Chilly

Woohoo. Although, I think since it took me almost 3 years to get 2k posts, that might be the slowest ascend anyone has ever achieved for 2k posts.

I read that about 2 years ago, its a funny ass story.

Me and CTM were talking about this the other day in the AQ thread, adn I figured it deserved it's own. My opinion on this has been largely framed by work from a UT professor, Daron Shaw. He's actually one of the few conservative professors - he worked extensively for President Bush, and one of my projects in one of his classes this semester is presenting a campaign strategy outline to the head of Bush's 2004 reelection campaign, which is kinda cool. Anyway, the argument going in is that America is actually getting more polarized. And I didn't believe him at all, until he pulled up some data. Its interesting, while party ID is certainly moving away from each other (due to the polarization of the individual candidates), almost every other major issue actually is converging, not growing further apart. Here is a presentation he gave in class to us which talks about this issue. He also appeared on the PBS show Uncommon Knowledge talking about this very issue. If anyone else is interested in the issue of polarization in America, I would suggest checking those things out. CTM: Since we were talking about this issue, I would be interested to hear your critique of his thoughts. I personally feel that they are correct, I can't find anything wrong with his logic. It'd be cool to hear another viewpoint on it though. Ah, I love politics.

Fez did not list the newest player in the Video TV buying industry... http://video.google.com/ They have tons of shows as well, each costing $1.99. Oh, and I'd much rather give my money to google then Apple.

Every one of those damn liberals don't supporting the troops.

You haven't follow JC have you?

Don't see anything on http://www.rotonews.com/football/ which he claims is his source, so I don't think its true. Oh, and my antivirus program went crazy when I went there, ffs.

Its funny, you seem to contradict yourself here. You have made the following two points in this post: - Ex-players don't automatically translate into good coaches - We shouldn't make a quota ratio for head coaches Yet, you go ahead and suggest that the number of head coaches should be around the % of black players in the NFL. My question is: Why? What does being a player give someone over say being a College or NFL coach for 15 years? By saying this, you are assuming that Ex-players automatically translate into good head coaches. Of course it has, but what does the Rooney Rule have to do with this? Just because it coincided with an increase in hiring of coordinators of A-A descent, doesn't mean it caused the hiring of more coordinators of A-A descent. The classic example is the ice cream example: In months with strong ice cream sales, violent crime goes up. In months with weak ice cream sales, violent crime goes down. Do Ice Cream sales rates cause Violent Crime rates? While it IS important that the NFL addresses race concerns, I do not believe for a second that the Rooney Rule is necessary or effective. I also don't think that quotas are the answer. What *would* be effective, imo, is if the NFL required teams to interview minority candidates for positional jobs. This is where good coaches are born, and the NFL would promote minorities in doing so. There is no evidence to support that the Rooney Rule has changed anything with the hiring of head coaches. A better candidate pool would lead to more minority head coaches getting hired. To promote a better candidate pool, you start at where coaches learn the game and get an opportunity to advance - positional jobs.

NOTE: I had to split this into 2 posts, because the quotes broke when it was just one. It was way too freaking long, lol. Who was so qualified that didn't get an interview back then? I mean, it really seemed to help this year, people like James Lofton getting interviews and all. How, exactly, is interviewing a minority candidate for a HC job going to help people getting coordinator jobs? It seems to me that the head coach would hire the coordinator, not the GM/Owner. After all, its HIS staff. Let's take a look at the AA HCs this year, and the Rooney Rule's effect on them: - Dennis Green - None. He was hired because of the pretty decent job he did in Minnesota. Was looked at as Arizona's savior. - Marvin Lewis - None. Considered an extremely good and hot coaching candidate. - Lovie Smith - None. Also considered an extremely good and hot coaching candidate. - Tony Dungy - None. Hired by Indianapolis because he did a good job with Tampa Bay. - Romeo Crennell - None. Considered an extremely good and hot coaching candidate. - Herman Edwards - None. Hired before the Rooney Rule went into effect. Also, I don't think that you can say that because a black coach wasn't hired that it was due to race. What new black coaches, exactly, can you definitively say were better candidates then white new head coaches? I hate it when people cite this as a reason that more African American candidates should be hired. I can understand using it in a context saying that racial concerns that they are just inferior coaches are outrageous, which it is. However, it is absolutely ridiculous to suggest that just because AA HCs have been good so far, that everyone will be good. However much the article uses numbers, it fails to answer one extremely important question, which it seems that all Rooney rule supporters forget: How many coaches have gotten their job from the Rooney rule? Sure, African American head coaches have gone up, but is that a direct result of the Rooney rule or of the NFL catching up with advances in society? ' And what, exactly, makes an ex-player qualified to be a coach? Most ex-players have to start as position coaches, then work their way up the ranks. So if the NFL is so racist, wouldn't these coaches not have long resume's to begin with? Except that the rule hasn't actually had that effect on anyone. Its curious though that you don't think Marvin Lewis was effected by the rule, even though it was in place a year before he was hired, but it was for Lovie Smith. What is the distinction between these two candidates? Do tell which minority candidate is definitely better then any coach that was hired to be a head coach. Its gotten whose foot in the door, exactly? I don't know of one candidate who was hired as a direct result from the rooney rule.

I'd do the Texans.

I love this hire. Absolutely love it.

Sorry, that honor belongs to Mario.

Is anyone else a fan of this band? I saw them live here in Austin a few years ago, and they're coming back in February. Gonna drag my girlfriend to go see em.

Pretty standard here in ATX.

If you don't include the 46 games where he got beat, he's undefeated.

What was up with that fat guy who made it, lol.

Its my network B word! /Also CW

wut

Is this the 5'oclock free crack giveaway?

Is WGR ever going to allow us to listen online again?

That is muy bueno.

Is it pretty?

What was it? I'm only able to listen between phone calls.

If they're idiots, what does that make you for arguing with them. An uber idiot?

I declare myself the winner of the thread.