What actually makes a successful NFL owner much less a successful professional sports’ franchise owner today in the world of sports ?
There have been many great owners within the world of professional sports here in North America and undoubtedly the Rooney family and their stewardship of the Pittsburgh Steelers remains the current “standard bearer” within the NFL and with which, every NFL team aspires to be judged by. Six Superbowl victories to go alongside, a Hall of Fame coach in Chuck Noll and a parade of players enshrined in Canton , Ohio , does have a way of making that particular franchise’s legacy stand out above all others . In the case of the San Francisco Forty Niners , for years it was that of the era of Bill Walsh under the then ownership of Eddie DeBartolo with the NFC based franchise having unheralded success with the owner and head coach in tandem. Walsh’s coaching legacy has been borne out by the number of assistants from his staff that have gone on to coach in the NFL, with some having considerable success, themselves.
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Slideshow .
With Eddie DeBartolo no longer owning the franchise , with his having to relinquish his ownership after being indicted by the US Justice Department of racketeering with charges of grand larceny , corruption and the bribery of an elected official , which in involved the obtaining of gaming and casino licenses . The reins of the franchise were handed over to his sister , Denise DeBartolo-York and her husband Dr John York , who along with their son Jed York , have seen a successful resurgence of the franchise over the past two years under head coach Jim Harbaugh , after several seasons of underachievement .
Now, one could also suggest, that the tenure of Jerry Jones , as the owner of the Dallas Cowboys has been a resounding success. Three Superbowl victories during his reign, while making the franchise the valuable and profitable of all the league’s thirty-two teams might just be the only thing that the Cowboys might currently have going for it . With the team’s last playoff appearance coming in 2009 and their last victory coming by way of a wildcard round win over the Philadelphia Eagles in a lopsided 34-14 rout . There does not seem to a great deal upon which Jones can now hang his hat and point to the Dallas Cowboys , as having been a resounding success in the subsequent years , since that win over the Eagles . There have been numerous coaching changes , volatile relationships with those coaches , as well as current and former players , never mind the continued deity like worship devoted to the franchise , by the print and television media , alike . It begs the question, when will Jones himself , finally realize that the franchise under his leadership as owner and de-facto general manager, is actually heading nowhere.
It is beyond belief, that Jones continues to overspend on talent , with little to show in return by way of any type of tangible on-field success. While Jerry Jones continues to believe implicitly, in the skill-set of the Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo and the veteran’s presence on the team. It is hard for Jones to justify the faith in a player, who has only one postseason victory to his name , in his ten-year career in the NFL. As if to further emphasize the continued turmoil, head coach Jason Garrett will be under even closer scrutiny this upcoming season , with the general manager having added to the coaching staff without consulting Garrett, with the hiring of Scott Linehan to be the eyes and ears as a consultant and assistant head coach and perhaps superseding the hierarchical coaching structure , where Bill Callahan was the lead assistant to Jason Garrett. What this does, to suggest by way of a “pecking order “ within that structure, is simply another disaster in the waiting, given the comedic nature of the franchise.
Vince Lombardi , after whose name the Superbowl Trophy is named, is perhaps the most revered coach in AFL & NFL history . Lombardi’s career resume’ , simply says a great deal about the man, his stature and what he was able to achieve as one of the Green Bay Packers’ most successful and renowned head coaches in the franchise’s history. Lombardi , simply built upon the foundations laid by the franchise’s founder and first head coach , Curly Lambeau , whose name adorns the edifice in which the Packers’ call their home venue , scene to many a great victory . With four Superbowl victories among the notable achievements within the Green Bay Packers’ history and with that franchise now possessing one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers , the future does seem bright for the NFL’s only publicly owned franchise, where the shareholders, all residents of Green Bay , Wisconsin, are the only permitted owners of shares in the team.
Over the past twelve years, it would be fair to suggest that the New England Patriots have been the most successful NFL franchise in terms of postseason appearances and Superbowl victories. Presiding over that success, as the team’s head coach , has been Bill Belichick . He in turn, along with Robert Kraft , as the Patriots’ owner , have enjoyed the unrivaled appeal and recognition of the accolades , visibility provided with those achievements . New England and the Dallas Cowboys are the NFL’s only franchises with a near approximation value of $2 billion or more , and the team’s $139.2 million profit ranks second to the Cowboys’ $250.7 million at the end of the 2012-13 season . It certainly also helps, that the franchise does also have the most successful postseason quarterback over the past twelve years helming the team, in Tom Brady , whose postseason statistics , also place him in the upper echelons of passers in the NFL postseason. . Granted, five Superbowl appearances, with three victories to show for it all, still cannot hide the bitter defeats suffered at the hands of the New York Giants, on each occasion. What has been shown by the Patriots down the years, has been the consistency of a well ran organization , where Kraft , GM Nick Caserio , the entire front office and coaching staff led by Bill Belichick, do all appear to be on the same page, with the singular minded goal of being perennial contenders and seeking Superbowl success. Along with those on-field achievements, the bye-product of it all, will be the commercial success for the franchise.
Four of the more famed franchises within baseball are the Boston Red Sox , Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Yankees and St Louis Cardinals . Between them, this quartet of teams have won a combined fifty-one World Series’ titles, with the venerable Yankees leading the way with twenty-seven World Series’ crowns . Their most recent win came in 2009 , under Joe Girardi, as the team’s manager. For the Red Sox, they were victorious in 2013 , having won three titles in the last nine years, whereas, the Cardinals posted victories in the ‘Fall Classic’ as recently as 2006 and again in 2011 . For the beleaguered Dodgers, their last title came in 1988 , with the closest the ball-club has managed in making a return to the World Series , coming in 2013 , with their loss in the NLCS to the St Louis Cardinals .
With the Dodgers having been acquired by a consortium led by venture capitalists Mark Walter and Todd S Boehly , with NBA great Magic Johnson and Hollywood mogul Peter Guber paying unprecedented sum of $2.156 billion for the Los Angeles’ based franchise , which had been forcibly placed into bankruptcy proceedings after the financial mismanagement of the ball-club by former owner Frank McCourt . The latter of whom, is now seeking to sue his ex-wife for $2 million , said to be his legal expenses in their long and drawn out divorce proceedings . The fact that McCourt was able to escape criminal charges in light of his alleged actions concerning the baseball-club , is of fascination to a number people , with the exception of the idiots within the headquarters of Major League Baseball . Bud Selig and MLB CFO Jonathan Mariner have never offered a public statement as to the actions of Frank McCourt and what is said to be his leveraging of the franchise, to meet other personal and business financial obligations , outside the team’s sphere of business operations. Of what use is Mariner , when neither or anyone within his department is said to have audited the organization over the past five years , having only accepted the financial records submitted to the league office ? And one wonders, why the state of Major League Baseball has continued having financial difficulties for a number of teams beyond team payroll imbalances ?
In spite of the largess of a payroll that exceeded $200 million in 2013 , the postseason for the Los Angeles Dodgers proved to be fruitless and the effortless ease with which they were dispatched by the St Louis Cardinals, had to have been a profound disappointment to Magic Johnson and the rest of ownership consortium. As to what this might have suggested about Don Mattingly and his managerial staff with their complacency , points to a number of areas in which the team were simply overrated and completely lacking in on-field leadership, but for some reason everyone bought into the Dodgers as being a “sure fire bet “ this past postseason. A great deal of that vanity was also exhibited by Magic Johnson and number of his associates, who were willing to discuss the ambitions at the drop of a hat, with anyone willing to listen to his ramblings concerning the Dodgers.
The off-season saw Dodgers’ GM Ned Colletti making a major financial commitment to their NL Cy Young Award winner from 2013 , with Clayton Kershaw being signed to a long-term contract that makes the player one of the highest paid pitchers in baseball, as well as amongst the highest-paid on the team’s payroll . This season is likely to make or break as the ball-club chases after an elusive title that has escaped their grasp for the past twenty-five years.
The biggest story in baseball, has been the formal announcement by Derek Jeter , this season , his twentieth in the Majors , will be his last . A future Hall of Fame bound player , Jeter now feels , it is indeed time to move on and leave his legacy for others to judge . As to the likely turmoil this may well have caused amongst the Steinbenner family , as the owners of the ball-club , might well be summed up with these words “what the hell do we do next “ ? With no apparent leader on the roster , to assume who that vocal role as the leader of this team will be , one wonders how the New York Yankees are likely to fare over the course of this season . Spend , as they have done this off-season , lavishing contracts to players , many of whom have already seen their best years behind them , rather than ahead of them . Granted , the acquisition of Masahiro Tanaka is seen as an upgrade to pitching rotation that was far from consistent last season .
I will continue to maintain that other than the Yankees’ run through the mid to late nineties and the success attained with Joe Torre , I firmly believe that without the vast resources of the YES Network , this ball-club would not have been able to achieve the success attained then and subsequently . The organization’s draft history, over that time-frame has been sporadic at best, in terms of productivity from the players obtained from 1996 onwards. GM Brian Cashman may well be viewed as a genius in some circles , but when you can simply write a blank check , and the owners are likely to treat that expense as a useful ” tax write-off ” , in terms of the organization’s expenses , there is not much else that needs to be answered concerning how the Yankees continue to operate . Hal Steinbrenner , having stepped into his father , the late George Steinbrenner’s shoes , is now finding out that it will be a tough role to fill.
William DeWitt and his son, William DeWitt Jr have been great custodians to one of the most venerable names within baseball as the owner of the St Louis Cardinals . Along with GM John Mozelliak , one of baseball’s most revered and best supported teams , has seen unprecedented success throughout a great deal of its history . The loss of Albert Pujols , the ball-club’s best player since making his debut for the team in 2001 , as a young twenty-one year old , has seen the slugger thrive to become one of the preeminent offensive threats of his generation . Having won, an NL MVP Award and countless other accolades. Pujols can count himself lucky , to have won two World Series’ titles with the St Louis Missouri based franchise . A great deal of what he has been able to achieve came under the watchful eye of the now retired Tony La Russa , former manager with the organization. Now with the Los Angeles Angels , Albert Puols’ tenure with the AL West franchise has seen far more highs than lows , with a great deal of his time having been spent on the disabled list. Leading many to now believe, that quite possibly his best days are not necessarily ahead of him, but quite possibly now behind him.
St Louis for its part, with the departure of Tony La Russa, has seen Mike Matheny make a smooth transition as his mentor’s successor , while the team has remained a perennial contender for the NL Central division , while John Mozelliak has systematically made the type of acquisitions for the ball-club that have proven to be fruitful. The DeWitt family have simply allowed their subordinates within the organization to go about running the Cardinals , while they deal with a number of bigger issues as it relates to the franchise that undoubtedly possesses some of the most loyal fans within the game of baseball.
When Mike Matheny and his team embark upon their opening home series of the regular season ,it will be interesting to see how the Cardinals fare in that opening game against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium , in St Louis, Missouri ,.
John Farrell was lucky enough to succeed in his very first try , in resurrecting the fortunes of the Boston Red Sox , after a year of sheer ineptitude in 2012 , when the ball-club hired a seemingly clues Bobby Valentine . Style over substance, was simply the only reason for the hire, that was suborned by team President Larry Lucchino , who obviously believed that GM Ben Cherington lacked the experience to make a decision that would be in the best interest of the organization. John Henry the team’s owner, who takes a backseat in the day-to-day running of the ball-club must have been dismayed with a last place divisional finish , from a team that had a great deal of experience and talent in 2012.
Cherington and Farrell , along with the managerial staff went ahead and assembled a team in 2013 that was competitive and playing in unison that rebounded from a last to first place finish (AL East) , while strolling through the postseason with the utmost of ease . and then summarily dispatching the St Louis Cardinals without breaking sweat. Coming into this season , I believe that John Henry believes that Boston’s lineup will be good enough to certainly be in the hunt for the Red Sox to make successful defense of their AL East divisional title. As to whether or not, there will be a likely challenge to their crown by the New York Yankees , Baltimore Orioles , Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays , remains to be seen, as well as a matter of great debate between the fans of the respective teams in question.
Three decades of solid growth under David Stern as the NBA Commissioner has seen the team owners served well , wherein the values of the franchises and their profits have grown exponentially, during that time-frame. Granted, a large part of that explosive growth, came with the Michael Jordan era and the Chicago Bulls’ . dominance of the NBA. Yet, the lead-up into that, came about with the one true rivalry that was relished by the fans across the panacea of the league’s fan-base, with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers and their legendary regular season and postseason meetings. Larry Bird and his rivalry with Magic Johnson was rekindled, in the professional ranks, after some well chronicled contests at the collegiate level.
The NBA today, with its litany of high-profiled stars, has now become more about individualistic effort and less about team achievement . Yes, at the end of regular season , the league regales us with its postseason showcase of the NBA Playoffs , with a champion being crowned at the end of that particular spectacle. With the two-time defending champions , the Miami Heat looking to make a successful defense of their title and young upstarts such as the Indiana Pacers seeking to dethrone the champions. There can be no denying, the Heat will make a tenacious effort to defend their crown with a great deal of zeal. Team President Pat Riley assembled this team , built around the talents of LeBron James , Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for a specific reason and that was to win not just one title , but multiple championships, while making the franchise not only a competitive one , but one, that is also a commercial success as a business enterprise for the organization and for the team’s billionaire owner , Micky Arison , who also just happens to be Chairman of the world’s biggest passenger cruise line , Carnival Cruises Lines .
Miami may well exceed in their endeavors this season, but I believe their task is not likely to be an easy one, once they get beyond the further rounds of the Eastern Conference series of postseason games . Other than the Indiana Pacers within the conference, there is not one team that is likely pose a serious threat to the top two teams within the East.
If the Miami Heat are said to be the current “glamor” franchise of the NBA, with their trio of All Stars in James , Wade and Bosh. Then, the San Antonio Spurs can be seen, as the workmanlike, by the book franchise , for which success has been beyond priceless. For head coach Gregg Popovich , who has coached the franchise to all four of their NBA triumphs during his reign, having succeeded Larry Brown as the head coach. Team owner, Peter Holt and GM RC Buford have systematically presided over unparalleled sixteen years of heralded success, having made the postseason for fourteen straight seasons.
San Antonio has been lucky enough to have several great players either begin or end their careers with the franchise. Currently, there are seven former players who are enshrined in the Hall of Fame , who can lay claim that they have indeed played a part in the Spurs’ progress of being an “also ran” to one of the most respected organizations in the NBA. It has been players, such as David Robinson , George Gervin , Artis Gilmore and Cliff Hagan , who in essence helped build the foundations for the success of the Spurs, with that torch having been passed their next Hall of Fame inductee Tim Duncan , whose career speaks volumes and arguably makes him the greatest power forward in NBA history. It is also possible to suggest that Duncan is likely to be joined by two of his current teammates, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli , when their respective careers come to an end . It would be a fitting way for all three to remembered , and as well with their exploits for the renowned franchise.
The Spurs may not be in the largest of ad markets or the most valuable of the NBA’s franchises, but its image, makes it by far the most pristine and well-respected around. There few teams within the league, about which that can be said , wherein the front office and its legacy of producing other great general managers and coaching assistants , who are currently serving with great success in an either leading role or as an assistant elsewhere, in the league . Scott Brooks , Sam Presti , George Karl and Tom Thibodeau , made their way from humble beginnings within the ranks and have gone on to more prominent positions within the NBA. Peter Holt , has held steadfast to a single ideal, ” take of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves”. At this juncture, I would say that he has things , just about right !
I defy any Brooklyn Nets or New York Knicks’ fans to tell me, that they are entirely happy with the way that their teams are currently playing or with their standing within the NBA ! At the same time it has to be humbling to see Los Angeles Lakers brought back down to earth , while having one of the worst records in the NBA as of the 25th February , 2014. At this point, one has point a finger at owners Mikhail Prokhorov , James Dolan and Jim Buss , and simply ask , do either of these idiots actually know what the hell they are doing , much less what is currently happening with their respective franchises ? For general managers, Billy King , Steve Mills and Mitch Kupchak , at what point do you ask that trio to simply step down ? The teams might not be playing well , but in conjunction with their coaches , Jason Kidd , Mike Woodson and Mike D’Antoni , are a trio of coaches who are said to be truly overrated . So what if Kidd, won a Coach of the Month Award in January ?
Coming into this past Sunday, the Nets had lost five of their last ten games and had one of the worst road records in the league over the last month . If that is not a damning indictment of his lack of coaching ability, along with the fact that the team’s inflated payroll has been misspent on past their prime players such as Kevin Garnett , Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce , when there is simply no leadership forthcoming from anyone on the roster. Boo-hoo , to the continued whining of the Knicks’ fans, who are now in apoplexy , wondering if Carmelo Anthony is likely to bolt at the end of the season ! The worrying thing here, has been, that is it not Carmelo, who has been responding to questions concerning his long-term future with the franchise, but his television reality-show star wife , Lala Velazquez , who has repeatedly said that her husband wants to remain a New York Knicks’ player for life. And after two thousand years of fighting, there is still no peace in the Palestinian territory’s or Israel, as a whole. In the words of Drew Rosenhaus , “next question “ ?
It is now time for Kobe Bryant to either grow up or simply shut the hell up ! The NBA star continues to rile inner sanctum of the Lakers, and continues to do more harm to his own image, in coming across as an immature and sanctimonious bastard ! Granted, the Lakers’ lineup is no more appealing than witnessing full frontal nude pictures of either Roseanne Barr or Phyllis Diller . Somehow, somewhere , there’s a guy ” whacking off ” ,while picturing that image. News does get around fast doesn’t it ? Kellen Winslow Jr , just got caught once again, massaging his “Johnson” , while complaining that he didn’t know that his On-Star GPS navigation system to his SUV , could not find the nearest location to the local Boston Market restaurant, while the engine was completely turned off.
The Lakers are bedeviled by a season, where Kobe Bryant’s injury has effectively put them out of any chance of making the postseason and where there have been few positives on the court in term’s of the team’s overall play . That notwithstanding and the failed Dwight Howard experiment of last season, there simply is not a great deal for the Lakers to hang their hats on in terms their immediate and long-term future. Steve Nash’s contributions have been paper-thin and Pau Gasol cannot hold this team on his shoulders and lead them with any real authority, As to this continued idiocy, that a marquee free agent will sign with the organization for the upcoming season . Bryant will be in his last year and there is nothing the suggest that he is likely to be entire healthy for a prolonged eighty-two game schedule much less be able to play an entire postseason schedule , were the team to make it that far . The All Star Guard is likely make this 2014-15 season, his last in the NBA, before calling it quits. As to how Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss are likely to prepare for that scenario remains to be seen , but as of now, the current environment within the Lakers’ organization is not an entirely happy one , in spite of the confidence said to be exuded by Buss and Kupchak.
I could continue on with the owners within the NHL , but at this point , that would be fruitless , because the landscape of that particular sport remains from an economic standpoint , is still one that stands on the edge of a precipice . Neither Gary Bettman , the teams’ owners or the NHLPA have learned a damn thing in the aftermath of idiotic league enforced labor stoppage . In some markets, there has a been a marked rise in attendance , whereas , in others there are steep declines , for which the game’s Board of Governors have yet to offer up any type of response. The excitement of the Winter Olympics in Sochi , Russia , placed a spotlight on the NHL , as many of the game’s biggest stars were competing for their national teams, with the hope of taking home Olympic gold . Team USA failed in that endeavor, while Canada proved to be triumphant .
Charles Wang , James Dolan , Mike Ilitch , Jeremy Jacobs , Stan Kroenke , MLSE , Ted Leonsis and Philip Anschutz still have a long way to before they are able to truly entice fans back to their respective venues to witness one of the fastest team sports in the world. The quality is there , in terms of the play, the issue remains how the sport is being marketed domestically and on a global basis . The NHL hierarchy has been failing abysmally, on both counts, in each endeavor .
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Picture gallery .
What are your overall opinions of the owners, in each of the four major professional teams sports in North America? Do you believe that in large part, they have acted in the best interests of their sports, in presenting an entertaining brand, and what of their use of public funds to build the venues that their teams are housed in ? Do leave a comment, as you deem fit with regard to the related subject matter and anything else you believe pertinent.
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Picture and slideshow details below .
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(1) Pittsburgh Steelers’ owner , Dan Rooney III is seen here with son Art Rooney , as they are interviewed after the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Rooney family have presided over the ownership of the franchise since their inception . AP Photo / Michael Archer ……
(2) Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh , left, is seen here with the San Francisco Forty-Niners’ quarterback Montana and the team’s then owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr after the 49ers’ triumph in Superbowl XIX . It would be one of four personal Superbowl triumphs for Montana and wherein , Walsh as a coach , won three for the revered franchise. AP Photo /Asa Hart @ copyrighted material ….
(3) Dallas Cowboys’ franchise leading rusher Emmitt Smith is seen here with the team’s owner Jerry Jones as his bust is unveiled at Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. There have been some considerably lean years since the Cowboys won the last of their five Superbowls. The franchise’s last appearance in the postseason came in 2009 , with the team failing miserably. Jones along with sons Stephen and Jerry Jones Jr run the franchise which also happens to be the NFL’s most profitable and valuable team . That alone may well appease some , but over the landscape of the league’s fan-base Jerry Jones is viewed as something of an imbecile with regard to his running of the Cowboys since their last Superbowl victory . UPI / REUTERS / Christian Pincus …..
(4) Vince Lombardi whose towering presence with the Green Bay Packers made that franchise a formidable foe in the days of the AFL and in the early days of the NFL and its inception, with the Packers winning the first two Superbowls played in NFL history . Inducted into the Hall of Fame , Lombardi remains one of the most revered figures in the game’s history, even after his death. Archived image copyrighted material ….. all rights reserved
(5) New England Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick hugs the team’s owner Robert ‘Bob’ Kraft as he provides him with the game winning ball after a team victory. There have been many of those moments, ever since Belichick became the head coach of the franchise . Seven AFC Championships and five Superbowl appearances with three victories have made Patriots the most successful NFL franchise between 2001 and 2013. All of this coincided with the team drafting of current starting quarterback Tom Brady , whose own record now makes him a future inductee in the Hall of Fame in Canton , Ohio ,. Getty Images North America / Vince Miller …
(6) In the background GM Ben Cherington , while Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell holds aloft the 2013 World Series crown after the ball-club’s triumph over the St Louis Cardinals in baseball’s postseason series’ finale. It was the franchise’s third win of the World Series in the past nine years . This year the Boston Red Sox are likely to be the team to beat within the AL in spite of the flurry of off-season acquisitions made by the New York Yankees and others . A seemingly smooth transition from Bobby Valentine’s departure and Farrell’s introduction has made the resurgence of the franchise all the more impressive when you considered they finished last within the AL East in 2012 , while playing some very “bad ball” throughout much of the season . Team owner John W Henry has simply allowed the front office to conduct the business of the organization in a professional manner . Courtesy of NESN . …….
(7) Miami Heat President & GM Pat Riley ,left , is seen here with team owner Micky Arison . Having three NBA titles since 2007 , the duo will be seeking to win a third consecutive title for the franchise which currently has the second best record within the Eastern Conference and a mark that also places the Heat within the top five of the entire NBA . Hector Gonzalez / Palm Beach Post …….
(8) San Antonio Spurs’ executives R.C. Buford and Peter Holt relax court-side as the San Antonio Spurs play the Denver Nuggets at the Cox Pavilion at UNLV on Tuesday, July 13, 2009. Tom Reel/Staff
(9) Billionaire Brooklyn Nets’ team owner Mikhail Prokhorov , left and James Dolan Chairman & CEO of MSG Entertainment the holding and parent company for the sporting interests of the Dolan family . As owner of the New York Knicks , Dolan has seen the team under-perform this season , leading many to believe that there will be a major upheaval at all levels within the organization this off-season . For Prokhorov, his troubles remains the inconsistency of the team under first-year head coach Jason Kidd. Both teams are amongst the highest salaried franchises in the NBA , with both exceeding the league’s “soft cap figure” of $58.679 million , for which both franchises as well as other exceeding the cap will have to pay a heft luxury tax equating $1-50 for every $1-00 amount that they are over the cap . Owners are at odds with the league hierarchy with this edict , having approved it , in a NBA Board of Governors’ vote prior to the start of the NBA season . In coming NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has no wish to rescind this ruling under any measure and believes to be of benefit to the league , in order for the teams to be fiscally responsible . Getty Images / Harry How …..
(10) Los Angeles Lakers’ team owner Jim Buss is seen here alongside team GM Mitch Kupchak , as the two seated court-side, watching the team during a practice session at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , California . This season has been a troubling one for the franchise , with Kobe Bryant sidelined by an injury and the rest of the players also struggling . AP Photo / Larry Hughes ……..
(11) Computer software magnate Charles Wang , owner of the New York Islanders . AP Photo / Maggie Briscoe ….
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If all interested , take time to participate in the above poll.
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tophatal ………. 02/26/2014
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NFL news and news from around the league
NFL Draft 2014 and mock draft make-up
NFL Superbowl history (results)
This date in NFL history
List of NFL franchise owners
MLB schedule Spring Training (Opening Day)
MLB schedule 26th February 2014
MLB team owners and general managers
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NBA Playoff picture (projected first round match-ups
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Tophatal's Blog 
Man, have you hit the nail on the head! Obama says “no boots on the ground” in Iraq, we’ll see. If there is, wonder if Congress might try to impeach Obama. As to Bo, I wonder, (not excusing him) if he had some kind of breakdown and wandered off…….There have been suicides by US troops that have occurred because a soldier is supposed to “man up” ala Gen Patton…….Dunno any answers, but someone had better find them before sending kids into combat again in far flung places where we are not only not wanted (except our money/war material) generally, but are roundly hated.
I will say this, an investigation needs done, but not by Congress, on all aspects of our involvement overseas…….as said in another venue, we need to put our own house in order before telling others what is best for them.
By the way…..Chuck Noll passed away at 82…..report is on the NFL website.
Thanks for the comment on my brother…….it occurred so many years ago….but mentioned it to show how our military has always been screwed up……even yours……remember the charge of the light brigade and Churchill’s invasion plan in WWI at Galliopi (misspelled) to open a 2nd front against the Ottoman Turks…………
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Al Clements
If Congress seeks to impeach Barack Obama they had better have a clear idea , as to what actions or laws were broken . His actions with regard to Bo Bergdahl is not an impeachable offense and he did not lie or use deception , in his action , seeking to have the prisoner released . The only action of note , was his not seeking to tell the Congress of the decision made jointly in conjunction with the Defense Dept , State Dept and UN Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power . Far worse has been done by some of Obama’s most recent predecessors , but yet assholes such as Ted Cruz , Mitt Romney , John Boehner , John McCain and Rick Santorum are crying foul ? What solution would they have come up with ? And the idiocy of McCain’s claims that this will only embolden Al Qaeda to carry out even more terrorist attacks is damn idiotic . If he hasn’t noticed the terrorist group (Al Qaeda) , many of its allies and affiliates are still carrying out heinous atrocities .
McCain remains a frigging moron !
tophatal ………….
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Al Clements
Can anyone explain succinctly what Obama’s foreign policy constitutes , when the likes of Hillary Clinton and John Kerry have not achieved a damn thing of note ? Yet this ass of a President continues to reiterate that the US commands the respect of the world . Is he fu$king kidding or what ? His foreign policy has been one big joke , with the likes of Iraq , Russia and Iran , snubbing their noses and continually making a mockery of the US .
My comments are sincere when it comes to your brother and I commend him for his service and the ultimate sacrifice made ! The same applies to yourself as a former member of the military ,
The passing of Chuck Knoll is an immense loss to the Steelers , but also to the NFL . Knoll is one of the most revered coaches in NFL history , without a doubt.
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All of what you say is true, there is no understanding by ANYONE in or out of government, but they have been screwing around with “foreign policy” since Spain funded Columbus in 1492.
EVERYWHERE white Europeans went they subjugated the native population, then wondered why hatred abounded.
The biggest gaffe was what England did following the defeat of the Ottoman Turkish Empire…..perhaps diplomats should have listened to Lawrence. Ah well……
Too, I wonder if the Islamic “terrorists” are just that or are they trying to set up Islamic states as is being claimed by the current group in Iraq……….AND who the hell is funding them?
My comment about Obama meant wonder if Congress would impeach if he put troops on the ground…..in any case “WE” miss the point….Sunnis and Shittites have been battling since the Prophet “wrote” the Koran…….course extremists abound in every venue……we just do it by causing gridlock in government, others by civil war, most though like parents…”do as I say, not as I do”.
One last thing, “foreign policy” by white Europeans & Russians has always meant….what can we gain from these countries, even if we “have” to subjugate the entire country…..remember the “Boxer Rebellion” in China…….even “our” settlement in Jamestown (Va) was mainly for profit….think the only honest ones were the Mayflower Pilgrams….escaping religious persecution.
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Al Clements
Congress are not going to impeach him ( Obama) , if he seeks to redeploy troops in Iraq, but he will have build a consensus on the issue while also seeking to make sure that this move is not a unilateral one , but seeking Western allies willing to follow suit.
The American people do not want to see their troops on foreign soil to aid what many of them feel still remains a common enemy . The fault with this latest mess , stems from the fact that Nouri Al-Mailiki is a weak leader who has no wish to deal with the Sunnis as a whole . Hence the reason we’re now seeing with the civil unrest in the country at present .
From my own standpoint , I do now believe that the country (Iraq) is on the brink of civil war and it will , make the alleged atrocities now taking place in Syria now seem like kids at play in a sandlot during kindergarten .
Nouri al-Maliki , Prime Minister of Iraq , seen here with Barack Obama
With the US having spent over $2,3 trillion ($2,300,000,000,000) , in Iraq having failed so miserably with their endeavors in that country can anyone justify the government having failed so miserably ?
tophatal ……………
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If he does deploy troops, that will really piss our public off. He should really, somehow, ascertain if our public majority would support such a move. Personally I oppose ANY military action by the U.S. with or without “allies”…….Let them set up a separate state……THEN….if they decide to attack other areas step in. The need, as I see it is TWO separate countries, one Sunni, the other those
Shittes that wish to be such. Remember reading some history of extremists back in the time of the Crusades attacking other Arabs and invading other areas encroaching into Europe. Hell the Moors ruled most of Spain and El Cid is still revered as a hero. Guess it will never stop.
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Al Clements
If the US unilaterally enters into Iraq under the premise that they;re fighting terrorism , then that is an absolute crock of $hit . The sectarian violence now taking place, is because the Shia majority in the country, has no wish to share power with the minority Sunnis .
If Obama the State Dept and those dumb mother $$cking a#sholes in Congress cannot see that , , then whatever happens by way of the loss of US lives should be placed firmly on their heads , , bin terms of apportioning blame . ,
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair still waxes on lyrically that the ouster of Saddam Hussein was the best thing that could have happened in Iraq. That @sshole, cannot see that the country is now more corrupt and in a state of disarray than it has ever been and that is allegedly with the corrupt government of present Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki . And with the US and its coalition forces having sank over $2.5 trillion ($2,500,000,000,000) in Afghanistan and Iraq. Are either country now any better off than prior to their being invaded , never mind the alleged War on Terror having led to a meaningful victory ? If anything it has simply been a pyrrhic victory for the West because Al Qaeda and her allies have not been completely stopped in their tracks , at all ?
tophatal ………………
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BTW: All tests “normal”, back to work tomorrow, but got another pill to take to control heartbeat…seems it raced at times..which may have caused the blackout…… Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2014 03:13:03 +0000 To: al_clements35@hotmail.com
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Al Clements
Great news concerning your health ! You need to stop watching these half naked females bouncing their tits all over the place . Sorry , I will take down the pic on the site of you like ? LOL,LOL ,LOL !!!
Not what the doctor ordered bu I hope that it helps ?
Meet your latest fan club member .
I believe Ewa Sonnet has an instant rapport with her male fans . Your thoughts on that ?
tophatal .,…………
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Payback is a bitch, ain’t it? Blair is right in my mind, Saddam had to go, but there needed to be some other kind of dictator.to hold the country together. Look what Marshall Tito did in Yugoslavia. even if he was a Communist…look what took place after his death. And why no homegrown terrorists in Saudi Arabia…..Strong governments or strong rulers keep order. Although I think the thing in Syria is somewhat right, Assad’s family has ruled for years until…..
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I believe that Blair is only saying that rather than showing himself to be an even bigger ass . He knew there were no WMD’s and hid behind that damn premise even when MI5 and certain parts of the British military knew the case to be untrue . Now what have they got in Iraq to replace Saddam Hussein ? While , Hussein was a Baathist , he was also a Shia, who sought to punish anyone in opposition no matter what their religious belief . Now with Nouri al Maliki (Prime Minister), you have a Shia politician who takes his orders from radical Shia clerics(Moqtadr al Sadr in particular) and their wish has been to throw out any Sunnis of the coalition government , while also disavowing the rights of Sunnis , Kurds and Christians in Iraq .
So explain to me, how that country is now any better off and where democracy has no damn meaning ?
Barack Obama is proving to be just as incompetent as George W Bush . There was no exit strategy of any sort and the so called victory being claimed is a Pyrrhic one .,
Al Qaeda has not been stamped out and if any thing it has simply emboldened their remnants while sprouting up others (groups) with similar allegiances looking to destroy the West in any way that they can . Something not understood by the electorate here in the US or by the damn Congress or by anyone within this present administration .
How much more money will America continue to waste in both Iraq and Afghanistan when the money can be put to better use here rebuilding the country;’s infrastructure ?
tophatal …………………….
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I’ve said that for years….we need to stay outta other countries…course Iraq has oil, so did Kuwait. If they had nothing like Syria?????? Course, what the hell does Afghanistan have besides the poppy plant that produces opiates??? What a cash crop!! Or were we using it as a buffer against Mother Russia…..remember we backed the radicals against the USSR….did the same in Cuba….everywhere we went it has been screwy after……will be the same, we just don’t get it. When will it end?? Money is just wasted on asshole countries……Editorial I read today claims Israel gets it….never will be peace….without our aid, would it still survive?? Time to cut our losses.
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Al Clements
How the hell can the United States stay out of the affairs of countries in the Middle East then political think tanks and certain areas of the Conservative right dictate foreign policy which in turn is acted upon by successive Secretary of States and idiotic Presidential leaders over the years ?
Tell me that last incumbent of the White House to have come up with a meaningful solution in the Middle East without the Israeli Knesset shooting it down, in conjunction of AIPAC and the likes of Sheldon Adelson and the Koch brothers ? Never mind you have a pompous asshole such as Benjamin Netanyahu crying wolf each and every goddamn moment , while the US continually pours billions of dollars annually into Israel , so that they can in return use that to buy military armaments from this country . Where is the alleged common sense in that policy , while the US itself fails to live up to the continued fact , that it fails to deliver for their own military veterans ? I don’t hear anyone on right or left , making a case out of that premise , but yet their fucking dumb ass continues to bitch and whine about Arabs and Islamic fundamentalists being a scourge ? Those $$ckers need to wake the $$ck up and actually realize who created that scenario to begin with .
tophatal ………………
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Again, you’re right. What I don’t get is why can’t these human beings compromise….I realize that there are MAJOR differences in ALL religions, but damn! Set up countries that wish to subjugate their women and follow strict Islamic teachings. Move tribes to areas they wish to live in…..course that won’t work either cause we white Europeans are infidels in their eyes. Hell even the Jewish people didn’t believe in Jesus Christ, most still don’t.
I believe in Israels right to exist, just as other countries have that right…but what the hell happened to majority rule?? It would be nice to find out WHO is supporting the extremists, where the hell weapons are coming from…..We know Israel gets massive aid from us, but who else are we giving aid to…..are we like Krupp Industries in WWI, selling weapons to both sides.
As to who caused all this, one has to go back to at least biblical times when the Jews attacked other “nations” read the Bible as history, they were never lily white, very warlike people…only thing, seems the twelve tribes never attacked each other as Islamic’s have all these many years.I know I’m rambling, but too the current mess had its beginnings with the break up of the Ottoman Empire, the formation of Iran, Iraq with the blessing of Faisal.
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What people continually ignored was that the so called state of Israel , for years , Christians , Jews and Muslims coexisted in cities such as Jerusalem , Tel Aviv , Haifa , but once again this is all overlooked , because the intent was conservatism , xenophobia and jingoism being at the forefront of what we are now witnessing . The Knesset even regulates the types of businesses that can be operated in the Gaza Strip and West Bank . How is it that this isn’t addressed by the US government much less the State Department ? Not only that but a number of these businesses are duplicitous-ly taxed by the Israeli government and then the Palestinian Authorities .
tophatal ………
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Yep….They did coexist….too, they did have a common enemy in Germany later during WWII. Somewhere along the line the Jews began their mission against Britain because they wished to relocate to their “homeland”. At the time Britain basically controlled the Middle East and continually thwarted the attempts. Naturally there were Jewish extremists fighting not only the Brits but Arabs who resented the Jewish people coming to a land that for eons “belonged” to them. Remember the movie “Exodus”……based on what actually took place; never a dull moment.
Wonder how businesses survive being taxed in that manner; and of course they are in a war zone, aren’t they?? Historically the Brits claimed to always know what is best for these countries 9especialy since oil was there)….now the USA is claiming the same……..
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And that whole issue is also whitewashed because the Jews act is if their liberation and actions were justified because they raise the issue their rights . Actions belie that in terms of the atrocities committed against the British but yet they say the actions of of Hamas and Fattah were heinous , Such damn hypocrisy , especially from those having never served a day of their lives but all they go by is having read or be told some half truth about an incident ,
As insidious as the Holocaust was said to be , it was not only Jews who suffered the fate in gas chambers and who were hung . I have never heard a Jew come out and acknowledge that the enslavement of Africans and their suffering during the Dark Passage as being less sever with in fact millions having also died during slavery in America . I have never heard them actually acknowledge that the actions endured by Africans during apartheid was heinous . More to the point, the Falashi’s (Ethiopian Jews considered in some circles one of the original 12 Tribes of Israel ) they repatriated from Ethipioa are being mistreated in Israel , Yet , the issue is rarely reported and not even considered to be newsworthy .
So much fu##ing hypocrisy and bull$hit by Jews and the news’ media in the US and Israel on the present issue within that country (Israel) .,
tophatal ……………………
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True. It just doesn’t fit the media’s idea of Israel. Too….most media is controlled by friends of Israel if not actual those of Jewish descent. It is so inane to look askance at what transpires.
Many, many non-Jews died, not only by German hands, but by Russian hands. Proof exists that the entire Polish High Command was murdered by the Russians….and how many did Stalin have purged…millions….Hell even Hitler had his own Brown Shirts wiped out. People just cannot get it…govmints suck, but most people NOT in power are okay.
There is a new book out about the aftermath of T. E. Lawrence….thin the author was on “Face the Nation” today OR guy was speaking of the book….got to find it…says what I’ve said for years; countries set up by England and France with no regard for tribal locations,,,etc. Don’t know why Faisal had so much input into the decisions either…..
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Al Clements
Idiots to the right and left of the political debate when it comes to Israel do not realize or are prepared to acknowledge the fact that this country’s foreign policy is driven by AIPAC and billionaires such as Sheldon Adelson and the Koch Brothers . Look at the actions of the State Dept , and Senate Foreign Relations Committee is all that you need to know , along with the billions sent to the country (Israel) which in return they simply use to buy US military armaments .
All of this bull$hit about Israel seeking peace is a frigging joke ,. but assholes such Charles Krauthammer and William Kristol will seek to say otherwise . As commentators and journalists , the pairing pairing choose not to hide their Jewish faith and bias .,
tophatal …………………
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NO ONE wants the truth….as Jack’s character said: Truth, you can’t handle the truth.
Wish someone would have the balls to be a whistleblower….damn, look at Snowden and what was his name Ellsberg or something like that……secrets have to be maintained even if they are ethically and morally wrong….what a country!
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Al Clements
There are some among us who already know the truth , the rest are merely the apathetic who like a shoal of fish will swim upstream and into the nets of the awaiting fishermen (political hacks and congressmen) who continue to espouse their incessant bull$hit .
If at all interested do check out these pieces for which I have provided direct links to . Merely click on those (links) to leave a comment as you see fit , I look forward to reading your comments with a great deal of anticipation .
Baseball piece
https://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/on-the-mound/
The NBA and the Donald Sterling saga
https://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/put-a-ring-on-it/
General news’ sports’ e stories
https://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/06/26/the-ugly-side-to-sports-is-no-different-from-its-image-in-general-still-goddamn-ugly/
🙂
tophatal ………………..
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That’s why idiots keep getting elected by IDIOTS…..think we could do with less representation?
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Al Clements
Let me pose this question ? How intelligent do you believe the US electorate just happens to be ? And if the democratic system in this country is said to be so great , then why does it feel that the right of the citizens are now being eroded and trampled on by the current administration , Congress and by the US Supreme Court ?
tophatal …………..
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Al Clements
The political hacks on both sides of the political divide (media print and television) are no smarter than the assholes in Congress who they continually cover . Look at who we now have out there covering the scene and the sentiment they seek to portray ? Can it get any worse with the likes of Beck , Limbaugh , Charles Krauthammer , William Kristol , Mark Levinson and others of that ilk ? It sure as well will and has , that is for sure !
The majority of the electorate in the US are not that smart and they lack the intelligence to realize what is happening within their midst .
tophatal …………
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Most people get their news off the TV anymore. Some of it is good, but…….
Others just read the headlines. If the story has meaning I’ll read the whole article, otherwise just the headline. Latest from Gaza tells of another damn war brewing. What happens to the innocents on both sides that just wish to live a peaceful life? Same with the shit in Iraq. Is there anywhere in the world that one could live in peace? Not even in the “darkest” part of Africa, someone always wants what you have, like the old song about the people on top of the mountain.
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Al Clements
The print media is the last of a dying breed and about to become an endangered species , Television and cable news has become so damn banal . Idiots out there are making claims about a Liberal media and bias , when in reality the news’ gathering organizations simply cherry-pick the news and then just ram it down the throats of the consumers as and when they see fit to do so.
The news will always be slanted to fit a certain demographic in terms of the consumer ,
tophatal …………
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Seems that the media broadcasts what the public wants to hear….least what they think the public wants to hear. Guess it is based on the ratings….the most popular according to a select few who are selected by the Nielsons’ and the like pollsters. That is how some “popular” shows get renewed year after year after year. There is bias in all reporting, both print and broadcast media…..people take as truth what the likes of Limbaugh “reports”. I miss Walter Cronkite…he reported the news objectively….if he had an opinion, he said it was his opinion. I don’t hear that anymore from “newscasters”. Thus far our local people offer the news unbiased…..of course I don’t even listen or watch ESPN, Fox, CNN or the like. Don’t care that some athlete or other celebrity is gay, beat up a photographer who invaded their space, or was arrested for some DUI or other….like the big report that Paul Simon and his wife were involved in a domestic dispute.
Report the damn news that the Jews and the other Arabs are at it again, but explain, truthfully, why they are always at each others’ throats. I don’t care what Bobby Brown did years ago or that Lebron James has gone back to Cleveland. And I take umbrage over the reporting of the immigration problem with the children from Honduras getting into the USA, true, 1 in 400 are killed there and only 1 in 2500 or so are killed in NYC….I feel for them, but once they are out of the country, stop in the next country or even Mexico, why come to the US where “we” would have to support them? People arguing on both sides of the coin….deport them, don’t deport them. AND Congress is divided on the issue, the idiots who run the country have no clue….really don’t care….what the majority thinks or wants, that’s why we have same sex marriage (to get benefits basically) no prayer in schools (even by a kid who wished to do so alone), have gun toting NRA members going into Pizza Hut with AR15’s and other weapons (cause they can).
This country has become the world’s policeman, caretaker and whatever without the real means to do it. Assholes keep funding things that aren’t needed, mostly aid to countries that hate us or use the money to subjugate their minorities………..I’m so damned tired of it, how about other countries really stepping up to help out? Well, I gave you my opinion, food for thought….I’ll get off my soapbox now.
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Al Clements
Less we forget , the US sees itself as the leader of the ” free world ” and where democracy actually means something . That might be the biggest crock of bullshit now being espoused by both sides of the political aisle , as well as the dumb ass morons who have never traveled outside the US continent or Latin America .
In the case of the print and television media in this country , where is there any fuc#king common sense to be found ?
With regard to NATO and the UN , both entities have now become a complete farce with their being very little intelligence to be found within either institution .
tophatal ………….
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AND both the UN and NATO are most likely funded more by the USA than any other country. Hell, I recall a report where the UN was asking the US to pay more cause other members were not paying a dime. Prolly the same for NATO….at one time NATO was the “big stick” against Russian aggression….course it did nothing when Russia beat up on Poland, the Checz or others. Truth is, it is only the guvmint that sees itself as “Lord Protector”, take one of those polls and find out what the majority thinks. I think we should all come home and build a dome over the whole USA (if that could even be done) and throw out all dissenters out to overthrow us by whatever means. Put the word out, don’t come here, don’t believe what the Liberty Lady says…it ain’t true. Don’t save the world, save us!
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Al Clements ..
The USA has been the largest single donor to both the UN and NATO and in that time even with increasing wealth of nations such as Brazil , China and even India nothing has changed in that regard . The same applies with regard to the World Bank and the IMF (International Monetary Fund) .
This country remains a joke with the pretext that it remains a world power and a dominant one , America commands very little respect on the world stage even if John Kerry is running across the globe trying to put out fires that this country initiated in the first place , with its lame foreign policy initiatives .
tophatal ……………
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Obama and others like him think that the USA has some say in world matters…..even China and Russia really have no power over what occurs. For, when was the last time terrorists listened to reason???? Hell, the most “civilized” nation in the Mideast (Israel) won’t listen to us, so………….
No matter what the Arabs will keep cutting each others’ throats and those of the “infidels”……we will continue to send em money and guys like Kerry……….time to stop
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The US has no foreign policy as such to speak of and the pragmatism being shown concerning Israel will ultimately lead to this country’s downfall and non-cooperation from their so called Western Allies . The country’s relationship with Germany is all but in tatters, in light of the spy scandal . John Kerry can travel around the globe all he wants , but trying to put out fires where the US was one of the causes , has been a constant detriment all-round .
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IT IS STILL White Europeans (including us) who believe they are in charge of world affairs. No one has a destiny of “ruling the world”. “We” like to think so, but we will never be able to cure the world’s ills……I’d like to see real peace before I pass from this life…that’ll never happen…..and never even after that. Really I believe in my Lord Jesus……He could stop all the craziness….just wonder why not?
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Al Clements ,
When the Caucasians in the US become outnumbered by ethnic minorities , such as those from Latin America and other parts of the globe , I wonder what the true Conservatives on the far right will be thinking , never mind the paramilitary organizations out in the woods playing at being soldiers ?
This country has such a long way to go, not only on race relations , but also when it comes to acute economic and social issues ., McCain doesn’t it . Romney never did and Obama has become the class clown that no one really expected . Altruism with this President went out the window long ago .
tophatal ,.,,,,,,,,,,
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Problem is, no one sees what is going on..at least those who may be able to exert change. No one listened, really, to Martin Luther King, Jr. We all live in our own small enclaves, ignoring what is taking place UNTIL it affects us…PERSONALLY. If the wealthy would listen to Buffet and some others like him (Gates come to mind) perhaps change could come about….no we are stuck with the likes of Romney and McCain (who came to wealth thru marriage). Tell you that some day there could be a million man march on DC, only by whites, joined by those who are really oppressed.
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Al Clements ….
Most are averse to change and so it is with America, in general , especially within the voting electorate of predominantly white males, whose views are to the right of center of the political divide , They’re the ones who, would have rather seen Hillary Clinton win the Democratic nomination for President in 2008 , rather than seeing Barack Obama’s ascent to the White House and the Presidency .
Racism is alive and well , kicking the $hit out of minorities with many using the pretext of we are all created equal . Biggest load of $hit this country has created and asked many to subscribe to .,
tophatal ………….
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I agree. Shit one sees it everyday on the streets of America….Not a day that shootings do not take place…..only thing in my area it is blacks killing blacks; drugs, gangwarfare. You name whatever cause you want, too many killings Seems we are vying with the Mid-East to see how many deaths can be generated Thing is, the Founding Fathers found slavery repulsive and the majority wished to make ALL men equal…free the slaves (this info is contained in Geo Washington’s daily diary he kept) Problem was the Southerners would not go for it for economic reasons…..said they needed the slaves for the production of cotton etc, otherwise the South’s economy would collapse, sooooooo slavery and its brutality continued……….and we thin the mid=east is bad….
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Al Clements
This country has not really advanced as much as it claim it has done with regard to education of minorities much less with regard to racial equality. Give me your poor needy and downtrodden is and will always be a complete crock of fecal matter only being espoused to create a charade , America’s lack of a conscious still remains .
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Now why do illegals keep risking their lives entering this country?? Must mean that their nation(s) are in such bad shape that they view the USA as the “land of the free”. And then there is the hue and cry over the problem…..is it because of prejudice or because they take jobs no one else wants? That job thing is BS, cause most of us would not do the jobs the illegals do….no matter the wage…..I remember hearing one could live like a king in Mexico with a maid at a dollar a day. Times have changed, but the USA hasn’t advance anywhere near what we espouse for other countries.
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Al Clements ….
These young kids are being told that once here and established they will be given the right afforded native born Americans newly naturalized citizens , It’s a falsehood fed them by the “coyotes who have forced their families in some cases to pay hundreds if not a few thousands of dollars to have them smuggled or simply led to cross the border , What we are witnessing in the press however is a great deal of bigotry and xenophobia by idiots with them stating that many of these kids are diseased riddled . Consider the fact at present, the DHHS remains a damn eyesore when it comes to the health and nutrition of US born kids and obesity and the billions it cost this country in healthcare it begs the question who the $$ck are these idiots to begin with of the notion the majority of the illegals are diseased riddled kids ?
If these same @ssholes would simply go up into the Appalachian Mountains and see how some of the kids are now live there it would prove to be something of an eye opener . Those who oppose this matter really want to make a case, then why don’t they question the fact the federal government has done little with regard to immigration reform and the laws they are questioning Barack Obama over, were in fact statutes several current members of the House and Senate approved in a bill signed into law by George W Bush . In this country , you have an electorate that is simply docile and too f#cking stupid for their own good with barely any damn intelligence whatsoever on so many wide ranging issues .
tophatal …………
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All of what you say is true. Poor illegals being fed a line so that the coyotes can live like kings…..How the hell can the lie be stopped? AND healthwise, they could be better off in their own country. Every day one reads of the starving kids in America or the fat kids in America or the shootings of kids in America…..”Land of the free and the home of the brave” ??? I think not.
Home of what ever I can scam outta the guvmint or the populace at large….brave cuz I can knock some 95 yr old lady on the head and git her nickel
Don’t just love the media?? Whatever sells their product is what they report…truth evidently doesn’t sell……how about lambasting some of our 1000 year olds Congersmen??? LOL And, talk about the electorate……no I rather not…..dumb m/fr’s keep electing the same asses….but, would the next person be any better????
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Immigration reform is simply a joke as it is now being dealt with by not only the Congress but also the DHS (Dept of Homeland Security ) under the auspices of ICE the INS . To hell with what the public are saying on the issue, because there too, remains a great deal of stupidity without many of them actually understanding the fact Barack Obama is actually obeying a law signed into being by his predecessor George W Bush and voted on by several current members of the US Congress including by the likes of Mitch McConnell and John Boehner , two of the dumbest as#holes in the entire Congress ,
” If it were down to me I’d have Obama working in the cotton fields alongside all of the other illiterate African-Americans in this country ” ! Mitch McConnell & John Boehner (background) .
tophatal …………..
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Too, public doesn’t get it…..Obama has no real power AND he HAS TO obey the laws passed by Congress and signed by former Presidents…..Those who believe a President has power are either stupid or do not understand the separation of powers….the executive, legislative and judicial. Course the Supreme Court has been making law for some time too, by overturning laws they deemed unconstitutional……..and the Supreme Court can be overridden by the Legislature….never by the Executive branch……..Dunno how WE have made it as a country this far
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Al Clements …
Obama in his second term is proving to be a real lame duck President in the true sense of the world, with no real meaningful achievement , since he took office for the second time .
If this President believes the Affordable Care Act is all it is cracked up to be , then let him subscribe to the provision he and the Congress voted into law. I seriously doubt that any of the 535 members of the House and Senate want any part of the statute now known as ” Obamacare ” !
Look at his response in light of what has taken place in Ferguson , Missouri and with the beheading of a US journalist and photographer James Foley , Clearly , his bark is worse than his bite with him doing a great disservice to the public in general , as we are all seeking answers .
The apathy of the US electorate is beyond incomprehensible, especially with those who are so blinkered in their thinking on so many issued without seeking to gain some insight.
tophatal ………………………
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Don’t get any of his responses…more airstrikes ordered which will cause more hostage killing…guaranteed. I think the real reason he “has done nothing” (in either term) is because of the Congress won’t go along, for whaever reason. For years compromise was the watchword….that’s how politics in the USA works…..but neither the Dems or the GOP will bend.
It’s not what we can do for the country anymore……AND idiots keep electing the same OLD idiots!!!
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Al Clements
Neither Barack Obama , John Kerry , Chuck Hagel or anyone among the JCOS (Joint Chiefs of Staff) has any idea how to deal with ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq & Syria) after the death of James Foley’s beheading much less a succinct foreign policy or dealing with numerous domestic issues .
“Chocolate flavor ices or simply ISIS ” ?
Kerry & Hagel .
The Three Stooges have shown more intellect than the above trio .
There have been no lessons learned by this administration after the events in Benghazi , Libya , much less with the deaths of Daniel Pearl and other US journalists .
ISIS is beginning to make Al Qaeda seem like choirboys . Now look at the swath of land mass they control in Syria and Iraq . The signs were already there, but the US simply chose to ignore it all , like the frigging dummies they are ! Now comes all of the rhetoric from Hagel , Obama and Kerry ,
🙂
James Foley .
tophatal ………
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They are safe in Syria….what bothers me is who is supplying the money, weapons, everything else to further the killing and conquering?? What the hell has happened to The Massad’s intelligence gathering capabilities? Or the British or the CIA etc.? Someone is supplying these terrorists. Perhaps our “friends in Iran” course Putin comes to mind also. This is something that cannot be won……there are any number of people wlling to continue this battle on isis side
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The funding for ISIS many believe , is coming from wealthy Arab individuals with sympathies lying closely to those of the organization, who long for a Muslim theological Caliphate in the Arab world.
Countries such as Saudi Arabia , Oman, UAE , Iran , Syria, Egypt and even Iraq , see the terrorist group as a a real danger to their existence and the changing demographics in the Middle East, as well as the Arab world, in general. Something the US, State Department and the West have yet to realize or actually acknowledge .
The US remains goddamn clueless as do the West in general , s to who their real allies are in the Middle Eastern region beyond Israel, who may well be the only country they can actually rely on with any degree of certainty .
tophatal …………
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Al Clements
Iran is not going to be the ones supplying ISIS with weapons as they feel equally threatened by the organization’s ascent , which has made them even more powerful and organized than the existing remnants of Al Qaeda , Boko Haram , Jeemah Islamiyah and and many other well-known terrorist organizations with emphatic Islamic leanings .
The CIA , FBI , NSA , Defense Department , Mossad and even MI5 have not got a clue , as to how well organized these groups are .
tophatal …………….
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Those countries have a lot to lose…… ISIS wants what, a Muslim ruled country based of their interpretation of the Koran? Operative word is interpretation….infidels eiter convert or die etc.
Allah is not one who wishes us dead etc. if not converting….God is God, no matter what He is called……why do humans claim they know what God wishes and that death is one of the wishes?
As thse who interpret the US Constitution…….all fools and idiots is one way or nother.
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A Muslim Caliphate is far more strict than what we are now witnessing in countries such as Iran . Wahhabism and its doctrines , ., threatens many of the countries in the Middle East , specifically , a country like Saudi Arabia .
The Horn of Africa will become another tinderbox that the US State Department will continue to overlook . If Boko Haram can get away with their actions in Nigeria without being punished , imagine what they are likely to do to further spread their belief which are also in line with ISIS .
tophatal ……………..
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We damn near lost the Pacific cause of misunderstanding the Japanese mind…then we turned around and did the same in the Korean Conflict/Vietnam and on and on Still don’t understand the Asian mind…now we have to contend with the Arabic thought process
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The US underestimated the Japanese and it could have cost them dearly . Dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki , pretty much destroyed the resolve of Japan and the Japanese people in the end .
tophatal ………….
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True…..Now we do not understand what the terrorists are willing to do….as we did not understand the Japanese…..Same that Chamberlain didn’t understand pre WWII “….peace in our time.” Americans do not perceive death in battle as an honor as the “Japs” did, as the Muslims radicals do. Just read where the King of Saudi-Arabia is warning Europe and the U.S. of attacks by Muslim radicals. He seems to be mostly aligned with the West…mebbe cause of his oil that the West buys.
I think he also fears the radicals, his country DOES have a lot to lose if attacked; of course if Saudi is targeted it will draw us into combat on the ground….a war that no matter what there will be no winners….just like HAMAS is claiming victory. Cannot wipeout an ideology as concrete as ISIS espouses…..they will fight and fight and fight til the end of time.
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Al Clements
Look at what both the US and UK governments are now finding out concerning their citizens and that as many as 1500 if not more British and US citizens are now fighting for ISIS in both Syria and Iran . Now tell me what both the US State Dept and UK Foreign Office can or are likely to do ?
” All I asked her, was if she knew how Monica Lewinsky took care of Bill Clinton and would she be willing to do the same” ? Bill O’Reilly .
The West has no fundamental understanding as to what is unfolding in the Arab world much less their understanding the so called uprising known as the ” Arab Spring ” .
Leave it to idiots such as Fox’s orator Bill O’Reilly and his crazy ass definition of it all , He remains remains a clueless dumb bastard to begin with and that will always remain a case for someone who has no real credibility . Need we be reminded of his antics concerning a young female intern he was stalking and making lewd and lascivious remarks to on the telephone, in and outside of work ? In the end he settled out of court and Fox gave him a slap on the wrists for his misdeeds . Such fu#king hypocrisy from O’Reilly and the news’ network as a whole .
tophatal ………………
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Didn’t hear about big Bill….damn! Sounds more and more like all those big shots get away with anything…….then they go after (agree that he was wrong) guys like Ray Rice and now Peterson (also wrong). TMZ has become a Star magazine. One is not safe to prance around in private anymore, let alone in public. Seems that everyone who is a least a marginal celebrity is a target of TV “journalists”. I dunno but I believe things have really gotten out of hand…..hell she married Rice and is DEFENDING him! No woman should be slapped and all that…but what about when they initiate the shit by slapping and punching the man??? Recently in the Burgh a gay woman got punched by during a a gay rights march by an officer attempting to first breaking up a fight between 2 women…then attempting to cuff her……..finally he was found to have properly done his duty…was unable to control her in any other way as she continued to fight with him during an arrest. But “never hit a woman” remains the cry of the day. After all Rice and his then fiancé were trading slaps etc., then I understand she spit on him……….AND the Commish proves he is a ass with his various responses.
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al clements
Bill O’Reilly chose to settle out of court with the plaintiff rather than being further embarrassed within the legal system for his very idiotic faux-pas . He has little credibility left after that episode and anything he now says has to be taken with a grain of salt on any subject he seeks to interject himself in concerning a comment or analysis .
The NFL no longer has any credibility left to be remotely dealing with the issue of spousal abuse or domestic violence of any kind. Roger Goodell , proved himself to be an asshole when he rendered his initial statement on the matter only for it to be further compounded by Adolphus Birch III , Assistant Legal Counsel for the NFL and Head of the Labor Relations for the league . This is what happens when you have males at the highest levels of the league without any fu#king idea concerning the issue , which has now become a plague among male athletes , without touching on the fact of sexual assaults on college campuses up and down the country where the educational establishments themselves as well as the NCAA > are failing the female victims repeatedly with their lack of in-depth investigation of such crimes .
Mark Emmert is proving to be a complete idiot on the issue as are many of the nation’s athletic directors at the D1 colleges around the country .
tophatal ……..
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NFL is being run by a group of assholes….dunno what the hell the owners are thinking or were thinking. Don’t think that anyone should be beating on anyone, but usually it is a private matter, unless serious injuries or whatever occurs…then the cops should be involved…..I really don’t think the media or the public should become involved….but that isn’t the way things are done anymore…..people just like to see the pot stirred and of course that sells newspapers, TV and Radio ads….more money. Hell there has been a minor hue and cry over the Steelers bringing back Harrison over his incident 7 or 8 years ago the one the Steelers took care of in-house….and he’s been clean since……AND again, what the hell should a man do if HE is attacked by a female??? As a police officer I have been nutted, punched, stabbed at by females…….course they lost, but still I had to have it all documented and witnessed…..since I was a popular and honest cop it never became a problem….but what about others who wee correct, but “wrong”?
Seems Goodell still has the support of his bosses…but ONE man shouldn’t have that much power.
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Al Clements
In the aftermath of the ineptitude shown by the Baltimore Ravens and the statements now coming from team owner , Steve Bisciotti , is there anything else that needs to be said ? Bisciotti regrets he did not do more, in seeking out the league hierarchy to find out what action could be taken by the organization . Isn’t that why he has both a Chief Legal Counsel as well as GM Ozzie Newsome and a player representative from the NFLPA (Players’ Union) among the franchise who can advise him on this issue . This is why the NFL will remain a fu#cking joke , while lame ass fans without one iota of common sense speculate and prognosticate about bull#hit , which they have no idea what the hell they are talking about .
Roger Goodell has been an inept communicator and leader of the NFL and I find it asinine and comedic when I read in the press and hear fans suggest he might be the best of all of the four hierarchical commissioners of the four main professional team sports ! One simply has to look at the likes of David Stern , Adam Silver , Gary Bettman , Rob Manfred and Bud Selig to realize that is not much of a credible group to even make such claims . These current and former sports’ leaders make members of the current Congress and Presidential administration seem like Rhodes’ scholars .
tophatal ….
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Absolute power corrupts absolutely……….With carte blanche to run the League as he sees fit, the owners created a monster, no only with Godell…spelled purposedly….they created the others prior. Think the same goes for all the other pro leagues….Commissioners haave never, to my mind, answered to the owners…who really live in some ivory towers like the Kings of old. Whenever the shit hits the fan they seem to hide behind the Commissioners and their minions…..prolly hope the spokesperson says all the right things so the damages won’t be so bad.
I always think the Rooneys got it right, but of late I’m not so sure….at this point Art III is really covering his ass by doing the right thing….but……….. when one hires thugs cause they make the best players what can be expected?? Look at Ben…his damn ego was so big that he felt he could get away with anything…..whether or not it was attempted rape, there were other things that he did….Rooneys did nothing……same with Harrison and others. Violence begets violence both on and off the field……..It is learned from an early age, if not taught, from witnessing in the family.
I witnessed my Dad and Mom and I’m sorry to say when a real big push came to shove I engaged in the same damn behavior…………never out in the street as a cop or corrections officer cause I was in control….had the damn authority, but at home a spouse is out of control because he or she has no control…..there is a way to get it under control, but once underway a man’s ego (the John Wayne syndrome) won’t let him back down…..he has to be the winner, has to be “the man”.
In the end humans are just frigging animals, not much different from our cavemen brethren.
All the bad things in the world can be, one way or another, blamed on the human condition, we are neither moral, logical or really intelligent…….look how long it took the Vulcans to become what they were in the movies……and still they had faults as bad as any human……least the Klingons never apologized for what they were………humans are always preparing for was….to “keep the peace”, make the world “safe” for democracy………B>S>
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Al Clements
All four major professional sports’ leagues are ran by hypocrites with the owners and unions in each being equally hypocritical . Look at the showering of accolades now being placed upon Derek Jeter . While it suggests , it is due for a player of his stature , not once has Jeter ever spoken out about the issue and use of steroids in the game of baseball . Is it his place to do so ? I believe it is , but he much like the game he represents is flawed and filled with clowns at every level within its being .
🙂
tophatal ……………..
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That should have said always preparing for WAR
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Think Jeter was correct…..Hell he would have been called before some Grand Jury or worse; Think mebbe he should after retirement…betcha he won’t though…hell hen they would come up with people claiing he used shit…..no good deed goes unpunished and all that
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Derek Jeter and the players (superstars) of the game are not going to upset the apple cart and that of the MLBPA (Players’ Union) who themselves have remained complicit with the cheating we have seen over the past decade and a half .
Who would have thought this season both the Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates would make the postseason ? In the case of the Royals it is the first time in almost thirty years and for the Pirates it for the second year in succession .
tophatal …………
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True enough…..drugs are so pervasive, it has got to the point “why bother”? Level the field and let them all do it if they so wish…….make drugs legal and tax the hell out of them (some tongue and cheek here) Diddn’t think the Pirates would be anywhere near this….thought LAST year was an aberration. BOY….weren’t the Steelers embarrassed this afternoon? Ben and company looked ordinary…and the Defense only showed spurts
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Is it me but is Barack Obama proving to be more of an imbecile by the second ? His latest remarks suggesting he , his Cabinet and James Clapper (Director of the National Intelligence Agency) of the NIA misjudged the rise ISIS , further indicates how much of an @ss he just happens to be , especially with regard to foreign policy in the Middle East .
tophatal ……….
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The apathy of the fans was never surprising especially when it came to baseball as they were happy to see the likes of Barry Bonds , Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire laid waste to Maris’ single season home run record. Now all of a sudden the disquiet and naivete rears its ugly head .
Albert Pujols , and Derek Jeter long believed to be the most trusted players in the game continuously remained silent . Hypocrisy still remains in baseball and it will continue to be that way for years to come .
tophatal ………..
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Fans ONLY care if their team(s) are losing….if the drugs caused the team to lose????? I have lately put my head in the sand, so damn tired of the media and all the negativity. Wars, injustice, domestics, rapes and various assaults. Arseholes, oops I mean politicians, doing nothing but collecting their pay…..Todays local paper has reported members of Gov Corbett’s staff were caught e-mailing porn, racial slurs and other sundry nasty stuff while the Sandusky thing was going on…..4 have resigned, one who is on the Parole Board refuses to resign his 117k job….they were all members of the Atty Gen staff, lawyers all What the F….?
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Al Clement
. Tom Corbett is proving to be an incompetent @sshole as the state of Pennsylvania’s highest ranking political executive . Look at his hyprocrisy in dealing with the Penn State ‘ scandal’ where he sat on the board of trustees .
The hypocrisy of the NFL is ongoing , with it unlikely to change in the coming years , because the league has simply learned nothing from the repeated mistakes they have made over the years. That also applies to the union (NFLPA) .
tophatal ……
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Yes to Gov Corbett…in the pocket of the gas explorers, amongst others.
As to the other, they have become arrogant billionaires who get away with almost everything cause the public doesn’t care as long as a great game is played….hell look at the cost of attending a game….and usually the stadiums are filled, at leat sold out!!
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Tom Corbett was always a hypocritical @sshole as Pennsylvani’a’s Attorney General , then as its governor and even more as a trustee board member of Penn State .
National politics has become a joke with big corporate money or that of wealthy individuals dictating policy and agenda . Look at the billionaire ref=http://en.wiki Koch brothers ( David & Charles ) and the money they have spent backing certain right wing initiatives . In the case of billionaire Sheldon Adelson , it has always been about the country’s foreign policy as it relates to Israel , which this country (US) gives over $ 5 billion in discretionary aid annually . The country (Israel) remains the biggest recipient of aid by the US far exceeding anything else it donates even including NGO’s such as the World Bank and IMF , never mind the UN .
What does the US get by way of reciprocation from the country (Israel) ? Actually , not a damn thing and this idiocy that because of biblical history , Israel has to be protected remain a complete crock of fecal matter .
tophatal …..
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Cannot understand why we keep sending money to Israel, while we have homeless people starving on the street and elderly people who have to choose between buying their meds or eating.
we also are still throwing money into Egypt.
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Al Clements
Not one person I know or have asked , can succinctly explain to me why Israel has to be backed or sent by way of discretionary or military aid , billions of dollars annually . It’s this continued idiocy of them being a democratically elected government that points to the unintelligent among the masses here in the United States . There is nothing at all democratic about the process in Israel , let alone what purports to be democracy here in the United States and the whole election process in general .
Netanyahu says the things he knows AIPAC wants to hear in order to have the policies on place and monies raised annually by way of that committee and several others without the idiots in Congress by way of the House , Senate and the administration of successive Presidents following suit , with their outmoded foreign policy concerning the Middle East and statehood for the Palestinians .
Israel sure as hell , doesn’t want statehood for the Palestinians otherwise the feeding frenzy of donations and aid would diminish .
tophatal ……….
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Let Israel exist….it will even if we stop sending it money. I do believe there are other areas outside our nation that could use some help. But to keep giving money away without GOOD reason is just foolish, considering the sad shape we are in.
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Al Clements
You would have a hard time convincing the likes of American-Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC) , Sheldon Adelson ., Charles and David Edward Koch . These these are some of the wealthiest individuals in the US as well as on the planet . Adelson and the Koch brothers have donated tens of million of dollars to conservative leaning politicians as well as to Israel over the years .
AIPAC is the political action committee with so much clout and ties to the Knesset and top members of Congress on both sides of the political aisle . At the same time they more than any other entity continues to dictate US foreign policy far more than the President , State Dept or even the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
tophatal …..
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I get it. It has always the lobbyists who really run the govmint. Iffen the Koch brothers are so in love with Israel. let them take over what we are paying also. Really don’t feel Israel needs our help anymore, at least financially. Somehow the guvmint needs to ignore the lobbyists….course that is me barking at the moon.
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Al Clements
Adelson and the Koch brothers ought to donate their estates to Israel rather than forcing Congressmen here to use the taxpayers monies to prop up the government there . Mind you isn’t the US currently doing the same in Afghanistan and Iraq ?
LOL,LOL,LOL !!!
Billionaire Sheldon Adelson .
Charles and David Koch .
Not exactly the Three Wise Men .
tophatal ……….
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Never trust a person with squinty eyes…Koch the younger looks really snakey……the other not so bad. One can tell a lot by studying the eyes
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Al Clements
Harry Reid (D-Nv) has been repeatedly critical of the Koch brothers and their donating tens of millions to subvert the electoral process while promoting a conservative agenda . What Reid has failed to point with his hypocrisy is the very fact he has accessed and asked for millions to be donated by Democratic Super Pacs to aid the party’s cause in the reelection of Democratic candidates .
“Harry the President has a new idea to promote and I think it’s a winner ! Masturbation while we’re seated in Congress ” . Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi
tophatal ………
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Its always the same. Don’t you do it, but it’s okay for me to do it. Politicians have spoken out of both sides of their mouths for years. They are all the same since it takes millions to run for any office at the state and federal level……my daughter is being paid 3000 per month plus benefits by the WVa Dems to direct campaign of a lady running for Fed Senate. Dau is Regional Director; she is just one of many…..was offered the statewide office but declined because nt more money and she would have to stay in Charleston, WVa…rent’s high.there and apts harder to come by. Soooo, the Dems are paying out lots of money that comes from all kinds of sources. Times all this by the number of paid personnel and then add the costs of media exposure. Seems her candidate is okay and has thus far ran a squeaky clean campaign. Here in Pa Tom Wolfe has spent 10 mil of his own money running for Pa Governor. Should be a law that people like the Kochs not be allowed to donate a damn dime since they are only doing it to benefit themselves.
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In the state of Florida their being asked to choose between the lesser of two evils , with Rick Scott (R-FL) , the incumbent , facing off against the flip flopping candidate Charlie Crist (first he’s a Republican then Independent , now Democrat) . The two candidates have spent in excess of $300 million combined with over 5,000 print and television ads being shown within the media . This hypocrisy of the US having a democratic system is one big joke , because Congress is not and has never been representative of the people much less those capable of voting being allowed to vote . Clearly not the case for those residing in Washington , DC .
It was their intent to fu#k over the state of Florida and its entire populace , but they have and will both continue to do so . Rick Scott , left and Charlie Crist .
After Ed Rendell in Pennsylvania , what else would you expect of Tom Corbett ?
See if you can spot the phony ? Ed Rendell & Tom Corbett
tophatal ……
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TWO phonies. Best thing that happened in Pa was when Rendell left to take over Homeland Secrity….his Lt Govwas aesome. Need to go back more than a few years….Congress DID rep the citizens….iffen they didn’t they were not just not reelected….some were tarred and feathered and run out on a rail….hmmmm, seems to be a great idea. Another thing, bring back public executions BY HANGING!!
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Al Clements
Look at how short Rendell’s tenure was with that particular Federal Agency ? His being in charge of DHS was like handing the keys to the candy store to a thief , being given the keys to the vault at the Department of the Treasury or Fort Knox .
Ed Rendell has not got one iota of integrity .
tophatal ……….
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Sorry for not being around for sooo long….too much to do and no time, then computer just went nuts…..read some of your stuff, but too much to get back to you…….anyway, hopr you had a Merry Christmas and that you WILL have a Happy New Year!
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Al Clements
Good to hear from you ! I trust you and the immediate members of the family as well as many of your closest friends had a wonderful Christmas ?
I expect you’re hoping to see big things from Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend when they open up their postseason schedule ? Hopefully they can survive that first hurdle > and quite possibly make a deep playoff run , just as long as they don’t get one over on my beloved New England Patriots .
With regard to the technical issues and the computer , hopefully you get the problem resolved .
A Prosperous 15 for you Al and also for the immediate members of the family.
Just go with the flow at this time of the year.
Tophatal ……………..
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Well….had a visit from an alien….my oldest daughter came up from Morgantown. My Mother-in-law and her son were down on Thanksgiving so it wasn’t a bad Holiday season. Computer running okay, caught up a lot and cleared things, so running ok.
As to the Steelers, kinda hope Bell might be out and Ravens are tough…..Bell just might play but if he aggravates the knee might not bode well if they get past the Ravens. They are playing at a high level now…..but……… Like to see them get past Brady, but who knows Brady is awesome.
Hope yor new year is all that and a bag of chips/////galfriend and you still an item?? Hope all is well with that.
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Al Clements
I’m on a break from the girlfriend , as she stated … , ” needed some space ” to see where her life was heading . I’ve given her enough space , while back on the scene. A good friend of mine whose sister is up from the Jamaica to spend some time with the family has caught my eye and she’s reciprocated by letting me know she’s interested . At the same time , my new neighbors two single females are definitely on my radar . Both young , athletic looking and damn voluptuous . One of the pairing is actually lesbian , but she has intimated that she still loves guys . So there’s a chance I could return her back to becoming a ” switch hitter” . LOL,LOL,LOL !!!
” I don’t always masturbate a great deal, but when I do , I have my Dos Equis in one hand and my pe#is in the other . Man, do I feel good then ” !
Tophatal ……..
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The holiday festivities have been great with the familial tree growing to where we currently have four generations in existence . My brother became a grandfather for the first time with a grandson named Noah . His daughter lives and works in Ireland as a sales’ representative for a major oil company. Her fiance works as engineer for the very same company (SAS Petroleum) traveling to various parts of the globe as a petrochemical engineer working either on the oil rigs at sea or on land . My grand-niece , my sister’s granddaughter will be having her third child in March ( another girl, her third) .
Good to hear the news about the computer . If it went kaput , I could imagine you running off to Walmart to take advantage of their deep discounts (50% or more) on electronics ..
It’s good to see the Pittsburgh Steelers back in the postseason and hopefully , it can lead to something big for Mike Tomlin and his players. The rivalry between the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in recent years has become very heated and animated. That match-up between quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco could be something really special as perhaps the best game during the wildcard round of the postseason .
NFL
NFL news
NFL injuries
NFL player stats week 18(NFL postseason)
NFL team stats week 18 (2013 postseason)
Tophatal ………..
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Well I am glad that you have some female companionship to look forward and into. Would I like to be younger and have that “problem”. Ah, those were the days. Glad also to see your family growing and doing well.
As to the Steelers, what can I say? They played a terrible game….thought they would go to the next level as I watched the Ravens have miscues early on in the game….thought it would continue, but, twas not meant to be. They really needed Bell in the game, not only for his running, if not limited, but his reception ability….really think that would have made a BIG difference. What pissed me was the same thing about the defense…..hold opposing offense unitl third and long, then victimized by long pass receptions…..occurred too frequently this year….still, had Bell been in, healthy, think they would have won……..don’t think the Ravens will be able to win at New England, dislike them so much that I am pulling for Brady and company to win. Like Marvin Lewis, but Dalton will never win a big one, seems he just cannot get out of his own way.
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Al Clements
It was a disappointing display from the Pittsburgh Steelers and of even greater dismay was the fact Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff failed so miserably in making any changes to counter the Baltimore Ravens’ offense during the game . The result in this contest was a shock , as I believed the Steelers would have been far more competitive throughout the contest.
This might be the last year we actually see Troy Polamalu in a Steelers’ uniform as I believe he is no longer the dominant defensive player at the height of his career when he was a perennial Pro Bowl caliber player for the Steelers .
In the case of the Cincinnati Bengals , they were simply no match for Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts who simply had their way with a listless Bengals’ team whose offense and defense were not in sync at any point during t his game .
Luck to my mind has been the best quarterback drafted in the NFL since 2010 with the exception of the Seattle Seahawks’ starting quarterback and Superbowl winner Russell Wilson , whose game has simply grown since his first start start> game in the league.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas festivities and the New Year’s in particular , having been able to speak to members of the family back in the UK . In the coming week and a half I’ll be meeting up with several of my former military buddies as they will in Central Florida (Orlando) . We’ll spend some time no doubt reminiscing as well as partying , no doubt .
I trust yourself and members of the immediate family enjoyed the holiday season and hopefully your Christmas stocking was filled with some real goodies ?
As and when you’re ready by all means check out the latest pieces within the site and let me know what you think .
🙂
Tophatal ….
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