Bracketology Breakdown

With the last weeks of February rapidly approaching, so too are conference tournaments in men's college basketball.  Sixty-eight teams will receive an invite to the "Big Dance"; the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.  There, they will start down the grueling path to a possible national championship.  

Knowing a few things about college basketball myself, I have taken the liberty of making some predictions.  Here are the teams who I think will be "dancing" come "March Madness" (listed by conference).  

Major Conferences (champion in bold italics)

• ACC: Florida State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Louisville

• Big East: Creighton, Villanova, Seton Hall, Xavier

• Big 10: Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue, Rutgers, Indiana, Minnesota

• Big 12: Baylor, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State

• Pac-12: USC, UCLA, Colorado, Stanford

• SEC: Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Missouri, Florida

Mid-Majors

• American: Houston, Memphis, Wichita State, SMU

• Atlantic Sun: Liberty

• Atlantic 10: St. Bonaventure, VCU

• America East: Vermont

• Big Sky: Eastern Washington

• Big South: Winthrop

• Big West: California-Santa Barbara

• Colonial:  James Madison

• Conference USA: Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky

• Horizon: Wright State

• Ivy: Season Canceled (see Note 1)

• Metro Atlantic: Siena

• Mid-American: Toledo

• Mid-Eastern: North Carolina A&T

• Missouri Valley: Loyola Chicago, Drake

• Mountain West: San Diego State, Boise State

• Northeast: Wagner

• Ohio Valley: Belmont

• Patriot: Colgate

• Southern: North Carolina-Greensboro

• Southland: Sam Houston State

• Summit: North Dakota State

• Sun Belt: Texas State

• Southwestern: Prairie View A&M

• Western: Grand Canyon

• West Coast: Gonzaga, BYU

Bubble Teams/Last Four In

    1. Drake

    2. Minnesota

    3. SMU

    4. Stanford

The Nightmare Scenario

Long ago, this country was founded on the principles of liberty, justice, and peace.  Those that were entrusted with its creation pledged their lives to each other in defense of such (1).  "We will never be slaves, for they can't take away our freedom", we said.  

Yet, fast forward to the twenty-first century, and guess what? The "American dream" has become a nightmare, and one that we have not awoken from.  

In America today:

• Violence and fear are commonly used as tactics in the political arena.  

• The sacred right of free speech has been replaced by the concept of accepted speech.  We can no longer express ourselves without fear of backlash or punishment.  

• If you happen to say even one thing that is "out of line" or remotely offensive, you will find yourself unemployed and blacklisted.  This is true even when one is mentioning historical facts (see: Gina Carano) (2).  

• We have tied the hands of law enforcement, making it nearly impossible for many to do their jobs, which is to keep us safe.  Yet there is seemingly no right to defend oneself using a weapon, or right to bear arms.  

• Public assemblies in the streets are not "peaceful protests", bur violent and destructive riots.  These are meant for one purpose only; the forceful deconstruction of the American system, "by any means necessary".  

• The "elected representatives" that we send to Hartford and Washington have no interest in working for the common good, or protecting our rights.  Their only interests are in furthering their own self-interests.  

• Some of these representatives actively and knowingly try to make things WORSE, rather than better.  Many others say they will stand up for our rights, but "when push comes to shove", they do NOTHING.  In this regard, they are cowards and traitors.  

• When people speak up about the various issues, our politicians do not listen.  Rather, they engage in spin, half-truths, and outright lies to advance their increasingly Communist agendas.  

• The media repeats these lies to such an extent that many now regard lies as truth.  There is no real news in the "evening news", just hyperbole and propaganda.  

• Blood has actually been spilled in American streets in defense of liberty; yet the media makes no mention of that.  Does anyone remember Portland? Do you remember LaVoy Finicum, who was murdered by FBI agents (while attempting to surrender) in 2016? I don't hear anyone "say(ing) (his) name" (see Note 1).  

• A "global pandemic" that is nothing more than a strong flu has been brought to our shores (and the world) by Chinese communists hell-bent on our destruction.  They didn't want to unleash their nukes or attack the electric grid, so they decided to do the next best (worst?) thing, attack our sense of security.  And wonder of wonders, IT WORKED.    

• A "Democratic" Party that was hell-bent on bringing down an elected Republican president has impeached him not once, but twice (both times on BS charges/reasoning).  Hey, after encouraging and committing acts of violence doesn't work, dream up a bunch of lies.  That will surely work to accomplish your purpose, right Democrats? 

• Let's be real; the man has left office, which is what you wanted in the first place.  Thus, there is no logical reason for a second impeachment trial...but you're holding one anyway! I never thought I'd see the day.  

• Finally, the media is complicit in the perpetration of the greatest fraud ever committed against the American people; the outright theft of an election and presidency.  Whatever helps you sleep at night, I guess.  

• Make no mistake, Joe Biden was not democratically elected.  Rather, he cheated his way to the presidency through legal chicanery and various other "shenanigans".  Vice President Mike Pence had a chance to do something about this, but like the coward that he is, he backed down.  History will long note this dishonorable choice.  

Oh, you thought I was done? You ain't heard nothing yet.  

• There have been numerous cases where those entrusted with our protection have knowingly provided "aid and comfort" to our enemies.  

• Barack Obama paid a very large sum of money to the Islamic Republic of Iran, a nation that has abducted and killed Americans without remorse.  

• Connecticut's own US Senator Chris Murphy had an unauthorized meeting with Iranian officials in 2020 (thus violating federal law at least) (3).  

• And just in case you forgot, back in 2012, four Americans (including one US ambassador) assigned to the Libyan Embassy (at Benghazi, Libya) came under attack from hostile forces.  Notifying the White House, the attaché begged and pleaded for available military assistance.  

• As Commander-in-Chief, Barack Obama was directly responsible for approving such assistance.  Yet, his orders to the military were to "stand down".  As such, all four Americans lost their lives.  If that isn't "aid and comfort", and the very constitutional definition of treason, I don't know what is (see Note 2).  

Having all this against us, what is to be done? Regrettably, America is no longer the "land of the free"; it is a land that used to be free.  Through silence and general complacency, we have allowed our freedoms to slowly be stripped away from us, one by one.  

Yet those against us are not satisfied, and will not be satisfied until there is nothing left.  Then they can finally and fully implement their "worker's paradise" (which, in reality, is a living hell).  It is "1984", but the book, and not the year.  

Now, a final thought.  For years, we have been warned not to repeat the mistakes of places like the Soviet Union and Venezuela.  We have been told that freedom, once lost, is never regained.  And it has been said that those who attacked us on one cloudless September morning did so for one purpose; to destroy liberty, and bring America to her knees.  

Isn't it a tragedy that we have not listened to these wise words? Yet the larger nightmare is that those who have wished to neutralize America have succeeded in their efforts.  

And it only took about nineteen years to do it (4).  

Note 1: There is a good deal of information online that supports this conclusion.  My usual source of Wikipedia has mostly denied this, which seems to be "par for the course" with them.  As such, I have chosen not to include them as an available source.  

Note 2: And "what difference, at this point, does it make", right Hillary Clinton? RIP to Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Mr. Sean Smith, and CIA operatives Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.  Say their names....

Dreams And Visions (Of The Music Sort)

It has long been a personal trait of mine to "dream big and aim high", so to speak.  In my opinion, those who do not dream are doomed to an uneventful and boring life.  That has never been my reality.  Thus, I often have what some would call "pie-in-the-sky" visions for myself.  One of these has to do with music; more specifically, the recording of music.  

It seems to me that I have a pretty decent voice.  In the past, that voice has even been described as "excellent" by some of my peers.  This being the case, I have been enamored with the concept of recording a music album.  Even if that album was made "just for kicks", I think it would be great fun to sing on a record.  

And strange as it may sound, I have a certain dream of collaborating with Taylor Swift.  I regard the musician as one of the greatest pure talents in music today.  It would be my great honor to work with her, and witness her obvious creativity and great skill in action.  

On the seemingly one-in-a-million chance that idea this would ever come to fruition, I have the perfect prospective duet in mind.  

Back in ancient times (well, actually, 1986), Peter Cetera and Amy Grant teamed up one of my favorite songs; "The Next Time I Fall".  The tune spent twenty-one weeks on the Billboard music charts, and had a brief stay at number one (1).  

It's a pretty crazy thought, but I could easily see myself doing a cover of this song with Ms. Swift.  Perhaps I have a future in entertainment after all? I laugh, but...you never know.  

Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to my voice exercises.  Ha ha.  

PS: On the off chance that Ms. Swift is reading this, have your people call my people (actually somewhat serious).  

Addendum to "SportsCentury Intro..."

This is the original left-field wall at Fulton County Stadium, over which Hank Aaron hit the seven hundred and fifteenth homer of his career (breaking Babe Ruth's previous record).  

Several years ago, I visited this site while on a trip to what was then called "Turner Field".  

Credit: Photo taken by user "Jorfer", 25 Feb 2007.  Included in "Hank Aaron", En.Wikipedia.Org, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Aaron.  Access date: 23 Jan 2021.  

SportsCentury Intro, Re-Imagined (w/ Thoughts on Hank Aaron, 1934-2021)

Some years ago, ESPN Classic aired a series called "SportsCentury".  This show featured some of the greatest people and moments in sports history.  The sad announcement of the death of Hank Aaron (at the age of eighty-six; RIP) has made me think of the show's intro, and how I would present it today.  

As there doesn't seem to be another way to re-mix this, I'll accomplish that via a "use your imagination" method.  

Here's the original intro to the series.  

Quiet, You! (Free Speech In The Corporate Arena)

The latest news in the business of radio broadcasting comes to us from Cumulus Media.  

On January 6, talk show hosts with the corporation were directed to stop talking about the recent presidential election....or else. (1)

"We need to help induce calm NOW, and will not tolerate any suggestion that the election has not ended...if you transgress this policy, you can expect to separate from the company immediately"

-- Brian Phillips, Executive Vice President of Content, Cumulus Media

Basically, the company has said to its many conservative hosts, "we know you think the election was not legitimately conducted.  Shut up about it, or you're fired".  

This directive has raised an important question, one involving free speech.  Can a media corporation such as Cumulus, or any company for that matter, tell its employees what they can and cannot say? As long as the company isn't a government entity, then yes, they can.  There's nothing in the Constitution that says you must work for a particular company.  If you disagree with company policy, you're free to seek employment with another company that you agree with, policy-wise.  

Perhaps the more pressing question is whether the action of Cumulus is ethically correct.  I am of the opinion that it is not.  Company policy aside, if someone has an opinion that things are a bit shady, they should be able to express that opinion without fear of losing their job.  The fact that employees of Cumulus Media cannot do as such is disturbing to me...but maybe I worry too much. (2)  

Rights? What Rights? (for air)

What's this idea that we all have certain rights about? Seriously, we don't have any "God-given rights".  Rather, we have government-granted permissions.  

There is no right to free speech or free press, there is only permission to speak, and express ideas that the government approves of.  There is no right to free assembly, or free association.  There is no right to worship or not worship as you choose and believe, or to gather with others in such worship.  And you absolutely do not have the right to free and fair elections.  Those can be rigged as the government finds necessary.  

Let's be real; we all know Joe Biden did not legally win the presidency.  It doesn't matter, because he came up with the most votes, right? The thing that really matters is the opinion of those who count the votes.  If they say Biden has been elected, it must be so, for it could not be otherwise.  All who believe differently are said to be either lying, deluded, "racist", or stupid (thanks in part to the left's media partners).  

Even so, there still seems to be this lingering notion that our government's purpose is to protect our rights, and that it will stand up for those rights when they are threatened.  Uh, no....if you STILL think anyone in Washington cares about you, think again.  The only things that many of them care about is power, control, and their own self-interests.  One need only look as far as the last Joint Session to figure that out.  

That includes people like Senator Richard Blumenthal.  I could be standing on top of the tallest building in Hartford, waving a sign saying "I've got a question" and my phone number; he still wouldn't give me even the time of day.  And yes, this has been recently proven, to some extent.  

If they cared about the average citizen, they would have the spine to stand up and object to not just the election, but to ever-increasing attacks on our liberty.  If he cared, vice president Mike Pence would've used his lawful authority to not recognize fraudulent votes and procedures.  If they cared, they would realize that they govern by the consent of "we the people", and that we DID NOT CONSENT/DO NOT CONSENT to Joe Biden as president.  

And yes liberals, Donald Trump is indeed the president...for ten more days.  You can wait ten days for him to leave office; frankly, conservatives waited eight years for Obama to do the same.  

Anyways, I'm not done.  If they cared, our so-called "representatives" would understand that when they do not protect our rights, the people have a right and duty to rise up and say "NO" (this includes civil disobedience to unjust laws).  Wanton acts of violence aside, we have the right to say "I WILL NOT COMPLY".  When we the people are left with no other choice, this can and likely will happen.  That is the reality we have been driven to.  

The simple fact is that politicians in Washington do not understand this, nor do many of them care.  I've had it up to here with that attitude; it is straight out of "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (the book, not the year).  "This is what you must believe; and we have ways of making you believe it"....forget that! 

I'm putting everyone who purports to represent us, whether in Hartford or in Washington, on notice.  For not just me, but many others as well, "the gloves are off".  If you think I was confrontational before, then as the song says, "you ain't seen nothin' yet".  I have, and will continue to, call out both acts of tyranny and those that commit them.  I will not stand by as the "American dream" becomes the "American nightmare" (as it has seemingly become already)....

....no more "Mr. Nice Guy"! 

  

"Politicians are put there to give you the idea that you have freedom of choice.  You don't...you have no choice.  You have owners.  They own you.  They own everything...they own all the big media companies, so they control just about all of the news and information you get to hear.  They don't give a...about you.  They don't give a...about you! They don't care about you...at all, at all, at all!" 

- George Carlin (1937-2008)