sorryless

Heroes Of The Week! (NFL Draft Edition)

Sorryless60 Comments

Be forewarned, this edition of Heroes is different. It begins with a couple odd ball political stories, after which I’ve tucked my NFL draft notes into a block quoted sandwich; for those readers who consider sports to be a deep fried nada tostada. Although you non-sports fans might wanna check out the YouTube spill I included. It’s good stuff.

Alas, no happy ending this week, because sometimes that’s just how it goes.

Cell block the vote!: Bernie Sanders set off a shit storm the other night when he said that all prisoners should have the right to vote. Even terrible people, like murderers, rapists and yes . . the Boston Marathon Bomber. And I cringed when I read this, because Dzhokhar Tsarnaev killed three people and injured two hundred and sixty four others. And then he shot and killed an MIT police officer and stole his gun.

And making certain that no dubious idea goes unpublished, his Democratic counterpart Alexandra Ocasio Cortez doubled down by supporting the idea of allowing prisoners the right to vote.

And I have to think, maybe they didn’t get the memo that 2020 is a fairly important election. For their still fractured party, sure. But even more important than that, for the entire country. And call me silly, but this idea of theirs ain’t gonna play well in most of the other forty eight not named Vermont or Maine.

We are getting closer and closer to an eight year Trump run, because to paraphrase an old baseball adage. You can’t win an election in the early going, but you can lose one.

Stay in school, kids: Lara Trump studied at NC State, after which she attended the French Culinary Institute. But maybe she should’ve stayed in school and yanno . . enrolled in a couple history classes. Because Lara had some things to say about Germany’s dark past. But no . . not that dark past.

According to Lara, the downfall of Germany came when they admitted more than a million Middle Eastern refugees into the country in 2015.  The comment provided no context as to why these people were migrating to Europe; which had to do with conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Immigration isn’t a one size fits all policy. Lots of shit happens in between the influx and the debate. Using Merkel’s decision as Trump’s template is a false equivalent. Lara also didn’t mention the right wing nationalism that has sprouted up since the refugee crisis in 2015; and that’s a pretty big miss considering Germany’s dark past. Yes . . that dark past.

Saving Easter: Martha Isbell was on her way to Mass on Sunday when her car tire popped. It isn’t known whether Isbell owns a AAA card and it doesn’t much matter, because a former student of hers spotted her pulling off the road and pulled over to assist.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard may not have been Isbell’s prize pupil in her biology class, but he held a special place in her heart just the same. The self professed class clown was all business on Sunday morning; fixing her tire and saving Isbell’s father- who is battling stage four cancer- the trip out to assist his daughter. And she made it to Easter Mass on time.

So I guess the question is, can you give out an A plus retroactively?

The NFL Draft is the biggest, richest, funkiest job fair in the world. And the best part of it all? Everybody is an ‘expert’ . . in guess work.

The Arizona Cardinals ain’t ever won a Super Bowl, and they keep showing us why. They made history (the wrong kind) by taking a quarterback in the first round for the second year in a row. Maybe this works, but even if it does, they’re still no closer to winning a Super Bowl. As far as the league’s biggest punchline goes, the Cleveland Browns are off the clock.

The Baltimore Ravens win the weekend: Well, where it matters most. See, they invited 13 year old Mo Gaba to announce their fourth round choice. Gaba, who has been blind since he was nine months old, will read the pick in braille. Last month, it was learned that his cancer has returned for the fourth time. Lord knows he’s already faced one too many hard roads, so bravo to the Ravens for giving him the red carpet treatment.

I am in deep love with the Miami Dolphins pick of Christian Wilkins. The dude brings everything my team needs- big talent, big attitude and he can break out the James Brown and do THIS! I think they got this one right.

Hey . . remember how I walked back my Jon Gruden smack talk a few weeks ago? Well, I was right the first time. Gruden is more overrated than Trump’s hands.

The Pittsburgh Steelers did good. How do I know? Because unlike the Cardinals and Jon Gruden, they’re a perennial contender in large part because of the work they do this time of year.

The New York Giants ain’t gonna win another Super Bowl for a long, long . . long time. Book it.

I rarely get too serious with my heroes edition, but I couldn’t ignore the execution of John William King on Wednesday evening in Huntsfield, Texas. King- an avowed white supremacist- was one of three white men convicted in the torture and death of James Byrd in 1998. The Jasper, Texas murder made national headlines for its shocking brutality. Byrd, a black man, was offered a ride home by the men who then proceeded to beat him before chaining him to the back of a pickup truck. Byrd was dragged for miles while still alive before being decapitated.

Lawrence Russell Brewer was executed in 2011 and Shawn Allen Berry is not up for parole until 2038.

King never once expressed remorse for the horrendous crime, instead taking great pride in what he referred to as “making history”. He also tried to incite a race war while in prison. And so when he was injected with a lethal dose of pentobarbital at 6:56 p.m. on Wednesday evening and succumbed to the injection twelve minutes later, the world lost an evil person. And hell gained one.

James Byrd Jr. would have turned seventy years old next week. In the nearly twenty one years that have passed since his murder, the matter of race and race relations has grown increasingly more complicated. Jasper, Texas remains a town very much divided. You need look no further than Byrd’s final resting place, which was fitted with iron bars after having been desecrated.

So when Presidential candidates start railing on about how felons deserve the vote and a President advances policies threatening to those who don’t ‘look’ like us . . I can’t help thinking about what a disservice it all is to James Byrd Jr.

The man can’t even rest in peace. Because racism doesn’t take a day off. It just keeps punching the clock and showing up for work. Any let up, and we lose another day to its insidious creep. It’s a constant reminder that sometimes, you don’t get the feel good story to wrap things up.

Sometimes the happy ending is impossible to come by.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

60 thoughts on “Heroes Of The Week! (NFL Draft Edition)”

  1. Oh yes … The NFL Draft …. I imagined the Bengals were poised to take a LB from Michigan … and then pow – the rival Steelers come out of nowhere to snatch him. Then again, the OT need is filled. Reds and Bengals don’t make Cincinnati a sports paradise.

    Nice story about the Ravens! Oh yes – AOC, Bernie, and crew are more interested in their ideas than on winning the White House. Nice song! …. Good Morning, Marc.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Cincy,

      The Steelers may never win another Super Bowl with Ben and Tomlin, but they’re always going to be in the mix at least. And they’re closer than Oakland and AB, that’s for sure.

      I just don’t understand what the Democrats plan is. They need to be bringing people in, and they seem more content in driving them away. Instead of offering a contrast to the polarizing figure that is Trump, they are simply offering up their own brand of it. It’s confounding.

      Liked by 2 people

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          • It’s gotta be about the kids table vs the adults table. And they have to be the adults. Pronto.

            I’m happy with the Rosen trade. It doesn’t prevent us from drafting a QB if this doesn’t work. And if it does work, there are still four years of control on his contract.

            Liked by 1 person

          • I have been pleasantly surprised with Miami’s draft to this point. I absolutely love the Wilkins kid, and am hopeful he can set the tone. The center out of Wisconsin was a four year starter and he’s a bull- another good one.
            I’m open to the Josh Rosen experiment when considering the price, which is peanuts on the dollar. The Cards are footing most of his bill. And the move doesn’t prevent Miami from still drafting a QB if the experiment doesn’t work. Did we have other needs? Hells yes. But the possible reward is worth the risk. Not to mention, Grier flipped for a couple additional picks, including the Saints number two next year. I think we are (FINALLY) in good hands.

            Like

  3. I can’t believe you’re a part of the endlessness that is the NFL Draft. Such a massively over-rated “event” that is the perfect sign of the evil of the NFL’s dominance. 😉

    As for James Byrd and his killers … I am staunchly opposed to the death penalty. It’s a position I’ve held my entire adult life, but there are those times when I shrug my shoulders and say to myself, “maybe.” This is one of those instances.

    Liked by 3 people

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  5. Bernie Sanders does and says more to divide the population than Hillary, and that says a lot. Of course, none beat Trump, but that’s another story. I loved the tire and Ravens stories, Marc. There are hearts out there. It is good to hear from them. I’m sorry the death by injection protocol demands sedation before the lung and heart stop in the case of Byrd. POS is a perfect description. Good post, Pilgrim

    Liked by 3 people

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  6. You always share one that jumps off the page. Stage 4 cancer and he’s helping another. Made me cry. I’m not a sports girl so I can’t really comment on those and I have grave mixed feelings on c. punishment. I can’t kill an ant without wailing remorse yet what’s the answer really. My two cents

    Liked by 1 person

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    • No, the teacher’s father has Stage 4 cancer. Darius pulling over to help her allowed her father to stay home. 🙂

      I used to believe in it, and then I changed my stance on it. I haven’t gone back. I mean, cases like this are so egregious, but by and large, there are too many cases which are not so cut and dried.

      Liked by 1 person

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  8. I think there was too much stupid in the coffee or water or whatever the heck the Dem candidates drank this week with respect to voting rights. WTH?? I tend to flow pretty blue but cheese and rise…allowing inmates to vote while in prison seems all kinds of wrong to me. Once they’ve served their sentences, then yeah, maybe. Did Bernie drink to much magic joy juice (erase student debt, allow everyone to vote, medicare for all)? Where’s my unicorn and magic pixie dust. I’ll need it for the Broncos to choose a decent draft pick instead of going with cheap or otherwise available thugs.

    Liked by 2 people

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  9. I hadn’t heard Bernie’s quote, but maybe he meant former prisoners? He misspeaks sometimes. Also, speaking of speaking, I simply cannot listen to more than a year and a half of Biden “Joey….” stories about his parents saying things to him. *faints* I’d rather hear about nothing but football…. it’s THAT bad.

    🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. B,

    I’m back 😉 Ayt.. here goes! I am terribly gobsmacked with Bernie. I mean, he lots mega points with me over the past few years but this? Allow prisoners to vote? Sorry. We can’t pick and choose between the blue collar (true crooks all) and bonafide killers so none of ’em should even have the possibility of voting when they are locked up. And what in the name of hell is wrong with Cortez agreeing to this? The Dems are Dumb. (As for Vermont and Maine – huh…)

    Lara. Ain’t no Croft…smart-wise, I mean. ‘Nuff said.

    There are good peeps out there. Kudos to Darius. I say Yes! He definitely gets a retroactive A!

    Way to go Mo! What a sweet, sweet thing for the Ravens to do.

    And Wilkins! Big boy like that doing the splits? Let’s hope he’s as proficient on the football field.

    Unlike Mark, I am very pro execution. When you have 100% zero doubt and all the proof is in your face? Buh-bye. Why cost the taxpayers all that moolah to keep ’em warm and fed? Mick used to say we should use the Big O (Olympic stadium) for a monthly hanging. Lot cheaper than drugs, no? Few re-usable ropes, reusable stage with trapdoors…

    Love the video. You do listen to the coolest stuff.

    Q

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Q,

      I just think it’s the wrong conversation to be having right now. Why give Trump anything to come back at you with? It doesn’t make any sense to me.

      Truthfully, I didn’t know who she was, LOL.

      I thought so too. An A it is!

      Dislike the Ravens but man, that is a great thing they did alright.

      I have to hope. If he brings it the way he dances, we good.

      Oooooooh! Look atchou! And to think. . . I am the one who no longer believes in it! While you do. I think that’s interesting. No listen, there is something to be said for getting right to it. But bureaucracies like ours just do not work that way. Timothy McVeigh, the OK city bomber, waived any appeals. He WANTED to be executed. And still it took seven years. Most capital cases get appealed up the ass and it takes twice that long and longer.

      Glad you pointed that video out. McKenna wrote that one in reference to the James Byrd Jr murder and his killers.

      B

      Liked by 1 person

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      • It is SO the wrong conversation to be having right now. I cannot believe they are handing this to him on a golden platter.

        Never heard of her till you mentioned her.

        A+

        You are smart enough to separate the team from the good deeds.

        Yep. The dance gives hope.

        I know, right? And not just your bureaucracies by the way. But I’m talking about the caught-in-the-act, no doubt, no no search-for-clues and ending up with iffy evidence cases… And that is insane. To waste seven years… and he wanted it? Insane bullshit.

        Ya done good. Where did you hear of her? McKenna?

        Liked by 1 person

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        • As you know, in spite of my . . ahem, previous political life, I am very open minded about discussions such as this. But . . it is NOT a discussion for right now. No way. Why give him this ammo?

          I saw the last name and went uh oh . . .

          That’s the grade right there. Good fella.

          Yep. It’s why I am so frustrated with the Dolphins owner. He does so much work in the Miami area, great stuff. I just wish he had a better handle on the team. However, his new GM and coach are having a very good draft right now . . so maybe things are looking up.

          Yeah, McVeigh wanted to be a martyr for all those right wing nut groups out there who form militias in the desert and think themselves patriots. It was sick, the idea that I actually wanted him to rot away in prison rather than die a martyr. What do you do with that?

          Okay . . confession. I am not exactly the open mindedest (my word) when it comes to peeps who do evil shit. Nope. I did have this idea about catching Osama alive, sticking him in a cell and telling him that there would come a day when someone would come in the cell and shoot him. Could be in a week, a month, years. He wouldn’t know. Let the scumbag go crazy thinking about it.

          I was reading lots on the Byrd Jr case and I came upon an article about her writing the song.

          Like

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          • Ahem… But you are right. Now is so not the time.

            The last name made me pause, I will admit.

            I, for one, shall be optimistic for your Dolphins this year…. and you’ll be optimistic for my Habs next, K?

            I am torn with wanting them to rot away or just get rid of em, to tell the truth. I just feel the prison system does dick-all except create more violent men and women. They start wheeling and dealing from day one with zero intention of changing their ways. And the small portion that do? Well. Maybe we should separate the two factions. Keep the petty crime committers far from the hard-core ones. I dunno.

            You’re NOT??? I really wonder if that would work – make em crazy thinking maybe today?

            Ahh… well then, excellent find.

            Liked by 1 person

          • The whole wall thing drives me batty, because THAT is what the Democrats should be hammering him on. Where is his policy that will help provide answers to the immigration question. A wall isn’t going to change what is happening right now. Why are they not challenging him on this?

            The last name GIVES pause . . .

            Oh, you know it. I am all in on Les Habitants.

            There is no easy answer. And the DOC continues to be an industry unto itself. Hells, this shouldn’t be a growth business!

            Of course, I come from a mafia neighborhood where the judge and jury took matters into their own hands. And that was that.

            It is a powerful song.

            Liked by 1 person

          • To think back in November, we had a shred of hope… all for naught, it appears. I don’t know what the fuck the Democrats are doing. Well, except a whole lotta nuthing that they should be!

            I know you are a Habs fan. Part of your charm.

            No, it should not. And there is no easy answer. Sigh.

            There is that. They just took care of bidness and moved on. Not saying that is a solution either, mind you 😉

            ‘Tis.

            Liked by 1 person

          • Yeah they better. And they must abide by Muhammad Ali’s game plan going in against George Foreman back when big George was the heavyweight champion and the most feared boxer in the world. Ali’s plan was simple. Stick one in his kisser and retreat. As if he was cutting down a tree. Be patient, diligent and make the hits count.

            That’s how they can win.

            And I don’t mean the John Travolta Gotti . I mean the real thing. 🙂

            Liked by 1 person

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