Hank, Hitler, The Three Stooges and Why Crack is Wack

I must admit, the one sucky part about having a blog site is, well…having a life.  Because I don’t blog for a living (oh, one sweet day), when I don’t hunker down and just commit an undisturbed hour just to posting, usually my job, family and/or wooo-saww time will take precedence over my writing.  What is even suckier about this is that 9 times of out 10, when I get into a perpetual state of busyness, I usually miss an opportunity to “break” a great post based on the recent lunacy going on in society or politics.  This was my cross to bear on Tuesday morning while jotting down notes on my sticky pad about Hank Williams, Jr. and why I didn’t really consider him a racist, but by all accounts, a likely indiscriminant abuser of substances both of the legal and illegal variety.

For those gluttons for punishment that actually watch the morning news show Fox and Friends, you get a pass this week, because for once, the “fair and balanced” network produced a rather entertaining segment that left the shows anchors as equally dumbfounded as the rest of us.  Now for those who have eternally sworn off Faux News, let me fill you in.

For reasons that only Rupert Murdoch’s receding hairline would know, Hank Williams, Jr. was invited to the show Monday, and not to ask the hosts if they were “ready for some football.”  In black-out shades, appearing torn all the way up, and between a somewhat creepy attempt at seduction with host Gretchen Carlson, Williams proceeded to display just how little he knew about politics…and math.

When asked who he favored in the GOP race, Hank replied with a swift, “nobody!” and then began his tirade about how the photo-oped golf excursion between President Obama and Speaker of the House Boehner was the worst political mistake ever.  Why? You ask.  Well, because according to the country singer, The Three Stooges are the enemy (1. Obama  2. Biden and 3. ??) and shouldn’t be engaging in any acts of civility across party lines.  Doing so would be like Hitler and Netanyahu working together to lower their golf handicaps.

But before everyone condemns Bocephus as being a racist, lets note that he did admit to liking  businessman and former Godfather Pizza mogul Hermain Cain as a presidential contender (although if he is always donning those black-out shades, it is possible that he might not realize that Cain is significantly melanin infused).  Also, Williams never called President Obama Hitler, he just made an obtuse dumb@$# comparison which suggested that in this extremely polarized country, our leaders shouldn’t be interested in bi-partisanship…and especially not on a golf course.  Now were Hank Williams’ comments bizarre times ten? Absolutely.  Did he further prove why staying abreast of the political process is so important? Sho’ did.  Was he effective in confusing and actually stunning the Fox & Friends hosts into an uncomfortable silence? You betcha.  Should Fox News more carefully vet their interviewees before going live from now on? Good luck with that one.

Seriously though, while Hank Jr. did make an off-hand and unfunny comparison between “OBAMA!” and the fuhrer with the worst mustache in history, all he was truly guilty of was being morosely ignorant, inarticulate and exemplifying drunkardness well before noon; offenses, yes. But none so great that the end result should’ve been ESPN pulling Williams’ iconic intro from the Monday Night Football game.  If we really want to tell the truth and shame the devil, Williams came to the show ill-prepared to talk politics and ultimately got called out on his incongruous statements regarding GOP candidate support and got surprisingly shut down when co-host Brian Kilmeade basically told him that his Hitler comparison was nonsensical.

Look folks, if we get bent out of shape every single time someone makes an asinine statement and turns it into a political talking point for dummies, then we will need neck braces, crutches and a chiropractor before too long.  I think this appearance by Williams on Fox & Friends was one of those telling moments where idiocy was exposed in its most basic and incoherent form, and that was a good thing.  Let the man have his inebriated opinions.  Just remember that if we truly want our politics to be effective and substantive, we have to first identify the white noise for what it is, and then simply filter it out to make room for true logic and discourse.

Overtime & THE Monday Night Rivalry

Sorry, nothing philosophical today folks.  Actually, I’m in Monday night prep mode for the rest of my week.  With my assistant having just gotten married this past weekend and his plans to honeymoon in the Caribbean until the beginning of October, I figured that as opposed to having to train and pay a temp or to struggle through some long and arduous days, I will be bringing the excess work home.

But don’t cry for me Argentina.  Although I will likely be working into the wee hours, I do have my Skins on Monday Night Football to keep me warm tonight. And with Tony Romo clearly continuing to bet against Dallas (if his recent playing is any indicator), I am feeling quite comfortable that the Redskins will help to alleviate a lot of my workload discontent this evening!

Monday Night Massacre

Let me just go ahead and put it out there by stating that I have nothing to say with regard to the utter shellacking that the Washington Redskins endured last night…well that isn’t exactly true. 

As hopeful as I was that the Skins would go 2-0 against the Eagles and remain undefeated in the division, it clearly was not meant to be, and I’ve made my peace with that fact.  And although I’m convinced but just cannot prove what kind of sedative some vindictive Eagles fan laced The Hog’s Gatorade cooler with before they took the field last night, it doesn’t really matter because clearly The Eagles came to Chocolate City to show and prove…and in a BIG, 59 point way!

But as disappointed (not quite on suicide watch, but close) as I am about such an excruciating loss and the fact that The Washington Redskins now rival The Dallas Cowboys as the bane of the league’s (and my) existence, I can’t be a hater and not congratulate Michael Vick, Andy Reid and the Eagles for their stellar, record breaking evening.  If anyone deserves a night of total redemption, it is Vick, and I have to admit that I am genuinely happy for what can only be described as his NFL “Player of The Year” Performance on the Monday Night stage.

Still, for as much as I refuse to talk particulars about the game that pretty much solidified The Skins as one of the most talent deficient teams in the league right now, there were a couple of things about the game and Tuesday-Morning-Quaterbacking-Analysis that had me wanting to throw a flag or two. 

• Like for starters, with the comprehensive clinic that Michael Vick put on last night, I could not believe how many times his prison bid was referenced.  I do understand that some of the commentators last night were trying to put Vick’s accomplishments into perspective and bring the viewing audience full circle, but I honestly could not help but feel that there were those who tried to diminish Vick’s accomplishments by choosing to dwell on his past; a past that he spent 18 months and then some, being contrite for.

 

• Then of course, there was the whole Donavan McNabb bashing.  While his three picks likely had his Fantasy Football selectors banging their heads against the TV set, had his 17 for 31 completions, 298-yards and two touchdowns stats occurred on any other night, his production would hardly be considered abysmal.  But because his performance was associated with such a staggering loss, the outcry from people began to suggest that McNabb was not worth the 5-year, $78 Million contract that he had signed just hours before the game. Now granted, before last night, Washington sat at .500 and 3^rd in the NFC East, but folks are acting as if last night’s performance was all on #5.  Throughout the night, McNabb threw several catchable passes to a butterfingers receiving core, his offensive line was more miss than hit, and don’t even get me started on the stumbling secondary or that quitting D-Line (I’m looking right at you Albert Haynesworth).  Besides, when compared side-by-side with Vick, who has the best QB rating in the NFL, it’ll make any quarterback; not just McNabb, look inadequate (let us not forget, Peyton fared similarly just last week).  But all in all, Washington lost last night’s game as a collective unit, and to somehow insinuate that Donovan is a washout and undeserving of his contract seems more than insulting, and a little hate-laced to me.

 

• And speaking of haters, is it just me or do you too find it amazing that for a dude that practically no team wanted to touch just a season ago, Terrell Owens sure has a lot to say about someone who would still be considered a battle-tested, viable pickup.  For the sensible amongst us who don’t make a habit of hanging on his every word, Ownes decided to sound-off on the McNabb contract situation last evening while watching The Skins’ 59-28 loss:

I suppose that the criticism would be warranted in my eyes if T.O. hadn’t already tried to share his glass of haterade with the masses a few weeks earlier when he co-signed on Mike Shanahan’s decision to bench McNabb in last month’s loss to the Lions.  Ochocinco’s Shadow implied then that back when they both were Eagles, there was talk on the team that McNabb’s inability to run the hurry up offense was a bone of contention amongst members of the squad.  Now, it is apparent to me that T.O. has a very long-standing grudge against McNabb for likely contributing to his ousting from Philly, but for him to always have something to say about the man makes him appear quite petty and imprudent (claims I’m sure he’s heard before).  And, it just boggles my mind how Owens has time to bash McNabb, host the T.Ocho Show, and show up to run routes for the Bengals every Sunday. I’m thinking that if he left the hating to those who get paid to do so, he might actually have enough time in his week to help get the Bengals a winning record.  And as far as his discontent with Donovan, perhaps next season on VH1 we’ll see him in his therapist’s office having one really good cry to purge McNabb from his system once and for all.

Humph…maybe I did have a little more to say than I let on.  But now that I’ve properly vented, here’s hoping that The Skins are taking this loss as the ultimate teachable moment for next week at Tennessee, and for the remainder of the season (that is of course, after they’ve completed their collective grief counseling sessions this week)!