If we’re hoping to be successful against an enemy that doesn’t care about dying to defend their bended beliefs, we, as a country, better be ready to invent some new ways to win this endless “War on Terror.” With that in mind, I ask: Why don’t we put prisoners in our armed forces? The idea might sound outrageous, but hear me out.
It should be known that sending prisoners to war is not a novel idea in history. It’s been done before. Read about the Black and Tans. This was an early version of my idea. But for today’s purposes there would be some differences. The way I see it: If a prisoner is put away for non-sex crimes or non-violent crimes, why can’t he/she do something more for this country than rot in a cell and suck up tax dollars? The concept is simple. A prisoner will be told upon sentencing that he/she has a choice: that person can complete time in prison or be sent directly to boot camp then entered into the lowest ranks of the armed services. White-collar crimes, drug-possession, robbery without weapon, and other offenses of this nature would be applicable for this program. Example, if the sentence is 3-5 years, then that person would serve in battle for that same length of time. Said person would be trained “for the trenches” then deposited into the most desperate pockets of warfare. When their time is up they're discharged from service. If a CEO is busted for some kind of white-collar crime, but ran a successful, money-making business for decades, why can't our defense dept. find a way to use that kind of thinking? The running a successful business part.
Psych. evals.? Of course. Everything a regular soldier would have to go through to serve. But not all prisoners are nutjobs who'd unleash their war skills on society afterwards. There could be some positive gained from tapping into this sect of society. If they tried to run while at war. AWOL. Like any other soldier. Prison time awaits.
What are the advantages of a prisoner partaking in this program? The first advantage is obvious. Instead of sitting in prison, learning to be a better criminal, said person could be doing something positive, learning important lessons of discipline and perhaps gaining some self-pride from being part of the greatest armed services in the world. And maybe even have the chance to come back home as a war hero. What a change from common street criminal. Occasionally, some prisoners could decide to make a career out of the armed services, proving themselves rehabilitated then working through the officer ranks. If we believe in the power of rehabilitation, why can’t the army, navy, etc believe the same thing and give a one-time criminal a shot at something great? Like I said, these are non-violent offenders I’m referring to. If a prisoner did serve his country proudly while under sentence, maybe some kind of satisfactory (not honorable) discharge or removal of the criminal offense from his/her record could be arranged.
The truth is our society has made it almost impossible for someone out of prison to find work. This most times forces someone to return to a life of crime, thus ending up in prison again. This vicious cycle could perhaps be reduced with my idea. Remember, any prisoner that went to war or served the American Armed Services would be risking his/her life in battle, and could end up as a casualty of war, like any other soldier we send. For every great opportunity, there is great risk as well.
How would this work during peace? Well, peace time isn't coming anytime soon. But if it did there's always a need for the military. It could be worked out.
The advantages of this proposed program for us as a society are also obvious. Of course I believe anyone who commits a rape, murder, armed robbery, etc, belongs in prison, no doubt. But right now our prisons are overpopulated with small-time offenders and repeat offenders who can’t get an honest life going on the outside. This huge prison population is putting an equally huge burden on American taxpayers and creating dangerous conditions for CO’s and other prison workers. Right now the burden of defending our freedom is solely on the soldiers who have registered for service. The armed services are being stretched thin and backdoor drafting is happening all over the place. Why can’t we tap into the seemingly endless supply of small-time criminals we’re funneling through the prison system? If the armed services provide so much balance and discipline why not expose our most needy Americans to it?
I know many, former and present, members of the American Armed Services will bristle at the idea of common criminals populating their ranks. That such a thing would pollute the honor and dignity of “serving.” But come on. They said the same thing about African Americans and now they’re saying the same thing, in many ways, about homosexual Americans. The truth is we’re sending these kids, mostly poor, Southern, uneducated, to a war that is being fought so conglomerates and big business can make money. You don’t fight a war on terror by invading and occupying a country. That just makes more terrorists. You stop terror by good police work in this country. With all due respect to those on the front lines, this war’s a complete sham and everyone knows it. There’s no accountability in government anymore, at any level. Can you believe not one person was fired over 9/11? Not one! So don’t tell me about honor and dignity.
Our soldiers are being sent 30,000 at a time into this abyss to fight some masked enemy. And everyone will have a heart attack if I suggest a war tax, to make civilians feel the pain of war the same way the soldiers do. Don’t want to do that? Want to save money? Of course. And we all know the rich and well-connected will never serve a single day if they don't bring back the draft, which I say would end this war in three seconds. OK. Fine. So let’s empty the small-timers out of our prisons and put them in fatigues. You break our law, you protect our policies. Period.
Brian Huba
3/30/10
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
I'm so glad I'm a NY Giants fan
This off season has reaffirmed something: I’m so glad I’m a New York Giants fan rather than a New York Jets fan. Obviously history has been kinder to the Giants. They’ve won three Superbowls and been to four, including the 2007 victory over the-then undefeated Patriots, the most satisfying Superbowl win ever. I know the Jets will be remembered for Joe Namath’s famous guarantee before Superbowl III, but that was 41 years ago. Think about the NY Giant names: Simms, Banks, Carson, Meggett, Gifford, Huff, Eli, Strahan, Barber, and of course the greatest football player ever: #56. LT! Since the mid 70’s big blue has shared their stadium, Giants Stadium, with the Jets, who have so aptly played the role of little brother. Now the two teams are moving across the parking lot to a brand new state-of-the-art facility. No matter what it’s named, everyone knows it’s the new Giants Stadium. But above all, it’s the way that my organization operates that makes me so happy to be a true-blue Giant vs. a gang-green Jet.
This entire off season, after their amazing run to the AFC Championship game, the Jets have done nothing but brought unneeded attention to their team and organization. From Rex Ryan flipping off fans in Miami to his fat-guy surgery, it's been one ridiculous headline after the next. Last week, Jets owner Woody Johnson made a stink about some stupid coin flip to determine which NY team would open the new stadium in September. Did he have a point? Maybe. But my God, talk about a cry-athon. Now the Jets have agreed to be featured in HBO’s annual attention fest “Hard Knocks.” About “Hard Knocks,” owner Woody Johnson said, "We're going to let the fans in on something that they've never seen up close and personal. This is going to be kind of the king's new clothes. I think you can argue that there's no other team in the league right now that's kind of more interesting than the New York Jets."
Yeah right. Interesting? A loud-mouth coach who’s gotten PR because he’s not disciplined enough to lose weight the right way? That’s your coach? Your leader of men? Your symbol of discipline? A guy who can’t put down the potato chips and hop on a treadmill? As a football fan, the last place I want to see my team is on TV during training camp. That kind of thing is for Jerry Jones and the silly circus he runs in Dallas. Jones signed his squad up twice. Enough said. All this look-at-me crap never results in NFL wins. Never. And although I was happy to see the Jets go so far last year, they haven’t actually won a thing. There’s no victory parade for losing the AFC Championship game. Sorry, guys.
"This might have motivated me earlier," said a smiling Ryan, noticeably slimmer after undergoing lap-band surgery a few weeks ago. "I probably should've had the surgery maybe a year earlier. I'd be down to about 220 [pounds], and maybe I would get that opportunity to have that romantic scene with Heather Locklear one day."
Umm . . . OK.
Compare that crap to the NY Giants way. Right off the bat, our head coach Tom Coughlin is not only a brilliant football mind, he’s a symbol of sound discipline and physical fitness. Tom’s 63 years old and looks great. I guarantee he runs 5 miles a day and does 100 bare-knuckle push ups. That’s a leader of men. That’s who I want. Not some fat clown who’s making a fool of himself in the press. The only time you ever see or hear about Tom Coughlin is at the press podium or on the sidelines. When HBO asked the NY Giants to star in “Hard Knocks” after their ’07 Superbowl win, Coughlin told them to take a hike. Win, lose, or draw, Coughlin’s all business, and that’s the way I want it. His players are the same way. I’ll be the first to admit: The Giants had a down season in 2009, no doubt about it. Bad seasons happen. But before that, Coughlin took us to the playoffs 4 straight years. In fact, Coughlin's one of only 5 active coaches with a Superbowl ring. That's elite.
Sure, we had to clean house and wash away the distractions of Plaxico Burress. But I promise the Giants will be back. In fact, I think the Giants are going to win the Superbowl this upcoming season. And if you don’t think Coughlin is an elite coach, and if you don’t think the Giants have a capable squad led by Eli Manning, you don’t know anything about football. Oh by the way, don't let Osi's 2009 fool you. He's going to be a monster this year. Knee injuries always take a few years to come back from. Ask Tom Brady about that.
"I have to tell you that in all of the years that we've done this, this is the right team at the right time with the right coach, the right transparency, philosophy ... this is going to be a big hit," said HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg, who acknowledged being a longtime Jets fan. "We have our Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg in Rex Ryan."
I rest my case.
Right now the spotlight may be on Gang Green, but it’s for all the wrong reasons. The NY Giants are hard at work, waiting in the weeds. The Jets may've had a better '09. OK. But don't get carried away with that. The truth? Ryan is not a good X's and O's guy. He's a bad clock manager. And these pros are only going to beat the drum for that rah-rah stuff so long. Coughlin's a football genius and the Giants are in the picture almost every year. Don't believe me? What coach leads the league in challenges won (percentage wise)? That's right: Coughlin (48%). What's that mean? It means, in part, he knows the game inside and out. The Jets have to do it more than once in a blue moon to be in this conversation. And when the interest returns to what’s happening on the field, the headlines will be with the Giants once again. Because fat-guy surgeries and crybaby owners are never as interesting as racking up wins. Not for real football fans at least.
Brian Huba
3/26/10
This entire off season, after their amazing run to the AFC Championship game, the Jets have done nothing but brought unneeded attention to their team and organization. From Rex Ryan flipping off fans in Miami to his fat-guy surgery, it's been one ridiculous headline after the next. Last week, Jets owner Woody Johnson made a stink about some stupid coin flip to determine which NY team would open the new stadium in September. Did he have a point? Maybe. But my God, talk about a cry-athon. Now the Jets have agreed to be featured in HBO’s annual attention fest “Hard Knocks.” About “Hard Knocks,” owner Woody Johnson said, "We're going to let the fans in on something that they've never seen up close and personal. This is going to be kind of the king's new clothes. I think you can argue that there's no other team in the league right now that's kind of more interesting than the New York Jets."
Yeah right. Interesting? A loud-mouth coach who’s gotten PR because he’s not disciplined enough to lose weight the right way? That’s your coach? Your leader of men? Your symbol of discipline? A guy who can’t put down the potato chips and hop on a treadmill? As a football fan, the last place I want to see my team is on TV during training camp. That kind of thing is for Jerry Jones and the silly circus he runs in Dallas. Jones signed his squad up twice. Enough said. All this look-at-me crap never results in NFL wins. Never. And although I was happy to see the Jets go so far last year, they haven’t actually won a thing. There’s no victory parade for losing the AFC Championship game. Sorry, guys.
"This might have motivated me earlier," said a smiling Ryan, noticeably slimmer after undergoing lap-band surgery a few weeks ago. "I probably should've had the surgery maybe a year earlier. I'd be down to about 220 [pounds], and maybe I would get that opportunity to have that romantic scene with Heather Locklear one day."
Umm . . . OK.
Compare that crap to the NY Giants way. Right off the bat, our head coach Tom Coughlin is not only a brilliant football mind, he’s a symbol of sound discipline and physical fitness. Tom’s 63 years old and looks great. I guarantee he runs 5 miles a day and does 100 bare-knuckle push ups. That’s a leader of men. That’s who I want. Not some fat clown who’s making a fool of himself in the press. The only time you ever see or hear about Tom Coughlin is at the press podium or on the sidelines. When HBO asked the NY Giants to star in “Hard Knocks” after their ’07 Superbowl win, Coughlin told them to take a hike. Win, lose, or draw, Coughlin’s all business, and that’s the way I want it. His players are the same way. I’ll be the first to admit: The Giants had a down season in 2009, no doubt about it. Bad seasons happen. But before that, Coughlin took us to the playoffs 4 straight years. In fact, Coughlin's one of only 5 active coaches with a Superbowl ring. That's elite.
Sure, we had to clean house and wash away the distractions of Plaxico Burress. But I promise the Giants will be back. In fact, I think the Giants are going to win the Superbowl this upcoming season. And if you don’t think Coughlin is an elite coach, and if you don’t think the Giants have a capable squad led by Eli Manning, you don’t know anything about football. Oh by the way, don't let Osi's 2009 fool you. He's going to be a monster this year. Knee injuries always take a few years to come back from. Ask Tom Brady about that.
"I have to tell you that in all of the years that we've done this, this is the right team at the right time with the right coach, the right transparency, philosophy ... this is going to be a big hit," said HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg, who acknowledged being a longtime Jets fan. "We have our Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg in Rex Ryan."
I rest my case.
Right now the spotlight may be on Gang Green, but it’s for all the wrong reasons. The NY Giants are hard at work, waiting in the weeds. The Jets may've had a better '09. OK. But don't get carried away with that. The truth? Ryan is not a good X's and O's guy. He's a bad clock manager. And these pros are only going to beat the drum for that rah-rah stuff so long. Coughlin's a football genius and the Giants are in the picture almost every year. Don't believe me? What coach leads the league in challenges won (percentage wise)? That's right: Coughlin (48%). What's that mean? It means, in part, he knows the game inside and out. The Jets have to do it more than once in a blue moon to be in this conversation. And when the interest returns to what’s happening on the field, the headlines will be with the Giants once again. Because fat-guy surgeries and crybaby owners are never as interesting as racking up wins. Not for real football fans at least.
Brian Huba
3/26/10
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tortured puppy gets adopted
I was happy to read in today's Times Union that one of the dogs that was tortured by that piece of human garbage in Schenectady a few months back has found a new home. If you remember I wrote a blog about it in January: One torturous death deserves another. In the blog I described the torture of three dogs, two who were tortured to death and a third, the toy poodle now adopted, who survived acts so horrible I don't even want to repeat them. In the blog I called for this disgrace of a human being to get the electric chair for the abuses he carried out on these defenseless dogs. As it is, he's staring down the barrel of two years in prison. Good. But not good enough. Either way, I applaud Jim Tedisco and his role in getting Buster's Law passed. Mr. Tedisco has my vote till the end of time.
According to the TU: The puppy was badly burned in January after Thomas Hendricks II of Schenectady held her under scalding water and ripped out her fur, the man told police. Two other dogs in Hendricks' care were tortured to death. He was charged with three counts of felony aggravated animal cruelty and misdemeanor menacing, but took a plea deal March 17.
As for the toy poodle named Carmella. She has been adopted by a lovely woman named Arlene Conway from Colonie. Arlene has renamed this beautiful little dog Angel and is ready to give her a new lease on life. "She is in the care of a wonderful, loving new owner," said SPCA spokesman David Dean. "With the generous support of this pet-loving community, we are working toward ending similar incidents of abuse."
Ms. Conway, you've done a wonderful thing. I hope you enjoy your time with Angel and give her the great life she deserves. Reading this story brought a mile-wide smile to my face. Enjoy your life together, ladies, and God bless you both!
Brian Huba
3/25/10
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=915247#ixzz0jE3thpju
According to the TU: The puppy was badly burned in January after Thomas Hendricks II of Schenectady held her under scalding water and ripped out her fur, the man told police. Two other dogs in Hendricks' care were tortured to death. He was charged with three counts of felony aggravated animal cruelty and misdemeanor menacing, but took a plea deal March 17.
As for the toy poodle named Carmella. She has been adopted by a lovely woman named Arlene Conway from Colonie. Arlene has renamed this beautiful little dog Angel and is ready to give her a new lease on life. "She is in the care of a wonderful, loving new owner," said SPCA spokesman David Dean. "With the generous support of this pet-loving community, we are working toward ending similar incidents of abuse."
Ms. Conway, you've done a wonderful thing. I hope you enjoy your time with Angel and give her the great life she deserves. Reading this story brought a mile-wide smile to my face. Enjoy your life together, ladies, and God bless you both!
Brian Huba
3/25/10
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=915247#ixzz0jE3thpju
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tax Habits!
Sheldon Silver and the NYS Assembly are in the process of putting their fingerprints to the state’s proposed budget. The spending plan they want to put in place requires 800 Million in education cuts (half of what Patterson and the Senate proposed) and roughly 2 billion in borrowed monies. The chamber plans on voting for its final resolution today. "Nothing's final until it's final," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan. "We make restorations in education, we make restorations across the board within reasonable limits reflecting the economic crisis that is upon us, so we make significant cuts overall." OK. Fine. Whatever. The fact is, because of years of overspending and the spreading of services that could’ve easily been consolidated, the Empire state is in financial dire straits, and now it’s all coming to a head. Like Malcolm X once said, “the chickens have come home to roost.” All this on the heels of Patterson’s announcement that state tax refund checks will be delayed until at least April 1st. Sometimes I swear this guy can’t see the forest for the trees. And that’s my whole point here: Let’s figure out a vision for getting revenue and run with it.
My opinion: tax habits!
Do I think health care and education could survive some trimming? Sure. I guess so. Do I think we should lay off 10,000 school teachers statewide in one fiscal year and under staff ER and hospital personnel in one hard shot? Hell no, on both counts. You’re robbing Peter to pay Paul. Can’t anyone see that?! My solution is tax habits. Tax ‘em to death. Beer, cigarettes, the Lotto, fast food, soda, candy. Tax ‘em all. Here’s the thing about habits: They’re habits! People aren’t going to give them up because of some new ten cent NYS recovery tax.
My vision's simple. Here it is. Let’s start with fast food. All the state’s McDonald’s, Burger Kings, Taco Bells, Wendy’s, etc, tax ‘em. For every dollar spent, add another five cent “fast food state tax.” So now a Big Mac meal at Mickey-D’s is $5.15 instead of $4.89 with the current 8% tax, or whatever. What’s wrong with that? Does anyone think that the people who actually eat this crap will stop because of some additional five cent tax? Um . . . I don’t think so. Does anyone think McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, etc will stop building restaurants in NYS? Say goodbye to 19 million potential buyers? Yeah right, try again. Do the same thing at Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, etc. It’ll mean millions of generated dollars instantly, and the state can easily write that legislation off as concern for people’s health. Yeah, that’s it, that’s the ticket. Not money. Health concern.
As for cigarettes and beer? I don’t care what state leaders do with that one. Tax it till the cows come home. Add another $2.00 to cigarette prices. Call it a “state tobacco tax.” Guess what? Smokers are addicted. They’ll pay anything to puff. So, OK, charge ‘em the kitchen sink. Beer drinkers love to drink. Um, um, um give me some good beer. Love that stuff. Well, how ‘bout paying a dollar “state beer sales tax” on top of all the other extras paid with every 12-pack or case of Bud, Coors Light, whatever? Who cares? Just give me my beer. Need my beer. Again, the state can call that an aggressive measure to make people quit. Yeah, OK. I’ve never once met someone who just up and quit drinking for no other reason besides quitting, and no dollar state tax will change that. And yes, Bud, and Coors, and whoever else will keep pedaling their product in NYS. I promise you. No doubt about that.
Soda, sugary drinks, candy? Tax! Tax! Tax! Here’s how I see it. Would you rather pay an extra dollar for your Big Mac meal with soda side and candy bar dessert or lose your job five years before retirement? Your call. And despite what I’ve said, maybe all this habit taxing will convince a few people to give this garbage up, which would do wonders for our health care costs. So now we’re paying Peter to pay Paul.
Let’s take it one step further. Double traffic fines. You break the law. You pay. Oh well. And NYS is raking in dough by the basket loads. Add five cents to every toll exit, tax flights out of NYS airports, and trains out of NYS stations. If I have to fly, drive, or train somewhere, no two dollar “state transportation tax” on my ticket is going to stop me. All these options are better than begging on the breadline. Right? Turn on News 9's Capital Tonight sometime. The state of our state. It's like a horror movie.
And this may be a primitive attitude: But this is NYS, damnit! The top state in America, right? If big business wants to come here, the Wal-Mart’s, and Targets, and McDonald’s of the world, this state should take a piece of their profits for a year or make them pay the state an upfront fee to build here. New Yorkers have the most money and generally the most power. Plus, we have 19 million people here. The chain businesses will come, and come, and come. Believe me. Yes, of course, leave small business alone, but hit the big boys up for something, anything. We need money! Now you may say we wouldn’t need money if the idiots in Albany could appropriate the billions in taxes we already send. In other words, rein in spending. But, please. That ship has sailed. Our governor basically threw away his political career for baseball tickets to "watch" a World Series game, and he’s blind! Try explaining intelligent decision making to him.
In my opinion, anything is better than thousands and thousands of people losing jobs by the basket load. When that happens unemployment gets overrun and people stop spending into the economy. Don't believe me? Check out the housing market figures. Ouch. Anyone would trade a few more dollars in McDonald’s and tobacco taxes to keep their careers. Right? And taxing habits is the answer, I believe. Would there be miles of red tape? Yeah. Will it ever happen? Doubt it. But either way, habits are habits, which means people will continue them regardless of some extra tax burden. So I say instead of wiping out elementary schools and shutting down office buildings, let beer drinkers pay another dollar for their nightly twelve pack of Bud. Seems fair to me.
Brian Huba
3/24/10
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=914453#ixzz0j5lujqBz
My opinion: tax habits!
Do I think health care and education could survive some trimming? Sure. I guess so. Do I think we should lay off 10,000 school teachers statewide in one fiscal year and under staff ER and hospital personnel in one hard shot? Hell no, on both counts. You’re robbing Peter to pay Paul. Can’t anyone see that?! My solution is tax habits. Tax ‘em to death. Beer, cigarettes, the Lotto, fast food, soda, candy. Tax ‘em all. Here’s the thing about habits: They’re habits! People aren’t going to give them up because of some new ten cent NYS recovery tax.
My vision's simple. Here it is. Let’s start with fast food. All the state’s McDonald’s, Burger Kings, Taco Bells, Wendy’s, etc, tax ‘em. For every dollar spent, add another five cent “fast food state tax.” So now a Big Mac meal at Mickey-D’s is $5.15 instead of $4.89 with the current 8% tax, or whatever. What’s wrong with that? Does anyone think that the people who actually eat this crap will stop because of some additional five cent tax? Um . . . I don’t think so. Does anyone think McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, etc will stop building restaurants in NYS? Say goodbye to 19 million potential buyers? Yeah right, try again. Do the same thing at Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, etc. It’ll mean millions of generated dollars instantly, and the state can easily write that legislation off as concern for people’s health. Yeah, that’s it, that’s the ticket. Not money. Health concern.
As for cigarettes and beer? I don’t care what state leaders do with that one. Tax it till the cows come home. Add another $2.00 to cigarette prices. Call it a “state tobacco tax.” Guess what? Smokers are addicted. They’ll pay anything to puff. So, OK, charge ‘em the kitchen sink. Beer drinkers love to drink. Um, um, um give me some good beer. Love that stuff. Well, how ‘bout paying a dollar “state beer sales tax” on top of all the other extras paid with every 12-pack or case of Bud, Coors Light, whatever? Who cares? Just give me my beer. Need my beer. Again, the state can call that an aggressive measure to make people quit. Yeah, OK. I’ve never once met someone who just up and quit drinking for no other reason besides quitting, and no dollar state tax will change that. And yes, Bud, and Coors, and whoever else will keep pedaling their product in NYS. I promise you. No doubt about that.
Soda, sugary drinks, candy? Tax! Tax! Tax! Here’s how I see it. Would you rather pay an extra dollar for your Big Mac meal with soda side and candy bar dessert or lose your job five years before retirement? Your call. And despite what I’ve said, maybe all this habit taxing will convince a few people to give this garbage up, which would do wonders for our health care costs. So now we’re paying Peter to pay Paul.
Let’s take it one step further. Double traffic fines. You break the law. You pay. Oh well. And NYS is raking in dough by the basket loads. Add five cents to every toll exit, tax flights out of NYS airports, and trains out of NYS stations. If I have to fly, drive, or train somewhere, no two dollar “state transportation tax” on my ticket is going to stop me. All these options are better than begging on the breadline. Right? Turn on News 9's Capital Tonight sometime. The state of our state. It's like a horror movie.
And this may be a primitive attitude: But this is NYS, damnit! The top state in America, right? If big business wants to come here, the Wal-Mart’s, and Targets, and McDonald’s of the world, this state should take a piece of their profits for a year or make them pay the state an upfront fee to build here. New Yorkers have the most money and generally the most power. Plus, we have 19 million people here. The chain businesses will come, and come, and come. Believe me. Yes, of course, leave small business alone, but hit the big boys up for something, anything. We need money! Now you may say we wouldn’t need money if the idiots in Albany could appropriate the billions in taxes we already send. In other words, rein in spending. But, please. That ship has sailed. Our governor basically threw away his political career for baseball tickets to "watch" a World Series game, and he’s blind! Try explaining intelligent decision making to him.
In my opinion, anything is better than thousands and thousands of people losing jobs by the basket load. When that happens unemployment gets overrun and people stop spending into the economy. Don't believe me? Check out the housing market figures. Ouch. Anyone would trade a few more dollars in McDonald’s and tobacco taxes to keep their careers. Right? And taxing habits is the answer, I believe. Would there be miles of red tape? Yeah. Will it ever happen? Doubt it. But either way, habits are habits, which means people will continue them regardless of some extra tax burden. So I say instead of wiping out elementary schools and shutting down office buildings, let beer drinkers pay another dollar for their nightly twelve pack of Bud. Seems fair to me.
Brian Huba
3/24/10
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=914453#ixzz0j5lujqBz
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Don't try to be happier than happy
I’m not going to sit here and say, “Congratulations Saints on your super season.” Everybody from Plattsburgh to Poughkeepsie has already done that. And done it and done it and done it. The truth is Clarence Jackson should’ve played on Friday and Siena should’ve beat Purdue. Without Jackson Siena starters had to play big minutes, Purdue was able to defend differently, and by 17:25 of the 2nd half the game was over. Despite that though, I thought Siena looked like a team content with what they’ve already accomplished. Content with two NCAA tourney wins. Content with three MAAC Championships. Content being the GREATEST Senior class in school history. Content.
So now the questions will begin: Does Head Coach Fran McCaffery stay at Siena or put his hot-commodity status to the test and try his hand at a big-boy school? Former coaches Mike Deane and Paul Hewitt both used Siena as a stepping stone successfully. Deane to Marquette and Hewitt to Georgia Tech. After Siena surrendered to Purdue on Friday my thoughts quickly turned to Fran’s future, and a line that ESPN sports reporter Colin Cowherd uses: Don’t try to be happier than happy. Might be good advice for Siena’s current coach.
For those who think Fran should cash in his hot ticket, here’s how I see it. Fran’s super senior class is graduating in May, so one would suspect there will be a period of rebuilding, even a brief one. And if you think Kyle Downey’s the answer, ah, think again. The program’s coming off three straight appearances in the Big Dance, netting two wins in that time. Last week, former standout Kenny Hasbrouck signed a ten-day deal with the Miami Heat, which means Fran’s first recruit is now in the NBA, if only for a short time. Perhaps the most exciting thing about being part of Siena basketball is the MAAC Tournament in Albany every March. The locals come out and treat the Saints like minor royalty, and Fran McCaffery’s the king of it all. A great basketball environment, no doubt. But guess what? The MAAC is no longer holding its tournament at the TU, and after Belber and the MAAC’s head man Rich Ensor butted heads in the press over the handling of security at the Championship game this year, I doubt the tournament is ever coming back to Pearl Street. So if Fran’s going to keep racking MAAC Championships, he’s going to do it in some rinky-dink gym in Bridgeport then Springfield, MA. All these reasons, combined with McCaffery’s age (50), would make one think it was the right time for Fran to jump ship and chase the big-name school, and of course, the big-name payday. After all, it may be now or never.
Don’t try to be happier than happy.
Those who know Fran and his family will quickly say the coach is quite happy with his Loudonville house and salary from Siena. McCaffery and his wife Margaret, a former Notre Dame women’s basketball player, have 2 young children. And she has made no secret of the fact that she doesn’t want to leave the Capital Region, so Fran can fight to take St. John’s or Seton Hall to the promise land. The truth is the McCafferys are treated like demigods in this area, recognized and revered wherever they go. If quality of life is a factor, it doesn’t get much better than that. If McCaffery takes a job in a large-market city, he’ll quickly be pushed to the backburner, because care level is low when there’re pro teams to contend with. If Fran were to go to NJ, he’d be lucky to valet Tom Coughlin’s car. Same thing in Atlanta, Philly, Cali, Chicago, etc. And although the demigod status would be long gone with the big-market job, the stress would be triple what it is here. Figure that out. Have you seen Paul Hewitt lately? He looks like Bill Cosby. Mike Deane or Rob Lanier? I haven’t seen either of them in years. How’s that for relevant? To be honest I think Fran could sign a lifetime deal with Siena and rack up MAAC wins and tourney tickets till the end of time. Big-market jobs? Three years to win. If not, so long and nice to know you.
Don’t try to be happier than happy.
My opinion: Stay, Fran, be happy, healthy, and revered wherever you go. But anyone would understand the competitive nature that compels a man to take the next step. Of course. The truth is he’s a great coach. In fact, I’ve never seen him outcoached by anyone, not even Pitino last year in the dance. So if a Louisville or Villanova opens up, McCaffery would have no choice but to test the waters. Of course. For now, I guess the Capital Region will keep their collective fingers crossed, and hope when next hoops season rolls around Fran’s still Siena’s front man.
Brian Huba
3/21/10
So now the questions will begin: Does Head Coach Fran McCaffery stay at Siena or put his hot-commodity status to the test and try his hand at a big-boy school? Former coaches Mike Deane and Paul Hewitt both used Siena as a stepping stone successfully. Deane to Marquette and Hewitt to Georgia Tech. After Siena surrendered to Purdue on Friday my thoughts quickly turned to Fran’s future, and a line that ESPN sports reporter Colin Cowherd uses: Don’t try to be happier than happy. Might be good advice for Siena’s current coach.
For those who think Fran should cash in his hot ticket, here’s how I see it. Fran’s super senior class is graduating in May, so one would suspect there will be a period of rebuilding, even a brief one. And if you think Kyle Downey’s the answer, ah, think again. The program’s coming off three straight appearances in the Big Dance, netting two wins in that time. Last week, former standout Kenny Hasbrouck signed a ten-day deal with the Miami Heat, which means Fran’s first recruit is now in the NBA, if only for a short time. Perhaps the most exciting thing about being part of Siena basketball is the MAAC Tournament in Albany every March. The locals come out and treat the Saints like minor royalty, and Fran McCaffery’s the king of it all. A great basketball environment, no doubt. But guess what? The MAAC is no longer holding its tournament at the TU, and after Belber and the MAAC’s head man Rich Ensor butted heads in the press over the handling of security at the Championship game this year, I doubt the tournament is ever coming back to Pearl Street. So if Fran’s going to keep racking MAAC Championships, he’s going to do it in some rinky-dink gym in Bridgeport then Springfield, MA. All these reasons, combined with McCaffery’s age (50), would make one think it was the right time for Fran to jump ship and chase the big-name school, and of course, the big-name payday. After all, it may be now or never.
Don’t try to be happier than happy.
Those who know Fran and his family will quickly say the coach is quite happy with his Loudonville house and salary from Siena. McCaffery and his wife Margaret, a former Notre Dame women’s basketball player, have 2 young children. And she has made no secret of the fact that she doesn’t want to leave the Capital Region, so Fran can fight to take St. John’s or Seton Hall to the promise land. The truth is the McCafferys are treated like demigods in this area, recognized and revered wherever they go. If quality of life is a factor, it doesn’t get much better than that. If McCaffery takes a job in a large-market city, he’ll quickly be pushed to the backburner, because care level is low when there’re pro teams to contend with. If Fran were to go to NJ, he’d be lucky to valet Tom Coughlin’s car. Same thing in Atlanta, Philly, Cali, Chicago, etc. And although the demigod status would be long gone with the big-market job, the stress would be triple what it is here. Figure that out. Have you seen Paul Hewitt lately? He looks like Bill Cosby. Mike Deane or Rob Lanier? I haven’t seen either of them in years. How’s that for relevant? To be honest I think Fran could sign a lifetime deal with Siena and rack up MAAC wins and tourney tickets till the end of time. Big-market jobs? Three years to win. If not, so long and nice to know you.
Don’t try to be happier than happy.
My opinion: Stay, Fran, be happy, healthy, and revered wherever you go. But anyone would understand the competitive nature that compels a man to take the next step. Of course. The truth is he’s a great coach. In fact, I’ve never seen him outcoached by anyone, not even Pitino last year in the dance. So if a Louisville or Villanova opens up, McCaffery would have no choice but to test the waters. Of course. For now, I guess the Capital Region will keep their collective fingers crossed, and hope when next hoops season rolls around Fran’s still Siena’s front man.
Brian Huba
3/21/10
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
“The crime you see now, it's hard to even take its measure.”
The mansion that these teenagers in North Greenbush did 200K in damage to last month is off Snyders Lake Road, about a mile from where I grew up. It’s in a community called Pond Hill. I was 8 or 9 when Pond Hill was being built. It’s one of the most beautiful communities in the country. These are estates with inside swimming pools, 5-car garages, tennis courts, that kind of thing. In the 90’s, Mike Tyson owned a house up there, so went the rumor. It was, and still is, my dream to have a home there. What can I say? The place is beyond belief.
I was saddened to see that North Greenbush youths, regardless of how drunk they were, would so dramatically destroy a beautiful home. But I was also shocked at the audacity it takes to crowd into that super-exclusive community 80-plus deep, break into an unoccupied mansion, and get the party started. I feel like the old sheriff in the McCarthy movie No Country for Old Men. “The crime you see now, it's hard to even take its measure.” Touche, Tommy Lee Jones.
When I was 17 I was arrested for busting up mailboxes. We’d grab a Louisville Slugger, pile into somebody’s crappy car, and drive around town blowing mailboxes off their blocks. One night I messed with the wrong redneck, some guy who modeled his mailbox after his house. Both the house and box were ugly, so I put an extra swing into that destruction. The North Greenbush PD brought me in and I was forced to pay $300.00 in restitution. My father, umm, not happy. Lesson learned, the hard way. My mailbox-busting days were over. Today I recognize that petit vandalism was wrong, and I’d be red hot if some punk did it to my mailbox. But, in my defense, there’s such a thing as kids being kids, and if busting mailboxes is the only offense on my rap sheet, so be it. Did you know that RAP is an acronym for Report for Arrests and Prosecutions? See. You learn something new every day.
But this new kind of crime, this extent of damage to private property? Wow! According to Chief Rocco Fragomeni: “The damage to the house is disgusting. I am appalled that these teens thought it was okay to go there and have a party in the first place. Then to trash the place is beyond comprehension.” I completely agree, Rocco. And for the record, Rocco’s the same cop who collared me for mailbox-busting way back when.
In regards to this Pond Hill house party, questions about where the alcohol came from will be asked and dozens of interviews will be done, according to reports. And I’m glad to see that the NGPD are ostensibly taking this very seriously, and it’s my belief that they’re going to send a serious message to these offenders. Can anyone say restitution?
But I must ask: would the same lengths be taken if the destroyed house wasn’t a million-dollar mansion? Are police being pushed by the fact that the victim is a very wealthy, and most likely, very powerful person in the North Greenbush community, and beyond? I mean, you’d have to have some level of serious influence to own an unoccupied house in Pond Hill, annual property taxes about 22K. And you don’t even live there. Let’s pretend the house in question is some converted-camp on Burden Lake, and the dollar value of the damage was far less but equal in scope. Is this still a front page story in every major paper in the area? Is it still the top story on all five TV-news outlets? Are police driven most by stories that carry the pressure of news coverage and public interest? I must ask.
My answer: I sure hope not. But maybe.
Case and point. A few years back when I was still living at home, our neighborhood was under the wrath of vehicle robbers. Basically, kids would climb into parked cars at night and loot whatever they could. One night they got my unlocked car for $300.00 left in the wallet. I was dumb, I know, enough said. Of course I called the cops. They made a report and that was that. Days later the vehicle robbers were overheard bragging about their conquests on the school bus. I was told this by several witnesses, including the bus driver, about this bragging. I told all this to the cops and nothing was done, not a single witness was interviewed or asked about these conversations. It was almost like the cops didn’t care. Sometime later the local media got hold of the story of these vehicles being robbed right in front of houses. Soon after that arrests were made. Just in time for the 6PM news. Go figure.
My point is a crime like this forces many questions to the surface, questions we don’t want to answer on a day-to-day basis. How does something like this happen? Why? What will become of this country’s future? Whatever happened to respect? How are police handling the situation? Where’s your kid at 11PM on a Friday night? I guess, like everything else in America, the teenage crime is getting bigger, bolder, faster. Ten years ago it was busting mailboxes with baseball bats. Now it’s breaking-and-entering then destroying million-dollar mansions. According to NGPD Capt. Robert Durivage, windows at the home had been knocked out, light fixtures and chandeliers were smashed and carpets had been urinated on. The extensive damages also included broken kitchen cabinets and wrecked counters, among other things. “The crime you see now, it's hard to even take its measure.”
I just wonder if that same thinking applies to all levels of society, not just the crimes that disrupt the rich and bring the biggest press coverage. I suppose we’ll wait and see. But my guess is we’ll learn the answer to that question the hard way.
Brian Huba
3/16/10
I was saddened to see that North Greenbush youths, regardless of how drunk they were, would so dramatically destroy a beautiful home. But I was also shocked at the audacity it takes to crowd into that super-exclusive community 80-plus deep, break into an unoccupied mansion, and get the party started. I feel like the old sheriff in the McCarthy movie No Country for Old Men. “The crime you see now, it's hard to even take its measure.” Touche, Tommy Lee Jones.
When I was 17 I was arrested for busting up mailboxes. We’d grab a Louisville Slugger, pile into somebody’s crappy car, and drive around town blowing mailboxes off their blocks. One night I messed with the wrong redneck, some guy who modeled his mailbox after his house. Both the house and box were ugly, so I put an extra swing into that destruction. The North Greenbush PD brought me in and I was forced to pay $300.00 in restitution. My father, umm, not happy. Lesson learned, the hard way. My mailbox-busting days were over. Today I recognize that petit vandalism was wrong, and I’d be red hot if some punk did it to my mailbox. But, in my defense, there’s such a thing as kids being kids, and if busting mailboxes is the only offense on my rap sheet, so be it. Did you know that RAP is an acronym for Report for Arrests and Prosecutions? See. You learn something new every day.
But this new kind of crime, this extent of damage to private property? Wow! According to Chief Rocco Fragomeni: “The damage to the house is disgusting. I am appalled that these teens thought it was okay to go there and have a party in the first place. Then to trash the place is beyond comprehension.” I completely agree, Rocco. And for the record, Rocco’s the same cop who collared me for mailbox-busting way back when.
In regards to this Pond Hill house party, questions about where the alcohol came from will be asked and dozens of interviews will be done, according to reports. And I’m glad to see that the NGPD are ostensibly taking this very seriously, and it’s my belief that they’re going to send a serious message to these offenders. Can anyone say restitution?
But I must ask: would the same lengths be taken if the destroyed house wasn’t a million-dollar mansion? Are police being pushed by the fact that the victim is a very wealthy, and most likely, very powerful person in the North Greenbush community, and beyond? I mean, you’d have to have some level of serious influence to own an unoccupied house in Pond Hill, annual property taxes about 22K. And you don’t even live there. Let’s pretend the house in question is some converted-camp on Burden Lake, and the dollar value of the damage was far less but equal in scope. Is this still a front page story in every major paper in the area? Is it still the top story on all five TV-news outlets? Are police driven most by stories that carry the pressure of news coverage and public interest? I must ask.
My answer: I sure hope not. But maybe.
Case and point. A few years back when I was still living at home, our neighborhood was under the wrath of vehicle robbers. Basically, kids would climb into parked cars at night and loot whatever they could. One night they got my unlocked car for $300.00 left in the wallet. I was dumb, I know, enough said. Of course I called the cops. They made a report and that was that. Days later the vehicle robbers were overheard bragging about their conquests on the school bus. I was told this by several witnesses, including the bus driver, about this bragging. I told all this to the cops and nothing was done, not a single witness was interviewed or asked about these conversations. It was almost like the cops didn’t care. Sometime later the local media got hold of the story of these vehicles being robbed right in front of houses. Soon after that arrests were made. Just in time for the 6PM news. Go figure.
My point is a crime like this forces many questions to the surface, questions we don’t want to answer on a day-to-day basis. How does something like this happen? Why? What will become of this country’s future? Whatever happened to respect? How are police handling the situation? Where’s your kid at 11PM on a Friday night? I guess, like everything else in America, the teenage crime is getting bigger, bolder, faster. Ten years ago it was busting mailboxes with baseball bats. Now it’s breaking-and-entering then destroying million-dollar mansions. According to NGPD Capt. Robert Durivage, windows at the home had been knocked out, light fixtures and chandeliers were smashed and carpets had been urinated on. The extensive damages also included broken kitchen cabinets and wrecked counters, among other things. “The crime you see now, it's hard to even take its measure.”
I just wonder if that same thinking applies to all levels of society, not just the crimes that disrupt the rich and bring the biggest press coverage. I suppose we’ll wait and see. But my guess is we’ll learn the answer to that question the hard way.
Brian Huba
3/16/10
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Big Ben: The Dumbest Athlete in America
You may think that Tiger Woods is the dumbest athlete in America. But you’d be wrong. He’s just the most robotic and phony. And you may think Alex Rodriquez is the dumbest athlete in America. You may have even seen him Jersey-Shore dancing in some South Beach nightclub with dyed-blond tips and a skin-tight wife beater. Sure. A-Rod has the judgment of a mental patient. But he’s not the dumbest. Michael Vick? Just the most disgusting. The dumb-distinction belongs to Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Rothlisberger. Big Ben is hands down the dumbest athlete in America.
Sometime that same night, a 20-year-old woman accused the QB of sexually assaulting her. She has since hired a lawyer and Georgia Police are on the case. Of course Rothlisberger and the two men he was with (off-duty cops, according to reports) all claim nothing inappropriate took place. Ed Garland, an attorney for Roethlisberger, has said the quarterback is innocent of any crime and that no sexual assault occurred. Rothlisberger has already spoken to cops, saying that he had contact with the woman but no assault took place. He has also told police that the woman slipped and fell to the ground, hitting her head. OK. Now if you think a national celebrity getting gassed with college kids is dumb, the only thing he could have done to fuel this fire of stupidity was give a statement to police without a lawyer guiding him. So obviously that’s what this idiot did: gave the statement asap. He better hope he was telling the truth, because he’s locked into that slip-and-fall story forever. But my guess is things are going to get really bad for Rothlisberger. Whatever happened that night, the fact that he was even in that place, is crazy. And, I believe, the storm’s coming for him.
Oh, by the way, did I mention that another woman is currently suing the star QB for allegedly raping her at a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2008? That’s right! He’s currently in hot water with another woman for the same kind of crime. Like the Adam Sandler movie says, “Stupidity wins in straight sets.”
Truthfully, Big Ben’s judgment’s always been up for debate. You may remember a few years back he was involved in a motorcycle accident while not wearing a helmet. It was a miracle he didn’t die from that wreck. Then, last season he took time out of the NFL season to leave his team and host a WWE Wrestling event on TV. The QB of a Superbowl championship team risking injury in the heart of a playoff run to go rastle on Monday Night Raw. Not sure what message that sends to Steelers fans. In the end, his team didn’t make the playoffs, so Ben was able to get a jump start on his off-season training. College bars and 20-year-old girls. What can I say? This guy’s an idiot.
When playing NFL QB there is no more important character trait than good judgment. My QB needs to be the smartest, coolest dude in the room, in every room. I promise you that Eli Manning, or Peyton for that fact, would never be caught DEAD getting wasted in a Georgia college bar and flirting up 20 year olds. You may argue that Rothlisberger is a 2-time Champion, one more than Eli or Peyton. But Ben wasn’t the MVP of either Superbowl. Do you know how irrelevant the starting QB has to be to NOT be named MVP, in either game? Both Eli and Peyton were MVP’s of their team’s Superbowl win, of course. Ben is physically gifted, no doubt, but my God, the nonsense never ends with this kid. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me again and again . . . The hits just keep coming for the Steel-city superstar.
How did I know Kobe Bryant was innocent of raping that girl in Colorado in 2003? Simple. When she made her claims against the NBA great, not another woman came out on ET Tonight or to People magazine, saying Kobe did the same thing to her. Nobody. Nothing. Not a single woman! When Tiger’s nonsense went public, about 30 women came out of the woodwork, crowing to everyone who'd listen. That’s what happens when a celebrity’s on the hot seat. Everybody wants their 15 minutes of fame from it. A few months later, Kobe’s accuser dropped all charges and disappeared. I DON’T predict the same ending for Ben and his college-aged accuser. I believe we are about to see the public tumble of an NFL megastar. This story just keeps getting bigger. There’s trouble written all over this case, I’m telling you right now.
I honestly believe Ben Rothlisberger is going to end up in prison from this, if not giving into a financial settlement of some sort. So be ready for a primetime sports trial. It’s coming. And when they slam that cell door shut on Big Ben, he’ll have nothing to thank but his routinely (shockingly) bad judgment. Of course the pundits will call it the sad fall of a sports icon. But the sad fall happens when you’re the dumbest athlete in America. See Mike Tyson/Desiree Washington for proof of that.
Brian Huba
In case you've been living under a rock the last few days, let me catch you up on the latest off-field fiasco involving the 26-year-old, two-time Superbowl Champion. On March 5th, Rothlisberger decided it'd be a good idea to go to a college bar in a town called Milledgeville, Ga. and get drunk with some buddies. Now mind you this man’s worth millions and arguably one of the most famous faces in all of sports, sitting in a college dive-bar getting blitzed with 18-21 year olds. If you’ve never seen Rothlisberger, he’s not called Big Ben because of the clock in London. He’s 6’5” and about 265lbs. You could see this giant coming from a mile away.
Sometime that same night, a 20-year-old woman accused the QB of sexually assaulting her. She has since hired a lawyer and Georgia Police are on the case. Of course Rothlisberger and the two men he was with (off-duty cops, according to reports) all claim nothing inappropriate took place. Ed Garland, an attorney for Roethlisberger, has said the quarterback is innocent of any crime and that no sexual assault occurred. Rothlisberger has already spoken to cops, saying that he had contact with the woman but no assault took place. He has also told police that the woman slipped and fell to the ground, hitting her head. OK. Now if you think a national celebrity getting gassed with college kids is dumb, the only thing he could have done to fuel this fire of stupidity was give a statement to police without a lawyer guiding him. So obviously that’s what this idiot did: gave the statement asap. He better hope he was telling the truth, because he’s locked into that slip-and-fall story forever. But my guess is things are going to get really bad for Rothlisberger. Whatever happened that night, the fact that he was even in that place, is crazy. And, I believe, the storm’s coming for him.
Oh, by the way, did I mention that another woman is currently suing the star QB for allegedly raping her at a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2008? That’s right! He’s currently in hot water with another woman for the same kind of crime. Like the Adam Sandler movie says, “Stupidity wins in straight sets.”
Truthfully, Big Ben’s judgment’s always been up for debate. You may remember a few years back he was involved in a motorcycle accident while not wearing a helmet. It was a miracle he didn’t die from that wreck. Then, last season he took time out of the NFL season to leave his team and host a WWE Wrestling event on TV. The QB of a Superbowl championship team risking injury in the heart of a playoff run to go rastle on Monday Night Raw. Not sure what message that sends to Steelers fans. In the end, his team didn’t make the playoffs, so Ben was able to get a jump start on his off-season training. College bars and 20-year-old girls. What can I say? This guy’s an idiot.
When playing NFL QB there is no more important character trait than good judgment. My QB needs to be the smartest, coolest dude in the room, in every room. I promise you that Eli Manning, or Peyton for that fact, would never be caught DEAD getting wasted in a Georgia college bar and flirting up 20 year olds. You may argue that Rothlisberger is a 2-time Champion, one more than Eli or Peyton. But Ben wasn’t the MVP of either Superbowl. Do you know how irrelevant the starting QB has to be to NOT be named MVP, in either game? Both Eli and Peyton were MVP’s of their team’s Superbowl win, of course. Ben is physically gifted, no doubt, but my God, the nonsense never ends with this kid. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me again and again . . . The hits just keep coming for the Steel-city superstar.
How did I know Kobe Bryant was innocent of raping that girl in Colorado in 2003? Simple. When she made her claims against the NBA great, not another woman came out on ET Tonight or to People magazine, saying Kobe did the same thing to her. Nobody. Nothing. Not a single woman! When Tiger’s nonsense went public, about 30 women came out of the woodwork, crowing to everyone who'd listen. That’s what happens when a celebrity’s on the hot seat. Everybody wants their 15 minutes of fame from it. A few months later, Kobe’s accuser dropped all charges and disappeared. I DON’T predict the same ending for Ben and his college-aged accuser. I believe we are about to see the public tumble of an NFL megastar. This story just keeps getting bigger. There’s trouble written all over this case, I’m telling you right now.
I honestly believe Ben Rothlisberger is going to end up in prison from this, if not giving into a financial settlement of some sort. So be ready for a primetime sports trial. It’s coming. And when they slam that cell door shut on Big Ben, he’ll have nothing to thank but his routinely (shockingly) bad judgment. Of course the pundits will call it the sad fall of a sports icon. But the sad fall happens when you’re the dumbest athlete in America. See Mike Tyson/Desiree Washington for proof of that.
Brian Huba
3/12/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)