RattlerGator Blog

The Tuscaloosa Tornado

All across the Southland yesterday, tornadoes ripped apart structures and ended lives. Presented below is absolutely phenomenal video of the humongous tornado that ripped through Tuscaloosa, Alabama and it was taken, by and large, from the University Mall parking lot (many thanks to Jason835a for shooting this never-to-be-forgotten video):

That video just stops me in my tracks; so often this phrase gets tossed around but the guy saying "Oh my God!" over and over seemed entirely appropriate.

The 2011 NFL Draft -- Mock Comparisons

Time for some football, baby!

Tonight's the night for the first day of the NFL Draft and as a football junkie, I want to post two mock drafts that I will use to accompany my comments tonight as I do some live-blogging while the real draft unfolds:

SHOWTIME !!!

 

Here's how Mike Mayock of the NFL Network sees the 2011 NFL Draft unfolding Thursday night:	This is from Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News who reputedly has the best list of NFL contacts:	Here's how the actual selections played out on draft night:
1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, QB Auburn	1. Carolina: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn	As expected, Carolina takes Cam !!! Despite all of the doubters, I think this is a very good choice.
2. Denver Broncos: Von Miller, LB Texas A&M	2. Denver: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama	Denver wisely selects Von Miller. Mayock scores over Gosselin.
3. Buffalo Bills: Marcel Dareus, DT Alabama	3. Buffalo: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M	The Bills take Dareus; Mayock is perfect so far.
4. Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green, WR Georgia	4. Cincinnati: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia	Wow, I wasn't sure they'd go this route. They *do* take A.J. Green.
5. Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Peterson, CB LSU	5. Arizona: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri	Peterson -- Mayock scores yet again! Damn good choice by the Cardinals.
6. Cleveland Browns: Julio Jones, WR Alabama	6. Cleveland: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU	*TRADE* Atlanta trades up to select Julio Jones. Mayock still perfect, although he didn't predict the trade, he did select the player. Atlanta gave up much; Julio had better work out quickly.
7. San Francisco 49ers: Blaine Gabbert, QB Missouri	7. San Francisco: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina	San Fran takes Aldon Smith, predicted to go 12th or 20th. Looks like a good pick to me.
8. Tennessee Titans: Nick Fairley, DT Auburn	8. Tennessee: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn	Titans select Jake Locker -- wow, here's the big shocker!
9. Dallas Cowboys: Tyron Smith, OT USC	9. Dallas: Tyron Smith, OT, Southern Cal	My Cowboys select Tyron Smith, as predicted.
10. Washington Redskins: Prince Amukamara, CB Nebraska	10. Washington: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama	*TRADE* Jacksonville takes Blaine Gabbert -- boy, he better outdo Tim Tebow or there will certainly be hell to pay.
11. Houston Texans: Robert Quinn, DE North Carolina	11. Houston: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska	Houston takes J.J. Watt -- not sure about this pick but he looks like a big ole nasty somebody who just might smack yo ass. Maybe Houston did well.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Aldon Smith, DE Missouri	12. Minnesota: Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College	Minnesota with a real freaking shocker; Christian Ponder ??? Loved him last year; far better than John Brantley but at number 12 in the first round ???
13. Detroit Lions: Anthony Castonzo, OL Boston College	13. Detroit: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado	Detroit is about to be real damn good, real damn quick. They take Nick Fairley!
14. St. Louis Rams: Corey Liuget, DT Illinois	14. St. Louis: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson	Rams take Robert Quinn; good, safe choice that should really help them.
15. Miami Dolphins: Mike Pouncey, OL Florida	15. Miami: Mark Ingram, HB, Alabama	Miami selects a worthy Gator and Mayock nails another one.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ryan Kerrigan, DE Purdue	16. Jacksonville: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin	Washington traded down for this slot; they select Ryan Kerrigan and Mayock nails yet another selection.
17. New England Patriots: Cameron Jordan, DE California	17. New England: Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal	New England selects Nate Solder, O-Line. Hmmm.
18. San Diego Chargers: J.J. Watt, DE Wisconsin	18. San Diego: Ryan Kerrigan, OLB, Purdue	San Diego selects Corey Liuget. Mayock had him out of the 1st round and Gosselin 22nd.
19. New York Giants: Mark Ingram, RB Alabama	19. NY Giants: Mike Pouncey, C, Florida	New York selects Prince Amukamara; great value selection.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Da'Quan Bowers, DE Clemson	20. Tampa Bay: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri	Tampa selects Adrian Clayborn; Mayock predicted him at 27, Gosselin had him out of the first round.
21. Kansas City Chiefs: Danny Watkins, OL Baylor	21. Kansas City: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin	*TRADE* Cleveland opts in at this slot; selects Phil Taylor, predicted to be 24 or 27
22. Indianapolis Colts: Nate Solder, OL Colorado	22. Indianapolis: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois	Indy selects Anthony Costanzo; predicted at 12 or 13
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Gabe Carimi, OL Wisconsin	23. Philadelphia: Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, Temple	Philly takes Danny Watkins. Predicted at 21 or 25.
24. New Orleans Saints: Phil Taylor, DT Baylor	24. New Orleans: Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina	New Orleans selects Cameron Jordan; predicted to go 17th but was 11th best on Mayock's board.
25. Seattle Seahawks: Marvin Austin, DT North Carolina	25. Seattle: Danny Watkins, G, Baylor	Seattle selects James Carpenter??? From Bama??? Ohhh-tay. Bama has three first round picks and Ingram is still sitting there.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Jimmy Smith, CB Colorado	26. Baltimore: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado	Ravens select Jimmy Smith; procedurally the 27th pick.
27. Atlanta Falcons: Adrian Clayborn, DE Iowa	27. Atlanta: Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor	Kansas City traded into this slot; select Jonathan Baldwin. Announced as 26th pick, though.
28. *(Patriots trade pick): Jake Locker, QB Washington	28. New England: Ryan Williams, HB, Virginia Tech	*TRADE* New Orleans selects Mark Ingram -- good-looking pick. In exchange, Patriots pick up a first round pick next year.
29. Chicago Bears: Jonathan Baldwin, WR Pittsburgh	29. Chicago: Jon Baldwin, WR, Pitt	Bears take Gabe Carimi; predicted 21 or 23.
30. New York Jets: Akeem Ayers, LB UCLA	30. NY Jets: Aaron Williams, CB, Texas	Jets select Muhammand Wilkerson; predicted 23 by Gosselin.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers: Aaron Williams, CB Texas	31. Pittsburgh: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State	Gosselin nailed this one; Cameron Heyward goes to the Steelers.
32. *(Packers trade pick): Andy Dalton, QB TCU * Mayock predicts another team will trade into these slots to take a QB	32. Green Bay: Brooks Reed, OLB, Arizona	Wrapping up the night, Packers select Derrick Sherrod, OT from Miss. State.

Okay, my people. That's it on this long day. Time to go get some much-needed sleep. Very interesting draft; very interesting quarterback picks. I'm warming to the JaxJags selection of Gabbert. I sure as heck hope he works out and can help the Jags keep pace in the AFC South.

 

Why is Barack Obama Screwed?

I mean, why is he toast and will not get a second term? Here's why:

We've seen quite a bit of phony baloney written in years past about angry white males but that, my friends, is the genuine article.

And he is far from alone; buyers remorse is rampant in America with respect to this President.

Federal Budget Update

I'm still trying to recover from a vicious bug that has danced the "watusi" all over my body for a week now but I thought I'd post this quick little notice about the budget escapades in D.C. from Jennifer Rubin. She has an update from Senator Mitch McConnell released after her intial post where he places the shutdown responsibility squarely in the lap of the President but here is her initial post:

The House of Representatives did its job, passing a funding bill to keep the government open a week and cover the Defense Department for the balance of the FY 2011. A senior Senate source told me flatly, “I am confident all members of the caucus would support House bill.” It is inconceivable to me that a few Democrats wouldn’t go along. But Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid is likely to refuse to bring it to the floor. Why? He won’t say. Well, because the president said he’d veto it. Why? He won’t say. The bill is precisely the “clean bill” he wanted.

Obama has backed himself, and now Reid, into a corner. Are the Senate Democrats and the White House going to shut down the government for no good reason? Perhaps. What we see here is a transparent and slightly pathetic attempt by the president to take charge. Maybe he should have been paying attention for all of 2011 when the Democratic-controlled Congress didn’t do its job. Maybe he should have gotten into the negotiations sooner. But for now we’ll wait and see.

Well, they could always do a “final” continuing resolution with a bigger cut in spending than the Democrats previously would agree to. The ball is in now in the Democrats’ court. Let’s see how they get out of this one.

My mind is operating at a reduced level, but this comment to Jennifer's post warmed my heart:

It's quite astonishing to me that the aggrieved left believes that the country voted for business-as-usual and compounding deficits and increased federal intrusiveness last November. But evidently they do.

Boehner will go on TV and say, "Heck, I don't know what is going on. We just voted to borrow another 42% of this week's spending requirement, which makes me sick to my stomach, and to pay the military, which is fighting three wars (three that we know about), and Senator Reid doesn't think the Senate should vote on it."

The real story here is that Reid is losing control. A lot of Dem Senators are looking at what happened last fall, a direct result of the health care bill, and "loyalty" isn't enough to get them to set themselves on fire and jump off a cliff for Reid's next loyalty exam. He's lost control. His president has the worst poll numbers in support of his vanity war of any president in the 20th century. Obama is so inexperienced in any mature, executive capacity sense that he doesn't even understand the rules of this game.

The President is playing an interesting game and I'm not sure he's getting good advice at all. Neither are Senate Democrats who face difficult reelection prospects in 2012 if they follow the lead of the President. Clearly I want the above comment to be true -- Harry Reid losing control and at-risk Democrats breaking ranks -- but they do seem to be imploding. Do continue.