Bears, Obama, and Beer

"Life is a rock and the radio rolled me...."

BEAR NEWS:
Well, the Bears did it; as I predicted; they signed Rex Grossman.

And why not? No one else will sign him; he’s better than the free agency can offer and who wants to start with another new guy?

My take has always been the same: REX IS NOT THE PROBLEM. The schemes of Turner are the problem. The assistant coaches who get into his head and over coach him are the problem.

Now Bears, listen to me; PLEASE! Just let him play. You have a year invested, no more, no less; just let him play and do the things he can do before you messed him up.

Next up, sign Berrian and Briggs. Longshots I know, but the Bears have to have a plan in case these two wander—well one would thing so, but again we all remember what happened when Thomas Jones left—so there is a worry factor, here.

POLITICAL NEWS:




Bye bye, Hillary.

Any idiot now knows that Hillary Clinton has as much of a chance being the Democrat Nominee for the President as George Bush has. Sad to see here go, ok, not really, but I try to be fair.

The latest plagiarism attacks are so lame. Hillary, act like a Senator. For someone who has served government so long as you claim and is as seasoned as you claim you are; you certainly act like a childish brat. Let’s see VP? Nah, I would stick to Senator of New York for a while. After that, maybe you and Bill can run a car wash. You can park the cars while Bill checks out the back seats.

BEER NEWS:
Had some Pere Jacque from Goose Island at Medici’s. This is growing into my favorite beer. Grab some on tap.

Not much this week; I have a freaking cold.

Wish all well…

Bye Bye Muhsin

“So many faces in and out of my life,
Some will last; some will just be now and then.
Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes;
I’m afraid its time for goodbye again…”
--Billy Joel

The Chicago Bears let Muhsin Muhammad go. They also let Fred Miller and Darwin Walker go.

Here’s the real story, though.

All three were kind of jerks.

Muhammad was a big mouth, complained about Orton, whined about not getting enough balls, was a lip-off on his show, and really never lived up to the hype.

Oh and he dropped more balls than a blind hooker.

Fred Miller was useless by the year’s end and way past his prime. He couldn’t block me, and I am not formidable.

Walker was injury-proned and showed there was a reason Philly (I mean the Eagles really suck) could not use him.

Lack of productivity is only part of it.

The Bears also sent a message, perform and be a class act or goodbye.

Now I agree with this.

They will more than likely put the franchise tag on Berrian and hopefully take that money from the Three Stooges here and give it to Briggs. Those are chancy hopes at best.

The Bears also rewarded hard work and gave Alex Brown a contract extension. Brown was benched for Anderson and played like a Demon possessed the last half of the season. Good for him. Another message shown—or perhaps the same with proof—work hard, do the right things, the reward is yours.

Nice to know the Bears and I share some philosophies. Now, PAY BRIGGS! Oh and look for them to draft an Offensive lineman at this point in the first round. With Miller’s release and departure, they really have no choice.

Anyone want a Muhsin Muhammad Super Bowl Jersey, cheap?

Anyone?

Anyone at all?

Bueller…Bueller…Fry…Fry….

Anyone, anyone at all?

The Choice is Yours

“The times they are a’changin’”



Let’s face some facts.

George Bush should never have been elected President in the first place and he has ruined this country based on factors such as his ego, his skewed version of Christianity, his greed, or his party’s uncompromising sense of power.

Having noted that, I think eight years of stupid is enough.

So I will throw out my support to Barack Obama.

He is innovative.

He is smart.

He has a sense of humor.

He can think on his feet.

He has an understanding of reaching out to all Americans.

He lacks a global concept in my opinion.

He lacks experience.

He even lacks some diplomacy when angered.

That noted, he is the best guy running.

Hillary comes off too abrasive and too “I told you so;” and I am not looking at gender, here. She almost feels as if she should be given the position.

John McCain is an egoist as well; and he is also a liar. Check out the Fox Spews clip with the Queen of the Damned Anne Coulter:



Now I know that the Republican party would rather face Hillary Clinton than Barack Obama, so I sense this is tainted, but I still find the sense of change refreshing to a degree.

As for my criticisms of Barack Obama, Bush also had diplomacy and look what happened. He had experience in politics and look what happened. He tried to be calm when confronted and then showed is insidious anger later and look what happened.

Maybe experience is not a good thing.

Consider voting an idea person, a person with ideals, and a person with intellect in Obama. The only thing from those words I see in McCain’s rhetoric and Hillary’s commentaries is the letter “I.”

Cheaters Never Win and Winners Never Cheat

I’m a LOSER; I’m A LOSER;
And I’m not the man I appear to be.



REAL Hard hitting journalism by Chris Myers for sure (God haw Vanilla); that aside; I have my own questions for Bill Belichick (shown above looking stoned, drunk or just plain stupid).

Me to Bill: Do you believe in God?

Bill: Why?

Me; Well I believe it was divine intervention that allowed Manning to make that pass and Tyree to catch it. I was wondering if you think God may have done that because he hates losers and cheaters, you know, like the Patriots and YOU?

Bill: Not sure.

Me: Bill, do you believe in Karma?

Bill: Not sure.

Me: Well, as your team found out this evening, it is a bitch. Bill, did you cheat?

Bill: Define Cheating?

Me: Well, Bill, it involves taking a camera and filming another team’s practice and learning their plays—and it appears as if it may have done more than once by your team.

Bill: My lawyer asked me not to comment on that. I will say, that our team is dedicated to the community we serve.

Me: Yeah…uh…OK Bill. Bill, if I were to pick your birthplace, I was wondering if it were a cesspool or did you call out from under a rock?

Bill: No comment.

Me: Bill, do you think your cocky, arrogant, and inconsiderate attitude did anything at all to help your team?

Bill: No comment

Me: Bill do you know what a putz is and do you understand that YOU ARE ONE?

Bill: No comment.

Me: Last question, Bill, with your slimey innuendos and questionable character aside why do you think so many people hate your team, had their full with your above it all attitude, are bored by your lectures; resent your arrogance, and would cheer on ANY team but yours?

Bill: Because they love football, real football, more. The fans do not think anyone is above the game, I suppose.

Me: Thanks Bill, now go home and cry your little eye out, you little BUGGER!

Well, that's how I would do it. Fox has no guts!

Update: I Stand Corrected

Oops.

Even I can slip a bit.

And I stand corrected this evening.

Tom Coughlin is a kind-spirited genius.

The Giants Defense is anything but over-rated as they played a heck of a game tonight.

Eli is not luckiest, but holds the unique distinction of being one of 42 of the greatest players of the Super Bowl history. My apologies, sir, as you orchestrated two of the best drives in the 4th Quarter of any Super Bowl, EVER!

Now Bill-a-chick (because you are essentially a sissy-girl) go cry in your low-morals and your cheating heart and your glass of stale beer.

As for Tom Brady, you may have a hot girlfriend, but tonight you were lukewarm.

And Moss, hey do us all a favor and SHUT-UP!

The good guys win, proving that karma and justice is a true BITCH!

Oh and Eli, watch the celebration--ok, buddy. Pictures do not lie (check the above).

What a sloppy drunk, Eli is.

Was It Really That Long Ago?

“We're the Bears Shufflin' Crew.Shufflin' on down, doin' it for you.We're so bad we know we're good.Blowin' your mind like we knew we would.You know we're just struttin' for funStruttin' our stuff for everyone.We're not here to start no trouble.We're just here to do the Super Bowl Shuffle.”

--(I think) Willie Gault of the Chicago Bears.



Ah…it is Super Bowl Sunday.

This is the date in which millions of people come together to gain calories and laughs.

I shall be joining Keith for some “jerk chicken” Mexican dishes, Papa Murphy’s Take and Bake Pizzas (my humble contributions), chips, snacks, a beer or two, and the like. Yes, this is what we Americans call fun.

Oh, and there is a football game on. I really cannot stand either team.

Bill Bellechek is a complete, slimey cheating loser; Tom Brady is a punk; Randy Moss is at the very least an accused criminal (not to mention a drug user—thought we forgot that one, huh?); Tom Coughlin is a whiney embarrassment; Eli Manning is the LUCKIEST player in the NFL—period; The Giant Defense is extremely overrated; and neither team has a very good running back in my opinion (of course, neither do the Bears).

So in order to celebrate, last evening I watched Super Bowl XX when the BEARS could BEAT THE PATRIOTS. To be honest, it is a boring game and I always thought that the Media and Payton could have handled his not scoring a touchdown much better than they did. If you watch the game, and you can read lips, there is a scene when the camera pans the sidelines at the end of the third/beginning of the fourth quarter and a very apologetic looking Jim McMahon puts his head in Walter’s shoulder pads, hugs him and says something. Walter then says, interpreted from reading his lips, “Yeah, it’s ok, we’ll get it, I know” or something to that affect as he pats him on the back. McMahon later says to the press that on his second sneak, the play was supposed to be a handoff to Walter and he (McMahon) messed it up.

So if Walter gets the ball, everything is perfect in Chicago Bear World, but we all know nothing is ever perfect in Chicago Bear World.

Shinie brownie point for anyone who can remember the half-time show. In this day and age of decent rock acts and the like, in 1986, the halftime show was “Up with People” and an ad about “Hands Across America.” I wonder where they want us to put “Up With People” and Hands Across America was just so stupid. In college, a guy named Darren wanted our floor to do a mock of that and call it Hands Across The Street, but no one showed if I remember. He was funny, though.

In college, on Barton Floor Three at THE Illinois State University (that’s right #100 out of the top 100 Colleges and Universities in the country), we were convinced that this was the greatest game on the greatest day with the greatest team EVER! We, of course, were correct.

This game today will be mired in controversy as Spygate takes an ugly twist, the Football Players Union takes an ugly twist on former players (Here’s a clue NFL players—fire Gene Upshaw as he has been a pain in the neck and for decades—he is only concerned about himself), and fans wonder if the NFC has any chance. I would love to see the books, by the way, regarding salary caps and the New England Patriots, but that is a different time.

And another slight interlude:



If you are interested, The Super Bowl 22 years ago had some interesting twists:

1.) Gault caught and ran for over 130 yards and strangely DID NOT DROP A PASS!
2.) McMahon threw for about 260 yards
3.) Matt Suhey scored the first touchdown and had an incredible first half, gaining at least five first downs.
4.) Leslie Frazier destroyed his knee on the “artificial turf” and never played again after this game. Currently Les is a sought-after Head Coaching candidate.
5.) Reggie Phillips who replaced Frazier turned an interception into a touchdown.
6.) Richard Dent (not winning his HoF bid yet) may have been voted MVP, but Wilson and Hampton could have gotten the same.
7.) Keith Van Horne leveled this guy for laying on McMahon in the last ten seconds which should have resulted in a penalty.
8.) I still think Walter called “heads” and changed his mind to say “tails” when asked what he said on the coin toss.
9.) In the first quarter, the Patriots only had the ball for 2:22.
10.) The last player to score for the Bears was a safety by Henry Waechter.
11.) Jim Morrissey, then a rookie, almost scored a TD on an interception.
12.) Steve McMichael caused one of Dent’s “caused” fumbles by hitting the player first and Dent poked the ball out.
13.) Singletary was knocked out for a moment when Perry hit him.
14.) Steve Fuller only completed three passes out of about ten attempts.
15.) Three of the Bear touchdowns were from less than three yards (two QB sneaks and one Perry leap).
16.) If you watch the game Merlin Olson keeps going off about McKinnon making a clip in the first quarter—upon watching this play ten times last night and sick of Olson’s whining, I can honestly say OLSON IS COMPLETELY WRONG. McKinnon started in the side and remained there. No clip.
17.) Red Cashum was the ref with that goofy southern drawl.
18.) They showed a couple of scenes where then Bears owner Mike McCaskey is on the sidelines and no one stands near him or talks to him; except Willie Gault who looks nervous and as if he is trying to get away.
19.) Among my favorite camera shots is when McMahon rips off his helmet and calls time out when the plays did not come in fast enough and through reading of the lips, one can tell he says “F#ck it Mike, Sonovabitch.”
20.) This game ranks as number seven in the most watched events in television history.

Today’s game, in comparison, is “just a game.”

Great Food, Excellent Service, 32 BEERS ON TAP! What more could you want?

"The place is packed;

I needed that;

A bottle cracked;

I'm glad for that;

A good night's rest

Forget about that;

I feel alive in this place;

So I'll drink to that."

(Paraphrased from) D. Barrett of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

And in BEER NEWS…

A new place opened in Normal two weeks ago, and being a dignitary of the town, I was invited for a special opening dinner party (OK, that’s not completely true as Jim, owner of Acme comics, asked me to go because his wife could not attend and the restaurant has a tapper of 32 beers). The name of the new establishment is Medici’s.

I enjoyed a few beers that night, took a friend there a week later, stopped by for a beer also that week, made arrangements for my family to go the night before they left for home in Florida after my grandmother’s passing, and have gone twice since.

The Beer is incredible, the food is very good, and the service is great. Maria, the greeter, now knows me by name as do Jon and Mike, two of the bartenders. The owner is always there and stops by to shake my hand and chat and I feel strangely like Norm in Cheers.

The restaurant has an artistic theme and wishes to promote young artists. The design uses natural materials (I will put a picture up soon) and the owner deliberately hires less experienced wait staff so he can train them on his method—which by the way works because they are so incredibly kind and helpful.

My family loved the place, I love it, my friends I have taken loved it, and hopefully it will grow and grow. There is another Medici’s in Chicago that is a third of the size as this one, so we are the better and expanded version. Aside from beer, a friend of mine said they had an excellent wine list as well--I would not know a good wine from a God-Awful one, so I will take him at his word.

One to what I do know--here are the beer choices:

On Tap:
For $2.50 Pints you can choose from Point Lager and Water (both on tap)--OK the last part was a joke, but yep, Point on Tap. The tapper has a Pointed-headed Clown-looking guy on it.

$3.00 Pints on Tap include
Budweiser products,
St, Pauli Girl,
Honey Brown.

$4.00 Pints on Tap include:
Bitter End Pale Ale (Two Brothers)
Sierra Navada Pale Ale
Crooked Tree IPA (Dark Horse)
Old No. 38 Stout (North Coast)
Celis White Ale
Censored Ale (Lagunitas, CA)
Berghoff Amber
Deep Cover Brown Ale (Left Hand Brewing)
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Ale (Very good--I had this when I was there)
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Old Rasputin Imperial Stout
Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale (Founders)
Original Sin Dry Apple Cider

$5.00 Pints include:
Bitburger Pils
Guinness
Stella Artois (for $5.00--really????)
Harp (see previous)

Also for $5.00 one can purchase
Goblets of Brother Thelonious Abbey Ale (North Coast)
Goblets of Pere Jacque (Goose Island)

In Bottles:
For $2.00--LaCrosse Lager

For $3.00--Huber Premium
Point Pale
Genesee Cream Ale
Budweiser/Bud Light
MGD/Miller Lite

For $4.00--Sam Adams Lager
Blackwatch Porter (never heard of this one)
Rolling Rock (yeah, I know--ick)
Leinie's Berry Weiss
Sea Dog Raspberry Ale
O'Fallons Smoked Porter (which might be good)
Goose Island Honker
Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat
Anchor Steam
Bass
Becks
Corona
Tyskie (From Poland)

For $5.00 Bottles:
Pilsner Urquell (ah...the green bottle stink of beer)
Lion Stout from Sri Lanka

For $7.00 Bottles one can imbibe on:
Delirium Tremens (Belgium)
Piraat (Belgium)
Duchesse De Bourgogne (Belgium)

For $8.00 try a St, Louis Framboise (Belgium)

And lastly for $10.00 per bottle you may want to quaff a St. Feuillien Trippel (Belgium)

Now lest you think I sampled all of these and took meticulous notes, in all honesty they gave me a beer list. Ask for one and you may have one as well.

The world is a better place when I can locally quaffe a Pere Jacque.