Category: Uncategorized

1. Obviously, the thing to do when you’re facing a defense that has given up two successive 200-yard rushers and you’re playing outside on a cold December day is to throw the ball. Onterrio Smith rushes for over six yard per carry, but only gets 13 carries while Daunte throws 3 interceptions and the Vikings blow the chance to take the lead in the NFC North. If Mike Tice gets fired at the end of the year, this game will be the reason.

2. McNabb has definitely taken it to a new level this year, but I still don’t think this justifies his early anointing as a great quarterback. Sure, having Owens helps, but a defense that shuts down the Packers and holds them to three points until garbage time doesn’t exactly hurt. That steamrolling at Pittsburgh tends to devalue the gaudy record somewhat too.

3. That loud crashing sound you hear is the sound of the Michael Vick: Superstar express crashing into a very large concrete barrier painted pewter. OVERRATED. Meanwhile, the unheralded Drew Brees quarterbacked the unfancied Chargers to a likely AFC West championship even though the Broncos successfully took away the Antonio Gates option.

4. Peyton Manning will probably achieve the unbelievable and break Dan Marino’s record this coming weekend. Of course, as the Sports Guy points out, running up the score in December doesn’t matter much if you don’t win in January. Does anyone else suspect that like Marino, (who admitted as much this week), Manning cares more about the records than he does about winning?

5. Ah yeah, I like the new juice. Mr. Julius Jones, who not only has the best name in football since He Hate Me, has racked up 400 yards and 5 TDs since I picked him up in my fantasy league two weeks ago. I’m riding him, Antonio Bryant and Lee Evens right into the playoffs. Last week, I started precisely two players I drafted, Daunte and Bubba Franks. It’s all about the pickups, boys.

6. Rick Fox of Carolina must be an unbelievable coach. He’s practically playing the cheerleaders now and Panther’s are still in position for the playoffs despite the heavy injuries. Coaches are overrated in most sports, but with the talent parity in the NFL, they may be the definitive factor.

7. The Jets are having the quietest 9-3 season ever. Thankfully, three teams at 10-1 should shut up all the whiners complaining about too much NFL parity. I like Herm Edwards, with the right hat, he’d be the black Tom Landry.

8. I’m not saying that turning the keys over to Eli Manning was the worst coaching decision ever, but it is probably the worst one in the NFL this year. Considering that this required topping Denny “it’s not the QB, it’s my system” Green’s decision to start a rookie QB and a rookie RB last Sunday, that’s saying something.

9. It seems pretty obvious that Mike Holmgren was riding the coattails of Ron Wolf and Brett Favre now, doesn’t it? I’ve never seen a pro receiver drop more balls than Darrell Jackson. No wonder they’re throwing it to Jerry Rice now, he may have lost a step or two, but at least he can hang onto the ball.

10. What was that I said about the window of opportunity closing on the Titans before the season started? Yeah, thought so.

Ralph continues to take exception:

I do not take back the idea that I thought his article today was insulting to Jews by saying that Hanukah is based on “magic”–Christians do not own the market on miracles and Hanukah is holiday that clearly celebrates a miracle, not magic.

I also am even more insulted by him grouping Jews together with secularists, athiests, and Muslims–this is divisive and in my eyes, ungrateful–

In my opinion, this is a clear case of looking to be offended. My sentiments would have remained precisely the same had I used the term “miraculously” instead of “magically”; the point of the dismissive tone was not to denigrate Judaism but to underline the fact that Hannukah is about as minor a holiday as exists in America today, an unimportant holiday celebrated by a tiny minority of the populace. I do not purchase presents for anyone to celebrate ANY of the miracles chronicled in the Bible with the sole exception of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, practicing Jews belong with secularists, atheists and Muslims with regards to this subject, because like those other groups, they deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As the furor over The Passion of the Christ showed, there even appears to be a larger segment of openly anti-Christian American Jews than there are openly anti-Christian American Muslims.

I will always defend the right of the Jewish people to the land of Israel and to live and practice their religion freely in America. I believe that Christians have a responsibility to protect God’s Chosen People from the prince of this world, who hates them like he hates Christians. I do not, however, regard them as a people or a faith who are somehow beyond all criticism and mockery, their oft-tragic history notwithstanding.

As evidence that most Jews not only understood but sympathized with the point I was making, here’s a typical email from Moshe:

It’s coincidental that I read your article today after a minor epiphany I had last night.I was standing in line in a store last night when one of the customers asked the clerk if he was in the “Christmas Spirit” yet. It astounded me that I hadn’t even thought about the term for a decade or more.

I am a devoutly Orthodox Jew. However, I grew up in a non-orthodox household in Canada in the ’50s. I distinctly remember the concept of “Christmas Spirit.” When I was a kid, this was no meaningless concept but a mindset that seemed to guide people for a few weeks each year. People were more gentle at that time, they let each other ahead in a queue for a movie or a bus. They were less belicose and warmer in their hellos and goodbyes. Fast forward to the early ’80s. As a newly married young man with a growing family I remember talking with one of my Christian employess about the fact that it seemed the Christmas spirit had died. Now, in the 21st Century, you don’t even hear the term any more.

As a Jew, I am not offended if someone wishes me a Merry Christmas. Obviously, I don’t subscribe to the theology but I respect those who do and am grateful for the Christians who founded and bled for this country and made it a haven for Jews. I simply respond “have a nice holiday” back. I am astounded though, when two Christians are afraid to offer each other Christmas greetings without having to looking over their shoulders for the PC police.

BMW is mildly put out:

A small thing, if you please. I was a bit bothered when in your article you talked about other peoples holidays. And it seemed you picked heavily on the Celts. Were you aware that there are ALOT of Christian Celts? (myself included). Were you aware that at one time there was a Celtic Catholic Church based on the Island of Iona, led by Saint Columba, a student of Saint Patrick? Were you aware that the Celts to this day are a very strongly spiritual people, and are heavily in favor of christianity. Yes, you were relatively accurate with your ‘holiday’ descriptions, but couldn’t you have found a few other cultures to fill out that area? Please? (And yes, in case you weren’t aware, the Celtic Catholic Church eventually was absorbed by the Roman Catholic, but long before that, the Monks of the CCC were firmly in the belief of grace by faith, the Blessed Trinity of God, and the death and resurrection of our Lord for the forgivness of sins. Christian, in the deepest and most proper sense)

I’m just curious to know which of the practices I mentioned were those of the Celtic Catholic Church, the butt-painting, the druid-burning or the sex with strangers at the solstice?

That all sounds rather more Episcopalian to me….

Michael gets pensive:

I’ve visited your blog and I’m impressed with your ability to argue a point. I couldn’t hold my own against you, but I need to bring this to your attention. I have been a christian (lutheran) all of my adult life. I’ve been born again for about 20 years. I’ve become a student of the bible which led me to a study of the Jewish roots of Christianity. After spending 46 years celebrating Christmas every Dec 25th, I’ve come to realize that the holiday itself is not scriptural. There are many holidays (feasts) in the Bible that Jesus and his desciples observed, but Christmas definately isn’t one of them. This is a holiday that was invented by the Holy Roman Catholic Church when they were having a problem competing with pagan religions. Dec 25th happens to be a pagan holiday called Saturnalia. The celebration of birthdays in general is a pagan custom….

I just believe that God is fussy about how he is worshipped and doesn’t care for converted pagan holidays. I’m afraid he will tells us: “you did not tear down the High Places” Tell me where I’m going wrong Vox.

First, let me say that there is nothing whatsoever wrong with Christians not wishing to celebrate Christmas because they regard it as commercial, a transmogrified pagan custom or whatever. That’s true, in fact, the very concept of a holy day is basically beside the point for the Christian. We have no altars, we offer no sacrifices and Communion is the only Christ-mandated remembrance.

But this decision is very, very different than the secular elite’s attempt to construct an atheist apartheid. This is step two in the rollback of Christianity, step one is already complete. It is the symbolic value of Christmas as a landmark of Christian social influence that is under attack, and that is why the symbol should be defended. Believe me, no more good will come of accepting this latest assault than came of the acceptance of the de-Christianized public schools.

As for the worship aspect, Christmas is primarily not about worship, it is about celebration. Christians worship Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior every day, however poorly. Christmas simply serves as a reminder to us, our families and the world around us who it is we serve and in whom we place our hope. I do not accept the many metaphorical devices used by some Christians to condemn others – the love of money as idolatry or whatever – it seems to me that the Biblical God is quite literal with his commands and that stretching metaphors to find condemnation is an unreasonable and unfruitful exercise.

Maureen Dowd confesses something:

I’ve never said this out loud before, but I can’t stand Christmas.

Everyone in my family loves it except me, and they can’t fathom why I get the mullygrubs, as a Southern friend of mine used to call a low-level depression, from Thanksgiving straight through New Year.

I thoroughly enjoy Christmas. There are a few sad thoughts, like when I think about how I’ll never walk in from the swirling snowflakes through the front door of my parents’ house and be greeted by my grandfather, who in one deft move would remove your coat and place a mug of hot buttered rum in your hand. Nor is my German friend, ever clueless, again likely to walk in with a vague expression on his face and end up sitting down for the family’s formal Christmas dinner wearing a borrowed coat, dress shirt and tie. (He did this for so many years that it ended up becoming its own tradition until he moved back to Germany).

But I still love it and I treasure both the memories and the new experiences. I would pity those, like Ms Dowd, who loathe Christmas, were it not for the efforts of her spiritual kin to remove it from the public eye.

Ralph pronounces judgment:

Your article on militant Christmas is juvenile–you are going to boycott department stores that have a holiday theme as opposed to a Christians only theme? Grow up. Further, Christians are not the only ones who beleive in God’s miracles, and by stating that Hanukah is a holiday inspired by “magical” oil, is a clever little slam at the Jewish religion in general.

Jesus would not approve approve of this and the entirety of your hostile article towards other people. Jesus taught peace, humility, and acceptance, you clearly teach none of those and are not a Christian because you don’t follow Jesus’ teachings. By the way, while you are busy telling others to “go get their own holiday”, you should consider going to get your own Ten Commandments and God, something ingrates like you seem to have forgotten came from the Jews.

This paragon of omniscience with regards to eternal destinies and Jesus’ approval nevertheless appears to have missed the point completely. I was not discussing the unquestioned right of Jews, or anyone else, to celebrate whatever they want, I was discussing the intentional attempt of non-Christians to prevent Christians from openly celebrating Christmas.

Furthermore, who said anything about a Christians-only theme? Not me. Though if a store is decorated for “the holidays” but has gone to the trouble of systematically eradicating every mention of Christmas, why should I purchase my Christmas gifts there? Why, the mere fact of doing so could be downright offensive to someone!

I’m speaking, of course, of the corporations and their attitude towards Christmas vs. Holidays. I’ve already had to modify my shopping a bit this SEASON as I’ve noticed the following in advertisements:

Naughty – Barnes&Noble (happy holidays), Amazon (gifts this season)

Nice – McDonalds

Anyone got any others?

Vox, just curious… does WND ever forward on to you letters to the editor about your columns that they don’t publish? They have to get tons of letters to the editor daily.

My editor only sends on a very few, usually those that are exceptionally amusing or raise a point similar to one that he’d been considering himself. I did get a little irritated once when they ran one that specifically addressed me without letting me know about it, so he sends those on to me as well although not very often since they usually focus on those addressed to Mr. Farah since WND is his show.

I’ve noticed that my quantity of critical mail dropped off a cliff once I started running my mailvox column and then got the blog going. Pity, I do so enjoy responding to that sort of thing.

Last week: 13-3. Overall: 111-63. Fantasy: 6-5-1 (4th place)

W-St. Louis Rams over San Francisco 49ers

W-New England Patriots over Cleveland Browns

W-Pittsburgh Steelers over Jacksonville Jaguars

W-Indianapolis Colts over Tennessee Titans

L-Minnesota Vikings over Chicago Bears

W-Philadelphia Eagles over Green Bay Packers

W-Detroit Lions over Arizona Cardinals

W-San Diego Chargers over Denver Broncos

Seattle Seahawks over Dallas Cowboys

W-New York Jets over Houston Texans

W-Buffalo Bills over Miami Dolphins

W-Kansas City Chiefs over Oakland Raiders

W-Carolina Panthers over New Orleans Saints

L-Atlanta Falcons over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

L-Baltimore Ravens over Cincinnati Bengals

L-New York Giants over Washington Redskins

Not bad. Third place in the picks pool regardless of the Seattle result and a HUGE fantasy win moving the Fish into a strong third-place at 7-5-1 and a likely playoff spot. Only a loss combined with two upsets will knock me out; it’s possible, but not probable since I’m playing the White Buffalo’s crippled, out-of-roster-moves team.