RattlerGator Blog

Alligators Do It Better Again !!!!

I am absolutely drunk from happiness and may be truly drunk from imbibing way too much by the end of this night. Incredibly, the Florida Gators slapped the Jah-juh Bulldawgs again, 34-31. But there was something very special about the hurt laid on Georgia today. Special, because it was just that devastating of a loss to Georgia.

Yessssssssssssss !

Sirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !

Buddyyyyyyyyyyy !

This was a never, ever to be forgotten kind of hurt. A legendary hurt delivered in an "instant classic" of a football game. Two damn Florida boys playing for Georgia tried to do us in. Two damn Tampa boys. But they couldn't. Poor Aaron Murray!

 

Those Florida Boyz playing for Georgia tried, they truly scared the hell out of me, but in the end they couldn't do it. And now they get to try and comprehend the Florida-Georgia game from the losing side of things.

Yessssssssssssss !

Sirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !

Buddyyyyyyyyyyy !

This may not be the sweetest Florida-Georgia victory ever but it sure as hell feels like it right now. And now, I can sign off with my favorite Georgia Bulldog YouTube video, because it is entirely applicable and on-point once again tonight:

Goodnight, Bulldogs everywhere, good damn night !!! But before I leave, how about some "Gator Like Me," huh???

The World Needs A Gator Like Me !!!

FAMU Homecoming 2010

It's Homecoming on The Hill and this years theme is Rattlers on the Reel, showcasing, in part, Rattlers involved in the acting, production and presentation of movies on the big screen (e.g., Anika Noni Rose, Daniel Sunjata, Will Packer, and Rob Hardy).

Florida-Georgia seems to conflict with FAMU's homecoming more often than not but, hey, such is life.

It's another gorgeous day in Tallahassee. The morning temperatures were somewhere around 50-55 and it will get up around 80 degrees today. There are clear skies everywhere you look; perfect weather for homecoming at Florida A&M. The homecoming parade this morning has ended as I write, and hopefully another victory will be in the bag this afternoon.

Here's an old video of the Marching 100 that I post in tribute to the College of Love and Charity:

The Rattlers still aren't quite where I'd hoped they would be on the football field (Bethune-Cookman, however, is) but hope springs eternal with Rattlers everywhere.

So . . . Hubba Hubba !!! Go Rattlers, beat Morgan State !!!

Florida-Georgia 2010 Is Here!

It's that time.

Let the Bull Gator Eat !!!

Him hongry, him frustrated, him angry. Some damn body has to pay!

The King of the Swamp, the baddest damn lizard in all of the Americas, has been humbled a few times already this season. Not today, though. Not against Jah-juh. No, sir!

Come on JB4, please shut me up and make everything right for this seemingly lost season -- lead the boys from Title Town to a sweet, sweet victory in the city of my birth. Trey Burton, you're my man. Bring the fire, baby, bring the fire!

Come on Jeff Demps, turn on those jets and tell all of the Red and Black trailing behind you, "see you later, bulldog bitches!"

Come on Gator D, man up. We're playing the penal colony today; in memory of Brandon Spikes and all who preceded him, bring the pain on the first damn series and tell them it will be like this ALL DAMN DAY!

Jaye, Ahmad, Jelani, Bostic, Trattou, Lemmens, Ronald Powell and Shariff Floyd -- ever damn body out on EverBank Field, including you Will Hill. Focus, baby, focus.

Finally, and I mean this, go to hell Jah-juh. Go straight to hell !!!

Bill Kristol Continues to Miss the Point

As I continue to inch closer to one decade as a full-fledged Republican (somewhere around 2013 will mark the spot, 2004 was when I first voted for a Republican persident; as I look back, however, it was the Clarence Thomas / Anita Hill "high-tech lynching" that seriously began my movement away from the Democrats) I'm trying to take note of certain markers that strike me as remarkable.

This year, the remarkable thing has been the incredible blindness many established Republicans have displayed with respect to Christine O'Donnell. Unfortunately, many neocons and Jewish Republicans demonstrate the problem. Bill Kristol, for example, has this throw-away line in a post discussing the very good prospects facing Republicans seeking to win their election on Tuesday (here, he's speaking specifically about the United States Senate):

If Republicans have to win 2 out 3 of WV, CA, and WA to take the Senate—for reasons Jeff explains—I think the odds of that are 50-50. Still would be nice to have Delaware.

No, it wouldn't. Not if it means electing Mike Castle during these midterms. You might as well elect the out-in-the-open Democrat rather than a stealth candidate.

No, it wouldn't. Not if it meant bringing into the Republican ranks a "Republican" who can't find it within himself to actively support the Republican nominee. It is nothing short of outrageous that this simple point can't be acknowledged by more establishment Republicans, neocons, and Jewish Republicans. Absolutely outrageous.

Any Republican who can't support the winner of the Republican primary should not be serving as a Republican in the United States Senate. Mike Castle is directly and unequivocally saying he would rather have Chris Coons represent Delaware than Christine O'Donnell. To any clear thinking sentient being that I know, this means that Mike Castle, if elected to the Senate instead of Christine O'Donnell, would effectively be a Democrat plant within the Republican caucus -- and extremely damaging to the cause of reversing the advance of the big government leviathan that is animating rank-and-file Republican enthusiasm this election cycle.

Why in the hell would Republicans want that?

I've been blown away by the attempted knee-capping of Christine O'Donnell. Completely blown away. Karl Rove's initial rant was jaw-dropping. And I love Karl Rove! I keep thinking to myself, who the hell cares if she's not your cup of tea? Do you or do you not understand anything about the big tent? How in the heck can you countenace advancing the cause of a former Marxist over that of Christine O'Donnell? She won the damn primary; support the woman!

When I run into something remarkable like this, I know that I've stumbled across a hidden power dispute. And this hidden power dispute is about the fear of the great unwashed. The fear of average Americans. And I am always (when forced to choose; and I don't like being forced to choose) more suspicious of establishment folks who fear average Americans than I am of average Americans.

The entire point this election cycle for the animated base of the Republican Party is not some kind of purity test but it is to put in place a principled core of legislators who, first and foremost, understand the imperative to restrain government and, secondly, to absolutely not seek to elect anyone who can't stomach a (1) social-issues nominee inspired by the grass roots tea party or a (2) fiscal-issues nominee inspired by the grass roots tea party. The social-issues folks don't have a problem with this. The outrage has been the evident fact that the fiscal-issues folks are less accepting, and far more biased.

Incredibly, they appear to want to take advantage of this wave but selectively deny their partners of taking advantage of the same. Which leads me to question whether Bill Kristol is the one missing the point . . .  or am I?

Zee Roh's Acolytes

With all of the disenchantment with Obama out in the open, I periodically converse with friends who are supporters of his (virtually all of my friends) or I try to read some pieces that are still supportive of him. My personal surveys back up the polls -- African Americans are still solidly behind him and are sending chain eMails asking all of us to pray for him, etc. This is the latest incarnation making the rounds:

Prayer is what it's going to take

Folks, If you have not noticed...few Presidents have ever worked this hard for our country, having to deal with such hatred and ill-will.  Many wonder, does he ever sleep? Only God can sustain such energy, knowledge and person.. Will you please join in this prayer?

Let's keep this going!

Lord,

We pray for optimum health, mental clarity and political prosperity for President Barack H. Obama. We pray that what he lacks in political 'experience' you make up for with supernatural wisdom and power.

We also pray that when his enemies come upon him they will stumble and fall; and that your love will fill his heart to the end that 'Your will' be done through him.

We pray mightily for his protection. As we plead the Blood of your son, Jesus, over him and his family. We reverently ask you to dispatch legions of angels to protect them from all hurt, harm, danger as he serves as the President of the United States of America .

We thank you and praise you for answering our sincere prayers, in Jesus's precious name,

AMEN

1. Oftentimes, it's the unanswered prayers we have to be most thankful for.

2. Few Presidents have ever worked as hard as Barack Obama? Come on, man!

3. Few Presidents have ever faced such ill-will and hatred as Barack Obama? Come on, man!

That said, and back to my opening, I've never understood the folks who insist he's bi-partisan because he has clearly been supremely partisan throughout -- and disrespectfully so. For anyone who cared to pay real attention, that is.

I've also never understood the anger from the far left, where Jon Stewart (incredibly) clearly believes Obama has been too timid in his dealings with Congress. I keep asking myself, do these people have no grasp on reality at all? Have they not seen how the Democrats had to subvert the voting system in Congress just to get that health care monstrosity passed? How that abomination is killing the political careers of so many Democrats?

Apparently, they don't care about reality.

Yesterday, Jonah Goldberg provided an example based on an incredible speech already highlighted by Commentary Magazine's Contentions blog:

Ah, yes. Barack Obama has been so supple-minded, so open to “continuing debate,” so skeptical of certainty, and so humble.

I just wonder where that Barack Obama has been for the last 20-odd months, because the guy in the Oval Office has been talking endlessly about how the “time for debate is over,” how he doesn’t want to hear from his opponents, whom he now calls “our enemies,” how he got all of his policies right, how any statement of disagreement is merely a “talking point,” or perhaps the irritable mental gesture of Americans who are so frightened they cling to their boomsticks and sky god, or simply reject “facts and science.”

It truly is laughable, if it weren't so bewildering and depressing.

Revenge of the PUMA's

There's an obvious issue at play in this election that is being seriously overlooked. Democrats aren't just in trouble because Republicans are convinced they've overreached. They are deeply in trouble because many P.U.M.A.'s are still extremely upset over the top-down treatment given to Hillary Clinton in the Democrats 2008 primaries.

And they are intent on extracting their revenge via an "I can show ya better than I can tell ya" strategy.

Top-down is out, ladies and gentlemen, this election cycle and in the forseeable future.

It is superficially being ignored by the media and Democrats but it fits entirely with the Tea Party anger seen on the Republican side of the aisle. It is a revolt against the top-down manner in which politics has been increasingly dictated in America. Barack Obama never, ever, could have occurred without a top-down mandate forced on Democrats who absolutely knew he wasn't ready to be President and Commander-in-Chief.

Clearly, Republicans *and* Democrats are sick and tired of it.

Here's what I noticed at Hillbuzz this morning (it may be rank speculation and entirely wrong but it certainly is plausible) in a post that asserts Christine O'Donnell is, in fact, leading in Delaware:

[H]ere’s how it works:

Some % of the Democrat party were turned into P.U.M.A.s when the BHO machine stole the nomination from Hillary. For each state, take the number of Hilary primary voters and guestimate the % of them that are like HillBuzz and have vowed revenge for what was done to Hillary. Those voters will be MOTIVATED to vote for the Rep over the Dem, in order to set the stage for the return of the Clinton wing of the party (no matter what that party is called).

So, do the math: Take Delaware, and estimate the number of Hillary supporters who want revenge, and subtract them from the Coons count, and give them to O’Donnell. Give the rest of the Dems to Coons. Then guestimate the number of Indies (like me) who feel Hilary was ROBBED and toss us onto O’Donnell (as revenge votes against the tainted Democrat brand) and then give the rest of the Indies to Coons. Then, give all the Rep voters to O’Donnell. Check for who is in the lead.

You can do the same in each state. All you need to do is make a reasonable guess of the number of HillBuzz-like folks in a state, and then run the spreadsheet.

Wow! If true, history is going to be made on November 2nd in an incredibly big way.

Allen West Fighting to the Finish

On election night, one contest I will be paying close attention to is Florida's congressional district 22. It's no secret that Allen West absolutely drives liberals crazy. I mean, C-R-A-Z-Y-!!! That's why I'm hoping he can pull off the upset and unseat Ron Klein down in South Florida. Last Thursday, Shark Tank carried a story detailing West's 47-44 lead in his race, a lead that gets larger when level of excitement is factored in. Here's one of Allen's final campaign ads of this election cycle:

I think Allen West is something of a game-changer for Black Republicans. If we're able to get him elected, he immediately becomes a formidable voice that African Americans, in time, will be able to view outside the lens of caricature. That's when the necessary exodus off the Democrat's narrow-minded reservation can begin in earnest. It doesn't need to be an exodus of 50 percent and it doesn't need to happen all at once; 20-30 percent will do just fine, thank you very much, and we'll be quite happy with orderly and steady movement back to the Party of Lincoln.

Stark Warning from Mark Steyn

Mark Steyn:

[T]he decline of great powers invariably starts with the money. When government spends on the scale Washington’s got used to, that’s not a spending issue, it’s a moral one. There’s nothing virtuous about “caring” “compassionate” “progressives” being caring and compassionate and progressive with money yet to be earned by generations yet to be born. That’s what “fiscal conservatives” often miss: This isn’t a green-eyeshade issue. Increasing dependency, disincentivizing self-reliance, absolving the citizenry from responsibility for their actions: The multitrillion-dollar debt catastrophe is not the problem but merely the symptom. It’s not just about balancing the books, but about something more basic and profound.

In a two-party system, you have to work with what’s available. In America, one party is openly committed to driving the nation off the cliff, and the other party is full of guys content to go along for the ride as long as we shift down to third gear. That’s no longer enough of a choice. If your candidate isn’t committed to fewer government agencies with fewer employees on lower rates of pay, he’s part of the problem. This is the last chance for the GOP to restore its credentials. If it blows it, all bets are off for 2012.

Message received.

But very few people in Black America are comprehending any of this; few Democrats, too.

Marco Rubio Closes the Deal, Part II

The Rubio campaign delivers an even more powerful closing video than the one I previously spotlighted:

Powerful. Extremely powerful video. He seems to be growing into a leadership spot right before my eyes.

Go 'head, LeBron, go 'head!

I love LeBron James and I especially love his new Nike ad:

Hell yeah!

As the NBA season prepares for tip-off this week, I have a multitude of rants about all the supposed negativity LeBron has brought on himself this offseason. History will show that LeBron laid down a marker delineating an evolution in professional sports. An evolution that promises to see ever more players properly comprehend that they are not employees. They are businessmen that own a one-person corporation -- namely, themselves -- and, for better or worse, they are partners in whatever professional league in which they display their skills. LeBron, as the first modern athlete to fully understand the new landscape (sport, league, media, and brand from the position of business partner) made history with his announcement and has initially suffered the wrath for doing so.

That leads me to my rants.

First, to hell with how he announced his selection of his new team. He's a grown man and can announce the winner of his one-person draft however the heck he chooses. He owed nothing to no one but himself. Period.

Second, he's not from Cleveland -- he's from Akron. And yes, that matters. Lakeland is not Tampa, Ocala is not Gainesville, St. Augustine is not Jacksonville, and Clewiston is not West Palm Beach. Stop being anal and insisting he abandoned his hometown. He most certainly did not.

Third, he gave the Cavaliers his all. He elevated that franchise from his marvelous play but one man has never been able to command an NBA championship and Cleveland single-handedly failed to bring in another superior player or two for LeBron to play alongside. That's not his fault; that's the responsibility of the franchise.

Fourth, Oscar Robertson is correct. LeBron is in a class all by himself. To hell with how many rings he has. He isn't Michael Jordan, he's better than that (that's my personal opinion). Why? Because he's a bigger, better version of Magic Johnson. That's why. We've never seen a basketball player like this before. Kobe is another Jordan but LeBron is a one-of-a-kind.

Fifth, and finally, had LeBron selected New York or Chicago on his ESPN show "The Decision," we wouldn't be having any discussion about the so-called way in which he made his announcement. No one would give a damn about Cleveland; all the talk would be about the future. Somehow, however, he chooses a team in the South and people feel free to obsess over how he committed some faux pas by making his announcement the way he did. Please! Give that nonsense a rest.

Here's to the Miami Heat, King James, D-Wade, Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, and crew. Bring that championship home to the Great Sunshine State!