ChillSpot Online: Our Art is Life

Bush secretly (or blatantly) backing McCain?
When word dropped about Republican presidential candidate John McCain looking to reschedule Friday’s debate with Barack Obama, it not once struck a chord of concern for the financial free-fall the banking and housing industry is in currently. Sure, that’s what he said, but coming so close to the debate itself, it seemed almost cowardly - as if he wasn’t prepared to face the more powerful orator.

Then, President Bush injected himself into the fray, agreeing with McCain by saying the crisis is indeed more important (which in itself is true) and that the both McCain and Obama should attend the bailout meetings. Obama, and many other democrats, said that there was no reason to postpone the debate, and that they should be able to meet with the president AND debate. Some said that this was just another opportunity for a photo op for McCain and his pretty - if underqualified - VP, Sarah Palin. This rings true.

It’s a chance for McCain to pretend to be more important to the process than he is currently. Even as inept as the government can seem, they should be able to handle this ordeal without two of its members present. And even if they need be present, as president, both would be expected to multitask, and not “call off sick” whenever the urge to do something else arises.

Add the current McCain tactics to his campaign attack ads, and he seems like not much more than a big kid who knows he can’t fight, so he postures behind his bully potential, until he’s faced with a situation where he must use his mind. Of course, he’s not secure in this, so he develops a cold or a broken leg to avoid the showdown … but alas, is a broken leg enough to keep one from merely speaking? I say no. Especially if that speech is as critical to the future of this country as McCain’s will be.

What’s wrong with leaving Cleveland?
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has had enough of the speculation that homegrown (Akron grown, to be specific) phenom LeBron James will leave the team when his contract expires in two years, fleeing to a place that can feed his worldly tastes. He says it’s “an insult to the city.”

Why? What’s wrong with leaving Cleveland for someplace better? The Cavaliers fans act like insecure parents, afraid they’ll lose their hope for something better if their child moves away. Isn’t it supposed to be a good thing if a child finds happiness and success someplace else? God bless the child that got his own, right?

For pure nostalgia and sentimentality, I’d like him to stay here and bring the town a title, because it’s fun to live vicariously through his achievements. But in no way does that mean I’ll stop cheering for him in Brooklyn, LA, Boston, or anyplace else. Being from the Cleveland area does not tie you to the place. And really, Cleveland isn’t much more than a stopping point city, not a destination.

You come to Cleveland to hone your craft away from the critical eyes of type A personalities and cannibals. Once you’re good enough, and comfortable enough, you head West, or East to battle with the best.

It’s that way in other cities, what’s wrong with it being the case here? Cleveland is not New York. No doubting that. Cleveland would like to be, but it’s simply a poor town, with talent oozing out of its pores, washing away to other places. Like New York.

It’s simply not fair to ask LeBron to stay for our own insecurities. That people feel that way speaks more to their fears than to his allegiances.

Random Thought
Why did I find myself strangely attracted to Cloris Leachman while watching Dancing with the Stars this week? I know she’s like 99 years old, but something about seeing that old babe move inspired me. Now, that in no way means she can dance, or that she, at any age, compares favorably to current hotties like Megan Fox or Julianne Hough, but it says that I can appreciate her beauty, even as her wrinkles absorb the gobs of makeup they put on her to cut 20 years of her looks.

You just have to click this link, or this one, to see where she gets all that sexy spunk from.

The Cleveland Browns 2008 season jumped the shark, washed under the bridge, and kicked the bucket all in one day. The hated Ravens whupped their tails to the tune of 28-10, and the Browns ineptitude with or without the ball continues.

Derek Anderson, he of the new contract and newly-uncovered psychological (and possibly neurological) issues, looked a lot like a 6′6″ Charlie Frye, tossing murderballs to KWII (who took major blasts from Ray Lewis), and pick-6s, when not looking like he was auditioning for Dancing with The Stars in the pocket or digging his face from the turf.

Remember that quick release? Gone. What about those long bombs to Braylon Edwards? Can’t locate them with a GPS. What about the big deal of using Josh Cribbs in the offense? Nope, it’s the vaunted Sedric Steptoe (who? Exactly!) And thus and so, the running game has gone away too. Even when it was working, they stopped going to it.

10, 6, 10. That’s how many points the team has scored this season. And some of those were cowardly cosmetic points against the Cowboys and Steelers. Romeo Crennell looks like he’d rather be at an Old Country Buffet, or anywhere else. The defense is (typically) suspect, and that was supposed to be his specialty.

So here we are, 0-3, with the Damn Bum Ass Joker Bowl next week against those hapless clowns from down south - the Bengals. The loser will likely be looking for a head coach within weeks. So will the winner, especially if it’s the Browns. Or so we hope.

It’s time to see what Brady Quinn can do. Play him next week, then give him all the reps through the bye week to prepare for the Giants. Will Romeo do this? Nope. He’ll stick with Anderson and dig a grave for himself and his QB, and ultimately, the season.

NFL NEWS & NOTES

Tony Sparano gets more action than Belichick: The New England Patriots took a very unusually humbling loss to the previously 1-15 Dolphins by a 38-13 count. They got reamed with the same direct snap play for 4 TDs, and looked as lost as those fools on that ABC show. The ceiling for that team just dropped from Super Bowl, to maybe not even winning the division.

Ronnie Brown awakened: The Dolphins running back was resposible for all but three of his teams points (4 rush TD, one pass TD), as they went about embarrasing the Patriots, and ending their regular season win streak. By a show of hands, please, who had him in their fantasy draft? Didn’t think so.

Broncos score a lot, but just enough: The Denver Broncos, if they keep up the pace, will be the only team to score 500+ points while allowing 500+ points. They won 34-32, in another barn-burner, in which there was a play on each team’s EVERY series that looked like it could go to the house for a TD.

RANDOM MLB NOTE
Two Cy Youngs? If Cliff Lee wins the AL Cy Young, and C.C. Sabathia wins the NL award, will that make the first time two pitchers who played on the same team at the same time win the award in the same year? Yes, C.C. got traded, but his record with the Indians still counts in his overall total. Lee, 22-2, should win it hands down, and C.C. looks like a good bet to win as well. If nothing else, it’s another example of how good the team should be, if not for bad luck and bad timing…

Fear of self.
Fear of failure.
Fear of success.
I fear many things,
but can’t allow it to immobilize
from that which will become my greatest success.
Can’t allow death, or failure
to impede my path toward what I feel I must do.
Being afraid is a defense mechanism,
or can be used as one. Those who risk, win.
They also die, but we all do.
There is nothing wrong with speaking your mind.
There will be consequences,
but people need to hear the truth.
No one lives in that place, where the truth stands.
Be you. Not being you
comes at a cost higher than you wish to pay.
Trust in the person you are. Pull your strength
from your true core self. Let the other parts
of your self know that you now have faith in your core, you.
False confidence is a dangerous thing.
Do not allow the comfort of knowing
you can be great at something
keep you from becoming great.
The only way to become great is to do the work.
The dirty work.
Remember to breathe.
And let people figure things out themselves.
No need to consider everything all the time about everyone.
What’s the worst that happens?

Where does anger reside?
Inside me, where is it from,
Why does it bubble and boil,
Heating up the inner core,
Until the conflict is no more.
But it doesn’t stop there,
It don’t care
That the moment is past,
It turns on itself,
Heat upon heat,
Burning its own house
Searing pain ripping through flesh
It don’t care bout what’s best,
Only what causes the feeling to subside,
But it never does
There’s always something to feast on,
Go beast on
Turn east on,
Into the sun
Toward the light
Another fight
Another war
Another whore
Another death
Another rape
Another escape
Another beating
Another grieving parent
Wife,
Husband
Child,
All the while the anger rolls on.

Browns coach Romeo Crennel probably wears tighty-whiteys, because, with no balls, he doesn’t need the space of boxers. He kicked a field goal, down 28-7 in the fourth quarter to a more talented Cowboys team. Game Over! Final score, a much more respectable 28-10, leaving him something to build on next week (”Guys, let’s get 13 points next week!”).

What a loser ass way to start a season. Not that they lost - they were going to lose - but how they lost sets a bad precedent for a season filled with more promise than it deserves. And next week? Pittsburgh, who feasted like ogres on that tender Texan flesh, comes a-callin, with blood on its breath.

No Cribbs, No Peek, no Stallworth, no Lewis or Braylon either (but the latter two weren’t injured). KWII did his thing, but nearly no one else showed up. And for all his talking about LeBron James not being a Cleveland guy, his tongue wasn’t the only thing Braylon should have held onto. Catch the DAMN BALL!

No need to go into this crapfest anymore… On to News and Notes!

NFL NEWS & NOTES

But he still has Gisele
Tom Brady had his knee annihilated by a low hit against the Chiefs, done for the season. Critics are worried about the Patriots, but no one is worried about Brady, after all, his supermodel girlfriend will be there to aid in his speedy (yearlong) recovery. But not to be outdone, Bill Belichick will STILL outscore his QB.

Vince Young on suicide watch?
After another stinker of a interception, Vince Young at first appeared to refuse to reenter the game. Then the next night, he left his phone at home on the way out, leading to a manhunt which ultimately found Young eating chicken and watching the Monday night games. How does one go from a bad game to being on the verge of mental breakdown? We have 2-4 weeks to find out, as VY is out with an injury.

- The Chargers lost on a last-second pass, because no one could get a stop in the end. They’ve done that before (last season in the playoffs against NE). It’s worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses.

- Joe Flacco looked like Joe Montana … but it WAS the Bengals as the opponent.

- That Forte kid for the Bears looked pretty good against the Colts, sparing QB Kyle Orton the responsibility of having to … gasp! … win a game by passing.

Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin has turned the 2008 presidential election upside down, even taking some thunder from the mighty Barack Obama. But she does not come without baggage, some of which the chivalrous democrats won’t touch. But fortunately, I am not them…

Do as I say, not as I do
When word hit that Palin’s 17-year-old daughter Bristol was pregnant, the Republican party closed ranks, the message being “family is private and off limits.” But as fast as you could say “Abortion”, Levi Johnston - the presumed baby daddy - was on the tarmac, tie up to his neck, glad-handing with politicos in the name of unity. Doesn’t sound very private to me!

Then, in another display, Palin’s youngest daughter, Piper, was on her mom’s Web site asking people to “vote for my mommy!”

Did mommy and daddy push poor Levi into marrying Bristol before the election to wrap a little bow around their familial misfortune? Possible. Why? Because in the Palin history books, there may be a precedent for it. Sarah herself gave birth to her oldest son, Track, eight months after she married Todd. Did they get their groove on early (tsk, tsk!), or was Todd nudged into it after knocking dear Sarah up? Questions ….

To wear the bra, or burn it?
It was totally fine to attack Hillary Clinton because she’d been in the public eye for sometime. She was the First Lady for eight years. She wrote books, became a political force all on her own, and nearly overtook Obama. It mattered little to Republicans that she’s of the XX chromosomal type - you know - a woman.

Sarah Palin has yet to be ripped into by the democrats. Why? Is it because she’s a woman? If things are truly on even footing, then she should be fair game. I’ve heard nothing of how she dresses, but with Hillary, any little v-neck shirt got coverage: “Is Hillary Dressing More Sexy?” Democrats are taking a kid-gloves approach to her, throwing pebbles at her lack (to put it nicely) of leadership experience and her hardline stances toward drilling off the coast of Alaska and abortion. She allegedly even tried to ban books at the library!?!?

But little of this will come out in depth, maybe to the detriment of the Obama camp. To attack Palin is to look like a spousal abuser, or just a cad. But she can attack Obama with pointed jabs and wild haymakers, if she chooses. This is not a schoolyard, this is the United States. Not making that distinction may undermine democratic efforts to win this election.

Experience, luck and begging
It’s been reported that John McCain didn’t even meet Palin until February of this year, and didn’t make a decision on her until 5 days before actually selecting her. He may have only done so to appease other Republicans. That doesn’t make him a maverick. It makes him desperate. And it makes her a last drop, albeit a pretty one, of rain for the party. He says he has the experience, but he made a random choice. A choice that diminishes his credentials.

If he’s so experienced, why is he gambling with the fate of the country on someone who has only governed the nearly barren state (minus wildlife) of Alaska? An experienced candidate would only do something that irrational if he knew he was overmatched. Which I guess is smart right? But what does he do with Iran, North Korea or - and here’s where it gets dangerous - China? Does he roll the dice there when no other option seems plausible? It’s easy to say stay in Iraq, someone else has already made that decision! But what about when the choice is on him? Or worse, on her? Let’s see her hockey mom experience help her with that. Or better yet, let’s not.

The NFL season is upon us, and for me, that means an increased chance of heart attack watching my hometown Cleveland Browns team, and plenty of laughs at “Ocho Psycho” (Marvin Lewis’ words, not mine) and the Cincinnati Bengals waste all that offense on another 5-11 type season.

It means more LT, more Adrian Peterson, more KWII, more Brady to Moss, more Belichick jokes (I’ve had all summer to write new ones!), more Tedd Ginn sightings, and more hope that Troy Smith will become a starting QB in the league.

So, with that, I will make some “BOLD” predictions about this year!

1.) The Browns will not outdo last year’s 10-6 record, but they’ll still make the playoffs by taking the AFC North.

2.) Chad Johnson will get suspended this year for conduct detrimental to the team. The whole changing his name to Chad “Javon Ocho Cinco” thing is just a taste of the disruption he’s going to become.

3.) Troy Smith will be cheered by Ravens fans, and steer the team toward (mediocrity) respectability before the porous offensive line leaves him vulnerable for that season-ending hit he always seems destined to take.

4.) The Minnesota Viking’s Adrian Peterson will struggle to reach 1,300 yards this year. The word is out on him, and he’ll continue to see 8-9 men in the box until someone can complete a pass longer than 15 yards on that team.

5.) It likely won’t be Tavaris Jackson, who’ll take one of those hits served up Troy Smith-style, before taking his career and going quietly into oblivion.

6.) Bill Belichick won’t smile once all season.

7.) Tom Brady won’t be seen with Gisele until at least November.

8.) Tony Romo will be ripped everytime Jessica Simpson breathes on TV within 2,000 miles of Dallas.

9.) Who is J.T. O’Sullivan? You probably won’t ever know. And that’s bad for the 49ers.

10.) Cardinals QB Matt Leinart will be the leader of that team by October. Kurt Warner’s corpse will be seen being pecked by vultures in the desert of Death Valley. The football will be found laying next to him, because even in death, he couldn’t hold onto the damn thing without fumbling.

11.) Derek Anderson will be blamed for every interception he throws, every bad pass, every fumbled snap, and slowly crack under fiercer competition this season - and Romeo Crennell STILL won’t pull him for Brady Quinn.

12.) This is the year Quinn finally says something controversial about his situation. And people in Cleveland will love him for it. Even if his teammates don’t like it.

13.) Indianapolis WR Marvin Harrison will notice he’s been quietly bumped down to third receiver behind Reggie Wayne AND Tony Gonzalez. He’ll maybe catch as many balls as TE Dallas Clark.

14.) The Giants won’t finish with more than 9 wins. And playoffs? Forget about it.

15.) The Raiders will kill Al Davis. Literally. He’ll fall dead in his suite watching a game. And no one will bother him till season’s end, because Davis is JUST THAT SCARY.

16.) Bill Belichick will score less this year … his ladyfriend will not be happy with this turn of events. The Patriots will love it.

See ya Sunday!