Wildflower Seed in the Sand and Wind

My eyes-Help them to Look as well as to See

Name:
Location: The Triangle, North Carolina, United States

I try to keep an open heart & open mind.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Overhead in an Irish Pub in a Southeastern City on a Friday Night

The smell of mussells and cigar smoke wafting through the air...

Irish boy: (in lyrical Irish brogue talking to an American boy) Do you know what the difference is between American and Irish girls?

American boy: No, what?

Irish boy: Well, with American girls you can meet them at a bar one night, take them home, and go all the way. But not with Irish girls. With Irish girls you have to meet their families and all that shit.

American boy: That's cool.

Irish boy: (emphatically) No it's not!

Friday, November 17, 2006

Parallel Universes

I couldn't help but notice a few striking similarities between two seemingly unrelated people in the news.

I have alluded to the fact that I am an avid Florida State football fan. I have also subtley expressed my disdain and disappointment with a certain offensive coordinator. I must admit that the news that was released earlier this week regarding the departure of said offensive coordinator elated and satisfied me immensely.

And as my husband pointed out there are some eerie coincidences between the Bowden football coaching legacy and another powerful legacy that is currently dragging our country into the crapper.

Case in point:

Nepotism:

Oh kind and giving nepotism, you give cushy jobs and all sorts of advantages based on bloodlines and last names. The all powerful Coach Bowden (definitely in Tallahassee, but also in sport analyst circles) granted a top coaching position to his son.

The once powerful elder President Bush gave many jobs and opportunities to his son-admission to prestigious colleges, baseball team owner, oil executive-and in cahoots with one of his other sons who was playing the part of Governor and the Florida state attorney general (who may or may not be a robot constructed by the GOP) gave the most powerful and important position in the free world.

Ineptitude:

Jeff Bowden has not proven to be a skilled or stategic offensive coordinator. If you check the stats pre-Jeff and compare them to stats with Jeff you can only come to the logical conclusion that something has been lacking in the offense department. Maybe not yardage stats but I bet first down stats are considerably down-and there's nothing more frustrating than 3 in 3 out in the game of football, except maybe wide right, or even wide left field goal attempts to lose the game.

Current President has proven his general ineptitude countless times, that I will not go into any more detail than to advise you to just check out the world news and current events.

Stay the Course
Bobby Bowden actually uttered these words in speaking to the media about the firestorm of criticism that has been brewing most season and unleashed after the embarrassing loss to Wake Forest. He is a stubborn old coot, alright, who is either too proud to admit when something isn't working and doing something about it or is starting to falter in his coaching capacties.

The old addage if it ain't broke don't fix it should be reworded to "If it's broke, do absolutely nothing to fix it and remain stubborn in admitting there even is a problem."

We know all too well the "stay the course" rhetoric that the eldest Bush peddled to us during the first Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm. And "like father like son" the younger Bush has stubbornly refused to admit failed policy and strategy in the current Iraq War.

Football and the Global Stage
The game of football pits opposing teams against each other. The players take the field in their uniforms hitting, pushing, and struggling their way towards their objective. Victory is sweet to those who succeed and losing is very costly. School pride, bragging rights, power, resources, and prestige are gained from victories on the field. Players sometimes get injured and removed from the game. Fans stand on the sidelines cheering or groaning depending on the turn of events. Strategies are planned and executed-sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

It would be glib to compare football to war and global conflict. But there are similarities-opposing viewpoints about religion, territory, and perceived inequities pit nations and people against each other. The soldiers take the field in their fatigues and camouflague shooting, bombing, and struggling their ways towards an objective. Victory is sweet to those who succeed and losing is very costly. National pride, power, resources, and prestige are gained from victories in battle. Soldiers sometimes get injured, sometimes killed, and are removed from the battlefield and sometimes from their lives. Pundits and nations stand on the outskirst of war cheering or crying depending on the outcome of events. Military strategies are planned and executed-sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

The big difference is that things not going well on the football field is disappointing and frustrating. But on the battlefield, it's heartbreaking and devastating.

I just hope that people have the courage to tell the emperor when he's naked, regardless of power and legacy.