Back in the olden days, before the BCS (Bowl Championship Series), Terry Donahue was the very successful coach of the UCLA football team. For a while he held the record for the longest streak of New Year’s Bowls (when that meant something), UCLA had the longest streak of non-shut-outs in the nation and we kicked ass in football (we won the Rose Bowl in 1982, 1983, 1985 and the Fiesta, Cotton, Freedom and Aloha in 84, 85, 86, 87).
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But Terry was an old-style gentleman who didn’t run up the score. This was fine when the Rose Bowl was the goal. But with the BCS introduction, polls meant more. And running up the score helped immensely. Suddenly, UCLA’s style was dated. We were still winning, but by not running up the score, we didn’t get ranked high. And not getting ranked high, meant that we didn’t get good recruits.
Good recruits went to K-State. The year that Terry was up by over 12 points with 1:30 to play, we took a knee 3 times, running around in the back field to wear out the clock. We were nice. K-State up by 69 – 3 called a time out with 2 seconds left in the game to set up a 56 yard field goal so they scored more than 70. UCLA now languishes with crap recruits – and Nick Saban has won 2 national championships. Being an asshole is totally rewarded in college football now. Sportsmanship is dated and a loser's game.
Now on to Barack. Obama plays nice. Essentially he takes a knee – while the Republicans are running up the score.
Take this asinine discussion about the “need for military tribunals”. Look at this Fox Opening Statement (repeated endlessly by dip-shit Republicans in New York). According to them, the 20 year sentence was a near-acquittal.
You would assume that the Gitmo Tribunals had better results. You would be wrong. Four tribunals trials were held, and NONE PRODUCED A SENTENCE THAT WAS THIS LONG. This “near acquittal” is the LONGEST SENTENCE yet handed down!!!!
But, the Repulbicans run up the score. Call it a near-acquittal loudly and long enough and people listen. The Republicans don’t want the country to do well, they want to run the country - and the way to win (just like the football polls) is to run up the score. It is all about the perception.
Fine, fight back. Dirty, and hard. Bill Clinton knew how to play politics, but Barack Obama is a gentleman. And in politics, like football, he is a losing anachronism. Do I want an asshole for a coach or President? No. But better an asshole than a loser for me.
So did Barak come out and call bullshit on them. No. He got the win and took a knee - fat, happy and dumb. He is brilliant - but dumb as a box lead weights.
And yes, UCLA lost last night to Washington – and will probably not go to a bowl AGAIN.