The Mid-Summer College Football Preview Edition

We are less than 60 days away from the first game of the 2012 college football season. Any cursory reading of my blog will prove that college football is probably my favorite sport. And now, with the number of 24-hour news channels and the internet sites, college football is a year-round venture. Whether it's students being kicked off teams for weapons charges (Isaiah Crowell) or coaches filing for bankruptcy (John L. Smith)...and that's just in the SEC.

So now it's time to put together the Right Wing Mid-Summer College Football Preview. Of course, I'll revise these picks a week or so before the season actually starts.

Preseason Conference Rankings (The Top 4):
4. Big XII
There is a total of ten teams in the Big XII, and even though the conference just lost Texas A&M and Missouri, they added TCU and West Virginia. The Big XII is a rather geographically contained conference...except WVU, which is over 800 miles from its nearest conference rival.
Key Games: Michigan vs Ohio State, Wisconsin vs Nebraska

3. Big Ten
The Legend and Leaders (still horrible division names) contain some rather good teams. Penn State may get the death penalty, but Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Nebraska are all good. Ohio State, under the leadership of Urban Meyer, looks to bounce back strong as well.
Key Games: Oklahoma vs Texas, TCU vs West Virginia

2. PAC-12
USC is no longer postseason banned, meaning the PAC-12 has regained one of its power teams when it comes to making noise at the end of the season. Stanford will likely be down, but Oregon is still a strong team.
Key Games: Oregon vs Stanford, USC vs Oregon

1. SEC
Of course. Six straight National Championships, the last of which saw two SEC teams square off, and the addition of Texas A&M and Missouri, keeps this conference at the top of the ranking.
Key Games: Alabama vs LSU, Georgia vs South Carolina

PreSeason Top 10
For the Record, I hate Preseason top tens. So I'll be offering up something new this season, along with the Football Future-see posts, I'll provide my own weekly top ten, but not until week six. I figure it will take six weeks to get a clear picture of what each team is bringing to the table. So sometime after October 7, look for the Right Wing College Football Top Ten.
10. Arkansas
9. South Carolina
8. Michigan
7. West Virginia
6. Georgia
5. Oregon
4. Oklahoma
3. Alabama
2. USC
1. LSU

Conference Championship Games...or Champions
Some conferences have enough teams (12 or more) to justify a conference championship game under NCAA regulations. The conferences that don't tend to play a larger conference schedule (9 games instead of 8), to determine an overall winner. The Championship Games are predicted below, with the winner noted in italics.
ACC Championship Game: Florida State vs Virginia Tech
Big Ten Championship Game: Wisconsin vs. Michigan
Big XII Champion: Oklahoma
Big East Champion: Louisville
PAC-12 Championship Game: Oregon vs USC
SEC Championship Game: Georgia vs LSU

Way Way Way Way Too Early Bowl Projections:
National Championship Game: LSU vs. USC
Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Texas
Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Oregon
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Florida State
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Louisville
Cotton Bowl: Arkansas vs. West Virginia
Chick-fil-A Bowl: South Carolina vs. Georgia Tech
Capital One Bowl: Alabama vs. Nebraska
Outback Bowl: Florida vs. Wisconsin
Gator Bowl: Vanderbilt vs. Michigan State

ObamaCare is Constitutional (from a certain point of view)

On September 20, 2009, during an interview with George Stephanopoulos, President Barack Obama said rather explicitly that the individual mandate was NOT a tax. On the morning of Thursday, June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that the individual mandate was constitutional...under the authority Congress has to lay and collect taxes.

Democrats are rejoicing. Nancy Pelosi says they made history. Apparently they are collectively forgetting that their leader, Barack Obama, said that the mandate was not what the Supreme Court said it was.

Personally, I was sick today. No, I was at work. I worked more than 8 hours today. But as more and more information came out, I grew more and more ill. At first, everyone reported that it had been struck down. I was happy. Then, the real news hit. The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of upholding the law. Chief Justice John Roberts, a typically reliable conservative, joined the liberal wing of the court in favor. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, not exactly known for her conservative views, stated that she would've allowed the mandate as part of the commerce clause. As it stands, the law passed as a part of Congress's taxing authority.

Understand this: The federal government has now been gifted a level of power never before seen in a government such as ours. The federal government can now legally mandate a private citizen purchase a specific product. If that citizen chooses not to, then they can be held liable and subject to a monetary fine.

This is different from auto insurance, so don't let anyone tell you that they are the same. Auto insurance is completely voluntary. If you purchase a car with the voluntary intent of driving on public roads then you must have auto insurance. If you live in a city where you don't need a car, or if you only plan to drive on your own property, nowhere near public roads, then you don't need insurance.

The individual mandate forces private citizens to purchase health insurance. Now, I'm all for people being insured. But if the purpose of this bill was to provide affordable insurance, then it seems to me we've gone about it the wrong way. If you want to control the price of insurance, you don't accomplish that by forcing people to buy insurance. My first step would've been tort reform and an elimination of frivolous lawsuits.

Then you can work on controlling the price and leading everyone toward getting insured. Now though, you have to buy insurance, and if you don't, maybe because you cannot afford it, you'll be fined. But remember, Obama said that is not a tax. The Supreme Court disagreed, but he said no tax.

By the way, this whole thing came about under some very nasty circumstances. The bill was rammed through Congress. Nancy Pelosi said we had to pass the bill so that we could find out what was in it (so much for transparency,eh?). John Conyers said it was authorized by the Constitution's non-existent Good & Welfare Clause. Pelosi, when questioned about what part of the Constitution authorized Congress to force private citizens to buy a product, responded "Are you serious? Are you serious?"

Yes, ma'am, we are serious. You changed the rules to pass the law by reconciliation. You treated every American as if we were too stupid to understand what you were doing. You lied to us. You passed off this bill under a deceptive guise. And now you have what you want. You can legally force private, once-free citizens to purchase a product under penalty of law.

What's next, fining someone for not buying enough vegetables? Fining someone for not buying the Chevy Volt? This is a Pandora's Box that Congress did not need to open.

I'm not a Republican by any stretch, but I'll say this. I hope, and pray, that Mitt Romney wins the White House and the the GOP takes both chambers of Congress. It's the only way to end this monstrosity before it's too late. If not, then mark this date down. Because this was the day that the Supreme Court delivered the ruling that will be most destructive to our future as a nation.

Obama vs. Romney

Mitt Romney secured the Republican Nomination for Presidential Candidate. Barack Obama will be the Democratic Party candidate, barring some cataclysmic change in the party. Ron Paul is still hanging on; flat out refusing to bow out of the race. I support most of Dr. Paul’s positions, though I fear him a bit too weak on foreign policy. But enough of that…

Now that we know who the candidates are (note that I’m being realistic, there is no way a third-party candidate wins in this country) let’s proceed to who should be our next President and why.

Barack Obama is currently serving as President. He was elected in 2008 and assumed office in January of 2009. Reading previous entries in this blog, you could easily see that I do not support President Obama. I find his policies disturbing. I believe him to be a Marxist, and by his own admission he gravitated toward Marxist professors in college.

The national debt was nearing $5.8 Trillion when George W. Bush took office in January 2001.
The national debt was $10.6 Trillion the day Obama took office in January 2009.
Today, with over seven months to go in Obama’s first term, the national debt is $15.7 Trillion.

Let’s do some math. That means that George Bush added $4.8 Trillion to the debt in eight years. Barack Obama has added $5.1 Trillion in less than four years.

What should’ve been the keystone legislation of the Obama White House, the Health Care overhaul, has been nothing short of disastrous for Obama. The legislation now sits before the Supreme Court, who will decide the Constitutionality of the Individual Mandate. If the Mandate is deemed Unconstitutional, the entire legislation may be thrown out. This is the same law that John Conyers (D-MI) told us was Constitutional under the Good and Welfare Clause (which doesn’t exist). This is the same law that Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told us had to be passed so we could find out what was in it, which was a direct contradiction of Obama’s own campaign promise of putting every bill online for five days prior to signing. That promise, by the way, remains mostly broken.

With the mandate going before the court, Obama stepped up the rhetoric, stating that it would be “unprecedented” and “extraordinary” for the Court to strike down a law. Apparently, the Constitutional Law professor forgot that the Supreme Court has been striking down laws since the early 1800s. He also warned of such power being wielded by unelected officials. Yet his own presidency, which was originally touted by the media as the paragon of transparency, is rife with czars and unelected officials put in place by executive fiat, with no Congressional oversight.

Prior to becoming president, Obama was a Senator for Illinois, and prior to that he was a state Senator. Along the way, it has been common practice for Obama (and not saying that no one else subscribes to this method) to dig up either legal problems from his opponents past or “character” issues to hurt them. His rise to state Senate saw his Primary opponent hit with “leaked” divorce records. In the general election, when facing Jack Ryan, Obama was in for a fight. That is, until records of Ryan’s divorce and custody battles hit the media. Two up, two down.

Enter present-day Frank Vandersloot, currently serving as a co-chair of national finance for the Romney Campaign. Vandersloot lives in Idaho and is the CEO of Melalucea, Inc. Uh-oh. He doesn’t support Obama…and let’s face it, Romney doesn’t have divorce records and the only “character” issue they’ve struck against him, a supposed bullying incident from 50 years ago, hasn’t stuck. So the Obama Campaign launches a series called “Behind the Curtain” that details the unscrupulous nature of Romney donors. Shortly after the “BTC” article, the Idaho County Courthouse near the Vandersloot residence received a request for court information about certain issues of Vandersloot’s past, including divorces and a work-related incident.

This is how Obama fights, so get used to it.

When it comes to other issues concerning Obama, it seems as though we have what is being dubbed a "Composite" President. He has several different versions of his conversion to Christianity, with no in depth knowledge of what he converted from. For over fifteen years, Obama's publisher listed him in publication materials as being born in Kenya. The publisher claimed it to be a "fact-checking" error, but even if that is the case, the material was provided by someone to be fact checked.

Mitt Romney, on the other hand, actually has executive experience. He was governor of Massachusetts. By Southern Republican standards, Romney is rather liberal. By national standards, Romney is actually fairly moderate. 

Romney's work for Bain Capital is the subject of anger for Democrats. He co-founded the investment firm in 1984. Businesses the Bain invested in would often endure layoffs soon after Bain entered the picture, but added jobs are difficult to estimate, as Bain was very private in dealing with their investors. Romney's personal wealth is accounted around $250 Million. That would make him one of the richest Presidents in history.

Of course, lately the left has decided that personal wealth makes you evil. The rich, who already shoulder more of the tax burden than anyone else, are accused of not paying their fair share. So obviously Romney is accused of being one of the evil rich. He "faux pas-ed" several months back by saying he liked firing people. While the wording was inappropriate, given the economic situation, I understand the sentiment. The greatest thing about a capitalist system is that people can pick and choose who provides them services and products. Deciding that someone will no longer provide you a good/service is akin to firing them, as they will no longer be paid by you.

I don't agree with all that Romney has done and some of his policies while governor don't sit well with conservatives. But his moderate stance will probably play well with Independents.

So the choice is this:

Obama: A self-proclaimed Marxist admirer who unable to run on merit, has to use his opponent's private lives to defeat them. He claims to not be a big spender, but he has added $5 trillion to the national debt. He's on pace to be the first President in history to suffer no net job growth in his first term. He claimed that his policies would cause energy costs to skyrocket (given that gas prices are nearly triple what they were when he took office, it's easy to see that to be the case) and that he sought to bankrupt the coal industry. In his first book, Obama referred to a six month stint in the private sector as time spent "behind enemy lines."

Romney: A man who has actually created jobs and has executive experience. Romney embraces the private sector as the driving force in job creation, not government. His moderate policies would chart a far better course for this nation than Obama.

Formula 1, New York, and the long lost Fifth Beatle

The Formula 1 season is a thing of beauty, so long as you don’t mind fly-away races in far-flung places like Singapore, Shanghai, Yeongnam, and Bahrain. The typical season starter, at least in my experience, is the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, New South Wales, Australia. From there, the season schedule twists and turns through Malaysia, China, and (sadly) Bahrain. After the race at Bahrain, the European schedule typically kicks off, with races at Catalunya, Monaco, and sometimes Istanbul Park.

This year, after Monaco, the boys with the fast cars go to Montreal, so at least it’s in alphabetical order. After the Canadian Grand prix it’s back to Europe, and more specifically, the European Grand Prix at Valencia. That’s right, Spain gets two Grands Prix within six weeks of each other.

The point is, the schedule keeps growing. When I first came into F1 in 2008, the schedule was comprised of 18 races, ending on November 2. This season, a mere four years later, the schedule is comprised of twenty races, ending on November 25. The reasoning behind this growth is simple, as Bernie Ecclestone (he of the “fifth Beatle” moniker) has realized the rich fields of the US can be tapped by F1. The 2012 season will ostensibly see the first US Grand Prix in many years, run on the Circuit of the Americas, currently under construction just southeast of Austin, Texas.

But we all know Bernie, and we know Bernie is a schemer. He has always wanted a race in New York City, or at least a race overlooking New York City. Well, recently he got his wish, as several factors came together to produce the Port Imperial Circuit, a street circuit on the west side of the Hudson. I’ll admit, I’m not much of a street circuit fan, but this one looks different. The streets in the US are wider than streets in Europe, so the overtaking chances will likely be higher. The course is a 3.2-mile, 19 turn monster with an overall elevation change of 150 feet, instantly giving it one of the greatest elevation changes on the calendar (Spa-Francorchamps has over 300 feet of elevation change).

Still, this is Bernie Ecclestone. Fifth Beatle has now reported that the New York race might not happen. He did the same thing with the Circuit of the Americas, reporting that it might not take place. He did the same thing, to an extent, with Yas Marina at Abu Dhabi. He’s a man who, in lieu of drama, creates his own. The Port Imperial Circuit is not due for a race until 2013. The track surface, minus curbing and walls, already exists, and yet Bernie has already cast a pall over the entire affair.

I often wonder how Formula 1 is even still alive, given that Fifth Beatle is constantly acting as though the entire infrastructure of the “Apex Motorsport” is on the verge of collapse. We’re led to believe, per Bernie, that the US is incapable of handling Formula 1. Well, naturally, that’s his belief, as he tells himself every day, without a shred of evidence, that F1 will fail in America.

Now, word is flying that Valencia and Catalunya will begin alternating hosting the Spanish Grand Prix. France is returning to the schedule soon, with the Circuit Paul Ricard poised to enter the calendar. Sadly, this will cause the Belgian Grand Prix to occur only every other year, as they will alternate. That saddens me to no end, as Yas Marina and Bahrain will both be on the schedule every year, but Spa will not. Yet, this is Bernie's F1.

Formula 1 Predictions Revisited

We are less than two weeks away from the start of the 2012 Formula 1 season, which means it is time for the Right Wing Formula 1 Season Predictions!

First Driver to be Replaced: Narain Karthikeyan
I know that it seems odd that Karthikeyan even got a ride this season, but he does bring loads of money to the table for the team. Still, his skill level is not quite that of the other drivers on the circuit. Look for HRT to cut him loose sometime around Round 5.

Surprisingly, it is looking more and more like Massa will be the first replaced, or at least the first confirmed to be replaced.

First Driver to become a Replacement Driver: Sebastian Buemi
This is just an off-the-cuff prediction, as Buemi is a Reserve Driver for Red Bull Renault, and if my first prediction is true, then HRT would be hiring his services away. I think, though, that Buemi is too good a talent to sit out for long.

Will the Bahrain Grand Prix happen? No.
I should qualify that answer by saying that the Grand prix is still on the calendar, but I can see a situation very similar to Indianapolis 2005. Unless the political situations in the Middle East rapidly improve by April 20, I think several teams will sit this one out. It may be the only time that HRT or Marussia get a victory…or even a point.

INCORRECT, kinda...The grand prix happened, and it almost saw a few teams withdraw. The F1 community has since taken a bit of a beating in the press for allowing the race to take place.

Will the United States Grand Prix happen? Yes.
The Circuit of the Americas is still being built, the builders, developers, and moneymen are still arguing, and Bernie still looks like a rejected member of a Beatles cover band. That said, you have to think even Bernie Ecclestone realizes that getting a Grand Prix in the US is too good an opportunity to miss. And I know the plan right now involves getting the Grand Prix to the Port Imperial street circuit in 2013 or 2014, but COTA might be one of the better Tilke tracks outside of Istanbul Park. You can’t deny race fans that kind of excitement.

Will we have a more exciting championship hunt than last season? Yes.
Forgiving the fact that Vettel ran away from the pack last year, the races were darned exciting. The rain-infused Canadian Grand Prix last year was one of the best races ever. And this year, testing showed that the top flight teams are separated by only 1 second on lap times. With six former World Driver Champions on the circuit, it has to be more exciting.

This is already proving true. We've had four different winners in four races.

Can Kimi Raikkonen make a splash in his return with Lotus(Renault)? Absolutely.
I like Raikkonen and fully expect good things from him. I doubt that Lotus can compete for the championship, but stranger things have happened. Seriously, did anyone in 2009 think that Ross Brawn would double up the titles after buying his team one month before the season started? Raikkonen has set some fast lap times. He’ll be on the podium within the first 5 races. CORRECT, Both Lotus cars were on the podium at Bahrain, with Raikkonen finishing third.

Who wins the Constructor’s Championship? Red Bull Renault
This may be one of the tighter Constructor’s Championship races we’ve seen in some time. McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes are all looking for the top spot. I’m picking Red Bull because they know what it takes to get it done, and they have two of the most consistent drivers on the circuit.

Red Bull currently holds a nine point lead over McLaren Mercedes after four races.

Who wins the Driver’s Championship? Lewis Hamilton
The last time Lewis Hamilton won the World Driver’s Championship, his team lost the Constructor’s Title. Hamilton has taken some hits lately and a rebound season is in order. He has as much or more talent than anyone on the circuit, and like Vettel and Schumacher, he’s great in the rain. He might start slow, but he’ll begin to pick up momentum in China, where he always races well. It’ll be close, though, with Vettel just missing out on three straight driver’s titles.

After 4 races, Lewis is four points behind Seb Vettel for the points lead.

Random Predictions (that will most likely be wrong):
-Nico Rosberg will win a race this season. CORRECT, Rosberg won at China
-Mark Webber will not win a race this season. I'm doubting this prediction, as it appears to be anyone's race this season.
-Caterham will score its first point by the mid-point of the season. This is looking doubtful, as Caterham seems to have taken a step back this season.
-Kimi Raikkonen will take the Lotus car to victory at Spa-Francorchamps. If Bahrain was any example of what a Raikkonen-piloted Lotus can do, I'll stand by this. Kimi is good in Belgium.
-The Constructor’s Championship will be decided with one race remaining. So long as different drivers keep winning, or at least keep splitting wins evenly, this prediction looks solid.
-Ferrari will fail to reach the podium in the first five races. INCORRECT, Alonso won at Malaysia

One Simple Question

It doesn't take a Constitutional Law Professor to see that government is inept. It is not unpatriotic to say that. In fact, it is the most patriotic thing the founders could imagine. The Declaration of Independence, written during the colonies' dissension from Great Britain, states:

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

The Declaration of Independence goes on to say:

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

That's patriotism. Being patriotic does not mean being loyal to the government, it means being loyal to the country. Somewhere along the line our government came to the conclusion that they no longer work for us, even though we elect them, and we pay their salaries. Now, they believe they know better than us. They are smarter than the average citizen. They know better than us how to spend our money. They know better than us how to protect us.

But let's be honest. Government is beyond inept. Our current government (say, covering the last ten years or so) exemplify this state of being. The George W. Bush administration brought us to new, unfortunate and frankly sad, levels of spending. After the attacks of 9/11, Bush and the Congress led us into two wars. Regardless your feelings on these wars, they were justified by the intelligence of the time. Remember, though, that under Bill Clinton, through the orders of Jamie Gorelick, walls of separation were built between the factions of the intelligence community. Bush and Congress added around $4.7 Trillion to the national debt in a span of eight years.

Enter Barack Obama. He assumed the office of the President with a completely Democratically controlled Congress. The Senate, still controlled by Democrats to this day, has not passed a budget in over 1000 days. Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV), actually said it would be "foolish for Democrats to offer a budget plan." When pressed about their lack of budget action, liberal politicians and pundits resort to two arguments. The first is that Republicans are obstructionists and won't allow a budget to pass. They usually temper this argument by saying that Republicans want to see America fail. The second argument is that of White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew, saying that the Senate needs 60 votes to pass a budget. This is a deliberate misrepresentation of truth, as a budget can be passed with a simple majority. The 2009 budget passed by a vote of 48-45.

The Obama Administration and Congress has seen over $5 Trillion added to the national debt in just over three years. Obama has appointed numerous czars and cabinet positions, but then he scolds the Supreme Court, basically warning unelected judges that it was extraordinary and unprecedented for the court to overturn Obamacare, a law he claimed was passed by a strong majority of Congress. The law wasn't passed by a strong majority. If anything, it was lucky to have a majority of Democrats in place at the time, because it got no Republican votes. And also, the Supreme Court has been overturning laws it deems unconstitutional for over 200 years, so it is not extraordinary and unprecedented.

Recently, the Obama Administration started to move against farmers, preparing to make it illegal for children to work in certain places on farms. To enforce the law, the government would send agents to farms to guarantee that children stayed safe. Even a supporter of Obama has to see that this was a gross overstep of Congressional authority, and the backlash forced the Administration to step back from this position and allow families to conduct business on their farms as they have for the last two hundred years.

The Administration told us that the stimulus had to be passed to keep unemployment below 8%. It is currently 8.2%, and that's U4 unemployment, the most commonly cited statistic. The U6 unemployment is actually around 15%. The Administration has gone to religious institutions and organizations and told them that they have to provide contraceptives through their insurance, regardless of their conscience in the matter. This is an administration that has passed a healthcare overhaul law that forces American citizens to purchase a product, the first time Congress has ever assumed that much power in the daily lives of the American people, and if you don't buy the product you face fines or jail time.

Now, I titled this post "One Simple Question," so here it is:

You know that government is inept. You know that government wastes money like no other. So why on earth would you want a bigger, stronger government?

Pro Bowl Ponderings

The NFL League Office has reportedly decided to shelve the Pro Bowl. Let’s be honest, the Pro Bowl was an offensive exhibition game, with defensive players just standing around. There was no hitting, there was no pass defense, and the score to the last Pro Bowl was AFC 59, NFC 41. That’s an Arena League score, not an NFL score.

And lately the players have been dropping out like crazy. None of the Super Bowl team players will be there, because they have a bigger game one week later. Several major stars are usually preparing to get back to health after the long grind of a season. It is an honor to be selected to the Pro Bowl. It was becoming a rarity to actually see the selected player at the event.

So I came up with a plan. Instead of shelving the Pro Bowl, move it to a different point in the season. The first preseason game is the NFL Hall of Fame Game. On August 5, 2012, the recently-lackluster Arizona Cardinals will play the suspension-depleted New Orleans Saints. Or rather, the fourth string of each team will play the majority of the game. This is the game that honors the Hall of Fame. So it seems like a good place to showcase the top-flight talent of the current NFL.

Take the Pro Bowl voting of the previous season and play the Pro Bowl in place of the Hall of Fame Game. This move would accomplish several things. It would better represent the sport as whole, rather than having guys play the majority of the game who will not see a single snap during the season, barring injury. It would bring back the casual fan who only watches for the superstars. It would allow the NFL to honor some of their retired coaches by using them during the game. I would love to see a Pro Bowl, at the Hall of Fame, with Bill Cowher on one sideline and Tony Dungy on the other.

I admit, this will likely never happen. Every professional sport has some form of an All-Star Game. The NFL is the most popular of the major professional sports, but their All-Star Game is among the worst. Part of that is due to league mandates, which have essentially turned the Pro Bowl into a flag football contest. Still, it would be interesting to see in practice, at least once…

Mocking the Draft 2012

It's that time of year again...the NFL Draft. I love the Draft. I'll watch as much as I can. If the Draft came on at 3am, I'd probably get up to watch. I'm not sure why, but I just love the picks, the deals, the surprise moves. At this point, there is no surprise about the first two picks of this draft. Andrew Luck is going first, Robert Griffin III is going second. Then the fun begins. Here is my mock of the first ten picks, plus the hometown Atlanta Falcons' first pick (#55 overall)

First Pick: Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)Sources are saying that Indianapolis has already informed Luck that he will be taken first overall. The Stanford QB is hailed as the best prospect since John Elway. Indianapolis can’t go wrong taking Luck, nor would they be mistaken in taking RG3, either.

Alternate pick: NONE

Second Pick: Washington Redskins (Trade from St. Louis)

Robert Griffin III, QB (Baylor)

The ‘Skins traded up for this exact purpose. Granted, they gave away the far to get RG3, but if Griffin even comes close to matching his potential, the Redskins have a franchise QB for years to come. The biggest problem is fitting a mobile QB like Griffin into a methodical offense that Mike Shanahan likes to run.

Alternate Pick: NONE

Third Pick: Minnesota Vikings

Matt Kalil, OT (USC)

The Vikings want to trade. They want out of the third spot very badly. But it won’t happen. The Dolphins wouldn’t trade up this far for Tannehill when they can land him later on. And the Browns look like they’ll spend another season with Colt McCoy. So if you’re there, and you’re the Vikings, you’re crazy if you don’t take Kalil. He’s easily the best O-Lineman in the draft.

Alternate Pick: Trent Richardson or Justin Blackmon

Fourth Pick: Cleveland Browns

Trent Richardson, RB (Alabama)

The Cleveland strategy this year may be “Play Flat for Matt,” just as Indy last year decided to “Suck for Luck.” Matt Barkley, the USC QB, is already being touted as the consensus #1 next year. So this year, grab him a weapon. Running Backs usually last about 5-6 years in the NFL. By taking Richardson now, and giving him a year to learn, you have a steady safety net for Barkley next year.

Alternate Pick: Justin Blackmon or Morris Claiborne

Fifth Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Morris Claiborne, CB (LSU)

Tampa Bay is making a lot of changes, and they need to be able to compete in an otherwise loaded NFC South. Six games a year are played against Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Cam Newton. If you don’t have a strong secondary, those guys will chew you up. Claiborne is the best Corner in the draft. Sure, he bombed the Wonderlic, but we’re asking him to break up passes, not design NASA rockets.

Alternate Pick: Trent Richardson or Matt Kalil

Sixth Pick: St. Louis Rams

Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)

The Rams have their Quarterback of the future in Sam Bradford. They now have a stockpile of picks thanks to the Redskins. A weapon for Bradford is in order, and Blackmon fits the bill.

Alternate Pick: Morris Claiborne

Seventh Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars

Michael Floyd, WR Notre Dame

The Jags seem set on making Blaine Gabbert a starting QB in the NFL. To do so, they need to offer him protection in the form of a lineman, or a weapon to target downfield. Michael Floyd is basically Justin Blackmon, just a little taller and maybe not as polished, talent-wise.

Alternate Pick: Justin Blackmon or Melvin Ingram

Eighth Pick: Miami Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill, QB (Texas A&M)

Peyton Manning? Swing and miss. Matt Flynn? Swing and miss. Alex Smith? Strike three, you’re out. Three QBs visited Miami this off-season, and three QBs left for the much preferred climates of Denver, Seattle, and San Francisco. Miami needs a franchise QB. They may join Cleveland in the “Play Flat for Matt” sweepstakes, but Tannehill looks to be the pick here.

Alternate Pick: Melvin Ingram or Michael Floyd

Ninth Pick: Carolina Panthers

Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)

Ingram is too good to pass up. He’s basically a local talent, having played in Columbia. He’s terrorized SEC offenses for the last couple of seasons. If Ingram gets past Jacksonville, I can’t imagine Carolina passing on him as well.

Alternate Pick: Luke Kuechly or Stephon Gilmore

Tenth Pick: Buffalo Bills

Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)

Buffalo loves a Big Ten lineman, especially a corn-fed O-Lineman from Iowa. The Bills need to protect their QB, and Reiff is a good fit for that.

Alternate Pick: Michael Floyd or Luke Kuechly

Fifty-fifth Pick: Atlanta Falcons

David Wilson, RB Virginia Tech

The Falcons have holes in their defensive secondary, but they also have a Tight End to replace and a running back requiring an heir apparent. Wilson was the 2011 ACC Player of the Year, and had a rather strong combine performance. Atlanta would probably be overpaying for UGA Tight End Orson Charles at this point, but if Charles is available when the Falcons pick at No. 84, don’t be surprised if Atlanta grabs him then. The Falcons may look to upgrade their defense through free agency.

Alternate Pick: Kelechi Osemele or LaMichael James

What Hope and Change Look Like After 3 Years...

Nearly 88 million Americans are out of work. Unemployment is dropping because we don't count those who simply give up. If you counted those who gave up looking for work, along with those still looking but unemployed, then true unemployment is around 19%. Even then, unemployment just dropped from 8.3% to 8.2%. Big time stuff there. In the black community, under 57% of men over the age of 20 have a job. Less than 60% of college graduate are able to find a job.

Around 14% of the nation is on food stamps.

More debt has been added to this country in three years under Obama than was added in eight years under Bush.

25% of US homeowners are "under water."

Grocery prices are rising at an alarming rate.

When George Bush left office gas was $1.84 per gallon, down from its high of about $3.65 or so, and every Democrat who could find face time blamed Bush for the gas prices. Now that gas is $3.94 per gallon (and $7/gallon in places in California), we're told that it is not the President's fault. Even though this Administration's own Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, said that we needed to get gas prices here to the same levels as Europe ($8-$10 per gallon).

Obama himself stated that under his energy policies, energy costs would necessarily skyrocket.

Then again, Valerie Jarret told us that Obama would be "ready to RULE from day one" (emphasis added). I guess this is what Democrat rule looks like. Of course, all you have to do to see what Democrat rule looks like is look at Chicago and Detroit.

Another Set of Random Insensitivities

- We thought George W. Bush was bad. We really did. Most of us with any knowledge of foreign policy cringed whenever he "cowboy'd" up. And his spending? Wow, I thought Republicans were for smaller government, but Bush and his administration really raised the bar on government spending...that is, until Barack H. Obama. In just three years, Obama has seen more debt added to this nation than Bush did in eight years. The Congress was under majority Democrat control for most of that time.

And Obama has a penchant for something most Presidents don't do in public. He loves scolding the Supreme Court. He did it during a State of the Union Address after the Citizens United ruling. Now, the Court is debating and ruling on ObamaCare, which is without doubt the landmark of Obama's political legacy. Trouble is, the centerpiece of the legislation, the individual mandate to purchase health insurance, might not be Constitutional. If the Court rules the mandate unconstitutional, then the entire law could be struck down.

Remember, this was a law that was rammed through Congress. It took some political wrangling for Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi to see the legislation to the President's Desk. Pelosi went so far as to mock a reporter who asked about the constitutionality of the bill. John Conyers made up Constitutional Clauses to allow Congress the power to require American citizens to purchase a product. He even admitted that he hadn't read the whole bill (honestly, who had? it was 2700 pages and the Democrats rammed it through with barely time to vote on it).

Now Obama says that the Supreme Court should be careful in this situation. His exact words: "Ultimately, I am confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress... " Let me clarify a few things. First, this law was not passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress. The law barely scraped through both chambers. It received no Republican votes. Secondly, Mr. President, it is the JOB of the SUPREME COURT to overturn laws that it deems unconstitutional. That's part of the balance of power in this nation. And since when is it unprecedented for the Supreme Court to overturn a law? They've been overturning laws since 1803. That's 209 years of practice. The Court is already unhappy with President Obama for his childish behavior in comparison to other Presidents. You want to scold the Court? Fine, do it behind closed doors. Don't air your dirty laundry on the floor of the House.

- The Trayvon Martin case just keeps going. Personally, I love how no one is rushing to judgment without the facts. Okay, that bit of sarcasm aside... Let's get the whole case from the police before we start saying the following:

"Travyon was hunted down like a rabid dog. He was shot in the street. He was racially profiled."

"I really personally believe this is a hate crime."

"He was executed for WWB in a GC...Walking While Black in a Gated Community."

Those three quotes come from elected officials in our federal government. Our President took time out of his busy day to say that if he'd had a son, his son would look like Trayvon. So much for an unbiased approach. Yet none of them mentioned a white teenager in Kansas City being attacked and set on fire by two black teenagers. Not one of them mentioned that NBC news had "selectively edited" the 911 call to make George Zimmerman seem like a racist.

Understand, I'm not trying to sound racist. I don't think it is racist to point out the differing response to these cases. In both instances, a young man was attacked. In one instance a young white man was attacked by two young black men. In the other instance, a black man was attacked by an older half white / half Peruvian man. Only one of these two instances drew the attention of the media, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and our President.

-One last thing on the Martin case... have you noticed how George Zimmerman is constantly referred to as a "white Hispanic?" He has a white father and a Peruvian mother. Barack Obama has a white mother and a black father, yet no one calls him a "white African-American." Just a thought.

Random Possible Insensitivities

It's been a little over a week since I posted anything here, but the last week has been a bit distressing. This post will be a mixed bag of political thoughts, sports musings, and any other thing I might think of.

- This Sandra Fluke thing is getting out of hand. After her meet-and-greet with Congress (wasn't really a hearing, but just a small meeting called by Nancy Pelosi), conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said some uncouth things. I don't agree with Limbaugh, and I'm not a fan of his show. His words have brought a a firestorm of hatred his way. Advertisers have left his show, but oddly the ones that left are suffering almost immediate adverse effects.

Gloria Allred is now seeking a way to prosecute Limbaugh for a misdemenor under an archaic Florida law forbidding anyone to question the "purity" of a woman. However, in the not so distant past, Bill Maher called Sarah Palin far worse things than Limbaugh called Fluke. Maher also donated $1 Million to Obama's campaign through a PAC. Obama has not offered to return the money (not that I'm calling for him to, but some non-liberal pundits are). David Letterman called Palin a cheap slut and joked about her daughters being raped. Michelle Obama, the current First Lady, is set to appear on Letterman's show this week. So either the media is ignoring Letterman and Maher because they are comedians and not taken as seriously as Limbaugh... or it's okay to speak such vulgarities about a woman, so long as you are liberal and she is conservative.

- Barack Obama is touting the fact that oil production is up under his administration. Well, remember that he froze all drilling in the Gulf, and on the Atlantic Coast, and oil drilling on federal lands decreased by over ten percent in 2011. So the logical conclusion to it is that oil production is up in spite of Obama, not because of him.

- Rick Santorum continues to jockey with Mitt Romney for the lead in the GOP race for the Presidential nomination. Santorum is the GOP candidate I am least likely to support, because I think he would earnestly seek to underhandedly institute a theocracy in this country. I'm a Christian, and I consider myself a fairly religious person, but I don't want a Christian theocracy. Nor do I want a Muslim, Hindu, or Baha'i theocracy. Having a Christian theocracy opens the door for those others to exist.

-According to Rasmussen, at the moment Romney and Obama are tied at 45% each. Obama leads Santorum 47% to 42%. On generic congressional ballots, Republicans lead Democrats by six percentage points. Personally, I'm amazed at the Democrats holding such high numbers as they do, seeing as they haven't passed a budget in over 1000 days, even when they had complete control of the House and a near supermajority in the Senate. The government currently spends about $11 Billion per day. For every dollar they spend, they have to borrow 43 cents. But if we could just increase taxes on the top 1% we'd be okay, right? Wrong. Even if you took 100% of the wealth of the top 1% of wage earners in this country, you could run the federal government for about 24 days. If you took all the wealth and assests of the Fortune 500 companies as well, you could run the federal government for about eight months. We do not have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem.

Now for some light-hearted sports stuff...

- Chipper Jones, the veteran Braves third-baseman, stated today that he might not be able to last the year. He's not played a full season in a long time, and he seems to stay hurt more than healthy. If/When he retires, he'll probably be a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee. I'd argue that he was one of the best ball players of the steroid era, and he was clean.

- The Formula 1 season starts this weekend in Australia. Last season the Red Bull Renault cars dominated, more specifically, Sebastian Vettel dominated. Through the preseason testing sessions, it appears as if there is no dominant car or team going in to Melbourne. The cars are hideous (except McLaren), and it looks like Bahrain will be on the calendar this year, even though several teams don't want to go.

- The Peyton Manning sweepstakes is in full swing. Manning has already ruled out Kansas City and Seattle, and he's visited Denver and is going to visit Tennessee, Miami, and Arizona. I wasn't aware Tennessee was in the mix until today, and I think the Titans would be a good fit. The weather is usually pretty good in Nashville, he'd play at least two games a season in domes (Houston and Indianapolis), and the owner would throw a good bit of money his way. It's likely the team that signs Manning will also make a run at Reggie Wayne and possibly at Jeff Saturday.

- The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins were penalized by the league for front-loading contracts during the uncapped season a year or two ago. The league specifically warned teams not to front-load, and the 'Skins and 'Boys did it anyway. The Saints and Raiders are also in the penalized group, but their offenses were not on the magnitude of Washington and Dallas.

- The Saints are still feeling the fallout from the Bounty Program their defense ran. The league has been slow to penalize the team, but rumored penalties include 8 to 16 game bans for Sean Payton and Gregg Williams (now with the Rams). The team could face massive financial penalties and possibly the forfeiture of draft picks.

- Speaking of the Rams, St. Louis just landed a haul for their 2nd Round pick. The Redskins (who did all this trading before the league penalized them) gave up their 1st Round pick (6th overall) and their 2nd round pick, plus their first round picks in 2013 and 2014, to move up to #2 this year. Their goal: Robert Griffin III.

Super Tuesday

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Formula 1 Season Predictions

We are less than two weeks away from the start of the 2012 Formula 1 season, which means it is time for the Right Wing Formula 1 Season Predictions!

First Driver to be Replaced: Narain Karthikeyan
I know that it seems odd that Karthikeyan even got a ride this season, but he does bring loads of money to the table for the team. Still, his skill level is not quite that of the other drivers on the circuit. Look for HRT to cut him loose sometime around Round 5.

First Driver to become a Replacement Driver: Sebastian Buemi
This is just an off-the-cuff prediction, as Buemi is a Reserve Driver for Red Bull Renault, and if my first prediction is true, then HRT would be hiring his services away. I think, though, that Buemi is too good a talent to sit out for long.

Will the Bahrain Grand Prix happen? No.
I should qualify that answer by saying that the Grand prix is still on the calendar, but I can see a situation very similar to Indianapolis 2005. Unless the political situations in the Middle East rapidly improve by April 20, I think several teams will sit this one out. It may be the only time that HRT or Marussia get a victory…or even a point.

Will the United States Grand Prix happen? Yes.
The Circuit of the Americas is still being built, the builders, developers, and moneymen are still arguing, and Bernie still looks like a rejected member of a Beatles cover band. That said, you have to think even Bernie Ecclestone realizes that getting a Grand Prix in the US is too good an opportunity to miss. And I know the plan right now involves getting the Grand Prix to the Port Imperial street circuit in 2013 or 2014, but COTA might be one of the better Tilke tracks outside of Istanbul Park. You can’t deny race fans that kind of excitement.

Will we have a more exciting championship hunt than last season? Yes.
Forgiving the fact that Vettel ran away from the pack last year, the races were darned exciting. The rain-infused Canadian Grand Prix last year was one of the best races ever. And this year, testing showed that the top flight teams are separated by only 1 second on lap times. With six former World Driver Champions on the circuit, it has to be more exciting.

Can Kimi Raikkonen make a splash in his return with Lotus(Renault)? Absolutely.
I like Raikkonen and fully expect good things from him. I doubt that Lotus can compete for the championship, but stranger things have happened. Seriously, did anyone in 2009 think that Ross Brawn would double up the titles after buying his team one month before the season started? Raikkonen has set some fast lap times. He’ll be on the podium within the first 5 races.

Who wins the Constructor’s Championship? Red Bull Renault
This may be one of the tighter Constructor’s Championship races we’ve seen in some time. McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes are all looking for the top spot. I’m picking Red Bull because they know what it takes to get it done, and they have two of the most consistent drivers on the circuit.

Who wins the Driver’s Championship? Lewis Hamilton
The last time Lewis Hamilton won the World Driver’s Championship, his team lost the Constructor’s Title. Hamilton has taken some hits lately and a rebound season is in order. He has as much or more talent than anyone on the circuit, and like Vettel and Schumacher, he’s great in the rain. He might start slow, but he’ll begin to pick up momentum in China, where he always races well. It’ll be close, though, with Vettel just missing out on three straight driver’s titles.

Random Predictions (that will most likely be wrong):
-Nico Rosberg will win a race this season.
-Mark Webber will not win a race this season.
-Caterham will score its first point by the mid-point of the season.
-Kimi Raikkonen will take the Lotus car to victory at Spa-Francorchamps.
-The Constructor’s Championship will be decided with one race remaining.
-Ferrari will fail to reach the podium in the first five races.