Maybe it's my love of words and concern that they be used correctly, but I strongly object to the phrase "stealing a bid" always popular this time of year among college basketball writers and commentators, specifically in reference to Cleveland State's winning the Horizon League championship on Tuesday night.  The Vikings most emphatically did not steal a bid; they earned their conference's automatic bid.  Creighton and St. Mary's, among others, had the chance to earn their conference's automatic bid and didn't do so; I'm sure by Sunday the same will said of the big conference 'bubble' teams.

I think the title explains it all, but I'll elaborate anyway.  Who is the "we" who has decided the picture of myself I have as an avatar doesn't comply with the new guidelines?  Who is the "we" who decided on the new guidelines, as well as the recent changes to the site?  And why can't I or anyone else contact this "we"?

On November 28, 1942 (66 years ago for the mathematically-challenged) there occurred one of the greatest upsets in college football history, as well as one of the greatest disparities in the point spread.  The #1-ranked Boston College Eagles were 21-point favorites against their archrivals, the Holy Cross Crusaders, yet the Crusaders won 55-12.  Gone was the Eagles' #1 ranking, gone was the anticipated Sugar Bowl bid, and the scheduled victory party with the Mayor, other civic officals, and well-wishers didn't take place either.  the Mayor, a few officials, and just a few of the players had a much-subdued dinner at a different location.  Yet I'll venture to say that when they woke up the next morning the Eagles, though they probably never said so publicly, were happy to have lost. 

Why would that be, you're asking?

Because November 28, 1942 was also the date of the fire at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub/restaurant, a fire that killed nearly 500 people.  And that was where the Eagles' victory had been scheduled.

With all the blathering on these boards (and elsewhere) about coming 'entitlements':

Two Definitions

entitlement- what someone else gets that you don't

sound policy- what you get that someone else doesn't

Despite the repeated chanting of the word socialism in relation to things as far from socialism as can be (see previous blog entry), the bailout is starting to show its true colors:  PNC is using 5.6 billion of its 7.7. billion 'bailout' money to buy National City Bank.  And, of course this isn't the first time we as taxpayers have subsidized PNC; whatever they 'paid' for the naming rights to the park they were able to deduct as advertising, meaning that they didn't pay taxes on that amount.

Definition of Philanthopy

-the giving back,

to the public,

a small fraction

of what once was stolen

from the public