Donovan the Man

 

One day America will produce a “Jordanesque” soccer star

Until that time, we can always enjoy the exploits of Landon Donovan

Click on the link to see what those who like the other football call a

Great Ball

GOD (AND AMERICA) LIKE UGLY, I LIKE REALITY

 

“Should Tim Tebow get MVP consideration?”

Mike Greenberg 11/28/11 Sportcenter

Okay, I’ve just about had it.

I’ve never felt strongly about Tim Tebow in either direction. While some waywardly slander him as the worst thing to ever happen to quarterback position, and others foolishly deem him to be a signal caller crafted in Gods image, personaly I’ve choses to respect him for his tremendous accomplishments while in college and earnestly state his shortcomings as a professional.

After Tebow “led” his team to a 16-13 overtime victory over the perpetualy talent wasting San Diego Chargers this past Sunday, I’ve reached my hyperbole breaking point regarding the Tebow
phenomena.

As the eternal football mantra corectley states, quarterbacks routinely receive a undeserved amount of credit for their teams success and and disproportionate amount of blame for its faliures, but when it comes to Tebow, somebody (the media? society at large?) have smashed the dial on the reality console.

The Broncos are 5-1 during Tebow’s starting reign, that fact, as facts usually are, is undeniable. What’s refutable, is the idea, that Denver’s current run of success is a direct result or mainly a consequence of the NFL’s newly appointed Christian soldier taken helm of the Broncos offense.

It would be foolish for anyone not to acknowledge, Tebow’s deft ability as a runner which helps solidify Denver’s ball control gameplan, and the relative non existence of turnovers caused by his hand.

But

Ignoring the the superb contributions and play of Bronco defense during Denver’s current run is down right intellectually criminal

In the five games Denver has won during Tebow’s starts, they have held their opponents to 15, 24 (okay), 10, 13, and 13 points respectively. Such a impressive run shouldn’t be denied recognition and needs to be respected as a intergral part of the Bronco turn around.

Denver’s defense has been good all year and the recently released Kyle Orton just couldn’t get the job done?

Maybe so on the latter, but the 23, 17, 49, and 29 points they gave up during Orton’s losses didn’t help matters much .

Look

Tebow DESERVES credit for helping the Broncos turn around what seemed to be a lost season and for seemingly doing the imposable. He has somehow made a offense base around the option a viable and winning scheme in the NFL, something we’ve been told wasn’t possible in the NFL. our entire lives.

But

Lets be real here.

When some choose lambast the public with their Tebow praise, alerting us to what a “good guy” Timmy T is and all but stopping short of stating God opened up the heavens and gently placed a Christian soldier upon the gridiron, remember, they are talking about a QB with a 45% completion percentage. (okay really 45.5 so you can round that up to 46% if you want to)

A QB who sports a very mundane 80.5 QB rating

A QB who while even playing in the most pass happy era the NFL has ever seen, is averaging a paltry 128 yards threw the air in his starts.

Being drafted into the Steeler Nation seconds after my birth, and indoctrinated into all things NFL soon after, I’ve seen my fair share of Quarterback play over my 30 year + of scratching the earths surface while concurently observing the actions and even more telling reactions of various fan bases.. If there one thing I’ve come to learn and recognize about said fan bases during that time is. They in NO WAY shape or form, would praise any other quarterback who put numbers Tebow puts up.

NO WAY

And please.

Miss me with the

“The only numbers that matter are those in the win column” talking point.

Because I have one name that give me the power to pull the inner hypocrite out of you Tebow supporters and boldly display it before your eyes

Trent Differ.

You see, no matter what recreational activities I may or may not have took part in a decade or so ago, I remember how the the Football crazed American populace treated Trent Dilfer.

How they mocked him.

Ridiculed him

And

Laughed at him

All while he proceed to go 7-1 as a starter and eventually “lead” his team to a Super Bowl victory.

Yes, Tebow’s current 8-1 Touchdown to Interception ratio is much better than Dilfer’s year 2000 12-11 was, but the former Super Bowl quarterbacks yards per game (136) is comparable to Tebow’s and his completion percentage (59 %) far eclipes the Denver signal callers.

Admit it, even when he is making the most cogent of points, you sometimes think to yourself “Who is Trent Dilfer to criticize anybody?” while he is exercising his current duties on ESPN.

So why is it permissible for the same people who crucified Dilfer, to extol Tebow without castigation or at least acknowledgement of the polar opposite opinions they display regarding similar cirmcumstances?

The way you answer the question

Is Denver winning because of Tebow or inspite of him?

Says a lot about how honest you are with yourself, and wether or not you feel what “is” is malleable or not.

The Seedy Underbelly of the Libyan Fight for Freedom

I’ve pretty much been skeptical of any group our government and or media deems to be “Freedom Fighters”  my entire life, so when reports began surfacing extolling the virtues of the Libyan rebels fighting against the Gaddafi regime, I immediately became skeptical.

Not long after following the conflict I started to see disturbing reports, regarding the mostly Arab anti Gaddafi forces and their  treatment of Black/Sub Saharan Africans.  Reports of  rape, torture, and targeting Black civilians for murder, broke not long after the Libyan Civil War broke out in February. Those dispatches were by smaller news organizations and bloggers primarly sadly, leaving much of the world in the dark on the actions taken by a segment of  Freedom fighters far to many blindly support.

Lately the atrocites by rebel forces have been given attention by larger outlets, which will hopefully bring about pressure  from their backers to curb such heinous actions.

Yes, I’m fully aware of the mercenary link, some Black Africans had with the Gaddafi government, and that war inherently brings out the worst in humanity. The impetus for this post stems from my desire to make those who are unaware of these acts to become knowledgeable of them, and to project the idea that one shouldn’t blindly support a particular group or regime solely because their government vouches for them.

Please take a second and read the following articles.

Rebels settle scores in Libyan capital

Displaced black Libyans tell of beatings, expulsion at gunpoint