Butch Davis and Tyrone Willingham no longer have jobs
-Davis I expected. But I cannot understand Willingham's firing at all.

Faster than a bullet from a gun
Is it too late to rescind my call for Butch Davis' head? Look, they lost. But can I fault a coach whose players left everything they had on the field in a game they were destined to lose.
-Please, friends,remember ... There is no quarterback controversy. Kelly Holcomb is a great backup, a great fill-in. But he is not a starter.

The Panel: Week 12
The Panel:
Aaron Rund: Read his occasional commemnts on this blog, as well as on his own
Andy Barch: Old School to the core
Joel Hammond: The Man responsible for Bush sweeping the Carolinas
Nihar Vasavada: Wonders why Mark Lewis wasn't on my all-turkey team
Phil Prusa: Professor of Pigskins
Vivek Vasavada: KEYS!
Curtis: Disgruntled Browns fan

Cleveland at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron:Cincinnati
Andy: Cincinnati
Joel: Cincinnati
Nihar: Cincinnati
Phil: Cincinnati
Vivek: Cincinnati
Curtis: Cincinnati
Zach: Cleveland


Jacksonville at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Minnesota
Andy: Minnesota
Joel: Minnesota
Nihar: Minnesota
Phil: Minnesota
Vivek: Minnesota
Curtis: Minnesota
Zach: Minnesota

Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Philadelphia
Andy: Philadelphia
Joel: Philadelphia
Nihar: New York
Phil: Philadelphia
Vivek: Philadelphia
Curtis: Philadelphia
Zach: Philadelphia

San Diego at Kansas City, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Kansas City
Andy: San Diego
Joel: San Diego
Nihar: San Diego
Phil: San Diego
Vivek: San Diego
Curtis: Kansas City
Zach: Kansas City

Tampa Bay at Carolina, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Carolina
Andy: Carolina
Joel: Tampa Bay
Nihar: Carolina
Phil: Tampa Bay
Vivek: Tampa Bay
Curtis: Carolina
Zach: Tampa Bay

Tennessee at Houston, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Houston
Andy: Houston
Joel: Houston
Nihar: Houston
Phil: Houston
Vivek: Tennessee
Curtis: Houston
Zach: Houston

Washington at Pittsburgh, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Pittsburgh
Andy: Pittsburgh
Joel: Pittsburgh
Nihar: Pittsburgh
Phil: Pittsburgh
Vivek: Pittsburgh
Curtis: Pittsburgh
Zach: Pittsburgh

New Orleans at Atlanta, 4:05 p.m.
Aaron: Atlanta
Andy: Atlanta
Joel: Atlanta
Nihar: Atlanta
Phil: Atlanta
Vivek: Atlanta
Curtis: Atlanta
Zach: Atlanta

Baltimore at New England, 4:15 p.m.
Aaron: New England
Andy: New England
Joel: Baltimore
Nihar: New England
Phil: Baltimore
Vivek: New England
Curtis: New England
Zach: New England

Buffalo at Seattle, 4:15 p.m.
Aaron: Seattle
Andy: Seattle
Joel: Seattle
Nihar: Buffalo
Phil: Buffalo
Vivek: Buffalo
Curtis: Seattle
Zach: Seattle

Miami at San Francisco, 4:15 p.m.
Aaron: San Francisco
Andy: Miami
Joel: Miami
Nihar: Miami
Phil: Miami
Vivek: Miami
Curtis: Miami
Zach: San Francisco

N.Y. Jets at Arizona, 4:15 p.m.
Aaron: New York
Andy: New York
Joel: New York
Nihar: New York
Phil: New York
Vivek: New York
Curtis New York
Zach: Arizona

Oakland at Denver, 8:30 p.m.
Aaron: Denver
Andy: Denver
Joel: Denver
Nihar: Denver
Phil: Denver
Vivek: Denver
Curtis: Denver
Zach: Denver

Monday, Nov. 29
St. Louis at Green Bay, 9:00 p.m
Aaron: Green Bay
Andy: Green Bay
Joel: Green Bay
Nihar: Green Bay
Phil: Green Bay
Vivek: Green Bay
Curtis: Green Bay
Zach: Green Bay

Nat King Cole
The best part about the holiday season is that I can pull out the Christmas albums for the next four weeks. Nat King Cole is no doubt my favorite, followed by Bing Crosby and (I will get in trouble for writing this) Johnny Mathis.
Nat's version of the Christmas song ranks up there with Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight," Van Morrison's "Moondance" and The Beatles' "Twist and Shout" and the best recordings I have ever heard.
-I picked up two new Mystery Science Theater DVDs this week, just because I could. Over the past four years, nothing has made me laugh as consistently as a show I pretty much ignored during its run on Comedy Central.

Vitamin Z's Magnificent 7: Best MST3K episodes (With an open challenge to Sussman to create his own list)
1. I Accuse My Parents
2. The Cave Dwellers
3. Manos
4. The Wild Wild World of Batwoman
5. Sidehackers
6. Pod People
7. The Amazing Colassal Man

-Of course, just about all of them take a back seat to the shorts.

Vitamin Z's Magnificent 7: Best MST3K Shorts
1. The Days of our Years
2. Your Last Clear Chance
3. Why Study Industrial Arts?
4. Cheating
5. Home Economics
6. What to do on a Date
7. Junior Rodeo Daredevils

-And yes, I am now a geek.

The Cleveland Indians' All Turkey Team
C Alan Allanson
1B Carlos Martinez
2B Tommy Hinzo
SS Junior Naboa
3B Russell Branyan
LF Alex Escobar
CF Alex Cole
RF Cory Snyder
SP Rod Nichols
RP John Rocker

My only thing to say about Dan Rather, actually covered by Jay Leno:
Dan Rather said today that his decision to retire has nothing to do with the controversy over those fake National Guard documents. That’s kind of like Yasser Arafat saying his decision to step down had nothing to do with him dying.- Jay Leno, last night.

Thanksgiving
Despite the fact that the tale they taught us in elementary school was essentially a lie, Thanksgiving has remained a favorite holiday of mine. Turkey, Pumpkin pie, family and football make this great.
Christmas music starts tomorrow.
I love that too.
Thanks to the troops overseas. We owe you so much.

The Panel: Thanksgiving Special
Happy Thankgiving from the panel. The annual Thursday tradition will not go unnoticed here at the site.
THe Panel:
Aaron Rund: On his last ever college induced six-day break
Andy Barch: Filling his turkey with lots of aggression
Joel Hammond: Thanksgiving Carolina Style
Nihar Vasavada: Brings the tooth-healthy stuffing
Phil Prusa: Won't be up for the first game
Vivek Vasavada: Celebrating Thanksgiving by reading Kissenger's memoirs
Curtis A.: Proximity assures he will have his picks in
Zach: Once played Gov. Bradford in a second grade Thanksgiving play-- and stole the show.
Indianapolis at Detroit, 12:37 p.m.
Aaron: Indianapolis
Andy: Indianapolis
Nihar: Indianapolis
Phil: Indianapolis
Vivek: Indianapolis
Curtis A.:Indianapolis
Zach: Indianapolis

Chicago at Dallas, 4:35 p.m.
Aaron: Dallas
Andy: Dallas
Nihar: Dallas
Phil: Dallas
Vivek: Chicago
Curtis: Chicago
Zach: Chicago

Butch Davis Watch
Tick tock, tick tock.
Day II
If Butch is let go, he will simplay follow in a line of great hopes that turned out to be teases, like the girl that kisses you at a party only because her friends dared her.
Ehhhemmm. Uh, anyway ...
Vitamin Z's Magnificent Seven: Greatest Cleveland sports Teases
1. Carmen Policy
2. Butch Davis
3. Joe Charboneau
4. Danny Ferry
5. Ben Gay
6. Mike Phipps
7. Cory Snyder

The Nationals?
Blech. Give me the Senators any day of the week.

Kennedy
Up until about a few years ago, I believed that John F. Kennedy was the victim of not just an assassins bullet, but a conspiracy of some kind.
For much of my youth, I read books, saw films, watched documentaries on the topic. It seemed impossible, back then, to believe that some nobody named Lee Harvey Oswald would kill Kennedy, since he did not appear (to me) to have a probable cause.
Then you had the magic bullet, the warehouse, the Oliver Stone theories. The wonderfully produced (but woefully inaccurate) film by Mr. Stone that would leave the viewer to believe a conspiracy was not only possible, but certain.
I even had a book that scandalously reported Lyndon Johnson to be part of the murder. The reporter in me finds an almost sadistic interest in conspiracies.
But now, it is different.
After watching an ABC special, reading several accounts and looking for facts, I believe the following:
John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald and he acted alone. Oswald was then assassinated by a man, Jack Ruby who was seeking attention. A conspiracy, while not impossible, is just not backed up. There may have been a small-time conspiracy, but no major government coverup.
LBJ had nothing to do with the murder. No man, no matter what the lust for power,(particularly one as keen as Johnson) would chance being associated with a presidential murder that would kill the honor and dignity of the presidency once and for all.
The shot from Oswald's rifle came from the warehouse.
This is what I believe.

Vitamin Z's Magnificent 7: Best Marvin Gaye songs
1. Let's get it on
2. What's goin' on?
3. I heard it through the grapevine
4. Sexual Healing
5. Piece of Clay
6. How Sweet it is
7. Mercy Me

In retrospect
I give David Stern credit for giving Ron Artest a year suspension. He'll have plenty of time to relax from that rap album now.
-Days like today make me wish that the Browns had hired Marvin Lewis in January of 2001. Allow me to add my voice to Browns fans calling for the axe to meet Butch Davis. Things are going to get worse before they get better, yes, but this team, season and franchise is a mess and we need a fresh start.
-Can we PLEASE now ditch the orange jerseys? They are 1-3 in them and they look bad. Yes, they look like BG's unis, but come on, we're the BROWNS.

Ugly
The only thing uglier than the Browns play over recent weeks is the alternate third orange jersey. It's a cross between the penitentiary tops worn by criminals (See Green, William) and the 1988 Buccaneers. I'm not sure which is more disgraceful.

Iraq elections set
Lets hope it goes as well as Afghanistan's election.

Early evenings in Gray
-That fight last night was one of the most sickening things I have seen in sports. Before we go and blame the fans and only the fans, I have a question: What EXACTLY was Ron Artest doing laying on the scoring table? That's not his personal chill out spot. Ben Wallace needs to grow up.
The problem with the NBA is there is no maturity at the grassroots level. The players are young and keep getting younger, with more money and no real responsiblity. It's times like these I wish Terry Pluto's Falling From Grace was still in print. Ten years ago he called a spade a spade, but the situation has gotten much worse since then.
These kids are too young, too immature and there's no one to tell them to shape up or leave.

The Panel: Week 11The Panel
Aaron Rund: The George Stephanopolis to my George Will
Andy Barch: Anyone else looking forward to his take on Artest?
Joel Hammond: Carolina on his mind.
Nihar Vasavada: The next Attourney General for George W. Bush
Vivek Vasavada: The next James Carville
Curtis A.: On a break
Arizona at Carolina, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Arizona
Andy: Carolina
Joel: Arizona
Nihar: Arizona
Phil: Arizona
Vivek: Carolina
Zach: Arizona

Dallas at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Baltimore
Joel:Baltimore
Andy: Baltimore
Nihar: Baltimore
Phil: Baltimore
Vivek: Baltimore
Zach: Baltimore

Denver at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Denver
Andy: Denver
Joel: Denver
Nihar: Denver
Phil: Denver
Vivek: Denver
Zach: Denver

Detroit at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Minnesota
Andy: Minnesota
Joel: Minnesota
Nihar: Minnesota
Phil: Minnesota
Vivek: Minnesota
Zach: Minnesota

Indianapolis at Chicago, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Indianapolis
Andy: Indianapolis
Joel: Indianapolis
Nihar: Indianapolis
Phil: Indianapolis
Vivek: Indianapolis
Zach: Indianapolis

N.Y. Jets at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: New York
Andy: New York
Joel: Cleveland
Nihar: New York
Phil: New York
Vivek: New York
Zach: New York

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Pittsburgh
Andy: Pittsburgh
Joel: Pittsburgh
Nihar: Cincinnati
Phil: Pittsburgh
Vivek: Pittsburgh
Zach: Pittsburgh

San Francisco at Tampa Bay, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Tampa Bay
Andy: Tampa Bay
Joel: Tampa Bay
Nihar: Tampa Bay
Phil: Tampa Bay
Vivek: Tampa Bay
Zach: Tampa Bay

St. Louis at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron:Buffalo
Andy: Buffalo
Joel: St. Louis
Nihar: St. Louis
Phil: Buffalo
Vivek: St. Louis
Zach: Buffalo

Tennessee at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Jacksonville
Andy: Jacksonville
Joel: Jacksonville
Nihar: Jacksonville
Phil: Jacksonville
Vivek: Jacksonville
Zach: Jacksonville

Miami at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
Aaron: Seattle
Andy: Seattle
Joel: Seattle
Nihar: Seattle
Phil: Seattle
Vivek: Seattle
Zach: Seattle

San Diego at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.
Aaron: San Diego
Andy: San Diego
Joel: San Diego
Nihar: San Diego
Phil: San Diego
Vivek: San Diego
Zach: San Diego

Atlanta at N.Y. Giants, 4:15 p.m.
Aaron: Atlanta
Andy: Atlanta
Joel: Atlanta
Nihar: Atlanta
Phil: Atlanta
Vivek: Atlanta
Zach: New York

Washington at Philadelphia, 4:15 p.m.
Aaron: Philadelphia
Andy: Philadelphia
Joel: Philadelphia
Nihar: Philadelphia
Phil: Philadelphia
Vivek: Philadelphia
Zach: Philadelphia

Green Bay at Houston, 8:30 p.m.
Aaron: Green Bay
Andy: Green Bay
Joel: Green Bay
Nihar: Green Bay
Phil: Green Bay
Vivek: Green Bay
Zach: Green Bay

Monday
New England at Kansas City at 9:00 p.m.
Aaron: Kansas City
Andy: New England
Joel: New England
Nihar: New England
Phil: New England
Vivek: New England
Zach: New England

Home by Another Way
-I am really glad that the sports media is wasting time on a stupid, pointless, but generally inoffensive Terrell Owens-Desperate Housewives sketch. Keep them busy on this while Major League Baseball continues to pretend like steroid use in its sport doesn't exist.
-How on earth is it almost Thanksgiving already?
-Yeah, I don't have much today.

Song quote of the day
Don't ever think about it,
Go to sleep don't even say one word,
Close your eyes you are an angel,
sent here from above--Van Morrison

The question of intelligence
Staying out of political discourse over the last few weeks has had its advantages. A satisfyingly decisive Bush victory occurred. I remained, for the most part, silent. "It's never good to gloat," I thought. It makes you look weak.
That and the fact that there is a difference between being happy and being satisfied.
I knew that if John F. Kerry had become the 44th president of the United States, the sun would still rise. I would have been disheartened, but I would have gone to work, silently taken some good-natured ribbing, and then moved on.
Some on the other side were not as graceful as Mr. Kerry in defeat. Kerry, for the record, impressed me with his concession speech, undoubtedly the most difficult speech he will ever make. John Edwards didn't, since I felt his speech was more of a "vote Edwards in 2008" rally-cry. I was critical, but of course, found out a few days later he had some more pressing and difficult things to deal with.
Then we see headlines from "The Guardian," asking, "How can 58 million people be so dumb?" (A website that I have written for did, in its internal discussion, express much the same thing)
Well,I put some Van Morrison on the stereo and ponder the question, while at the same time not wanting to offend my liberal friends.
Ask yourself these questions:
Who is smarter, John McCain or Michael Moore? (Don't feel bad, Michael thinks your stupid too, you won't hurt his feelings.)
Who would you rather have sitting next to you for a political history exam, Karl Rove or Ben Affleck?
What's wrong with believing that Rudy Giuliani is a smart and brave man?
I am somewhat tired of debating politics, but the debate over intelligence irks me quite a bit. Not just with the president, but with conservatives in general.
Dick Cheney said of Mr. Kerry: "We don't question his patriotism, just his judgment."
Well, my challenge to those who criticize those who voted for Bush is "Question judgment, not intelligence."
Remember, if Karl Rove is an evil genius, Bush one-upped him by correctly predicting Mr. Dean would burn out.
Here's my favorite agitator, Christopher Hitchens to elaborate.

Barch Uncensored: Volume 4
Orange you Glad you Aren’t Bill Callahan?
By Andy Barch

First, the collapse of the legacy, we know as the silver and black attack. Callahan sent the saga that is the raiders south, and now, Bill Callahan is failing miserably at another institution rich with tradition.
Seriously, if you are John Fox, aren’t you running for Shelter? Lets just hope Fox doesn’t take the Florida job next season, he’s better off retiring and living a private life in Bangladesh if he follows Callahan’s trend.
If this is the price you pay for losing a super bowl, then maybe Andy Reid isn’t in bad shape after all. Losing 3 times in the NFC Championship game suddenly doesn’t look that bad.
It was bad enough that Callahan had been embarrassed on numerous occasions, most notably against Texas Tech when they allowed 70 points. Now, he has to figure his way around this altercation with the fans in Oklahoma tossing oranges and Callahan responding by calling them hillbillies. Right now, I’d rather be Tommy Callahan in Tommy Boy after Rob Lowe mixed up the shipping dates on the break pads.

Bottles, Iceballs and Cars??

The World of Soccer never ceases to amaze me. In Cleveland, fans were outraged after an officia’ls decision to review a play after another play had already finished. At Giants Stadium a few years back, fans pelted officials, and basically everyone on the field because it was the thing to do. In CHISINAU, Moldova a team chairman apparently lost his mind and took off after an official….in his freaking car.
Bottles, understandable, I mean you cant just leave them under the seat can you? No way, you know the usher that has to clean the place when you leave, and too many bad things can happen when you take the bottle with you to the top of the stairs toward the garbage can after a loss.
Ice balls, well why not. How many chances are you going to get to pelt someone in the face with an ice ball? Certainly this isn’t something I condone, but by throwing an ice ball at someone with a helmet, the chances of you hurting them seriously aren’t very good. I’m beginning to think this Ice ball thing is a bad example.
Cars, that’s a different story. I’ve been very angry, outraged, vocal and semi-violent at times after sporting events, but never have I ever been DRIVEN to this extent. I’ve never contemplated getting in my car and attacking someone over a sporting event.
Apparently, Mihai Macovei, the club chairman for the Moldovan soccer team took matters into his own hands and despite his best efforts, still missed official Vitalie Onica who dodged the vehicle several times.
According to espnsoccernet.com, Macovei was fined about $1,900. Is that just the speeding ticket? Or is that all that there is too this? Maybe he consulted O.J. before he began his negotiations with the authorities.
However, the bigger story here is the official. Dodging the car several times, now that’s impressive. There’s either one hell of a training regimen in the off-season for soccer officials in Chisinau, Moldova, or this guy’s in the wrong business. I want Mel Kiper in Moldova next week breaking down his lateral movement, vertical leap and 40 yard dash. This guy has potential. If he can dodge cars, he’ll have no problems dodging the Sam Adams’ and Warren Sapp’s of the league.

I’m off til next week, enjoy my R & B Album.

The Panel: Week 10
Aaron Rund: Running Laps around competition
Andy Barch: Aggression giver
Joel Hammond: Keeping the faith
Nihar Vasavada: Teeth puller
Phil Prusa: Teacher at football U
Vivek Vasavada: DID vote actually
Curtis A.: Out of therapy after two consecutive good weeks

Baltimore 20, N.Y. Jets 17 (OT)
Aaron: New York
Andy: New York
Joel: Baltimore
Nihar: New York
Phil: Baltimore
Zach: New York
Curtis: New York
Vivek:New York

Chicago 19, Tennessee 17 (OT)
Aaron:Tennessee
Andy: Tennessee
Joel: Chicago
Nihar: Tennessee
Phil: Tennessee
Vivek: Tennessee
Curtis: Tennessee
Zach: Tennessee

Jacksonville 23, Detroit 17 (OT)
Aaron: New York
Andy: Jacksonville
Joel: Jacksonville
Nihar: Detroit
Phil: Jacksonville
Vivek: Jacksonville
Curtis: Detroit
Zach: Jacksonville

Indianapolis 49, Houston 14
Aaron: Indianapolis
Andy: Indianapolis
Joel: Indianapolis
Nihar: Indianapolis
Phil: Indianapolis
Zach: Indianapolis
Vivek: Indianapolis
Curtis: Indianapolis

New Orleans 27, Kansas City 20
Aaron:Kansas City
Andy: Kansas City
Joel: Kansas City
Nihar: Kansas City
Phil: Kansas City
Vivek: Kansas City
Curtis: Kansas City
Zach: Kansas City

Pittsburgh 24, Cleveland 10
Aaron: Cleveland
Andy: Cleveland
Joel: Cleveland
Nihar: Pittsburgh
Phil: Pittsburgh
Vivek: Pittsburgh
Curtis: Cleveland
Zach: Pittsburgh

St. Louis 23, Seattle 12
Aaron: Seattle
Andy: St. Louis
Joel: Seattle
Nihar: St. Louis
Phil: Seattle
Vivek: St Louis
Curtis: St. Louis
Zach: St. Louis

Atlanta 24, Tampa Bay 14
Aaron: Atlanta
Andy: Atlanta
Joel: Atlanta
Nihar: Atlanta
Phil: Tampa Bay
Vivek: Tampa Bay
Curtis: Atlanta
Zach: Atlanta

Cincinnati 17, Washington 10
Aaron: Washington
Andy: Washington
Joel: Cincinnati
Nihar: Cincinnati
Phil: Washington
Vivek: Washington
Curtis: Washington
Zach: Washington

Carolina 37, San Francisco 27
Aaron: Carolina
Andy: Carolina
Joel: San Francisco
Nihar: San Francisco
Phil: Carolina
Vivek: San Francisco
Curtis: San Francisco
Zach: San Francisco

Green Bay 34, Minnesota 31
Aaron: Green Bay
Andy: Green Bay
Joel: Green Bay
Nihar: Green Bay
Phil: Green Bay
Vivek: Minnesota
Curtis: Minnesota
Zach: Green Bay

Arizona 17, N.Y. Giants 14
Aaron: Atlanta
Andy: New York
Joel: New York
Zach: New York
Nihar: New York
Phil: Arizona
Curtis: New York
Vivek: New York

New England 29, Buffalo 6
Aaron: New England
Andy: Buffalo
Joel: New England
Nihar: New England
Phil: New England
Vivek: New England
Curtis: New England
Zach: New England

Philadelphia 49, Dallas 21
Andy: Dallas
Joel: Philadelphia
Nihar: Philadelphia
Phil: Philadelphia
Vivek: Philadelphia
Curtis: Philadelphia
Zach: Philadelphia

Vitamin Z's Magnificent 7: Favorite Van Morrison albums
1. Moondance
2. Into the Music
3. Tupelo Honey
4. Vleedon Fleece
5. Down the Road
6. Astral Weeks
7. Hard Nose the Highway

Back in the homestead
There are three places that I have deemed sacred.
-My home, where I grew up for 20 years. Cleveland will always be my home.
-My Aunt's house, where I have some of my best memories.
-And the campus located in a small town and hour and a half southwest of where I grew up, where, for a brief moment, I saw the best version of myself.
When I return, I am reminded of that fleeting period, only for about a year, where everything fell into place.
That's what BG brought me. That's why, I will return someday.
-Anyway, picks will be posted either tonight or tomorrow.
-The Browns really really are a lost cause. The return is now, officially, a disaster.
-Omar Vizquel has left the Indians for San Francisco. Someone should put a flower in his (rapidly depleted) hair. Vivek is, for the moment, in heaven.
-Mr. Powell has left. Enter Ms. Rice.

Song quote of the day
I want to lay my cards right down on the table
spin the wheel and roll the dice
And whichever way it comes out
whichever way it turns out baby
well, you know, that's the price--Van Morrison

The Panel: Updated through week 8 ... FINALLY
1. Phil: 68-47 (8-6, 6-8)
2. Nihar: 67-48 (7-7, 8-6)
2. Zach: 67-48 (9-5, 8-6)
3. Aaron: 66-49 (6-8, 9-5)
4. Joel: 63-52 (7-7, 8-6)
5. Vivek: 61-54 (5-9, 6-8)
6. Andy: 51-50 (7-7, 6-8)
7. Curtis: 50-65 (8-6, 2-12)

Song quote of the day
I ate the last mango in Paris
took the last plane out of Saigon
Took the first passport to China
and Jimmy there's still so much to be done--Jimmy Buffett

Veterans Day
Thanks to all the men and women who are currently serving or have served. We live in the greatest country in the world, and thanks for protecting it for people like me.

Oh ... GREAT
Michael Moore just won't go away. According to CNN, he is planning a sequel to "Fahrenheit 9-11."
He said we don't know the facts, though I think Christopher Hitchens proved that Moore is the one who is clueless.
Still, he keeps going. For god's sake, the second term hasn't even started yet and he's planning a movie on its failure. To me, this ought to kill whatever crediblity the man has as a documentary maker.

FRO HEAVEN’S SAKE!!
Ruthless Agression: Column 3
By Andy Barch
This first story is one that is close to home for me. Maybe I’m alone here, but I am ecstatic that Mr. Mel Kiper Jr., his amazing draft analysis and his very large afro will remain with ESPN.
There were some setbacks during contract negotiations (my guess would be that ESPN didn’t want to pay for Kiper’s personal hair stylist, God knows that has to be a chore with that ridiculous hairdo of his) but in the end the two sides finally reached an agreement, and I think we’re all better off.
Nobody spends more time or exerts more effort on the NFL draft than Mel Kiper Jr. Those that know me well, understand just how much time I spend studying the NFL draft every year, this is why I appreciate Kiper’s work so much.

Jumping from one man I appreciate, to another, which I don’t. I’ve written several articles, and made several statements about Maurice Clarett on radio shows and other websites. None of these articles or statements have been positive, but then again, has this guy done anything positive lately?

All allegations aside, whether he received benefits from boosters or not, whether they gave him jobs or not is not the issue. I think we’re all blind to the world of college athletics if we do not see that this goes on at basically EVERY institution.

What bothers me most about this situation is the fact that he does not realize what he has done. By going to the press with a story like this, even if these allegations are true, he has essentially screwed over all of those boosters who helped him out in a desperate time of need. I’m not saying what they did was right, but when someone helps you out, you don’t thank them by smacking them in the face.

In my eyes this tells me that Maurice Clarett is a guy that NOBODY can trust. It sure appears as though he’s as loyal as a politician who promises the world to his constituents and then forgets about them the second he’s elected. Anybody who thinks he is going to get drafted on Day 1 is sadly mistaken. This guy’s list of enemies is beginning to draw comparisons to Osama Bin Laden’s.

This guy is a ticking time bomb, and he has already lost TONS of credibility. Lets not forget that this guy will never be mistaken for Jim Brown, Barry Sanders or Walter Payton. He’s a one dimensional back who can pound between the tackles. He’s got no significant lateral movement, no speed off the edge, has yet to prove that he can catch passes out of the backfield or block, and he’s run a tab at every level he’s played on the injured list that has begun to rival that of Brett Saberhagen, Grant Hill and Ken Griffey Jr.

Before we begin to criticize the institution, we must first consider the source. While Clarett wasn’t the only one to come forward, the others who have, haven’t exactly been standup citizens either. This could get interesting.

Finally, perhaps the most controversial debate at every level of football right now seems to be the ethical standard of a cut/chop block. This move is about as cheap as George Costanza before he landed the Yankee’s job.

The fact that this does not constitute a penalty is about as sickening as Delta Burke on the Cover of Playboy. At every level, it is assumed that every pre-caution is taken toward maintaining the safety of every player on the field. I believe that like I believe Ron Artest’s alleged rap album will go triple platinum.

These days, I think the rules are modified to protect the pretty boy quarterbacks. This is a rule that puts defensive linemen in great danger. Try this on for size. If defensive backs are flagged and fined for hitting wide receivers when they are in defenseless positions, then why aren’t offensive linemen flagged or fined for throwing ridiculous blindside blocks like this that end season’s and threaten careers?

The instances involving Erasmus James and George Foster are the ones that stand out the most. There really isn’t much a defensive lineman can do to prevent this from happening. The only way to eliminate it is to outlaw it. The powers that be at every level have to stop acting as if offensive players deserve Air Force One protection. In order for this game to work, you’ve got to regulate both sides of the spectrum, and right now they’re making a Manny Ramirez-esque effort toward trying to fix it. Make the game safe and fair for everyone? (raise middle finger) BRILLIANT!!!

Enjoy Guiness responsibly, see you next week.

Vitamin Z's Magnificent 7: Top NFL team, post week 9
1. New England
2. Philadelphia
3. Pittsburgh
4. New York Jets
5. San Diego
6. Indianapolis
7. Denver

On Clarett
I don't believe him. He's not credible and those who have corroborated the story are not credible. I am not a big Buckeye fan, but I just have trouble believing anything that comes out of Maurice's mouth.

BG-SU, BG-SU
I have to give a congratulations to the Bowling Green women's soccer team, who won the Mid American Conference Championship. "My girls"* will always have a spot in my heart, being a team that I covered and followed. Congratulations to them and head coach Andy Richards.

*term used by J. Hammond

Sullivan
No, I don't agree with Andrew Sullivan on everything ( I say that a lot). But there's a new rule I want to impress upon bloggers and columnists.
Tell off Bill Maher on his show and get a link to your blog on my website. He attacked Maher for coddling Noam Chomsky during an interview.
"You treated him like a folk hero," Sullivan said. "You didn't ask him one hard question."
After two years on the air, a panelist finally nailed Maher for his sucking up to celebrities and heroes from the left.
Thanks Andrew. Now check his site.

The Panel: Week 9
Aaron Rund: Fellow blogger
Andy Barch: Read his awesome column
Joel Hammond: Fellow conservative
Nihar Vasavada: Pro-Bush but voted against him
Phil Prusa: My election night corrospondent
Vivek Vasavada: Didn't vote, despite being a polisci major
Curtis A.: As good as his last week

Arizona at Miami, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Arizona
Andy: Arizona
Joel: Arizona
Nihar: Arizona
Phil: Miami
Curtis:Arizona

Dallas at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Dallas
Andy: Dallas
Joel: Cincinnati
Nihar: Cincinnati
Phil: Dallas
Curtis: Cincinnati

Kansas City at Tampa Bay, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron:Kansas City
Andy: Kansas City
Joel: Kansas City
Nihar: Kansas City
Phil: Kansas City
Curtis: Tampa Bay

N.Y. Jets at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron:New York
Andy: Buffalo
Joel: New York
Nihar: New York
Phil: New York
Curtis: New York

Oakland at Carolina, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron: Carolina
Andy: Carolina
Joel: Carolina
Nihar: Carolina
Phil: Carolina
Curtis: Carolina

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 1:00 p.m.
Aaaron:Philadelphia
Andy: Pittsburgh
Joel: Pittsburgh
Nihar: Philadephia
Phil: Pittsburgh
Curtis: Pittsburgh

Washington at Detroit, 1:00 p.m.
Aaron:Washington
Andy: Washington
Joel: Detroit
Nihar: Detroit
Phil: Detroit
Curtis: Detroit

Chicago at N.Y. Giants, 4:05 p.m.
Aaron: New York
Andy: New York
Joel: New York
Phil: New York
Nihar: New York
Curtis: Chicago

New Orleans at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.
Aaron:New Orleans
Andy: San Diego
Joel: San Diego
Nihar:San Diego
Phil: San Diego
Curtis: San Diego

Seattle at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.
Aaron:Seattle
Andy: Seattle
Joel: Seattle
Nihar: Seattle
Phil: Seattle
Curtis: Seattle

Houston at Denver, 4:15 p.m.
Aaron:Houston
Andy: Houston
Joel: Houston
Nihar: Denver
Phil: Denver
Curtis: Denver

New England at St. Louis, 4:15 p.m.
Aaron:New England
Andy: New England
Joel: New England
Nihar: New England
Phil: St. Louis
Curtis: New England

Cleveland at Baltimore, 8:30 p.m.
Aaron:Cleveland
Andy: Baltimore
Joel: Baltimore
Nihar: Baltimore
Phil: Cleveland
Curtis: Cleveland

Monday, Nov. 8
Minnesota at Indianapolis, 9:00 p.m.
Aaron:Indianapolis
Andy: Indianapolis
Joel: Indianapolis
Nihar: Indianapolis
Phil: Indianapoilis
Curtis: Indianapolis

Song quote of the day
Oh it's just, a windfall away--Van Morrison

The open minded side
There are some lines that should not be crossed. I don't like certain leaders in this country. But I believe to openly predict, or perhaps even hope for, ill to bestow them is immoral. I don't understand how one can talk about peace and understanding one minute --saying we should ignore the brutal dictators and terrorists -- and then wish a much worse fate upon the leaders at home.
From Tim Blair's site:
"Former President George W. Bush Dead at 72," exults Greil Marcus in a grotesque mock obituary:

Mr. Bush's life after his presidency was marked by misfortune. He soon lost interest in his status as the standard-bearer of his party and its chief fundraiser; many believed he had again begun drinking, and in any case he seemed to spend most of his time at private clubs in Houston, where he established residence in 2010 after selling his property in Crawford, Texas. ("At least I won't have to cut that f--- brush again," Mr. Bush was heard to say after his last election.) Then on May 1, 2011, Jenna and Barbara Bush were killed in a drunken driving accident in New York City, an incident that also took the lives of seven other people, four of them friends of the Bush daughters. Rumors that a Bush family friend attempted to bribe the police to report that a person other than Jenna or Barbara Bush was driving (the body of Barbara Bush was in the driver's seat) were never confirmed.

If I may say so, this is an absolute disgrace. I know most liberals would think a writing like this goes too far. Most are reasonable, even if they don't agree with the policies of George W. Bush. But there is that fringe that I just can't understand or comprehend. What is wrong with these people?

Arafat's condition
The headline on Fox News is "Arafat between Life, Death".
Now there's a conceptual Yoko Ono poem for you.
Thanks for clearing up his condition. He's not quite dead, he's not quite alive, he's "between" the two. That's something I thought was reserved for the Crow and Count Dracula.
I have nothing more to say about this.
Except:
"I'm not dead."
"What?"
"Nothing, here's your nine pence."
"He says he's not dead."
"Yes he is."
"I'm not."
"He isn't."
"Well he will be soon he's very ill."

Ruthless Aggression, Column Two
by Andy Barch
SCREW YOU YOOOOOU'RE FIIIIIIIIIIRED!!
The above-mentioned title is a direct quote from the LEGENDARY Vince
McMahon. These were also the words indirectly spoken by Florida
Athletic Director Jeremy Foley when he informed Ron Zook that his
services would no longer be needed at season's end as Head Football
Coach of the Florida Gators.
This obviously shook things up in the Gator locker room being as
though Zook is a player's coach and has so much respect from his
troops. According to Florida Safety Jarvis Herring, the players ripped
Jeremy Foley apart when he addressed the team. USA Today quoted him as
saying "The questions only lasted 10 minutes. If it would've lasted
any longer, there's no telling what might've happened."
The timing was certainly not right. Why fire the coach with 4 games
remaining on the schedule? I'm amazed that Zook is staying on as head
coach for the final 4 games knowing that he will not be back at
season's end, but this just goes to show how respectful he is of his
players.
A lot of the current Gators who were on board when Spurrier left
Gainesville are not at all impressed with the rumors circulating
around the return of the ol' Ball Coach. Gee, I'm shocked, how could
you get excited about someone who left you without saying good-bye?
That's asking a 21 year old kid what he thinks about his dead beat
father who left him at age 5 when he needed him the most because he
figured he wasnt ready to be a father. Would you expect that
kid to jump for joy at the thought that his father left him? Would you
expect him to welcome his father back with open arms? His father would
be lucky if he greeted him with just an open fist.
We were all dealt the wrong hand in this World Series. A good poker
player is only as good as the cards he's dealt. We were not given the
right Cards in this series. Not to take anything away from the Boston
Red Sox. They are your World Series Champions and by God they deserve
it. However, when a team commits 8 errors in the first 2 games in
series of this magnitude, you've got to take advantage of them.
The Cards were sound defensively, but their mediocre starting pitchers
were exposed by this superb Boston offense. Lets not forget that
Cardinal offense fell asleep and never really woke up. To state the
obvious, Pedro, Schilling, Lowe and company were absolutely
outstanding in the World Series, making this abolishment of the curse
about as climactic as the Seinfeld series finale.
Speaking of obvious, did anyone read the Wednesday October 27th
version of the USA Today? The cover story in the sports section titled
"Losers Giveth, winners taketh away" stating that those who turn the
ball over less, and create more turnovers win more games.
Really? Are you kidding me? I always thought that you increased your
chances of winning by turning the ball over deep inside your own
territory to set up a score for the opposition. Better yet, I was
under the impression that by taking a drive deep into your opponents
territory, and then turning the ball over, killing any momentum that
you may have had while eliminating your chances of scoring really
increased your chances of coming away with a win.
What are they going to tell me next? Will they mention that the '72 Men's
Olympic Basketball Team was screwed by the Russians? Will they
persuade us to believe that the BCS system is garbage and needs to be
replaced? Or will they title next week's cover story "Baseball's Capitalistic Structure Eliminates Competitive Balance".
I love USA Today, its a great newspaper. Matter of fact it entertains me in the AM when my morning coffee and last night's pizza take effect, but this is an article I just didnt think was worthy of front page status. It didnt tell us anything that we didnt already know.
Have a great week, and enjoy Michael Irvin's tremendous analysis.

Manuel gets another job ... really
Charlie Manuel getting hired to manage again after his uninspiring performance as the Indians manager is surprising -- until you see WHERE he was hired. Manuel now replaces Larry "Mr. Furious" Bowa as Phillies' manager.
Gee, I wonder if Jim Thome had any say on THAT decision.
I'm sure Manuel is a heck of a guy, and a great hitting coach. But I always thought he was lacking in game decisions. In an important pennant race, he pinch hit for Omar Vizquel with a runner on second and two out in the ninth, with the Indians down by a run.
This would be strange enough, but his choice for a pinch hitter was even stranger. Russell Branyan. Yes, THAT Russell Branyan. Branyan didn't come through (the story of his career) and the tribe lost the game and a shot at the playoffs.
Another time, he senselessly let C.C Sabathia, (a pitcher so slow he makes the apprehension of D.B Cooper look like an open and shut case)swing away with a 3-1 count and the bases loaded with one out. C.C hit into a bang-bang (sarcasm) double play. The Indians lost that game too.
But he IS like a father for Jim Thome.
Good luck Philadelphia.

In Closing: The election

A few thoughts.
- I am a supporter of gay marriage. Even though I expected the measure to pass in my beloved state, I never expected it to pass by a 61-39 margin. Think about it. BOTH republican senators came out against it, and it still failed to sway the socials. Even if the extra things had not been added, I still would have voted against it. To quote the VP: "Freedom means freedom for everybody."

-I was on the phone for a few hours Tuesday night with sone friends, going over results, making predictions and not sleeping. Forget about everything else. The election is over. Four more years and no more commercials. Good.

Thoughts and prayers
Let's say a quick prayer for Elizabeth Edwards, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. My thoughts, and I'm sure everyone else's, are with her and her family. Get well soon.

Race all but over
Bush has won Ohio, Florida and all the other states he won before. Bush is primed for a second term. For the last three weeks, I have been saying that Kerry would win to friends. Not happening, at least as it happens now.

Oxley
Lima's NBC affiliate is reporting that conservative republican Mike Oxley will be re-elected to his position. Mr. Oxley holds the distinction, with one other, of being the only republican on the ballot I did not vote for. I have my reasons.

KEYES !!!!! II
Uh, you're welcome. (Inside joke)
ABC has Alan Keyes losing to Obama 90-10. I'm shocked.

I thought this part of it was over
In the last week, I have gotten calls from Rudy, Ahhnold and Laura encouraging me to vote Bush. I get more calls from machines than from people lately.
But at least, I no longer have to worry about that.
4:47 p.m. EST:
(Phone rings)
Zach: Hello?
"TIM": Hi, this is Tim, early exit polls are showing the race close, razor thin. If you HAVEN'T already voted for the President ...
TOMORROW ... I won't get any calls.

Voting
We ought to remember how lucky we are to live in this country. I voted in my second presidential election today, and always a good feeling to exercize the right.
Will it come down to the wire? I gave up making predictions in print long ago. But we'll see.
I will likely follow the election through blogs. Network TV is too unreliable.
UPDATE
Yeah, I don't make predictions in print, unless you count the organized football picks I post and have posted for the last nine weeks.

Early polls suggest
My mom's school did a mock election (Ohio high school). She wrote to tell me that "Bush won hands down."
What does this mean?
Nothing.
But it is interesting since these would be (at least the seniors) young voters.
Though I can say at this point that I have no idea how it's going to go.