LEE RODGERSQUESTION
FOR PREZ & POLS
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REMEMBERING A '49er LEGEND …
A LIST FOR LIBERALS
REMEMBERING A '49er LEGEND …
A LIST FOR LIBERALS
On the assumption that some masochistic liberals read this column to torture themselves (so my hate-mail indicates), I offer this suggestion for a simple, straightforward question they might address to their Maximum Leader in the White House and the True Believers in Congress: “Would you be willing to renounce your own medical plan and pledge to utilize the same Obamacare program you have imposed upon the rest of us?”
I dare you.
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One more item for liberals: You're surprised that more money is coming out of your paycheck, even though Obama promised that only the rich would pay? What?! You actually believed him?!
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All you need to know about Chuck Hagel's nomination to be Secretary of State can be seen in this headline by Al Jazeera, the Arab website: “Obama Defeats The Israeli Lobby”
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Reader Bill offers this for gun-grabbers' consideration …
“Didn't we once try outlawing booze is this country? We know how prohibition turned out.
“For the last 50 odd years, haven't we outlawing drugs, I.e. the "war on drugs". We know libs agree that was a failure.
“Oh, but now with guns results will be different.... sure!
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A life in radio (con't) ...
The San Francisco 49'ers have enjoyed a resurgence of late and may yet add to a glorious football legacy. The late Bobb McKittrick was a huge part of the legendary 'Niner teams thru five Super Bowl championships.
Bobb was the offensive line coach. While the rest of the team was stocked with superstars, Bobb's task was to assemble a line consisting largely of players ignored by other teams and coach them into championship-level players. He did it over and over for twenty-plus years.
I became acquainted with him when, during my one-year Seattle sabbatical, I got a note from him simply wishing me well and telling me he'd enjoyed listening to me during my previous ten years with ABC in San Francisco.
When I returned to ABC-SF, we got in touch and thus a friendship began that lasted until his too-soon death almost thirteen years ago.
Bobb had interests that ranged far beyond football, although he was intense as any coach you would find in that highly-competitive profession. He related current events to his encyclopedic knowledge of history during long chats on our patio in downtown San Francisco during the off-season.
He'd played football at Oregon State, then served as an officer in the Marine Corps before moving into a coaching career that began with Oregon State and UCLA, then moved to the NFL with the Rams, Chargers and culminated in twenty-one hugely successful years with the Forty-Niners.
Bobb was a tough guy, well-demonstrated by his practice of spending entire late-season games in icebox stadia in places like Chicago and Cleveland wearing a short-sleeve T-shirt.
He was very different from most coaches, though, in that his toughness never took the form of berating players for mistakes. He was, first and foremost, a teacher. His restraint from the usual coaching tactic of abusing and shouting at players was a huge contrast compared to many coaches I'd known during several years of broadcasting major-college games.
One memorable story was related by a Niners offensive guard while Bobb, our wives and several players and their wives were having dinner after a home game at Candlestick Park.
The veteran player said that during the pre-season training camp a rookie, accustomed to being harassed by coaches during practice, was surprised because Bobb never raised his voice.
"What happens," the rookie asked the veteran, "When Coach McKittrick gets mad?"
"We don't know," replied the veteran, "And we don't WANT to know!"
Tecla, Bobb's wife, was a delightful lady who had an extreme case of football wives' nerves. When the team was away for a road-game, she couldn't bear to watch or listen to the broadcast. She'd go to a movie, not wanting to hear the score until the game was over.
Often Susan and I accompanied her to home games, all of us going out for dinner afterward. Sometimes we got to use the Forty-Niners' private sky-box, complete with butler and wine-steward service; the height of football-watching luxury. More often, very good seats with players' and coaches' families. Either way, Tecla couldn't bring herself to watch the actual plays. As soon as the players lined up, she'd lower her head and cover her eyes, only to ask us moments later, "What happened?"
It was typical of Bobb that, before telling Tecla about the cancer that eventually ended his life, he quietly flew to Oregon, where they had relatives, and bought a house for her in a suburb of Portland that she loved.
One of Bobb's favorite "inside" stories ...
As previously noted, Bobb was usually given less-then-first-rate players, Bill Walsh and later George Seifert, the head coaches, being confident he'd turn them into top-level talent.
One of the rare exceptions was powerhouse offensive lineman Harris Barton, a first-round draft choice. Harris also had the rare distinction of being one of the few Jewish players ever to achieve stardom in the NFL. He was from an Orthodox Jewish family.
Concurrent with Harris' career, Reggie White was the pass-rushing defensive star of the league, terrorizing offensive lineman for the Eagles and, later, the Packers.
Reggie was also an ordained Christian evangelical minister, and he took his evangelism seriously. He was known for constantly talking between plays to the offensive linemen opposite him, often about (yes!) religion.
Thus it came to pass that the first time Reggie lined up across from Harris, ready to (A) blast his body while (B) spreading the Lord's word, there occurred this exchange:
Reggie: "Harris, have you taken the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior?"
Harris: "Reggie ... I'm Jewish."
For the first, last and only time during his illustrious career, Reggie never said another word to his opponent during the remainder of the game.
Bobb McKittrick. I miss him.
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John Hawkins (Townhall.com) compiled a list of things liberals love to hate, from which we offer a few excerpts …
Guns, for making all those poor innocent criminals break the law.
The old, dead white guys who founded America and their ridiculous, outdated Constitution that doesn't mention global warming or limits on soda size even once.
Nosy voters who ask questions like, "What kind of change?" and "Forward to where?"
Minorities who actually expect Democrats to make their life better in return for their vote.
Black men who don't take orders from white liberals.
People who think anyone responsible enough to have sex is responsible enough to buy their own birth control.
Debt limits, budgets and anything else that makes it harder for liberals to spend other people’s money.
People who believe they should be allowed to choose what light bulbs they want to use in their own house.
The South.
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Mediaite caught this one …
On Wheel of Fortune, a contestant excitedly declared that she wanted to solve the “song/artist” puzzle and then proceeded to absolutely botch the title of what was arguably the late Johnny Cash‘s most popular song, 1956´s “I Walk the Line.” “I’ll solve the puzzle,” she said, looking at a board that read: “I _A__ THE _INE BY J_HNNY _ASH” Seems pretty easy, no? Her answer: “I Have The Wine By Johnny Cash.”
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Cultural note …
The new Miss America is Miss New York. Well, sort of. She grew up in Alabama.
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Wisdom from Mad Mike …
“Men socialize by insulting each other, but they don't really mean it.
“Women socialize by complimenting each other, but they don't really mean it, either.”
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Jay Leno --
"The White House announced that the theme for President Obama's second inauguration will be 'Faith in America's Future.' The idea is to get our minds off of America's present."
"...and now, if you'll excuse me..."