Two of the best-selling biology textbooks stack the deck against evolution, said some science educators who reviewed sections of the books at the request of The Associated Press.

"I feel fairly strongly about this. These books are promulgating lies to kids," said Jerry Coyne, an ecology and evolution professor at the University of Chicago.

The textbook publishers defend their books as well-rounded lessons on evolution and its shortcomings. One of the books doesn't attempt to mask disdain for Darwin and evolutionary science.

"Those who do not believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God will find many points in this book puzzling," says the introduction to "Biology: Third Edition" from Bob Jones University Press. "This book was not written for them."

The textbook delivers a religious ultimatum to young readers and parents, warning in its "History of Life" chapter that a "Christian worldview ... is the only correct view of reality; anyone who rejects it will not only fail to reach heaven but also fail to see the world as it truly is."

When the AP asked about that passage, university spokesman Brian Scoles said the sentence made it into the book because of an editing error and will be removed from future editions.

The size of the business of home-school texts isn't clear because the textbook industry is fragmented and privately held publishers don't give out sales numbers. Slatter said home-school material sales reach about $1 billion annually in the U.S.

Publishers are well aware of the market, said Jay Wile, a former chemistry professor in Indianapolis who helped launch the Apologia curriculum in the early 1990s.

"If I'm planning to write a curriculum, and I want to write it in a way that will appeal to home-schoolers, I'm going to at least find out what my demographic is," Wile said.

In Kentucky, Lexington home-schooler Mia Perry remembers feeling disheartened while flipping through a home-school curriculum catalog and finding so many religious-themed textbooks.

"We're not religious home-schoolers, and there's somewhat of a feeling of being outnumbered," said Perry, who has home-schooled three of her four children after removing her oldest child from a public school because of a health condition.

Perry said she cobbled together her own curriculum after some mainstream publishers told her they would not sell directly to home-schooling parents.

Wendy Womack, another Lexington home-school mother, said the only scientifically credible curriculum she's found is from the Maryland-based Calvert School, which has been selling study-at-home materials for more than 100 years.

Apologia and Bob Jones University Press say their science books sell well. Apologia's "Exploring Creation" biology textbook retails for $65, while Bob Jones' "Biology" Third Edition lists at $52.

Coyne and Virginia Tech biology professor Duncan Porter reviewed excerpts from the Apologia and Bob Jones biology textbooks, which are equivalent to ninth- and 10th-grade biology lessons. Porter said he would give the books an F.

"If this is the way kids are home-schooled then they're being shortchanged, both rationally and in terms of biology," Coyne said. He argued that the books may steer students away from careers in biology or the study of the history of the earth.

Wile countered that Coyne "feels compelled to lie in order to prop up a failing hypothesis (evolution). We definitely do not lie to the students. We tell them the facts that people like Dr. Coyne would prefer to cover up."

Adam Brown's parents say their 16-year-old son's belief in the Bible's creation story isn't deterring him from pursuing a career in marine biology. His parents, Ken and Polly Brown, taught him at their Cedar Grove, Ind., home using the Apologia curriculum and other science texts.

Polly Brown said her son would gladly take college courses that include evolution, and he'll be able to provide the expected answers even though he disagrees.

"He probably knows it better than the kids who have been taught evolution all through public school," Polly Brown said. "But that is in order for him to understand both sides of that argument because he will face it throughout his higher education."

Cavs Fans Set "Snuggie" Record

Rome Take from 3/9/10:


You know how sometimes it's hard to gauge the exact moment when something "jumps the shark"? The moment it goes from interesting to annoying. From funny and fresh…to played and lame. Well, in the case of the Snuggie, it's not hard. It wasn't when they came out with team-logo Snuggies. Or, when they released "leopard print" Snuggies. Incredibly, it wasn't even when they released Snuggies for pets. No, that moment happened Friday night in Cleveland when 20,000+ Cavs' fans set the Guinness World Record for "largest gathering of people wearing fleece blankets." Congratulations, Cleveland. What was the previous record, 2?

Look, at this point, if you don't own a blanket with sleeves, you know somebody who owns one. But neither you nor anyone else has ever shown up in a public place rocking one. Well, except for the 20,000 Cavalier fans who did just that Friday night! They became the first people to "snug-up" at a sporting event, since that family of freaks did it in the commercial at a soccer game.

Look, I know that everybody wants to break some kind of world record, but it shouldn't be at the expense of your dignity. Now that the Cavs' fans have the Snug record…is it going to force the Magic to keep pace with the world record for simultaneous "slap-chopping"? Are the Steelers going to convert the "terrible towel" to the terrible Sham Wow?

Congratulations Cleveland. Unlike LeBron, the Snuggie record is something they can never rip from you. That one's going up on a wall and never coming down. I mean, who else would even bother to try?

Quote of the Day

Little Kindergartner: "Mrs. Haag, Cole said the 'f-word.'"

Mrs. Haag: "He did? Whisper it to me in my ear."

Little Kindergartner: "He said 'Shut Up.'"

"Aerographic"

Remember that t-shirt I posted during the MSU logo controversy? It's for sale now at the MSU athletics official online store. The new jerseys are also up, which the Spartans wore for the first time when they beat Michigan on Sunday. I'm not sold on the picture in the mesh portion on the back of the jersey. It gets extra points for having Beaumont Tower worked in to the design, but there's a deduction for the now shelved helmet logo being used.

Sabotage

I was going to post a video of this song earlier in the week but forgot about it. Then I ran across this video, via Hero Complex, and couldn't pass it up.

Nolan is Super

Christopher Nolan is going to be the producer on a new Superman movie. The script isn't written yet, so it will be 2012 at the earliest before this hits theaters.

I'm a fan of Nolan and "The Dark Knight" is my favorite movie, but I have mixed feelings about this. I hope it doesn't get in the way of a Batman sequel, which is apparently being worked on and is mentioned in the article. With the last one making a billion dollars it's unlikely to be pushed back, but I'm slightly concerned. Also, Nolan's films don't strike me as being an obvious match for telling a story about Superman. I'm sure it will be a great story, but I wonder if it will feel like a Superman movie. Though I don't really like the other Superman movies, so that may not matter much.

American

Heard the suggestion (via National Review) that we should put "American" on the race questions on the census. Its true, and protests racial bean-counting.

Here's the link:
Sending a Message with the Census - Mark Krikorian - The Corner on National Review Online

I'm all for it.

Generic Manager

This is, sadly, very familiar:

Iron Man 2, Trailer 2

Victory for MSU

Winning a share of the Big Ten title is pretty sweet. Winning that share by beating Michigan is even sweeter.

Seven Nation Army

MLB'er Complains About Gun Rule

Great Romey take from Tuesday, March 2, 2010:


An NFL player shoots himself in the leg, and a few NBA’ers go bone-head in the locker room with their guns, and now they’ve ruined it for all responsible gun toting athletes…and they don’t like it! Especially, some major leaguers who aren’t even allowed to strap in their own clubhouse!

First, St. Louis Cardinal Ryan Franklin all but said, “from my cold dead hands.” And now Orioles’ outfielder and gun enthusiast Luke Scott says while he understands the rule, he doesn’t think he should be penalized for the knuckle-headedness of others. He says he’s been carrying heat into clubhouses for years. Why, I have no idea! And, even he admits he really doesn’t have a good reason to do so, even if he wants to continue doing it: “barring a tactical entry where terrorists come in and hold us hostage, that’s about the only thing that could possibly warrant me carrying a gun in the clubhouse. That’s highly unlikely and I admit that.” Really, you don’t think Hans Gruber is going to round up Karl, Theo and the fellas’ and take the Baltimore Orioles hostage?!

I mean, why is homeland security so focused on our government buildings and subway systems…when they should be focused on the Orioles’ clubhouse as a potential target. Raise the threat level to “Oriole Orange”.

Again, I’m not saying you can’t own a gun. I’m saying you can’t have it at work. Because last I checked, you worked at a major league ballpark, not Nakatomi Plaza, Mr. Cowboy.

USA! USA! USA!

Ryan Miller received more applause last night than Sidney Crosby before the Sabres and Penguins dropped the puck. They were in Pittsburgh. Miller is introduce around 1:20, Crosby at 2:25.



So, just to be clear, the visiting goalie got a better response the the home team's star player. (Via John J. Miller at The Corner)

Coincidence

Last night I watched "Punisher: War Zone" and came across the exact same bible verse, Matthew 7:1-2, that we discussed in Sunday school that morning. What are the chances of that?

MVP

I was disappointed that the USA lost the gold medal game to Canada yesterday, but it's good to hear that USA goaltender and fellow Spartan Ryan Miller won the tournament MVP. Miller knows something MVP awards as he won the Hobey Baker award while playing at MSU.

A few thoughts on the game:

1. Team USA beat Canada once earlier in the tournament, didn't lose a game before the final, but still had to play Canada for the gold. Does that seem right to you?

2. I did watch the game; it was the only Olympic action I watched.

3. Hockey in HD with no commercial breaks is awesome. I couldn't leave the couch to get something to drink because the action was so fast and furious. There would be a lot more hockey games if every game was like that.

4. I hate Sidney Crosby.

March Madness

Yahoo! Sports College Basketball Tournament Pick 'Em is live today. You probably already have an email in your inbox, but if not the group number is 6376 and the password is monkie. There's extra options for scoring and number of brackets this year, so take a look and make suggestions if you want anything changed.

The Funniest Joke In The World

LT out of SD

The Sand Diego Chargers released LaDainian Tomlinson on Wednesday after nine years with the team. Injuries and age (he's 30) have caught up with Tomlinson, though LT seems to think Norv Turner's pass-heavy offense explains some of his recent troubles. Despite that, he's still one of the best who's ever played: 12,490 rushing yds (8th all-time), 138 rushing TDs (2nd), and 153 total TDs (3rd). Tomlinson has rushed for 1,000 or more yards in 8 of his nine seasons, he also rushed for 1,815 yds in 2006 when he had 9 consecutive games of 100 or more yards. Also, I can't find the stats, but I suspect Tomlinson and thrown more TDs than any modern RB.

This makes me feel old. LT is the first superstar I can recall knowing about in college and following in the pros through their decline. For most of the past decade he's been a fantasy force (leading my team to the 1st championship in league history) and arguably the best RB in the NFL. It's strange to think that he won't be a candidate for the #1 fantasy draft pick next year, if he's even in the top 10.

Go for the Gold.

Now that the US Men's Hockey Team is playing for the gold after beating Finland 6-1 (Would you believe I actually know someone who is in Finland right now?), I might actually watch my first Olympic action of the year. The puck drops at 3:15 PM ET time on Sunday.

$1 Million

That's how much a "Very Fine" copy of "Action Comics #1" sold for this week. The comic originally cost ten cents. "Action Comics #1" features the first appearance of Superman and is considered to be the first superhero comic book in history. According to Wikipedia, there's less than ten "Very Good" (readable, not ripped apart) or better copies known to exist, so it is basically the "holy grail" of comic collecting, the single most famous comic book in existence. Or, if you're a baseball card collector, it's the equivalent of a Honus Wagner card, except that the general public might understand the appeal. Well, to the extent that anyone can understand why a person would pay $1 million for and old pamphlet printed on low quality paper. In case you're wondering, the next 885 issues aren't worth quite so much. All of that was mostly an excuse to post a picture of the cover.

Major and Minor

While it does bring a smile to my face that Michigan has been found guilty by the NCAA of exceeding "countable practice-time limits", I don't have much to say about it. But this quote, from athletic director Dave Brandon, did catch my eye:

I'm not sure I understand the difference between major and minor. We need to overlay what the NCAA is telling us with what the internal investigation is telling us. We have to find where the mistakes were made, how were they made and was there any intent.

I know NCAA rules are pretty ridiculous, but isn't the difference between major and minor violations the kind of a thing an AD should know? Maybe there's something in context that makes that sound better, but it sticks out as presented in the story.

?

A few questions to those following baseball more closely than I am in the wake of the Tigers signing Johnny Damon:

1. The Tigers paid plenty, is Damon worth it? Even I know that the Tiger offense was awful last season, will Damon make enough of a difference to be worth the money? Or worth it when you factor in the fact that he's also not with the White Sox?

2. Would it be confusing to have played for both the Red Sox and the White Sox?

3. Is Damon going to grow his beard back?

4. Can Jim Leyland really cut down on the swearing?

Cheese Shop

Darko & Cardinal

There's an interesting article at Yahoo! Sports blong "Ball Don't Lie" about former Pistons Darko Milicic and Brian Cardinal, brought about by the fact that they were traded for each other today. Short version: Larry Brown screwed up Darko, Cardinal is better than stats would suggest.

Banned

Life must be pretty boring for a suburban squirrel. Food is plentiful and there are few natural predators. So what's a thrill-seeking bushy-tailed rodent to do? Maybe start riding rollercoasters? (Via Best of the Web @ WSJ)

Starlight

Now This I Like

Okay, I went on a bit of a rampage when MSU was intending to change the Spartan logo. That wasn't the only change being discussed as the Board of Trustees replace the current green (on the left) with a new shade (on the right).


And you know what? I'm cool with it. I mentioned when writing about the logo that I would be fine with them standardizing the green, making it more like the shade of the football helmets, which is pretty similar to the new green. Practically every piece of Spartan gear that I own is approximately the new shade anyway, so I can't see it being a big deal. See? I can (Guza voice) be reasonable.

Mismatch

Obama today, via the Washington Examiner:

The real problem has to do with the fact that there is just a mismatch between the amount of money coming in and the amount of money going out. And that is going to require some big, tough choices that, so far, the political system has been unable to deal with.

I think everyone can agree on that. The problem is whether to fix the "coming in" or the "going out."

Quote of the Day

"Liberalism is always one more tutorial away from sunshine and lollipops for everyone."

-Jonah Goldberg, Planned Summit Is Just an Infomercial in Disguise

Texas?

According to a story in the Detroit News, there is a report that the Big Ten has had "preliminary exchanges" with Texas concerning expansion.

Really?

No way does Texas join the Big Ten. First, there's the obvious geographical issues. Texas is deep in Big 12 country. Second, there's no way the Big 12 would let the (arguably) highest profile team leave the conference. Third, does the Big Ten really want to add a team that will come in and dominate the conference? Penn State was a good team when they joined the conference, but they've still only won two titles. How long would it take Texas to beat that? Three seasons.

No way does this happen.

Scientist Salarian

More Mass Effect humor:

Victory for MSU

MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis released a statement today with this key passage:

Our identity and branding process is nearing completion and is on schedule for a complete rollout in April. The elements and applications of the brand design will be unveiled collectively at that time. After careful consideration, we will use the current Spartan logo design, first used in the late 1970s, to build our visual brand identity. Using sound branding principles, the university will continue to register some variations of our Spartan logo in order to ensure that this symbol is well protected and firmly associated with Michigan State University. As an athletic department, we are excited about our branding and identity process. We understand, given the tremendous exposure we bring to the university, that our work is an important part of Michigan State's overall university brand. As we go forward, we will ensure that elements of the athletics visual brand identity align with and support the university brand.

That's good news. I've been hard on Hollis through this controversy, but I'll give him credit for making the right decision in the end, and making sure to respond to the fans. I received this statement in an email reply to my original message which said I'd cancel my season tickets if the logo changed. I don't know how much work that ended up being for who, but it made me feel like my opinion mattered. Now if we could get something like an apology from Izzo this whole thing could fade away.

RE: How times have changed....

When Michigan was forced to change the high school sports schedules I figured that girls' basketball would take a big hit and boys' basketball would feel some impact. I'm surprised it's as bad as you describe. I don't recall ever going to a boys game that wasn't mostly full at CC, and certainly not Snowcoming. Even with the economy I would expect the games to be well-attended. I guess it will be equal for everyone if both programs fold due to lack of funds.

I totally agree with you on the band. I really started to appreciate the band after going to State, but even there (or at UM), priority #1 is to support the football and basketball teams. Where else are they going to march? Where else are they going to provide "pep"? If the band isn't there for Snowcoming to play the fight song and pump the crowd up, what good are they?

RE: Super Bowl ad stokes abortion controversy

Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post, who is pro-choice ("I couldn't disagree with Tebow more."), has written a great article about the controversy. An excerpt:

Here's what we do need a lot more of: Tebows. Collegians who are selfless enough to choose not to spend summers poolside, but travel to impoverished countries to dispense medical care to children, as Tebow has every summer of his career. Athletes who believe in something other than themselves, and are willing to put their backbone where their mouth is. Celebrities who are self-possessed and self-controlled enough to use their wattage to advertise commitment over decadence.

How times have changed....

This past Friday was snowcoming. I think back to when we were in school and then even up to about 2007. A Friday night basketball game you could count on almost a packed house every time, and if a big time rival was in town you could count on standing room only. I attended the game and granted Cass City isn't good and Bad Axe isn't exactly a rivalry game but to their credit they made Snowcoming against someone they could beat. The 2 things that were alarming was the fact that the stands were about 5/8 filled to capacity. Maybe it's because the GTW's down, maybe it's because schools enrollments are down. (Once again..it's snowcoming and a friday night game that is hard to come by these days) The most alarming thing was that there WAS NO BAND. We had NO FREAKIN BAND at Snowcoming. So when we got to the 2010 Snowcoming kind and queen are (drum roll please........) No Drum Roll. Silence. Now I know that band people aren't going to tell you that the band is for the sporting events alone, but please, there better be a darn good reason there was no band. It was pathetic. And what made it all worse was that Cass City played their best game of the year and spanked Bad Axe. No band to get people fired up and pile on BA. And I know we are all just striving for equality in boys and girls sports but this is hurting everybody. Attendance is way down all across the board and that means revenue to the school and sports program is down. Now you can say well the economy is down, maybe people aren't traveling or wanting to spend the money, but again it's the cheapest entertainment your going to find on a friday night. When is someone going to say hey, it was better for everyone the way it was.

Weird Stat

I don't know if I posted this before, but the NY football Giants started the season 5-0...failed to make the playoffs. The Denver Broncos started 6-0...failed to make the playoffs. I'd feel sorry for them, but considering the Lions started 6-2 a few years ago only to finish 2-6, I don't.

He knows what he wants his legacy to be.

Kurt Warner announced his retirement on Thursday.

"It's not the way I threw the football, it's not particular games that I won, but that they remember that here's a guy that believed, that worked hard," he said. "Although things didn't always go in his favor, he continued to press through, and with his faith in himself and his faith in God, he was able to accomplish great things."

Super Bowl ad stokes abortion controversy

"It would be the first time that Focus on the Family, a politically influential evangelical group founded by James Dobson, has bought air time during the Super Bowl." Check out the story here.

And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?

(This could also be a Quote of the Day segment). Here is an interesting take from an Ex-NBA player on the Haiti situation. I don't completely disagree, but his timing couldn't have been worse. Dude, hire a PR group.

Bigger Fish To Fry?

There is a story on espn.com about the possibility of exploring whether or not the BCS violates antitrust laws. You get the sense the Obama administration renigged on their earlier offer to "throw his weight around" for a playoff system a little towards the end of the story.

Shakespeare in the voice of Elcor.

Shoot To Thrill

Patience?

The State News has an editorial up today urging patience. An excerpt:

Before students storm the athletics offices with pitchforks, they should remember there are major elements from this project that have yet to be revealed.

With that being said, if the total package still doesn’t do justice to the Spartan identity when it’s unveiled in all its glory in April, Spartans should feel free to raise holy hell.

I like the "holy hell" part, but the rest is wrong. Here's the original statement from AD Mark Hollis:

The Spartan logo, posted on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site, is a single element of a comprehensive brand and identity project that will be unveiled in April by Michigan State athletics. As in all branding, the power of a single symbol cannot be appreciated or measured outside the context of the total presentation.

My company spent a lot of time last year working on brand and identity. We had a meeting explaining the proper use of corporate logos, appropriate Powerpoint backgrounds, and all sorts of other stuff. Many unique logos were eliminated so that the main corporate logo is the only one used. We were told everything was to be consistent so as not to damage the brand.

So what does this have to do with MSU? You've seen the new logo. If the goal is to make MSU's brand consistent with a "comprehensive brand project" the the new logo and the old logo can't coexist. Using both would undermine the consistency that's supposed to be the whole point. It's much more likely that the block S would also be eliminated and MSU's visual identity would be pared down to the new logo and a new "Michigan State" font. Sparty might even be in jeopardy. Context isn't necessary, there's no acceptable outcome based on what we already know.

Tom Izzo is wrong.

That was hard to type. I didn't expect Izzo to go against his boss in the press conference today, but getting hit with a "shame on you" is too much. His arguments are also weak. Gruff Sparty (a third logo used on merchandise, not uniforms) and changing between the block S and helmet logo on football helmets isn't the same as changing a ubiquitous and beloved logo. Replacing the Greek-influenced "Michigan State" wordmark with the Nike "State" wordmark is closer, but those are only used on basketball uniforms and didn't eliminate either the block S or helmet logo. If you're going to argue for the new logo, you have to make a compelling case for replacing a popular logo with 30+ years of history with a new design. I haven't seen that done yet.

Shame on Tom Izzo.

UPDATE: I like this photo posted on Facebook:

One down, four more to go

You know what I'm referring to. I've been penciling it in the last few years. There are now only four teams that have never reached the Super Bowl.

Lions
Jags
Browns
Texans


They've really been dropping like flies the last 10 Super Bowls. I'd say the Jags have the best chance of being the next team to do it. I don't see that happening in the next 3 years though.

Mirror, Mirror (Live)

More Logo Opinion

Eric Lacy of the Detroit News has an article up about the logo situation. An excerpt:

To simply put it: This move doesn't make sense.

How does a school's brand become recognizable if it constantly changes over the course of several decades?

By no means is this anything personal against Hollis or any other school officials, but it's a fair question to ask.

I'll disagree on one point: It's personal to me.

Nostalgia Vs. Common Sense

Last week nostalgia had a showdown with common sense in my head. Common sense was on the mat out cold before the end of the first round. Here's the result:


There's a rematch next month when Battle Cat is released, but somehow I suspect the results won't change.

Uprising

How do you instantly send thousands of Spartan fans into a rage? Change the venerable (it's been used since at least '77, going by The Helmet Project) Spartan helmet logo:


AD Mark Hollis confirmed the logo yesterday after it was discovered on U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website. Hollis says the logo "is a single element of a comprehensive brand and identity project" and that "a single symbol cannot be appreciated or measured outside the context of the total presentation." So far that excuse isn't going over well with the fans. As of right now 9,196 fans have joined the Facebook group JUST DON'T - No new Nike-influenced Spartan helmet and 95% have voted against the new logo in a poll at the State News.

Just how serious is this? I just sent an email to Mr. Hollis explaining that I would not be able to renew my football season tickets if the new logo was adopted. And I meant it. I won't be the only one.

UPDATE: More at Uni Watch. The Facebook group now has 10,387 members.

UPDATE 2: Someone on Facebook uploaded this picture of a t-shirt with the new logo:


I have to admit this t-shirt isn't bad, if it came out without any talk of changing the logo I might even buy it. But if they mess with the logo, no new Nike merchandise for me.

Accuracy

You want accuracy? Well, check out the Weather Channel's website. Here's what it said for Davenport, IA at various times today:

8:30 AM: Fog ending by 10am

11:00 AM: Fog ending by 1pm

3:20 PM: Fog ending by 5pm

I have a feeling it will still be foggy at 5pm, but by then it will be too dark to know the difference.

UPDATE: At 7:02pm, the forecast reads "Fog ending by 7pm." Nice.

Mass Effect 2

Shocking News

According to Yahoo!, Miguel Cabrera has spent the last three months in a program to treat his alcoholism after his much-publicized night of binge-drinking before the biggest game of the year. Cabrera, naturally, says that he's turned his life around. I have doubts about that, but he can keep his blood alcohol below .26 it would be a good start.

Hits the Mark

If you missed it tonight, Human Target premiered and it looks like it's going to be worth watching. Lots of action in the episode, much of it on a train, which is a change of pace (not as cool as the bus fight in "The Transporter", but few things are). Jackie Earle Haley stars in a supporting role, which isn't as cool as Rorschach, but pretty close. The series is based on a comic book, though they've made a few changes.

New Super Bowl shuffle???

Quote of the Day

Assassin: There's enough poison in this needle to kill an army platoon.

John Casey: Well, lucky for me I'm a Marine.

-Chuck, "Chuck Versus the Angel De La Muerte"

One Shall Stand...

Forty rods to the hogshead.

I was watching an episode of The Simpsons, "A Star Is Burns" this evening and came across two of my favorite quotes from the entire series. The first:

Abe: The metric system is the tool of the devil! My car gets forty rods to the hogshead and that's the way I likes it.

And the second:

Burns: Get me Steven Spielberg!
Smithers: He's unavailable.
Burns: Then get me his non-union Mexican equivalent!

Back to Basics

While reading an article in the WSJ about the high number of long running plays this year, this passage caught my eye:

Mr. Jones of the Cowboys scored two weeks in a row on similar running plays that completely fooled the Philadelphia Eagles. Saturday night, the Cowboys were in a running formation on first down at their own 27-yard line. Mr. Jones took the handoff, faked to his left and cut back to the right. Eagles linebackers Moise Fokou and Jeremiah Trotter bit on Mr. Jones's fake, but they should have known better: They had two 300-pound clues.

Dallas guards Kyle Kosier and Leonard Davis were pulling to their right—a telltale giveaway of the direction of the run. Had Messrs. Fokou and Trotter followed the guards, and not the motion of the fullback and the running back, they would have stuffed Mr. Jones for a loss. Instead, he strode 73 yards for a touchdown.

Do NFL LBs really not know to watch the pulling guards? That's really basic defense. I'd be mad at junior high players for not watching the guards. Do the pros really have that hard a time with the fundamentals?

Pete Carroll is crazy.

Why? Because he's leaving the USC Trojans to coach the Seahawks. Not that the Seahawks are a bad organization, though I think it's pretty ridiculous to fire Jim Mora after just one season. I can't imagine a coach being in a better position than Carroll was at USC. Unless he suspects sanctions are coming down there's no real reason to leave USC, so Carroll must be looking for another challenge. Or maybe he just got tired of winning.

Wheel of ... doom?

Answer the Call

I'm not sure if this is cool or silly:

Awkward Situation

Of Cold And Hate

Let me tell you a story.

It was cold this morning, fifteen degrees below zero when I first checked. However, I had things that needed to get done, primarily taking the pickup out to have the oil changed, so I decided to venture out. I get in the pickup, turn the key, and the engine won't turn over. The battery in the truck is less than three months old. It's been fine all week in subzero mornings, though none were quite as cold as today. Cursing the ability of Interstate to make a decent battery, I went back up to the apartment to get my portable battery pack to jump the pickup, which was recently charged for just such an occasion.

After struggling to get the hood open (pull the lever in the cab then pry it open with frozen fingers so I can reach the release underneath) I hooked up the battery pack. Wrong. Twice. Which was odd because I've used the darn thing at least three times, and all three were in the dark. Anyway, the third time being the charm, the pickup started right up. I unhooked the battery pack and slammed the hood down hard to make sure it stayed closed, and maybe a little out of frustration.

Then a bloody car alarm started going off.

Parked (poorly I might add) next to me was a joke of a vehicle that looks something like this:


The Nissan Cube. I hate the Cube. Apparently it won a design award, I can only assume it was for "Greatest Sin in Automotive Design 2009" or some such. Or maybe it won for a ridiculously sensitive car alarm, which proceeded to make noise the entire time I'm scraping frost off my windows. Fortunately for me it was pretty early for city-dwellers (not yet 9:30) so I didn't have to deal with an angry neighbor, which is good because there's no way I'm taking seriously the drive of a periwinkle blue Cube.

The rest of the morning passed without incident.

More Annoying One-Up Girl ("Penelope")

I can't stand people like this.

Annoying One-Up Girl (Penelope)

Hmmmm....seems like I know a person like this.

Awesome Commercial

A great commercial, via Jonah Goldberg at The Corner:

Double-header at the Big House?

Puck Daddy, in a post discussing potential future locations (30 of them), mentioned playing the game at Michigan Stadium and even making it a double-header with UM and MSU playing Cold War II as well. While I would have a hard time forcing myself to buy a ticket to an event in Ann Arbor, I think that might just be enough to get me to do it. Then I'd regret it later when I froze to death at the Big House, but it still might be worthwhile.

Favorite Films 2000-2009, Rough Draft

My first pass at my favorite movies of the decade:

The Dark Knight
Batman Begins
Iron Man
The Lives of Others
300
Casino Royale
Equlibrium
The Transporter
Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Ocean's Eleven
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Gladiator
Hot Fuzz
The Bourne Identity
Snatch
Hellboy
Luther
The Incredibles
Up
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Prestige
Memento

Note: This is a list of favorites. Some may have artistic worthiness, others I just love to watch, like "The Transporter".

Top 15 Films of the Decade

John Nolte has posted his list of the top fifteen films of the decade at Big Hollywood. I've seen all of the top 5 and 11 of 15 overall and can vouch for them being worthwhile movies (except for "Napoleon Dynamite", I hated that movie, even though it had a llama).

Quote of the Day

If staying up an extra three hours just to watch your team lose isn't the definition of being a Spartan fan, I don't know what is.

-Me, during the 2010 Alamo Bowl

First Post of the Year

That is all.

Quotes of the Year

ESPN Page 2's quotes of the year are pretty good. My favorite so far:

"It's not good when you light up two Marlboros at the same time at 3 a.m., washing it down with a glass of chocolate milk. You know you have a lot on your mind when you do that."
-Tigers manager Jim Leyland