Dems Should Rattle the Markets

The great political journalist Paul Kane reports on the the Kabuki theater of a "clean" debt-ceiling vote that will occur this evening and "prove" that there isn't support, or at least a majority vote, for an increase in the national debt limit without some sort of fiscal action. The GOP is taking great pains to reassure Wall Street that this vote is merely symbolic while they continue their extreme demands for massive social spending cuts and the elimination of Medicare as the cost for their vote sometime in the near future. Their demands are patently reckless and irresponsible

My question is why Democrats have to be the responsible party solely concerned with the nation's debt rating, particularly since Republicans are so extreme on the other side of this issue?

Why don't Dems adopt Republican tactics in response and try to unsettle the markets by suggesting that they won't vote for any "unclean" debt ceiling vote? Boehner will need some Democratic support for any unclean increase and of course McConnell will need the same in the Senate. 

Better to rattle Wall Street now and have the GOP businessmen bring pressure to bear on their Republican puppets, rather than let insane Republican demands drive all of the negotiations.

Unfortunately, Dems don't do crazy. Unless it's Cynthia McKinney or Maxine Waters. Whereas crazy is running the House GOP leadership (Boehner excepted but complicit).

Mucho Illegal

LA police have arrested Giovanni Ramirez in the savage beating of Bryan Stow at Dodgers Stadium. Stow's crime in Ramirez's eyes was that Stow was a Giants fan.

The LA Times is reporting that Ramirez is a member of a Mexican street gang, the Varrio Nuevo Estrada. With estimates that up to 60% of such gang members are illegal immigrants, it's fair to ask if Ramirez is. And since Ramirez "has at least three prior felony convictions. According to police sources, he was convicted of attempted robbery in 1998, robbery in 1999, and firing a weapon in a public place in 2005," according to the LA Times, it is definitely worth pursuing an investigation as to whether Ramirez should have already been deported before he left the 42 year-old white father of two in a coma with brain damage.

Debt Do Us Part

If I were a Democrat, I would immediately introduce a bill directing the Treasury to pay armed services personnel and social security recipients ahead of bondholders in the event the Congress doesn't raise the debt limit and the country defaults on its obligations. It sets up a nice contrast to the money changers in the House temple who want to pay off bondholders before any others.

Another reason to Hate the Yankees & Cowboys

Just another reason why fans are increasingly better off watching games on their high-def TVs at home, the Yankees and Cowboys ding you an additional 20% above and beyond the posted price for concession food. Incredible!

Though come to think of it and especially as it relates to the Vikings stadium situation, adding a 20% surcharge on all concession sales at a stadium would seem to be a great revenue stream to help pay for said stadium's construction.

The Anti-Trust League

My favorite line from the most recent 8th Circuit ruling is this part of the dissent:

The NFL also argues, in the absence of a stay, its clubs will be required to "produce their inherently joint and collective product," which in turn will subject the League to further antitrust claims by the Players. Each of these arguments is questionable given the current juncture of affairs. The preliminary injunction does not dictate the NFL's free agency rules, or any other conduct in general, outside of the lockout. Moreover, the fact the NFL must comply with the law, i.e., the Sherman Act, does not constitute irreparable harm — it is the absolute minimum that could be expected of the League.

Yes, negotiating leverage is important in this labor dispute. But doesn't this suggest that lifting the lockout is much more about the NFLPA gaining leverage (at the expense of the league) but about the league being at risk of violating anti-trust law if it has to re-start operations?

Negotiation Limits

Only moronic democrats (or crypto-Republicans - it's hard to tell the difference) like Turbo Timmy Geithner would come up with a strategy to deal with House Republican hostage taking of the debt limit by delaying the crisis so that the Obama administration can eventually acquiesce to most of the Tea Party's demands. The debt limit was reached today. Rather than delaying the day of reckoning, why hasn't the administration tried to accelerate the debt issue and force Republicans to vote on the issue before they could organize their demands?

Dead on Rick Reilly

ESPN's Rick Reilly reevaluates the 2006-08 drafts - and reorders the picks based on how the selections have actually played, It's really surprising no one has done this on a league wide basis before.

Tow things that really jump out: for all of the criticism the Texans got for forsaking Reggie Bush in favor of Mario Williams, that pick stands the test of time. 

2nd: Reilly is a coldhearted SOB. He lists Gaines Adams (the #4 overall pick in the 2007 draft by the Bucs) as someone who wouldn't have been drafted in hindsight cause....Adams is now dead.  Wow.

A League year

The "league year" has not begun, which is why trades and free agent signings can't be conducted. But the draft is going forward. Does this mean that college players drafted this weekend will accrue a year of service when the league year actually begins?

Labor Law

Btw, I need to get a labor law expert to chime in, but how is it that - legally - the league can conduct this year's draft which, as I understand it, is be operated under the auspices of the CBA - when the CBA is expired and the players union doesn't even exist anymore?

Collusion Next?

In some ways, I'm shocked that the league hasn't postponed the draft because of the recent legal decisions.

At the very least, they need to come up with new work rules in light of the absence of a CBA and no lockout.

As of now, teams are able to trade players and sign free agents. if none do before the draft begins, or even shortly afterwards, I would imagine the players would have another lawsuit they could win related to collusion.

If i were the NFLPA, i would instruct players to again try to gain entry to team facilities today on the day of the draft and force teams to turn them away again - showing that while they have no plan for how to deal with players they are continuing with the draft.

Crazy.

Game 7

The Flyers live to play another round. And my Flyer fan friend, the Big O, nailed the game 7 prediction, accurately suggesting that if the Flyers could get a 2 goal lead in the 2nd perioed they would win the game, both of which occurred.

Birther

President Obama has released his "long form" birth certificate. In theory, the document should quell the lingering yet widespread doubts about his birthplace among conspiracy minded (or is it delusional) Republicans. Yet, the document also means that congressional Democrats missed (again) an opportunity to take the offensive and put their colleagues to a difficult vote.

Congressional Democrats should have introduced a privileged resolution affirming that Obama is a native born American and the duly elected President of the United States. Because all House and Senate members take an oath to uphold the constitution, their very positions require them to remove the president if they didn't believe him to be constitutionally qualified to be president. Democrats should have forced Republicans to vote on the record on the issue and try to drive at least a slight wedge between the elected officials and the tea party base.

But being Democrats, they of course chose to do nothing.

Game 7 Prediction

Flyer fan fave Big O's Game 7 Prediction:

First of all, you should both know that I predicted that this series was going to go 7, exclusively because of this team's deplorable goaltending situation. 

Prediction:  If we have a 2-3-goal lead by the middle of the 2nd period, we win. If not, its highly likely we lose, in overtime.

Great Minds Think Alike

My friend PK has the same thought with respect to the lockout injunction:

Good lord, could we be so lucky as to have trades and free-agent signings resume, even if it's just for 1 week? Deep down, if you're Eagles management, you've got to be praying for some break in the logjam so that we can unload Kolb. Right?
If we can unload him for a 1st rounder, we could be setting ourselves up to be real Super Bowl contenders for the next 2-3 seasons, depending on how healthy Vick can remain.

Lockout Injuction and Trading Kolb

I you read the comments on all the lockout stories on profootballtalk.com it is UNBELIEVABLE how many of their readers mindlessly support the owners and blame the players for "ruining" football. That was pre-yesterday's ruling. The vast majority of comments blamed the players for the lockout. Blamed the players for being too greedy, etc. it's incredible.

Now, post-lockout injunction ruling, most of the comments are blaming the players for trying to eliminate the draft, salary caps, veteran minimum salaries, and the overall competitiveness of the league. It is incredible.

Anyway, I posted a comment that while the ruling was a clear defeat for the owners the timing could not have been better for teams as it will allow them to sign and trade players in the run up and during the draft (assuming the judge doesn't rule on the league's stay request until post-draft). Including the Eagles and their disposition of Kolb.

BTW, did you see the reports that D'Brickshaw Ferguson showed up at the Jets facility today for his off-season workout (for which he earns $750,000 as a bonus) and was refused entry by security. Guess who will be suing the Jets for $750,000 when this work stoppage is resolved.

1st Round Roulette

Has any team ever started three different goalies in 6 games of a playoff series? Has any team ever won a playoff series while starting three different goalies?

The Flyers' seemingly perpetual goaltending revolving door - of starting net-minders who were just average at best (Ron Hextall's first time through, excepted) - is like the round robin of kickers the Eagles used to go through before they were able to find a go-to kicker in David Akers. Will the Flyers ever be able to win a Cup with their shortshriftedness of the goalie position.

Brian Boucher summarizes it thusly: "Isn't it always bizarre in Philadelphia for goaltenders?"

Indeed.

Sheen and Sports

It's funny that the news media, particularly the Washington Post, are making such a big deal about the police escort Charlie Sheen received the other day from the airport to his show. The Post's editors are in such high dudgeon that they merited the situation a critical editorial. Here's hoping that the Post and other news orgs remember their outrage about inappropriate use of police resources and escorts the next time a professional sports team - like the Redskins or their opponent, or the network announcers covering said game - get similar treatment.

Eagles to play Bills in Toronto

On either November 13 or the 30 per ProFootballTalk.com. Also per them, Mike Vick might have a hard time gaining entry to Canada for the game.

I've also heard speculation that the league will likely schedule a Giants/Jets Sunday night nationally televised game on 9/11, the 10th anniversary of the, well, 9/11 attacks. Toward that end, the Redskins are expected to host a game that day, too. Cause, you know, the Pentagon was also hit. What better way to celebrate than with a game by a team named for a city they don't play in to be held in a state where the attacks didn't occur.

I've also heard rumors that the Eagles will also host a game on 9/11 cause of the plane that crashed in Pa. But isn't that site closer to the Steelers than Eagles? Or will both Penna. teams get a home game that day?

That is, of course, if there is a season.

Victory

Barry Bonds was vindicated in his epic legal battle with federal prosecutors and jeff novinski, his own Inspector Javert.

he was found guilty of obstructing justice, but my money is on the judge overturning that verdict on May 20th. He "obstructed justice" by failing to answer a question clearly, not because he lied or gave false testimony.

Lincoln

Surprising that on the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War that the Nationals' didn't have President Abraham Lincoln win the "presidents" race in the game on Wednesday. Washington, DC is a southern city below the Mason-Dixon line, but did the Lerners not care or hope to avoid controversy by in no way recognizing this historic milestone in American history?