Friday, February 03, 2012

Root Root Root for the Giants (I Guess)

Well the Superbowl is upon us and yet again I will be watching it for the sheer genius of the commercials since I don't particularly like either the Giants or Patriots. But the game is more fun to watch when you can pull for one team over the other. So why am I begrudgingly cheering for the Giants. Is it because they are underdogs according to Vegas and everyone likes an underdog? Heck no, in fact I usually root for the underdog to get beaten badly. Face it folks, when you were a kid watching wrestling, did you really cheer for the Brooklyn Brawler to beat Hulk Hogan? Am I rooting for the Giants because Manhattan clam chowder is better than New England chowder? Again, no. New England clam chowder superior, Manhattan chowder inferior.

No, I am rooting for the Giants for one simple reason, during the regular season matchup in Foxboro, the Patriots didn't do their job and lost. Had they won, the Giants miss the playoffs and my beloved Eagles win the division instead, and we could be talking about an Eagles Vs. Patriots rematch (more likely we would be talking about a Packers vs. Patriots rematch, but that is besides the point). And before you start spouting "facts" like if the Eagles hadn't blown 5 4th quarter leads, they would have made the playoffs, that is irrelevant, the only fact that matters is the Patriots lost to the Giants costing the Eagles a playoff spot and that is why I cannot in good conscience cheer for the Patriots.

Though the Superbowl is meaningless to me, there was another bowl this week. One that has far deeper consequences than who wins a stupid football game. I am talking of course of the Wing Bowl. Kobayashi set a new record by eating more than 300 wings. While I am awed by his glutenous feat, is this a sign of Japanese resurgence and America's decline? It may and it should have us all concerned.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Endorsement Withdrawn

Previously, I endorsed Newt Gingrich for president. However, I am saddened that I must withdraw that endorsement. I endorsed him on the basis of his ideas and took him on his word that he had changed in the years since he left Congress. His claim that since he was now a grandfather and older and wiser than the past was given credence by his early debate performances.

But the way he has run his campaign in recent weeks has been less as an advocate for those ideas and more a vitriolic attempt to personally destroy Governor Romney by twisting and omitting facts to make Mr. Romney appear unqualified to be president. His recent robocalls in Florida claiming Governor Romney callously denied kosher meals to holocaust survivors was the last straw. His actions as of late have proven to me that leopard doesn't change his spots.

For these reasons, I must publicly withdraw my endorsement of the former Speaker and will not endorse another candidate this primary cycle. All I can say, is I hope for brokered convention where we can nominate a positive voice for conservatism. To help produce that result, I will be voting for Ron Paul in the Virginia primary.