Monday, October 1, 2007
Conservative Chutzpah
Michelle Malkin, tied with Ann Coulter for #2 on this year's list of conservatives' favorite public figure, makes a whole ranting post about how MoveOn.org hates freedom and wants the government to make decisions for everyone, and 2 posts earlier has an entire post about how terrible San Francisco's Folsom Street Fair is and how it should be shut down for public indecency. Talk about hubris!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Election 2008: The Youth Vote
Here's the latest poll numbers on the Facebook presidential campaign poll, a good measure of who young people are supporting for President in 2008. Obama is way out in front:
1. Barack Obama
Percentage of vote: 25%
Votes: 52,006
2. Rudy Giuliani
Percentage of vote: 9%
Votes: 19,169
3. Hillary Clinton
Percentage of vote: 8%
Votes: 16,853
4. Ron Paul
Percentage of vote: 7%
Votes: 15,303
5. Fred Thompson
Percentage of vote: 4%
Votes: 9,481
1. Barack Obama
Percentage of vote: 25%
Votes: 52,006
2. Rudy Giuliani
Percentage of vote: 9%
Votes: 19,169
3. Hillary Clinton
Percentage of vote: 8%
Votes: 16,853
4. Ron Paul
Percentage of vote: 7%
Votes: 15,303
5. Fred Thompson
Percentage of vote: 4%
Votes: 9,481
Monday, August 27, 2007
Iraq and Conservative Blogs
It seems to me that many conservative blogs are starting to follow the administration's lead. They seem to have abandoned discussing how to move forward in Iraq and are now focused on the historical narrative to vindicate themselves of responsibility for the Iraq catastrophe. As I glance over blogs like Little Green Footballs and Michelle Malkin, 95% of what I see now-a-days is focused on blaming the disaster on liberal doubters. I don't see anymore mentions of new strategy ideas or good news or positive statistics about reconstruction in Iraq. It's all the left's fault, all the time on these blogs.
While this may be a convenient narrative in their own minds, I would remind them that that failed in the aftermath of Vietnam. The vast majority of the country does not blame Vietnam on anti-war protestors, they blame it on the PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY IN CHARGE back then - Nixon, LBJ, Kissinger, etc. A better approach would be to engage or accept some of the liberal critiques that have proved true, as many formerly pro-war pundits and politicians have already done, and start figuring out how to get us out of this mess in the best way possible. But you probably won't see that anytime soon from LGF or Malkin. It's more important to them now to bash liberals than find a way forward in Iraq.
While this may be a convenient narrative in their own minds, I would remind them that that failed in the aftermath of Vietnam. The vast majority of the country does not blame Vietnam on anti-war protestors, they blame it on the PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY IN CHARGE back then - Nixon, LBJ, Kissinger, etc. A better approach would be to engage or accept some of the liberal critiques that have proved true, as many formerly pro-war pundits and politicians have already done, and start figuring out how to get us out of this mess in the best way possible. But you probably won't see that anytime soon from LGF or Malkin. It's more important to them now to bash liberals than find a way forward in Iraq.
Victor Davis Hanson
Honestly, I don't know why people still take this guy seriously or consider him an expert on foreign policy, the Middle East, or the Iraq War. He's classicist historian who has written about a dozen books on the classical Greece and Rome. That has absolutely nothing to do with modern Iraq and American foreign policy in the Middle East today. Most of his books are about Spartan hoplite armies and battles waged by phalanx-type heavy infantry units. This has nothing to do with modern warfare and occupying hostile Muslim countries.
Michael Vick II
The Michael Vick apologist-fest continues. Numerous blogs in the blackosphere, as well as many black talking heads on TV, are playing the race card and saying Michael Vick was unfairly treated because of his race. These people are full of crap. The prosecutors are recommending the lowest end of the sentencing spectrum for the charges that Vick pled guilty to. I'd like to see these people find one white person who has admitted to the same charges who got less time than Vick.
Furthermore they complain that the media firestorm has been unfair to Vick because of his race. Again, this is bogus. Vick is a mega superstar athlete. Other than maybe Peyton Manning, he is THE face of the NFL. This same firestorm would have happened if Peyton Manning, Alex Rodriguez, or Yao Ming had admitted to the same charges. Except those guys would not have had all their fellow athletes come out and defend them in the media and place the race card. They wouldn't have had the NAACP backing them either.
The NAACP has made a complete mockery of their organization. They were the first to jump the gun and hang the Duke lacrosse players in the media. Yet those boys turned out to be innocent and the NAACP never apologized. Now they are saying we shouldn't judge Vick and should wait for due process before talking about him - even though he has admitted guilt. So they hang the innocent whites but defend the guilty black. Clearly, they look at race first and facts second.
More importantly, by playing the race card and making a civil rights issue out of the Vick case, they are trivializing true civil rights issues.
Furthermore they complain that the media firestorm has been unfair to Vick because of his race. Again, this is bogus. Vick is a mega superstar athlete. Other than maybe Peyton Manning, he is THE face of the NFL. This same firestorm would have happened if Peyton Manning, Alex Rodriguez, or Yao Ming had admitted to the same charges. Except those guys would not have had all their fellow athletes come out and defend them in the media and place the race card. They wouldn't have had the NAACP backing them either.
The NAACP has made a complete mockery of their organization. They were the first to jump the gun and hang the Duke lacrosse players in the media. Yet those boys turned out to be innocent and the NAACP never apologized. Now they are saying we shouldn't judge Vick and should wait for due process before talking about him - even though he has admitted guilt. So they hang the innocent whites but defend the guilty black. Clearly, they look at race first and facts second.
More importantly, by playing the race card and making a civil rights issue out of the Vick case, they are trivializing true civil rights issues.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Michael Vick
These people make me sick. They are all defending Michael Vick and in some way or another justifying dogfighting. You can't use the "innocent until proven guilty" defense anymore because Vick has already admitted guilt. Now they are just defending him because of skin color. It's especially hypocritical of the NAACP because they were among the first to rush to judgment against the Duke lacrosse players falsely accused of raping that black stripper a couple years ago.
People and organizations supporting Michael Vick and standing up for him:
NAACP: "The Atlanta chapter of the NAACP says Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick should be allowed to return to football after he serves his sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation."
Stephon Marbury: "New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury defended Michael Vick, calling dogfighting a sport and comparing it to hunting."
Roy Jones Jr.: "People tend to talk so hard against people. They make it such a bad thing, like dog fighting is worse than killing someone. I'm not a dog fighter. I've never been to a dog fight. But just because they have the animals doesn't mean they are fighting the animals. Michael Vick doesn't have that kind of time to train and raise dogs... I like bulldogs and I like their mentally. They are making this so bad, but really two dogs fighting can happen in anyone's backyard or on the street. It happened in my backyard, two of my dogs fought and one died."
Clinton Portis: "I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dog," Portis told WAVY-TV. 'If that's what he wants to do, do it. I think people should mind their business."
Deion Sanders: "Why are we indicting him? Was he the ringleader? Is he the big fish? Or is there someone else? The fights allegedly occurred at a property that he purchased for a family member. They apparently found carcasses on the property, but I must ask you again, is he the ringleader?This situation reminds me of a scene in the movie “New Jack City,” when drug dealer Nino Brown is on the witness stand and eloquently says, “This thing is bigger than me.”Are we using Vick to get to the ringleader? Are we using him to bring an end to dogfighting in the United States? The only thing I can gather from this situation is that we’re using Vick."
People and organizations supporting Michael Vick and standing up for him:
NAACP: "The Atlanta chapter of the NAACP says Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick should be allowed to return to football after he serves his sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation."
Stephon Marbury: "New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury defended Michael Vick, calling dogfighting a sport and comparing it to hunting."
Roy Jones Jr.: "People tend to talk so hard against people. They make it such a bad thing, like dog fighting is worse than killing someone. I'm not a dog fighter. I've never been to a dog fight. But just because they have the animals doesn't mean they are fighting the animals. Michael Vick doesn't have that kind of time to train and raise dogs... I like bulldogs and I like their mentally. They are making this so bad, but really two dogs fighting can happen in anyone's backyard or on the street. It happened in my backyard, two of my dogs fought and one died."
Clinton Portis: "I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dog," Portis told WAVY-TV. 'If that's what he wants to do, do it. I think people should mind their business."
Deion Sanders: "Why are we indicting him? Was he the ringleader? Is he the big fish? Or is there someone else? The fights allegedly occurred at a property that he purchased for a family member. They apparently found carcasses on the property, but I must ask you again, is he the ringleader?This situation reminds me of a scene in the movie “New Jack City,” when drug dealer Nino Brown is on the witness stand and eloquently says, “This thing is bigger than me.”Are we using Vick to get to the ringleader? Are we using him to bring an end to dogfighting in the United States? The only thing I can gather from this situation is that we’re using Vick."
Friday, July 27, 2007
Craig Biggio is Not a Hall of Famer
Craig Biggio recently got his 3,000th hit and sportswriters and his teammates alike have been fawning over how he is a first ballot hall-of-famer. Usually 3,000 hits is considered a benchmark number that guarantees a player hall of fame status. Hell, there is even a bad movie about this fact starring Bernie Mac.. The fact that Biggio played at second base, also has 280-plus homers, 600 doubles, and 400-plus steals buttresses his 3,000 hits. Moreover, sportswriters just love to talk about what a great teammate he is, how unselfish he is, and how much he has given back to his community. If that were the end of the story, then yes, I would agree that Biggio is a first ballot hall of famer. But it's not and he's not. He was a good player for a while and an above-average player for a long time. But he was never dominant and was never truly a great player for more than a couple seasons in '97 and '98. The hall of fame is for dominant players, not very good ones who just played for a long time.
Biggio is 42 years old. He has played in the majors for 20 seasons, far longer than most players and most second basemen. Biggio has the lowest batting average among players with 3,000 hits. He only has one 200 hit season. He has never won a batting title. He is 11th on the all-time strikeout list even though he's not a power hitter (he's only 122nd on the all time home run list). His highest showing in MVP voting was two top five finishes.
This shows that he accumulated those seemingly great career numbers not by having a lot of dominant seasons but by playing many more seasons than most players as an above-average player. This is not greatness. This is not hall-worthy. He is not someone who you will tell your children you got to see play like roger clemens or derek jeter or randy johnson. 3,000 hits is not that impressive when your career batting average is only .282. Look at his last few years and he has been a real drag on his team. Hell, if Roberto Alomar had found a team willing to hurt themselves to let him hit .250 for a couple seasons he would've gotten 3,000 hits as well. Ichiro will probably get 3,000 hits in 13 seasons whereas it took Biggio 20. 3,000 hits is good but considering these other facts it's really not that impressive.
The fact of the matter is that Biggio must be compared to his peers, not second basemen of the past. Biggio played during the juiced ball era. Even though he started playing in 1988, he hit the vast VAST majority of his homeruns after 1995. He hit 40% of his homeruns after the bandbox minute maid park opened up in 2000, the year he turned 35. Unless you take roids, you don't have a power spike after you turn 35. I'm not saying he took roids but it's clear his home stadium has been a huge pad to his career stats. Check out his home/road splits the last few years:
2007 (.300 avg/.468 slg home, .190/.290 road),
2006 (.298/.522 home, .178/.278 road),
2005 (.291/.540 home, .235/.386 road).
2004 even.
Reverse '03.
2002 .270/.427 home, .231/.379 road.
He has 11 more career homeruns in minute maid than in the astrodome despite having 1000 more career at bats in the astrodome. In the astrodome he hit 291/430. In minute maid he hit 286/469 - better numbers even though he should have been in career decline mode due to age. The fact of the matter is that if he had played before the 90's and 00's, he would not put up anywheres near the numbers he has ended up with.
The only real way to fairly determine his skill is to compare him to his peers, in which case he clearly does not belong in the hall. Middle infielders are no longer defensive positions like they were before the 90's. There have been a ton of great offensive players to play and second and short over the last 20 years who were way more dominant than Biggio. Jeff Kent, Derek Jeter, Miguel Tejada, Alfonso Soriano, Nomar Garciappara, Bret Boone, Chase Utley, Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez... all of these guys have had far superior power numbers and overall seasons than Biggio has been putting up. The only difference has been durability and consistency. Many of these guys have not lasted as long as Biggio has, so they have not put up the same career numbers. But they have all had far more dominant seasons than Biggio ever had in his career.
Joe Morgan put up the same power numbers as Biggio but played during the second dead ball era in the 60's and 70's. That's way more impressive than Biggio.
Biggio is 42 years old. He has played in the majors for 20 seasons, far longer than most players and most second basemen. Biggio has the lowest batting average among players with 3,000 hits. He only has one 200 hit season. He has never won a batting title. He is 11th on the all-time strikeout list even though he's not a power hitter (he's only 122nd on the all time home run list). His highest showing in MVP voting was two top five finishes.
This shows that he accumulated those seemingly great career numbers not by having a lot of dominant seasons but by playing many more seasons than most players as an above-average player. This is not greatness. This is not hall-worthy. He is not someone who you will tell your children you got to see play like roger clemens or derek jeter or randy johnson. 3,000 hits is not that impressive when your career batting average is only .282. Look at his last few years and he has been a real drag on his team. Hell, if Roberto Alomar had found a team willing to hurt themselves to let him hit .250 for a couple seasons he would've gotten 3,000 hits as well. Ichiro will probably get 3,000 hits in 13 seasons whereas it took Biggio 20. 3,000 hits is good but considering these other facts it's really not that impressive.
The fact of the matter is that Biggio must be compared to his peers, not second basemen of the past. Biggio played during the juiced ball era. Even though he started playing in 1988, he hit the vast VAST majority of his homeruns after 1995. He hit 40% of his homeruns after the bandbox minute maid park opened up in 2000, the year he turned 35. Unless you take roids, you don't have a power spike after you turn 35. I'm not saying he took roids but it's clear his home stadium has been a huge pad to his career stats. Check out his home/road splits the last few years:
2007 (.300 avg/.468 slg home, .190/.290 road),
2006 (.298/.522 home, .178/.278 road),
2005 (.291/.540 home, .235/.386 road).
2004 even.
Reverse '03.
2002 .270/.427 home, .231/.379 road.
He has 11 more career homeruns in minute maid than in the astrodome despite having 1000 more career at bats in the astrodome. In the astrodome he hit 291/430. In minute maid he hit 286/469 - better numbers even though he should have been in career decline mode due to age. The fact of the matter is that if he had played before the 90's and 00's, he would not put up anywheres near the numbers he has ended up with.
The only real way to fairly determine his skill is to compare him to his peers, in which case he clearly does not belong in the hall. Middle infielders are no longer defensive positions like they were before the 90's. There have been a ton of great offensive players to play and second and short over the last 20 years who were way more dominant than Biggio. Jeff Kent, Derek Jeter, Miguel Tejada, Alfonso Soriano, Nomar Garciappara, Bret Boone, Chase Utley, Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez... all of these guys have had far superior power numbers and overall seasons than Biggio has been putting up. The only difference has been durability and consistency. Many of these guys have not lasted as long as Biggio has, so they have not put up the same career numbers. But they have all had far more dominant seasons than Biggio ever had in his career.
Joe Morgan put up the same power numbers as Biggio but played during the second dead ball era in the 60's and 70's. That's way more impressive than Biggio.
Friday, July 20, 2007
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