unclevlad

At what point has Trump's behavior while in office been anything else? Oh, and you forgot bullying because he still has the bigger stick. It would be interesting, if too little too late, if Congress passes the authorization bills, Trump veto-pouts, and they override.

I'm afraid that will be a very, very big "if." I doubt theaters will be able to reopen in most areas before, say, July. The mall evicting the cineplex...what else can they do? But it's a foreshadow, too; how many malls and shopping centers are going to collapse because they're going to lose so many tenants, especially in combination with their general downward trajectory anyway?

Interesting. I don't do that much number crunching any more, but one never knows. Besides, it'll be something do to over the long winter quarantine.

I could also live with just disbarment, and loss of voting privileges.

I preferred Schweppes too. Never tried the heritage, but I dropped all soft drinks several years ago when I found out my blood was doing a good imitation of syrup. That actually sounds really good; cinnamon and ginger play quite nicely with each other. Hmm...I need to get some processed ginger, the dried doesn't ever cut it. Almod flour muffins...or the occasional pancake (not very big, mind)...with ginger and cinnamon. I love using cake spice for this, but my favorite spice dealer dropped theirs. The only problem in ginger ale is, it obviously goes flat in the process of mixing it in....

Who else started hearing Asia in their heads?

Unfortunately that seems too likely. Didn't quite reach 3000 today, but it's squarely in sight, sorry to say.

I didn't read past the headline, but there was, IIRC, a CNN article (might've been NYT) talking about California's relative paucity of hospital beds. One sensible (IMO) guide to how tight restrictions should be, is how close you are to hitting full capacity. So some of this could be an indictment of long-term spending policies at state and local levels. And possibly of the voter base; how much of this was denying funding? And how much of this was a side effect of spending restrictions...doesn't Cali have a balanced budget requirement? Seems like long-term investment might be delayed in favor of more pressing needs...oops.

The NBA can make things more complicated than any other league can imagine. From ESPN, details on the draft pick: Feels like the Wizards GM is just sacrificing something that the *next* GM might've wanted. Otherwise, it's just trading problem children. Harden is a different issue. Personally, I think he's even more toxic to a team; he's far too much of a ball hog. But his numbers are insane; his talent is huge. That means Houston has to ask for the sun, the moon, the stars, and a few alternate dimensions in order to make it worthwhile...for a player who won't fit anywhere, IMO. Or, if you prefer, fit in anywhere.

Yeah...that's pretty bush-league. Herbstreit's had a few of those. On other college football news https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30444422/knight-commission-endorses-fbs-split-ncaa This would be radical; I also give it little or no chance to succeed, both in the sense that I don't think the separation will occur, and that if it does, the logistics of universities trying to serve 2 masters will be untenable.

So Adam Gase has just basically signed his own pink slip. Reported by ESPN: Hint to ownership: there is now NO reason to keep him the rest of this season. (If there was any before, that is.)

Ugh. Double ugh. Another day with 200K+ new cases. And most deaths in a single day yet...over 2800. NYT had an article this morning showing there's been a rather strong correlation between new cases, and deaths 3 weeks later; 1.7% of new cases -> deaths. So we're probably looking at an average of 3,000 deaths per day between now and Christmas...if not more, if the Thanksgiving travel and celebrations create the surge that's feared. We'll blow through 300,000 deaths before then; we're just under 280,000 now. So it's looking more like 350,000 by New Years. <sigh> And I'm very much afraid the death rate will worsen, as hospitals can't keep up. Current hospitalizations now exceed 100,000.

I wish I'd bet this weekend. Miami to cover: check. Take the Under (Mia/Den): check. Steelers to cover: argh. I'm reminded of the Broncos-Ravens playoff game in Denver where the cornerback blew it and gave, what, either the tying or winning TD in the last seconds. Take the under (Ravens/Steelers): check. So 3 out of 4.

I think it's more fair to say it's ACC (read, basically, Clemson) and SEC, in terms of the CFP. Last 6 years: SEC: 7 (Alabama 5, LSU, Georgia) ACC: 6 (Clemson 5, FSU) Big 10: 4 (OSU 3, Mich State) Big 12: 4 (Oklahoma) Pac 12: 2 (Oregon, Washington) Notre Dame 1 Even that's a little misleading; there's been no year where the SEC champ wasn't a lock. The ACC is Clemson and the Minnows, mostly. I think the Big 10 and Big 12 are more or less equivalent; they both have to play their way in. Depth is suspect in both, too. The Big 12 gets the "no D conference" knock; the Big 10 is IMO overrated. The Pac 12 is no better than several mid-majors...in both football and basketball. Which is weird to me; you'd expect both to be better. If Texas wants to leave...to go where? The SEC and ACC are already too big, IMO, altho of course they'll never think that. But there are already notable scheduling issues with these massive conferences. Would Texas even *want* to be in the SEC, where they'd be no better than about the #4 school in football (Alabama, Georgia, LSU or Florida)? Pac 12 is a terrible geographic fit; I think absorbing Colorado and Utah hurt them already, much less Texas and perhaps Oklahoma. I also doubt they'd be a good cultural fit. Same arguments apply to Oklahoma.

Steelers escape the half with the lead. Yeah, I didn't expect it'd be anything like this close, but the Steelers have blown a *bunch* of plays too. Methinks Tomlin is Not A Happy Camper.

Yeah, before this year, there was a game delayed due to heavy snow in Philly and played on a Tuesday; got to go back to the dark ages to find another. Pre-live TV. But this is a first today. And hopefully the last. I doubt anyone wants to repeat this circus. One of the NYT writers used that word, even, in talking about things. Only Seattle hasn't been hit. The Bronco mess. The total mess of the game today. San Francisco is talking about playing in Phoenix...which actually has a HIGHER per capita case rate. (Almost 50% higher.) The writer advocates just ending the season, but things would have to get much worse before they'll do that. Not this far in.

Interesting article about the Southwest Conference and its...issues. https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30424417/i-wishof-well-demise-southwest-conference-25-years-later

Broncos got what they deserved. Ravens? Debatable. If they broke protocol, they deserve a major fine and loss of a draft pick...like, 2nd or 3rd round. They're STILL showing new positive tests, tho. So one has to ask: if the game had been played before this, how much would the *Steelers* been at risk? And obviously they don't deserve that. Part of the problem is the policies; part of it is the intransigence to forfeit, and some of that is the debatable policy choice to not pay players in the event a game's cancelled. To be sure, that policy could get complex, but it should've been manageable. Much of it is contracts, tho. Media contracts. The power of the media is clear tomorrow: the game's being played at the incredibly odd time of 3:40 local. Why not later? NBC has the tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center. THEY set the priorities here. I figure a lot of this is that they've got a lot more leverage because of the multiple shifts, but still, it's remarkable.

I literally want to cry right now.....

Wellll... If the Steelers beat the massively depleted Ravens, as everyone expects (the line's Steelers -10.5, and I'd still bet the Steelers), then they're 6-5 and tied with the Raiders for the 8 spot. The Browns still have games against the Giants and the Jets; one they should win easily, and the Jets are...the Jets. So that's 10 wins. Other games are Titans, Ravens (probably AFTER they get everyone back) and Steelers in week 17. This *could* be a big game...or a nothing game for the Steelers. Assuming they win the 2 they need to win, then beating the either the Ravens or Titans should give them a lock. An interesting aspect, when it gets down to this, is that wild card seeding will be interesting. You definitely do NOT!!! want the 7 seed; that's shipping you off to either Pittsburgh or KC, and, well, a near-certain short stay. Not quite as amusing as the NFC, of course, where if the choice is the 2 seed or the 5 seed...I want the 5 seed.

Sorry, you can't claim statements like that are a joke in the position you're in. Heck, one of us trying to claim it on a board like this would be held accountable. It's absolutely beyond the pale. And apropos, there is this: https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/01/politics/trump-rudy-giuliani-pardons/index.html Since that clown works for Guiliani.... And Hannity is already suggesting Trump pardon himself, but hey, that was simply a matter of time.

Yep, and they have the size and presumably endowments to make a run. Believe it or not, they're the single largest university in the country; they claim over 100,000 enrolled, other sites show 80,000...but that's still the largest. And they're private, and NOT cheap. There are larger systems; University of California comes to mind. But that's the largest single school.

Yet Trump continues to blast any Republican official of any level who doesn't fall into the lockstep of his ridiculous claim. One has to wonder: a) will he can Barr? I would be shocked, mind; Barr's been incredibly staunch; he's been Trump's total lapdog. b) is Trump *trying* to fracture the Republican Party? Or is it simply the Trump narcissism kicking in, and there's no thought at all to the consequences? I'll grant that the latter has considerable support, but one can't ignore the possibility he *is* trying to do that, and attach most of it to him.

I know which one I'd prefer.

There are at least 5 cancelled already: Sun Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Redbox Bowl (cancelled way back in June), Bahamas Bowl, and Hawaii Bowl. The New Mexico Bowl has to be in grave doubt; we are just now coming out of a 2 week broad shutdown. How many will be missed by fans? Not many; the few games where one has direct, rooting interest perhaps. But even then, this year, ya gotta figure a fair chunk of fans aren't as interested as usual. But they do tend to be notable charity foci, so that will be felt in those cities. EDIT: Correction...7 cancelled. https://dknation.draftkings.com/2020/11/30/21753217/2020-bowl-games-list-schedule-canceled-games-college-football-playoff-conference-tie-ins-results Quick Lane Bowl and, the biggest so far, the Holiday Bowl.