Warning: I am making this up as I go along.
So. What is new? What have we learned? Not a lot. To some people this will be an unspoken guilty plea. Others will take Armstrong at his word. Some will say that they knew that he was a doper all along. Some just don't care.
A lot of people feel that if Armstrong was clean while winning seven Tours de France against all those dopers then that is one of the greatest athletic feats of all time. Then again a lot of those same people will say that if he was doping then he won on a level playing field.
Others will see this as if it's one of those Lifetime movies where a college kid gets arrested in some sketchy foreign country and gets accused of doing something that they are totally innocent of. They end up pleading guilty either by mistake or just to stop all the madness. Then they go off to jail and they hope that they will be let out at the end of their sentence.
Then there is all the money that he as raised for cancer research. That is a good thing. Does it outweigh what he did to gain the notoriety that allowed him the ability to raise the funds?
We have all known someone who may or may not be in a business that is illegal but that doesn't mean they aren't nice guys. Maybe they donate to the local church. Maybe they paid for a new roof on the Senior Center. Whatever. They are still using money gained through unsavory means to do good works. I am NOT comparing Armstrong to a criminal. Let's be clear about that. There is a psychological term for what ever it is that escapes me.
Now all the haters will come out of the woodwork. All the ones that "knew all along" that he was doping. Like the French media. That's all we need. At least they will have a reason to smug.
Then there is Greg LeMond. I was a big fan of his back in the day. Over the last few years he has been one of the few Americans in the cycling community that was been willing to speak out against Lance.
"Willing" is the wrong word. In fact he went out of his way. The problem is that it made him look like a combination of a stalker and one of those cranks that call talk radio at three in the morning. I guess if you are proven right then you aren't paranoid after all.
LeMond had a number of business dealings with companies that were affiliated with Armstrong that went away when he started speaking out against Armstrong. Does he have a lawsuit? I'm sure an army of lawyers will say he does.
As for me I was in the "I want to believe" group for a long time. I was the Fox Mulder of cycling fans. "Was" being the operative word. I won't say exactly when I lost my faith. Faith is a personal thing.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
A Morrissey Kind of Day
If you follow me on Twitter you know that yesterday the girlfriend of a Manchester City fan was checking me out. I don't know for a fact that they were boyfriend/girlfriend but they were together. It may have been early in the relationship. It could even be their first date. I didn't bother to find out. I don't go after other people's girlfriends. Or boyfriends for that matter. I also don't cheat. Partly because it's bad karma, but mostly because it's wrong.
Then there was the girl that I sort of liked. I say that because I don't know anything about her. Well, I do know one thing about her but I refuse to say what it is in case she is reading this. Yeah right! I don't even read this.
That is a recurring theme in my life--the one I want versus the one that wants me. It's a quandary. My problem is that I am a bit like Groucho Marx. He had no desire to join any club that would have him as a member. I have little desire for someone who desires me.
I attract crazy. Crazy is my demographic. Without crazy I would go crazy. I have always believed that it if you date a crazy person then you are crazier than the crazy person. Crazy, huh?
It's not that I liked her in that way --it's just that liked her. Period. Full stop. You know, in a friendly sort of way. I'm usually good about getting into the "friend zone." It's like the Mafia--once you're in you never get out. Then there is the Columbia Record and Tape Club but that's another story.
The thing is that she was giving me nothing. Zip, zilch, nada. To put it terms that we Arsenal supporters will understand--nil.
Maybe she didn't like my Queen T-shirt. Maybe she thought that I was a queen. Wouldn't be the first time someone thought that.
Then there was the girl that I sort of liked. I say that because I don't know anything about her. Well, I do know one thing about her but I refuse to say what it is in case she is reading this. Yeah right! I don't even read this.
That is a recurring theme in my life--the one I want versus the one that wants me. It's a quandary. My problem is that I am a bit like Groucho Marx. He had no desire to join any club that would have him as a member. I have little desire for someone who desires me.
I attract crazy. Crazy is my demographic. Without crazy I would go crazy. I have always believed that it if you date a crazy person then you are crazier than the crazy person. Crazy, huh?
It's not that I liked her in that way --it's just that liked her. Period. Full stop. You know, in a friendly sort of way. I'm usually good about getting into the "friend zone." It's like the Mafia--once you're in you never get out. Then there is the Columbia Record and Tape Club but that's another story.
The thing is that she was giving me nothing. Zip, zilch, nada. To put it terms that we Arsenal supporters will understand--nil.
Maybe she didn't like my Queen T-shirt. Maybe she thought that I was a queen. Wouldn't be the first time someone thought that.
Monday, August 13, 2012
I Just Don't Get It
We all learned that Sally Ride was gay after she died. This bit of information was somewhere deep inside her obituary. However, a lot of people thought it should be the headline. Seriously. Is this what you wanted?
SALLY RIDE WAS GAY!?!
Now she's dead. Oh by the way, she was the first American woman is space. It's the gay part that's throwing us. Who knew?
I thought that a person's sexuality doesn't matter. Why all the fuss? When the world learned that Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory is gay it was from people who were complaining that this nugget was located nowhere the first paragraph. My answer is, "So?"
Why do we feel the need to know who others are having sex with? If we had learned that Jim had been married, to a woman, for ten years and they have two children I would have thought that he has done a good job so far of keeping his private life private and I would wonder why all of a sudden he felt the urge to start talking.
I guess I just hate the fact that people have to still be in the closet in the twenty-first century. I hate the fact that there seems to be double standard at work here. I guess that some things are beyond my comprehension.
SALLY RIDE WAS GAY!?!
Now she's dead. Oh by the way, she was the first American woman is space. It's the gay part that's throwing us. Who knew?
I thought that a person's sexuality doesn't matter. Why all the fuss? When the world learned that Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory is gay it was from people who were complaining that this nugget was located nowhere the first paragraph. My answer is, "So?"
Why do we feel the need to know who others are having sex with? If we had learned that Jim had been married, to a woman, for ten years and they have two children I would have thought that he has done a good job so far of keeping his private life private and I would wonder why all of a sudden he felt the urge to start talking.
I guess I just hate the fact that people have to still be in the closet in the twenty-first century. I hate the fact that there seems to be double standard at work here. I guess that some things are beyond my comprehension.
Friday, August 10, 2012
NBC Fall Preview
Like a lot of people I've been watching the Olympics in between ads for the new NBC shows. I think that the Olympics will last longer than some of them. Or at least they should.
They have been in a bit of a funk since Friends went off the air. It's as if they lost their mojo. Other than 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live and Sunday Night Football I really don't watch NBC.
I can hear you say, "What about Community?" My answer is, "Exactly my point sir/ma'am. What about Community?" That is a case where NBC has a show that could be their Big Bang Theory but they treat it worse than CBS does Rules of Engagement. Serously. How did that show get on the air in the first place?
One of the new shows on NBC is Revoultion. normally this would be a no brainer for me since I am a big JJ Abrams fan. However it is on NBC. That scares me. Anyone remember Undercovers?
Usually JJ Abrams+spies=awesome but I forgot to divide by NBC. A show like that has two choices; it's either about spies who happen to be married or it's about a married couple who happen to be spies. That was a case of a show that had no idea what it was.
If it weren't for JJ Abrams name being attached then it probably would have been on USA where it might have had a chance. However, USA has the far superior Covert Affairs which is sort of Alias-Milo Rambaldi.
While I'm at it, do we really need yet another post-apocalyptic show on TV? I liked Jericho. No, I didn't send CBS a sack of peanuts when they cancelled it.
The thing is that even the best of these shows is a bit formulaic. It always comes down to good guys versus bad guys. Some of the good guys aren't so good and some of the bad guys aren't so bad. Sometimes.
Then there is the inevitable group of stereotypical Rednecks who have the weapons and/or medicine. At least Falling Skies got this hackneyed plot point out of the way in the first episode. One could argue that on The Walking Dead they are all Rednecks. I'm from the South. Some necks are redder than others.
Then there is Go On. I like Matthew Perry. I liked Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Yep, that was me. When I heard that he was going to have a new show I was a bit worried. It was as if some NBC exec said, "If Matt LeBlanc can win a Golden Globe for playing himself then Mathew Perry can win an Emmy for just about anything."
I watched Go On the other night. I liked it. Mostly. Perry plays a sports radio talk show host whose wife died and management makes him go to group therapy.
The therapy sessions are the strong part of the show. It's so easy to make the members into stereotypes because we've seen it all before on The Bob Newhart Show and Dear John and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. So far they have avoided it but it was only the first episode.
The weak part seems to be the sports talk bit. Terrell Owens was in the pilot and he did a good job but if they are depending on sports stars to be actors and/or drive the ratings then they are in serious trouble.
They have been in a bit of a funk since Friends went off the air. It's as if they lost their mojo. Other than 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live and Sunday Night Football I really don't watch NBC.
I can hear you say, "What about Community?" My answer is, "Exactly my point sir/ma'am. What about Community?" That is a case where NBC has a show that could be their Big Bang Theory but they treat it worse than CBS does Rules of Engagement. Serously. How did that show get on the air in the first place?
One of the new shows on NBC is Revoultion. normally this would be a no brainer for me since I am a big JJ Abrams fan. However it is on NBC. That scares me. Anyone remember Undercovers?
Usually JJ Abrams+spies=awesome but I forgot to divide by NBC. A show like that has two choices; it's either about spies who happen to be married or it's about a married couple who happen to be spies. That was a case of a show that had no idea what it was.
If it weren't for JJ Abrams name being attached then it probably would have been on USA where it might have had a chance. However, USA has the far superior Covert Affairs which is sort of Alias-Milo Rambaldi.
While I'm at it, do we really need yet another post-apocalyptic show on TV? I liked Jericho. No, I didn't send CBS a sack of peanuts when they cancelled it.
The thing is that even the best of these shows is a bit formulaic. It always comes down to good guys versus bad guys. Some of the good guys aren't so good and some of the bad guys aren't so bad. Sometimes.
Then there is the inevitable group of stereotypical Rednecks who have the weapons and/or medicine. At least Falling Skies got this hackneyed plot point out of the way in the first episode. One could argue that on The Walking Dead they are all Rednecks. I'm from the South. Some necks are redder than others.
Then there is Go On. I like Matthew Perry. I liked Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Yep, that was me. When I heard that he was going to have a new show I was a bit worried. It was as if some NBC exec said, "If Matt LeBlanc can win a Golden Globe for playing himself then Mathew Perry can win an Emmy for just about anything."
I watched Go On the other night. I liked it. Mostly. Perry plays a sports radio talk show host whose wife died and management makes him go to group therapy.
The therapy sessions are the strong part of the show. It's so easy to make the members into stereotypes because we've seen it all before on The Bob Newhart Show and Dear John and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. So far they have avoided it but it was only the first episode.
The weak part seems to be the sports talk bit. Terrell Owens was in the pilot and he did a good job but if they are depending on sports stars to be actors and/or drive the ratings then they are in serious trouble.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Sesame Street
When I was a kid there was the bit or sketch or whatever about this kid Muppet named Charlie who gets lost in the city so he asks a cop for help. He doesn't recognize the cop as his Uncle Louie until he starts taking of his clothes. Creepy right?
So anyway, we've all known people like that. Hopefully not creepy uncles, but rather people we didn't recognize with their clothes on. I can think of a lot of "celebrities" who fall into that category.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Waiting
This guy on the Stamps.com commercial says that there is nothing worse than waiting in line at the Post Office. Really? I'm sure that a shotgun blast to the groinocological region is no day at the park.
I was being a bit hyperbolic there but he started it. I know that I'd rather wait at the Post Office than the DMV or the doctors office. Or pretty much any where else for that matter.
Senior citizens discount day. The person in front of you is paying in exact change and by exact change I mean a sackful of nickels.
Being behind someone at the supermarket who wants to argue because, according to them, Walmart allows you to pay for Amp energy drinks with food stamps, "All the time!"
You pick a register because the only other guy in line only has a bag of Funyons only to find out he is going to buy a pack of cigarettes but the cigarettes are at the register at the opposite end of the store and there is a long line.
Of course this requires the non smoker who is working the register to schlepp across the store only to return with a hard pack which is not what he wants. The next time they aren't "100s." The time after that they aren't ultra lights. And so on and so on ad infinitum.
You find find a DVD for five bucks and you proceed to self check out because it's the only thing you are buying and then a message pops up telling you to show your ID to the clerk but they are busy trying to show someone how to operate the self check out.
You go into some "fast" food place and you are the only one in line and no one seems to care. Over by the fryer is a pregnant teen who has two middle-aged women fawning over her. After what seems like forever a non-pregnant teen comes over to take your order. As she passes the other three one of the middle-aged women says to her, "When are you going to have a baby?" She replies, "I'm way to young to have a baby."
You go see a film with proper grown up actors like Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, or Ryan Reynolds and as you are waiting for the cleaning crew to finish up you find yourself surrounded by a boatload of tweens who are there to watch yet another Twilight movie. Then you notice that your neighbors daughter is sticking her tongue down the throat of some dude in a Marilyn Manson t-shirt. As you are trying to delete that particular image from your mind-brain it dawns on you that you went to high school with that dude. In the 1980s.
Waiting for this blog to end.
I was being a bit hyperbolic there but he started it. I know that I'd rather wait at the Post Office than the DMV or the doctors office. Or pretty much any where else for that matter.
Senior citizens discount day. The person in front of you is paying in exact change and by exact change I mean a sackful of nickels.
Being behind someone at the supermarket who wants to argue because, according to them, Walmart allows you to pay for Amp energy drinks with food stamps, "All the time!"
You pick a register because the only other guy in line only has a bag of Funyons only to find out he is going to buy a pack of cigarettes but the cigarettes are at the register at the opposite end of the store and there is a long line.
Of course this requires the non smoker who is working the register to schlepp across the store only to return with a hard pack which is not what he wants. The next time they aren't "100s." The time after that they aren't ultra lights. And so on and so on ad infinitum.
You find find a DVD for five bucks and you proceed to self check out because it's the only thing you are buying and then a message pops up telling you to show your ID to the clerk but they are busy trying to show someone how to operate the self check out.
You go into some "fast" food place and you are the only one in line and no one seems to care. Over by the fryer is a pregnant teen who has two middle-aged women fawning over her. After what seems like forever a non-pregnant teen comes over to take your order. As she passes the other three one of the middle-aged women says to her, "When are you going to have a baby?" She replies, "I'm way to young to have a baby."
You go see a film with proper grown up actors like Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, or Ryan Reynolds and as you are waiting for the cleaning crew to finish up you find yourself surrounded by a boatload of tweens who are there to watch yet another Twilight movie. Then you notice that your neighbors daughter is sticking her tongue down the throat of some dude in a Marilyn Manson t-shirt. As you are trying to delete that particular image from your mind-brain it dawns on you that you went to high school with that dude. In the 1980s.
Waiting for this blog to end.
Friday, July 27, 2012
You had to be there
Everyone has a story. I hope so anyway. If you don't then you are seriously doing something wrong. In fact you may be doing nothing at all. Get out there and do something! I'll wait.
I have a couple of stories. Sort of. My friend has a few that he likes to tell. You know when someone refers to a novel as "unfilmable" and yet they make a movie anyway? Sometimes it works, sometime it doesn't. Well, this story is untellable. You really had to be there. There is a visual quality to the story that can't be put in words.
I could, but I won't.
Then there is the other story my friend likes to tell. The truth is that it's not really a story at all. It's a sentence, A short one. If I told you the sentence you would say, "That's it?! That's the story?!" I would shrug and say, "Yep."
The thing is that it really is a common occurrence. Or at least I thought it was. My friend recently moved halfway across the country and he told the sentence to some of his coworkers who did not believe him. Seriously. I was shocked. Shocked!
I was like if this hasn't happened to you at least once in your life then you really aren't trying. I guess Midwestern life is even more boring that I had thought.
I have a couple of stories. Sort of. My friend has a few that he likes to tell. You know when someone refers to a novel as "unfilmable" and yet they make a movie anyway? Sometimes it works, sometime it doesn't. Well, this story is untellable. You really had to be there. There is a visual quality to the story that can't be put in words.
I could, but I won't.
Then there is the other story my friend likes to tell. The truth is that it's not really a story at all. It's a sentence, A short one. If I told you the sentence you would say, "That's it?! That's the story?!" I would shrug and say, "Yep."
The thing is that it really is a common occurrence. Or at least I thought it was. My friend recently moved halfway across the country and he told the sentence to some of his coworkers who did not believe him. Seriously. I was shocked. Shocked!
I was like if this hasn't happened to you at least once in your life then you really aren't trying. I guess Midwestern life is even more boring that I had thought.
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