Phillies Should Be Worried

Just a couple of quotes I received immediately as the game finished last night…

“Boston needs a Price check”

“David Price is Money”

“The Price is Right”

This kid, David Price, out of Vandy and the #1 pick really proved his worth last night. Still a rookie, being thrown into a bases-loaded, 2 outs situation in the 8th inning of a game 7 and he did not flinch. Struck out J.D. Drew, then struck out two of four batters he faced in the 9th to kill any Red Sox rally. Yes he’s going to be a remarkable starter but the Rays really need to use him as the closer for the World Series.

I’ll say Tampa Bay in 5 which I know will not sit well with some Phillies fan I know but such is this season. Tampa Bay was not supposed to win the AL East. They were not supposed to get out of the first round. They were not supposed to come back after blowing a 7-0 lead in a close-out game. They were not supposed to win game 7 after falling behind.

Phillies are a good team but Tampa Bay played against quality opponents the entire year, had to hold off the Yankees, Red Sox and even held their own again Anaheim. Let’s face it, Philadelphia played no competition close to that in the National League and having the first two games at the trop should make all the difference in this series.

I was tempted to call sweep but I’ll say Philly wins one in their building. Tampa in 5.

Did This Really Happen?

As DeadSpin brilliantly put it, “This is easily one of the most amazing sports videos you’ll ever see. Inexplicably, a ref felt that the LSU Tigers weren’t playing tough enough defense against South Carolina last night, and he decided to do something about it.”

I have never seen anything like this happen before… well never anything so blunt.

Funny Speeches By Obama/McCain

Just really really funny speeches by both candidates that shows a side of them you rarely get to see over the course of the ugly politics that goes on during the primaries and national campaigns. The two men spoke at the 63rd annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, a charity event organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York for the benefit of needy children.

A couple of Obama quotes before you the video:

“In the last few weeks, John’s been out on the campaign trail and asked the question, who is Barack Obama? Now I have to admit I was a little surprised by this question. The answer is right there on my Facebook page. But, look, I don’t want to be coy about this. We’re a couple weeks from an important election. Americans have a big choice to make, and if anybody feels like they don’t know me by now, let me try to give you some answers. Who is Barack Obama? Contrary to the rumors you have heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father Jor El to save the planet Earth. Many of you — many of you know that I got my name, Barack, from my father. What you may not know is that Barack is actually Swahili for ‘that one’. And I got my middle name from somebody who obviously didn’t think I’d ever run for President.”

“But I know senator McCain agrees that some of the rumors out there are getting a bit crazy. I mean, Rupert the other day, Fox news actually accused me of fathering two african-american children in wedlock.”

John McCain:

Barack Obama:
Part 1:

Part 2:

I See Racist People

It is sad to see people who have grown up here and gone through the public school system (although that is much to say at times) are still be capable of such statements like which truly shows their ignorance and blatant racist ways. A lot of people I went to high school with know the person a whole lot better than me but just from that statement there, I think I know plenty to decide for myself.

A couple of my better friends are probably the staunchest conservatives I know but you know what, I can respect them because we differ solely on issues that matter and don’t discredit a candidate simply because of his or her name. I have told some of my closest friends that although there is a very high probability that Barack Obama is going to be elected President, the likelihood of him bringing the country together really lies in the hands of those who refuse to see beyond a skin color, beyond a guy with a funny name and refusing to accept that he may be just as much of an American as you are is what is holding this country back.

Let’s not be naive and think just because an African American can reach the highest position in our country that all of a sudden and overnight, racism will disappear. As the economic conditions of our country continue to deteriorate as they most likely will, regardless of who is President, expect to see race rise once again and those looking to prey on the weak blame this solely on a “black” man being not qualified to run a country. There is probably a chance that this will flame the fire even more in those minds of the hateful but this is where an opportunity arises. This country has a far too dark of a history to continue to ignore this issue and deem it to insensitive to brought into the spotlight.

Maybe I was too naive to think this would occur in a community where I went to school but maybe that was asking too much? Maybe this will be an educational experience that those with a different name than your Joe Smith are just as human as you, can realize this “American Dream” that everyone speaks about. To some however, this so called American Dream* comes with a fine print:

*Some restrictions apply. Not available in all states and certainly not to all races especially those with a dangerous sounding name that will threaten the freedom of America.

It’s Time.

I know that 18 or however many days left now is still an eternity in a political election but after last night, people need to start asking the question “By How Much” instead of “If”.