RED SOX VS YANKEES -- FOOTBALL STYLE

It can’t happen in baseball. The Red Sox cannot play the Yankees in a World Series. It is not in the rules that way. They are in the same league and in the same division. But, we get a symbolic representation that is not even available to us in basketball, in the final game of the football season.

This is a game that will divide families create crazy wagers, cause speculation across a continent, Facebook arguments – all of which mean nothing by the time the 11 0’clock news rolls on February 5th. Yes, families will make some wagers that come from their depths of despair that somehow betting crazily will drive the outcome as we want it to be. Facebook posting that span the US from California to New Jersey and New York will have a taint of some “in your face” attitude. I guess that is the East Coast style!

So many fans of the Red Sox Nation are on the west coast, it is hard to imagine the vitriol in the greater Boston area if this is the way it is in laid back California! Yes, the Giants are sentimental favorites, so many greats played for them long before there was an AFL and then later and AFC. But those days are just a distant memory and sentiment is rooted in regionalism. The Red Sox Nation is just such regionalism. I am not sure that it is a coincidence that the Red Sox just started to distribute their 2012 season tickets and the teams for the Super Bowl have been determined. The Super Bowl is being played in the same month that pitchers and catchers have to report. (See my blog on How Long is Too Long).

The fact that the game is being played in the mid-west does not tone down the biased rhetoric. There will be people attending the game from both coasts – mostly the east that believe that Indianapolis is a fly over city, an excuse for the airlines to charge more for coast to coast flights. I have friend that lives there – just relocated from the Boston area. My friend was not used to living in a city that harbored the worst team in the NFL – but his dreams are being answered. He is living in a city where his team (Patriots) is playing for the championship. Problem: on Monday February 6th, it will be Indianapolis again, not the Super Bowl city.

I hear that Indianapolis is quite a beautiful city. I have been there a few ties, but many years ago. The lure of Indianapolis has not reawakened and except for the Super the lure will still be just dangling in the water.

It is a good thing I learned to text. That way I can stay in immediate touch with those of like minded loyalties and can nudge those of opposite loyalties. Of course, I will have suffer their comments if my team does not perform as expected or hoped. In a sixty minute game that will span about four hours there will be texts of varying intensities based upon what is happening on the field of play. We all understand that we have absolutely no control over the play – we can just comment on it.

February 5th will be a great day, I can’t say “no matter who wins.” My loyalties are with the Patriots.

That is my take, you decide.

REMEMBER THE CLOWN CAR IN THE CIRCUS?

As a kid I loved the circus and no, clowns did not scare me until now. I will get to that point quickly. I am looking the Republican field of presidential potentials and I am reminded of the clown car from the circus.

The car would enter the center ring and clowns would start to get out of the car in a succession that leaves the audience wondering how they got into the car in the first place and how so many can fit in the clown car. We have the political version of the clown car. Somepeople are very scared of clowns - remember Chucky? Now I know why!  What scares me is the remote possibility that one of these clowns could be president. Growing up I was told that anyone can become the President of the United States. Something we could all aspire to, so there is no surprise that some of  these clowns are running.

First there is female clown. She is little and petite as is her brain. As she was stuffed into the car her husband was so jealous because he is the closet clown and wanted to be sitting on top of the other clowns or have them on top of him. He is also the prayer clown. I hate to think of what he might have been praying for if he was in the car.

Then there is the fat clown. Frankly, it is fundamental that there be a fat clown. No one wants him the car. He takes up too much room and many of his comments have the same odious distinctions that make being in that car tantamount to torture. Frankly, his wife wanted him to be the first out of the car because holding her smile for a long period time is getting painful – for him and everyone else. He also wanted out because everyone else was piling piling on top of him. Hey, when you have record that is also odious, well, everyone is gonna get a whiff!

Then came the cowboy clown. Out of the car like he was being thrown from a bull or was he throwing the bull? What was his name – I can’t remember. That is Ok – neither can he. He didn’t like being in the clown car but he had no choice. The other clowns have stopped paying attention to him, except when he speaks – then everyone needs a boot scraper.

Sliding through the mess is the skinny clown. He is out and he is mad. He had to follow the rules when he was in the car. He wanted to make his own rules because he claims it is his right. However, if anyone suffocated in the car, too bad, he is not going to do a thing to help them. – they have to take care of themselves. It is not his responsibility to assist a fellow clown. He is the “individual” clown.

Then there is the fecal matter clown. (I kid you not, here is what Google says: “santorum” - I suggest that you Google the word it is  kind of gross!.) Can you imagine how the other clowns felt being in that situation. So, that is what the lady clown’s husband was so excited about! That seems  to define what his views are. I have noticed that he has no argument on economics as the economy seems to be getting better. No arguments with national security because we have a bad ass president that is nailing the bad guys. So, what is his focus: sodomy, gay marriage, racism? Hmmm! You gotta kinda wunda!

Then there is the quiet clown. I have a hard time characterizing him as clown, but he stuffed himself in the cars and assumed the mantle. He is smart, good looking and has international experience. The question to be asked is, “Why is he associating with these clowns?” He doesn’t have a shot! Guilt by association.

Then there is the smiley clown, the chameleon clown, the Brooks Brother’s clown. He is the clown that shot out last from the car to be first in the clown race. This is his second time in the clown car. The problem is he is more than one clown. The other clowns don’t like him – in fact no one in the clown car or their audience likes him. He is too liberal. He is not on the right enough – he is not of the right religion. They have a myriad of arguments as to why they don’t like the smiley clown. Mostly, they don’t trust him because he changes his positions on everything. You should have seen him in the clown car, he was trying to change his position to get to the top of the clown pile when he ran into a pile of santorum.  He was just eight votes away from being under the pile!

This is better than the actual circus. There are people that do nothing but clean up after the elephants and other circus animals. These clowns need the same kind of follow up!

This is my take – you decide.