The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.
F. Scott Fitzgerald

I have a confession to make – actually a few of them. I’m a free market guy until said markets spin so completely out of control that the situation calls for government intervention. I have faith that the insurance companies are not inherently evil but need to be regulated when they’re getting away with - for lack of a better term and to keep this discourse civil – highway robbery. I believed Saddam Hussein needed to be removed from power and that U.S military efforts could make Iraq a better place for Iraqis and make for a safer world. I believe it’s worth the effort to bring the 30,000 villages in Afghanistan into the 21st Century or at the very least the 19th. I firmly believe Osama Bin Hidin’ needs to be dead. I also believe we need to get our young men and woman serving in those two countries out of harm’s way and back home as soon as possible.

This twisted logic may make me a genius in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book but I think it just makes me a current day American citizen.

You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.
Rahm Emanuel

As jaded and cynical as it sounds I agree with Obama’s Chief of Staff. It’s been a year since Lehman failed and the mortgage market imploded. A little less than that since AIG became the black hole of Wall Street. Citibank and other banks “too big to fail” asked for and received billions of Federal funds. The Detroit auto makers soon followed. Things look better today, maybe not for jobs, but the stock market continues to rise and Fed Chairman Bernanke said the worst is over - But have we fixed anything?  Did we waste our crisis?

Economist Paul Krugman believes we’ve taken a great first step but there’s still much more to do and a lot more federal funds to be doled out. Free marketers yell, “Enough already! Let the markets decide!”  Detroit is gasping but alive and there are great deals if you’re looking to buy an American car. But does any sane person believe that if the government pulled the financial plug tomorrow nothing would happen? In fact the majority of the people I know and talk with believe we’d be right back in the toilet with the Tidy Bowl Man bailing water to save our lives.

This summer’s Health Care reform theatrics have led to the Baucus Bill - of which only Rube Goldberg would be proud. Congressman Eric Cantor’s recent town hall response to a woman who is literally in a life or death situation – Sell everything she owns and if that doesn’t work, try charity – may be the dumbest and most cold hearted response I’ve heard but it is indicative of the mindset in Washington. Does Congress get it? I’ve yet to see any of them step up to the plate and volunteer to give up their Health Care Plan and join us common folk. And my guess is I won’t anytime soon.

The war in Afghanistan is making its way back onto our radar screen. General McCrystal has requested more troops to get the job done. No argument there, that’s what soldiers and generals should do. And we should listen to him. He is the expert. Just ask General Shinseki - when he asked for more troops to invade Iraq, Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld fired him and we all now how well that went. So don’t question the soldier, rather let’s analyze the goals. Maybe we need to adjust our expectations starting with the fact Karzai’s government couldn’t empty a bucket of water if instructions for doing so were printed on the bottom of it

If you were hoping that the international scene was turning the corner all you needed to do was tune in the UN summit last week to dissuade you of that notion. The keynote speakers included Qaddafi, Ahmadinejad and Chavez – talk about the Moe, Larry and Curly of world leaders, all that was missing were the pies. I’m all for an open mike but how about a stopwatch for some of these guys or at least a Chuck Barris gong. These three made Oscar winners sound pithy. Is it any wonder that most Americans don’t take the United Nations seriously?

This ain’t no party. This ain’t no disco. This ain’t no foolin’ around. – Talking Heads

I know it’s easy to tune much of this out and that it’s much more fun to partake in the office pool betting on when Glen Beck will have his nervous breakdown and set his hair on fire or to watch Tom DeLay shake his groove thing on Dancing with the Stars.  But as a coach of mine was fond of saying, “It’s time to bust some balls.” It doesn’t matter what you do - Write a letter, volunteer, call your congressman, or if you’re daring, visit a town hall meeting – just do something. Too many folks in government and big business are taking advantage of our apathy right now and we need to set them straight and give them a swift kick in the pants.

Old farts are always being criticized by the next generation for harking back to the “good ol’ days’’ and yearning for that “”old gang of mine.’’ Well, I happen to be one of those greybeards who can attest that things were definitely better back in the Sixties and Seventies, particularly in the now near-moribund newspaper business.

  Certainly, the salaries earned by the survivors far exceeds what we earned in those days (if you don’t take inflation into account), but that hardly compensates for the drastic change in today’s newsroom environment where copyreaders resemble zombies slumped over their computers and reporters enjoy about as much camaraderie as the Sunnis and Shiites..So when people ask me why I elected to take a buyout after 40 years on the sport staff of The Baltimore Sun in 1999 at age 66, I tell them, quite simply, it just wasn’t fun anymore

    For so many years, with half the staff of the sports sections of the Eighties and Nineties, we served as reporters, deskmen, and rewrite men, produced more editions,  carrried more late results and, somehow, even managed to play poker twice a night, with our copy editor, Floyd Russell,  ready to deal the cards the instant the final story was filed.

.  Perhaps, I had merely been fortunate to have worked all those years with a zany bunch of guys who would make Seinfeld characters appear quite normal. Due to space limitations, unfortunately, I can only recapture the capers of a handful of my compatriots.

  When I first joined the Sun in 1959, the elder statesman was golf writer Jim Wild, crippled and already close to retirement.  Wild’s principal duty was to piece together the “nine-hole’’ scores of the women golfers in the Baltimore area.  The ladies were traumatized by Wild’s abrupt manner as he recorded their scores in longhand, shunning the typewriter, our sole instrument back in the Stone Age.

.  Since the scores ran five or six pages long, Wild would reach for his glue pot and paste them together in a slipshod manner.  By the time he rolled up his copy and summoned a copy boy to shoot it down to the composing room by pneumatic tube, it included leftovers from his lunch, cigar ashes, and whatever other debris was scattered across his desk. Somehow, the scores managed to appear in print in next day’s paper.

  Arriving almost the same time at the Sun was Jim Jackson, who covered Navy football and served as one of the key lacrosse writers.  Jackson, who transported his nine children in an antiquated Volkswagen bus whose doors seemed to hang by a thread, always maintained his sense of humor.  When a fledgling reporter would race into the newsroom with what he regarded as the scoop of the century, Jackson would quickly stop him in his tracks by asking, ‘Did you hear about Lincoln?’’

  When he attended Navy games in Annapolis and felt the Mids had benefited from a dubious call, he would shout, “Nice call, Admiral!.’’

  Jackson also enjoyed taking dictation from one of our “”stringers,’’ Bill Doherty, who would call in anything he thought might be worth $5 or $10.  His main subject was tackle Randy White, the former Maryland All-American and Dallas Cowboy star who lived in the Wilmington area. It reached the point where Doherty would give us weekly reports on the activities of White’s hound dog.  Jackson started “”quoting’’ the dog, but fortunately an alert slot man spiked the copy.

  In my mind, Jackson’s most memorable moment occurred in a union hall during one of   three strikes by the newsroom after failed contract negotiations with the Sun.  When a relatively young reporter rose to speak passionately in behalf of taking the Sun’s latest offer, citing numerous statistics. Jackson jumped to his feet and shouted in the style of Patrick Henry, “Figures lie, and liars figure!’’ meanwhile decking another would-be capitulator with a timely swat.  Needless to say, we quickly returned to the picket line.

    And then there was Ed Atwater, who covered Maryland football and lacrosse.  He was usually assigned to Mount Washington’s club games and, immediately, after the final whistle, would find solace in the neighboring saloon. After one game, a copyreader noted a new notation in the game’s agate statistics.  It read “DOF-2’’ Certain it was a typographical mistake, he called Atwater, who was hardly in condition to talk.  Finally, in exasperation, he told the copyreader, “You idiot, “”DOF’’ stands for “”Dogs on Field.’’

  That brings us to Jim Caffrey, who covered golf and tennis with a wry writing style.  On occasion, he would review the Sun cafeteria, mocking then stuffy restaurant critic John Dorsey, by applauding its “”ambience and cheerful service.’’

  Sometimes, the morning sports staff would convene at Connolly’s, the waterfront restaurant that featured a mangy parrot and “Spot, the Wonder Dog,’’ Caffrey would make the waitress go through the entire menu before predictably ordering hot dogs and beans.

  But Caffrey was not the most reliable employee.  Driving to work, he would circle the Sun building on Calvert street.  If no parking space was available after two forays, he would head directly home.  One day, he simply disappeared like Amelia Earhart, and no one has heard from him in the last 25 years.

  Saving the best for last, we fondly recall the late Al Fischer, the unquestioned clown prince of the Sun sports staff during my tenure.  Always equipped with a few “”miniatures’’ in his desk draw, Fischer was more unpredictable than today’s stock market.  Once, assigned to a wrestling match, he jumped in the ring to engage in a tag-team match Another time, covering a Baltimore Clippers hockey game, he tossed his typewriter on the ice in protest of a penalty called against the home team.

  And there was the night that one of our deskmen, Dan Ulmer, who liked to catch the late races at Pimlico or Timonium before reporting to work, called the office to say he would probably be late.  Fischer engaged Ulmer in a lengthy conversation before finally inquiring, “”Yeah, Dan, but are you near a phone?’’

  Fischer, himself, once called the office to say that he would be late since he had been hit by a bus and was now being treated in an emergency room.  Then copy desk boss Joe Snyder, who knew all to well of Fischer’s fanciful side, proceeded to call every hospital in the vicinity to see if an “Albert R. Fischer’’ had been admitted. No one remembered the name.

    Some 20 minutes later,  an out-of-breath Fischer called again, but was stopped short by Snyder, who informed him of his investigation.  “Joe, you don’t understand, he said, “”I left one hospital, but then I got hit by another bus, and, believe it or not, I’m now in another hospital.

  Finally, there was the night Fischer wobbled back to the newsroom after a liquid lunch at the venerable House of Welsh on Guilford avenue.  In a teasing manner, copy boss Floyd Russell inquired if Fischer had enjoyed a drink or two.  Fischer shook his head negatively, saying in a hurt voice, “Russ, you know I’m on the wagon.’’ When Russell continued to bait him, Fischer shouted indignantly, “You doubt my velocity?’’
  Never, Al, we always knew you were flying, higher and higher.

One of the great albums of the Sixties was the Moody Blues classic “Days of Future Past,” which I listened to many times and even enjoy to this day. It was an unprecedented collaboration between the harmonic group of excellent musicians singing and playing with the London Symphony Orchestra. It produced such classics as “Tuesday Afternoon” and “Nights in White Satin” and was an attempt to take you places in your mind, not only with the music, but also with the words and themes that were inherent with the times. It remains applicable to events that have occurred recently.

The emergence of former president Jimmy Carter into the fray and the continuing outlandish and brazen conduct of Iran , creates a symbiosis that combined the biggest and sorriest reminders of American failure and frustration. Both Carter and Iran will forever be inexorably linked to each other, and lately, it’s just like the bad old days.

The former president, a primary contender for worst president ever until 43 came along, was occupying the Oval Office when our embassy in Iran was taken over with the encouragement of the same group of fanatics that run the show over there now. They kicked out our surrogate, the Shah of Iran. Carter had no clue then, and he has continued to reaffirm that status.

Carter has become the equivalent of what the Democrats’ opinion is of Dick Cheney. A total asshole who can’t keep his big mouth shut, gives his critics validity, and provides fodder for their cause. He had demonstrated this uncanny ability during his tenure, and he hasn’t wavered from his mission since. He’s a very smart man, says what he believes with conviction and with good intentions, but he’s a complete disaster, just like his presidency.

When Carter gave his fireside speech, claiming that the country was headed down the toilet, he sealed his fate with his later defeat to Reagan. Nobody wanted to hear that we were headed for a bummer, and when those lunatics took over in Iran and made us look impotent, he was cast out of office by a landslide.

Despite having a Democratic Congress to work with, he accomplished very little domestically, and his only tangible accomplishment was the peace accords that were ratified by Begin and Sadat. That moment in history is now dwarfed and forgotten because of the current malaise between Palestine and Israel , and other problems such as the war in Iraq , the fight against terror, and surviving the chaos which has been prevalent since the beginning of civilization in the Middle East .

Several years ago, Carter, who thought he saw a way to straighten out this mess, wrote a book about the problem, and came down on the side of the Palestinians. This suggestion was universally denounced by every sane person.

You’d think he would have taken the hint after that, but just like his opponent said in the debate in 1980, “There you go again.” He did it again with a flourish, by claiming that the opponents of the president were racists who emanated from the Confederacy. I don’t know where to start with that one, but I now agree with Joe Wilson on one thing. Screw any more apologies, and you can kiss my redneck ass because I just got over a million in campaign donations. Good work by Carter on that one.

Then there’s the president’s take on this. He had to, of course, take the high road. With friends like Carter, who needs enemies? Obama needed to hear this while he’s out on the talk show circuit pitching the health care plan. It wasn’t tough enough that the Republicans were unified before this latest pronouncement; this just was the cherry on the sundae. In their twisted logic, they win because Glenn Beck already called the president a racist. So we have a tie. Both sides are bigots and just like in baseball, a tie at first base goes to the runner. This only adds to the street cred of Beck with the lunatic fringe. Need I say more?

As to the Iranians, the world in which they inhabit is so far out there, it’s scary. I watched a portion of the interview that Ann Curry had with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad this past week and he scared me more than Charles Manson with his comments. This week, he said once again, that the Holocaust was a lie, that he will take down Israel for good, and that Iran is getting nukes.

Right now, they have in custody a couple of Americans who crossed the border. Not exactly the same hostage situation that we saw 30 years ago with the embassy takeover, but nonetheless they are holding Americans again and flaunting it with gusto.

Last week, the military brass and the president descided to jettison a missile shield program that would have protected the Poles and others in the Eastern European corridor against an Iranian missile attack. This was smart play by the good guys, but it drew criticism from some of the old standbys of the missile shield defense proponents who still connect to the Reagan “Star Wars” fantasy. Also, some of the remaining cold warriors believe that Russian and Putin, in particular, are getting one over on us and will screw us the first opportunity they get because this helps them in their attempt to recolonize Eastern Europe with the communist satellites.

The good news is that last week the Iranian government staged and orchestrated an anti-Israel rally, and a very large and vocal core of protesters to the festivities got the upper hand with the government and made it clear that they will not be silenced over the fix from the elections. It is very difficult to assess their strength and their potential for changing the status quo. We are simply observers, rooting for the underdog.

In the good old days of Yankee imperialism, in 1953 the CIA staged a coup in Persia (aka Iran) and installed the Peacock Throne, giving us the Shah. This is what started this whole string of events that made America tied to this country and the Middle East, and finally culminated in the Carter debacle. Where’s Allen Dulles and John Foster Dulles when you need them now? We need a miracle to pull this one out of the abyss.

The real action is in Iran. What happens there is critical and could determine our destiny and that of Israel. All the while, we’re stuck in Iraq and headed to no man’s land in Afghanistan. Bad timing and bad planning combined.

The “days of future past” with Jimmy Carter and the Iranians. Old wounds and sorry examples that continue bleed for many of us, and a constant reminder that in this country, both then and now, has problems that constantly affect our safety and future well-being.

Thank God for Senator Max Baucus. With the country on the verge of splitting apart across party lines and ideology the Senator in one fell swoop has united us. For it does not matter if you are a Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal, a libertarian or a progressive, everyone agrees that the health care reform bill introduced by the Senator from Montana, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is one steaming, stinking mess that no one wants to step in.

Some of the highlights of the bill include a mandatory 13% “contribution” directly out of our paycheck to pay for the privilege of having health insurance. If one attempts to opt out of this, you’ll be fined half that amount. (This money all funnels directly to the insurance companies under the caveat that this will help keep the country’s deficit down.) Concerning pre-existing conditions – something the President wanted to outlaw – they’re still in the Baucus Bill. Can an insurance company discriminate by age? Thumbs up there - Baucus’ bill allows insurance companies to charge up to five times the premium price based on an individual’s age. There will be insurance exchanges, but with no oversight. So with a nod and a wink there goes competitive bidding.

The Baucus bill is also very clear on illegal immigrants. Not only does the plan exclude them, it makes it illegal – if they somehow circumvent the system – to buy health insurance, which is not only inhumane but foolhardy. This touches on another issue that opponents of health care reform have used to effectively cloud the reform issue. “Free” medical coverage – just like “free” education - for illegal immigrants is a symptom not the problem.  If we all agree that the immigration system is broken than fix the system. Trying to pin law enforcement badges on doctors, nurses and teachers by demanding they validate citizenship is both ineffective and unfair. They are not, nor did they ever sign up to be border control agents. Congress simply can not continue to pass the buck on this issue.  Legislation, i.e. law making, is their job and yes I understand this is a complex and emotionally charged one, but ignoring it will not make it go away.

As for the “dreaded public option” – it’s not there – not even a whisper. This guarantees absolutely no competition in the marketplace, i.e. that whole free market concept that makes our country great. In a nutshell the Baucus bill raises our insurance costs without changing a damn thing and making sure it never will change. The only folks who are happy with this bill – and they should be ecstatic - are the insurance companies. All of the major players saw their stock prices rise Wednesday in trading, so their $3 million investment in Baucus’ campaign chest was worth every penny and then some. One wonders if in fact the insurance industry was able to write a bill they would have been as audacious as the Senator from Montana has proven to be.

This brings us back to Baucus, whose pride Wednesday in announcing his solution can only be matched by his cluelessness. Tone deaf, ineffective and out of touch are terms that only begin to describe what he’s put on the table because “as is”, his bill has no future.

Republicans, who have said from the get-go they won’t vote for any health care reform bill will not be voting for this one – and rightfully so. Democrats will do what they do best and start bickering among themselves. Several have all ready stated that they need to start over – which is exactly what the Republicans were saying just a short week ago. Those of us who wondered if Congress is capable of doing anything productive just got our answer – a resounding “NO!”

This all begs the question – Who’s in charge? It’s beyond belief that with a Democratic majority in Congress and a Democratic administration in the White House, this bill – from a ranking Democratic Senator – saw the light of day. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi are the obvious culprits here but it’s not as if their lack of leadership and taking charge is something new. In fact it’s anything but. Looking at historical parallels – Lincoln, FDR, LBJ – all were able to gather their party behind them – and some from across the aisle - to pass the legislation they needed. Understanding that President Obama can’t move forward without his party it seems to be time for him to stop hoping Congress will do the right thing. The President needs to take charge and lead them to do the right thing. If a few arms are twisted and some feelings get hurt – so what? There are two wars and a deficit spiraling out of control that need to be dealt with responsibly. If Baucus’ bill with all of its “hard work and behind closed door negotiations” over the last several months is the best we can come up with than we’re all screwed.

Well sports fans, here I was all aglow with bragging on you that we are now one year old and that we are in fine form with some hard core and radical messages coming your way. But when I got to my office yesterday, there was a message from my compatriot Joe in Chicago that our site had been hacked, and the blog looked like a promo for the flick “The Eyes of Laura Mars.”

If you happened to see it, you know what I mean. Apparently, some assholes got into our server in South Carolina and hacked quite a few sites besides ours. The brazen pricks even named themselves and left two email contacts behind. I, of course wanted to immediately seek revenge and locate these scofflaws and string them up by the balls. Then, I got the word this is not that unusual in the cyberspace world, and finding them would be impossible. Even though there are safeguards to stop this type of thing happening, you cannot prevent someone from imposing their evil hacking ways.

Speaking of South Carolina—beautiful state to visit and play golf in. Especially Hilton Head. Myrtle Beach is a shithole and a redneck honky-tonk town with a zillion titty bars and, of course, the state is home to such past political luminaries as John C. Calhoun, Strom Thurmond, Mendel Rivers, John Jenrette (and his hottie wife Rita, who posed for Playboy) and the latest folk hero who claimed his fifteen minutes, Joe Wilson. Or should I say the apologetic Joe Wilson, who said he was sorry about calling the Prez a liar and said he would apologize no more.  I believe he’s sincere and I’m positive that Fox News does as well.

As to our birthday, I want to thank all of you who have enjoyed our science project, and I hope we’ll be around for a few more birthdays. I’m psyched for some fall political machinations, and we’ll be right there dishing out the pearls of wisdom, and one thing that I can assure you is that we will not be mundane. Let’s hear from you more often, and for those of you of the Jewish persuasion, may you have a happy and healthy New Year.

  Anyone who has seen the film classic “Casablanca’’ remembers Claude Rains’ classic portrayal of the corrupt French policemen Capt. Renault. He had numerous memorable quotes in the war melodrama, but the one that presently comes to mind was:”I’m shocked, shocked to find there is gambling in here,’’ as a croupier in the backroom of Rick’s Café hands him a pile of money.

  Certainly, Capt. Renault would have been shocked this past weekend by the bizarre happenings at the U.S. Open tennis championships, the Orioles’ final series with the Yankees in New York and the Ravens season opener at home against underdog Kansas City, cast as a perfect foil.

  Perhaps the most shocking event was watching Serena Williams’ implosion in her semifinal match with unseeded Kim Clijsters when she threatened a line judge (actually a small Oriental lady half her size) who had called a foot fault.  A review of the tape had Serena screaming, “I swear to God, I’m going to take this bleeping ball and shove it down your throat.’’

Her foul-mouthed tirade couldn’t have come at a worst time.  She picked up a point penalty for her second code violation, not only ending the match but robbing her of any chance to tie Billie King for the most career singles titles (12) We believe it was more a matter of frustration in failing to dominate Cljisters, who had taken off the past two years to care for her baby, than anything the line lady might have done.  She had beaten Cjlisters in 7 of her previous 8 meetings.

  Almost as shocking was the judgment of commentator John McEnroe, who had genuinely earned the reputation of tennis’s bad boy during his stormy career. Said McEnroe, who served as Serena’s idol, “”You can’t defend the indefensible.’’

  Serena’s meltdown was only the first shocker in New York.  Third-seeded Rafael Nadal, who had been fighting abdominal pains, seemed to have profited from a day of rest thanks to numerous postponements from the constant rain.

The acrobatic Spaniard had made quick work of Fernando Gonzalez when their quarterfinal match resumed on Saturday.  But Sunday, he was overwhelmed by sixth-seeded Juan del Potro of Argentina, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.  And so the hotly-anticipated championship match with arch-rival Roger Federer won’t happen this year.

  If Capt. Renault had made the short trip from Queens to the Bronx, he would have been equally shocked to see a pair of Oriole rookie pitchers, Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz, not only snap a 10-game losing streak against New York, but effectively subdue arguably the major league’s most potent lineup on successive days.

  Balls fly out of the cozy new Yankee stadium at a shocking rate. After Tillman allowed a first-inning three-run homer by Alex Rodriguez, he kept his poise, allowing only one run over the next four innings to earn the victory as the Orioles rallied to win, 10-4, and also end Andy Pettitte’s spell over them.

  Matusz was simply masterful in keeping the Yankee sluggers off balance, allow ng only a run and four hits over seven innings.  He may get shutdown for the rest of the year, a questionable decision by general manager Andy MacPhail, but last year’s top draft pick has definitely stamped himself a future mainstay in the Orioles’ rotation.

    Brad Bergesen, the most promising of the young hurlers, and multi-tooled centerfielder Adam Jones have also been told to sit out the last three weeks. So whatever benefit Dave Trembley may have derived in keeping his job by winning the final series in New York should be negated by having to play the remainder of the schedule with recently-promoted farmhands.  The gut feeling is Trembley will soon join the ranks of the unemployed.

  And then there was the come-from-behind victory by the Ravens over the Chiefs. Capt Renault might have been shocked right out of his shiny boots. It seems almost inconceivable that a team that out-gains its rival 501 to 206 would need to score three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to rally for a 38-24 victory.

  It is even more bizarre considering the Chiefs named quarterback Brodie Croyle a last-minute starter over ailing Matt Cassel. Croyle had failed to win in eight previous NFL starts.  To his credit, he did not commit a single turnover despite intense pressure from the vaunted Ravens’ defense I could not recall the last time Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Co. had not forced a single mistake and turned it into a scoring opportunity.

  But the Chiefs capitalized on a blocked punt that was recovered for a touchdown and a 70-yard return of an interception by Derrick Johnson that led to a second score and a stunning 14-10 lead.

  This was Joe Flacco’s only glaring error.  With the Chiefs’ stacking the line, the Ravens bread-and-butter running game was shelved. Getting enough time to throw to welcome every fan and finding repeated mismatches in the Kansas City secondary, Flacco passed 43 times, completing 26 for 307 yards and 3 touchdowns.

  All of the Raven receivers had banner days, particularly a now-healthy Todd Heap who caught five passes including a TD grab that momentarily put Baltimore back in front, 17-14.

  Derrick Mason, as usual, toyed with the defense while Mark Clayton reestablished himself as a deep threat.  Add lanky WR Kelley Washington and all-purpose back Ray Rice to the mix, and Flacco had his personal shooting gallery.

  The running game, when needed, also proved effective.  Rice joined Willie McGahee, who looks quicker than ever, in gaining timely yardage while Le’Ron McClain remained an productive piledriver.

  It should have been oh so easy, but the absence of Kansas City turnovers made it tantalizingly close until the final minutes.  As Capt. Renault would have said, “Shocking, just shocking.’’

I judge the effectiveness of a speech, any speech, by how quickly my mind wanders. And I understand I have a short attention span. My past is full of being caught tuning out by my parents, teachers, friends and even a few bosses. (Hey Joe – next time you leave you have to take your body.) It took 45 minutes Wednesday night before I checked the clock and realized I had been sitting glued to my television watching President Obama’s Health Care speech. (This was a good 30 minutes better than South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. The camera caught him instinctively beginning to clap – at a Democrat applause moment – about 10 minutes in. Self consciously he took a quick glance around the chamber and then began rubbing his hands together as if he was in front a camp-fire.)

Personally I thought Obama’s speech was one for the ages but then again I am a sucker for complete sentences, coherence and rational thought. Even if the cadence, tone, delivery and the appeal to our better angels didn’t budge your cynicism, some of the nuts and bolts content had to catch your attention. Just the idea of outlawing pre-existing conditions or making it illegal for your insurance company dropping you as soon as you get sick had to raise your pulse rate.

I don’t think insurance companies or the people who work for them are inherently evil – although I did envision insurance company execs over the Labor Day weekend, cigars and brandy in hand, congratulating themselves on a hell of a summer in holding up reform – no, the insurance companies are just Wall St. oriented. Which means to be successful they need to take in as much money as they can while spending as little as possible. This strategy works really well with widgets, not so much with human beings. But I digress.

The less important but at times much more entertaining yardstick I use to judge a speech is other people’s reactions to what I know I heard. Let’s start with the “spontaneous” applause and standing ovations from the Democrats. Being a team-player is all fine and good but where were these folks over the last several months when they were front and center carrying the Health Care Reform baton? Hiding behind the President’s rhetoric is no way to lead. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when the Democrats wake up one day and realize they’re in the majority.

Across the proverbial aisle the Republican response can parsed into three categories. The first being what we saw while the President was speaking. Slumped in their chairs, with bored scowls and the occasional eye-roll, all the while texting their buddies, the Republican members gave the best imitation I’ve seen of petulant, know-it-all pre-adolescent children - by adults - I’ve ever witnessed.

This was all capped off by South Carolina Congressman “Brainless” Joe Wilson, who somehow mistook the proceedings for a professional wrestling match and heckled the President. Now there’s a class act. Unfortunately, it appears that the reaction to his little outburst has flown by “Brainless” at light speed which is probably the status quo for him.

The second Republican response was that the President didn’t provide enough “details”. Sorry to burst your do-nothing bubble Congress-people – but that’s your job.

The last Republican response - which seems to be the post-speech party line - is the one articulated after the President’s speech by Louisiana Congressman and Doctor Charles Boustany - Who was yet another lamb led to the slaughter. It makes one wonder about the spines of the Republican leadership when they themselves won’t stand up to the President but instead with a pat on the back, a wink and a script, send in yet another clueless unknown proxy in an ill-fitting suit to respond. Thankfully Boustany’s response was brief and in a nutshell came down to “We need to start over”. That was the Grand Old Party’s brand new idea.

On Thursday when Boustany was still enjoying his 15 minutes of fame on cable news he spouted in one breath the existing health care bill needed to be scrapped and in the next breath claimed there was at least 80% of common ground between the two parties with respect to the existing bill. When asked what that “common ground” is, the Congressman turned into Ralph Kramden – “Hummada, Hummada”. It was unclear what he had read before appearing on national TV – what was clear was that he hadn’t perused the Healthcare Bill. 

I don’t agree with the entire reform bill – hell, I don’t even understand all of it. To be honest I don’t follow exactly how it will be paid for nor do I fully comprehend what an Insurance Exchange is. On the other hand an “exchange” system is what Congress uses and if the amount of plastic surgery among our elected officials is any indication, the exchange concept appears to be a very patient friendly system.

This is exactly the time and the issue where responsible opposition is needed. But it’s becoming abundantly clear that this is beyond the Republican Party’s current capabilities. And that’s a shame.

All the rhetoric, finger-pointing, flat out falsehoods and Chicken Little scare tactics can’t mask the fact that there are no Republican solutions, no ideas, just blind opposition. It doesn’t matter what the President says - or does for that matter. The Republican response is simply negative and scary. Terms like patriotism, socialism and bipartisanship become meaningless when there’s no substance behind them. Targeting our resentments without addressing them only goes so far. When total unmitigated disaster for the country you supposedly love is your desired outcome - When in fact ruin is something you’re gleefully hoping for, it’s time to change your plan. Or at the very least change your perspective beyond the tip of your nose. Republicans will only stop these apocalyptic tactics when we make them, i.e. when we hold them accountable. It’s not a whole lot to ask – just make them do their jobs. Right now civic duty is too lofty of a goal.

Some 45 years ago, I received an offer from public relations man Phil Zacko to attend a professional wrestling show promoted by Vince McMahon, Sr. at the then fairly-new Baltimore Civic Center.

  With a chance to write an off-beat column, I readily accepted.  I wandered into a dressing room an hour before the first match was scheduled to find villains like Killer Kowalski and heroes like Haystacks Calhoun engaging in a friendly game of pinochle or hearts.  For me, that was the story. Needless to say, it was the last invitation I received from McMahon and Co.

  I had grown up watching Antonino Rocca and Gorgeous George, who served as a role model for Muhammad Ali, and even financially-strapped former heavyweight boxing champion Primo Carnera wrestle when television was first becoming popular. Putting two fighters or wrestlers in a ring was a low-cost production. There were shows almost nightly from across the country, but an adolescent soon discovered how carefully choreographed were the pro wrestling scripts. A designated hero had as much chance of losing as John Wayne in a gunfight.

  But this was minor league compared to the extravagant wrestling shows now being staged by Vince McMahon, Jr., who can entice close to two million gullible fans to buy his pay-per-view mat extravaganzas at $50. a pop.

  From its infancy, television has evolved into a huge industry that can produce money capable of funding our government TARP programs. But such cable sports networks as ESPN needed new sports to fill its 24-hour programming.

  Someone with imagination decided there was a new and younger generation out there that needed to be catered to, and, voila, the birth of extreme sports. Daredevil motorcyclists fly through the air doing somersaults and crazy stunts to earn the envy of Evel Knievel. Every sport now pushes the envelope, the bigger the risk, the greater the audience.

  And nothing seems to match the newfound popularity of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), an amalgam of boxing, tae kwon do, wrestling and judo dating back to the ancient Olympics and Greco-Roman wrestling.

  I have watched several hyped MMA matches staged in a cage, and dog-fighting quickly comes to mind thanks to Michael Vick’s recent downfall. Watching a man on the ground get a horrific kick in the head is simply not my cup of tea. True, most of the fights are stopped quickly at the first sight of blood, but the damage has already been done.

  No, I am not a Pollyanna. I quickly acknowledge that my favored sport of boxing is undeniably dangerous.  I personally witnessed two fatalities following knockouts

.  The first occurred locally in 1963 at the then Baltimore Coliseum .Ernie Knox, managed by Baltimore icon Mack Lewis, was knocked out by New York heavyweight Wayne Bethea. Knox was rushed to the hospital, regained consciousness for a moment, but then died of a brain hemorrhage.

  In 1980, fighting on the under-card of the first Roberto Duran-Ray Leonard match in Montreal, Cleveland Denny died in the ring after being pummeled by Gaeten Hart. The referee was a slow-footed senior who clearly did not react in time to save Denny from his fate.

Brain damage to such classic fighters as Ray Robinson resulted mostly from the great number of bouts they fought to earn what a headliner like Oscar De La Hoya or Floyd Mayweather can demand today in a single match. But the top attractions now fight so infrequently that the risks of serious injury have greatly diminished

Still, the growing supporters if MMA insist that the risks of their sport are less than that of boxing. This has become a more immediate issue since Maryland will stage its first sanctioned MMA event at the First Mariner Arena, October 24, after finally receiving the blessing of the state legislature.

  For a state badly in debt, increasing the number of events under the Maryland Athletic Commission aegis became an easy decision. The boxing and wrestling 10 per cent tax will be cheerfully pocketed.

  For promoter John Rollo, it was also a no-brainer. Rollo runs a martial arts gym in Canton, and several of his students or instructors will appear on the show. He acknowledged that the sport had to overcome a negative image.  “Part of the problem,’’ he recently told the Baltimore Sun, “was, a lot of places, there weren’t any rules. You could hit people in the groin. About the only thing you couldn’t do was no fish hooks and no eye-gouging.’’

  This, reportedly, will change for the better in Maryland, which used the rules governing MMA events in New Jersey and Nevada as its guidelines.

  “Safety first,’’ preaches Pat Pannella, executive director of the Maryland Athletic Commission, who has always been a stickler for rules. “Protecting the participants is our top priority.  For example, we will not allow a fighter to kick a rival who is on the ground.’’ He will even make sure fingernails are trimmed.

  One of Pannella’s principal tasks was making certain he had experienced referees and officials overseeing matches. The majority of the men he has approved have gained experience working MMA matches in New Jersey. MMA fighters will be tested for drugs much like pro boxers, but steroid testing, for the time being, has been deemed too expensive.

  Pannella acknowledges that he has witnessed MMA shows only on TV or in exhibitions staged in Maryland. He will attend his first live show in Virginia, October 4, and it should prove educational.

  Meanwhile, the heated debate continues.  Thirty-seven states now sanction MMA, but New York remains a holdout despite the popularity of such films as “The Karate Kid’’ and Bruce Lee’s body of work. There is also the persistent argument that MMA will produce a steady stream of revenue and create much-needed jobs.

  In June, 2008, Bob Reilly a Democrat from Albany, spoke for the majority before the state assembly, calling MMA a “disgusting’’ spectacle. The bill never reached the floor. “I find the rules themselves speak against the sport,’’ added Reilly, ‘’and make a clear statement that the purpose of the fight is not to demonstrate skills, but to damage your opponent.’’

  The British Medical Association has also viewed MMA (cage fighting) and Ultimate Fighting (staged in an open ring) as dangerous as pro boxing. Dr. Vivienne Nathanson,  BMA’s head of Ethics and Science, said MMA and Ultimate Fighting did not qualify as sports in her judgment,  comparing them to “cock-fighting.’’.

  “Large amounts of money can be earned by participants, promoters and others linked to Ultimate fighting, but no amount of money can compensate for permanent brain damage and premature death,’’ added Nathanson.

  I am certain that Pannella means well and will do everything possible to protect the MMA fighters from serious harm. But there’s the rub.  Make it too safe and it could quickly lose its appeal like NASCAR minus spectacular wrecks.  Safe or not, it is too loose, wild and barbaric for my taste.  What’s next—the Christians vs. the Lions?.  I’ll take the Lions minus six. 

In a summer filled with political machinations, shenanigans and hypocrisy I thought nothing more could surprise me—let alone take my breath away.

I was wrong.

The latest act of political defiance finds parents boycotting President Obama’s webcast to school children because of its message—or, as they label it, propaganda—which is “Stay in school and study.” It is beyond my comprehension.

Let’s recap this summer of disbelief. First, there were the “tea- parties.” It was unclear as to what their purpose was, but it was clear that the limited number of attendees were angry and not very good spellers, as evidenced by their protest signs. Fox News sent correspondents around the country to witness this “growing political unrest,” but that fizzled—especially when the free food at the events ran out. Texas governor Rick Perry stepped into the vacuum and explained the tea parties were about secession, but that didn’t even fly in the Lone Star State.

Then came the controversial financial stimulus package, which was viewed by its opponents as the final push over the economic cliff on which our country was poised. According to its opponents, passing such legislation and expenditure would be the death knell of the U.S. For those keeping track, the market closed over 9200 last Friday—up from its low of 6700 less than six months ago. Granted, the American economy is not fixed—unemployment rose to 9.7 percent last week, but the country is not plummeting into the next Great Depression.

The political hypocrisy is that many of the opponents of the stimulus, while voting against it, were securing earmarks for their constituencies (you know who you are, Senator McConnell). And now as the money is being doled out, governors such as Bobby Jindal—who all but said he wouldn’t take the money last spring—are personally signing and handing out the government checks to much fanfare as if it was not only their idea to do so, but also their personal funds they were gleefully distributing. All that’s missing is Bobby and his ungrateful peers donning red suits, white beards and exclaiming “Ho, Ho Ho.”

Then came our collective trip to Wonderland with healthcare reform and town hall meetings. While smiling seductively like the Cheshire Cat, the mega-insurance companies with their money, lobbyists, experts and friendly politicians led us down into the rabbit hole of fear and loathing. Any reform was yet another step towards the evils of socialism and Big Brother. Death Panels would be formed deciding who lives and who dies—the latter usually being grandmas everywhere. No one would be safe once reform began.

Ignoring the fact that America’s healthcare system is the most expensive in the world yet is ranked 37th by the World Health Organization, angry Americans took to the streets—well, actually to town hall meetings. Yelling screaming, name-calling and temper tantrums became the norm.

It appears some Americans are extremely proud of being 37th, so much so they’ll fight over it. Iowa’s Senator Grassley, thought to be a reformer, took his jacket off, read from his script and showed his true colors. He too is a proud member of “Team 37.”

Personally, I became somewhat confused when I heard—repeatedly—senior citizens angrily protesting that they “didn’t want the government getting their hands on their Medicare” because such a slippery slope could only lead to Social Security. Maybe these elderly folk can’t read the signature on their benefit checks—or the return address.

During all this, South Carolina governor Mark Sanford—Mr. Family Values himself—disappeared for five days to cry with his mistress in Argentina while another Family Values advocate, Nevada senator John Ensign, ‘fessed up to an extra-marital affair with one of his campaign staffers, who was married to one of Ensign’s top advisers and who received a very shrewdly calculated $96,000 gift from Ensign’s parents. Now that’s an extended family! Unfortunately, this whole affair becoming public disproves the adage, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

And now the latest controversy is over President Obama’s webcast to our school children. It seems that some parents are concerned that—well, it’s really not clear what they’re concerned about.

There was a proposed lesson plan included with the announcement of the webcast, including some homework. That’s been removed. There was concern about what the president might say and so a copy of his text has been provided. But these concerned parents and pundits will not be fooled. These tried-and-true patriotic Americans are keeping their children home or at least out of the school room where the webcast will be broadcast because they firmly believe it’s safer than having their children see and listen to our president. Now that’s a strong parental message to pass along.

I firmly believed some issues were fairly straight-forward and black and white for Americans or have I—I’m mixing my metaphors here—just put my foot in it and opened the proverbial can of worms? I honestly thought we were better than this. Obviously, we’re not smarter.

Playing a game called “Running Bases’’ with a pink Spaldeen was a popular pastime among street urchins back in the Forties.  The rules were simple.  The runner would try to advance to the next base without getting tagged out.

    But the present day Orioles have refined this game, renaming it “Base Blunders,’ with Felix Pie as the chief practitioner.  Pie has perfected the art of running the bases backwards, and several of his teammates have followed his comic example by forgetting how many outs in the inning or attempting to advance a base against all odds. The Keystone Kops did a better job pursuing bank robbers

    At first, manager Dave Trembling (my preferred spelling) and third base coach Ron Samuel put the entire blame on the players, accusing them of running with their heads on the sand. But the following day, Samuel took full blame for sending Ty Wigginton, who runs like a fullback, into a certain out at home.

    Since day one, Trembling has stressed the importance of successfully executing the game’s fundamentals.  Obviously, his students missed the base-running sessions in training camp. But what about the fundamentals of a sacrifice bunt.  Did Trembling make his players achieve some success at bunting in Florida before dismissing them.  Obviously not.  All told, the Orioles have a team total of 11 sacrifice bunts, with Cesar Izturis, who had played “small ball’ in the National League, accounting for four.  Brian Roberts, who has the speed to pad his average by bunting for hits, has executed one sacrifice bunt.

    So for a man who preaches fundamentals, Trembling deserves a “D.’ His handling of pitchers is just as appalling.  In a recent loss to Cleveland, he sat transfixed in the dugout while watching Brian Bass allow five straight hits to end any chance of an Oriole comeback. For the most part, Trembling, like almost all his contemporaries, is too caught up in pitch counts and hesitant to stick with a pitcher showing command once he approaches the foreboding 100 pitches

    Talk to most of the dominant pitchers of the past, like Warren Spahn, Robin Roberts and Whitey Ford, and they all believed that the more you pitched, the stronger your arm became. Oriole stalwarts Jim Palmer and Mike Cuellar prided themselves in going the distance, both pitching 25 complete games in a season.  But now, young pitchers are coddled.  Trembling has already announced he plans on shutting down rookies Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz in the final weeks of the season, for fear their arms might fall off

    And then, of course, there is Trembling’s passive attitude in arguing for his players on an umpire’s questionable call. Yes, he has been tossed several times, but his impersonation of Earl Weaver is strictly amateurish Quite simply, Trembling must not be rehired.

    And what about evaluating his boss, Andy MacPhail? In trading veterans Eric Bedard, Miguel Tejada, Garrett Olson, George Sherrill and Aubrey Huff, MacPhail has practiced his philosophy of obtaining as many young prospects as possible, particularly promising pitchers. His swaps have already netted two players—Adam Jones and Nolan Reimold—who are now viewed as outfield fixtures for years to come.

    Most of the fuzzy-cheeked pitchers still have to prove they can be part of next year’s rotation, and, even more, to win more often than not.  All have exhibited flashes of matching the potential Oriole scouts first saw in them, most notably Brian Matusz and David Hernandez. But Hernandez throws a lot of high pitches, and long flies can easily reach the seats in the now cozy Yankee Stadium and Camden Yards.

    Chris Tillman is still a work in progress and highly-touted Jake Arrieta is likely to remain in the minors.  The best of the babes is Brad Bergeson, who posted seven wins before a wicked shot to his shinbone finished his rookie year.

    Who will fill the rest of the starting rotation is a perplexing question. Jeremy Guthrie, once considered the Oriole “”ace,’’ should be the fourth starter at best since he has the dubious honor of allowing the most home runs in the American League.  He has pitched better of late, but it is still scary when he has to face such potent lineups as the Yankees and Red Sox

    If you have to criticize MacPhail’s moves, go no farther than his costly acquisition of former Japanese star Koji Uehara. For some unexplained reason, MacPhail believed he could convert Uehara, who had pitched mainly in relief his last two years with the Yomiuri Giants, into the Birds’ No. 2 starter.

    It did not take long before the Orioles discovered Uehara lacked stamina and quickly wilted pitching in hot and humid Baltimore. He suffered a torn tendon and has been rehabbing the past two months. When and if he returns before the season ends, he will pitch out of the bullpen, which is precisely where he belongs

    With money to burn in 2010 due to the departure of Huff and the certain farewell of third baseman Melvin Mora ($8 million), MacPhail, if he gets owner Peter Angelos’ blessing, can shop for a proven starter.

    The bullpen is also in flux.  No Oriole fan would shed a tear if Bass and Danys Baez ($7.1 million) shed their Oriole uniforms.  No one has sealed the middle reliever’s job, but side-armer Cla Meredith and lanky Mark Hendrickson are the current favorites.  Chis Ray appears to have benefited from his recent demotion to the minors and is no longer trying to strike out everybody. He could prove an effective set-up man.  Jim Johnson, despite a few recent letdowns, should prove to be less scary than Sherrill as the bullpen stopper.

    As for the regular lineup, the middle infield seems set with Roberts and sure-handed Izturis at short. He has also been a pleasant surprise at bat, providing a number of timely hits.

    Rookie catcher Matt Wieters , cast as “Superboy,’’ has failed to live up to all the fanfare. He is now hitting for a decent average, but lacking consistent power and striking out every four at bats. His handling of the young staff has been adequate, but his throwing has been erratic. Needless to say, he has no serious challengers.

    MacPhail will need to occupy most of the off-season in finding replacements for Huff and Mora.  Luke Scott is better suited for a DH role than as an everyday first baseman. Ty Wigginton is at best a utility infielder.

    There are no quick fixes available in the minors, although Josh Bell, obtained in the Sherrill deal with the Dodgers, has been putting up big offensive numbers at Bowie.

    MacPhail probably took more abuse from Oriole fans for acquiring Pie from the Cubs in exchange for Olson than any move he has made. In the first half of the season, the Dominican native appeared completely overmatched at the plate.

    Apparently, veteran hitting coach Terry Crowley performed a near miracle in shortening his stroke. Pie got a chance to play regularly when Jones suffered a hamstring pull and has been the Orioles most productive hitter the past few weeks, causing fans to overlook his base-running gaffes.

    Add up all his moves, and MacPhail deserves at least a “B.’’ But he realizes his young pitchers will have to develop quickly to stand even a ghost of a chance of seriously competing in the treacherous AL East. Finding a new manager should be his easiest job, with Rick Dempsey deserving serious consideration.

For several years now , I have been making very modest donations to various candidates that I felt worthy of my limited financial support. I gave donations to mostly state candidates , all Democrats . Most of them were local or statewide races, with some national candidates thrown in when I thought they were worthy [Al Franken] . One of the by-products that you receive from your donation is that your email gets forwarded to the campaign committee and you are then listed on the candidates list serve and you receive all the campaign info and it makes you engrossed and vested to the campaign. Good idea and it certainly beats those goddamn pain in the ass robo calls that do nothing but turn you off.

Last week , I got a campaign missive via email from none other than our Governor Martin O’Malley . Now ,I have never made a contribution to his campaign, so my info was sold to his minions and I’m already pissed off enough at him . This now makes it official. He is in full campaign mode and the email was all about his leadership ability to make the pending budget cuts that are being initiated .  What a crock!  This complaint is nothing new . I have been railing about the lack of leadership by O’Malley since I began the Organ , but this takes the cake . He has had three years to govern and instead of phasing in gradual cuts and reinventing the government in a way that would be beneficial . He , instead , has taken the axe out , and managed to slash , where no man has gone before . This , was after he did us a favor , by raising taxes , in his first year of his term . This guy has lost me . Unfortunately , he’ ll most likely be reelected easily , because there is no one viable enough to challenge him , let alone throw a scare into him.

Several weeks ago , I bumped into State senator Bobby Zirkin , and had a very interesting chat with him . He is not my Senator . I‘m in the 42nd District and my Senator is Jim Brochin . Zirkin is a big O’Malley supporter in the Legislature , and we talked about the upcoming session in January , when all these cuts will have to be approved for the fiscal budget of 2010-2011, and he told me that this session was going to be [in my words] a huge downer , and he was not looking forward to it . Now if this guy is one of O’Malley’s backers , can you imagine what the critics and cynics are going to be like? January in Annapolis is going to be like no previous session.

The other cause celebre, that I have been following , is the slots ripoff . Here’s the latest with that one . The City , which was given the right to choose it’s location , has moved to a bigger site , and the slots operators are going to build a upscale palace that could hold upwards of 50,000 bandits and will have an upscale dining and shopping facility attached to it . It will have a garage built next door , that will also , be utilized for Ravens and O’s games . This is unbelievable to me , that the slots commission will let this go through .The operators of this bonanza are not casino operators . The lead spokesperson is the former head of the state Democratic party . This thing is so huge that the forlorned owners of Laurel are bitching about the size because it might destroy competition with the Anne Arundel site. At this juncture , Laurel , can’t even bid on the Anne Arundel site , because they couldn’t pony up the application fee. So the one left holding the bag is the Cordish company , which still insists that the best site is by Arundel Mills Mall, even though the Anne Arundel County Council hasn’t cleared the way . I guess what , I’m trying to say and impart to you is that , this deal is for shit , and worse still is the Governor’s mishandling and support of this disaster Your governor has screwed this up from the very beginning and it just compounds daily. Michael Corleone running the casinos in Vegas , he aint .He’s more like Fredo Corleone .passing himself off as the Don.

Next time I get the email from our governor , I’ll be in touch.