WTF

I hate to do it considering what today is (MLK Day/Obama Day Eve), but it's time for another installment of What the Fuck. Normally, my WTF's consist of blatantly odd, disgusting or incomprehensible news from around this planet of ours and invariably leads me to do a lot of cursing. This time however, despite N. Korea claiming (again) to have build a nuclear weapon, Israelis and Palestinians (again) bombing the hell out of each other, and the fact that I have to go to work in the morning (AGAIN!), the news is strangely odd in a good way, which will keep me from cursing too much. Let's just say that the underlying theme of today's post is "things I never thought I'd see in my lifetime". Bear with me.....

Obamaday 2009

Today we celebrated the birthday of one of the greatest men to walk the earth (even though today ain't his birthday) and tomorrow we celebrate the swearing in of the nation's first African American president. I NEVER thought I'd see this day, and here it is, less than 24 hours away. I called my grandmother on the night of the election in November and heard her cry tears of joy that she was able to see Obama get elected and it meant more to her that it will EVER mean to me. She had endured the humiliation of Jim Crow's segregationist ways. She protested during the Civil Rights Movements and joined the Congress Of Racial Equality. She had witnessed the transformation of the country from the shell of what it should have been into the great, beautiful place it has become. There is little doubt that we as a country have made great strides from 50 years ago, and no one is more proud than me that my lack of high expectations has been proven wrong, I just hope Obama does a good job while he's in office. Because if not, it'll be another Martin Luther King and another 200 before another African American is elected president! :)

He did WHAT?

Speaking of presidents, I don't like the one we have today (that is until the new one is sworn in). Being that I don't like him, it makes it very difficult for me to admire anything he says or does and I honestly believe that due to his failed policies, arrogance and pure unadulturated idiocy, GW Bush will go down in history as the WORST president we've ever had, bar none. Worse than Hoover, worse than Coolidge, worse than Carter (see, I know a LITTLE history). Today though, after eight excrutiating years of fuckedupedness, he FINALLY made a decision I can respect- he freed the two border agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean who were, in my opinion wrongly convicted. If you don't know the story, these two got into a firefight with a drug smuggler on the Mexican-American border. They shot the crook in the ass and arrested him, but THEY ended up going to jail, tried and convicted for attempted murder. Luckily, Dubya found some brain cells within the waning hours of his sad presidency and decided to commute their sentences. I never thought I'd say this but- good job Bubba, it's about fuckin' time!

Super Bowl Bound

Since I was a kid, the St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals have been the laughing stock of the NFL. Er, let me rephrase, the Cardinals have always been SHITTY, and I can't remember one season where they actually were a good team. Because of that fact, I've always had a special place in my heart for them and other perennial underachieving underdogs (like the Cubs). I can't help it that it always makes me feel better when the team that's supposed to win loses! Well yesterday the Cardinals earned themselves a spot in the Superbowl by beating up on my Philadelphia Eagles (my second team after the Broncos) and I almost, ALMOST choked up when I saw this. I'm so tired of seeing grown men cry! Of all the teams in the NFL, I NEVER thought I'd see Cardinal red in the Super Bowl, but considering the year it's been I suppose any miracle is possible.

He did WHAT? (part II)

Now, the above story is about football, the American version with all the pads, helmets and oblong ball. This next one is about FUTbol, the version played in the rest of the world with two goals and a round ball. I've learned a lot about this sport over the last few years and have become more passionate about it than it's American cousin (Go Villa!!!). There are some obvious differences between the two, but many things are all too similar like the fanatical crowds that come to see the games, the advertising painted EVERYFUCKINWHERE and especially the vast sums of money that is generated and eventually exchanges hands each year. Now let me present a scenario to you. Let's say you've been an employee at a high profile job for several years and like where you work. Your job likes having you, but another company (one less glamorous than your present employer) wants you to come work for them. Let's say this other company is willing to pay you $800,000 a week to move to another country, would you do it? Of course most of us would pack up our belongings faster than a Cambodian whore catches the Clap, and most athletes would too, but something strange happened in the world of sports today. This guy Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, also known as "Kaka" turned down that very offer from a team in England to stay with his team in Italy. Did you hear me people!?!?! He refused $800,000 a WEEK. WOW is all I can say. Aside from the fact that no human on this earth needs to make that kind of money, his rationale was that he had to "follow his heart" which meant remaining loyal to his team, AC Milan. This is stuff all true sports fans want to hear. The bigger impact is that he restored some faith that some folks care more about the sport than the money and that is what the fuck I'd like to see more of from these whiny ass, punk ass, selfish athletes.

Happy Obama Day!