UConn James

Metallica. They especially own it on "As we walk into this restaurant..." line. Seeger's version is very wimpy; it sounds better as an angry song.

But then, their status as athletes would likely mean they have employment and health insurance, rather than Medicaid.

Well, let's see... if you're "poor" but you smoke and overeat, maybe if you stop doing those things, you'd be less "poor" and more able to pay for your own fecking insurance rather than sucking off the govt teat.

Actually, the belief in God among "the science community" is pretty high. Link. I've seen other polls that put the number in the mid-60%s. A good deal of the rest are simply agnostic, not atheist. There's a certain segment of religious zealots that enjoy saying 'SCIENCE BAD! / SCIENTISTS GODLESS!' so much that they and others start to believe their own words. Is it the Evolution / Creationism thing? Because a lot of actual scientists --- even Darwin himself, according to the article --- are able to believe in evolution and believe that God created the universe. Mind you, they might not bag on Biblical Creationism / Garden of Eden, but that is a myth by definition. No one was there to record those events; it's an old story of how humanity came to be, that has been proven scientifically false. Doesn't mean they deny the existence of God, just human beings' interpretations of God's methods. Their belief would probably be traced back to the Big Bang and what caused that, where the molecules came from, as their own version of Genesis.

OK, so that's not a one-foot challenge. Yikes. Seriously bad break for Matt.... But it might depend on where exactly the cut is. If it's on the heel, it might not affect him greatly. If it's near the toes, that'll be tough. I've read that men are better able to handle pain in short spurts, whereas women are physically able to endure drawn-out pain. This would seem to correspond with traditional roles vis-a-vis an ability to block out pain during the furtive moments in hunting-gathering, and for women, in childbirth.

I'm sure that no major star would've even considered this. Too much chance that it becomes a political meme, like the book has, and that star will still have to find work in liberal Hollywood afterward. Maybe Tom Selleck, but he's not anything like a "movie star" these days --- pretty much typecast as a 'vet policeman who does things his own way.' As it stands, I don't think it's a bad cast. There's some up-and-coming names in there and something like this could put them in the limelight. Look at Jeremy Renner before "The Hurt Locker" or Bradley Cooper before "The Hangover." There's a couple of "LOST" vets in there, too! There is a core bunch that will drive this movie along, at least in cult status, in the same vein as "V for Vendetta." BTW, this is part 1 of 2. That will definitely mean double- or triple-viewing for Rand devotees.

+1. I forget if I mentioned that.

That is one of the knocks on him. Injuries probably played a part as there was a misdiagnosis at FSU. The reviews say he doesn't have world-class throwing power, but he can get the ball where he needs it. It's not like he has "50 yards or fewer" stamped on his arm. He does have good throwing footwork and accuracy. As has been written, kind of a tougher Chad Pennington, but Ponder also has a similar game to Fitz, which may play into his favor for the Bills. I trust Chan to know what he's looking for in a QB and what he can work with. If it's Ponder, OK. If it's a tradeback and Gabbert, OK. If it's another 7th-rounder and Fitz as the clear #1 going forward (at least until next year's speculation starts), that's OK too. Gailey brought a lot to the offense last season that has been missing in Buffalo for a long time --- namely the idea that we have an offense that can make plays and move the chains. Back to Ponder, tho... not having a rocket arm isn't necessarily too big a drawback in today's dink-and-dunk NFL. Pennington's arm was a known commodity and he was picked in the mid-1st, iirc. Bear in mind also that it's possible for his arm to develop. Hate to use the Tom Brady example again, but when he entered the league there was no way he could throw deep like he has the past few years. People wisecrack various reasons for that, of course, but it can be developed cleanly with hard work.

+1. The Tammy Faye make-up got toned down as well.

In my view, Obama has been great for equality, vis-a-vis proving that a black president can be just as bad as any white president we've ever had.

Didn't notice it. How panoramic was the shot? I believe they have used those perches in a few of the Redemption challenges --- definitely for the grappling hook one. And the tile-match this week, was it a stump or the stone dais? They seem to have an affinity for raising up the contestants. If it is a standing challenge, this might not be a problem for Matt as long as he has one good leg. Remember that Sarita is hurting too, in the facial region, which can do a number on balance. I mean that in the sense that you can often put pain in an extremity out of mind for a time and it can be managed in short bursts. But facial pain is constant, it's got a short receptor path to the brain and is not ignored easily. That said, there wasn't any mention this week of Sarita's possible infection (much more likely that she's just a neurotic hypochondriac like so many other women). What's the engineering on that, tho? Do they switch to smaller pegs after a set amount of time? Or, to borrow from the late Senator Ted Stevens' description of the Internet, is it a series of tubes whose outer layers can drop down, say, a half-inch at a time? Really have to wonder whether the crew pay attention to physical ailments and design challenges that can possibly trip someone up. Like in this case, they might have been planning a different one, but when they heard Matt had a foot injury --- Hppt! We're doing a how long can you stand challenge! It does provide a little extra drama.

Let's see if it is a challenge that will require a lot of foot movement in a speed game. Several of them haven't. There was the tile-match, grappling hook-puzzle one, the lock one, the only one that required a lot of walking back and forth and was time-sensitive was the domino challenge with Russell. There's not a lot of space at the Redmeption arena, so there's more cerebral and placement-dependent contests there rather than true physical challenges like there are in the game. How bad would that suck to have lasted all that time only to lose to Sarita, who has been next to worthless in challenges in the game?

Well that would be different. Since they don't vote in the Dem bloc, they would demand that person's ball-sack in a paper bag (see: Trent Lott).

The trailer of this looked great. Wasn't expecting that level of cinematography or acting. It has quite a cast --- better than I would've thought considering many in Hollywood wouldn't touch this with 20-foot pole. Wonder how many theatres are actually going to show it.

That may be a valid opinion right now, especially given Purple's methods. As I remember, tho, seasons didn't usually get really interesting until the merge. Everything that has been on a low simmer in the camps starts to boil over --- fast. It begins the making and breaking of alliances. Backstabs, frontstabs, double-crosses, immunity challenges that have more meaning and see more effort. People start to root for their favorite player rather than a favorite group of players.

I think you may very well be the only viewer with that opinion. Redemption Island has been awesome, and allows someone who got completely railroaded --- like Matt or Russell --- an opportunity to stay alive. I think you're alone on this. I don't think there's a chance in hell that Philip doesn't align with Purple.... unless the combination of Rob's idol plus a personal immunity for a Rob-alliance makes it necessary for him to stick for pure numbers, and he can convince Rob to wipe out Purple first. Personally, I don't think that happens. I don't see how Philip survives next week.

Uhhh... Luke is deaf, not retarded. But, yes, that was a very heartwarming moment.

OK, I'm writing this post in Word as the episode is airing. If you don't like this, I don't know what to tell ya. Stephanie shooting her mouth off about her first food list: "You're killin' me, smalls!" Rob on Philip: "He's the most unaware person I've ever met." Well, it apparent that Rob has never met my mother. The tile-matching game on Redemption was sweet. The concept of this second-chance place is great. Stephanie had some very pertinent comments before she left. I never questioned her ability about strategy, just how she chose to play the game right at the start, which really haunted / screwed her over the whole time with Purple. Absolutely right what she said to Rob; Yellow or the merged tribe will be looking to take him out at first chance. I wrote the same thing last week. Now Philip has this seed planted inside him, as well as the two Purple members. Rob has got to be planning on targeting Philip right now. And yep... "If he asks me straight up who to vote for, I'll say, 'Yaknow what, Philip? *You're* goin' home. I'll front-side him!'" LOL! Purple started talking / dividing right away. Dave is on the outside looking in here at the start. We'll see how anything changes as the immunity challenge is played. If they do vote him out, Purple is continuing down the wrong road, and whoever is left is not going to stand a friggin' chance once the merge comes. I think Yellow might actually throw the challenge to get rid of Philip. Not certain, but it's possible. I think they could hold out another week with him, just to still be one-up on Purple. Sarita in the challenge... wow. Slowness on the first bag, then they recovered. Gotta say that my heart was pumping during that. Grant earned some more brownie points there. He is a serious competitor in the challenges. Makes me wonder whether Rob might go after him after (or before?) the consensus Philip, so as to avoid having to face him after the merge. Loyalty-wise, tho, Rob has him wrapped around his little finger. Rob getting and disposing of the clue --- LOL! The Yellows are very naive. Now there is some waffling on Purple. David or Sarita? Strength or loyalty? Wow, Ralph in the tribal --- STOOOOPID! Doesn't know what cohesiveness is, and would rather have guys who don't get along well but are individually strong. If they keep Sarita, they are done. "I wish I'd brought my stuff..." What a complete sh--head. Matt has almost a sure victory next week on Redemption. Merge apparently happens after Redemption next week. Now it's really on! This changes the whole dynamic up to this point. If Philip and Matt could be turned to the remnants of Purple --- not out of the question --- there's a HUGE target on Rob. Just like Stephanie said. The ace in his pocket is that he has the idol. But he has to know when to use it, and once it's gone, I imagine that people in Yellow are going to be a little pissed that he led them on, especially Grant. I think he has to tell Grant, at least.

Agreed, for the simple fact that it would much more closely establish a true National Champion, rather than depending on man, beast or computer to conjure one. No excuses, just win. But to think there wouldn't be just as much --- or a lot more --- shenanigans with the $ surrounding it is specious. The NCAA really needs to develop a plan for those athletes who don't care about school and would rather have remuneration instead of an academic scholarship. Or perhaps, set aside some portion of the profits that will be payable to players after their college career, or into a retirement account? It's sick that the kids who play the game get less and less a percentage back through tuition/room/board on what they produce for their U... while fat cat administrators/boosters/pols stuff themselves and get lap dances.

That Scum-Sentinel link upthread about Ponder had extensive clips of plays that went well, and ones that went wrong for one reason or another (often WR/TE drops, but a couple examples of throwing into coverage). I'd say that was about as extensive and fair a review as you're going to find. They have not done one on Gabbert, yet, but the Oklahoma LB they interviewed, Tom Wort, said that, no disrespect to Ponder, but Gabbert was a tougher QB to face b/c the system he was in was damn near tailored to him, along with the team he had around him. Take that for what it's worth.

Thank you for informing me about what my previously unstated opinions are. What are my opinions about refrigerator magnets? You olive bigot!

Watching that game film, there were a lot of drops where the ball was either in the numbers or entirely catchable and *boink*. On one of them, there was no one within 20 yards of one TE, it hit him in the breadbasket in stride and *boink*. That's very surprising for FSU, given their prime location to pick up WRs. Was it an issue of the stable being depleted b/c of Bowden's expiring time there... even with Jimbo in place as the heir apparent? That was his ugliest game. Then again, look to what the LB Wort said. It wasn't really anything Ponder himself didn't do. Oklahoma's (and BC's) defense knew exactly what was coming b/c of the simplicity of the Fisher's FSU O. Look at how Ponder did in the Senior Bowl, surrounded by quality players, and under a couple of weeks with Chan Gailey. Regardless who is picked (or if a QB is picked), it will probably be with a lot of input from Gailey and who he feels he can work with at the most important position. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt after what he did with K. Stewart, Thigpen, etc. If he put those guys in the best position to succeed and turned crap into gold, I'd like to see what Chan can turn silver into. Whether that's Newton, Gabbert, Ponder or some UDFA.... Not to mention what he can do with Fitz given the full calender (if there is one). Kaepernick is probably more like a 4th. I don't really care what mocks say. He needs a lot of work. Kids like him drop all the time.

Dexter, don't you have a soldier's funeral to picket?

There's an extensive write-up on Ponder (with video inserts) here. Sure, it's from the Scum-Sentinel, but nevertheless.... Basically says that Ponder doesn't have a world-class arm, especially after some injuries, but he's got enough to get it where he needs it (hence some comparisons to Chad Pennington); there are some durability issues. I don't know how much the injury status has changed in the past couple of months as he's healed fully, but he has shot back up the draft boards to rd 1-2 from rd 3 iirc. It's questionable whether he'll still be there at the Bills #2. His accuracy is better than most b/c of good footwork and balance... something this article suggests Kaepernick, who takes big strides for his throws, doesn't have. For a bigger kid, he can use his legs, and is very good at throwing on the run, in either direction. It's improved, but still needs work on pocket presence and ability to feel pressure. Florida State ran a pro-style offense, but it was a Jimbo Fisher simplification, so while he may be more prepared for the transition to the NFL than many of the other QBs, it's not like he's making a sideways move. Then again, Ponder graduated in finance in 2 1/2 years at FSU, so I think he's got it in him to be able to learn an NFL playbook. One of the LBs Ponder faced, Oklahoma’s Tom Wort, says that Ponder doesn't give away plays with his eyes or stare down his receivers until he's throwing. Said that the defense knew the plays from Fisher's simplified offense, rather than being able to read Ponder. Wort said that he suspects BC was able to do the same for Fisher's offense --- those refined defenses were FSU's two losses in 2010. Especially last year, he improved the ability to look off defenders. High character guy. Works on the areas that he's deficient, very teachable. Does need to learn to progress from his initial read and primary receiver. Will sometimes force throws into traffic. Ponder didn't have very good receivers at FSU, and in his sophomore season (his 55% completion year) didn't have a good OL. There have been other distractions at FSU in his time there, including a fight among coaches on a team plane after the Boston College loss amid accusations of racism. His toughness is not questioned; played through injuries, does not slide when running (this will need to change in the NFL).